Day 30: Your Goals for the Next 30 Days.

Day 30: Your Goals for the Next 30 Days.

I made it!!  30 day challenge completed!

My goals are:
To keep blogging, not every day but definitely more than once every 2 years. 
I'm going to try and get my financial state in order so I can make steps towards not work so much.
I'm going to cook better and more often and exercise at least a few times a week. 
I'm going to get more sleep than I do now so I don't feel exhausted all the time.
I'm going to make more time for me. Even if it's just a pedicure or to go tanning.

Oh and I'm going to start planning the Super Hero/Villain party for Amberly..  :)

Dislike!

This is a billboard campaign taking place right now in Georgia.  I came across this on Jillian Michaels' Twitter page and I am so disappointed in people!
Why would you do this to a little girl??  And yes, she is still a little girl regardless of her size.  I understand the message behind it but isn't this type of campaign just as bad as the pictures of emaciated super models that we find in magazines?  They both have the power to make our little girls ashamed of their bodies and who they are. 
Yes I agree that obesity is a huge problem in our society and I happily welcome any ideas to help combat it at a youth level so our children aren't fighting it at an adult level for their whole lives.. but isn't there a better way to do it than to shame our children?
Do these children really have any say in what they eat?  Sure they can make choices but at the end of the day the problem lies with the parents first.  School lunch is a disaster. There are health classes in our schools that teach nutrition and preach what not to eat and play movies like 'Super Size Me', then the kids are excused to go to lunch where every day they are offered chicken nuggets or nachos with cheese, or breadsticks.  True there is also a salad bar but these are kids...what do you think they are going to choose?
Whatever the answer might be...this certainly isn't it.  We should encourage our children to eat better, and turn off the TV and get off their butts, but we also need to build them from the inside and teach them to be confident and happy and self secure little people too. 
There definitely has to be a better way.

Day 29: List 10 People Dead or Alive, You Would Invite to Dinner. Include the Dinner Menu.

Day 29:  List 10 People Dead or Alive, You Would Invite to Dinner. Include the Dinner Menu.

This is a hard one.  I have no idea so I'm just going to wing it.

1. Bobby Carter, my Pepaw.  I don't know why but he is the first person I thought of.  I didn't get many chances to eat dinner with him but he was an amazing man and could keep the conversation going all night.

2. John F. Kennedy.  I really really want to know who killed him, and by now I would think he should know. And Jon is fascinated with all things Kennedy which has sort of carried over to me.

3. Elvis.. Because he is Elvis..and he could probably fall into the dead or the alive category.

4. Walt Disney.  An amazing man. Maybe he could make me a for real princess too.

5. President Obama.  Say what you want about him, I still think he would have a lot to offer at a dinner party.

6. Donald Draper. No, not that actor that plays him..the real him.  So handsome, so mysterious..with a little bit of jerk thrown in for good measure.

7.  Bear Bryant.  For Cody..and for my Pepaw.

8. Oprah.  So she could interview everyone and I could watch it later.  She could also give info on how to become the richest woman in the world!

9. Princess Diana.  So I could say I met a for real Princess and she would probably add a bit of class to the place.

10. Jon and the kids, because why would I want to entertain all these people alone??

I'd serve southern food, most of which I would never eat, but if my Pepaw was there that's what I imagine he'd like to eat.  So I'd go with shrimp gumbo, the first thing he ever made me eat, collard greens, black eyed peas, crawfish, and fried okra.  For dessert we would have Krispy Kreme donuts, because the first time I ever ate one I was with him.

HIJACKED!!

Over the last month this blog has been dedicated to the various item of the day, and in the various posts that have been made, Sara has made reference to the many important people in her life, one of the them is me, Jon, her husband.

Sara, I have hijacked your blog!

I hope you’re not mad, and for everyone I apologize in advance for my poor grammar and blogging skills.

I wanted to take a turn and letting the world know just how much you mean to me!

Almost 20 years ago my life change in ways I never could have imagined. It hasn’t always been easy, and there have been days where it would have been easy to throw in the towel, but there is no way I could ever give up on us.

Contrary to what everyone thinks I am not the easiest person to live with. I have annoying habits, I can be anal about stupid things, I can be selfish, I spend time coaching and being involved with things that take time from you and the kids, but you still love me at the end of the day.

I am the man, and father I am today completely because of you. Without you pushing me to be more every day I never would be who I am. You make me want to be more. I wake up every day trying to make you happy, and to be able to give you everything you could dream.

You are my partner, my better half, the only one I want to wake up to, and the only one I want to fall asleep with for the rest of our lives. I love our home, and our little family. You are the most amazing wife and mother. You are magic, able to pull out a homework assignment, or something the kids need at a moment’s notice.

I could go on and on, there are 20 years worth of stories to tell, but the point is to let you know that you mean the world to me, I would be lost without you. I don’t tell you or show you enough how important you are to me.

I love you more!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love, now, forever, and always!

Happy Birthday Colleen!!

Meet Colleen.  She is absolutely one of my favorite people in the world.  And today is her birthday.

After what we put her through yesterday I hope she still loves me half as much as I love her.

I honor of her birthday I will not disclose her age, I will say that when I am her age I hope
 I can be at least half as much fun as she is!

Isn't she adorable?

In honor of Colleen I will tell you a few things I love about her.

I love that I get to work with her every day and that her office is right next to mine.

I love that she listens to me talk about my kids all the time!

I love that I can vent to her and be petty and mean and she will still love me.

I love that she always has a smile for me whenever I see her.

I love that she is very good at her job and is willing to share her knowledge with me.

I love that she calls me one of her kids.

I love that she can always make me feel better when I'm having a meltdown.

I love that she was there for me every day during the worst moments in my career.

I love that we traveled well together, even though she takes 10 minutes to dry her hair and I take 45.

I love that she isn't always happy and can be mean and petty right along with me!

(Makes me feel better about myself!)

I love that I got to host her surprise birthday party that she said she wasn't having and

she is still my friend today..Right.. Right??

I love that she calls me her Princess..every single day. :)

And I love that I can call her one of my closest and dearest friends in the world!!

Happy Birthday Colleen!  I hope it is as fabulous as you are!

Day 28: Something that You Miss

Day 28: Something that You Miss.

I can't believe it is Day 28!  I've missed a few days here and there but mostly I have managed to keep up.  And I'm kind of loving blogging again.

I miss my free day Fridays! For almost two years I had Fridays off and I loved it.. It was my day alone, my day to sleep in, my day to run errands, my day to have lunch alone with Jon, my day to go to the movies with my sisters, and my day to lay in bed and read books all day, stay in my pajamas until noon, and my day to relax..alone!!

It used to bug the kids and really bug Jon that I had a free day and free time without them.  I don't think any of them could appreciate my desire to spend some time without them.  Jon would always ask me what I was going to "do" all day.  It frustrated me to no end, because I'm not the kind of person that has to "do" something every day.  I can spend my day in the house, on the couch, or doing nothing at all and not feel bad about it.  Jon is not one of those people.  A day spent sitting around is a day wasted to him.  With that kind of logic, I wasted a whole lot of Fridays.. and what I wouldn't give to waste them all again!!

Day 27: A Problem You Have or Have Had in the Past.

Day 27: A Problem You Have or Have Had in the Past.

I can think of a couple but I'm going to go with Money Management.  It's a problem most of us have but most recently I feel my control of our money situation slipping away. It seems just when we take 2 steps forward towards making things better, we get knocked 3 steps back.  It's no secret I work 2 jobs right now.  I sort of feel like a broken record about it.  I decided to do it because the job that came along paid really well for a part time job and it was something I already knew and loved doing so I jumped at it.  We were in the process of buying our house at the time and I knew the extra money would come in handy. 

So many people said once you start making that kind of money, you will grow into it and always need it.  I'm sort of afraid that has come true.  We can pay all our bills and live without it, but we would be paycheck to paycheck again and while I thought we would be using the part time money to pay off some of our debt, that just hasn't happened.  It has gone to so many other things instead.  Some things we needed..some we didn't. 

Our priorities pretty much suck.  I have been hoarding money to pay for a new roof for my house.  Something we knew we would need when we moved in, but now I have discovered that money is going to have to go to pay the thousands of dollars in taxes we owe this year.  Yes..thousands.  Because although we have a house and the kids to claim now we make "too much money" and didn't pay enough throughout the year..so there goes my roof money.. It's a viscous cycle.  The extra money I earned to help us out has now caused us to owe so much more.

I'm really not sure how to gain control again, or any perspective on it right now. I feel pretty doomed to work 2 jobs for the rest of my life.  I don't see a raise in my near future, and in actuality I will soon be making as much an hour at job 2 as I do at job 1.  Jon's job is pretty stagnant.  Things aren't getting cheaper, and never will.  The kids cost more the older they get, not less.   I know money and bills will be a problem to face until the day we die but I would just like to worry less about them and be able to enjoy life just a little more than working 2 jobs has to offer.

Happy Birthday Jon!!

Happy 35th Birthday to the Love of My Life!

In honor of your birthday I thought I would share some things I love about you.

I love the passion and dedication you have for all things you are involved in.

I love that you can fix stuff that I have no idea how to!

I love your Sheldon laugh. :)

I love that you put gas in my car when I am too lazy to do it.

I love that we have been together for 20 years now.

I love that you are never afraid to tell me and the world how much you love me.

I love that you are an amazing father and a great example to our children.

I love this beautiful home and family that we have created together.

I love that you still need me for so many things. (or at least let me think that you do!)

I love that you still try to tell me dumb stories from when you were younger that I have already heard 100 times.  Half of them that I was there for!

I love that we share the same goals and work towards the same future.

I love that there is no one in the world I would ever want to be with!

Happy Birthday.. Here's to many more!!

Day 25: If You had 1,000,000 To Spend, How Would You Spend It?

Day 25: If You had 1,000,000 To Spend, How Would You Spend It?

I would quit my part time job first thing!  I would probably keep my full time job, or find a part time job I loved, like at the library.. A million bucks doesnt last as long as it used to.

I would pay off our house and all our bills.  I would set aside all the money it would take to put my children through college at any school of their choice.

I would give to my family and close friends what they need to be comfortable and not have to worry.

I would like to donate some of it.  Probably to the JDRF, Juvenile Diabetes Relief Fund and to Make-A-Wish first. 

I'd hire a personal trainer/chef to whip my family into shape!

Take my family on a fabulous vacation.  Like that Atlantis resort in the Bahamas.

The rest I would invest.  Save it for a comfortable retirement, to spend on my grandchildren, to travel with Jon to so many places.

Just simple plans..  Nothing too extravagant just things to make me and those around me happy.

Day 25: Someone Who Fascinates You and Why

Day 25: Someone Who Fascinates You and Why:

So my kids are probably who probably fascinate me most but today I'm just going to write about one.
(Sorry Kelz)

Cody. CodeMan. or as I often just call him..The Boy.

From day one I have always been amazed by him. As a baby he was a terror and never slept but as he started to grow older there was so much going on with him that made me wonder what was going on inside his little head, you see Cody has always been a little obsessive, to put it mildy, and we have seemed to always encourage that obsession when we can.

When he was 3 he was fascinated with all things trains and we would follow trains all over the valley for him and he could name every train in Thomas's yard.  When he was 4 you could tell him a car number and he could tell you the NASCAR driver who drove it. He always had a great imagination and would play with his toys for hours (this was before Playstation came into his life)  He had a Batman and a Scooby Doo beanie baby that he would throw in the air to land on his fan in his room so when he turned it on, they could fly! He would wear his Star Wars pajamas with his Batman cape, two different colored mittens and his snow boots and run all over my house!  He had an imaginary friend that I can't for the life of me remember his name..maybe it was Steve?  He went everywhere with us..one day we left Steve in the basket at Smith's and Cody was so devestated that we had to go back for him.
UPDATE: The imaginary friends name was Mike..  It was the fish named Steve..what was I thinking?

At age 5 he started Soccer and played several years of that, both indoor and outdoor. Then Basketball at age 6, and Football at age 8, and Lacrosse at age 12. While it took a while for his athletic ability to catch up with what he knew in his head he has always excelled with a ball in his hand.  He has natural athletic ability that I only wish I could take credit for.  Give him a ball and tell him to run and you'll never catch him.  How does that happen?  Are we really related?  He is driven in ways I've never seen in a kid his age.  He currently works out about 4 hours a day with Football stuff during school and Lacrosse stuff after.  I could never maintain that schedule. And he never ever complains.

As a little kid you always knew if Cody was happy or sad or mad.  His every mood was always written on his face.  As a teenager he is so much harder to read.  He hides out in his room a lot.  He discloses very little personal information unless questioned.  Sometimes I feel like a stranger is living in our house with us.  With Kellie it's so much easier. She's an open book.. but The Boy...?  The boy is a little more mysterious..a little more complex, so much more intense..all of which is what fascinates me the most.

Day 24: Your Favorite Movie and What It's About

Day 24: Your Favorite Movie and What It's About

I don't know that I have a favorite movie but if you asked Jon he would probably tell you that it is Hope Floats. I love Sandra Bullock and I think Harry Connick Jr is quite yummy. 

When a high school beauty queen is cheated on by her husband and best friend who exposes it on a reality TV show,  Birdie and her daughter Bernice come back home to to Texas to live with her crazy mother and nephew and meets up with a man from her past, Justin Matisse.  You'll laugh..you'll cry.  Yes it's a sappy romantic movie but something about it makes me want to watch it over and over again.

Something I just noticed.. Bernice, the daughter from Hope Floats is now an actress on
one of my favorite TV shows, Parenthood.

Bernice

Amber

Hmmmm...small world.

Day 23: Post 5 Pictures of Famous People You Find Attractive

Day 23: Post 5 Pictures of Famous People You Find Attractive:



Bradley Cooper..  Amazing eyes..and hair!



Christian Slater..in his bad boy 'Heathers' day.



Dane Cook..  Goofy with a great sense of humor..and Hot!!



Brady Quinn.. Quarterback and..  his picture says it all!



Alexander Skarsgard..Better knows as Eric Northman..  He can bite me anytime!! 



Day 22: How Have You Changed in the Past 2 years.

Day 22: How Have You Changed in the Past 2 years.

I would say my biggest change happened about 2 1/2 years ago when I applied for my current position at work and got it!  It was something I wanted really bad but I didn't realize how much it would change my life.  I dispatched for over 9 years and 8 1/2 of those were on graveyard shift.  I worked every weekend, every holiday and I loved it!  It was definitely who I was.  When I accepted my new position, with my fancy title of E-911 Office Facilitator, my schedule was thrown into total upheaval and I packed my bags and went to day shift.. something I thought I would hate more than anything.  And to be honest, I am not a day shift person.  I could go back to graves with no problem at all. But I love my job and I love the people I get to work with now, people I have grown to know and love so well. and I could never go back at this point.

At the same time I was promoted I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, and that sort of sent me into a tailspin.  I was and am scared of this diagnosis but I try not to let it define me, and not think of it as a death sentence..  What has changed with that is I try to be more conscious of what I eat and try to work out and really try to take my medications, even though they tend to make me really sick.

In the past two years we moved from the house we lived in for 5 years and took a leap and bought our own home.  Granted we are second time home owners but this felt really different this time.  And really scary for me.  It was a good decision all around and I love my new home, now that it feels like home and I can see us here for a very long time.

I have had to learn to let go of my kids some so they can grow and become the people they were meant to be. 

I have changed my idea of where I want to be career wise and have decided to let nothing and no one get in my way.  I have a great boss that recognizes my abilities and is willing to teach me and help me get where I want to go.

But mostly I haven't changed where it matters..I know more than ever that family is everything. And while I love my whole extended family, I mean more of our little family of four.  They are my world and everything I do, I do with them in mind.

Day 21: One of Your Favorite TV Shows

Day 21: One of Your Favorite TV Shows:

Sorry, Colleen..we have the same... Bazinga!!

My favorite show is The Big Bang Theory!

I love how hilarious this show is and I love Sheldon, but I honestly think Leonard is my favorite character though.  We watched several seasons on Netflix and now look forward to it every week.  We all watch it as a family and there is nothing funnier than my kids and Jon trying to imitate Sheldon's laugh. Sheldon was in the new Muppets movie and we were all so excited when he came on.

I also especially love the Vanity Cards that flash at the end of every episode. The writer Chuck Lorre writes these random thoughts that come up at the end of all his shows. Waiting for these are almost as good as the show itself.

  CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS, Vanity Card #184

Don't fall for a woman who has had sex with one of your rock n'roll heroes.
No matter how emotionally evolved you think you are,
you will never enjoy listening to Eric Clapton again.
Don't lurk around web sites where people comment about
your work unless you're drunk.

Don't use emoticons. You're too old to communicate
like a twelve-year old girl.

Don't forget that you are the product of a culture that went
stark raving mad about ten thousand years ago.
Adjust your thinking accordingly.

Don't answer TV critics questions about the state of TV comedy.
It's a trap.

Don't eat anything bigger than your head.
True in the sixties, true today.

Don't believe that crap that you're as young as you feel.
Your feelings lie.

Don't hug men while shaking their hand. Enough already with that.
The shake/hug (shug?) is probably something Roman guys
did when their empire was in decline.

Day 20: How Important You Think Education Is.

Day 20: How Important You Think Education Is.

Dumb question if you ask me.  Education is so important to me.  I did pretty well in school, and to be honest I never really had to try very hard.  I love learning, and reading and thinking.  I love a challenge and learning things I don't already know.  In school I was lazy though so I would really like to go back to school one day and do all the things I never got a chance to do.

I want my kids to go to college!  I know it's expensive but I will do whatever it takes to get them there.  I hope they both go straight from high school right into college with no question.  Once you stop school it seems really hard to get back into it.  I will support whatever they want to be in life but I just don't think you can get there anymore without an education.  There are so many limits on people without a degree.  And while sometimes I do agree that it is just a piece of paper..that piece of paper can open so many doors that are closed to those who don't have one.

Day 19: Your Biggest Regret in Life.

Day 19: Your Biggest Regret in Life.

Wow.  That's so hard.  There are things I would certainly change but if I did I wouldn't be where I am today.

I wish I could say this!

I probably would have gone to college and put off getting married and having kids for a few more years but then I may not have the family I have today. Which is something I would never give up for anything.

I regret not taking full advantage of my time in school.  I look back now and there is so much more I wish I would have done.  I encourage my kids to get involved in everything they can so they can look back and not have to say "I wish I would have..."

I regret not doing something about our exercise and eating habits sooner because it's so much harder to take it off than it is to put it on. I don't want my daughter to struggle like I have, and as the Mom I think the burden of nutrition falls mostly to me.

I have several more regrets that I'm just not willing to put out there to the world, so I will say that I regret doing the things I have done that caused pain to those I love the most. Family and friends are everything and I hate knowing I have caused hurt to those people I care about most. That is my biggest regret.

Day 18: A Book You Could Read Over and Over Again and Never Get Sick Of.

Day 18: A Book You Could Read Over and Over Again and Never Get Sick Of.

This will be hard. I read so many books but I do not re-read books ever. I can't, there are so many books I always have waiting to read that there just isn't time.  So here are a few that I just love, in no particular order.

Game of Thrones series.  My current favorite.  These books take a while to get into. And I tried to read them a few times before I actually got into them.  It took seeing the show on HBO in order to actually picture the people in my head enough to keep them straight.  I highly recommend them.  They are quite lengthy (the last one was 1100 pages) and it takes a little work to keep all the characters straight..but so so worth it.  My favorite character is Daenerys Targaryen or the Khaleesi..(which is basically another word for Queen).  I love her. 

The Khaleesi

I tend to read books in series so another of my favorite is by author Patricia Cornwell and her series about Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner.  There are 19 books so far in this series and I just finished the last called Red Mist. I love the voice she writes in and I love all the characters.

Any book written by Jodi Picoult, I highly recommend..Nineteen Minutes (about a school shooting) House Rules, (about a child with Asperger's) and Plain Truth (about an Amish teenager) are just a few.  These books always take a controversial topic and weigh in on both sides.  I loved My Sister's Keeper but hated the fact that they changed the ending in the movie.  I don't know why an author would allow that to happen.

For fun reads I like MaryJanice Davidson and her Betsy the Vampire series and JR Ward and her Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  Both great book series that are fast to read, no thinking required.

I could go on and on...

I like James Patterson's series on the Women's Murder Club.

and Charlaine Harris and her Sookie Stackhouse series. Trueblood on HBO is based on this series.

And...okay I'll stop there.

Day 17: Your Highs and Lows This Past Year

Day 17: Your Highs and Lows This Past Year

Let's go with 2011..

In 2011 we bought a house!  A beautiful big place to grow and raise our family and settle for years house!
It took us six months from the time we decided to buy until we closed and were able to move in but I really found the house of my dreams.  We have enough room for our kids and us and a guest room and an office and to host parties and lots of people!  Sure, it was a tough road to get it and I would never recommend someone buy a Short Sale unless they have all the time and patience in the world.  (Which we didn't..and I don't) But in the end it all worked out.  I would..(and have)..recommend my Realtor Jessica and our Finance people at Academy Mortgage to everyone.  They were awesome.  We have since sent 2 friends to them who have found homes of their own.  Sure we know it needs a new roof, and paint and had a few more problems than we thought it did but it's our home and I wouldn't want any other place right now.

In 2011, my kids started Junior High and High School.  This was a high and a low. I was so excited for them to start new chapters in their lives but I was and am scared for them to go out into this world that I can now protect them from less and less.  Cody played for the Bingham High School football team and had a good season.  Kelz applied to be a SBO like her brother and didn't make it..but applied to be on the school's HOPE squad and did make it.  I love that they get involved.  Cody started driving this year which is one of the scariest things I have ever known.  Not that he is a bad driver, more that anything can happen out there on the road. 

In 2011, I've learned that my friends aren't who I always need them to be. I've lost quite a few friends this year and I'm still struggling to deal with it. I am in such a different place in my life than so many of them.  My kids are mostly grown and I can leave them home and go places without them and so many of my friends are just starting their marriages and having children.  My siblings are so different in age from myself that the same will happen there soon as well. My friends have been my family for so many years that I'm struggling a bit to find where I fit in.  I spent my time at home on weekends and my time with crying babies and diapers and while I'm excited for them, it's just not who we are anymore.  I know part of it is that we started so much earlier than everyone else, but I think we have changed who we are too.  I met some new friends this year, friends I hope to get closer to one day.  I've had to go outside my comfort zone and branch out a bit but I'm hoping I find a place where I am happy. 

In 2011, I have ignored my health and health problems for so long that they have caught up with me some. I ended up with bronchitis four times and pneumonia once, and multiple illnesses in between. That is a scary place to be for me. I catch everything that goes around work and comes home and I get it worse and longer than anyone else.  Definitely a low.

In 2011, I started a second job at UTA Police. We needed the money to get into the house and now sadly we need the money to make ends meet. I work 2 ten hour shifts there, bringing my weekly total to 60 hours.  It's a struggle for sure.  I like the work and have finally made friends with the people there, and the money is awesome. I don't mind being there but I am very resentful of the time it takes from my family, and any alone time I used to have.  It has also taken a huge toll on my health as of late so we have had to reevaluate our priorities and expenses so I can maybe quit one day.

In 2011, we added another dog to our home.  Yes we already had 3 dogs, but what the hell, let's add one more.  Cooper came along and he's added a lot of fun and love to our house but he brought some problems too. None of the other dogs love him so we have had to make adjustments to keep him alive. He has some eye problems that cost us a fortune to treat.  He eats carpet, and iPhone and Nook cords and shoes and just about everything. But he is family and we love him.

One constant this year has always been Jon and the kids. They are my world and we all have our highs and lows but at the end of the day we ge through them together and that's what matters to me most.

Day 16: Your View on Mainstream Music.

Day 16: Your View on Mainstream Music.


I love all different kinds of music.  I usually have my stereo tuned to a top 40 station. Or satellite to the 'Today's Hits' station.  I like a lot of the new music that comes out. I like listening to the same music my kids do, so we can sing in the car together, and have something to talk about.

I'm not a huge Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez or Miley Cyrus fan, but I recognize that each generation has their own set of "musicians" that the kids go crazy over. Like my generation loved New Kids on the Block and several other boy bands. And usually they fade out as quickly as they become popular.

I love that iTunes is around so instead of having to buy an entire CD to get one song you can pick and choose what you want to hear and I can get all sorts of new songs as well as songs I loved from when I was younger. I love that music has the ability to make you feel and remember and make you think that a song is written just for you.

So I guess my view is that most of mainstream music is pretty good, I don't mind it and if I don't like it..I can always change the station!

Day 15: Write 15 Interesting Facts about Yourself.

Day 15: Write 15 Interesting Facts about Yourself.

Okay...

1. I currently work 2 jobs, 60 hours a week.  It's sort of killing me but I like both jobs quite a bit, I just don't like not having any time to myself.

2. I am the first-born child (I refuse to say oldest).  I have two sisters (23, 21) and one brother (21). I was an only child until I was 11.

3. I have three tattoos and I love them and can't wait to get more.

4. I graduated, got married and had Cody all in the same year.  Actually all in four months.

5. I would wear flip-flops year round if I could.  I hate shoes, and I really hate socks.

6. I have had type 2 Diabetes for almost 3 years now. I take 7 pills a day.

7. I worked graveyard shift for 10 years and I loved it. I would give almost anything to work it again.

8. I would rather read a book than do almost anything.

9. I have always had more guy friends than girls. 

10. I'm a list maker.  I always have 3 or 4 going at a time.

11. I am really considering go back to school.

12. My kids are my number one priority and I think that's how it should be for any parent.

13. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

14. I had straight hair until I got pregnant with my daughter, then it went curly and gets curlier every year.

15. Jon and I will hit 20 years together this year. I would be totally lost without him.

Day 14: Your Earliest Memory

Day 14: Your Earliest Memory

Hmm.. this is a hard one.  I remember being pretty young when the family dog (probably more my Uncle's dog) Spot died, he lived at my Grandma's house and I spent quite a bit of time over there and someone came to the door to tell us that they had found him and he was laying in the street, maybe hit by a car.  We went out and got him and carried him inside and layed him in the corner on a blue blanket and sorta just watched him die.  It was so sad and I remember crying for days.  My Mom said for months after that I would say I could see Spot's eyes watching us from Heaven.

And I remember making bread with my Grandma.  For as long as I can remember she made bread every weekend when I was growing up and I was always there so I always helped by putting 7 cups of flour into a bowl.  That's all I remember..7 cups. 

Those are probably the most vivid memories I have from when I was younger...  I wonder why we can't ever remember more.

Day 13: Somewhere You Would Like to Move or Visit.

Day 13: Somewhere You Would Like to Move or Visit.

I haven't ever travelled much but some of my favorite places are on the beach in Alabama, visiting California, and playing VEGAS!!!  I have been to Washington DC twice and loved it there!   I would like to visit New York City and more places back East. Would love to travel outside the country as well.. London and Paris sound delicious!

If I was to move anywhere it would be Vegas.  I love everything about Vegas!  No snow..Hot summers..  Busy night life but still places to live outside Vegas that are safe and clean.  More open minded people than in Utah.  I don't know that I could ever leave my family, however.  My kids are so close to my parents and my siblings that if we did move I would have to wait until the kids got older.  And by then who knows where my kids will live.  I hope they choose to stay close but I know Utah is so limited in what it has to offer and I just feel like they are bigger than that.  I can see Cody moving somewhere else but I'm pretty sure Kelz will stay put and choose to raise her family close to where her Dad and I are.  (I keep telling myself that they both won't ever leave!)

So for the foreseeable future..we are here to stay!

Day 12: Bullet Your Whole Day

Day 12: Bullet Your Whole Day

* Alarm goes off at 0600.  Hit Snooze.
* Alarm goes off at 0608.  Hit Snooze.
* Alarm goes off at 0616.  Hit Snooze.
* Alarm goes off at 0624. Finally get out of bed.
* Check on Kelz to see if she is up only to have her tell me she does not get up until 0632. why 32? I have no idea.
* Put Cooper outside.
* Talk to Cody to make sure he has all his stuff for his new classes
* Check computer to see if Cody's schedule has updated for the new semester that starts today.  It hasn't.
* Grab Cooper and go back to bed because we are freezing!
* 640..Phone rings...  Cody asks if I will do him a favor.  I say yes.  He says he locked his keys in his car. I say okay, someone will come unlock his car for him.  Is the car running, Jon asks?  Yes.  The car is running. Sigh.  Not a good start to any Monday.
* Jon goes to rescue the Boy. I reluctantly get in the shower.
* 0720..ready to leave. Late as usual. Packing my lunch.  Drop a container of peaches on the ground.  Peaches break all over my newly mopped floor.  Clean up half-assed.  Think to myself.. that's gonna be sticky later!
* Drive to work. It's Monday.  Traffic sucks. Shoulda got up earlier. Shoulda left earlier.  Hell..shoulda just stayed in bed.
* Arrive at work. Late. Find my door open..  Why is this?  My door is typically locked.
* Find my papers.  Very important papers all over my office.  Pictures knocked over.  Things missing..  Most importantly my chair is missing.  Someone is gonna die!
* Find a note indicating that the office was extremely hot so they opened my window causing a hurricane effect to take place inside my office.  Replied via email to note left.  I was as nice as I could be.
* Vented about missing chair and papers to everyone in the vicinity.
* 0831.. Recieved a text message asking if I was having a come apart in my office due to the amount of complaining taking place. My reply..yes!
* 0845..Realize I forgot my water bottle.  Make due with plastic water bottle I left in my car.
* Brought Oatmeal for breakfast..  Oatmeal is sick.  Decided not to eat it.
* 0855..Called Jon to vent about missing chair and state of office.  Felt better when he commiserated with me.
*0900.. Called Taylor at UWI to tell him Uniforms were finally approved.  Was disappointed to hear he already knew.
*0930..Explained payroll and time off to our 3 new hires. They all seem fairly bright.
* 1014..Sent email to Taylor updating changes with office Uniforms.
*1030.. Began making changes to Payroll
*1031..Checked Facebook..haha!!
*1040..Having found nothing exciting on FB, I prowl the local blogs for something exciting.. Nothing found.
*1050..Start Payroll again.
*1100.. Is it lunch yet?
*1125.. Still not lunch.
*1145.. Lunch time!  Left over pulled pork sandwich..container of peaches, not the ones I broke, container of oranges..frozen Cauliflower.
*1230.. Email written authorization for Uniforms to Taylor at UWI.  Woohoo! Huge relief..
*1235..Back to Payroll.
*1307..Jon calls.  Checking in at lunch..nothing new to report.
*1350. Recieve annoying phone call.  Spend 10 minutes on phone and 20 minutes resolving the problem.
*1351. Annoyed!
*1420..Back to Payroll.  I hate Payroll Mondays.
*1455..Boy calls...is home from school.  Updates on new semester classes. Discuss what he needs to wear to Lacrosse practice, and what he needs to eat. Discuss not locking keys in car again.
*1511. Kelz calls..is home from school..  Great day!  Good classes. Sitting by friends.  Has math homework.
*1515..Is it time to go home yet?
*1656..There is snow.  We're outta here!
*1750..An hour to get home. My commute sucks.
*1800.. In my pajamas for the night!
*1815..Make soup and grilled for dinner.
*1835..Doing some laundry
*1900..The Bachelor time..  These girls are lame-o!
*2123..Wrapping up for the night.  Jon still isn't home.  Kids are getting ready for bed. More laundry then a book till lights out at 2300.

Night All!

Day 11: Put Your iPod on Shuffle and Write the First 10 Songs That Pop Up!

Day 11: Put Your iPod on Shuffle and Write the First 10 Songs That Pop Up!

This could get embarrasing..

1. A Letter to Elise by The Cure

2. The Way I Am by Eminem

3. The Climb by Miley Cyrus

4. RingFinger by Nine Inch Nails

5. One Thing by Finger Eleven.

6. Beautiful Mess by Diamond Rio

7. Why Georgia by John Mayer

8. Tommy the Cat by Primus

9. Grown Men Don't Cry by Tim McGraw

10.  Clumsy by Fergie


I think they speak for themselves.  I love all different kinds of music!

Day 10: Your Guilty Pleasure (Or Pleasures)

Day 10: Your Guilty Pleasure (Or Pleasures)

First thing that comes to mind is My Bed.. I LOVE my bed! I just wish we weren't kept apart so much.  We have a king size bed and it's really very comfortable.  I would be in it all the time if I could. I love taking naps and I love just laying in my bed reading.

Time Alone.  I always feel guilty when I want some time alone, I love my family but there are times I just want 20 minutes to myself.  20 quiet minutes to myself.

Coke Slurpees:  Again with these I know.  I feel guilty because I love them so much and shouldn't have them at all.  They just make me feel so much better about things.

My iPhone.  It was pretty pricey and definitely more of a WANT than a NEED.  But I love my phone, probably bordering on obsessed.  I don't go anywhere without it!

And finally.. Trash TV:  I'll admit to watching a few reality shows... My favorites are 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom 2 and The Bachelor/Bachelorette.   I love watching the train wreck that is trash TV!

Day 9: If You Could Have Any Job In The World, What Would It Be?

Day 9: If You Could Have Any Job In The World, What Would It Be?

I always wanted to be a teacher.  And I think I would have been pretty good at it, I wanted to teach English in either Middle School or High School.  I wanted to be the yearbook and school newspaper advisor like my very favorite teacher in school was.  I think that one day I might go to school and try and get a teaching certificate and try to pursue this dream.  But I feel like it is something that will have to wait until my kids have both graduated themselves.

 I love to learn and I love to read and I would like to inspire this love in someone else.  Teachers my kids have now just don't seem the same as I had growing up. In High School I developed relationships with a few of my teachers, they knew who I was on a very personal level.  It seems most teachers now just don't care anymore, pass or fail, the kids are just another kid to them.  It's kind of sad the state our Education system is in.  It's all about the money, and there just isn't ever enough to go around.  We should be investing in our countries future leaders, not cutting corners and dollars from their education.  I would love to be able to leave the same sort of lasting impression on some kids that was left on me. 

So that's what I want to be when I grow up!

Day 8: A Moment When You Felt Most Satisfied With Your Life.

Day 8: A Moment When You Felt Most Satisfied With Your Life.

This one is hard for me.  I feel like I am always looking for more out of life and I'm not sure I ever stop to appreciate what I really have.  So I can't think of one major moments but I did think of a few small ones.

The first time I held my son in my arms.  I was young, I was scared, but the second I was handed this crying baby and I looked at him for the first time and spoke my first words to him and he stopped crying and looked up at me, and he was so amazing and so perfect, I felt like he was everything I had been waiting for in my life.

The day we signed on our first house I remember thinking that we had made it, that we were finally adults and we had something that was just ours and a place to build our family and room to grow.  As I got older I realized home isn't a building it's more a feeling no matter where you make it, but that day we signed our lives away for the first time I remember thinking, this is what life is all about.

The day my daughter was born.  I had a boy and a girl!  Everything anyone could ever want.  I had a mini-me that I could mold and shape into everything I wanted her to be. She was beautiful and made every part of our family complete.  She added the finishing touches!

Those are the major ones, the smaller moments come when we are all sitting on the couch at home watching a movie together, the inside jokes we share just the four of us.  The times my kids would come home from school and lay on my bed together and tell me all about their days at school and just talk and talk.  The nights Jon and I get in bed with our boys (Cooper and Toby) and stalk all night about our hopes and dreams for the future and what it will be like when it's just the two of us. 

So mostly it's the little things in life that make me the most satisfied!

Day 7: Your Favorite Childhood Toys

Day 7: Your Favorite Childhood Toys

I was an only child until I was 11 years old. Playing with toys is just no fun when you are all alone.  I had a lot of toys but I just didn't really play with them much.  I had Cabbage Patch Kids, but they just sat on my bed.  I had Barbies and Barbie Clothes and Barbie Cars but I would pull them out and organize them a bit, maybe change their clothes some but for the most part I wasn't really interested.  My earliest toys I can remember were Stompers and PlayMobil.  I was never much into dolls or girly toys. When I was little you had to use your imagination and make all the sounds and actions for your toys.  Now toys can do everything themselves..where is the fun in that??  We are raising a generation with no imagination or creativity.  And one that is so obsessed by video games that "playing" has become obsolete.  How sad.

My passion from about 5 years old on was books.  I could read forever.  I would read the same series and the same books over and over.  I became part of the books and the characters became my family.  Much as I do today I would rather have a book to read than a TV to watch or someplace to shop, and I would definitely choose reading a book over anything on the Internet. 

Would I choose reading over my iPhone?  hmmmm..  I won't answer that!

Day 6: Your Zodiac Sign and If You Think it Fits Your Personality.

Day 6: Your Zodiac Sign and If You Think it Fits Your Personality.

I'm a Scorpio and pretty sure I'm true to the sign.  I'm stubborn, and like things my way. I don't ever like to admit when I am wrong and will fight to the death when I believe I am right.  I am fiercely protective of my friends and family, and have little respect for those who aren't the same. I make friends or I make enemies.  There is rarely ever an in between. 

A True Scorpio is:
Scorpios are fiercely independent. They are able to accomplish anything they put their mind to and they won't give up. They like to be in control.
Relationships with Scorpio are always complicated, just like the person, their relationships are a series of extremes, they can even be downright moody for no apparent reason. Scorpios are known for their possessiveness and jealousy but on the other hand, they are extremely loyal. Scorpios have an excellent memory and combined with an inability to let things go, they can hold a grudge against someone who did them harm forever, in fact a Scorpio rarely if never forgives and forgets. They will even go as far as get vengeance on the person. On the other hand, they will always remember a kind gesture forever and repay it. Any kind selfless gesture done to a Scorpio will gain trust and respect which is extremely important to them in any relationship, either romantic or not. Their truthful and shocking sense of humor if different than that of any other zodiac sign and the Scorpio makes an amazing, powerful interesting friend that can be trusted.

Scorpios are all about control, they need to be in control at all times. To be out of control is very threatening, even dangerous to the Scorpio's psyche, when they control, they feel safe. Scorpios are very emotional, their emotions are intensified, both good emotions and bad. Scorpios are intense and passionate lovers. Negative emotions of jealousy and resentment are hallmarks of this turbulent astrology sign. On the other side, Scorpios are well known for their forceful and powerful drive to succeed and their amazing dedication. Scorpios are constantly trying to understand their emotions through finding a deeper purpose in life.

Scorpios have a fear of failure which they keep hidden extremely well, should their confrontation not be successful, or their career fail, they will simply use their adaptive skill to quickly move and and leave the bad experience behind. Do not ever expect them to fess up or share their tale with anyone however because this shows signs of weakness and Scorpio always wins, they are always the self-proclaimed best!
Scorpios are very weary about trusting anyone, a person needs to gain their trust and this gets built up over time and once all the 'trust tests' have been passed, Scorpio loves deeply and intensely. Underneath the cool exterior, energies and emotions are constantly flowing but the Scorpio deals with this by channeling this into useful activities, hobbies, relationships or a career.

So there are a lot of people in my family that are Scorpios.  My Dad, my Grandma, myself and Cody.  My Dad and I very much embody most of what is said about Scorpios.  As I was growing up we struggled quite a bit because neither one of us is ever willing to admit when we were wrong.  We are stubborn to a fault.  My Cody doesn't seem to fit any of these traits, he is pretty passive and mellow.  My Grandma is probably somewhere in between.

Jon is an Aquarius.  I found this about our astrological match: 

SCORPIO and AQUARIUS: - Why bother. This will never work due to the Aquarian's need for freedom and your need to possess. Your values, ethics and approach to life are just too different.

Kinda funny!  My parents are an Aquarius/Scorpio match as well.  And while I've know us all to have spectacular fights, we also seem to have what it takes to compromise with each other well enough to make our marriages last this long.  Maybe those born under an Aquarius sign just have a lot of patience!!

Day 5: Your Favorite Comfort Foods and Why.

Day 5: Your Favorite Comfort Foods and Why.

So I think most my comfort foods come from growing up.  I love things I can remember from my childhood. My #1 of all time is my Grandma's rolls.  I love homemade bread!  And I can eat a million of them.  I used to watch her make them every week growing up and they were always the best.  She adds a dash of this and something new every time and they always look and taste wonderful!!  We hosted the Elmen's this year for Thanksgiving and the first thing my Mother-in-Law asked was if I would have my Grandma's bread there..  They are that good!

I also love homemade chicken noodle soup.  With real noodles.  I don't care what else is in it so long as there are a million noodles in there. Whenever I'm sick I always call my Grandma and whine a bit until she offers to make me some.  Works every time!

I know it's not a comfort food but one thing that always makes me feel better is a Coke Slurpee.  They are so so bad for me with all the sugar they have. But, morning or night, even in the winter, there is nothing that improves my spirit more than a Slurpee does!

I love the traditional macaroni and cheese and especially mashed potatoes and baked potatoes.  Basically anything with a million carbs in it! I wonder why those are always typical comfort foods?

Mmmm...delicious!  I'm hungry now!

Day 4: Your Views on Religion

Day 4: Your Views on Religion

Wow.  Isn't this a touchy subject!  So the following are my opinions only.  Don't judge.

I'm a baptized Mormon.  I've also periodically tried to be an active, participating, tithe paying member of the LDS church and for right now at this point in my life I have decided it just isn't for me.  I'm a spiritual person, I believe in God, but I don't necessarily believe he/she is Mormon, or Catholic, or even Baptist or Buddhist.  I believe in a higher power, but I'm just not sure what that is yet.

I have my issues with the LDS church, not so much the religion itself but with some of the people.  I've never been someplace where I have felt more unwelcome in my life. Someplace where I felt worse when I left than I did when I got there.  And made to feel that way by people who try to pride themselves on their giving and welcoming nature.  These people welcomed Cody, and Jon too.  But the women?  Some of the most judgemental people I have ever met in my life.  I understand this to be a wide-spread not just a singular problem within the church.  On the other side of that I can't stand the mentality of some people in this state that all things related to the LDS church as bad or evil.  The church does so much for so many, and would help even those people that hate if they ever needed it. They create beautiful churches and amazing temples to provide their members with wonderful places to worship.  They do great things for their youth, especially for the boys, and I think they mean well, I just think things start to go wrong when your people, specifically your people in charge, start interpreting and enforcing things based on their own moral beliefs and feelings instead of by the nature in which they were intended.

My son has decided he wants to go on a Mission. He decided this on his own, no influence from us.  In actuality we probably have encouraged him against it..strongly.  But he won't be swayed.  Never before have I seen a child who willingly gets up and goes to church, alone.  He sits alone, sometimes a stray family will take him in, but for the most part in his new church he is a row of 1.  He lives what he believes and is very pure in what he wants.  And at the end of the day what I say to him, is the same I say to everyone else about him, we have supported Cody in everything he has ever wanted to do up until now, and we will continue to support him if he decides to go on a mission.  He has the kind of faith in his religion that I've rarely if ever seen before. While most people I talk to have to beg, drag or coerce their children his age into going to church, I have my guilt to face about sending him alone.

Are other religions any better??  Maybe.  In all honesty I've never really looked into any of them.  Never had much interest in religion other than my few previous bad experiences.  I believe in a God that is loving and kind, a God that never gives you more than you are strong enough to handle.  A God that would never keep me from my family or friends in any sort of an 'After Life' (if there is one) because I didn't pay enough money to his designated church while on Earth, or because I didn't jump through all the necessary hoops to go through his temple, hoops that, in my opinion, seem to change based on each person, and their ability to pay, and/or in most cases their ability to lie their way in. The God I believe in would welcome everyone, regardless of who they are and what they have done in life.

But that's just my opinion.