March 7: Kristen and the Tax Man

Isn't doing your taxes so much fun?! Well I'm lucky in that my tax man is my dad. Every year he puts a tax program on his computer and we all go down to do our taxes at his house. He helps me and all my siblings, his mom, and even some of our friends get our taxes done. Luckily my taxes don't take too long to do, but I really appreciate his help in making sure I've put all the information in correctly. Thanks Tax Man!

March 6: Joy & Luck & Yummy Food

Michelle and I went out to eat tonight at my favorite Chinese restaurant: Joy Luck in Bountiful. Joy Luck is one of those places where I get the same thing every time I go, even though Michelle makes fun of me for it.

Here's my dinner menu recommendation: You have to start with the cheese wontons for an appetizer to share. Then the tangerine chicken is the best main course on the menu, but sesame chicken, general tsau chicken, or teriyaki chicken are also good. You have to get brown rice instead of fried rice, it's so much better. You can choose to get the dinner combination if you really feel like an egg roll and a fried prawn, but ordering ala carte and sharing is a great way to go too.

Yum!

March 5: 5th Annual Math Night

Every year our school hosts a math night for families. Each grade level plans a different math activity for kids and parents to do together. It's a fun night even though it means I have to stay at school until after seven. This year 5th grade did a game called "Cover Up". To play the game you roll two dice. You can add, subtract, multiply, divide, or combine the digits to get a number on the board. The goal is to cover more numbers than your opponent. It doesn't sound too hard at first, but there are only so many combinations that will equal certain numbers, and it gets harder to cover numbers the longer you play. It's pretty fun though. We had several families stay to play for a while.

March 4: Mike is Engaged!

So it's been unofficial for a while, but my brother's engagement finally became official yesterday. Mike proposed to Lauren after sending her on an all-day scavenger hunt. I was amazed at how romantic my brother could be--he put a lot of time and thought into preparing a special event that they will both remember forever. I am so happy for Mike and Lauren. They are a great couple and we are so excited to have Lauren in our family!

March 3: Slippers

I wore these slippers at school yesterday for Dr. Seuss day, and I always get so many comments on them so I decided to add them to the blog. They're pretty cool, right? I think I got them for Christmas from my cousin many years ago.

How have they lasted so long? I am NOT a slipper wearer.

Some people love their big monkey slippers or their comfy moccasin slippers, but slippers make my feet feel claustrophobic. I know that sounds silly, but it's true. So today, these beauties are going back to the dark corners of my closet to wait for next year's Dr. Seuss celebration.

March 2: Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Dr. Seuss Day is always a fun day in 5th grade.

We wear pajamas and slippers, eat breakfast, watch movies, bring pillows and blankets for a read-a-thon, solve crossword puzzles, and do math based on Green Eggs and Ham. How's that for a great day?

I love Dr. Seuss books because they have such great messages. You can learn a lot from the star-bellied Sneetches, Horton the Elephant, the Lorax, the Grinch, and even Sam-I-Am. Theodor Geisel was an amazing man who did a lot for children's literature. This is my friend, Mrs. Wood, who teaches 1st grade. Our classes are buddies and we got to read Dr. Seuss books together today.

March 1: The Amazing Race

So this isn't the BEST picture, but this is the BEST show on tv. I love watching people do crazy "ROAD BLOCKS" and "DETOURS" to get the clues that lead them to exotic places all over the world. I wish I could experience the joy of having Phil announce that I came in first at the "PIT STOP" and won a fabulous prize. I don't know that I could handle the pressure of being on the show, but I would love the opportunity to travel the world. Maybe someday I can do it for real, but for now watching teams like "the 'bama girls", "rainbow brite", and "mirna and schmirna" is pretty fun.