Blogger to Blogger

This week Megs of Mmmboppin stopped by for a little chat. And guess what...she's the best. I mean, honestly, how can you not love someone who makes desperate runs for cupcakes and made her blogs' banner a talking taco? You can not.

Katie asked: Your man is an engineer. Do you think this affects your life or marriage in anyway? What would be different if he were in another line of work?

Megs answered: My Dan is indeed an engineer which means he is a whiz when it comes to figuring out the why behind everything. Both of my parents were teachers (kindergarten=mom, and HS English=dad). I became a teacher. I figured everybody was just into reading and talking about reading and teaching people about reading. But not my Dan. He likes numbers. He makes spreadsheets. He calculates stuff. He surveys. He can explain the dangers of liquefaction in the Salt Lake Valley. Dan's profession definitely affects our marriage because we balance each other out. I'm the talker; He's the thinker. I'm the worrier; He's the do-er. I'm the writer; He's the calculator. I'm the pie-in-the-sky-dreamer; He's the one who figures out how to make it happen. I can't really imagine any other profession that would suit him or give him so much satisfaction.
But I'm sure we'd have a different marriage dynamic if we were both math nerds or literacy geeks. Basically, I am just so glad that my husband is in a line of work that he loves. He comes home to chaos every night so at least he comes home happy.

Katie asked: I'm nervous enough about having one baby. How did you feel when you found out you were pregnant with twins?

Megs answered: Honestly, I was freaked out. I think I told the ultrasound technician to shut up. I had a 1 year old daughter who was running around the doctor's office and I was so stunned that I would soon have 3 children under 2 that I couldn't wrap my head around it. I was terrified. I think that I was probably so scared because I had already had a child and knew about the sleepless nights and the stress and the worry that comes with having a baby. I thought it would basically be impossible to manage 2 babies at the same time. Luckily I had a friend, Kim, who had twins. After picking her brain a bit, I figured out some of the logistical things like how it is humanly possible to nurse 2 kids at once and what things babies can share (a bassinet when they're tiny) and what they can't (a bouncer). Turns out that dealing with twins isn't impossible and things are getting easier all the time. I've learned that when it comes to raising babies you just have to embrace the chaos and go with the flow.

Don't be scared, Katie, having a baby is wonderful.

And having twins is totally cool now. Everybody from Ricky Martin to Jennifer Lopez is doing it.

Katie asked: What is your favorite color and what do you think it says about you?

Megs answered: My favorite color is green. Green has been my favorite for a long time.

When I was in junior high I loved forest green. Then, I liked the good robust kelly green. Now I like the brighter shades of green like lime or spring green (the color of aspen leaves when they first open in t he spring). Dan and I designed our own wedding invitations and they were this bright lime green that I was just nuts for. I think it probably shocked some people when they opened the envelope. But I loved it because it was such a happy color--not too cheery (like yellow) but a mellower sweeter kind of happy. I think that having green for my favorite color says that I'm versatile, fun, easy going, happy, a little bit crazy (or a lot crazy), and super cool. So incredibly cool.

...and then...

Megs asked: Where did you grow up (you don't have to be totally specific if it's a secret and all, I'm just curious)? What's something you LOVE about your home town?

Katie answered: I was born in Salt Lake and moved to the Seattle area when I was 4. After I was 14 we moved to Spokane, WA which is about 30 minutes from the Idaho border, and since that's where I attended high school...it will always be my home town. Spokane is a special place...slow paced...a little backward...but lovely in it's own way. I have two very favorite things about the place.

First: Zips. Oh, sweet glory, how I miss Zips. A greasy local hamburger chain that was just down the street from my high school. At least twice a week my best friend Brooke and I went there for a cheeseburger and fries. The burgers are so good and melty you can slide your tongue right between the meat and bun and get the most delicious cheesy coating you've ever experienced. And the fries? Amazing. They're thick and crinkle cut like the frozen oven fries you can get at the grocery store...but they come in a big tub in which you can easily drown your teenage angst.

The second think I love: Lilacs. When Spokane was originally established there was a city ordinance that every house built had to have a lilac bush planted in the yard. The result is that the city is not literally DRIPPING with blossoms at the beginning of May. There is a huge night parade and the air is heavy with the sweet scent. In the middle of town there is a big park that has a dedicated area just for these huge ancient lilac bushes. I used to go there on my own a lot and just sit and be amazed by how beautiful they were.

Megs asked: Now that we have a million kids (or 3... just seems like a million), it's quite difficult for Dan and I to find time for going out on dates. We do enjoy cuddling with some slurpees and popcorn and watching a flick after the kids have gone to bed. Do you and the Ear Doctor have any favorite movie recommendations? (We do NOT appreciate Keanu Reeves just so you know. I think the Lake House was one of the most painful things we've ever watched.)

Katie answered: Well, now that you asked, the ear doctor and I are pretty expert when it comes to watching movies. Actually, I have to be honest here. The ear doctor is and expert at WATCHING movies, whereas I am the champion of the world at sleeping through movies.

When we were dating this drove him C-R-A-Z-Y. He'd come over, we'd snuggle and I'd promptly pass out. However, one particular cinematic triumph was so amazingly gripping that I just could not tear my eyes away. I'm sure you are saying to yourself, what, pray tell, could that classic American film be?

Killer Clowns from Outer Space.

Awesome.

Some other recommendations:

Run, Fat Boy, Run I thought this movie was going to be horrible and lame but I haven't laughed so much in a really long time. And I don't think it was because I was going in with low expectations either.

Up If you didn't see this movie you are MISSING OUT. I bawled my eyes out during the first 20 minutes of the movie and was motivated to appreciate my husband more every day of my life.

Avoid: New in Town. We watched last Friday night and it gave me a migraine. I haven't had one in years...thanks a lot Renee Zellweger.

Megs asked: Freak out! I just RSVP-ed and sent in my registration money for my 10 year high school reunion. Now I need to look good! Where should I look for a dress? Any recommendations?

Katie answered: The first two places I turn for a cute dress are 1) shabbyapple.com and 2) the sale page of jcrew. However, since you live in Utah I bet a ton of people go to shabbyapple for their dress needs. I HATE it when people show up wearing the same thing as me so I might avoid that if I were you.

For style advice, check with Emily does on her What to Wear series. She's got great taste and has opened my mind to a lot of options I don't usually consider.

Obviously, if you have the cash, Anthropologie is a great option...but it's usually beyond what I want to pay. You can get great deals if you go to their back sale rooms...but they get picked over pretty quick. I think they move stuff back to the sale room on Tuesdays, so that might be the best day to go.