Friday, January 30, 2009

APPOLOGIES ALL AROUND

Sorry I flipped and verbally assaulted my friends. I came down with the flu today and I don't think I was of sound mind yesterday. As for my music selection I am still looking for tunes. However, normally I listen to the Wicked sound track or phantom or grease, I have eclectic taste. Just for the gym I need something more motivating.

I think I am over the party ....my pity party anyway. I know it will be fun. sorry for the verbal abuse and pity party!

ps thanks for the comments! hahaha

Thursday, January 29, 2009

No love??

First of all ----you all suck!! I asked for some help! I need some tunes! If you are just passing through comment! GEEZ! All the crap I get from you people when I don't post and then when I do no one comments! Geez - no love

In a nut shell - I am always conflicted as to my feelings about Carson City. I love the area, no lie. I love the trees, the snow, the mountains, the seasons, the leaves in the fall, that people here think we live in a desert, and that Lake Tahoe is a stones throw from my house (assuming you can throw pretty hard). I love that Brooklyn has been able to be a part of so many fabulous opportunities - the big fish or even medium fish in a small pond is very much in effect here.
I however, still struggle with the people. I have found it very hard to make friends, now that I am going to school I have become friends with a woman who has a similar demographic, married, kids 30+ and a freshman in college. Outside of her I don't have many friends, although I try the people I have come across are flaky at best. So now I am in a position where I was asked to throw a baby shower for a friend from church. Flash back 17 months or so to my baby shower that was given to me by some friends from church and the 5 people that showed up. I am not bitter over the people that came it is all the fake people who kiss your ass to your face and act all phony to your face and then don't even bother making an appearance at your baby shower and it isn't like I am the girl who is on her 4th and having ANOTHER baby shower from the same ward. - it was my first in 10 years - pretty much I was in need. So I am fighting this bitter feeling throwing a shower for on of the throwers of mine. I am more organized and plan things better, my shower I feel was kinda thrown together, not many people knew about it. So I am fighting feeling bitter, that people will be there, more people will be there then were there for mine. She is going to get gifts that I had to pay for out of my own pocket etc etc etc. And I know this is her first kid in 5 years but still, I am planning like I am going to have fun - but I know I am going to get there and just get my feelings hurt. I know that will be my choice to get hurt feelings but I may not be able to help it. I told Holly, I am going to have to buy myself that $80.00 stroller I want as my late baby shower gift, after this shower!

Don always mentions moving back to Vegas. He wants to. I am the one digging in my heels. We moved here to be close to his kids. Brooklyn has opportunities here that I am not sure she would have down there. I am making friends, just not church people, is this one of those things that parents sacrifice for their kids? Brooklyn has great friends and is involved with everything. Not to mention I don't know what we would do with this house if we moved? I guess after Don's graduation if he gets a job offer in Vegas we will move - ???? I am hoping the Lord knows what he is doing with all of this.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Help!

I need to reorganize my 'gym mix' on my Ipod. Not 50's In da club and Em's Shake That, can ever get old - I just need a little something more.

So this is an all points bulletin what's in your gym mix? I need some up tempo stuff - stuff that makes you want to dance and shake your butt --- which actually today at the gym I was on the elliptical and I caught myself dancing? funny.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Vegas Baby!!

WOOT TEE WOOOT!!!!

So we are coming to Vegas in April! Sweet!! Don't get your hopes up for a lot of door to door visits though. Haha

My poor has endured Vegas with me many times over the passed 4 years - however he has never done anything Vegas has to offer. When we are there it is always all about who we have to visit. So this time we are renting a room just off the Strip on Paradise (discounted by the condom hotel) and I promised him that we could do "touristy" things. The things I always over look doing because I have already. We actually will be driving down Saturday the 11th and staying at Holly's house Saturday. We check into our hotel Sunday and doing the Vegas stuff until Wednesday when we will be going to Utah to visit my Grandma and Parents.

Now, I am not saying that we won't see anyone --- but you know this is supposed to be a vacation! So plan on hanging out with us on the Strip if you want to see us! : )

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Jan. 20, 2009

I am finally getting to watch the Inauguration. ( I had class all day)

I am so proud right now. I am proud that I am a citizen of this country. I am proud that I got to witness history. I loved Obama's speech. It almost made me want to change my vote. I feel hopeful. I hope that he is able to live up to what he says.
I loved the look on his wife's face while he was being sworn in, she was so proud and it has rubbed off on me. I want to believe him - I want to believe in him.

Anyway regardless of how the next 4 years go - I am proud to have been witness to this day.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

trying to live without pretense!

About 3 weeks ago Holly told me about a book she was reading.
Dave Ramsey, "Total Money Makeover". She told me a bit of Dave Ramsey's story and I wanted to know more. We bought the book (using an Xmas gift card)

I read the book in a day. I stayed up until 3am planning out our financial future applying the simplest principals, that I admittedly have known about and have talked about doing, before. If we stick with this plan we could be debt free including our house and have a ton socked away for retirement in about 21 years. Out of debt in less than 1 and our house in about 15, student loans paid off too!

The concepts aren't rocket science. They are simple. The life style changes are what is hard. When you are so used to getting whatever you want and when you want it you never have to save! Well that is a thing of the passed.

Dave Ramsey's first step is to get $1,000.00 saved. He gives all kinds of ways to get that done.
I began taking a look around at all of our EXCESS!! 3 laptops and 1 computer, 3 cars, nordic track elliptical...etc etc etc. Well, they are all paid for, I say to myself. We DESERVE them, I also say. Then I have the memory of a friend of mine and a quote in the book that keep ringing in my head.
My friend Lindsey (my marathon runner friend), she had a great job, she made great money, she bought herself her dream car, a Lexus. Her husband lost his job, she was pregnant and not going back to work, she sold Lexus and bought a Jetta (or other VW). Still a respectable car. Was it easy? Hell no, she didn't know how to drive a stick for one and for 2 she had to give up her brand new car. I will always admire that. Then the quote from the book, " You can't afford to be pretentious!"

So with that resonating in my head, " We can't afford to be pretentious, we can't afford to put on airs". Don and I talked about selling a car. We chose the Kia, it's the older car and it has had a good run. I listed it on Craigslist Tuesday night. We had a guy call that night to come by Thursday and check it out. He paid cash for it Thursday morning he didn't even try to haggle the price! Now we have our savings and are well on our way to paying off the credit card!

I listed the Nordic Track Elliptical coat rack on Craigslist this afternoon after being unable to sell it at the yard sale and I have someone coming by tomorrow to check it out.

It has been hard to let go of our "extra" car and these other things. (I have listed a ton of stuff on craigslist). I know it's just a Kia yadda yadda yadda however the more crap that you have that you don't need is a sign of success these days. And it's hard to redefine yourself.

We want to live like no one else now, so we can live like no one else later! (another Ramsey quote)

Any way I am excited about our progress that we have made to date and I am excited about our future.

I recommend that everyone read the book, the first few chapters are snoozers - but it does get exciting and motivating!

Just because....

Just because it is sunny outside doesn't mean it is warm!

We have had a very depressing winter. Very little snow or rain. The days warm up to 50ish.

Our neighbor Bill, decided to take advantage of the sunshine and have a yard sale. We thought we could afford to get rid of some things too. We started at 8am. I was up at 7 getting stuff together and organized outside. By 7:14 I couldn't feel the tips of my fingers. It looks so delightfully sunny! Pay no attention to the fact that the thermostat reads 17 degrees.

Ugh. So, pretty much we spent the morning out side and freezing. We did get in a couple of games of Horse w/ Brooklyn during the slow times.

All in all we had a successful yard sale. We made almost $100.00 and were able to go to Target and buy a second car seat. We have been moving this big honkin monster back and forth for 5 months now. It will definitely make our lives easier!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

SAVE THE DATE!!!!

SAVE THE DATE!!!


Don's graduation date is: Saturday May 9th, 2009!!!!

The exact time is unknown, probably about 2pm?

Sunday, January 11, 2009

A few questions

For the friends and family who read my blog. I am having a graduation party for Don in May. Bachelors degree 21 years in the making! Please let me know if you would like to come. I am renting tables and chairs and catering the food. So please come and celebrate with him! I should know tomorrow when the day is exactly. Please reply to this. I know there are family and friends who generally don't comment. I will send out save the dates this week and then real invites as it gets closer.


Next, Bloggers - How do I have my friends list sorted by people's posts? Then I can only read those people who updated.... HELP!!

Brooklyn

About Brooklyn, she is 10 years old and 8 months. She is 4' 6'' tall. She is passable without effort at anything she does. She is excellent at whatever she chooses to put her mind and effort to. She is an over achiever, stresses about tests, wants to be in the top 3 of everything. She read all 4 of the Maximum Ride books during Christmas Break, staying up until 2am to finish the 2nd one. She tested highest in her class in Math and near top in reading and writing. She is an awesome big sister and an awesome daughter. She has such a strong sense of values and an equally strong testimony. She loves to dress up - school spirit days ROCK HER SOCKS! She is in the Math Club, Super Scholar, Band, Year Book, and Thinking Cap team (they play like academic jeopardy with other schools) Playing with Ava at the dog park



Still thinks that she looks like Elvis

This is her whimsy pose
This is the "Tyra Fierce" pose

Some of her friends came to see her play. She has so many friends!

Got the speaking role of Nanny her first try out!
Loved the 80's & 90's pizza party her class won




Can entertain Ava for hours with one box!

Ava

This is her wink - It's blurry because I had to take it quickly


In the drawer

Ava had her well check Friday. She is 30 inches tall and 20 pounds. Her hemangioma is almost flat to her head now. It is remarkable how small it has gotten. I know that the 1o months on the steriods were pretty sucky but they did their job inhibiting the growth of the hemangioma and even reduced in size. Now that she is off of them she is a lot friendlier to be around. She is thinning out her cheeks no longer rest on her shoulders, she sleeps better (whew!)
She is 15 months old now and has quite the extensive vocabullary. Most of which even strangers know what she is saying. Some of the words she says are:

Baby (her first word reading a baby face book Lorelei gave her)
Mommy
Daddy
Puppy
Brooby (Brookie)
DOOOOGY _DOG (I call Snoopy 'Snoop Doggy Dog')
Uh-oh - when lauching things she no longer has an interest for
Up
Out
Hi
Hi der (Hi there - a talking bear my folks gave her says "Hi THERE!")
bye-bye
No
num num
NANA (banana - when I had 22lbs of bananas in the kitchen making bread for everyone, everytime we came in the kitchen she thought that she needed another banana)
biiiiiite
bah- bah
T-AHHH (after she drinks something refreshing, she also does it especially loud in church after she drinks the water)
Nigh- nigh
Tank-ewe (usually handing me one pen at a time from the pen drawer)
other funny things she does are:
She likes to scream along to songs ---again mostly during church, she needs to be the loudest one there.

Blows kisses

Makes a kiss sound

Says " SHHHH" w her pointer finger either up her nose or as near to her mouth as possible
Makes a fish face

Tries to wink but hasn't quite figured out how to close her eyes

fakes a cough and covers her mouth - but won't cover her mouth for a real cough

Tries to feed herself

Likes to dump the rag and towel drawer to crawl in and play
And she has the BEST big sister ever! Brooklyn is a great sister.
She will walk around the house with the phone between her ear and her shoulder and say "HI" and then just scream into it.....I wonder if that is how she sees me?
I think that is about it on my Ava update


Christmas

Brooklyn made us this storage unit from the box my parents shipped their Christmas presents in.
Doing the " I got it dance"
It was Raving Rabbids
Comfy blankie from Grandma CaroHmm....puzzled...why did she get me a mouth guard?


And ...cleats????
Finding out that I signed him up for grown man flag football! SWEET! He is excited about it. They begin in March and they play no matter what type of weather we are having. I can't wait!


Brooklyn had an "American Girl" Christmas. She got Nikki when we were in Chicago and she got Kit for Christmas along w/ 2 outfits and Kit's dog



Brooklyn introducing them to each other
Snoop
Ava's Lady Bug rocker - she gets some serious momentum on this thing!


Kissing her baby doll

Our first White Christmas here! This is what we woke up to! It was gorgeous!



New chairs. She is redecorating her room and wants it to be "funky"
As for my Christmas - Don got me 2 Calphalon pans! Woo Hoo --- I do seriously love them! And it was the best gift. He also bought us tickets to see Joel McHale (from the Soup). We went Dec. 27th. The picture above is Brooklyn's attempt at taking it before our date. The one below is the one I ended up taking of us. We had such a great night! It was our first 2 event date since Ava has been born. Usually we can get out for dinner or a movie never both. Mandy babysat so we could enjoy dinner (Outback) and then the show. We had a great time! It was so awesome.

Pre - Christmas

Don hanging lights on the house
Our beautiful Christmas Tree with our leather ottomans serving as a baby and puppy barrier
My folks do an early Christmas Eve so that everyone can go to their house and still be at their own homes for Christmas. We weren't able to make it this year. But they called and let us know when we could open our Christmas Eve Jammies.







Brooklyn the headband Queen!!

She was excited because her jammies came w the matching headband


I am noticeablyabsent from these pictures - I am behind the camera usually and the one that was taken of me opening my jammies is horrendous!!! But I loved them! Thanks Mom and Dad for the awesome gifts!