TTA. My Favorites all around Town...

First I would like to preface this blog and dedicate the tittle to Brooke Rollins who would always think it was funny when I said I had to go to town. Town for me includes all surrounding areas within 30 minutes. So South Jordan, Draper, Lehi, A.F., Pleasant Grove, and Provo. 

My Favorite place to grab lunch...It use to be Burger King before the big D word. Whopper Jr. Combo please. 

My Favorite place to go for a Date Night...Um I prefer to just go out of town on a trip or a night in a hotel.

My Favorite place to pick up some creative goodies... Any scrapbook store.

My Favorite place to keep the kid busy... Thanksgiving 

Point or Cabella's. 

My Favorite place to get wet... Our clubhouse pool. 

My Favorite place to buy a treat... Target. They have 

"harry and david's moose munch"

My Favorite place (s) to shop for fun... Big Lots, Dollar stores, Ross, & Ikea

My Favorite place to get some fresh air...Yeah no idea.

My Favorite place to splurge... I never splurge, but I do like to spend a few extra quarters at yard sales or some greens at the Dollar General.

My Favorite drive for a weekend away...We don't drive...We fly...usually. 

NEW FAVORITE YOU TUBE!

Interview for a bodyguard! Check it out. This one is for Brooke. Thanks to Scott Buchanan for introducing me to it. 

Old news can be new news.

One of the craziest things this year was the flood that hit above Redwood road and gushed into our street. It lasted for two weeks or so. The water was finally pumped into other streets as well, but our street was always full. The neighborhood made many sandbags and rallied in the street to help. No damage happened in our area, but the houses down by the pool weren't so lucky we heard. All this water came from the fields above Redwood Rd.

TTA. Laugh out Loud

Anything can be funny and make me laugh when I am with my Mom and sisters (Brooke that means you.) Ok let's include my brother and sometimes my father because sometimes Shaun can make me roll. It is usually when My Sister Stephanie is poking fun at him and then he retaliates. Now lets get one thing straight. Of course it is funny when it is directed at someone else. 

But there are other times when we are all just overly tired and something sets the giggle fits off. Like the time we laughed so hard over a Hallmark Card in Hallmark "why don't whales sweat? Because they don't have arm pits." We laughed so hard mom peed her pants...which makes us laugh more because it happens every time. (hey don't get mad mom. I do it too.) 

Christmas is the main event where frequent bathroom breaks are needed. 

Check out Haley's Christmas... video to come soon.

Now Brooke has a special talent that makes me LOL. The first time she busted a move I couldn't contain myself (literally). I laughed so hard I had to make a run for it. Since then it still sends me to the bathroom. I also learned that some of her moves can get you a sandwich. For some reason it is always when we are scrapbooking together. One time she busted out singing a Madonna's song kereoke style when there was no kereoke. We danced together for a little while, but I couldn't keep a straight face. I busted out laughing and ran for the restroom. When I came back she was still singing and dancing. She finished the whole song. The funniest thing ever...

I also will laugh out loud over things that Mr. Bennet so described in Pride and Prejudice "for what do we live, but to make sport for our nieghbours, and laugh at them in our turn." I can't find the quote from the book that explains this better so neighbors and friends don't concern yourselves too much. Most of you will have already had me laugh. I usually say, "you have got to be kidding me." Then I chuckle. Usually, it is something as simple as you telling me your car is broken, you lost your wallet, and bumped your head. Sometimes it is nothing but the Lord testing your faith, your mental capacity for idiosyncrasies, or your dumb decisions you made. 

The latest LOL moment was watching the trumpet playing chick on you tube. Oh man that was great. It wasn't funny the first or even second time, but two hours later I was LOL in the car all the way home. 

Do I laugh at myself? Yeah. I will always tell you all the dumb things above for a good laugh, but I love to hear your stories better. Keep laughing america.

 

  

My Birthday Present

I am really quite impressed with my husband this year. Maybe I should back track to last May...Mother's day! I wanted an iPod docking station for my hand me down iPod. I was so sure that Paul would buy a practical, but inexpensive one. (past experiences have marred my judgements) Maybe we should talk about that for a moment for his sake. Honey! really my first birthday we shared together was well "beary" interesting. Since then things have improved greatly due to the specific list of items with Brand names and places you can find them. 

But back to the iPod docking station...I was surprised when he bought a really good one. Since then I have been in awe that my gifts have been well thought through and researched. Research proves to be the most important factor in the improvement of gifts. 

And now for my birthday gift. I have wanted to make compost since researching it in AZ. We didn't have the right ingredients on our 8 acres of desert to be successful at this delicate science. I tried and failed. I have wanted to try my hand at this ever since moving to property that actually has grass and trees. I have been looking for a composter that was affordable/acceptable to present to Paul for consideration. I found two that I was willing to compromise on, but due to Paul's new found love of really pleasing me for holidays he researched products and Bought me the VERY BEST for my birthday.

And that is what makes 11 years of marriage fun, exciting, and new. All of a sudden, you can be happily surprised with a simple change of person that makes you fell special and important all over again. 

Weight Watchers Update

Weigh in was yesterday. I lost 3.4 pounds last week. According to WW Scale I now weigh 160.0. Nothing like tooting your own horn.  TOOT TOOT

Tuesday Tell All-Professional Help

Everybody knows I need professional help.... but seriously. The first thing I would do is seek professional help with cleaning out my old PC. What does that stand for anyway a seriously old computer? I am a Mac user now only because Paul rubs shoulders with other Mac users who swear by them. Well now I need professional help with my Mac as well. SO I guess I would seek computer classes so I could become a technical geek. 

Yeah so after that I would seek professional help on HAIR and SKIN care for African children. I have to do that before we adopt however so it is not a WOULD it is an absolute MUST. 

I would love to and might take a Jazz dance class just for the heck of it.  If I had money I would take a pottery class. Or I would go back to college and just take courses that sounded interesting. 

TTA. Do something dangerous.

If I am going to jump on the bandwagon of blogging, I might as well join in the fun of "Tuesday Tell All." So danger huh? In my twenty's I have done enough to scare the living daylights out of me. I rode on the back of a guys motor cycle on a two lane highway at 100 miles per hour. I parasailed in Mexico... Couldn't figure out how to get down and almost landed on the roof of a building. I rode the subway into Mexico City and when the doors opened men pushed us on groping us from one stop to the next. And those are the things I did sober. 

I swam across a lake 5 months pregnant with jean shorts because the walk around to return to a camp was to long. I had to tread water forever because the dog was afraid to swim with me. 

Now what would I want to do? Nothing. I realize now that life is precious and that I was close to death too many times in the past. 

LOST 9.4 Pounds

Ok so in my profile I said I needed to lose 10 pounds. As of date I have lost 9.4 on weight watchers. This week I will not lose any because I decided not to set any goals for myself. I also rationalized that cookies made from a cake mix were not really cookies. I stand by that argument and there for have not eaten cookies since binging Easter weekend. I just might put a picture of before and after later. 

I've been Tagged... THANKS MILES

What were you doing a Decade Ago? UM... who remembers that long ago. So 10 years ago, I was married for two years and in the last year of college at Weber State University. I was working at a Thrift store and completing an internship at the Child Abuse Prevention Center. Paul was working in Salt Lake. We moved from Ogden to Roy to Our FIRST home in Clinton.

After Paul and I graduated we moved with his company to Athens, Georgia for a year. I worked as a Foster Care and Adoption Caseworker until I was burned out from the high case load, horrible conditions, and because I was a bleeding heart social worker. Paul was sick of managing in a manufacturing environment so we packed our bags...(actually I never unpacked boxes in Georgia) and we headed to Leesburg, VA to live with my parents at an amazing horse property. This was the first time I lived close to my family in 6 years.   VIRGINIA was amazing, but life there wasn't easy. We bought an over priced town home, worked various jobs, held various church callings, and still didn't have the desires of our hearts.

On Sept. 10, 2001 we left the beautiful east coast and headed to barren, dry, Arizona. Paul returned to managing a manufacturing plant in Mexico. We lived 5 miles from the Mexican border in a rural desert neighboring community. (A WHOLE OTHER STORY) There I worked as a teachers aide and substitute until the love of our life was born in 2003. Arizona as a place to live was bittersweet. I made the best friends ever. We did tons together....until most of us moved away to new towns and lives. A few friends remain, but as life goes on it is hard to stay in touch.

2005 to date... Paul and I returned to Utah. He works while able to experience the world literally. I play and work while teaching, playing, and entertaining Madison.

Ten years have come and gone and am I better for it? Sure! I have matured a little. I have made new friend and rekindled some old ones. I have tamed my craving for caffine in diet coke, and have learned to look at the past without fear...well sometimes. But most of all I have learned that there is more to learn. 

5 things to do...

1. Paint and decorate my African baby's room

2. Plant my garden

3. Make up a cheerleading dance

4. Pick up my make-up from Macey's

5. Plan my lesson for primary.

5 places I've lived

1. Sierra Vista, AZ

2. Leesburg, VA

3. Athens, GA

4. Henderson, NV

5. Montrose, CO  

5000 jobs I've had

Sizzler hostest, Wendy's drive through, Target softlines, Sandwhich deliver, Thrift Store worker, Child Abuse Prevention Specialist, Upton shoe salesperson, Tuesday Morning shelf stocker, Foster Care and Adoption Specialist, Attorney General's legal assistant, Home Depot special services, Probation Officer, Teacher's Aide, Substitute Teacher, Wal-mart cashier, Cheer coach.  (housewife and mother) 

5 things MOST people wouldn't know about me 

1. I have eight scrapbooks completed/practically finished for a 4 year old

2. I have placed music and lyrics to Twilight and written a book to go with it.

3. I went to bed thinking that I will miss carrying around all my weight that has been with me for a decade. (psycho I know) 

4. I have expensive taste for clothing, furnishings, and everything else, but enough patience to wait for what I want. I waited 7 years for my sofa. 

5. I would move tomorrow to the Missoula, Montana area, buy a ranch house on the blackfoot river, and raise cattle. 

I tag my mom and Rebecca.   

My mom Joins the community!

There are sometimes when you are so proud of your parents. This is one of those days. I love that my mom is so up with the times that she is willing to BLOG! Mom you Rock!