It's a Wonderful Movie

As a kid my cousin, Amy, and I went through a throwback era where we had sleepovers (sometimes 2 or 3 nights in a row) and would watch whatever old musical or movie we could find at the Sounds Easy Video Store. We saw literally every Gene Kelly, Doris Day, Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland, Fred Astaire classic we could get our hands on. Some were good, some were great, and some were terrible (those were the ones we'd take out about a half hour in and replace with Troop Beverly Hills [not a throwback]). We saw West Side Story at least 50 times and laughed every time at the "Chino" dance move that only a true fan would notice. I blame this era of time for adding 2 of my top 10 movies of all time (although, now that I'm thinking about it, I may have to add West Side Story to my list), and it is probably also the reason that I never saw (and have still never seen) a Star Wars movie. Those two movies: 1. Singin' in the Rain and 2. It's a Wonderful Life. The latter is the topic of this blog post. I watch this movie every year at Christmas time. This year while watching (and doing dishes and folding laundry) I noticed some things:
1. Jimmy Stewart is the biggest over-actor there is. Hands down. I just don't think he would make it in today's Hollywood.
2. Donna Reed is the prettiest person Hollywood has ever produced.
3. Is this show socialist or what? Made right after FDR.
4. It is a tragedy when George Bailey sees that Violet has gone to work as a "dancing girl" in downtown Pottersville, but it is a TRAVESTY to see that Mary has become an "old maid who works at the library." Anything but that!!!
5. This show doesn't have that much to do with Christmas at all.
6. We have become very sloppy as a society. George Bailey wears a full suit every day and Mary a dress to do her housework.


And yet, I still cried. Cried like a baby. Here's to next year.

A Saleswoman I'm Not

Anyone who knew me during my days at 1800Contacts can tell you that I couldn't sell free food to a hungry man, but here's my shameless attempt. Rusty and Tara, my good friends and entrepreneurs, started The Blog Frog about a year ago. It's a service where you can go to list your blog/facebook page and find the blogs/facebook pages of people you'd like to contact or reconnect with. Not only that, but there are some sweet widgets you can add to your blog like the chat wall and news feeds that I have added to this blog. It's totally free too. In fact, since adding the chat wall, I think I'm done with Facebook altogether (I'm beginning to think that people who claim to be my "friends" are really just kind of nosey; I can say that because this blog is private). Anyway,Check it out.

Red Letter Day

Lucy was blessed December 7, 2008 by her dad during the sacrament meeting of the Mount Mahogany 4th Ward. She was an angel as always, and Paul gave a great blessing. We live for days like this and realize how lucky we are to have the friends and family that we do to share in our joy.

Creature of Habit

Sabrina is turning into the funniest little person you could ever imagine. I think the age of 2 gets a 10 on the "comedy" scale and about a 3 on the "willingness to comply" scale. She insists on doing things her way or no way. Not only this, but things are to be done the exact same way every time. Like, for example, every time we pass the temple this conversation occurs:

Sabrina: I see the temple!!

Mom and Dad: Yep, there it is.

Sabrina: It's about Angel Ni Ni (Moroni).

Mom and Dad: Yep, Angel Moroni's on top.

Sabrina: And pretty dress.

Mom and Dad: Yep, when you get married you wear a pretty dress to the temple.

Sabrina: And Jesus.

Mom and Dad: Yep, Jesus wants us to go to the temple.

Sabrina: And getting married.

Dad: Are you going to get married?

Sabrina: No, I'll just stay by Luce (Lucy) Dad.

It cracks us up every time. In my head I imagine my two spinster librarian daughters riding in the same positions in the back seat of our car forever. It's a sad thought, but funny all the same. This conversation, by Sabrina's insistence, happens the exact same way every single time. The other day, Paul thought he'd spice it up a little and mention Angel Moroni before she did...not a good idea. He was yelled at, and the entire conversation had to start from the beginning again. Gosh, we love her!

Thanksgiving '08

You would think (it being my favorite holiday and all) that I would remember to take some pictures, but in true form...I forgot the camera. Here, however, is a picture of Lucy (we call her "Loose" but there just isn't a good way to spell that...suggestions?). This was taken on my new least favorite holiday, Black Friday. More on that later. This year we had Thanksgiving with the Sampsons (DenDen, Carolyn, Nate, Aryn, Dan, and BillieJo). The food was fantastic. The company was great. We ate too much and came home with even more. Uncle Max shared a visit and kept us laughing ("I call that figure skating").

The next day Lucy woke up at about 5:00 AM. I fed her, then remembered that it was Black Friday. "Why not," I thought. "I'm up." I headed to the worst place in the world (aka WalMart) because I had seen that they had a screamin' deal on a digital camera. And since all of our pics are rather blurry (admit it...you've noticed), we thought this would make a good Christmas gift. "Bad idea." "Never again." These are the thoughts that were running through my head as I rammed my cart through crowded isles of tired, not nice people, who seriously needed some perspective. In the end, I did NOT get a new camera. That's all I'm going to say about that. I feel that I needed to post this story so that next year when I'm tempted by all the ads, I'll remember this phrase... "NOT WORTH IT."

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Hey, we're still on the charts!

We headed to the doctor today for Lucy's 2 month appointment. They put her on the scale and it read 9lbs 6oz. "Wow, she's getting so big," I said to the nurse. She then showed me that 9lbs 6oz was the 5th percentile for weight. She's in the 10th percentile for height (20.75 in). Really, did we expect anything different?

Note: Lucy does have more than one outfit...it's just that her mother hasn't taken pictures this week. I will update later.

Turning Corners

Sabrina has started keeping her pants dry all day with no reminders to go to the bathroom. Lucy is giving us a solid 6 to 7 hour stretch at night. We're in business.

Our Apologies to the USPS

I just realized that I haven't posted anything about some big news in our lives. This information has been trumped on the blog by the birth of the adorable and sweet Lucy Mae (I have LOVED having a baby to cuddle again, by the way). I could talk about her all day. She has started to smile at us a lot and now has some very fun thigh rolls to squeeze. I better stop there before she dominates another post that wasn't originally meant to be about her at all. Paul has accepted a position as a summer associate at Sidley Austin in Washington D.C. This means we will be moving there yet again. This will be our 4th time in D.C. and the 5th summer in a row where we have moved. We have completed our Gypsy certification and have confused the United States Postal Service beyond belief with too many mail forwards to too many addresses. Were it not a totally awesome opportunity, I doubt we would do this again, but it's a great firm, and Paul is totally stoked. Enjoy this video we stole from the Sidley website. Don't let the music confuse you...this is NOT a Jane Austen movie. Pretty ritzy.

Halloween, HALLOWEEN, Halloween!!!!

Confession time... Halloween is my least favorite holiday. I am not sure I want my posterity to know this about me. After all, how could someone not like Halloween? So I am attempting in this post to be positive about this most pagan, sugary holiday.


We attended the Law School Halloween party and costume parade, where Sabrina and Lucy got a ton of OOHS and AHHS for my rendition of "Little Bo Peep and her sheep." Despite being downright adorable, they failed to win a prize. The prize went to the "Risky Business" cop-out costume where a baby came in nothing but a collared shirt and a diaper ala Tom Cruise.(Hey, I may not be into Halloween, but I am still competitive. Next year I am taking it to the Old Navy for costumes.) We then trick or treated through the study carrels and came home with a TON of GREAT candy!! (We actually really did have a good time at this event, despite my sarcasm).






Halloween came the next day, and we did the traditional party at Grandma Shar's with all the kiddos. Grandma outdid herself and made mummy pizza, cracker spiders, and apple monster mouths. After that we headed to Grandma Irene's and Grandma Sampson's. By the time our visiting was done, Sabrina had chocolate on her costume, had an accident in her bloomers, and refused to wear her hat. So that was that. Happy Halloween everyone!!!

Note: Paul and I didn't dress up. In fact we have only ever dressed up once as the "color red"...all red clothes bought at DI. I also must apologize to Lucy for the hat. It reminds me of that scene in the Christmas Story where Ralphy comes down the stairs humiliated in the bunny costume.

Fun in the Fall

Here are some classic Fall pictures of classic Fall activities that we participated in this year. Classic.




There are 10 months of the year that I adore the big mature trees that cover our yard. Can you guess the 2 months that I don't? Luckily, Shelley and Nolan stopped by to help this year. At least Sabrina likes this kind of work.



Same pumpkins, different year. I guess I really should add "different method" to that list. Call me a scrooge, stickler, neat freak, or what you will, but I just really didn't want to clean out pumpkins. So we took Sharpies to ours. Paul will forever commemorate this special time of year (the start of the NBA season) with a Utah Jazz pumpkin; I will forever make a silly face; and Sabrina will find her own signature pumpkin in due time.

Who is this baby?

I remember thinking this with Sabrina too. Lucy is changing every day. She is one month old today and cuter than ever. Formula really packs on the pounds! Sabrina still likes her. Don't let the pained look on her face fool you! She's actually trying to smile.

Lulu at 3 Weeks

Today we had a little photo shoot. Tomorrow, Lucy will be 3 weeks old. Last week she weighed 6 lbs. 5 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. She is still very tiny, but I think she is gaining weight every day. I have changed my mind...I don't think she looks like Sabrina very much any more. Although, I change my mind every day. She's not sleeping through the night...not even close. I don't know who's in charge of handing out the "natural sleepers" in heaven, but we are 0 for 2 so far. Sabrina took some training. In time, we will sleep again. This is what keeps me going!!!

Oh, and of course, a little someone refused to be left out of the photo fun. So here's one of her.



We are hoping that in time, she can teach Lulu to cheese.

All About PJ...

I was tagged for Paul. I thought I should note that Paul and I started this blog together (each posting) and slowly I have taken over. In fact, isn't it weird that women have slowly taken over these blogs? Didn't blogs used to belong to computer geeks? Just a thought. On to the tag...

What's his name: Paul Joseph Sampson (PJ, PJ Funny Bunny, Peej, Linda)
How long have you been married: 5 years in April
Who said I love you first: Paul (not surprising...he made all the first moves)
Who is taller: HELLO! How many guys do you know who are 5'1'?
Who sings better: I'm going to go with me on this one since it has recently been proven that Paul does NOT have perfect pitch.
Who is smarter: Paul is extremely smart in all things important (church, school, etc). I am extremely smart in all things unimportant (reality TV, chick ficks, Jane Austen novels, etc.)
Who pays the bills: Student Loans right now. Oh, you mean who actually writes the checks? Me (my handwriting is better).
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed: Usually Paul, but lately me so I can get to Lucy without hassle.
Who mows the lawn: Paul. I have never mowed a lawn in my life.
Who cooks dinner: Me. Paul has never cooked dinner in his life.
Who drives: Paul always drives.
Who is more stubborn: Me.
Who kissed who first: Paul kissed me. Terry patiently waited in the car.
Who asked who out: I asked Paul to Sadie Hawkins when we were 16. Post-mission though, he asked me out (nearly killed me twice on that date).
Who proposed: Paul did. I'm not that kind of gal.
His best feature: His smile.
His best characteristic: His optimism and work ethic.
Who has more siblings: Paul has 4 brothers and 3 sisters. 2 of each for me.
Who wears the pants in the family: According to our landlord, me. I'm actually not really sure.
What do we like to do together: Talk, watch sports, watch shows, watch movies, covet houses, share cute stories about our kids.

Now I tag: Anyone who wants/needs a time waster.

Thanks and No Thanks

I just thought I'd give some "thank yous" to the things/people I love about having a new baby (and also some "no thank yous" to some things I don't love about postpartum life).

Thanks to the people who brought us meals. There is something so nice about not having to prepare your own food. Aish really outdid herself with some great tilapia (sp?) with lemon cream sauce. Delightful.

No Thanks to me for freezing a lasagna that I thought would be just as good as fresh lasagna. Not so.

Thanks to the person who decided to put the 2% spandex into our jeans. I am not saying the fit is flattering on my "3 sizes bigger than usual" jeans yet. They are, however, zipped.

No Thanks to me for trying on my "normal" jeans before the 2 month mark (Who am I kidding? The 5 or 6 month mark seems a little more realistic).

Thanks to Sabrina for being great with the baby. She loves Lucy.

No Thanks to sleep deprivation.

Thanks to Lucy for making sleep deprivation a little more enjoyable. There's no one I'd rather be with at 11:30...2:30...4:45...6:45.

Thanks and No Thanks to Sabrina for somehow slipping her sippy cup of milk past her distracted mother and placing it in her pretend fridge in her play kitchen only to be found a day later. Thanks for the laughs. No Thanks for the smell.

Thanks to Paul for taking the between 5 and 7 AM feeding, having laundry parties with me, doing dishes, etc.

And lastly, No Thanks to Lucy for already getting bigger. I think I could be happy holding a newborn for the rest of my life.

You tell me

Here are some pictures of our sleeping beauties (or as Sabrina would say "sweeping gooties"). Lately, Lucy has been looking a lot more like Sabrina as a newborn. Darker, yes, but there are some similarities. What do you think?

Sabrina:



Lucy:

Pics of the babe...

Well, we are home and happy (and tired)! Everything went great with the induction. It all happened pretty quickly. In fact, Paul was doing homework up until about 1 minute before delivery. The next few days were spent doing nothing but sitting in the hospital and staring at Lucy. It was great to have so much time with just her. Sabrina has been enjoying life as an orphan child (spending every day with a different relative), and I have to admit that while I am SO thankful for the help, I am missing having her here with me. She has loved having her "new baby sister" and shows Lucy to everyone who walks in the door. Potty training has taken about 12 steps backward, but I fully expected that. Lucy is very tiny and fun, and we are all in love with her little self. She was jaundiced when we left the hospital, so they sent us home with a biliblanket, which made her look like a glow worm for a night, but her numbers are better now, so she no longer needs the lights. As for the name, Lucy is just because we like it, and Mae is after my Great-grandma Shelley. Thanks for all the well wishes. We are lucky to have the family and friends that we do. Enjoy the pics.

Lucy Mae Sampson

Paul reporting here. I'm pleased to announce the birth of Lucy Mae Sampson on September 23, 2008 at 4:18 p.m. 6lbs 2oz, and 18 inches long. She's tiny and really, really cute. Mom and baby are healthy and awaiting visitors. I'll let Lindsay fill you in on more of the details later.

6 Days

I can't believe it...only six days until my induction. Originally, I was hesitant to be induced, but honestly, there isn't much room in me anymore. Sleep has become difficult, and so has getting around (not to mention finding things to wear). I can't complain much; this really has been an easy and quick pregnancy. Now I am feeling nervous. I am also trying to enjoy the time left with just Sabrina and me at home. She really is the funnest person to hang out with all day long and has gotten to be such a little kid. Trust me, we have our moments, but I have to say, I have one great kid.

Funny story: I have been trying to get things ready to go, and the other day I decided to go to the hospital to pre-register (not that I'll go into labor on my own...that just doesn't happen for the women in my family). I kept saying to Sabrina that we were going to the hospital, and she seemed particularly excited. She said, "Let's go get the new baby sister." I thought, "Wow. She is really getting this." I kept telling her that we weren't going to get the new baby sister that day, but she persisted. Then she said, "Let's go to the hospital (said like "car show") and see Gina." Gina? We don't know anyone named Gina. Then she broke into a full and familiar conversation with Papa Bear. Where had I heard that before? Wait a minute...she was thinking of this...



I found this movie at Marshalls for $2 over a year ago, and surprisingly, it has made it's way onto her "favorites" list. Personally, I find it a little weird, but appropriate for our current situation. She was very disappointed when we got to the hospital to not see Gina, Big Bird, any bears, and no baby sister. So turns out, she has NO idea what's about to hit her. That's okay. Neither do her parents. Wish us luck!

Another one from our PJ...

For my birthday a couple of days ago, Paul got me a half-day spa adventure to be used after the baby comes, and I am in need of some serious R and R. The perfect gift. What made it even more perfect was the delivery of the gift. Allow me to write it out for you:

Me: Wow! This is great. What exactly does a "half-day spa package" include?

Paul: A massage, a facial, a "foot-cial." You know, the usual.

Me: A what?

Paul: You know where they paint your toes.

Me: A pedicure?

Paul: Whatever.

That's why we love him!

Confused in '08

Before reading this try to remember...my blog, my opinion.

Okay, so the conventions are over; we've seen/heard from the candidates, now it's decision time. I for one, am completely confused and am hoping for some clarity in the next couple of months. I am going to come out of the closet and say:

I like the Obamas.

There. I did it. I just can't help it. I love the story of a boy coming from a single parent/ low-income home, making it through Harvard Law. My inner public education teacher can't help but smile. Then he meets a girl who was raised in a one-bedroom apartment and also seemed to rise above what we would expect would happen to her. She gets through Harvard Law herself. They get married and have two adorable daughters. This isn't to say I know them personally. I know better than to trust politicians personal lives as "moral and honorable." Case in point:

John McCain.

War hero...yes. But how can I vote for someone who left his first wife at middle-age after she dutifully waited five long, hard years for his return for a 24 year-old heiress? And what's wrong with the 24 year-old heiress that she'd want to be with a 44 year-old married guy? Seriously, what makes John McCain better than John Edwards or Bill Clinton? Time? Are you saying that with time, all that we'll remember about John Edwards is that he's the son of a mill-worker? Cindy McCain wasn't the first woman he cheated with either. "Country First"...family second? That's just not okay with me. (Don't think I've forgotten all those digs at Mitt's [honest] fortune either.)

So what to do? I don't agree with most of Obama's policies. I fall more in line with McCain. Do I vote party over person? I would never do this if I were voting for Larry Craig; so why now? Am I willing to say that a leaders personal life and conduct mean nothing to me?

As for the veeps...I don't care much for Biden. I am coming around on Palin. Last weekend, I thought she was a dumb choice, but after hearing her speak, I think her miles above McCain. Sure the Elaine Bennis (Seinfeld) hair has got to go, and I agree with Letterman when he said she looks like a Lens Crafters model, but she has a lot to offer, I think. Do I vote for McCain in hopes that somehow Palin could be our next president? Is that a risk I dare take? I don't know.

It's going to get interesting.

Note: This is solely Lindsay's opinion of things. For Paul's opinion of things, he'll have to make his own post.