Cute Kids!

A few months ago I was walking around the greenbelt with a friend and he received a text from a girl that contained a picture of her niece. Neither of us knew the girl very well and he made me laugh out loud when he said "I love it when a girl shows you pictures of their niece or nephew, it's like they are saying look my sister makes cute babies maybe you and I could too." HA HA There are lots of reasons why I think I will make an awesome mom. The fact that I have cute siblings has nothing to do with it though. The credit for that goes straight to their parents. So enjoy these pictures for just what they are. Cute pictures of cute kids. Kids it will literally break my heart to leave in the morning.



I love that his hair is sticking out like cRaZY on both sides of his head!


Simon having a little sample of something Santa left him in his stocking!

I ♥ Primary!

Okay really the best story of the day happened before primary. I had my two year old sister Madison during sacrament and I was surprised at how good she was being. I turned around and Madison was resting her head on the head of a 4 year old little boy behind us who was leaning forward in the pew. I was sitting there enjoying how cute they were all cuddled up together when he leaned in and kissed Madison right on the lips. Madison jumps up, turns to me, and says “Reese! I feel like singing my la la song now!” HA HA HA Madison it is too early in life for boys to be making you want to sing your la la song.

In primary I sat down between two of my Valiant girls (I was subbing). One turned to me said “oh no look who is sitting together!” and pointed to my 9 year old brother and two of his best friends. I asked what the problem could be and she said that with the three of them together something was likely to explode. I questioned her “like they’ll get loud?” She told me to wait and see. Seriously like seconds later a pen comes flying up from the middle of the three of them and parts of it go flying everywhere. Also during the course of sharing time an adorable boy stood up and used his leg as an air guitar and a few boys used their artistic skills to face paint each other. While an outsider may have looked in and thought things to be a bit chaotic I have not felt the spirit stronger in weeks. I struggled in primary a lot. I was super hyperactive and talkative, I know imagine that! But people spent so much time telling me to be quiet and sit down that I never really got to enjoy primary. I wish I had been allowed to enjoy primary like I did today.

Travel Update

No great stories yet. I was looking forward to some panda express in the Denver Airport but hat did NOT happen. Our plane landed at 9:46 and our connection departed at 10:07. We went from gate 97 (the very last one) to gate 17 (the third to the last on the other side of the airport). Typically they will hold the flight for you but they hadn't checked us all the way through in Idaho Falls so we still had to check in. Yikes! I asked when I first got off the plane if they could like call or something and let them know and the lady was like "No! You have to check in at your gate." So we hauled trashed across the airport, they had closed the gate and everything and I run up to the podium and like throw my ID at the lady and she says "Omaha?" and I said "Yes Please!" Then I told her Katy was still coming, (cause she was trapped on the moving sidewalk HA HA HA) and she looked up at Katy and asked me if she was over 12? HA HA! Anyway we made it and are now sitting in the airport waiting for Dad to get here. Then Chinese food, the Temple, and some serious shopping.

Please stay tuned...

I am all packed and ready to go. I must admit I feel safer flying home rather than driving with the way the weather currently is in Wyoming. I am way sad though that I will not get to go on a road trip! Road trips are the very very best.

I hope everyone else that is traveling makes it home safe and sound and that the journey there be filled with adventure. Stay tuned... I promise some GOOD GOOD stories!

Good Idea bad idea...

Good Idea... Getting into the hot tub after a good workout at the gym.
Bad Idea... Being too lazy to change out of your swimming suit top and just putting a coat on and leaving. (especially when it is December in Idaho)

A few of my favorites....






I don't even know why, but this one was always my favorite.

David and Goliath

One of my favorite movies of all time is Win a Date With Tad Hamilton... Watch it!

There are a few quotes from the movie that I use almost on a daily basis. I will focus on one here and one in the next post. I love it when Rosalee's dad tells Pete that sometimes Goliath beats the "crud" out of David. It's true. Sometimes we do everything right and bad stuff still happens. And we sit around wondering "But Heavenly Father I thought you were suppose to take care of me?"

So why is it that we feel like this sometimes? Why do we have those days when we just feel abandoned? I have been thinking about this lately and I have a few thoughts...

At what times in my life have I felt like this? I can think of two "kinds" of times when I have. The first when I feel that he has taken something away from me. Like when one of my best friends passed away in college, or when we lost mom, or when the guy you are dating turns out to be a huge jerk, or even when I gave up my dream of being a chef. What I had to realize was that he isn't taking these things from me to punish me but rather to bless me. This can be easy to see in cases such as realizing the guy you are dating isn't what you thought he was. I mean it is obviously a blessing to learn that before it involves divorce and children and things right? It is harder to realizes the blessing of things like losing mom. What are the blessings there? Well for one Madison grace, and for two Simon Carter, and three a friendship with my "wicked" stepmother. There are other blessings too. I have learned to value all relationships and I think I am a better friend, sister, daughter because of it. I have gained strength, I have learned how to grieve and been able to touch many people, and will touch more through my work at Hospice.

The second is when life has taken an unexpected detour. Something I hadn't planned on or prepared for and I am left wondering how to juggle it with everything else. It always seems to happen when you are already kinda feeling like you are at your breaking point. But there is a blessing here too in that in every single one of those times I have learned to just give all of my troubles back to him. I just say look this is too much for me, it's your turn. Then he takes over and life is good again, better than expected and the other blessing is we now have a better relationship.

Does he ever really leave us? No. Does he allow bad things to happen to us? yes. How often are those problems of my own making? Frequently. But I am getting better at learning from them, moving on, and making sure they don't happen a second time.

In the spirit of my lack of Christmas spirit this year I thought I would post this. HA HA I think it is so funny!





No worries my friend I will find the spirit of Christmas somewhere. Maybe it is because I haven't watched The Grinch, Or Home Alone, or Prancer. Oh oh or Nora's Christmas Gift. HA HA Or because they have been playing Christmas music at work sense October. Anyway I am on a mission.

I totally win!

I blogged awhile ago about a particularly bad day I had at work. Number 5 in the list talks about a small office situation I had. I have an office assigned to me by corporate. It is suppose to be my cubical/office. Unfortunately our Sales Manager got kicked out of his office because he is suppose to be out on the floor. Apparently he thinks that means he is suppose to move into my office. Anyway he got really mad at me that day because I left my sweater on the back of the chair and it was making it a froo froo office. Hmmmmm. Then a few days ago I left a stack of papers on my desk for an hour or so. Mind you these were very important papers, anyway when I came back to my desk he had torn one of them in half for scratch paper and thrown the rest of them into the shredder box. These are just a couple of examples of the kind of stuff I deal with daily.

Anyway today I was telling the HR manager my story. Not as an I'm so frustrated and I'm talking to HR kind of story, but like here is a funny story kind of thing. Apparently he decided to do something about it. So this afternoon they found me a new office. They gave me the district managers office. He only uses it once every few months and it is the biggest, nicest, and most private office in the store. I know I shouldn't feel this way but... I totally win!

Going for a walk

I took Mosely for her afternoon walk today and amid our usual dialogue of "Mosely we do not eat other people's poo" I heard this conversation between a little boy and girl on the playground:

Boy (Teddy): "But we aren't suppose to."
Girl: "Listen Teddy you can't be good forever."
B: "Yes I can."
G: "No you can't. You have to have fun too."
B: "But I want to do good things."
G: "Teddy you aren't cool at all."

Teddy man stand your ground. Girls are very very dangerous and you will find that later in life you will begin find her much more persuasive. Don't cave Teddy don't cave. You don't have to throw snowballs to be cool.

What would Jesus do?

This question has been plaquing the mind of man for centuries. In the first presidency Christmas devotional yesterday they talked about where and what Christ would be doing if he were here with us today. My mind then jumped to a question me and my friend Doug discussed one thursday at insitute when we should have been paying attention. We wanted to know this...

If Jesus came to my ward potluck what would He bring? A main dish? A casserole? Some green Jello? Would He add shredded carrots? just a thought.

Then last night I also started to think what would Jesus do if someone's fly were down? Would He tell them? Would He pretend He didn't notice? What if someone had a huge bat in the cave? Would He say something? What if they had a huge bat in the cave and their fly were down? Again these are just thoughts.

What shampoo do think He might use? What car might He drive?

Miss Madison Grace

So tonight my family and a couple of friends went to dinner at Craigo's. This guy walks in in wranglers and a cowboy hat and my baby sister Madison yells... "That's a cowboy, he has a cowboy hat but he does not have a cowboy rope!"


She also informed Trevor that she was a beautiful princess and he was a ballerina! Thanks for being a good sport tonight Trev:)

Dear Willy, Johnathan, and Carl,

Please be kind when you mess with/hack my blog. I know there is no way to stop your powers combined. However, I still need to have some friends in the morning. Yes other than the three of you :)

Your new BFT,

Annie

I give up!

I don't typically share much about my dating life. I like to keep that really private, and for the most part I feel like he deserves that respect from me. I mean we are typically nervous enough on a date without worrying about the other party giving a play by play on the web. Tonight I don't care.

I was set up on a blind date tonight. I was really nervous because the guy is fabulously wealthy and that is really intimidating for me. I had a friend tell me that I needed to get over it because I was discriminating against rich people. So I was racked with guilt and agreed to go.

I will say this. He was really hot. He treated me really well... Opened doors, complimented me, conversation was easy. Until after dinner!

So after dinner he started asking me REALLY personal questions. I mean REALLY personal questions. It about that time that I just started to feel sick inside and was starting to think of every possible way to get out of the situation and go home.

I am not sure I have ever prayed that hard. When he put his arm around me I almost started to cry. Any way I got him to drop me back off at my car eventually. After I locked the door and before I did anything else I called Zac. I talked to him most of the way home. As soon as I hung up with him I started to bawl and actually pulled over and threw up.

I am home now. Just me and Mosely. I have never been more happy to be home in my very own house. I have never been more grateful for my best friend. I do not deserve him. I honestly don't.

I typically don't care about being single. I am happy with who I am and the place I am at in my life. I never want to go on another date though. Tonight left me wondering for the first time in a long time... "Where the heck are you? What could you possibly be doing tonight? Why aren't you here with me? How many more of these experiences do I have to have before you decide to show yourself? I don't know what it is that is keeping you but you better hurry before I get a cat!"

Happy Birthday to me

My birthday isn't until Wednesday the 19th but last night some friends of ours threw a 50th birthday for me and my sister. Her birthday was the 8th and together this year we turned 50. The party was awesome and full of good food, good friends, and good times! I am not one of those people who will start reflecting on her life on her birthday. I am hopefully always reflecting on it and trying to find ways to make it better. But as I find myself a year older I find myself a little bit closer to becoming this...

I figure we better stop trying to avoid the inevitable and that is why getting this picture from a friend is one of my favorite birthday presents so far...


I guess I am actually going the way of the dogs but that is basically the same right?

Cool like Lindsay

I thought I would blog about the gym like Lindsay does all the days.

1. I have a favorite elliptical machine because it is right under the ESPN TV so all the boys in the weight area of the gym are always looking at me and smiling. I know it isn't really at me but it's fun to pretend.

2. I have been looking for a good gym boyfriend. Haven't made a final decision yet but I am actually leaning toward the guy at the front desk. I see him twice a day I mean that is more than I see any other man in my life so I think he qualifies.

3. New favorite pick up line... So I was noticing your playlist... The machines shows your ipod playlist really big on the screen. You can minimize it but I have no problem with people knowing I am working out to "Big girl."

Quiznos

For a while, actually a long while in college I worked at a Quiznos. First off I would like to say I worked there for years and ate there everyday and I NEVER got sick of the food. In fact I could easily go for a Turkey Bacon Guacamole right now, if I hadn't just cooked the most amazing lunch ever already, and it wasn't all the way across town.

What I loved most about Quiznos though is I met a lot of my very best friends there. It was all my co-workers who showed up at my house the night my mom died with gifts and then said a prayer for me on my front porch. I am still very close with a few of them and hope to remain so for a long time to come. The store manager in both the Logan store and the one in the Kearney store were like moms to me when I desperately needed one.

I quit quiznos however not because of the people or the job. I quit because this had become me...

 and I was no longer a quality employee.

New Job!

I started volunteering at a hospice in town. In my training today we went over what to do when they are in the last few moments of life and they begin to speak with other people in the room. I was thinking ummm YIKES! But the more I thought about it and the more we went over the material the more I can't wait to be there for these sacred moments and be able to be a blessing in the lives of both them and their families. I love my new job! Oh I say job because I am volunteering now but as soon as I get my degree officially they are talking about hiring me as their bereavement counselor. I feel very much like my Heavenly Father is taking good care of me.

Oh P.S. If you have any questions about Hospice and the amazing work they do please ask me!

Early onset Alzheimer's Disease

I was telling Zac the other day that I think I am loosing my mind and that I may have early onset Alzheimer's Disease. I went home and looked it up in my self diagnosis book that my insurance company sent me last year.

Symptom One: Persons with AD forget names and numbers.
A couple months ago this way cute guy asked me for my number. I gave him what I honestly thought was my number. Turns out the number I gave him was my old work number in Logan.

Symptom Two: The person often forgets simple words or substitutes unusual words. (e.g. calling the toothbrush "that thing for my mouth)
I was in the car one night trying to tell Steven a story... "We were at that place. You know the one. The place where we go to class. The place were I have to wear a dress. You bring your scriptures." "Do you mean church?" "Yeah that's right church! So we were at that place.")

Symptom Three: Persons with AD can get lost in familiar places.
At least three or four times in College I would drive home to a house I hadn't lived in for years. Get out of my car and walk up to the front door.

Symptom Four: Persons with AD may dress inappropriately for the weather or show poor judgment about money.
I feel as though this one needs no explanation

Symptom Five: Persons with AD will misplace things. This is more than forgetting where keys are placed. The person with AD may place things in inappropriate locations such as a watch in the sugar bowl.
Remember when I put groceries away and put toilet paper in the fridge and cantaloupe in the bath tub?

Symptom Six: Persons with AD will rely on others to make decisions.
Who has ever tried to get me to decide what to order at a restaurant?

Symptom seven: Persons with AD will neglect to do normal activities such as bathing and dressing themselves.
Well I have been assured by my roommate that I am still good there.

Don't anybody think I am a hypochondriac or anything. I am not going to admit myself just yet. I am just saying.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Kenny Chesney's new album has a Dirt Band song on it. The song is Down the Road and is quickly climbing the charts. It makes me sad that one more group is redoing a Dirt Band song, not doing it as well, and getting all the credit.

Do you remember the Rascall Flats song The Broken Road? The Dirt Band released that song on their Acoustic album in 1994. It has been my favorite song ever since. Oh and don't forget... Who wrote the song? Jeff Hannah, lead singer of The Dirt Band. What makes me sad is that The Dirt Band never gets any recognition for their amazing music.

So here is their version of "The Broken Road":



Their version of "Down the Road":



and my all time favorite Dirt Band Song "Don't Underestimate Love." I want all women, and even men for that matter, to listen to the lyrics of this song:



You may also recognize this tune of theirs:



My favorite song from their very latest album:



You don't have to love them as much as I do I just wish they got the recognition they deserved. Their music is the soundtrack to my childhood and there is nothing in the whole world that makes me feel better faster than turning up a Dirt Band tune.

Niceness day 1

So yesterday I joined the campaign for niceness. I am LOVING it! I have too many examples from today to post here,so I'll share my favorite. I was standing in line at the Deli counter at the grocery store. The line was long and the employee behind the counter seemed to be having a day that felt twice as long. Anyway this sweet older lady comes up to the counter and says she is so sorry but does he have any idea where she can find some cheese Tortellinis. He had no idea and she was like "oh dear" and I thought she might cry.

I was just thinking about how I had been in line forever when I remembered that I was working on being nice. I also happened to know where the frozen Tortellini are because I have a favorite recipe that uses them. I swear I buy them at least twice a month. I tried to explain to the lady where they were and she said she had looked there, so I got out of line and walked over with her to where they were. I showed her all four brands and told her which one worked the best. I got back in line, got my chicken and headed home. I was seriously out of time and super tired but I am hoping that I honestly helped someone who was feeling that way even more so than myself.

Operation Nice

I overhead someone saying something mean about one of my friends. It made me very sad but instead of making the situation worse I came home and wrote down ten nice things about the person he mentioned negatively and ten nice things about him as well. I have a really hard time with people who are negative. I would hope that we would realize that we all have weaknesses and that hopefully we are all getting better everyday. I would also hope that my friends would overlook my weaknesses and love me anyway because no one is more aware of my flaws than me and believe it or not I am already working on them. So I will do for my friends what I expect of them. In my mind this is what makes a good friend.

I came home and was looking at the facebook profile of the guy who used to sit next to me in Spanish. He was and still is a VERY attractive man. The kind that is too hot to really talk to but I remember that he was one of the first people to be kind to me on my first day in a new school. I walked into class on the first day and fell down. Even as hot as he was he helped me up and showed me to my next class. Tonight on his profile he had this.

I was interested so I looked into it. It is just a bunch of people trying to spread niceness. I would love to be a part of this... and now I am. With a new commitment to being nice. Tonight was a big step for me guys. Because I realized that what I was upset about I am guilty of as well. It stops here.

A Day of Mourning

Today I am mourning the loss of a dear friend. I met him in college. I mean I had known others like him but he completed me in a way no one else could. He was was a comfort to me through all the hard times I faced. No matter what went wrong in my life there he was to remind me that some things never change and some things will always be there for you.

This morning I woke up thinking this was going to be a morning no different from any others. Boy was I wrong. I went to reheat some left over friend rice from last night and decided that it needed a little something more. So I went to the cupboard to visit my old friend.



I then realized that my jumbo kerosene jug of Kikkoman soy sauce was empty. I would just like to say goodbye to my old friend. I hope he knows how much I loved him.

Too funny

I am totally copying this from Katy's blog but we have been watching it all weekend and can't stop laughing.



I am so excited for American Idol this year! I want Zac to try out so I can go with him and tell Simon that I am in love with him. Or I should have gone down to SLC to see Imari audition and maybe I could have snuck in.

It's not even fair that she gets a hug from Simon.

Overheard conversation

I heard one half of this phone conversation at work today. I laughed for a good ten minutes about it. Poor woman I would have loved to have heard both sides of this conversation.

Guy: Hey I was calling to check on my son.
Guy: His Name is Buster.
Guy: You are taking away his manhood today.
Guy: I dropped him off this morning, I know he is there.
Guy: This is the vet by the Chevron right?
Guy: Oh sorry wrong number.

I may be crazy

Last night I had a dream in which I had decided to get a tattoo to cover a little freckle on my foot. Anyway in the dream the lady screwed up and cut the tip of my toe off and it kinda melted onto the other one. Okay, odd I know, but what was really odd is that when I woke up I was convinced that it was real and I was too scared to check because I thought if I touched it that it would hurt really bad. So I literally sat in bed for like three minutes this morning working up the courage to check and see if my toe was really melted. But no worries it is totally intact.

I then spend most of the morning thinking about what tattoo I would really get if I wasn't opposed to that sort of thing.

Dr. Mosely Is In

People like to ask if they can come over and visit Mosely. Funny thing is every single one of these people that come over to see her end up discussing with us some huge thing that they have on their mind. Maybe it is just the therapeutic nature of petting her super soft fur. But if you have something you need to get off your chest, make an appointment with Dr. Mosely and come on over. I can tell you from experience that she is a very good listener and a perfect secret keeper.

I cried at work today

I should have known it was going to be a bad day today when there were no spicy cheetos in the vending machine at work. A1 completely empty, bad sign. I guess waking up to my dog throwing up also should have been a sign that today was not going to be
the stuff poetry is made of.

Here's how the rest of the day went:

1. Got 6 voicemails from some random number. All the voicemails had some guy screaming in Spanish.

2. Someone threw away and/or ate the amazing lunch I brought to work today and was looking forward to eating most of the day.

3. I didn't have time to make myself hot chocolate this morning.

4. I dropped my phone on my foot and I wanted to swear.

5.The guy I share my second office with freaked out because I doodled on the calender on the desk while I was on hold with a vendor. Apparently that combined with my sweater on the back of the chair are making it a girl office and that made him mad enough to swear and yell at me.

6. I tried to text zac and got no response

7. Someone stole my morning paper.

8. Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority called and told me that my student loan payment is 30 days past due and they are reporting it. I checked and it has posted to my checking account so I am going to be on the phone with them for hours this afternoon. In the mean time they have called me four more times today threatening to destroy my credit and run over my dog if I don't make a payment today.

9. I tried to escape to Kimmie's office for a few minutes. But she had the worst gas ever and her office had literally become a gas chamber.

Sunday Morning Comics

I have to subscribe to my two favorite comics online because my local paper doesn't publish them. This morning this one made me laugh out loud! I think bucky (the cat) has a rather good idea.



This one made me laugh as well but more in the "oh man am I pig?" sort of way.



I also think pig has an idea I could get on board with.

Crazy Eights

I decided to do this one because I never do them, I love to read them, and my friend Michelle tagged me so here it goes...


Eight TV shows I love to watch

1. American Idol
2. The Office
3. CSI
4. CSI: NY
5. Without a Trace
6. How It's Made
7. Dirty Jobs
8. The Mentalist

Eight things that happened to me yesterday

1. Had a panic attack when the deposit was 11000 dollars short.
2. Had Taco Bell for lunch because I didn't care anymore.
3. Realized the deposit wasn't short after all.
4. Sent a friend a message to try and undo an odd situation.
5. Played with my littlest siblings and my dog.
6. Ordered pizza with my stepmom.
7. Thought about vacuuming.
8. Chatted with my dad on facebook about french kissing.

Eight favorite places to eat

1. I'll give you one guess... Formosa, Logan
2. Joy Tsin Lau, Race street Philadelphia
3. Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia
4. The Pupusaria, Lexington
5. Happy Sushi, Logan
6. The Thai House, Idaho Falls
7. Crown Burger, Layton or SLC
8. Cafe Rio, Utah

Eight things I am looking forward to

1. Sleep
2. Lolly Pants hot chocolate
3. Christmas
4. Having a working washing machine
5. Watching last weeks episode of The Office
6. My bro coming home from his mission in one year
7. My three other bros serving missions
8. Not having to date anymore

Eight things on my wish list

1. My dog to be cleansed of her bad habits
2. My Bffs to live closer to me
3. More to do at work
4. Ability to talk to my mom
5. Finish my internship
6. Pay off my student loan
7. More time
8. A truck

Eight people I tag

1. Anyone who wants to do this, but especially...
2. Pappy
3. Ann
4. Katy
5. Christie
6. Sarah
7. Michelle Schmidt
8. Kent

Halloweenie Roast and a weak stomach!

My friend Lolly is back in Utah and I am so excited! I left work early friday and headed to Logan to go to the Halloweenie roast with her.



Mike told us his friend had secret gourmet hot dogs and so when Lolly asked for them this guy pulled an entire package out of his pants! Lolly roasted them up for us and they were AMAZING!



We also went on a little walk through their haunted barn! It was so much fun and a little bit spooky. We thought the huge corkscrew in the head was... awesome!



We also went on a hayride that was super awesome! This little old lady walked along with us and told us stories and I got to be curled up under a blanket with my new secret lover. He told me he would give me a baby and it started to snow... Good times at the Halloweenie roast!

Then we drove back to ogden and fell asleep still encased in the smell of smoke. We woke up early to run to Salt Lake and see my stepmom and two smallest siblings. My stepmom was going to cut my hair and feed me biscuits and gravy. I told Lolly we were going to go to SLC and chow down like truckers!.. and we did! It was so good.

Then zac called and said his family canceled going to lagoon cause it was raining. I told Zac to get his butt to Ogden anyway so I could see his ugly face! So he braved the storm and came down.

Me, him, and Lolly decided to see the movie City of Ember, which we totally hearted even though there were no attractive people in it. While Zac was getting popcorn I ran to the bathroom and heard this conversation in front of the bathroom between a dad and his little girl... "No baby you have to go in the other bathroom." "Oh right daddy, cause I don't have a package, huh?" Also while back in line for popcorn we realized we were totally in front of real live Mean Girls. I could not believe people really talked like that. I wanted to turn around and say something really mean to them. But I am sure I was not dressed well enough for them to have taken me seriously.

We went shopping and had Cafe Rio for lunch. When I paid for my lunch the guy asked me for some ID and I told him that would be fine as long as he realized I was going to be much hotter than my ID picture as soon as I stopped eating things like this. He, being the smart man that he is said "NO you are so beautiful now." Thank you mister Cafe Rio man. You inspire me!

We called my friend Rose up and told her I was in town and to get her trash over to Lolly's Apartment. Her and her Sister Denise came in and me and lolly were laying on her bed so they joined us. We had just gotten the internet to work in her apartment when the sisters walked in smelling of roast beef. Have I mentioned before I have a weak stomach when it comes to smells? So I rolled off the bed and was trying hard to keep my Cafe Rio down. But it didn't work. I tried to crawl back in the room once in awhile to check on them. During one of my excursions back into the room Rose said "Don't you like roast beef?" "Ummm yeah but not in bed!" I replied. Yikes! When I finally came back in the room I COATED them with body spray.

Over all the weekend was amazing! I forgot how much I missed Lolly pants and it is good to see her so happy again! I was laughing so hard my cheeks hurt most of the weekend. I can not believe I was blessed enough to spend the weekend with two of my very best friends!

Branch Temple Night

So tonight was branch temple night and I had been looking forward to it all day. I even skipped the dinner I would normally eat much earlier in the evening so I could enjoy dinner at the temple with the branch.

However I spent two hours fighting with the bank because they won't stop charging me for bill pay. A service which I do not use and did not sign up for. After two hours of fighting I had the 41.70 back in my account. I guess they wanted me to earn it. But I still had to get ready for the temple and I was running late at this point. So I threw a skirt on, changed my Ipod to church music and was on the road.

Half way there I seriously almost got in a huge car accident. I had to swerve off the road to avoid the collision of my life and my heart was racing. But I was still late and so off I was again. Now speeding, heart racing, and shaking uncontrollably. A few minutes later I pass a cop. I look down and realize I am going 55 in a 35. But instead of slowing down I thought to myself. "Oh crap, dad sent me my new insurance cards and I haven't put them in my car yet!" So I reach for my purse to check and see if I put them in there while I was thinking about it and I realize... I don't have my wallet, which means I don't have my recommend.

So I call my roommate and ask her if maybe she can grab my recommend and bring it to me at the temple. But when she answers the phone, I for some reason can't ask her to do it so I say I'll be home soon, I call my sister and tell her not to wait for me, and I head home.

I call a friend on the way home and pour out my woes. Apparently my friend had just had a horribly bad day and was praying that their night wouldn't be spent alone. So I headed on over to find my friend literally in tears of gratitude for my company. I guess that in the end I was suppose to do something else and I am grateful I could be the answer to someones prayers tonight.

Uncle Buck Pancakes

Me and Christie decided we wanted to make Uncle Buck Pancakes.
If anyone needs to be a part of this just let us know!
P.S. You want to be a part of this! 

Philadelphia Temple

I was pretty excited today when the announced a temple in Cordoba, Argentina. My daddy served his mission there. The area that was the Cordoba mission then, is something like 4 or 5 missions now. I was thinking how would that feel to be a part of that kind of growth.

Then they announced a temple in Philadelphia, PA. I know we mostly claim Nebraska as our home now that our family lives there but I didn't leave the Philadelphia area until I was 18. Philadelphia is my favorite city in the world!



I remember sitting in the little warehouse we met in for church and wondering if we would ever have a church building to meet in. So when our Stake president promised us a temple in our life time I had a hard time grasping the concept.

I can't imagine a better place for a temple. I love the city of Brotherly Love!



My mom was a history major when she was going to school at Widener in Chester, PA. So we went to every historical site known to man on the east coast. You name it I have been there, had my picture taken, and had a crush on the man reenacting some revolutionary war hero.

You know that sacred feeling you have when you are in the sacred grove or really anywhere in Kirtland or Nauvoo? The feeling is no different when you stand on battlefields in Gettysburg or in Independence Hall.



I would like to share one memory... We were sitting in THIS room while a historian recounted a story that made an impression on me.



During the constitutional convention Dr. Franklin, looking towards the president's chair, at the back of which a rising sun happened to be painted, and observed to a few members near him, that painters had found it difficult to distinguish in their art a rising sun from a setting sun. "I have," said he, "often in the course of this session and the vicissitude of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that behind the president without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting: But now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun."

For many years my family never missed a Fourth of July Mormon night at the Phillies. It is some of my favorite memories. After the game you get to go sit out on the field and watch the best firework show.



So now in the city of Brotherly Love, the city where the Declaration of Independence as well as the constitution were signed there will be a temple. Now you can have Mormon night IN Philly most any night you want. Except Sunday, oh and Monday.




I too Brother Franklin see that the sun is rising.

Pros and Cons of having a dog

CONS:
*When she sits on your blueberry crumb cheesecake
*When she eats your brand new very most favorite sunglasses

Pros:
*When she saves you from eating a third piece of cheesecake by sitting on it


It is a good thing she is cute...

My head and my heart!

I was listening to an old old song today in the car.

Heart ,don't fall now
If you do I might never bring you back around
Heart take it slow, don't let her know.
If you'll be on your guard when she reaches out
Oh I'm counting on you, not to fall apart
Heart, don't fall now.
~Sawyer Brown, Heart Don't Fall Now

At first I was thinking man this guy has multiple personalities. One talking to the other trying to convince him not to fall. Then I started to think how we are all like this. At least I am. How many times has my head had to have a little talk with my heart or even the other way around. While they both do a great job of guiding my life and helping me to make decisions they often both give me very different advice.

I then started thinking about this in terms of relationships. Mainly, because that is an area where they both have a lot of say on how things go. For example we have all been in those relationships that just feel right and you can't get enough of them. You feel like you are in love and yet the entire time you brain is saying "What are you thinking? This won't ever work long term. Danger Will Robinson! Danger!" But what the heck you say to yourself we are in love and love conquers all. Like my heart or my head have any idea what "in love" truly is or how much work it involves, but that is a blog for another time.

Then there are those relationships where logically everything makes sense. He maybe even fits perfectly into that list you made when you were 12 that said he had to be a surfer/rock star with a nice car, sexy name, cool accent, nice hair, and love all the names you already had picked out for your kids. Yeah that guy. You are dating that guy and he is not only all those things but he is also temple worthy, honors his priesthood, and remembers the name of the puppy you grew up with. He is like Gilbert, and Mr. Darcy, and cookie monster all rolled into one... and he wants you! He wants to marry you and have babies with you and go to Ireland on your honeymoon. And no matter how hard you try you just don't feel anything for him. You are sitting there saying "Come on heart, what the heck are you doing? Here he is... we prayed him here... maybe you could kick it into gear!" and to be fair you really wish you did love him.

So do we pick which one is more important and hitch our wagons to their star? No! Please no! So how do you pick? I'm not going to. I have every hope that someone will come along who will make both my head and my heart happy. I also have every reason to believe that whoever it is will probably surprise both. So I'll end here and leave you with the song that interrupted this lovely train of thought. Sometimes I can't believe how my Ipod always pick the perfect song!

Enjoy! I have left over Thai food calling my name...

I like blue eyes, hers are green
Not like the woman of my dreams
And her hair's not quite as long as I had planned
Five foot three isn't tall
She's not the girl I pictured at all
In those paint by number fantasies I've had

No, it wasn't at first sight
But the moment I looked twice
I saw the woman I was born to love
Her laughter fills my soul
And when I hold her I don't wanna let go
When it comes to her I can't get enough

So it took me by complete surprise
When my heart got lost in those deep green eyes
She's not at all what I was looking for
She's more
~Andy Griggs, She's More

Understanding the male mind II

So as I said earlier My friend Colin and I had a little catch up session this morning. During this conversation he listed off all the perks of being married. He however, forgot the one I am looking forward to the most... No more dating.

Let's see here. There is a guy I went out with maybe three times. He is super nice, and funny and we always have a good time. Anyway he moved away and he texts me probably three times a day with some version of "what's up?" or "How are you?" or something like this. I always text back and tell him what is up or how I am. Or I use to because he has never once responded to those texts. His response is simply a new "what's up?" text a few hours later. How do you respond to that? So I stopped trying to.

Then there is a guy who has hinted around at asking me out for awhile now. The sad thing is I think it would probably be a good match, but there is no follow through, thus making me wonder how serious he was about it in the first place. I find myself making up all kinds of reasons in my head for why he doesn't follow through.

I don't want to go into too much detail about my dating life here because well something has to still be private. Let's just say that boys may think we are confusing but I find them just as hard to understand. What I would love is if a guy who was interested just told me he was. Then I could say some version of one of the following:

*I am totally flattered but I think we are good enough friends to know that an "us" wouldn't be the best option for either of us.

*Really? Let's see if we can find more time to spend together so we can give this a shot.

*Me too! What should we do about that?

*About time! I was starting to think my green light had burned out.

I just think it would be so much easier. The communication styles of men and women are just so different. I think honesty is the best policy. If a guy just said hey I am interested I could just say that i was or wasn't and we could get on with life. I can't wait to be done with dating.

ESCORPIO

So this morning I had the chance to catch up with an old friend. After Colin lectured me about not being married we started to reminisce about the old days. He said he really missed my stories So I promised to post one of my favorite ones about him.

So I had this friend/roommate in college, who had a crush on this guy who worked at the tire store in Sam's Club. She was way to scared to talk to him so we spent a few days walking really fast past the tire counter and giggling around corners. I know girls are crazy. But moving on. I got sick of her not doing anything about it so I wrote a naughty little love note and made her put it on his car. I signed it Escorpio. I got the name from a Spanish horoscope that was sitting in her car. Anyway even though we signed it with that name and drove my car to do it and i wrote it he still traced it back to her eventually.

This same friend had a dream about Colin's brother one night. She woke up from this dream with a total crush on the guy. So I again composed a note. I think this time I had my friend Amber write it down. So we drove down through their neighborhood and parked on the next street over, as we all had cars that could easily be identified as ours. As I remember it I was the driver and Amber the runner. I am not even sure if Miss Paula even knew we were doing it. HA HA and I think amber wore a trench coat. HA HA HA HA.

Anyway as Colin and his brother started to research where this note could have come from we started to leave them for more and more boys in the ward. It was a fun game. The funny thing is that boys started to claim to have gotten Escorpio notes,boys we never wrote notes for. So either there was a copy cat or some boys felt so left out that they had to pretend to be included.

Anyway a few months later Amber started dating Colin and she saw the note on their refrigerator. Colin seemed sad that he had been left out and was not worthy of a naughty love note. So a few nights later the whole posse loaded up in the car for another Escorpio note drop. Unfortunately it was apparently not as good as Dane's note and he still felt left out. Maybe that is one of the reasons Amber and Colin didn't make it. Ha Ha.

I learned this technique from my mom who use to leave my daddy naughty love notes on his car etc. One night when we were coming back from some late night thing on campus we saw a car belonging to the roommate of my crush. It was always better to do it when their car was somewhere other than at home. It's harder to trace back to you that way. Escorpio once again composed a little note. A few days later he asked me out and we actually had quite a few good times. I should come up with a new alias and start the tradish again.

Old school TV

With my new job I am alone in my office a lot so the radio is always on. The other morning the DJ had people call in with shows that they wished were still on or that they would re-do. People called in with all kinds of ideas. I have thought a lot about this and here is my list of shows I wish were still on TV:



ALF:
the title character Gordon Shumway, an alien nicknamed ALF (for Alien Life Form)who crash lands in the garage of the suburban middle class Tanner family.


Why:
I have this show on DVD and it is so much funnier than I remember. I use ALF quotes frequently in everyday life. For example: "Gas it! No one's gonna want it!" or "I know my rights I watch people's court." or "I'll have her running trough the streets screaming your name. If the cops don't pick her up, she'll be yours."



Dr. Quinn:
The trials and adventures of a female doctor in a small wild west town.


Why:
Because who didn't watch this growing up? And who didn't love Sully?



Friends:
A Comedy Series based in Manhattan about 6 young friends, in the struggle to find success and happiness in life.


WHY:
Because even the reruns I have watched a thousand times are hilarious. My all time favorite episode is the thanksgiving episode with Brad Pitt when Rachel finds out Ross was in the I hate Rachel club.



C.O.W. Boys of Moo Mesa:
In this cartoon series a comet hits the mesa and the cattle take on human characteristics. The series focuses on trying to keep justice in the frontier territory. Helping out were a group of peacekeepers known as C.O.W. Boys, short for "Code of the West." Led by bull Marshal Moo Montana.


Why:
Who doesn't love a cartoon with cows riding cows? Plus I still hear that opening song in my head from time to time ♪...They're the real cowboys! Standing up for law and order and living by the code of the west♪



Unsolved Mysteries:
Real mysteries and crimes are reenacted and detailed in order to generate tips for solving them.


WHY:
Best show ever made. End of story! UPDATE! Good news while writing this post I found out new episodes begin October 13th on spike!

OTHER SHOWS I HAVE ♥'D OVER THE YEARS:

The Cosby show
Perfect Strangers
Early Edition
Good Morning Miami
The Magnificent Seven
The Andy Griffith Show
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Okay I also love so many old British sitcoms I could do an entire post about just them:

Keeping Up Appearances
Are You Being Served
Are You Being Served Again (Grace and Favour)
Mulberry
Good Neighbors (The Good Life)
'allo 'allo
Black Adder (only the third one)

Like Brother Dale, the morning DJ, let me know what TV shows you wish were still running new episodes.

9 -16

Today I had to take my dog to the vet. She hasn't eaten since Thursday and I was really worried about her. I dropped her off and thought I would be just fine. But when they picked her up and took her off into the back I burst out into tears. I couldn't believe I had to leave her when I knew she would hurt and that I couldn't be there for her.

Maybe I am just extra sensitive today. About this time of day four years ago I was at work. I was having a marvelous day and only had a few hours of work left when I picked up my cell phone and realized I had something like 14 missed calls from home.
The voice mails where from my dad. How odd. He doesn't call.

Life changed in a matter of seconds.

Some people aren't anniversary people. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't needed to talk to mom so bad about my dog last night. I am an anniversary person. I spent the day completely reliving all of it. No matter how hard I try to think of other things I can't help but relive that day over and over again in my head.

A few weeks before mom died she was out visiting me in Utah and she lost a baby that we had all been so excited about. I sat with her that night while she kept saying over and over "I just want your daddy." One of the hardest things for me about imagining the crash in my mind is that I am sure that was the first thought that went through her mind. I know that in the few seconds of life she had left she thought to herself maybe even said out loud... "I just want your daddy."

Then she had to leave. She had to walk away from all of us. I couldn't help but think of that when I walked away from my puppy this afternoon. Even though I know it isn't even close to how she felt... having no choice but to leave us in the care of others.

Fortunately we have been told that mom has seen how our lives will turn out and that she is excited about it. I am sure that she wouldn't have left without knowing we would be okay. I am also sure a loving Heavenly Father wouldn't have asked her to do it without giving her some assurance that we would be okay.

Mom, we are okay. I almost feel guilty that I am as okay as I am. I know you already know that because I know that you are still involved in my life. You've seen my life and are excited about it. I hope that includes meeting a man I love and need as much as you do my daddy. Remember how I was promised I would be best friends with my parents throughout the eternities? I know that is true and I look forward to it. In the mean time if you could watch over my pupppy for me today...

Understanding the male mind

I totally love the two ladies in my new office. I am sad that the reason I have the job is because one of them is leaving. Yesterday we had a conversation that intrigued me...

All men think they are hot. One lady was talking about how her out of shape bald neighbor will sit on his porch with no shirt on and rub his stomach and wink at her from time to time. The theory being that no matter what a man looks like... HE thinks he looks good!

I was telling my friend Steph about this later at lunch and she said that her brother said that boys use themselves as a measure of all other boys hotness. They think they are at the top of the hotness scale so all other boys who look like them are also at the top. Thus boys who do not look like them must be less hot etc.

Girls do not judge their hotness in this way. In fact for many I think it is the opposite. They think they are the bottom and so other girls who look like them must not be hot or popular etc. Maybe the boys have the better idea... But I don't want to admit that here. At the very least boys are defiantly more fun to observe. Even at the zoo... The male animals are always prettier and more confident!

I am sick...

I am moving and starting a new job this week. So of course I am sick. That is just the way life works. That also means I have no creative juices with which to blog. So excuse me if I don't post for awhile.

P.S. I have started a bad habit of watching scary TV alone and scaring the begeezers out of myself. I need to stop that...

P.P.S Is there a correct way to spell begeezers?

Homesick

So today when I left work to grab a burrito... (I honestly needed one more than I really needed air at that point) ... The wind hit me and I was instantly homesick. Not the kind of homesick where you can call home or visit and feel better. I realized that was I was really homesick for was a long talk with my mom.

At first when we lost her what surprised me most was how easily life went back to being "normal" without her. I felt guilty all the time that an entire day would go by and I hadn't thought about her. I would feel awful that I had gone out with friends and had a good time. I felt like I was a bad daughter or something or that I was simply moving on too soon. Today, I caught myself feeling guilty that I think about her too much.

We are only weeks away from the 4 year mark. Holy crap some days it feels like she was almost never there. Other days it stings way down in the most tender part of who you are and you have to stop and catch your breath.

There are just things I want to tell her. Not even important things. Things I want her to be excited about like how much I love the paint in my new house, or that I get to get a puppy, or that I found the perfect pair of pants at the store the other day and they were on sale! I want her to listen to the new sugarland CD. I know she would totally heart it. I wonder how she would screw up the lyrics. Because she would and she would do it loud and without shame.

I know she watches us and is proud of us but I want to talk to her about how happy it makes me that Jake is doing so well on his mission. I want her to help me tease Jarom about how many of the ladies love him. I want her to be awed with me at how fast her baby boy is growing up. I want her to give me a hard time about not being married. I know she loves my friends but I want to talk to her about them. I want her to be able to tease them like she did all my friends before. I want them to have the opportunity to know and love her like others have. I wasn't always a fan of how my friends seemed to like her better than me (even boyfriends) but I wish she was here to do it now.

I miss you mom. I can't wait for the good times to come on the other side. For me it will be a lifetime before we get to hang out and make each other laugh, for you it will be an instant. For both of us it will be before we know it!

My Yearbook... If only!

I found this on my friend Hayley's Blog! I played with it all night and can not stop laughing. Everyone should try this! Let's be honest none of you are immune from me trying it on a picture of you.

Let's start with the ancient of days...

1952


1960 wasn't so bad


1966 wasn't bad either. I could have survived...


This is what I would have looked like had I gone to High school with my dad.


If I had graduated the year I was born (1982)I look like my mom is this one... and a few others. Sorry mom!


And the year my sister was born (1984)


O.K. But I am obviously hotter than hot in this one. I mean it! Saturday's Warrior anyone?


Ummm... I did graduate in 2001 and I do not remember looking at all like this! It is seriously like the worst one!


HA HA HA O.K. Go play with it right now with a picture of yourself and please please post some of them so I can laugh some more!

Naked Cowboy

This morning when I left for work at 5 am I hear the "ktchhh" of an opening can. I turn around and there is my neighbor on his porch. He is 100% Naked except for a cowboy hat, and his beer.

I sent a mass text to all my friends later. My favorite response was from Linds, "This is why you always carry a camera!"

Snubs

My friend "Snubs" came up to see me and Katy yesterday. He dropped into FHE for a few minutes and then I took him to dinner. Later that night we were hanging out and reading through my quote book. There were some great old quotes in there that brought back a ton of good memories for us.

"Listen Snubs! I am not trying to be sensual. I am just trying to eat this Jell-O salad!" ~Me
I still don't know what he thought I was trying to do...

"So what you are saying is this stuff is basically makeout in a bottle?" ~Snubs
"I don't want makeout in a bottle! I want to makeout on my couch!"~Me
"Sorry Annie we both know that's not going to happen anytime soon." ~Snubs
He is so kind to me. I'm glad we are friends.

"I was actually considering just throwing you to the floor." ~Snubs
He was talking about doing that in order to be the first one to the Oreo cheesecake I had made but that isn't what it sounded like when my roommate overheard us.

"You new nickname is DISAPPOINTMENT!" ~My Roommate to Snubs

After coming home from meeting our friends new girlfriend...
"She is O.K. I guess... Except for she has no looks and no personality." ~Snubs

Once really late at night...
"I was at the place... What the heck is it called? You know it... We go there on Sundays..." ~Me
"You mean church?" ~Snubs
"YEAH that's it! Church!" ~Me

A friends response to another good friend asking us why he was planning on moving back to portland... "He's a pirate hooker remember?.. he has to be closer to the ocean."

My friend Lolly giving me advice on how to avoid having yet another platonic best friend "The next boy you meet who likes to kiss girls... He is your boyfriend! You can't afford to be picky anymore."

"I still have a hard time believing that he is gay... His boyfriend seems to think he is though.. so I guess that is the only conclusion I can come to." ~Me

And finally this wouldn't be complete without his favorite quote. It is from my friend Lindsay who I also miss like crazy. "We need to pick out an outfit for your talk Annie, we need something that says easy... but righteous!"

Lessons Learned

So here is the story...

This week I went out to Battle Mountain, NV with my family for a little family togetherness. YES PLEASE!

Anyway we went out to Miller's Pit one afternoon to go cliff diving. We call this the scene of the crime.



Miller's Pit is an abandoned open pit mine. The cliffs we jump off are about 40ft high. The water is also about 40ft deep. Once you hit the water there is about a 6 inch shelf of rock that you have to clear.

I looked over the edge and was sure this was something I could do. I backed up and kinda had that feeling like right before you bear your testimony. So I made a run for it. At the last moment I totally panicked.



I almost went over the edge like this and really would have died. I decided I couldn't jump. Then my sister went off, then my 16 year old bro went, then... that feeling came back and I just went for it.

Again I panicked but it was too late this time. Sooo off I went. Typically there are two options you dive... or you jump. I did neither. I looked more like this.



Uncle pete, pictured above, straightens out. I, however, did not. I hit just like this, face and belly flop. My face, eyes, and chest hurt so bad! My Uncle Pete was freaking out and was sure I had died so he sent my brother down after me to see if I was alive. I was still only aware that my face hurt and I was actually having fun goofing off in the water. I even climbed up the rope back to the top with out too much concern for my body.

It was only when I got to the top that I realized I was bleeding a little.



Here is a close up we took while deciding if we should go to a doctor.



So we decided that it would probably be best if we went to see a doctor. So my dad took me in. I was trying to fill out my paperwork and the adrenaline started to wear off and it started to hurt I was shaking so bad I couldn't form even one letter on the paper. So while my stepmom finished filling out the paperwork two ladies walked in with basically no clothes on. I turned to my dad and was like, "How do people think they can dress like that in public? It isn't that hot outside." It was only when I overheard the nurse ask if any more of the ladies were coming in for testing today that I realized that they were hookers from Donna's Ranch. HA HA The sign out front says it is the place where the wild west still lives!

Okay I'll wrap it up now. So the doctor comes in and tells me that he isn't very drunk any more. The thing that hurt the most was the stupid shot. I made my dad hold my hand. He was sweet but I could have really used my mom. That is just really a mom job. Oh the doctor also made fun of me for being 25 and still needing to bring my daddy in with me.

The moral of the story.
*Don't hesitate. Once your mind is made up you just need to go for it. Don't hesitate at the edge even for a second.
*You are never too old to need your daddy or your mommy.
*Hookers are not hot!
*Drunk doctors are only funny when you are not the one bleeding all over the place.

Total injuries:
*A little road rash or cliff rash in this case
*Four stiches
*Sprained ankle
*An entirely bruised body
*Even my eyes are brusied. That is an interesting sensation.
*Fluid drained from the sack the my kneecap floats in. Also an interesting and painful sensation.

My favorite Charlies...

I think this is hilarious! Thanks to Zac and his family for introducing me...

HA HA HA "and that really hurt Charlie!" This video always makes me laugh!




I actually like this one, the second one, better. We are going to hope that zac doesn't see that I have posted this because if he asks I still absolutely hate this stupid video. "Put a ripe banana right into your favorite ear!"

Memory Lane

Add a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember! Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments. I can't wait to see what people remember.

Red Light Green Light

Do you remember playing red light green light in school? I loved that game! Someone is "it" and they turn their back and say green light and you walk toward them and when they turn back around they say red light and you have to freeze. If you move you lose.

My dad always says that it is the man's job to ask a girl out but it is her job to give him the green light. Well I am struggling with picking out the correct color of green and trying desperately to remember what percentage of men it is that are color blind. My light is defective.

I am anti-crush right? Right! We have been over this a few times already in my blogging career. But that doesn't mean there aren't men out there whom I respect more than others, ones I find more attractive than others, ones that I would be more excited to go out with than others, ones.... I am trying to give a green light to.

I will even admit as I did the other night around the campfire, that up until very recently I maybe even, kinda, sorta, had a small, not a crush, but maybe small squish on someone. For all you guys who are thinking it might be you and to all the ladies who are worried I am squishing on their crush... NO WORRIES! The squish has been squashed! So let's talk about this is broader terms. I.E. not myself.

Maybe our lights are the wrong color of green or maybe they just aren't bright enough.

Now listen close to this. The amount of green lights going off are enough to make it look like spring in mid-December you just have to be able to recognize them. I am more than willing to help you guys cheat at this. I am very good recognizing the lights people are giving off. So if you need help let me know. I'd be more than happy to be your traffic cop. I have helped many a happy couple avoid a collision.

Listen boys, maybe... just maybe boys... you should try taking off your sunglasses. You may be surprised what you see. When the light is green and you move... You don't lose! And if you don't move forward when the light is green someone else is going to get there first and win.

This Post Not G Rated!

If you are easily offended go back to the blog about me being lost and count your blessings.

Conversation I had with a friend last night:

Hey Annie, can I call you back I have to order a pizza?~Boy

What the? You have to order a pizza? ~Me

Yeah it's pizza and trashy tv night. ~Boy

How come we never had pizza and trashy tv night?~Me

Well we were never sleeping together.~Boy

*Pause*

So what happens on new recipe Monday?! Don't answer that!~Me

I Was Not Pleased!

So some friends of mine went camping last night and I drove up with the intention of driving home that night so I could be home in time to get a little sleep in before I worked at 5 the next morning. So around 10:30 last night I decided to head home.

The saddest part of this story is that I felt totally confident in my ability to get myself home.

The way I was suppose to go:


View Larger Map

The way I went in tears, praying for any sign of civilization:


View Larger Map

Other hazards I experienced during the trip:

Very very sleepy
HUGE moth down my shirt
Dodging the construction cones that the drunk man in front of me kept hitting with his truck.
Finally getting on the Highway and it being one lane the entire way home (stupid construction)

Good Juba and my dad

I know I reference my Dad a lot in my blog. I also know I talk about my family in general a ton. Well I really like them.

We have already been over how he is a great cook, how he loves his garden, and how much he likes to go grocery shopping... Today I want to talk about how much he loves good "Juba."

I was uploading some music that he gave me onto my computer today and I had all these memories come flooding back to me. My dad comes out of his bedroom in the morning and will slide into the kitchen singing some song.

For Example:

♪ I love to be home, home where my love lies waiting, home where my musics' playin' ♪
Simon and Garfunkel

♪ I still need you there beside me because I know I'll never find a another you. I could search the whole world over until my life is through, but I know I'll never find another you ♪ Sonny James

♪ For you are beautiful and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell ♪

♪ I fell into a burning ring of fire, I went down down down and the flames went higher ♪
Johnny Cash

I wish that I could play for you a video of my dad dancing to these songs. You would laugh. I could do my impression of it if you ask real nice though.

I love it when we would go on trips and listen to the Dirt band. I still have to listen to them when I'm on the road. I can still here it:

♪ My Daddy never promised that our blue moon would turn gold but he laid awake nights wishing that it would ♪ NGDB

♪Just because it's painful it doesn't mean it's real, don't understimate love ♪ NGDB

♪ It's great to be a part of something so good that's lasted so long ♪ NGDB

It funny because I grew up listening to that song on a tape dad made from an old record and it skips like half of one of the verses. When I listen to it my mind still skips over than part of the verse because I heard it so many times that way.

I remember mom making dinner and he would come up behind her and put his arms around her and sing a little Billy Joel, ♪ Don't go changing to try and please me, I take you just the way you are ♪

Me and dad use to commute into Pennsylvania together every morning during the summers of high school. One of our favorites was an old Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds songs ♪ Don't pull your love out on me honey, take my heart my soul my money, but don't leave me to drown here in my tears ♪

I remember when me and Katy were really little dad use to put records on and we would dance all around the living room with him. Crazy songs like, ♪ Put the lime in the coconut ♪ Cover of the Rolling Stone ♪ Billy don't be a hero ♪ or ♪ Don't mess around with Jim ♪ We also really liked the song ♪ God Bless the USA ♪ by Lee Greenwood.

I can't end this blog without making a reference to his favorite country song, which will forever be one of my all time favorites too. I remember playing this over and over while we drove through Texas one summer... ♪ Amarillo by Morning, up from San Antone, Everything that I got is just what I've got on. When that sun is high in that Texas sky I'll be bucking at the county fair, Amarillo I'll be there... ♪


Dad, thanks so much for the music and the memories I am uploading to my computer this morning.