Tag, you're it!

A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B: Each player answers the questions about themselves
C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.


1. What where you doing 10 years ago?

Val: I was just finishing my junior year at the Air Force Academy and was dating Pete McClellan, who was getting ready to go on his mission. Of course I mention this because he was in our branch here in Del Rio as the 2nd Counselor in the Branch Presidency for the last two years (they just moved to Dover). His wife, Marie, is a good friend of mine and I'm in love with their beautiful children--Emma, Sarah and Daniel. Three little redheads, and they are soooo cute! Marie graduated from the Academy too. Anyway, that summer I sent him the infamous Dear John and a few months later started dating Russell Bastian. The rest, as they say, is history.

Russ: Was in St. Petersburg, Russia, on his mission. Returned to the U.S. at the end of June, returned to the Academy in July and taught Combat Survival Training, sucked the eyeballs out of rabbit's heads and so on.

2.What is on your to-do list today?

Val: Today is over, so just watch the rest of the Raiders of the Lost Ark with Russ and go to bed. Typically it's: nurse the baby, try to read scriptures and exercise, feed everyone breakfast, get Matt off to school, go on a walk, read some books to Ethan, think of a craft to do with the boys, try to figure out what to make for dinner, play with Lizzie, try to take a nap, try to read a little, try to clean up the house a little.

Russ: Oh, watch a movie, go to bed. Typically, go to the gym, fly, work on master's assignments, play with the kids, read scriptures, try to get Val...uh, use your imagination


3. What would you do if you suddenly became a billionaire?

Val: First I would pay tithing on it. Then I'd pay off all debt if I had any, which we don't right now since we don't own a house. I'd make sure we had enough tucked away for education and missions for all our kids, ourselves and our parents. Then I'd buy a nice house and get Russ his dream car. Then I'd buy nice houses for all my siblings and their families, and set up education and mission funds for their kids. I'd definitely get a cook and a housekeeper, and regular massages. Like at least weekly. Then when my kids were all grown up, I'd probably look into creating some kind of charitable foundation. I would need years to think about that.

Russ: I wouldn't save and invest because if I had a billion dollars that would be more than I would ever need. I guess I would have to keep working for the Air Force for a few more years. I would buy a corvette, a new boat, a cabin somewhere out on the lake, take a vacation with Val and the kids somewhere cool, like maybe Europe. Then, I'd send my parents on a vacation someplace cool. Then I'd help out friends and family. And I'd pay my tithing.

4. What are your bad habits?
Val: Eating too much, yelling at my kids, being late to things
Russ: Procrastinating, underestimating time (in other words, always late!), getting up late

5. Places you have lived.

Val: Utah, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Alaska, Washington, Japan, Colorado, Hong Kong, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota and back to Texas...

Russ: Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Russia, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, North Dakota and back to Texas...

6. Places you have worked.
Val: In Washington I was a newspaper carrier, in Japan I was a lifeguard, always a babysitter, then various "cadet jobs" at the Academy, then 2nd Lieutenant in the AF for a while, occasionally paid for photography but most of the work I do is free. Stay-at-home mom to 3 kids.

Russ: Boy Scout Camp, Hewlett Packard, Jacklin Seed Company, various "cadet jobs" at the Academy, USAF pilot

7. Things people don't know about you.

Val: I've flown in an F-16 four times, for a total of 5.5 hours. I earned my jump wings by jumping out of an airplane five times. I just got blonde highlights in my hair today (21 May 2008). I've only dyed my hair one other time in my life, and that was three years ago while Russ was deployed. I was blonde then too, and a lot of people didn't even recognize me. The old ladies in my ward at church wouldn't speak to me until I was brunette again.

Russ: I was run over by a boat. I've dropped bombs on Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan.

Haircut

I got my hair cut today. What do you think?
Russ took the boys camping with some friends tonight, and I spent my "night off" cleaning while listening to a book on tape. Then I said to myself, "What am I doing?" So I got all dressed up like I was going out on a date and proceeded to shoot my own photo. Of course, it really took like thirty takes before I got one I could use. I had to take this picture, though, because people keep saying my haircut on my Facebook profile looks so cute, but really that was two years ago! I just hadn't updated my picture. So, anyway, here it is now. I love it.

The book I'm listening to is The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I love audiobooks. I can actually finish a book this way, plus it gives me something to focus on so I can get some cleaning done.

I was going to do yoga and go to bed early. Too late for that...guess I'll do it in the morning. I'm enjoying all the quiet around here. I wonder if Matthew and Ethan are being happy campers. I wonder if Russ is getting any sleep. hehehe. I always take earplugs with me when I go camping.