1. She owned a clothing store just down the hill from my elementary school. She would let me roam the racks of clothes everyday after school, sit behind the cash register, play with the ticket gun, and best of all, get the best duds around!
2. She took me to get my shots from the pediatrician one day after dance class because my mom was at work. (I vividly remember having the pull up my leotard) After the shots she took Brittany and I to the store to buy a My Little Pony.
3. One day I was driving her in the car and had my Joni Mitchell CD in. She didn't love it. From then on she would sing in that high head tone voice imitating Joni when she wanted to get her point across with me.
4. She let me live at her house with my crazy roommates. And not only that-she cooked us delicious meals when we were around, and more than once did our laundry!
5. When I was dating Jack, she razzed him enough to keep him on his toes. She also loved him enough to endear herself to him, as he has had no living grandmother since he was a child. He considers her his grandma 100%.
6. She made us each a felt stocking which she hung by her chimney. She hired a Santa to come Christmas eve and deliver us all a present at the family Christmas dinner. Then she would fill our stockings and hide them Christmas morning so that when we arrived at her house, the hunt was a much fun as the stocking goodies (at least close anyway!).
7. She held these hugely elaborate Easter egg hunts involving tables of prizes and a huge meal. It was almost a bigger loot than Christmas!
8. Her food. Her cooking. Her kitchen presence. She just has a presence in the kitchen--so that even when I use the exact same recipe, I can tell she didn't make it.
9. She boycotted Mother's Day one year. She now always says she regrets it, but that showed me her strength as a woman and it is a favorite memory of mine.
10. She played war with me a million and one times as she let me drive across the country with her and Grandpa when I was about six years old. She watched me and protected me as a small child and took me into her arms and loved me and those are only a few of the reasons my Grandma is better than yours!!!
Happy Birthday Grandma!!
It is so beautiful and aromatic; it has also brought a mysterious sense of murder, sex, and intruigue to our home. 
"Can you see the whites of my eyes?"
and Tiger
and Temple-oh my!
We had a lovely extended weekend and traveled to DC. Drove up a new way on TH night and avoided the inevitable 495 traffic jam. Fri we chose to go to the National Zoo as our "site" this visit. The boys were able to participate in temple related activities outside with their church leaders while Jack and I went inside the temple. Kudos to our stake primary who organized the supervision of 190 children for 4 hours.
We were beach bound for the short spring break and the drive was well worth it! The weather was gorgeous, the company was great (thanks Karma and Duane), and the food was phenomenal. Plus, we came home with some good recipes, so someone should invite us to a potluck.
One night we lit a huge bonfire and played Kubb (our favorite Icelandic yard game) UNTIL...we started experimenting with roasting Peeps. 
Jack burned his thumb and a huge blister immediately formed. Turns out that whole opposable thumb thing is pretty critical. Also note, Peeps melt much faster and at a higher temperature than marshmellows.
