Proper Knife Safety

Here are five simple rules for proper knife safety:

1. Never touch the knife blade. Never let the knife blade touch you.

2. Use a knife only for its intended purpose.

3. Let a falling knife fall. Do not try to catch the knife.

4. Carry knives with the cutting edge angled away from your body.

5. Never pull a knife toward any part of your body while cutting something.

Here's the story that goes along with the knife safety rules, specifically rule #5:

It's Tuesday afternoon. It's my day off work, so I've been doing some shopping, and now I'm checking out at Fred Meyer. (Well, it's Smith's Marketplace, but it used to be Fred Meyer and we still call it that to differentiate between that store and the regular Smith's grocery store. I digress.)

My cell phone rings. It's Zak. He says, "Hey, so, do you think that our insurance will cover it if I get some stitches?" WHAT?!? More explanation, please, double quick!

He had a very close encounter with a razor blade knife at work as he was trying to cut open a box that had a stubborn plastic zip-tie on it. In fact, the encounter was close enough that the razor blade struck the bone in his arm. Yeah. So a 2 centimeter portion of his wrist was laid open pre-e-tty far and he was debating as to whether or not he ought to go into the Urgent Care clinic and get it looked at or if he'd be okay to just super-glue it shut and keep on working. Good thing that his dad was there and saw the wound and decided that Zak didn't have a choice.

Luckily, he missed all essentials in the wrist, such as tendons, arteries (only a 1/2 inch away, though, if you don't mind...), etc. He needed 7 stitches to close it up and later lamented to me that he wished he hadn't allowed the doctor to use some lidocaine to numb the area up first. He was curious as to how painful it would've been to have the stitches without it. Right. Well. Moving on.

Zak's favorite part of the whole ordeal was that right after the cut happened, a spurt of blood shot a foot or two away and made a puddle on the ground. Thank goodness that he immediately applied pressure and that someone had the presence of mind to grab some gauze and tape and get a pressure bandage on it until it could be stitched up.

So that wasn't really how I was planning to spend my afternoon, but I was grateful that I had the day off work and was able to meet Zak at the Urgent Care clinic and be there while he got stitched up. Many thanks, as well, to the doctor who stitched Zak up and gave Zak basic lessons on how he could do it himself (should the need ever arise) as he stitched. (The last portion of this sentence is dripping with sarcasm--I thought I'd better make that clear in case it isn't completely obvious.) I am also glad that Barb was there to take pictures of the wound with her camera phone since I really wasn't feeling like that was something I wanted to do.

Zak is back at work today with an only-slightly-sore arm (from the tetanus shot) and has promised that he will not pull a knife toward any part of his body while he uses it to cut something.

Happy Thoughts

The first happy thought of the day is that the Celtics won the NBA Championship last night! Go Celtics! I am so happy that the Lakers didn't win. And the Celtics are so deserving of the win - Paul Pierce was amazing through most of the series, as were Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and the rest of the team. The whole team played fabulously last night! It was wonderful to see the Lakers shut down by the Celtics defense. The only downside of this is that now basketball is over until the preseason begins again in the fall. Sigh. At least by that time, Zak and I will have a little buddy to watch Jazz games with. Look at that -- another happy thought! Chances are he'll be sleeping through the games (or maybe that's just what I'm hoping for -- who really knows what he'll be doing?), but I think that still qualifies as "watching" as long as you're in the same room. This, of course, depends on whose definition of "watching" you're using.
Other happy thoughts of the day: I really love the song "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac. There is something about starting my work day with that song that does me good. I don't listen to it every day, but I do listen to it at least two or three times a week. It puts me in a great mood. I sit in my little gray cubicle under the unflattering fluorescent lighting in the basement/dungeon and sing along under my breath and do a little dance in my chair. Don't tell anyone I do that though, okay?
It is so sunny and warm in Cache Valley now! This is a happy thing for lots of reasons, but mostly because we have really missed the sun and warmth (the two together) for the last several months. It's also a happy thought because I have been lucky to escape a lot of the hot weather we would normally have had for the last two months. The summer heat is a whole different ball game when you're pregnant. So, with only six weeks to go, I am grateful that I haven't had to experience the heat for the last six weeks. Plus, we have these wonderful, cool nights in Cache Valley. Can't ask for more than that!
I got to eat more cherries today for my first morning snack. They were so good!
And here's the last happy thought of the day (at least for this post): I have three brand new books at home to read. I love the public library system. This is how it works for me: I notice that new books have been published by authors I enjoy reading. I make a request for the library to purchase these titles since I really don't have $75 or more to spend on three new hardback books. The library purchases said titles. Then I pick them up and get to read them at no cost to me! So I am excited to start any one of the three once I finish reading Sense and Sensibility. I am sitting here just anticipating the enjoyment...
If any of you have happy thoughts for the day, feel free to leave them in the comments!

First Things First

I saw this on my friend Jill's blog this morning and thought it looked fun.

Just write down what you did first today...

The first thing I thought today: Holy Cow! I did finally fall back asleep after laying awake at 4 am for ... well, a while. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to!

The first thing I ate today: Apple Cinnamon Nutri-grain bar. My pre-breakfast breakfast. Have I ever mentioned how my pregnancy eating patterns make me feel like a hobbit? (First breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies...)

The first thing I drank today: Water.

The first thing I said today: Hi. (It was really more of a grunt.)

The first action I did today: Rolled over (quite clumsily) and turned off the alarm.

The first thing I read today: Chapter 6 in 2 Kings and chapter 5 in Ether. Also an article in the June Ensign about increasing your sensitivity to others. Great article!

The first item of clothing I put on today: My exercise clothes that no longer fit very well over the fetal girth. Good thing that I exercise in the privacy of my own home! AND, I did a new Firm workout today - Total Body Toner. It was really good, even though I didn't use any weights. (Thanks again, Carolyn!)

The first person I spoke to today: Zak

The first chore I did today: Threw together a lunch (and several snacks, natch) for work.

The first blog I visited today: Confessions of a Pioneer Woman, since that was the only new post in my Google Reader. She is pretty stinkin' funny! And takes amazing pictures.

Consider yourself tagged. :)

The Perks of Having to Eat for Two

I love cherries. Not maraschino cherries, those are gross. I'm talking about Bing cherries. They are delicious. I just ate a small bowl of them. Mmmmm.

Love when cherries are in season.

Hazel's Blessing

Seriously, one day I will get the picture thing figured out a little better. I have no idea how they are going to look when I post them on my blog. Right now, they're all over the place.

Anyway.

We went to Provo for Carolyn and Jacob's baby's blessing on Sunday. The first picture is, of course, the beautiful Hazel, who slept peacefully for most of the after-blessing celebration. I didn't realize that I look like I'm hiding behind Zak in the picture of the two of us together until I saw it just now. There are two reasons for this hiding pose. First, the fetal girth (as Zak likes to call it) is ever-expanding. This makes perfect sense, since as of today, I have 58 days until my due date. Not that I'm keeping track. Second, I spilled chocolate or some such food item on said fetal girth and I was trying not to show that in the picture. Also, I think Jacob is unintentionally lurking behind us in this shot.

The next one is the beautiful Carolyn and the beautiful Hazel, followed by the three sisters.

We drove down on Saturday night and played games on the Wii with Nik and Alex, including some Blox game that I wasn't very good at, Mario Kart (which I am pretty good at usually), and then Alex and Zak played a lo-o-o-ong game of Defend Your Castle. We stayed with Nik and Alex (thanks again), accidentally absconding with a pillow from their couch which we will return very soon. Jacob did a beautiful job giving Hazel a blessing and we were so glad that we were able to go!

Family Visit

My sister Carolyn had her baby girl Hazel on May 1st. I was able to go visit them yesterday on my day off and see her for the first time. She is adorable! She is a very calm baby (unless she is getting a bath or she is hungry). She is so sweet.

It was great to see Carolyn, Jacob, Nicole, Alex, Scott, Analee, Madison, Mylie, and my parents. It was a mini-reunion! We had a nice visit and enjoyed taking turns holding Hazel. Please excuse the happy shiny faces of Carolyn and myself in the picture. It was getting warm in that room with all those people!

Also, I was able to play a little Mario Kart with Alex and Nicole... and I came in first a few times! I guess all my practice is paying off a little.

The Host

I bought this book last Friday. You know it's a good book when I actually buy it... I am a die-hard library card holder and usually don't buy books. It helped that I had a 40% off coupon, too.

I started the book Saturday night and finished reading it on my day off on Wednesday. It was great! The whole tenor of the book was very different from Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series (all of which I own, too, and have pre-ordered the 4th book that comes out August 2nd!), but it was really well written, and I loved the story!

I won't write anything else about the story because I don't want to give away any of the plot. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a good read!

The Chair

Zak and I have been looking for a recliner due to the impending arrival of our baby. We have a couch and we have kitchen chairs, but I was interested in finding a chair that was more comfy for feeding the child. The La-Z-Boy plant in our area is closing down very soon, so all the furniture stores were advertising a close-out on their La-Z-Boy recliners. We thought this was a perfect opportunity to find what we wanted... until we got to the first store and realized that a close-out is not the same as a sale. It just means that they want to get rid of their stock.
I found an extremely comfy chair that I really, really loved -- for $563. That wasn't really the price range we were looking for, so we decided to wait a while. We still have a couple of months before the child makes his debut, anyway.
Last week my co-worker announced that she has a La-Z-Boy recliner that she wanted to get rid of, as her sons are moving and she didn't have room at her place for their furniture. I jumped on that!
So yeah, it's a little worn and has a slip cover, and the part that you put your feet on (can't remember what you'd call that -- pregnancy brain) caves a little in the middle -- but it was FREE! All we had to do was pick it up and take it home! The best part of all, next to the chair being free, is that it is soooooo comfortable. I sat down in it last night after working all day, then cooking dinner, then going to the grocery store, then doing the dishes... and I didn't want to get up. Ah, bliss. I love our free chair!

My Husband, the Model

This is the poster created by Rhett and Burke in honor of Zak's graduation. I should've just had them e-mail me a digital copy instead of taking a picture of it myself, but I didn't.
In case you can't read what it says, I'll post it here:

ONE MAN.
ONE EXTRA VERTEBRAE.
ONE GRADUATION AT LAST.

LET THE CHAOS BEGIN...

There were lots of Jack Bauer quotes on the wall, too, the day of the graduation celebration. What a handsome guy!

Crazy 8’s

I was tagged by Dave, Cheryl, and Wendy. This was a tough one because I really had to think about my answers, but it was fun to do, and fun to read others' responses to the tag.

8 things I’m passionate about:
My family
Reading
Being a good and productive member of society
Keeping my house clean and uncluttered
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Good spelling, good grammar, and good punctuation
Jazz basketball
Enjoying scooter and bike rides (although not so much currently, since I’m 7 months pregnant)

8 books I've read recently:
Eclipse (currently reading for the second time)
Animal Farm (currently reading)
New Moon
Twilight
Someday
Dawn’s Light
Tawny Man Series
Farseer Trilogy
**Disclaimer: I do not read for education purposes. I probably should, but reading is my main escape, hence, I read a LOT of sci-fi/fantasy. One day I will read non-fiction on a regular basis. Maybe.

8 things I often say:
“Loan Department, this is Sarah. May I help you?”
“For the love…”
“Give me strength!”
“Maybe you didn’t hear me correctly…” (Zak can explain this one.)
"I think so. I think that's what I said..." (Zak can also explain this one.)
“I love you.”
“Have a good day, see you later!”
“No way. No dang way!” (You get at least 10 cool points if you know where this phrase comes from.)

8 things I look for in a friend:
Sincerity
Sense of humor
Interesting to talk to
Genuinely caring
A sense of adventure (to help bolster my very weak sense of adventure)
Strong values and morals
Common interests
Trustworthiness

8 things I want to do before I die:
Go to England, France, Germany, and various other European countries
Plant a vegetable garden
Have fruit trees
Become a gardener (of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other plants)
Have a washer and dryer inside my house so that I don’t have to go outside to change loads of laundry around
Raise a happy, healthy family
Learn how to sew really well, instead of just sort of knowing how to sew
Read non-fiction books (maybe)

8 things I have learned this past year:
I really love to exercise. It’s much harder to do when you’re 7 months pregnant, but still feels great when you’re all done!
High school kids are just as mean as they were when I was in high school, and possibly much lazier than when I was in high school.
I’ve learned all kinds of things about pregnancy through experience, but especially that I would do anything at all for my baby, no matter what it is or how it makes me feel. Even go through sinus infections, cold, and the flu with no medication. Not to mention the impending labor and delivery… though that will not be without medication. Sorry, baby. You've got to draw the line somewhere.
There were two Catholic saints and one Catholic archbishop named Peregrine. And the peregrine falcon is the fastest creature on the planet. They can fly at speeds from 99-273 miles per hour!
1978 was a banner year for catching and/or sentencing serial killers (Ted Bundy, Richard Chase, David Berkowitz—a.k.a. Son of Sam, John Wayne Gacy).
I can sometimes let the house be a little cluttered and my life doesn’t end.
There’s nothing wrong with a little weight on a woman. (Can you name the movie that quote comes from?! Another 10 cool points if you can…)
You can eat an entire quart of ice cream all by yourself…just one spoonful at a time. And that’s completely okay, as long as those spoonfuls are spread out over several days and weeks. (**Another disclaimer: I didn’t say I had actually done this. I just learned that it was possible. Big difference.)

I tag anyone who reads this and wants to do it! Especially you blog lurkers who never comment. Be a sport. And let me know if you take me up on the tag... I want to read your answers!

Or Else!

I just stumbled across this picture on a website and it made me laugh. I assume this sign is in a bathroom based on the pictures around it.

Mario Kart

At long last, Mario Kart for the Wii was released on Sunday. Zak had an exercise in patience over the weekend, because we called Saturday to make sure that our specially ordered copy had come in and it had! Unfortunately, the store couldn't sell it to us until after the release date. We don't shop on Sunday, so the earliest Zak would be able to get it was Monday. So, Zak went first thing Monday morning and picked up his copy before he went to work. He played for a few minutes before he went to work, much to Rhett's dismay. I have to admit, I went home on my lunch break and also played for a little while. I actually won my first two Grand Prix races on the bike! Mario Kart for the Wii is a lot of fun.

Naturally, we had to share the fun with the brothers, so last night after work we gathered together and played on the big screen at the parents'. Barb snapped this picture. Please ignore the slouching pregnant girl in the back. She was trying to hide, as she was feeling frumpy and huge. The verdict: playing Mario Kart for the Wii is pretty fun!

The Update

Zak has officially finished his student teaching!! He went to a "closing of the semester" meeting this morning and has one more meeting this afternoon. Next week he will start the process of applying for his teaching license and will continue to wait for his degree to post to his transcript. It has taken a lot of hard work for him to get to this point. We are so excited and I am so proud of him!

In other news, the Jazz lost (at home!?) to the Rockets last night by two points. It was a really exciting game to watch, but we were very sad that they couldn't pull out the win. We're hoping for a better showing on Saturday night.

Also, we are so happy for Nik and Corey -- they welcomed baby Sofia yesterday. She is just beautiful!

The Book Tag

Karen took Wendy's challenge to do the book tag on her blog yesterday and it reminded me that I haven't done it yet! Shocking, considering my recent post about my library card. So here's my page 123, fifth sentence:

"Since he hadn't been raised by her, the letter was one of the only pieces of her Dayne would ever have."

It's from a book called Someday by Karen Kingsbury. She is one of my favorite Christian authors. I love to read good stories with characters that are interesting, and I can't read all science fiction/fantasy all the time, just most of the time. So when I want a change, I read select Christian authors because I know that there will be no swearing and nothing inappropriate, unlike what you find in most popular authors' books today. Plus, the authors I read talk a lot about faith, quote scriptures from the Bible, and their characters have really good morals, which is just nice to read about.
I really love the three series that Karen Kingsbury has written about the Baxter family. They are the Redemption Series, the Firstborn Series, and the Sunrise Series. Here's the link to her website: http://www.karenkingsbury.com/. I have really enjoyed getting to know her characters and seeing their decisions and struggles in life and would recommend these books to anyone who'd like a good, uplifting read.

On an unrelated and quite sad note, the Jazz lost to the Spurs last night. I guess that the Spurs wanted to return the favor from April 4th. Oh well, at least they're in the playoffs and we'll have more basketball to watch!

Totally Unrelated News

The Jazz beat the Rockets last night in the final home game of the season. We were pretty excited, because that's one step closer to home court advantage for the Jazz when the playoffs begin. Now if they can just beat the Spurs on Wednesday night at San Antonio... Go Jazz!!

I haven't posted in a while and that's mostly because there hasn't been a lot going on. I have been working a lot since one of the loan officers quit recently. Zak is finishing his last full week at Preston and making progress in the job hunt. That's about it!

We are really looking forward to the end of the semester. The last couple of days here have been beautiful -- it's been warm and sunny. We've been able to go outside without jackets. And then just a few minutes ago, my co-worker's husband e-mailed her to say: "It's snowing." I think the whole of Cache Valley has somehow stumbled into Narnia during the reign of the White Witch. This winter is never going to end!

What Once Was Lost

I lost my library card last week.

For anyone who knows me well, they will understand what a tragedy this was in my life. I went to the library on Monday and I thought I put the card back in my wallet where it belongs. I have been rather forgetful lately -- I hear it's very normal for this quality to increase in pregnant women. I thought I'd just misplaced it somewhere in my house or car.

Here's some background information to help you understand how important my library card is to me: when Zak and I arrived in Logan after our wedding and the subsequent cross-country road trip from St. Louis to Logan in July 2004, it was very late at night and we went to his parents' house and crashed on the floor in the family room. The next morning, we drove to our little apartment to start moving in and unpacking. This naturally entailed getting the utilities turned on first thing so that we'd have electricity, which we went to the Logan City offices to do. Right after we paid for the utilities to be turned on, I went to get my library card (now that I had proof of residency), since the library is in the same building as the city offices. This was before we unpacked, before we got our new cell phones, before we went to the grocery store. You get the picture.

So I looked for my library card on Thursday, intending to make a trip to the library after work, and couldn't find it. The horror! I am usually so responsible with my belongings; it really bothers me when I misplace something. I searched my purse, my car, checked all the pockets of my jackets and pants. It was GONE! I even looked over at my in-laws', since I had recently checked out a book for Larry and thought maybe I had left it in the book when I gave it to him. No luck. I assumed that it had fallen out of my jacket pocket as I walked from the library back to the car last Monday.

Imagine my joy this morning when I was getting ready for work and grabbed a pair of pants I thought I had already checked all the pockets on, pulled them on, and found a plastic card in the front right pocket.

I was going to get a new card tomorrow on my day off. But thankfully, I have found my Logan Library card and will not have to pay $2 for a replacement. All is right with the world.


p.s. In case there was ever any question as to my degree of nerdiness, I think I have just removed all doubt. I'm pretty much a total nerd. I had to call Zak immediately just to tell him that I found my card, so great was my joy.

Spurs? What Spurs?

The Jazz beat the Spurs on Friday night in a very fun-to-watch game, with a final score of 90-64. Holy cow, right? The Spurs are a great team, but something just wasn't clicking for them on Friday night. I don't know what the deal was -- I'm just thrilled that the Jazz beat 'em!
I'm hopeful that they'll do well against the Spurs when they play them in San Antonio in another week or so... but let's be honest, folks. The Jazz do not have the best track record when playing away from the Energy Solutions Center. In any case, like I said, I'm hopeful! Maybe they'll beat 'em again! Go Jazz!
So there is snow and rain forecast for today. Is it not April? I'm pretty sure the Vernal Equinox occurred right on schedule on March 20th. Last week we got two inches of snow, which has since melted off. I know that the snow isn't going to stick around if we do get it, but seriously! Can we get a little sunshine and some warmer temperatures? Sheesh.
We enjoyed a great General Conference this weekend, which Zak and I primarily listened to on the radio since we don't have cable and bunny ears do not work in our apartment. There were lots and lots of great talks, and I'm excited to re-listen to several of them online. On Sunday, we had to drive to Preston to pick up the Mustang from Zak's grandpa's place (where he worked very hard to get it fixed this past week - thanks, Dallas!) and ended up staying for lunch with them. It was so fun to visit and talk with them for a while -- we shared and compared some of our travel experiences in San Francisco.
Zak enjoyed an evening of video games with his brothers last night. He returned to Preston High this morning. The official count as of this morning: 9 more classes each with his 9th and 12th grade English students, 7 more classes with his psychology class (all grades). Only 14 days of student teaching left! We are excited.

Go Jazz!

The Jazz beat the Clippers last night 121-101. Hooray! This definitely made up for their poor showing against the Clippers in February.

This win was a result of which of the following:

a) It was Jerry Sloane's birthday yesterday and they were all anxious to get to the "hoe-down" that was being held after the game (Jerry's words, not mine)
b) Boozer and D Will are great ball players
c) President Thomas S. Monson was among the crowd, cheering the Jazz on
d) all of the above

I'll let you decide.

Zak's Quiz Results

This is what Zak came up with:

Which Peanuts Character Are You?
	You are part Schroeder. You are brilliant, ambitious, and brooding; you tackle tasks with extreme focus. People don't always interest you as much as other pursuits, though, so you can come off as aloof.
	You are part Snoopy. You have a vivid imagination and lead a rich inner life. Everyone likes you, but some don't understand that you may just be of another species.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Which Hogwarts House Would You Be In?
	The Sorting Hat would put you in Gryffindor. You are bold, passionate, and brave. You have a highly-defined sense of right and wrong, and you are not afraid to speak your mind or fight for what you want.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Which 24 Character Are You?
	You are Jack Bauer. You are an aggressive and heroic figure. You think rules are only for kids, and try to break them at least once everyday (or hour). You like to get help from others especially your best friends. To complete a task, you are willing to do whatever it takes - be it the right way or the wrong one. Also, you could totally kick Chuck Norris' a**.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Looks like we are pretty closely aligned... except for the Snoopy-other-species thing. Who'd've thunk it? Also, I'm quite impressed that Zak is Jack Bauer. He's the coolest.

More Quizzes

Okay, these are fun. You guys should really try some of them.

Which Hogwarts House Would You Be In?
	The Sorting Hat would put you in Gryffindor. You are bold, passionate, and brave. You have a highly-defined sense of right and wrong, and you are not afraid to speak your mind or fight for what you want.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Which Harry Potter Character Are You?
	You are part Hermione. You're a bookworm always in search of answers. When pressed, however, you can always be counted on to put away the books and help your friends.
	You are part Fred and George. You're a joker at heart, but when push comes to shove, you know what's important.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Which 24 Character Are You?
	You are Bill Buchanan. You are a law abiding citizen and in your world, rules are the driving force behind anything and everything. Your leadership charisma is something talked about by others, and instead of doing things differently you do different things. You have an uncanny knack of staying calm in tense situations and your tone is testimony to that. Keep the cool attitude and you will surely overcome the most perilous situations.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

I have to admit... I was hoping for a little more Jack (who wouldn't want to be like Jack Bauer?) or Chloe (she hasn't died yet through six seasons). But Bill is pretty stinkin' cool, too.