Please Use No. 2 Pencils Only

School is back in session for most everyone now. To celebrate, we are going to have a pop quiz. Since most of  my "leisure" reading these days is centered around pregnancy and babies, that will be the topic for today's test.

#1. On average, how many diapers does a baby go through in 1 year?

#2. When does the 3rd trimester "officially" begin?

#3. Please rate the following "pregnancy moments" I've had from least to most funny:
                     A. (At 3 months): "I thought you were pregnant, the guys and I were talking about things we noticed were different about you."
                     B. "You're not due until December and you're already that big? At least you're not getting fat in your face."
                     C. 5 months pregnant, I walk into the State Liquor store and pick up a $700 order of booze.  
                     D. "Cool name. Makes me think of a stoner or WWE wrestler."

#4. T/F Waiting at the doctor's office for 45+ minutes so you can have a 5 minute check up is acceptable.

#5. T/F It's ok to buy chocolate milk every single day with your lunch, and then blame it on a craving so the cashier doesn't judge you.

Bonus Question:
In one to two paragraphs, please describe how much Mike and Shaina have no clue what they have gotten themselves into.

Pencils down. Everyone grade your own.

1. 2,300. With that much practice Mike's going to be an expert after 1 year!
2. Got me. Everything I read says something different depending on if you're counting months, weeks, or days; when you start counting; and if it's a leap year or not. I say it starts whenever the heartburn and swollen feet become commonplace.
3. No right answer. But C was for an event at work for those of you already questioning my competency as a mother.
4. I say False, but appearantly it's standard in the medical field.
5. TRUE. Of course.

Re-Learning

One day on a crazy whim I decided I wanted to get my Master's degree and enrolled in an online Master of Human Resource Development program.

Now that I am 2 class into it, and wondering what in the world I was thinking, I am able to reflect on what it means to be a college student all over again.

It's still rewarding to finish a class, test, or paper and feel like you've really accomplished something. It's still exciting to learn new things and feel like you understand a concept on a different level now.

It's a lot easier to be a full-time student while working part-time than it is to be working full-time and only be a part-time student. I don't know why, but it is.

Staying up until 2:30 am to finish a research paper that is due still stinks. Especially when you can't afford to sleep in the next day because you have to go work. Especially when it means that Father's Day for your husband is lame because you're too tired to even make him a plate of eggs.

Even in virtual classrooms there is going to be that one really annoying person.

Text books are always boring.

Having the company you work for reimburse your tuition and books is a lot nicer than a student loan, plus the temporary charges are good for rewards points on your credit card.

I suppose it hasn't been so bad of an experience so far. But I'm thinking the next time I feel impulsive, I'll just stick with an hour or two at the mall and a some new shoes.

Birthdays and Birth Days

Today is a celebration day!

Happy Birthday to me! Ok, you might be thinking it's a bit presumptuous to post about myself on my birthday, and maybe it is. But you only turn to 29 once! Unless you're my mom, she's done it a dozen times now.

Happy Birthday to my father-in-law! What a good guy he is. Every year he sends me an e-card on "our" birthday that I always look forward to. This year it had dancing hamsters in sombreros. Very nice.

And....

Happy Birth Day count down! 6 months from today is the due date of the next addition to the Burgoyne Family Tree, brought to you by Mike and Shaina.

Family: It's about time!

Woodshop 101

I don't mean to brag, ok I do, but Mike is the coolest uncle to our nieces and nephews. Not only is he really good at playing

but recently he spent a Saturday teaching our nephew all about power tools and even helped him build a box.

They had such a good time that Mike lent Eli a book of simple wood projects with the assignment to pick one or two projects that they can work on this summer. Eli had a hard time narrowing it down to just one project. If you look closely, almost every page is marked as a "favorite".

Great Googely-Moogely

Mike has had a lot of free time lately and has been helping out more around house. I've come home to a hot meal almost every night the past week, the errands and shopping have been done, and today he even helped out with the laundry....

I think with all of these good deeds I'll overlook the fact that he spelled my name wrong.

Arrevederci

I had to renew my passport recently. It turns out they don't let you keep your previous passport anymore and you have to mail it back in order to get a new one.

So it's time to say goodbye.

Goodbye to one of the last remaining official documents that carried my maiden name. Goodbye to the most unflattering picture I've ever had taken. And most importantly goodbye to my stamps.

I'm going to need time to get over this. I think a cruise to Cabo and Mazatalan this summer oughta do the trick.

The Burgoyne Home at the Holidays

We're always Rockin' around the Christmas Tree

with our little star from Bethlehem (PA).

 We have snow and mistletoe and presents round the tree and even

decorations of red on a green Christmas tree, thanks to Aunt Wynn!

We're loving our white Christmas and every Christmas card we get.

On the 8th day of Christmas Shaina gave to her coworkers 8 chocolate peppermint cookies in a snowflake jar.

 All is merry and bright because we've hung our stockings and said our prayers. 

 Frosty and the other snowman are holly jolly souls because

 He sees them when they're sleeping and knows when they're awake.

Of course we try to Picture a stable in Judea, but now can only picture two wisemen because one of them lost his head (I won't say who did it, but her name rhymes with "SilverBell")

Oh! And the mistletoe is hung where you can see.

One of the prettiest sights to see is the wreath that will be when you open the door.

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Cold Cougars in Colorada

Last week we took a trip to Colorado to watch BYU play CSU.
Despite Mike being terribly sick all week and staying in bed during most of our stay, he found the strength to still attend the game.

We got there early enough to watch the players warm up. I think Mike was tempted to reach out and just touch one of them.

He's watching BYU football with his brother Will, so I know Mike is having a great time. It's either all of the Nyquil or the freezing cold that makes it hard to see that in his expression.

"If onlyI could be out there with them. *sigh*"

All Hallowed Eve

Party #1:
Not your typical work party. Riding the scooter all day was fun.

Party #2:
Trunk-or-treating in the rain. You don't really get a good look at the costumes this way.

Party #3 (the one you've all been waiting for):

This year was arguably the best one we have had yet. The food was fantastic, the games fun, and we even had multiple celebrity guests show up.

The Wonders of Technology

Ya know how some people say that when we die we'll get to watch a replay of our life? I picture this happening in a comfy chair in front of a big screen tv with me holding the remote so I can fast forward through the scary or boring scenes.

The thing about movies though, is that I can't watch one anymore without looking it up on imdb.com immediately afterwards, or even during the movie if I'm at home.

So I'm modifying my mental image of the final cut screening of my life to include a laptop with a mldb (my life database) on it. This way when I watch the part where I meet someone and have the feeling that I've seen him somewhere else I can look up the name and see "also appeared in 9th grade English class as weird kid in the back row". I would also look up the trivia and fun facts section and read things like "a number of names were considered for the role of Shaina's Husband and it took months of repeat auditions before Michael was finally cast."

I did just finish watching the movie Star Trek Generations on tv. Maybe by the 24th century they'll have that kind of technology figured out. It can't be harder than holodecks, right? By the way, did you know that it was William Shatner's only "Star Trek" appearance without Leonard Nimoy?

Celebrity Sighting

In this picture you will see 2 DP employees (the ones with the gray shirts) and 2 celebrity guests that stopped by for lunch this week.



10 points goes to anyone that knows the names of the celebrities and what they are famous for doing.

50 points goes to anyone that can name all 4 people in the picture.

100 points goes to anyone that eats lunch at the SLC DP because they had heard it was where the cool people go to eat.

Gee, Whiz

Mike has recently made a drastic career change by quitting his desk job to indulge his entrepreneur side.

Welcome to the Downtown Philly Cheesesteaks - Downtown Salt Lake Edition.


It's on 3rd south between Main and State. They serve all sorts of cheesesteak varieties and other exclusive Pennsylvania imports. You can check out the menu and other locations at www.thedowntownphilly.com

If you are in the area, stop by! I recommend The Whiz Steak with a peanut butter TastyKake. If you do go, be sure to say hi to the cute guy behind the counter.

The Rising Generation

Kids these days - they are so wrapped up in their technology and toys.




And if it helps with my effort to be the favorite Aunt to my nephew, all the better.

Wascally Wabbits

Over the winter some nasty little vermin decided to destroy our lawn.



So be vewy, vewy quite...

A medical miracle

I stumbled across this little tidbit and am not sure what to say about it - except for "I wonder if they are giving out free samples, I'd take one!"

Full Story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1269781/Scientists-develop-spray-make-men-affectionate-using-cuddle-hormone-oxytocin.html

St. Patrick Poetry

For St. Patrick's Day I've composed a limerick in honor of my brother (whose birthday is this week as well).

It goes like this:

There once was a lad named Riley
His family called him Guy Smiley.
He's serving a mission
to teach exaltation
so he's happy all the time-y.


Thank you.

Same old story

Last week the movie City of Angels was on tv so Mike and I decided to watch it. You remember, that Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage movie from the 90's that no one ever really saw but everyone had the soundtrack CD?

Anyway watching it made me wonder - do you think Stephenie Meyer is a Nicholas Cage fan?
*disclamer: I have many friends on both sides of the "Twilight" mania issue. The purpose of this post is not to discuss that. Any one who wants to know my opinion on the saga can call me and we'll talk.

Think about the similarities between the stories:
- Boy meets average, slightly quirky girl and falls in love
- Boy happens to be immortal and unhuman
- The only way they can be together is for one of them to sacrifice the life they know and join the world of the other.
- There is a more human competitor for Girl's affection and she must choose between the two
- Large portion of the movie is Boy feeling sad for the awful prediciment he is in

And in casting:
- Neither Robert Pattinson or Nicholas Cage are very attractive, but somehow they make women swoon for them. I don't get it.

I guess it's true that there are no real original stories left. Oh well. At the least the soundtracks rock.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight

What's happening in this picture?



Romantic surprise from Mike? No.
Early Valentines Day Celebration? No.
Someone forgot to pay the electricity bill? No.

This could have been just a regular Sunday night dinner with the family around the kitchen table. But my brother was over an hour late bringing his "friend" to dinner. So the family decided to help their "friendship" along. Then we sat in the other room and eavesdropped as best we could.

Awkward.... for them
Funny .... for us.

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle!

One of the greatest blessings of having sisters is the extra wardrobe options.

But what happens when you get black paint on the white sweater you "borrowed" from your sister while she was out of town?




You find your inner crafter and turn it into a travel pillow of course!



What stain?

Car Trouble?

I decided to start the year off responsibly and took my car in for a long overdue oil change on Saturday.

The nice people at Jiffy Lube changed the oil, washed the windows, and presented me with a list of things wrong with my car that should be fixed immediately, if not sooner.

At the top of the list was a new belt. The old one, they told me, had cracks in it and from the impression I got from the mechanic it could snap AT ANY MOMENT which would ruin my car and maybe even be a danger to my LIFE! But they could fix it for a mere $80.

Unfortunately, I hadn't planned on paying more than the $30 for the oil change. So, reckless as it was, I just drove home, cracked belt and all.

For 3 days I put myself at risk every time I got behind the wheel.

Eventually, Mike and my dad had time to replace the part that was such an endangerment.

They opened the hood and would you believe: the belt was in great condition! No crack. No split. No chance of it snapping and causing havoc without notice.

It was a 2010 miracle!