This is my 200th Post!
How about that?!?!
I have my entire family invading my house on Christmas day. They are joining us for a spirited Christmas dinner. Last weekend I went over to my brothers house for a family party. It was the first time that my family had all been together in a confined building in years. About half way through the evening I became thoroughly overwhelmed (to say the least). I ended up being ridiculously sensitive to everything and everyone. So much so that I became irritated, pissy and overly snotty and made us leave as soon as we were finished opening gifts. We didn't even stay for dessert. Now, I get to subject myself to that torture yet again, but this time I can't leave... because its going to be here at my house! What was I thinking when I signed up for this, you ask? I'm not sure. I guess that my idea of a meaningful Christmas is to pile enormous amounts of stress on myself so that I can hardly breathe when the day arrives. Its just too bad that I don't drink, because if I did then I could just lose myself in peppermint schnapps. I hope that I can have pretty much everything in order before they get here on Tuesday so that I don't become the neurotic mess that I was last Sunday.
Cross my fingers that it goes off without a hitch.
YAY... #200!!!
Two Hundred Posts**
Christmas Time is Here
I watched "Elf" the other day as I was putting up my tree. Well, actually my sister was putting up my tree and the lights and the decorations... come to think of it, I don't think that I did anything that day to help. What kind of Christmas spirit do I have?!?!
I feel a little off this Christmas season. Usually I am all about decorating and shopping and making treats, but this year has been a little slow to start. I was a baking fiend around Thanksgiving and then after it was over I kind of lost the interest. Maybe it was because I baked 2 pies, 1 tart and a cheese cake for Thanksgiving. Maybe I got a little "baked out". But, this is the time when I should be spreading Christmas cheer, right?
I am feeling a little under the weather this week. I have been fighting an irritating cold that myluv has had since Thanksgiving and I think it has finally hit me. I have been taking "Airborne" and it has really been helping. Its an immune boosting beverage. I fill a small juice glass with water and then drop in this tablet that makes the water fuzz and bubble and the water turns a greenish/yellowish color that tastes similar to "Tang". I try to drink it in 5 or 6 gulps, because if I sipped it, I'd never finish it.
So, my tree is up, but I am not happy with the decorations... again, this year is just a little off. I think that I need to take everything off it (except the lights) and start over. My mom said to me yesterday (right after her tree fell over) that her trees always look better the second time she decorates. Maybe this will work for me too. We also don't have any lights up on the house yet and its supposed to snow the entire weekend. Maybe this year we'll just stick with the wreath on the front door and call it good. Then again, maybe myluv will feel well enough tomorrow to hang some lights up on the house, maybe.
Its Lucy's first Christmas and I feel like I should be so excited and possibly even overzealous about her enjoying the season. Her Grandma bought her some snow pants and a coat that matches. We wanted to take her outside with the last snowfall to take picture of her in the snow for the very fist time, but didn't because we've both been sick. Maybe if there is enough snow this weekend then we can do it tomorrow or Sunday or something.
Maybe I am failing as a mother for the First Christmas... I wanted it to be magical and spectacular and all of those things that you see in the movies... but here I am, trying to not get more sick than I already am and Lucy is asleep in her bed.... I should be decorating the house so when she wakes up she will be in awe with all the decorations. But, really... I'll probably make myself a cup of cocoa and sip it until the feeling goes away.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
The Essence of Fall
We took these pictures this weekend... Nuf said.
Mike is taking the computer with him again today so, I don't have nearly enough time to write my full post. He keeps taking it to work with him because he is using it for a film he has been working on... its too complicated to really explain. Just know that I have only had a computer for like 2 days out of the last month, which explains my lack of new posts. Anyway, enjoy the pictures, I know that I do.
I know, I suck!
So, I was reprimanded last night while I was talking to tracifree on the phone. She scolded me for not posting anything new lately and then left a comment about an hour ago on the post just before this one stating the same disgust with my lack of new posts.
Now, I wanted to do this whole update with pictures and all, but the truth of the matter is that all the pictures we have are on the "mac" side of this computer and I can't figure out how to down size them so I can post them anywhere!!! When I say anywhere I actually mean I can't post them here or on my family website.
So, I need to wait for Mikey to get home so that he can convert them and then I can post them along with a real post where I actually have something to say other than an apology. I have quite a few run-on sentences in this post. Maybe that's what this post can be about... run-on sentences. I love run-on sentences and the truth of that matter is that sometimes I can't figure out how to end my sentence which is why it keeps going and going and going and going.... kinda like this one. That's prolly most peoples problem with run-on sentences.
the end.
Fall Previews
I have turned into a t.v. junkie and not for just any television.
For Network television!!!
I have been an HBO snob for so long that I forgot what Network television was like, and now I can't help myself. I'm not going to go into the wide assortment of programs that I find myself watching throughout the day... see, these are the effects of a DVR. The reason that I never watched Network television before was because I didn't have the time. Now that I have the DVR I don't have to have the time... I can watch it whenever I happen to have the time. I just record it and then watch it whenever! It rocks, but then it doesn't.
This is quite the little kerfuffle that I cause on a daily basis. Now, I could be spending my time when Tucy is napping, with other things... like folding laundry or washing the dishes or something productive, but instead I find myself plopped in front of that blessed 65" screen, watching, watching, watching... until she wakes up.
Then I am frustrated, because I haven't done anything that I had planned and I spend the rest of the night kicking myself for having to cram all those chores into the hour and a half before Mike gets home, so I can spend some quality time with him where he doesn't mention the fact that I haven't done anything that day.
But, today! Today I actually accomplished something before that blessed nap. I did stuff! The stuff isn't all that important, but it was productive stuff and it made me feel like I did accomplish something today! Something like stuff! Stuff feels good to do, especially before the husband gets home from work. That stuff feels fantastic!
Anyway... Fall Previews have been a curse for me, until today. Today the Fall Previews took a backseat to the stuff. yay me!
Soccer err, I mean Futbol
I went to the Real game tonight with my hubby. There was an extra ticket that I took from one of his friends that couldn't make it to the game. You see my hubby has a season ticket right behind the team on the front row... this was the first time that I had gone to a game with him since he has had said ticket. It was really fun, I had a great time. The greatest part about it was all the heckling and swearing from the fans in the section that he sits in.
I couldn't believe how crazy crazed these guys got at the game... whodda thunk that soccer could be all that intense, but I guess it can be. I kept laughing out of, I guess shock, about how completely insane some of these people would become for a bad call from the officials. I mean, its just soccer! Now that I have said that I see how lame my last statement actually was and just how "American" I truly am. We Americans don't really, REALLY care about Soccer. Some of us claim to be "fans" of it, but in reality, we aren't. Most of the people that get into Soccer here do it because no one else is and the season tickets are cheap.
That or they came to the United States from somewhere else i.e. The World. I believe that the fans that are crazies that were born in America and go nutso at these games do it for three reasons... 1- It gives them an opportunity to scream profanities and demeaning sexual statements at an "official" where the end result isn't being an unemployed loser with a multi-million dollar sexual harassment lawsuit up their a$$. 2- Sometimes, if you're lucky, you get a free shirt or ball or even maybe a jersey (if you're really lucky). 3- They have hot dogs and popcorn, duh!
Big-Gulp Anyone?
Driving in our car we stopped at 7-11. Michael got us both Big-Gulps. He put his in the back cup holder and I put mine in the front cup holder. About 2 minutes later he took a drink from my Big-Gulp in the front cup holder.
Me: That ones mine.
Him: Oh, well lets trade spots then because its easier for me to grab the front one while I'm driving.
(We place Big-Gulps into their new designated cup holders)
Me: Its okay, we exchange bodily functions all the time.
Him: Fluids.
Me: Oh (turning bright red in the face) that's what I meant, fluids.
Him: I would hope that we wouldn't exchange bodily functions ever!
About a minute later I grab for his drink thinking that its mine in the front cup holder. Its a vicious cycle I tell you!
Inspirational Sunday
So, I went to church this morning and there was a nice young man that spoke. He is leaving to go on a mission to Sweden Wednesday, so this was the last time that he was going to address our congregation for 2 years. I was taken aback by this young man and the talk that he gave. It was well thought out. It had a beginning, middle, and end. His talk really hit me and it wasn't just because he knew how to structure it. He actually had some important things to say and they affected me and I haven't been affected by a meeting since Tucy was blessed.
He had 4 things that he talked about that will bring us closer to our Heavenly Father:
1- Let Virtue Garnish Thy Thoughts Unceasingly
I have always labored with this, because I can let my mind run wild. It is a real challenge to control your thoughts. Over the last couple of years I have become a bit better at it, but I still find myself lost aimlessly in my thoughts from time to time.
2- Scripture Study
This has been a huge deal for me, to read my scriptures every day. I pick them up, if I'm lucky, once a week. This is truly something that I need to work on more diligently.
3- Daily Prayer
We say our morning and nightly prayers together as a family. We have been really good about that, but my individual prayers are really suffering. I have always struggled with the communicado between me and the "Powers that Be".
4- Paying an Honest Tithe
Now, this is something that Michael and I have been talking a lot about lately, because it is the one thing that we do 100% with out any error. We have complete control over it and we make a conscience effort to make sure that it is the first thing that we take care of every month.
Okay, so I can honestly say that I have been true to 1 out of the 4. That's not to say that once I pray, or study, or think something good once that I have been true to that as well. Hearing this young man talk about these things today just made me realize how much I need to actively do these things all the time. To "draw closer to Thee" is a constant journey. We never stop on the road of life. We are either traveling forward or backward. Forward through progressing and trying to better ourselves everyday. Backward by not doing the things that help us progress, because if we stop doing the things that we need to do in order to progress and the ones around us are... they are passing us by and therefore we are farther behind than we were when we stopped in the first place.
I don't know if this makes any sense, but I just had to make a note of this talk and some of the thoughts that I have had since having the privilege of hearing it.
Changing Like the Fall Leaves
I decided to shake things up a bit by transforming my template to reflect the weather changing right before my very eyes.
Fall has arrived whether I am ready for it or not, its here.
The temperature is cooling down and everything is looking more orange and red with each passing day.
That means that Halloween is right around the corner and then Thanksgiving and then Christmas. This is Tucy's first Christmas (and Halloween... and Thanksgiving), how crazy is that!
Anyway, I hope you like my template transformation... and if you don't, I don't really care because I think its just swell.
She is Growing up so Fast
Tucy is just about sitting up on her own. She sits in the "tripod" position. She is rolling over like a pro and is inventing new noises every couple of days. She is getting so big I can't believe it! I put her in 6-12 month jeans the other day with an actual tee-shirt. This is huge, because she has been wearing onsies and elastic waist pants. I am having a hard time remembering just how little she used to be and that was only 6 1/2 months ago.
I took her to her 6 month check up about a week and a half ago and she was 14 lbs. 10 oz. and 25 inches long. She is just growing so fast it makes me a little sad, but happy too because she is growing so well. The Dr. said that she is growing like a normal 6 month old and she is developing the same. I guess that the preemie thing isn't a factor anymore, which makes me happy. I never wanted that to be something that she could use as a crutch... or I should say, that we could.
About once a day when I look at her I think to myself, "I can't believe that she is my little girl". It's really incredible how having her has truly changed everything for me and Mike. I knew things would change, but didn't think that it would be quite as hard as it has been. Like the working thing, I thought that it would be a breeze not working and just being mom at home. But, it has been quite difficult to find my groove here at home. I love spending time here with her and seeing everything progress step by step, but at the same time I miss working.
I especially miss the paycheck, duh! I will think that I have it all figured out and then I lose motivation again and am all of the sudden at step one again. This last week I finally cleaned my entire house (laundry and all) and can just maintain it. It relieves so much stress to just have to straighten up instead of blitz the house every time someone announces that they want to come by.
I haven't ever been a very good housekeeper, but staying at home has put this new responsibility on my shoulders... I am in charge of keeping up the house! Mike is working all day and my work is what?!?! You mean I am in charge of making sure that the house stays presentable?!?! I didn't sign up for this. Well, maybe I did... I can't remember... I was drugged at the time... I was on the moon, with Steve!
An Office Addict...
I am completely addicted to "The Office". Its sad really. Mike and I had caught a few episodes here and there, but then we got a DVR and started recording them and OMGoodness! It is so incredibly funny! We bought all three seasons, watched them all in a weeks time, and are anticipating the season 4 premiere. I told Mike that if I can't work in an office then I can watch about working in one. He agreed, and then laughed.
I am SUCH a nerd I know. Well, with Battlestar not starting up again until January, this clearly is a good alternative. Speaking of Battlestar they have a mini-movie that is going to be on Nov, 24th which is my Mom's birthday. Maybe we'll have a Battlestar birthday party for her, dunno if she'll want that, but its an idea.
Fancy Foxy
I took Tucy to Kiddie Kandids with my sister-in-law today and got this picture taken of the little pipsqueek!
She fell asleep while we were waiting to have our turn and when she woke up she was very grumpy. This is one of the last ones they took and she was almost at her wits end. I think she is adorable, but then I have absolutely no bias at all!
Solicitation...
One of the little boys that lives on my street just came over holding one of the tiniest water balloons I have ever seen in his hand. He is about 5 years old or so... He rang the door bell and I answered the door. Our conversation was as follows:
Him (mumbling): I am selling this water balloon because I am so poor.
Me: Wha... What?!?!
Him: Would you like to buy a water balloon?
Me: Umm... How much are you selling it for?
Him: Well... Ten Bucks!
Me: Sorry.
and I closed the door.
Aren't little boys soooo cute?!?!
The 28 Countdown
Duhn, Duhn, Duuuhnnnn!
I turn 29 on Thursday... Pretty crazy. I don't really know what else to say about it except that I think turning 29 is going to be harder than turning 27.
But, I have been told that 29 is hard because you are preparing yourself to turn 30, so when 30 approaches and then arrives... it ain't so bad!
Playing Catch Up
Because I haven't posted anything in the last couple of weeks there is quite a bit to catch up on... Like for instance... Tucy rolled over for the first time on the 4th of July! She rolled from her belly to her back and I made her do it over and over 4 different times just to make sure that it wasn't a fluke, and it wasn't! She is also starting to sit up and is getting better at it every day. I can't believe how much she has grown over the last few weeks! She will never be this little again. It makes me sad.
We spent the 4th kind of being lazy in the morning then we went to lunch that afternoon, which was excellent. We then visited family and spent the evening up at my brothers watching fireworks from his backyard. Tucy was mesmerized with all the colors and finally fell asleep about halfway through the show. I got a couple mosquito bites while I was sitting in a camping chair in my brothers back yard, but other than that... it was a pretty fun 4th.
I took a picture of this little humming bird nest in our front yard, because the Sunday before last, Mike was walking out to the car and he almost stepped right on the tiniest of humming birds that was laying on our walkway, leading to our front door. I called Megs (because she is my "on staff" vet, so to speak) and she told us to try and put the bird back in the nest if we could. We located the nest and Mike used a latter and a leather glove to lift the baby back up into her nest. She cried and cried all the way up and soiled all over herself and Mike's glove... but she made it back safely. There was another little baby in the nest already and once the fallen baby was back next to her sibling, she quieted down immediately. And the good news is... The mother is still feeding both of her little babies. Yay! Now we check on the birds once a day to see how they are growing and if and when they will leave the nest. It hasn't happened yet, but I assume it will be fairly soon.
So, I guess that I didn't have that much to catch up on... it seemed like a lot more in my head.
#52 Almost...
So, on my list I have listed as #52
Track down Yolanda (last name disclosed for obvious reasons)... she was an old roommate of mine and I haven't talked with her since right after Mike and I got married. After that she just disappeared...
Until tonight.
I did a random search for her on Google this evening and guess what popped up...? Her profile on some weird website that's for "Anglo-Indians", because that is where she's from, India. So, I signed up on the website and sent her a Private Message... lets see if she responds. If she does then I get to cross one more thing off my list, if not then, I guess I still get to cross it off, because I did find her and I did try to make contact... I guess we'll have to just wait and see what happens.
Flight of the Concord
My New Favorite SHOW... except for Battlestar, that's still #1, so this is technically #2.
One of the funniest shows I have seen in a loooong time. They are two comedians from New Zeland and they have this show on HBO. The plot is that they are two musicians from New Zeland trying to make it big in New York City, only they aren't very talented.
The story line moves along with the characters until something happens that sparks a song and then it leads into a song/music video, oh... it is so funny!
Here is a link to a music video for "Frodo"
How Well Do You Know ME?
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Email Pet Peeving
One of the things that drives me banana's are people that pick and choose if and/or when they will respond to an email that I have sent to them...
I have taken time out of my day to write the email, the least you can do is respond! You could tell me to f-off... or tell me that you are too busy to write... or simply reply to all the nice conversational topics that I have covered in my email that took my precious minutes to write to you... But to not respond at all... whatthefuh??!!
MySpace
So, I have been poking around on MySpace today and I discovered something truley wonderful! I found a bunch of peeps that I haven't been in contact with in like 2 years, maybe more. I just have no idea how to get ahold of them. The MySpace thing really kind of creeps me out. I think that it's for teenagers, but then there are all these people on there that are my age. So, I set up an account... yes I know! I can't believe it either, but I had to figure out how I could let all these peeps know that I am indeed alive and kicking still.
Amidst all my travels via MySpace I stumbled onto the page of this doll of a girl named Jillian that I was in a play with FOREVER ago and she had the most awesome of pictures on her page. It was one of us in that said play "Cabaret". You probably coulnd't pick me out of all the tail in this picture, but rest assured I am there. My how things have changed since then. Oh, here is the picture... in case you were interested.
Nintendo Classic!
I found a link today to download the old Nintendo games so you can play them on your computer... So, what did I do? I downloaded Super Mario Brothers 3, 
my favorite Nintendo game of all time. I started to play it and guess what? I SUCK!!! I guess not playing that game for roughly 12 years will make you a little rusty... I guess. Anyhow, I am so elated that I get to play this game again. I have been looking for it for eons. The time has finally come. Yay me!
My List
So, I was just going over my list because I am going to have them all under the Post Themes "My 101 List" here on my blog... anyway, as I was going through my list I discovered that there are several things that I have indeed accomplished on there that I haven't listed such as...
#15 Stain and Seal the front door; Although I didn't actually do this one (Mike did, because I was pregnant at the time) it still counts though.
#16 Finish flannel baby blankets; Again, this one is slightly modified, because I didn't actually finish the baby blankets for the people that I had originally planned to give them to... I made a real, real cute blanket with all the flannel (that I bought for everybody else) for baby Tucy before she was born.
#28 Take Mom to lunch; We actually went to a movie and then to lunch, back in Janurary.
#47 Get a shower curtain that matches the color scheme of the house; I got a shower curtain that is white with purpley butterflies on it.
#62 Organize the kitchen cabinets and drawers; I did this about a year ago and it is getting to be messy again, I am starting to not find things again... oh well.
#95 Play Basketball; Shav got a basketball standard last year and I went over there a few times and played basketball with her, even if it was "around the world" and "horse" it still counts in my book.
What am I Missing?
Mike went out of town this weekend. He left Friday night, heading down south to do a canyon with some other people. He called me from Greenriver and said that he would call me once he reached his final destination Friday night. Saturday morning came and I didn't really think anything about the fact that he didn't call. I thought that he didn't have service or something. Later on Saturday afternoon I got a call from Mike saying that he was finished with his hike, but that he had some car trouble on his way down south and when he hit Moab, his car overheated and died. We ran through the scenarios and possibilities and determined that the best option would be for me to go and pick him up.
So, at 5:30pm Saturday afternoon I packed a bag, loaded Tucy up in the car and off we went to go pick Mike up down outside of Moab. I finally got outside of Moab at about 11:40pm Saturday night. Mike took Tucy out of her car seat and she arched her back and stretched for about 15 minutes. She was tired of being in her car seat. I was oh, so glad to get out of the city limits! Mike said when we were heading back home that I needed a "Tucy stretch" and I really did. I feel totally revitalized. So, on our way back up it dawned on me. I have missed doing canyons with Mike. He has all this stuff planned for this summer that I cannot participate in and I am a little jealous of it. I wanna go too! There are of course a couple things that need to happen before I can go along with him again. A) I need to be able to fit into my climbing harness again. 2) We need to be able to leave Tucy with someone overnight, and Z) I need to be able to handle the entire hike... from car to trail head, trail head through canyon and then from the end of the canyon back to the car. that is going to take some major exercising...
So, I have given myself a time frame. I have made a goal that I am going to get ready to be able to run "The Squeeze" with Mike by September of this year. I can't handle not doing canyons anymore. I loved it so, so much and was driven away by my own issues that have now been resolved, so there really isn't any reason for me not to go on trips anymore. Except for the Tucy factor, but I could get in 1 or 2 trips and not have it be THAT big of a deal... right?
HaPpy AnNivErsARy!
It was our 7 year Anniversary on Saturday. Mike and I did house/yard work all day that day and ended up taking Tucy with us to dinner. All in all it was sort of uneventful. We talked about it at dinner how having this kid has been such a change that we both don't quite know which end is up right now. We had intended to bring her to my Mom's to have her watch her while we went to dinner and a movie but the house/yard work took too long and we just ended up taking her with us. It was really fine. She slept the entire time we were there.
You see we blessed her yesterday and had to get the house and yard ready for all to invade on Sunday. The blessing went very well and Tucy looked beautiful. Here she is in her blessing dress (that I made, btw).
So, next year we have decided that we are going to go away somewhere and leaving the little Bambino here with someone. Oh, Bambino... that reminds me. Mike is back from Mexico and he brought us some things... He brought me some Mexican Vanilla (YUMMY!) and he brought Tucy a baby sombrero! We took a picture of her wearing the sombrero yesterday as well... here she is in it, the little Bambino!
She is our little squirt! The Sombrero is a little too big for her head, but she still looks dang cute in it!
Are you a MexiCAN or a MexiCANT?
Mike left this morning for Mexico. I took him and Chuck to the airport at 7am this morning. He called me tonight when they arrived in Mexico. I am trying to find out if we can talk on our cell phones free of charge with our mobile to mobile service.
I have been on the cell phone website now for the last 20 minutes trying to get any information, but to no avail. I will have to check back in the morning and see if our conversation registers on the site. I am afraid that we are going to owe like $50.0o for chatty, chatting on the phone. I guess its worth it... he is away and I hate it when he is away.
He said that they made it just fine with Chuck speaking broken Spanish. I am sure that he is going to have quite the adventure. He is going to have quite the story to tell when he gets home. I can't wait for him to get home and he hasn't even been gone for 18 hours yet.
anywhoo... I have to clean my house now. Mikes mom is coming over tomorrow and I don't want her to think that we live in a... you know.
He'll Never Say THAT Again!
Yesterday Mike and I took Tucy up to his parents house to spend the day so he and I could spend a few hours together. We dropped her off at about 12:00pm, then we went to lunch at The Pub. We were going to go to a movie but missed the show that we had planned to go to so we decided to go to REI and get a stroller for the little bug. When we went into the store we found the strollers off to the right side of the store, but they didn't have the right stroller that we needed. Mike went and tracked down someone to help us and he walked us over to the bike station to look up the stroller that we were inquiring about. He looked up the stroller in the computer and told us that they didn't have one in stock and that they had some on order that would be coming later this month... the rest of the conversation went as follows:
Him: It looks as though you have a little while before you'll be needing it. (pointing at my stomach)
Me: She's been born.
Him: Oh, um, I'm sorry!
Me: It's okay.
Him: How old is he or she?
Me: A couple months (I didn't have the heart to say 3)
Him: I guess it takes a couple months for everything to go back the way it was.
The sales guy next to him: Whoops!
Me: Let that be a lesson to you.
The sales guy next to him: You'll never say THAT again!!
Me: Never Assume.
Mike was floored with how I "jumped all over is A$$". I didn't think that I jumped. All though it is a little out of character for me to be that confrontational with someone that I don't know. But, I haven't ever had anybody say that to me before. It was quite humorous even right afterward. Mike was sure that the poor guy was going to feel badly about it for the rest of the day and tell his wife about his "open mouth, insert foot" moment. I actually felt bad for the guy, but was glad that I could teach him this valuable lesson. You really shouldn't assume that about anybody... it's bad form. Anyway, we didn't end up buying that stroller after all. We went to a different store and bought a stroller for 2/3's the cost... along with some Rollerblades for me. After that we went and picked up Tucy, drove to a park and went rollerblading. I don't ever want someone to assume that I am pregnant (when I'm not, or even when I am!) again!
DreamGirls
I watched DreamGirls last night for the first time.
Can I just say that I L-O-V-E, LOVE this movie!!! Jennifer Hudson deserved the Oscar for her performance... she was incredible!
If you haven't seen it... go rent it right away and watch it you won't regret it.
Morning Walk
I followed Mike downtown this morning so we could take our truck into the mechanic to have it worked on, because it won't pass the emissions test until the check engine light turns off and in order for that to turn off we need to replace the catalytic converter (whatever that is).
ANYWAY, my point isn't to talk about my car wo's... my point of this post is to talk about what I saw when I was driving to take our truck in this morning. I was driving on 7th east making my way over to I-215 when I saw a little mother on the side of the road with her little ones all in toe. They were waiting to cross the street.
So, I slowed to a stop and hoped that the other cars in the lane next to me would notice this mother and stop as well. It took about 2 or 3 cars to pass at top speed before a nice lady noticed that this mother wanted to make her way across this busy street and the nice lady stopped too. The mother was a Duck and the little ones were her ducklings. There were about 8 of them all following their mum across 7th East... waddle, waddle, waddling across the street.
It was one of the sweetest things I have seen in quite some time.
Mending Fences
This last weekend has been the weekend of making things right with some of the people that mean the most to me. I have been mending some fences and I'll tell you what... it feels GREAT!!! For a year and a half I have had turmoil in my life with several people, both friends and family. Then, between Saturday and yesterday Mike and I just decided to make right the wrongs that had occurred. (It actually took more time than two days, but having to explain that would make me have to go into the time line of both occurrences and yadda, yadda, yadda... just take my word for it)
On Saturday night we had some friends over that we thought would never set foot in our house again. The things that were said and done back when were set right by apologies and hugs... then good eats, followed by dessert. Then on Sunday, since Mike and I were already feeling like we were making things right with people, decided to drive to my Mom's house and settle a family squabble that has been going on for some time now. Again, the things that were said and done back when were set right with apologies and hugs... but, no good eats or dessert followed that time.
Then when I went to bed last night the weirdest thing happened to me... Even though I was awakened by Tucy 2-3 times, I slept better then I have in quite some time. It's amazing what two small words can do for you... "I'm sorry" is so easy to say, but for some reason so hard to do. Mending these fences made me realize two things... 1- I should never again let my Pride get in the way of making a wrong a right. And 2- I am glad that I don't have any more fences to mend, but if I did, I would go out and mend it right away, because it feels Fantastical!!!
My Little Bunny
Mike took some pictures of Tucy on Easter... I thought I would post a few since I haven't put up any new ones of her lately.
I bought her this bunny the night before Easter. I was going to get her one that was bigger than the one she is holding, but decided against it. I am glad now that I didn't go for the bigger bunny... I think it would have swallowed her whole. As you can see this bunny is just about as big as she is and it wasn't all that big to begin with. It is now displayed on top of her dresser in her room.
SnoWBiRd on a WiRe
I am up here at Snowbird right now looking out the screen door at the mountain side. The sun has set and it is getting dark, but I can still see the mountain because there is snow on the ground. I am currently sitting on the couch with the MacDoc on my lap and Tucy sleeping next to me.
We are up here this entire week. It is the first time that Mike or myself have been able to stay up here without having to go back down into town for work. That's not to say that we won't go back down into town at all, we just won't go back for work. In fact I think that we will be going into town tomorrow. I need to get Mike a Birthday gift and he is going to head to the Real game tomorrow night. So we will come back up here after he is finished with the game.
I am so glad that I am not working so that I can be up here and not feel obligated to go back into work. I was always so terrible with using my vacation for stupid things at work that I never had the vacation for an actual vacation. And since I never was able to have all the time off that was required for a vacation up here, Mike would just go into work because well, what else was he gonna do?
So this is the first time that we have been up here for the duration without having prior obligations like work. It has been super nice so far. We had my family up here Friday, Saturday and today. We have some friends coming up on Wednesday and Mikes family is coming up Tuesday. It is so much fun being here and I know that I will miss it when we leave. Its always so relaxing up here that I never wanna leave, until we have to, of course.
Bathing Suit BLUES
We are heading up to Snowbird tomorrow for a week long visit. I am so very excited about our going up there this time. We will have beautiful scenery, good food, family, friends, the list goes on an on... I am excited about all of it except for the spa stuff... The spa stuff including the roof top swimming pool, sauna and eucalyptus steam room all involve the dawning of a bathing suit.
This would be all fine and dandy if I hadn't had a baby two months ago and didn't feel like Large Marge. I had to actually go out and buy a full piece bathing suit yesterday. I can't remember the last time I wore a full piece bathing suit let alone owned one. Come to think of it... I don't think that I have ever owned a full piece bathing suit before yesterday.
I know that being a mother is a wonderful experience and all, but why can't it be a wonderful experience with my body going right back to the way it was before I got pregnant... Thats not asking for too much is it? I have no patience for weight loss. I know that wearing a full piece shouldn't be that big of a deal, but like everything lately this too is a HUGE deal.
Bathing suit excluded... this next week is going to be fantastic! I can't wait.
Mixed Tape/Playlist Anthology
So Mike and I were having a conversation last week about mixed tapes. I was recounting a mixed tape that I made at his house when he still lived with his parents (this was roughly 12 years ago...) And how I loved that tape! I would play it all the time in the family car (which was a Saturn). In fact it was in the tape deck all the time. Then one night our car got stolen. Someone walked into our house (which was always unlocked) took the key off the dining room table and just drove off with our car and guess what was in the tape deck? That's right! It was my mixed tape. Anyway, about three days later the police found the car and returned it to us, but guess what was missing?!?! You Got IT!!! My mixed tape that I loved so dearly. I was relating this story to Mike and this conversation followed:
Him: Didn't I make that tape for you?
Me: No
Him: Yes I did!
Me: No you didn't, you haven't ever made a mixed tape for me.
Him: Yes I have!
Me: No you haven't.
Him: I remember distinctly making a mixed tape for you.
Me: You must be thinking of someone else because I haven't ever received a mixed tape from you.
Him: Really?
Me: Really.
Him: That's too bad because mixed tapes don't really exist anymore. Everything is about playlists now.
Me: Yep.
Him: How about I make you the ultimate playlist filled with songs that remind me of you?
Me: Would you really do that?
Him: Of course. I would love to do that. But, I'll have to think about it for a few days first before I can actually sit down and make it.
So, after a few days, Mike sat down on Friday night at about 6pm and worked on the ultimate playlist. He finished it at about 12:30am. It truly is the Anthology of our relationship including all it's ups and downs. There are 99 songs or 8.1 hours of sentimental bliss. It begins with us becoming friends and ends with my having little Tucy. I love it and... it totally made me cry. I forgot how much music can impact you. I have the best playlist of all time because every song reminds me of something that Mike and I went through together. Playlists are the mixed tapes of today... Whoodda thunk it?
I could never have made an 8 hour mixed tape back then and I would never have thought that it would be possible to have a playlist (a play-what?) back when I made my mixed tape in Mikes basement at his parents house 12 years ago. Technology ROCKS!!!
A rope, A ball and an iPod~
Yesterday we went to DICK's sporting goods and bought an exercise ball, medicine ball, speed jump rope and an exercise mat for me. This is the start of my weight loss experience. So, this morning I took Tucy up to the park near our house and walked around it for 1 1/3 miles then came home and "worked out" using the exercise ball (which just about killed me) for about 15 minutes then I tried to jump rope, but the jumping was hurting my stomach so that didn't last all that long either.
The good thing is that I am trying and I am going to keep on trying until it doesn't hurt anymore, and at that point I will start to amp up the pace so I can start losing even more weight. At this point I am just going to be getting my body to not completely jiggle every time I do an exercise.
I am so completely grossed out by my jiggling body that it could be something that would normally discourage me, but this time I am trying so, so hard to not let it. I want this jiggle to go away and by having it gross me out to the point where I don't want to exercise isn't going to help me at all. It will just make me depressed about the way I look and then I will look even worse once I give in to not making an effort to try and get rid of the very thing that is making feel this way in the first place. Does that make sense? It does to me.
Anyway, so the very start of this journey includes a rope, a ball and an iPod... Oh, and I just found out that there is a Dancing with the Stars exercise DVD where I can exercise to the Salsa, Pasa Doble, Cha Cha and the Jive. I called Michael and told him that I really want to get that. I would love to learn those dances and in turn lose some weight AND not have to pay for dance lessons. It's a bonus all around.
A Reason to get Back into SHAPE...
So, I am thinking about blogging about losing my pregnancy weight. I think that it would be real motivation knowing that you all will be checking in on my weight loss and then I think... will I humiliate myself by posting about how much weight I have not only lost, but gained?
I keep eating crap and I have only been walking a few times since I have had the little bambino. I haven't even reached the 6 week mark since she was born and I have plenty of time to lose the weight, this I know. I just want the weight to be gone like, yesterday. I am finding that I am even more anxious to lose this weight than I have been any other time. I have gained and lost weight lots of times (it's sad I know)... But this time seems to be quite different.
We are heading up to Snowbird the end of next month and I don't want to feel completely self conscious when we are up there. I love the eucalyptus steam room and I don't want to feel like people are looking at me like I am the chubby-bubby up there. I want to be the cute, skinny new mom... not the larger, some what attractive mom... I know, I know. I am vain. I can't help it.
Oh and her are a couple new pictures of Tucy (that's what my little niece calls her).
This is from today...
She should be reason enough for me to want to lose the weight. I think though that I just need a little bit more motivation than that. Maybe I will feel differently once my incision doesn't hurt anymore. We'll just have to wait and see. In the mean time. Who thinks it's a good idea for me to blog about my weight loss? Don't feel obligated to respond... But, I am curious.
Here she is!Lucy Ellen
Born on Feb 19, 2007
10:13 am
5 lbs 5 oz
19 Inches long
We are so happy that she is here, even though it was four to five and a half weeks early. (The due date is debatable. Michael is convinced that I was 35 almost 36 weeks along, but the Dr.s at the hospital said I was 34 almost 35 weeks.) It doesn't really matter now, because she is here! She is up at the NICU and is doing well. We are hoping that she will be coming home within the week. I had to have a C-Section and I am recovering alright. I am just looking forward to having my sweet little one home.
Just Kill Me Now!
Why didn't anyone tell me how completely uncomfortable it gets this far along. I mean it's great that I am this far along (yay me!) but, c'mon! I woke up last night at 1:30AM and couldn't fall back to sleep. Finally at 4:00AM I just got up. I went downstairs and worked on the computer until about 5:30AM, then finally felt tired again. I went back to bed and didn't wake up again until 9:30AM.
This schedule is killing me! This is like the third time that has happened to me in the last couple of weeks. But once the kid gets here I'll be getting even less sleep than I am now, so I guess I shouldn't complain too loud.
Anyway, it's getting real, real close now. My Dr. told me last Tuesday that he would be surprised if I made it another 3 weeks. So, within the next two weeks I am expecting to have this kid. Hopefully it won't go beyond that... I don't know if I could take it. I am going to get a pedicure on Saturday with my sister and I am hoping that triggers something to make this kid come. Maybe, Maybe not. We'll see.
Oh... Happy Valentines Day everyone!
More changes afoot...
So, I have been training my replacement here at work the last two weeks. I think that she will be a really good fit once I can stop making her head spin every day. There is a lot to learn and she is basically starting from ground zero with all of it. I will be here with her up until I have the baby which is looking like another 4 to 8 weeks (if all goes well). Then, once I have the baby thats it... I am finished working completely. I am really looking forward to having this time with the wee one. Who knows if I will feel the same way once I get her home and actually have to take care of her 24/7? It freaks me out, really when I think about it.
I never thought that I would be the type that can only think and talk about having a kid once I got pregnant. But, look at me.. the last three posts that I have done have had something to do with my being pregnant. I just hope that I don't turn into the type that can only talk about their kid once it is born. Like every other interest that I once had is non-existent now. I really want my personality to stay in tact. Maybe if I draw attention to the fact that it bothers me when people leave their personalities at the nursery door then I won't be that way. I have seen it happen. There are people that survive and keep a sense of humor and even... a spark of who they were before they had a kid. I understand that having kids changes you. But, it doesn't have to change the core of you. Unless you want it to. I am done now... you can go back to your regularly scheduled program.
Pictures, Pictures, Pictures...
There are some of pictures that I have said I would post but haven't. So, I am posting them today. These pictures cover Christmas and such... So, Enjoy!
Sweeny What?!?
I just read this today on MSN.
WHAT?!?!?
Don't get me wrong, I love Johnny Depp. I think he is a brilliant actor, but c'mon! Tim Burton is going to slaughter this fantastic play if he has these two play the leading roles! I don't think that they won't be able to come close to Len Cariou and Angela Landsbury's performances. Or even Patti LuPone or Michael Cerveris that are performing it on Broadway right now. It is a shame that Tim Burton thinks that he can take this on. I hope that I am not completely disappointed.
I feel the NEED...
I had a dream last night that I made a blanket for the baby. It was pink, green and yellow. Well, it just so happens that I have pink, green and yellow flannel at my house so I could indeed make a blanket. I think I am going to start on one tonight. Does this mean that I am officially nesting?
UPDATE: I finished the rag quilt. Here is a picture of it. I am working on another quilt right now, but don't know exactly when it will be finished. If I finish it before she is born than I will post a picture of it as well.
Happy New Year!
Its a new year and I have been thinking the last couple of weeks about how my life is changing in this new year. I am going to be someones Mommy, wow! That is HUGE!!! Mike and I went and bought a car seat on Saturday, can you believe it? A CAR SEAT!!! It was our first baby purchase. My mom called me on Saturday morning and said that she was at Big Lots and she saw that they had a couple of Eddie Bauer 3-in-1 car seats there for $100.00
So, we went over there and bought this car seat. It looks just like the one above. I looked at Babies-R-Us online and they had the very same car seat for $180.00. I can't believe what a racket the baby market is. Stuff costs so freaking much its insane. We also decided to go over to Burlington Coat Factory and discovered that place is the Baby Mecca! They have a "Baby Depot" there. They have cribs, clothes, bedding, strollers, car seats, rockers... anything you can imagine there. Looking at all that stuff made me start to get excited about this little one coming. Then Mike and I made "the list" of what we need to accomplish before she gets here. It's kind of a long list and then we both realized that we only have 6 weekends left before we are in the danger zone. So, we have much to take care of within the next several weeks. I can't believe that this is all happening. I am freaking out a bit, but then I think... I'm not the first person to have had a baby, people do this every day. Don't sweat it.
We'll see how long that lasts.