My very first Tag...tagged by Val. Yay!

8 Favorite T.V. Shows:

1. Grey's Anatomy
2. The Office
3. Friends
4. What I Like About You
5. ER
6. Dr. Phil (and the new Doctors show)
7. Yes Dear
8. Cosby show

8 Favorite Restaurants:

1. Cheesecake Factory
2. Rumbi
3. Johnny Carinos
4. Olive Garden
5. Mimi's Cafe
6. Zupas
7. Cafe Rio
8. Pretty much any restaurant as long as I am not alone. I love to eat out!


8 Things that Happened Yesterday:

1. Piano lessons 6:45 am!!!
2. Mikaela to school - boys off track
3. Dishes and laundry while the boys have the double Kadens over to play
4. Run to buy piano music, socks for Hudson, contact lense solution, and clay for reflections project.
5. Mikaela home from school, get snack and run to piano group
6. Mikaela homework then dinner
7. Mikaela to tutoring then more homework
8. All three off to bed. No time for FHE - will have to wait till Thursday!



8 Things I look forward to:


1. Happiness
2. My own house
3. More ambition to work out
4. Christmas with family around
5. ****************** (can't say this one out loud!)
6. Hanging with friends and family
7. Becoming more healthy and whole
8. Financial and emotional security for my children


8 Things I Love about Fall:


1. Cooler weather - no more swimming in my own sweat!
2. Leaves changing colors
3. The few nice days when you can still wear shorts/flip-flops
4. Soccer and volleyball
5. Pumpkin bread, cookies, pie, carving, etc. All things pumpkin!
6. Hoodies
7. Soups and chili
8. Remembering morning sickness. I was sick during the Fall with all three pregnancies! I wouldn't say I love this one, but each year it does remind me of what it took to get them here!


8 Things on my wish list:

1. Peace
2. Dependable car
3. A house
4. My kids will be smart and avoid drugs, drinking, abuse, premarital sex, porn, rock 'n roll, etc. (you know what I mean!)
5. My kids will have a strong testimony of the gospel
6. To create memorable vacations/activities with my children
7. Financial security
8. ************** (can't say this one out loud either!)


8 People I tag:
(These are some of my new blogging friends. I hope this is their first or maybe second tag!)
1. Terry
2. Joni
3. Kelli
4. Nick
5. Summer - on the lawn?!?
6. Elyssa, Keslee and Josh (this counts, right?)
7. Noelle (or Madison)
8. D-Rock

The primary program is over!!!

After four years of working with the primary sacrament program, you would think I would have it down to a science. Unfortunately, I don't. And yet, I survived! I worried unecessarily for months about this program, had two practices consisting of only 14 - 16 kids, didn't know who would actually show up, had two kids get head lice, and wondered how we were going to do all the duets without practicing, etc. the program is finally over! Yay! I am so relieved and happy because it turned out better than I could have hoped. The day did not start out well and as soon as the kids sung the first song, I Am a Child of God (along with a little descant), I knew it was all going to be fine. And, it was!

I was preparing this post and then...

I got tagged! This post was going to be posted on December 2nd since that was my 2 year anniversary for my very first posting to my blog. I actually posted about Halloween, Thanksgiving and the Christmas card all around that time so I knew it had to be close to Halloween. So, when I went to check out the first date, I realized it wasn't until December 2nd and I was going to wait.

This was the nerdy post I was preparing...

"Sweet two years and never been tagged"

(Like sweet sixteen and never been kissed...... never mind!)

I can't believe I made it two years without a single tagging. Sorta makes me feel unloved. I'm kidding. I think people actually hate tagging, but they also realize that someone thought of you and wanted to hear what you had to say. So, they do it. Actually, I have heard of some people ignoring the tags and not doing them. They must get too many. Anyway, it's been two years since I started this blog and it has been a lot of fun and it has grown and I have gotten to know some really cool people. It has opened my eyes to the blogging world. It is truly a world of it's own. I am amazed at how many people know each other and yet have never met in real life. I have seen so many connections where someone knows someone else and then they know someone else. You know the whole six degrees thing?!? I found out that Keli's friend Kali (who is apparently very popular in the blogging world) was good friends in real life with my sister's good friend Julie in San Diego. Alicia has actually met her in person while I have only read her blog. I found a girl on Keli's blog who has in her list of blogging friends, a friend of Tonya, Keli herself and Suzanne's boyfriend's brother's blog! I have found my friend's neighbor is married to a guy from Don's hometown. I found my sister's boyfriend's step-sister on a cousin's blog. The list goes on and on. Of course, this information comes from creative clicking...okay blog stalking! (We all blog stalk, right?) Anyway, it's an extremely small world out there. But, I love the concept of blogging and being able to keep in touch with so many people and especially people around the country that you just don't get to see anymore. (I met a lot of people in school and residency that are now spread all over the country and I never see them!) It has brought me in touch with so many old friends and friends of old friends. It's a way for those old friends to keep up with my family too. It's just an amazing tool.

Tag to follow....oh ya, I'm doing it. I can't ignore my first time!!!

Can I just say...

I am sooooo thankful for priesthood blessings! They help sooooo much! There is nothing like having a terrible phase in your life, where you just don't think you can go on another minute and then the Lord blesses you with people in your life, answers to prayers and a priesthood blessing that helps ease the burden so much that you CAN go on! Amazing...truly amazing!

From the mouths of babes...or actions rather!

So, Monday I had a terrible day. I know I say that a lot. I do have a lot of terrible days, but so would you if...well I can't say...but trust me, you would! Especially, when you think things are calming down and then a whole new problem creeps up and turns everything upside down. So, literally one of the most difficult days, really hard, awful, can't even tell you the pain involved. I was so exhausted from crying so hard. Contacts were ruined, eyes were puffy and red, the crows feet were red and raw and burning...okay, you get it. So, I get on my google reader and see this post from my childrens' aunt. (I guess that's what I can call her. I can't really say sister-in-law anymore, hmm. One of the saddest parts of divorce is losing the privilege to call some people family.) (Not all, but some!) So, click here to see the post of her sweet 4 year old Clive and the lesson he reminds us of. I can't tell you how much I loved seeing that right before I headed to bed. I seriously wept when I saw it. (Even though I didn't think there were anymore tears left!) Not just teary eyed, but literal weeping. He is so cute and I just want to hug him. What an example and reminder to me that Heavenly Father knows my needs and he knows me and that I am not alone in this life. I love being a mother and I love being in the primary and working with such sweet innocent children of our Heavenly Father. I love teaching and learning this year in primary that I...I am a Child of God! Even though Satan and a few other people on earth want me to doubt that. He loves me even when others don't. I'm thankful for blogging and the way it lifts me up when I read others' words of inspiration, the way it makes me laugh to read the funny stuff and that I can also keep in touch with wonderful people, even the ones I can no longer call family!

Win a Free Handbag!

Yes...I am copying Keli because I do that sort of thing. I have no ideas of my own plus, I could really use a new handbag.

Click here to enter to win a free handbag from handbagplanet.com!

Yay! Thanks Keli!

The courage to begin...

"More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin"

I saw this quote on Lisa Bearnson's blog when I was researching for Mikaela's student body video and I loved it! Mikaela had her student body elections a little bit ago and I have been waiting to post this with her cute video. The problem is that the video needed editing because it lists her school and all that and I wanted to post a safer video but we haven't been able to get that to work. Mikaela did not make the top four for student body for the 7th grade and neither did her friend Alex. We were sad for both of them and they felt sad too, but they were both good sports and Mikaela just said, "I'll try out again next year." She has the best attitude. I am so proud of her for trying and I think it took a lot of guts to do that in a new school where you don't know 2/3 of the kids in your grade. I will try to post a picture of her poster because that was cute and she had a lot of comments about her posing with a large letter "M" (from our photo shoot with Michelle). Her theme was Got "Milk"kaela? Many of the boys were saying, "I'm voting for the girl with the milk cuz I like milk" or "I voted for the hot chick with the milk!" She got a laugh out of that and I thought to myself...who's calling my baby hot???

*And a special shout out to Nick, Suzanne, and Lainey for their tireless efforts till 2 am helping with the posters and video. We owe you, big time!

It'll be a sad Halloween this year kids...

A friend emailed this to me and I thought it was pretty funny. It's not a funny topic, really and I have a whole lotta opinions on this which I will save for another post coming soon.

Because of the economic crisis, all the talk shows keep talking about it, so I enjoy listening and learning and then watching the stupid people advertise to millions of their new friends as to how stupid they really are. By stupid, I mean financially stupid people. There's other stupids out there but for now, it's the financial stupids that have us in this crazy mess! Drives me nuts! Oh ya, nother post.

The workout from hell...

Tamra and I have been trying to trick our bodies by trying something new and kicking our workouts up a notch. We've been trying to squeeze in some cycling classes. The teacher is pretty cool and she is the one that asked if we were twins or sisters? So, we show up to class on Thursday and we go in and get our bikes pulled out (which is no easy task - btw!) and start setting it up. We don't see our usual teacher, but some guy. Now, this is not some hot, muscle-y, instructor type guy. This is a pudgy, nerdy, glasses wearing guy. (Not cool glasses either!) He isn't wearing the cycling shorts, he has regular baggie old shorts on. He isn't wearing a workout shirt, he is wearing a tight marathon relay shirt and it's not-so sexy. And, his shoes didn't look like cycling shoes, they looked like hiking shoes. (Come to find out, they were cycling shoes but whatever!) By this time, Tamra and I are STUCK. There is really no easy way for the two of us to put our bikes back and high tail it out of there so we get on our bikes and start our commentary. We are both wondering what is in store for us and we are a little scared! By this time, I realize that I am so blogging about this but wish I had a picture! I mean it's hard to imagine a great workout with someone who looks like the "nerdy neighbor who lost his IT job and is home all day and was asked at the last minute to run in and teach a class." So, the class begins and he goes to turn the music up louder because we could barely hear it and come to find out, it's from the Star Wars soundtrack! We are working out to Star Wars! It felt like we were at a Star Wars convention! I'm totally making fun of it by swinging my light saber. We both can't stop making comments. Luckily, it wasn't an entire hour of Star Wars but, his music selection has got to go and I am not that picky of a music worker-outer. Anyhoo, we do our workout and everything is manageable with a few weird looks and comments to each other. Tamra, by the way, gets the giggles easily. She and I are often "on the same page" with our thoughts so really, all I have to do is look at her and she knows what I am thinking. The entire class, she kept telling me "stop" every time I looked at her. She knew what I was thinking and if we both acknowledged it, we would start giggling. There was SO much I wanted to say. I HAD to keep biting my tongue and it was so hard. (We didn't want anyone around us to hear our smack talk.) I am such a jerk! Anyhoo, again. This lady hops off her bike and goes out of the room and comes back with a fan. Oh, cool, we think to ourselves. She plugs it in and sets it behind the teacher and hops back on her bike. After a few minutes, we get a whiff of something weird. It doesn't smell like normal sweat, in fact, it doesn't smell like anything I have smelled before! But, apparently it IS sweat. Someones weird sweat. We don't know who, but it's horrible and it keeps crop dusting us every so often. There were a couple times where I couldn't stand it anymore and I grabbed my towel and just kept telling myself "smell your towel, smell your towel!" One time I even coughed and it sounded like a gag. I almost made Tamra throw up. That would have topped it all off. You know what else is weird? I don't think anything of seeing a sweaty girl up there teaching my class but for some reason I can't handle seeing a sweaty pudgy guy up there. It's hard to stare at him for an entire hour! If I have to stare at some guy sweating profusely, he better be eye candy, BIG TIME! I blame Tamra for this!

I could stand seeing this...

or this...

but not this!

(And, if anyone ever tries to find an image of a fat guy teaching cycling class, you won't. It doesn't exist!)

I "heart" BHS

So, this is the Centennial celebration for BHS. I am an alumni of BHS and my heart will always belong to BHS. So, Summer and I headed to the Homecoming game on Thursday evening. Miners kicked the Cougars trash, so that was cool! I couldn't believe how many people were there and from what I have been told, it is always like that. They also have a brand new stadium with the fake grass and the digital television scoreboard. I think they are the only high school in Utah to have it. I'm not sure why the guy that it is now named after didn't do it sooner when his own kids were playing football but, nonetheless, it's pretty sweet.

The highlight of the night though, was seeing so many wonderful people. I was sitting with Summer and her co-worker Alisha. Alisha wouldn't stop talking and Summer was trying to watch the game and she couldn't hear me when I talked so I assumed she was ignoring me. Then, an old friend, Jaron walked by and told me that my good friends Kari and Julie were down by the food so I told Summer I was off to find people who could appreciate my company. I found Julie and Kari and her family. We hugged and talked and then ran into some other people. We visited with two other girls that we all cheered with together. That was fun. Then, we chatted with one of the sweetest, bestest girls on the planet ever! I haven't seen her in 20 years! She looked great and was so awesome. Her name is Gail and she was the Student Body President her Senior year. We all joked that she would be the first woman President of the United States. She is the mother of three and has a better calling in life now. She was so fun to talk with and catch up with and she is such an example of the type of person to be. It was great. And the best part is, I now have contact with her. It's amazing how you can lose touch with someone for two decades and then pick it all back up again. It's also amazing how you can go to school with these people for 4 years and then really enjoy catching up with them again. There is never enough time to finish talking. And, next year is my 20th reunion so this has been a little taste of next year. And, I am excited! I know some people can't say that. Some people had horrible high school experiences, but seriously, they were some of the best times of my life. I met some of the best friends a girl could have and I am still friends with a lot of them. I wouldn't trade it for anything. And just in case anyone misinterprets this to mean that I am stuck in high school...I'm not. I am just feeling nostalgic. So, back off, gosh!

P.S. Our 20 year reunion chair asked any of us with personal blogs to post a message to fellow classmates. I didn't think it would be useful as everyone that reads my blog that I went to High School with, I already know about, but I am an obedient person so here goes:

If anyone graduated from BHS with me, please contact me via email with your contact information as well as any friends you keep in contact with. Our 20 year reunion is in August '09! Ya, we're that old!

Is there a car doctor in the house?

My car is in desperate need of a doctor. Maybe even a car hosptial. I feel as if she is on her last leg...er tire. She has been very good to me. I wanted her to be with me at least another two years but now I'm not so sure. Recently she has acquired some new symptoms. Here is her list of ailments:

• Brakes squeal when used and don't work well.
• Constant sqealing when car is running. Very embarrassing when I drop the kiddos off.
• The two back doors automatically flip into child lock mode so the kids can't let themselves out.
• The driver's door is starting to stick.
• None of the three windshield wipers work at the same time. They like to flip to the side so I have to reach out and push it back at stop lights in the rain or snow. Super fun!
• Four out of five inside lights don't work.
• The electronic window/lock panel on the back door is falling off...hangin by the wires.
• Need two new tires. Have had 3 flat tires in six months!
• The heat and AC smell like dead fish if you use it for too long. Stanky...bad!
• New crack in the windshield. Has to be replaced by February.
• Recall on the cruise control. This one's free to fix. Yay!
• Four wheel drive doesn't work. No Moab for me. :-(

So, I'm thinking of printing this list out and taking her in. I had the heat checked and my mechanic told me it's not worth fixing. It will be too expensive and the car is too old. He told me to try to get away without fixing it until the car dies. But, now it stinks so bad. This is going to be a fun stanky winter.

I have loved my car. I love how big she is. I love that she can seat so many kids safely. I love that two families can sometimes ride together. I love that she can tow anything. I do not love how much gas she uses but, the other benefits outweigh the gas issue. I don't think I will ever be able to afford a big car like this and I am really sad about it. :-( Oh well. Them's the brakes. (Except mine cuz they don't work!)