Since I got tagged...

Chrissy tagged me on her blog, and since I haven't blogged anything for a couple of weeks, I figured, why not?

1.) What I was doing ten years ago:
Well, let's see, September 1997. That was my Sophomore year of High School. I think I was jsut trying to figure out what High School was all about. That was the year that Hikari and I met.. Wow! Ten years ago! I hadn't thought about that. We met during the school play. We were both in the chorus, and so we would hang out backstage. I had a huge crush on him and wrote about him in my journal: "I met this guy. He's a senior, and he's so cute! He has 7 people in his family, just like me! Today, he brought cookies that he made , they were so good! He can cook AND he sings in Madrigals! I could totally marry this guy!"

2.) Five years ago:
Five years ago, we were just settling in as newly weds. We lived in a Condo in Washington Terrace. In our ward, Hikari was the gospel principles teacher, and I was put into Young Womens, which I moved around in for 4 years from Personal Progress Advisor to 2nd Counselor to President. We were both going to school at Weber State. Hikari was working at Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy and I was working at Barnes Bank.

3)Three years ago:
I was pregnant with Munchkin. We were getting a nursery ready and getting ready for a new baby that January. Hikari got a new job that year working for the University of Utah, and I was still working at the Bank.

4) One year ago:
Things got busy. We decided that we were going to put our house up for sale. I got a new job as an Office Manager in Salt Lake. Our car that we bought when we got married bit the dust. And munchkin was growing like a weed!

5.) Yesterday:
We got to see the baby growing inside of me! We went to the doctors office, and then afterward we went to breakfast before I had to go back to work. It was a good morning. It reminded me how much my family means to me!

6.) 5 snacks I enjoy:
Right now, I wish I can enjoy ANYTHING! But unfortunately, food is the last thing I want to think about!

7.) 5 Things I would do if I suddenly had $100 million:
I would build a garage and finish the basement. And then I would go with Hikari and Munchkin to San Diego to SeaWorld and the Zoo, because we were going to do that this summer...until we decided to buy our house, which cost a little bit more ;)

8.) 5 locations I would like to run away to:
I would love to go to Germany, Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, and England

9.) 5 bad habits I have:
I always wait till my car is on E to fill up, and then get all anxious, because I think I'm going to run out of gas, I ALWAYS hit the snooze button, I forget to check the diaper bag for a change of clothes for my potty training munchkin, setting things aside that I "meant to do later" and forgot about. Interupting my husband when he's trying to talk to me.

10.) 5 things I like doing:
Stamping, Scrapbooking, Playing the Piano, Singing, and going on outings as a family

11.) 5 TV shows I like:
Monk, Psych, NCIS, Numbers, and sometimes Survivor (depends on the season)

12.) 5 things I hate doing:
Laundry, Telling solicitors to leave me alone, breaking an awkward silence, CAUSING an awkward silence, and sending people mean letters for my job.

13.) 5 Biggest joys of the moment:
Looking forward to a new baby, Looking forward to my current baby being a big sister, spending time with my family in the evenings, knowing that my family is safe, knowing that my little sister will be home in two weeks from her mission in Japan!

Now I get tag 5 people: Um I don't who to tag, so anyone that wants to can reminisce like I did!

Here we go again...

And then there were four! Well, it is official. Baby #2 is well on his/her way! We had a visit to the Doctor yesterday, and it went well. ( Except for the part when they steal half of my blood!) I'm right on schedule and the little bean has a fast little heart beat... due April 23, the day after my birthday! When the Doctor printed the picture, Munchkin looked at it with such intent..."That's my baby in Mommy's tummy!" She was elated! She spent the next two hours holding the DVD, with the picture in side opening and closing the case. "That's the baby!" She is going to be such a good big sister! She carries her babies around and practices with them. And she did tell us that she is planning on sharing her Elmo doll with the baby. I'm feeling alright. Not great, but I'm excited so I can't complain too much. I am not throwing up like I did with Ayana, but I also don't have a disease-ridden gall bladder anymore, either. (Thank goodness!) It's exciting to think we get to bring another baby into this world...into our family. We have truly been blessed.

Japanese way of folding T-shirts!

Our Hobby: Once Upon a Time...

...there was a young newly wed couple with nothing to do. They went in search of something to occupy their time, and decided to purchase a 10 Gallon fish tank with 6 goldfish. After a month each one had it's turn down the toiletbowl pathway to fishy heaven. We.. I mean "they" decided to take on the world of fish for pets and started with Tetra's and Mollys, and then the hobby became bigger when we... I mean "they" started getting Cichlids. Now anyone who has had cichleds knows that they are not the nicest fish. They can be purchased under the label "Aggressive Fish" By aggressive, they mean cannibal. Needless to say, they ate all of our other fish. So we had a Cichlid Tank. By this time the tank we had was much too small, so we upgraded to a 29 gallon Tank. In less than a year, the 29 Gallon Tank seemed to be getting a bit squishy. In search for a bigger tank we were converted to the idea that Salt Water Fish are much more fun! SO we snagged ourselves a 50 Gallon Tank. Hikari built a nice lid out of wood, and it looked very nice, except we didn't have stand. In search of a stand, we came across on a steal of deal for a stand AND a new fish tank. The catch? It was 110 GALLONS! So we now have a nice big 110 Gallon Salt Water Fish Tank with near 100 lbs of Rock, 7 soft corals, 3 hard corals, 9 Fish, 2 Starfish, several snail and crabs, and a partridge in a pear tree! And we all are living happily ever after!

Orange and Green Zooanthids

Pink Zooanthids

Toadstool Leather and Cleaner Wrasse

Frogspawn, Blue Hippo Tang, Clown Fish, and Cleaner Wrasse Finger Leather

Our newest Addition: Firefish

Our Red Mushroom Family

A day at the Salon...

I would love to say that this was Munchkin's first haircut, but it was actually her second. About a month ago, or so, she went with me to my sisters salon to get my hair done. When she say the wash sink, she wanted to do it too. Although once she got there, she got a little nervous. But when her hair was all done and curly, she had to show everyone her new haircut!

Munchkin's Celebrity Match

My Dad always said she looks like a brown-haired Shirley Temple!

From faraway lands...

This week, has been one of reflection. I got set apart as the Primary Pianist on Sunday, and although it's not an "Oh-so-glorious" calling, when I was set-apart, a received a truly inspirational blessing. It made me think about all of the changes and opportunities for growth our Heavenly Father puts in our paths. One challenge that has faced me (and my family, I can't be selfish) was when my wonderful sister, and one of my best friends, made the decision to serve a mission almost 2 years ago. She has been faithfully serving and sharing the gospel with the wonderful people of Japan. When I say I can't be selfish, I refer to the call for growth that these challenges present to us. I know that I was not the only one in my family that found it hard to let her go... and not the only to experience the personal growth that only comes from supporting those that have been called to serve the Lord. We had shared a room growing up since I was 5(until we moved to Syracuse). We shared so much over the years...laughing, crying, yelling, and screaming. But there were the tender moments that reminded us how important sisters are. One instance I can remember was when we were young, I think I was 9 years old, and she had just turned 7. She came over to my bed one night in tears. For her birthday, a few days earlier, she had received a 10 dollar bill as gift. She had lost it, and didn't know what to do. She had knelt to pray and asked Heavenly Father to help her find it. When she couldn't find it, she came to me in tears. I remember her saying, "Can you pray to find it, because I don't think Heavenly Father answers my prayers, but I know he answers yours, because you told me that he did one time." I hugged and said that Heavenly Father answers all prayers, but you have to listen and have the Holy Ghost help you. I suggested we pray together, and she insisted that I say it. Sure enough, the next morning, she found her money, and gave me a smile, that I felt all the way across the room. As we've gotten older, at least in my mind, the roles have changed. She has been such a rock and beacon in my life. Although she lived over an hour away, I could call her at a moments notice to cry or to laugh again. The week after she left, I had a bad week, and I picked up the phone, and realized that I couldn't call her for comfort. I realized that as much as I leaned on her, I didn't lean nearly as much as I should on the Savior and the promise that we should take his yoke upon us, and our burdens will be light. The last 18 months have been a challenge, and I have grown more than I ever thought possible. She will be home in 6 weeks, and I have never been more eager to talk to her, not to share my burdens with her, but to share my triumphs.