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Memory Lane

Oh, I would love to say that I have something wonderful and profound to share...but, I don't. Mike is out of town again, and while I have gotten more used to his traveling over the years, it's still not very fun. It's always a toss up as to how the girls are going to behave. Sometimes they are great, they work really hard to make the time go smooth. The vast majority of the time they make me want to hang them upside down by their big toes. This time has not been too bad, but being in North Carolina on a marine base with my honey still seems better at times.

A few weeks ago Mike was in Buffalo, New York for a job and he took some pictures of Niagara Falls. Maybe I watched Superman too many times and they digitally enhanced the falls (although I don't think they had that back then,) but they didn't seem all that great to me. Granted it is Buffalo in February, and I'm sure it's much better once the snow melts.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel with Mike on occasion. One of my first trips with him was to Hopewell, Virgina. Hopewell is how shall we say...where Emily came to be. That is why her middle name is Hopelyn. He He, my Mother has now gone about fifty different shades of red! Needless to say it was a great trip. We saw wonderful historic sites, and I was finally able to see the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. Up until this point in my life, the furthest east I had ever been was North Dakota!

Ok, so it's late and I will finish this little trip down memory lane later. Seeing how I am new to this blogging thing I am still working out all of the little kinks. So...click on the pictures above to see them in a larger format. Signing off for now, chat with you cool cats later!

Let's give a shout out for blogging!

I don't want to sound like a dork or anything, but I love blogging. I especially love giving and receiving comments. I think in our society we tend to always look for the negative and never voice the positive. Especially as women (I am not trying to exclude my male readers, but you guys don't tend to do this to yourselves) we tend to tear each other down rather than building each other up. With blogging I can really put myself out there into the blogging universe and my favorite part are those positive comments I receive. They are like little pieces of chocolate in my email inbox. They always make me feel so good. So, thanks to everyone who takes the time to give me a little boost everyday. You guys are awesome!!!

True Happiness

I have been thinking about what it means to be truly happy. For so long I have felt like happiness was a destination and I was still on the road working really hard to get there. Well, I don't know if it is getting older or what by I finally have realized that happiness is all around me, but only if I choose to see it, taste it, embrace it and drink it in. Here are a few of the little daisys that I have found on the road of life.

• I love getting older! What!?! Don't get me wrong I'm not crazy about the wrinkles, gray hair and all of the yucky stuff that comes with aging. What I love is how much more comfortable I am with myself now. I look back at high school and my twenties and I remember loving being there but you couldn't pay me to go back.




• I love that Mike and I have been together for 8 years. With Valentine's Day just passed I saw several people become engaged and while I was happy for them, I was also grateful that I wasn't back there with them. I loved being engaged and getting married. I loved the first several years, but again there is something to be said for the ticking of the clock. I love that Mike and I have figured out how to work well together. All of the drama of two people trying to figure out how to live together is gone. And I love that!! I can't wait for the next eight years, I am sure it only gets better.




• I love that I have my own home and I can make it whatever I want.




• I love having three girls! And I love that they are all so different. I love watching them grow up. I love the funny things they say and do. I love the snuggles and their unconditional love. I love that they look at me like I know everything and they don't have any idea that I am totally faking it!!!




• I love being able to be who I really am, and I love that I have friends that let me be that way. Friends who accept me warts and all. I love that we can be silly together and cry together. I love what they teach me with their examples. They help me to be a better wife, mother and woman.
• I love reading a good book, Cafe Rio torilla soup and salad, snuggeling with my honey in bed on those mornings when we can sleep in, I love creating works of art (at least in my eyes,) I love when the girls are playing well together and they leave me alone for a little while, I love listening to loud music and singing at the top of my lungs, I love spontanious fun, I love good hair days, I love a clean house (I wish I could make that happen more often,) I love guilt free shopping, I love watching cooking shows, I love a great movie, and the list can go on and on.
  

Helloooooo Kitty!

A few months ago my wonderful friend Christene taught a class on how to make rag quilts, a wonderful project that's very fun and easy! After that experience I was hooked. The problem was that I didn't have a sewing machine. Well, those lovely after Christmas sales lived up to their hype and I found a sewing machine that was normally over $100 for $24.95. Great deal, the only issue is that is is a Hello Kitty sewing machine. Not being a Hello Kitty connoisseur I hesitated for just a minute but then went ahead and bought the machine. It has been the best $24.95 that I have ever spent! This last week Mike was out of town so I thought it was a great time to test my purchase. Long story short the machine is great! Here are some pictures of the quilt that I made this weekend.

GRRRR!!!

I just have to say that mean people suck! I am so over people who think that they are "all that" and treat others like dirt. Why can't we all be nice to each other? Let's STOP the madness, stop the backbiting and put an end to the belittleing comments. Let's build each other up, think happy thoughts and even be nice to the guy who is trying to cut us off on the road. I had a nasty experience today with someone that even hours later is still making my head spin. I have a pit in my stomach and I just can't move forward. Why do people need to be like that? I realize that I work very hard to keep my life positive and I really feel sorry for people who live such a negative life. I realize that those of you who read this don't have this problem, but my husband is out of town and I just need to vent!!

We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet

With the passing of President Hinckley last Sunday we have closed a special chapter in the history of the church. With the end of the chapter we have the honor of starting a new one. The Thomas S. Monson Chapter.

As a little girl I was always mesmerized by President Monson. His talks always held my limited attention span even as a child. His wonderful stories and lessons on excersising our faith have been a mainstay in my life. I look forward to this new era and I am excited to learn from this wonderful man.

Crazy Weekend

This weekend was one for the record books! Friday night we had our normal Friday night dinner group at Justin and Amanda's house (thanks by the way!) We had so much fun!! We had about eight couples which means about 50 billions kids. You know we Mormons like to procreate. It was great, only a few bumps and bruises, no trips to the hospital however, so they loved it. The grownups had a great time eating wonderful food and playing a creative game of UNO. Our version includes water cards. What are "Water Cards" you ask? They are cards that allow you to throw water in your opponites face (once again thanks to the Taylor's) it was a blast! I would have to say that I returned home looking like a drowned rat, but that was great!!

Saturday after a full day of laundry and cleaning out the garage, I joined up with the girls again for an entertaining Girl's Night Out. We started the evening at Cafe Rio for a supper yummy dinner and then went to see the movie "27 Dresses." A wonderful girls night movie, it's not going to win any awards, but it was a lot of fun.

I would have to say that I have been surrounded by a plethora of amazing women. I love and adore all of these special ladies. I have no doubt that my Father in Heaven knew that this is what I needed at this point in my life, because he has blessed me greatly. It's so fun to have these nights together to chat and giggle and just be silly. The crazy thing is that with all of the silliness we can turn around two seconds later and have deep conversations that are just as filling to the spirit as the big belly laughs are, if not more. If only we could do all of that and figure out how to get to bed before 2 a.m.!

Sunday after church we rushed home and prepared lunch one of Mike's customers who was flying in from Seattle. Bruce has turned into a family friend so it was fun to see him again. After lunch I threw together a couple of batches of Buffalo Wings because...it's Super Bowl time!! We were off to the Houston's home for the big party. Once again great food and wonderful company, and oh yea, football. The guys watched the game while us girls had a blast chatting. After a while of being totally engrosed in deep conversation we poked our heads up and realized that the game was over. The Giants won, Yea!!



Now it's Monday and I just took Mike to the airport and I am ready for a weekend to recover from my weekend! I guess that will have to wait for next weekend. Bummer!