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.

Day 3: Your Top 5 Pet Peeves

Day 3: Your Top 5 Pet Peeves

1.  I don't know why but the sound of someone clipping their fingernails sends me over the edge!!!  I hate the little clicking sound over and over again.  I don't seem to mind it when I do it but hearing Jon or the kids is really annoying.  So much so that Jon now avoids even doing it when I am around.  However, the people at work seem to have picked it up and have started doing it while sitting outside my office door.  You would think they have 45 fingers each hand for how long it takes them to get it done!

2. People who don't answer their phone or text you back when you know they carry their phone in their hands or their pockets like the world will end if they can't check it every second. Ok, I get it, you're busy.  I send you a text or call you while you are in the middle of something, you can't answer right away fine..oh but wait..did you just update your Facebook status from your phone?  Clearly I called you or text you for a reason..would a reply have killed you??

3. People who chew with their mouths open.  Ewww.

4. Selfish people. It doesnt kill you to go out of your way for people. And when someone goes out of their way for you..say thank you!!  Give back more than you take, one small gesture can mean the world to someone else. 

5. Traffic!  My commute makes me cranky.  45 minutes to work and easily an hour to get home.  And that is with minimal problems.  Add snow or rain or an accident and it could be 6:30pm before I get home.  I spend almost 2 hours a day in my car on the road.  Time away from my family.  Time I'd rather spend sleeping!  :)

Day 2: Where You'd Like to Be in 10 Years.

Day 2: Where You'd Like to Be in 10 Years.

The first thing that came to my mind for this topic was Healthy!  I don't want to be sitting around thinking I really need to do something to fix where I'm at.  I don't want to still be taking 8 pills a day.  I don't want to get really sick once a month and not be able to bounce back.  And I really don't want to worry about living to see my kids get married and have babies of their own!  So I'm hoping in 10 years I'm at a place that I can look back to today and say to myself.  "I'm so glad you turned things around."

In 10 years I hope to be financially secure.  I'd like to have our debt seriously under control.  I want to feel comfortable that we are on the right track to retirement and not worry about every dollar we spend.

I'd like to be happy in my job.  Whatever that job may be.  Even if it is the same job I am in now I want to enjoy my time at work more than I dread it.

I hope my kids are happy, healthy, secure, successful adults.  They will be 26 and 22 by then.  That's crazy!  I would like to hope that I have raised them and given them what they need to be all of these things. 

Since my kids will be adults, I would like to have some hobbies and projects of my own, things not directly related to what my kids are involved in.  Things just for me.

I want to be able to look back on my life to that point, in 10 years that will 44 years old to be exact, and have more fond memories than regrets.  Count more good times than bad.  And be surrounded with more friends made than lost.

Hope to meet you all there when I get there.

Day 1: Your Current Relationship

Having not blogged for over a year I was excited to find this challenge on a friends's blog and hope to use it as a way to get back into things.  So here goes..

Day 1:  Your Current Relationship



Homecoming 1992



Jon and I started "dating" in 9th grade.  He sat behind me in our journalism class all year and I'll be honest, I didn't really pay him very much attention, he was pretty quiet back then and I wasn't.. One day I was at the mall with my Mom, next to Mrs. Fields to be exact, when Jon walked past and said Hi.  I said Hi back and thought nothing of it until my Mom said, "Why can't you like a boy like that??"  I'm assuming she said that as up to that point I had always liked the boys no parents would ever want you to bring home.  I just rolled my eyes and thought nothing more of it, because at 14 who likes any boy your parents like?
But it must have stuck in my head, because after that I noticed him more and more, and talked to him a little more, and then called him a few times.  (No texting back then!)  We went to our 9th grade promotion together a few weeks later and after that I was hooked! To this day my Mom says she picked her own Son-In-Law.  I'm not sure if she considers that to be a good or a bad thing??

We were 17 and 18 in 1995, the year we graduated, got married and had Cody.  What a scary time that all was and while we were so young and so naive then, I think we have come a long way since. 

We have had some really bad years, and some pretty great ones.  And now I think we have finally settled in a pretty good place.  We respect our differences and capitalize on the things we have in common. And most days we end up on middle ground.  We definitely spend less time fighting and more time talking than we ever have in our lives.  I think we have finally grown up!




My two loves! 

We live in a beautiful home and the bills are paid, and we have good jobs and I think we have it a lot better than most do these days.  We are definitely blessed with two really great kids that keep us busy and going all the time.  Something we wouldn't have any other way.



My favorite Coach!



Cheering with Kelz!



So many couples that get married and have babies so young don't seem to make it, and to be honest there were years (and still times) that I wonder if we will.  But I count myself lucky to say that I am still married to the boy I met at 14.  And so lucky to still be in love with the man he is now 17 years later.  The kids will be gone soon enough, something we talk about more and more, and I don't know where we will be after that.  I always say that we had them when we were young and broke, so that when they are gone we will still be young and have the time and money to enjoy being just us! 



My other half.  Not necessarily my best!  :)



My favorite people on Earth!

So there you have it.  Not so bad for my first time back after quite the hiatus.

See ya soon for Day 2!

30 Day Blog Challenge

I think I might steal this from one of my favorite bloggers and start tomorrow.  We'll see what happens!  I'm ready to make an entrance back into the blogging world.