Christmas Wrap up

So, California . . . you know, that place is rather amazing, in some ways! I mean, we drove an hour north of Riverside, and we were in the freezing cold snow of Lake Arrowhead, in the mountains. If we had driven an hour west, instead, we could have spent a brisk Christmas day on the beach instead! Divers activities within an hour . . . I like that!

Anyway, to the point! The Tippie family invited us to join them for a Christmas getaway - and we accepted! Although we had grandious plans of playing in the snow all day every day that we spent up there, it sort of turned into a comedy of errors! (One that, hopefully, we can all laugh about later, when the wounds have all healed! LOL)

Some of our little group came ill prepared to have more than one change of clothes, much less play in the snow, get wet, and come inside to dry clothes! There was one pair of boots that AT LEAST 5 of us wore,(taking turns, of course!) and my (NOW) famous cheetah print slippers were worn by almost all of the family members, at one time or the other, over the course of 4 days! These are the things that quality memories are made of, people!

There was plenty of good food, Duraflame logs for the fireplace, card games and movies on DVD to keep us all happy, and ALMOST free of cabin fever! Although some of the work-a-holics (cough, cough, Dad, cough, Karalee, cough!) couldn't fathom, and at times even enjoy, just lounging around without a tight schedule to stick to! I had to remind them MORE THAN ONCE of the definition of the word "vacation"! HELLO!!

Without further ado, I present the Christmas photo line-up:
Chase and Richard digging a path to the front door! Yes, it DID take 4 hours to completely clear a way to go. Karalee and DeNeece took turns, also.

While the digging was going on in the front yard, the girls were on the back deck, in the 3.5 feet of snow, building a snowman! I was supervising, and, okay, taking photos! The finished product was beautiful . . . especially considering that NONE of these girls had ever made a snowman before! (It was a little disappointing that there were no carrots available for a nose! And, how 'bout olives for eyes . . . Necessity is the mother of invention, right??? LOL)

We DON'T have the tradition of decorating the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve, but we did this year. My dad's family ALWAYS did it that way, so it was a little taste of Bailey tradition out of necessity.

Kaitlyn was the first one to go to sleep, while we watched a movie. BUT, she woke up later and was one of the last to go to bed before Santa showed up!

Various Christmas morning shots . . . Karalee SWEARS that she did shout the traditional "IT'S A SWEAT-AIR!" (Three Amigos reference!) but nobody else heard it! And, she got 3 sweaters . . . Maybe she was too caught up in the excitement!!

Richard and Chase were really wrestling in that photo, although it looks like they were cuddling. Richard pretty much had chase in a headlock! Any photo that can be captured of someone dominating Chase (His football coach has named him "Manimal" because of his 6'3, 210 lb, 15-year old body!) is worth keeping!

A cute cousins shot . . . don't they look thrilled??? (By the way - there are 10 cousins missing from this photo! Maybe next year, y'all!!)

DeNeece, Bart and Karalee all received the same hand-crafted temple picture from me. Karalee's was waiting at home in AZ - why cart around what I didn't have to, right??

And, finally, DeNeece decided that I need to start collecting teddy bears again, and gave me this mini collection to get started!

Grammy made Christmas Jello - so named because she ONLY makes it on Christmas, because it is a LOT of work! And Grammy and Grumpy with their cute matching shirts . . . Christmas dinner style!

One of our various Christmas night activities . . . we usually do graham cracker houses, but this year we decided to step up the construction with those gingerbread house kits that you can buy! They had fun . . . but the gingerbread, honestly, didn't taste that great! Kinda like those teething cookies, for infants, with a taste of ginger and cinnamon.

Snow photos - playing, working and posing!
And, hot chocolate is a MUST HAVE after playing in the snow! Matt and Daylyn were kind enough to pose for me!

Leisure time photos . . . MaiCee, Kaitlyn, Daylyn and Kayla just posing like cute girls do!

The puzzle - we've done about 6 puzzles, this past year, as a family, and this is ONE of the TWO that we didn't have the last piece missing! WOO HOO!!

Chase likes to be goofy - here he is wearing my neck pillow as a hat . . . Silly Chase!

The Miracle of the Christmas Lasagna

As the Activities Committee chair for my ward, I can tell you that we had been planning for our ward's party since JULY!!! We really wanted it to be successful and fun for everyone; but as little stress for the committee as possible.

I don't remember how we came to the conclusion that we would have lasagna, salad and french bread, but that was the menu that we made (and stuck to!). We half way expected lots of complaints, since it isn't the traditional American holiday meal, but I never heard anyone complain!

Our party was scheduled for December 19th. Judging by last year's party attendance, we were planning on 150 to 180 people, and I was going to buy lasaagnas accordingly. And, we had people sign up to bring bread and salad, so that just left us with the makings for ice cream sundaes, to worry about.

As I said, 4 months worth of planning . . . it was going to go smoothly, if it killed us!! LOL So, we planned to set up on December 18th, so that all we had to do on the 19th was show up and put food on the table. * We had decided to do family style food service. I HATE waiting in a long line for food, at ward parties! Anyway, we set a time to set up tables, etc. with the Elders' Quorum, (some men in our ward) and we were all set to go.

We arrived at the church at the assigned time, only to discover that someone was using the gym for a presentation that evening. They told us that they would be finished by 8 pm, so we could set up tables at that time. Disappointed, we asked the men to come back at 8, and we set to work wrapping the plastic ware in a napkin, with a ribbon tied around them.

8 o'clock rolled around, and the other group was done with their activity. But, none of our helpers could be found! So, the men from the other group helped us instead! That was so kind of them, and we really appreciated the extra hands.

Anyway, the bishop of the other ward, who was there helping us, mentioned that they had 210 people in attendance at their Christmas party. That got me thinking, "wow, maybe we had better plan on that many, too!" I know that sometimes people don't go to any activities all year, but can be found at the Christmas party. So, in setting up tables, we set enough places for 250 people, though we thought we were setting our sights a little high! My theory is, however, "better too much than not enough" and that includes settings for dinner. Who wants to stop eating to set up more tables???

So, the next day I went to Costco and purchased 2 more lasagnas. By my calculations, we would have 216 good sized servings, and if we had to . . . well, I just didn't think about that! So, I arrived at the church at 4 pm, to get 7 lasagnas in ovens there - they take 2 hours to warm up!!

All of the other 17 lasagnas had been divided up, to lovely people in the ward, who agreed to warm them and bring them to the party. (Thanks, Nancy, for thinking of that small detail!!)

As party time arrived, all of the salads, loaves of bread and lasagnas started to arrive. We had planned on one bowl of salad per table, and one loaf of french bread and a pan of lasagna. So we started to get a little stressed about the salad . . . even though a few people brought HUGE bowls of salad, that we divided up into smaller bowls, we were worried that we wouldn't have enough. And, some people hadn't realized that they were supposed to bring their bread to us, sliced, buttered and heated. So much for all the planning for a smooth running party, huh???

15 minutes after start time, one lady came into the kitchen and announced, in a panic, "We need to set up more tables . . . there isn't enough lasagna!" I did my best NOT to panic, and, rather jokingly said, "well, we need to hope for the miracle of the loaves and fishes here, because that is ALL we have!"

After considering, for a moment, how to best deal with that dilemma, I said, "Well, we can just pass pans of lasagna on, when everyone has been dished up! We'll move it to the next table!" One committee member said, "Well, we'll leave that to you!"

At first, I was a little timid about it . . . I mean, how do you politely say, "Could you please hurry up and put some of that on your plate?? We need to move in over to another table!" Ya, crazy, right??? But, after the first 2 or 3 tables, I just jumped right in and started dishing people up. Meanwhile, we had to grab more plates and cups and plasticware for all of the new arrivals. (Let me interject here, by adding that my well-laid plan for music failed - the ipod that I borrowed from my friend, didn't work, after I had taken time to load 4 hours worth of various Christmas songs onto it. That was a bummer! But, someone else ran home, really quick, and got some CDs, so we did have some nice background music!)

Anyway, back to the lasagna! By the time I made sure that the newly arrived guests at least had access to some lasagna, I went back to the kitchen, to see what else we needed. Eventually I did get to sit down, myself, to eat. We had a sweet little nativity story program, by the primary, and then it was time to see Santa Claus and have dessert. I didn't worry about the lasagna anymore, as I felt like there wasn't anything else that I could do!

By the time the party was over, we had SCADS of salad left, and 2 full pans of lasagna left! I know that Heavenly Father truly blessed our efforts, and stretched that food to feed all of us, and then some! Miracles do happen, and I feel so blessed that He blessed our little corner of this vast world with something that He knew that we needed. This was a very humbling experience for me, because I cannot doubt that my Heavenly Father is mindful of what I need.

And, what a nice way to remember the reason for the season, even Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Merry Christmas to all!

And counting!

Okay, the excitement builds . . . only 8 days left! And, usually, by this time of year, I am going a little crazy, because I still have sooooooooooooo many gifts to finish! And, while that is true this year, they ARE getting done, little by little! (And, the ONLY gift that I had to mail, to Colorado, is DONE and mailed -- WOO HOO!!!)

I have vowed to hand-make as many gifts as possible, this year, to make it more meaningful to the receiver (hopefully!) and, I'll be honest, cut down on costs! But, it has been very rewarding for me, I will say! And, it is amazing how creative you can get, if you put your mind to it! Shanna, can I get an "AMEN!"

This ornament, for example, was made for me, last year, by my darling friend, Michelle. (Yes, the same Michelle as http://www.papertherapy.com/!) We loved it last year, and we will love it as long as it decides to stay with us! LOL

Anyway, happy shopping, crafting, wrapping, hiding and enjoying . . . for 8 more days! ♥

Start your "12 Days of Christmas" NOW!!!

I don't really understand, I guess, how to count without a calendar in front of me! I actually had to call my cousin, Tiffany, to ask her WHICH day that I needed to start the "12 days . . ." on! I don't know why it is so hard to calculate for me, but I apparently make it much harder than it has to be!

In past years, I have enjoyed participating in leaving gifts at others' doorsteps, for the "12 days. . . " tradition. And, it has ALWYS been a delightful experience. This year, my wallet is a little under the weather, so I don't get to play that game! But, I also have this group of stories, that I bought at a craft show a few years ago, that I am supposed to read . . . one per day . . . during the "12 days . . . "! So, I get to officially start that tonight! Yippee!! I LOVE Christmas stories!

And one last thought . . . HOW DO I STOP THIS MONTH FROM MARCHING PAST SO QUICKLY??? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!

It's a Jolly Time with Theron . . . ALWAYS!

Okay, this kid SERIOUSLY cracks me up! He always has some random comment that makes you do a double-take and think, "He is only 2, right???"

He picks up on any and every comment, and repeats it for the next five minutes. Or a comment could pop up later, and make everyone laugh their faces off!

Saturday night we were headed to the Chandler Parade of Lights. (It was closer and easier access than the Phoenix parade. But, from what I saw on TV, the Phoenix Parade of lights was worth it. No offense, Chandler.) Anyway, I rode with my brother, Jeremy, and his family, to see the parade. Theron was sitting next to me, in his card seat. He showed me his band-aid on his knee, and was telling me about his owie. He was playing with his band-aid a little, so I reached over and smoothed it down. Then, I just rested my hand on the side of his seat.

He picked up my hand, and stuck my pointer finger in HIS nose! EWWWWWWWW! I said, "Theron, don't pick your nose with my finger!", as I took my hand back. He said, "I pick my nose with my finger . . . " as he proceeded to do so.

I asked him, "Do you need a Kleenex?" He responded with a resounding, "Nope!" and then stuck his finger, newly removed from his nose, into his mouth. DOUBLE EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

I said, "Theron, DON'T eat your boogers!" to which he promptly replied, "But I wanna have a snack!"

I literally threw my head back and laughed at his response! (I believe that his maternal grandfather has said that before . . . I think I was there when he said it!) I said, "Oh my gosh, that was soooooooooooo funny!"

For the next few minutes, he said, "Oh my gosh!" At one point he even said my name, and when I said, "What, Theron?" he said "Oh my gosh!" This boy is a parrot . . . and not always in a good way!! At least he keeps us laughing!

December . . . . It's BAAAAAAACK!

I don't know about anyone else, but December for me is ALWAYS about too many things to do, and not quite enough time to do it all! I wish, on a yearly basis, that I could go without sleep, for just one month of the year, so that I could get more done!

It is only the 5th of December, and I have already stayed up way too late 3 nights of this month! Not a good indicator of how the month will continue!

The only saving grace??? I started my hand-made gifts in October, so I won't be completely bogged down, on Christmas Eve, by all the gifts that I still need to make.

This year is panning out a LOT differently, for me, than years past. I don't get to participate in my own little Christmas tradition of attending "The Forgotten Carols" this year . . . no funds in the budget! And, no work Christmas lunch, this year! Not even any decorations, in the office, because nobody wants to light up a place that is closing by December 29th! I don't like Bah Humbug attitudes, but I can understand.

That's where my stress level gets cranked up, this year! Sooooooooooooooo many things to wrap up at work, but too much to do, at home, to be able to devote too many extra hours to work! But, somehow I will focus on the beauty of giving, and keep my eye on the Savior, Jesus Christ, this season, to remember why we celebrate.

And, looking forward to some family time, in the mountains in CA, for Christmas, is helping me get through! It's always good to have a goal, you know! And, there is talk of playing in the snow! Woo Hoo!!

Thanksgiving Weekend

. . . and BELIEVE ME, one does need an entire weekend!!

Wednesday at work, we had a YUMMY potluck lunch, and after that MY weekend began! I have to use up all my vacation days, before December 29th, so . . . what can you do???

Anyhoo . . . my sister, Karalee and I went shopping that night, with a friend of ours (waving at you, Alex!!), and what the HECK were we thinking????? Ya, the grocery store was a madhouse, and somebody (okay, it was me!!) didn't think about getting everything else first, and then the ice cream last! That was an adventure, though, so why not??

Thanksgiving morning, after sleeping in, (delightful!!) I got to be a mechanic's helper! Ever try to make pie crust AND hold the lamp, at the same time? Okay, neither did I, but I was a little stressed about it, for a little while! I wanted my French Silk Pie to be PERFECT!!!

I made tacos for lunch . . . my brother, Bart, and his son, Matt, came over from California, so I invited them, along with Karalee and her kids, to come over for lunch. Chase was the only taker! So, the boys and I enjoyed tacos and conversation, and then it was back to work!

I made a fruit salad and green bean casserole, and the French Silk Pie. Karalee had made some comment about keeping the mash potatoes warm in the crock pot, and then I thought, "Hey, why couldn't that work for the green bean casserole???" So, I mixed the beans with the soup, garlic and milk, and put it in the crock pot. (Ask anyone . . . I LOVE my Crock pot!!!!) Then, all I had to do, once I arrived at Karalee's house was put them in the casserole dish, and distribute the onion thingys over the top. . . . YUM!

Anyway, I'm sharing some photos . . . making Maddy proud! I will list commentary, under the photos . . . I KNOW you are holding your breath with anticipation! LOL

Okay, my cute SIL, Diane, does such a good job with creative projects, to keep her 3 VERY energetic children busy! For Family Home Evening, last Monday, they made these cute turkeys, to be the centerpieces on Thanksgiving, after they had a lesson about Thanksgiving. How cute are those faces???


The name cards are also something that Diane came up with . . . the kids had a great time getting all messy with paint, while we waited for the turkey to finish up. Okay, I will admit it . . . I had fun too! I DID take photos of the actual process, but didn't want to bore you all with the details! LOL

Please notice the BEAUTIFUL relish tray! Again, Diane! Next time that girl tries to tell me that she's not creative or crafty, I will have one thing to say to her, "Relish tray!!" I did discover that day, though, that she comes by it naturally, because her dad is something of a food artist, also.

I also warned Diane that she will NEVER be without the relish tray assignment, from this day forward! And she was so generous with olives and YUMMY ranch dressing . . . she truly rocked the relish tray!!

And, finally, the photo of the beverage assortment that we had on Thanksgiving. I scored at Food City - 10 2 liter bottles of soda for $9.50! Woo hoo!

Anyway, that isn't why I am posting this photo! Instead, I want to tell you about Theron . . . he's the little guy, in the photo of the kids above. He "loves" everything right now! And, he is fascinated, and suddenly very thirsty, whenever he sees anyone with a soda. (which, regretably, in my family, someone always has one!)

So, on Thanksgiving, all the soda was assembled on the high bartop counter, at my sister's house. And Theron stops and stares up in awe, at the very colorful (and obviously plentiful!) array of beverages.

He said, "Look at dat soda!"

Then he said, with a sigh, "I LOVE soda!"

His cute little 2 year old brain . . .

Later, as we were having pie, he was eating pumpkin pie. He held his spoon in his left hand, as he scooped up his next bite with the fingers of his right hand.

He looks up at me, mouth full of pie and whipped cream and says, "I LOVE punkin' pie!"

He's just soooooooooooo cute! Before he turned 2, he couldn't formulate sentences well, and was a little hard to understand. But, then his birthday happened and suddenly you can't keep him quiet, and he is much easier to understand. And also, more inclined to temper tantrums, but that's another story! LOL

So, the holiday season is officially underway . . . Hold on to your seats!

***Edited for one more cute Theron story! We're all sitting at the tables, of course we had a kid table!, and suddenly Theron cries out, "That's di-gusting!!" Apparently he had mashed potatoes on his fingers, and didn't like that! He is VERY texture sensitive! But dang, he makes me laugh!

(You should hear him say, "That's Alicious!" . . . . instead of "delicious"!)

The Spirit of Christmas, Take 2

Last year, my co-workers and I made a FABULOUS Christmas happen, for a friend and her family. It was a great experience, and it was so touching to see those happy little faces soak in the joy that Christmas is, as they watched the gifts pile up beneath their tree.


This year, all of us are a little more lean in the wallet, and we haven't made any plans to play Santa again. So, I want to appeal to my friends, family and anyone else who cares to participate, after reading this entry.

I have a friend that is a single mom. She is working hard to financially support her son, who is serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She is coming up short for her Christmas plans, for him, because she is struggling, as it is, to support him in his everyday expenses.

I told her that I would like to help. She is very humble and gracious, and said, "I think we'll be okay!" But, I don't want to settle for that answer!

I remember how it feels to be away from family at Christmas! My wish is to make this Christmas a good one for that missionary, and maybe even help his mom out! I'm thinking gift cards for WalMart - that way he can buy food or socks or gloves or batteries for his alarm clock, whatever he wants!

I am not setting any sort of limit, because my own donation will be meager but from the heart! If you would like to help this young man and his family, and feel that joy that is found this time of year, please email me. I would LOVE to be a part of another Christmas miracle, that comes when many hearts and hands pull together!

Please leave your email address in a comment, if you would like to participate! Remember that "many hands make light work", so if we all pitch in, even a little bit, we can make a BIG difference in the life of another! I look forward to hearing from you! Thank you for listening! ♥

November birthdays rock!

Right, Maddy??

I hope that you had a great Birthday weekend! Happy Birthday to you!

Twilight Hits the Big Screen

Don't worry, no spoilers here!!

I saw this movie "Twilight" this past weekend. It was good . . . that part wasn't a surprise! I have to say, originally, Edward was a disappointment, because apparently the gorgeous guy in my head has a lot more "wow" power than this actor. But, as the story went on, he grew on me!

I will say this - there were 2 six-year old little girls in the row in front of us, to see this movie. I don't know any six year olds who would be able to follow this story, but, whatever! The only thing about that is . . . one of the previews that they showed was SO disturbing that I was closing my eyes for most of it! My friend, Nancy, said she started praying after the first 30 seconds, because of the evil that she felt. SCARY!!! I can tell you that there probably wasn't anything nightmare-inspiring about "Twilight", but that preview was enough to give ME nightmares, and I am quite a few years older than 6!!!!

Maybe they got some complaints, because my sister said that when she went to the same theater on Saturday night, that preview wasn't shown. Who knows! I don't really get into the horror genre, so I can't be . . . appreciative, I guess is the word, of the gory, scary, violent crap that is a horror preview! Obviously not a lot of thought went into placing that preview. Yes, "Twilight" does deal with vampires, but NO!!! "Twilight" is NOT about scary, violent vampires. In my mind, NOT the same as a horror film!!

SOME IDIOT KEPT TAKING PHOTOS WITH THEIR DIGITAL CAMERA! THAT'S ANNOYING! PEOPLE, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE INTERNET? THEY ACTUALLY PUT PICTURES ON THERE, THAT YOU CAN PRINT OUT, OF THE CHARACTERS FROM MOVIES!!

Anyway, it was good . . . and it was cool to see the author, Stephenie Meyer, doin' a little cameo!

Golden Birthday!!

Today is Kayla's 19th Birthday, on November 19th . . . that is what it means to have a golden birthday, to have your age be the same number as the date you were born.

Happy Birthday, Lollipop! I can still remember so well the day that you were born! We were all so excited for you to arrive, even though your mom totally ditched Grammy and Grumpy's 25th anniversary party to be in labor! (The enitre time we were planning the party, I told her that she was going to have you that day . . . and I was right!)

I hope that the next 19 years of your life bring you the joys and accomplishments that you want and deserve! I love you! ♥

Part 2 about the Chu

So, I finally got my photos of my cute pup loaded onto my computer. Unfortunately, she is no longer my pup! (As previously mentioned, our rental agreement says "NO PETS!")

So, we were going along, looking for her former owners. Even thought we found them, but, no. So, Jorge and I talked about keeping her, but finding a different place to live. In the meantime, if anything came up, she could live at Grammy and Grumpy's house.

But then . . . I was speaking to the landlord, about a different matter. Then he said, "your neighbors want a dog." "oh?" I replied.

"I reminded them that we don't allow pets here, " he said. "And then they said, 'Well, the Zapatas have a chihuahua!"

I quickly began to explain, "we found her . . . we're looking for her owner . . . we're trying to find her a new home . . . "
His response, "So, she doesn't live there anymore??"

"well, we are trying to find . . ."

" SHE DOESN'T LIVE THERE ANYMORE???"

"no, she doesn't live here anymore!"

Then, the search was on for a new home. Suddenly Jorge decided he wanted to GIVE her to my parents, but they aren't so much the dog grandparents. (As my dog-crazy sister reminded me more than once!) So, I started talking to people that I know.

Sure enough, Saturday morning, my visiting teacher's daughter, Deana, called me up. "Are you still trying to find a home for your puppy??"

"yes we are!"

"Are you home, can we come and see her?" And an hour later, we had no dog in our apartment. I will admit that I got choked up . . . I get attached easily! And she was my walking buddy at night. . .

But, she has moved on to a bigger and better life, and now, her name is Tizzy! It's cute, don't you think?

Life as we know it

By "we" I mean employees at my job. On October 31, 2008 we were all given a letter, announcing the closing of the company. We were all told that we would be employed, should we choose to, until December 29, 2008.
Now, this was a LITTLE bit of a surprise, because while we knew that the Memphis location was closing as of November 7, 2008, we had been told that some investors were going to buy us out, and keep most of us gainfully employed. Then, on Halloween, we got that scary letter!
So then, 3 days letter, the rumor mill was rumbling again, "the buyers are back on board"; "we're gonna be a new company" and so on. I'm hearing about things that I, as the Human Resources Administrator, have not even heard from the prospective buyers, and I can't do anything to dispell the rumors.
To sum this all up, I'm a tad frustrated! If we are going to close (which after a weekend to wrap my brain around, I was almost perfectly fine with finding a new job!) then bring it on! Let me box up my endless amount of files and prepare them to ship to Memphis. I understand very well that I will probably be the last one out the door - that's the nature of my job! But this not knowing and being too busy to focus on finding something else, just in case they decide they don't want me, either, that is enough to drive me CRAZY!!!!!!
Having no information, and nothing to calm the masses with, is only throwing us all into a state of "Well, I'm not hanging around to find out!" And that, my friends, IS NO WAY TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE MORALE!
Let that be a lesson for ya! :)

And, just to end on a more cheerful note . . . scrappy things are happening in my neck of the woods! I'm lovin' that! Photos later!

Another year older . . .

. . . and deeper in debt" So the song goes! Wish it weren't true for me! LOL

So, it doesn't matter HOW old I get, the world (and people in it!) never cease to amaze me! I am amazed that people have opened their minds enough to elect a man of color to be the president. For me, although he wasn't my choice, this is HUGE, because even 20 years ago, when I lived in South Carolina, there were still 2 sides of every little town, the white side and the black side, and the two DID NOT mix.

I just hope that this can help us all to look past skin color and religious differences and choice of cothes to want to unite in ideals, morals, values and support of the Constitution of the United States of America.

So, as I usually do, I took the day off for my birthday. I didn't do anything too exciting - the whole point is that I didn't HAVE to do anything! Jorge and I went to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast, because I apparently share my day with "National Doughnut Day". When I heard that on the news yesterday morning, and as the rumbly in my tumbly grew louder, we made the "snap" decision to have some for breakfast. YUMMY!! And, they have a seasonal doughnut . . . Pumpkin! Even better!

Then we ran some errands, had some lunch at Matta's Grill, and then I took a nap, when Jorge went to work. Ah, the decadance! Then my friend, Nancy, and I went to Cold Stone Creamery for my free birthday ice cream. (Yep, there's lots of stuff that you can get for free on your birthday . . . check it out online!) Then it was scrappin' time! My favorite! Woo hoo!

The only bad part? I have to go to bed early, to be at work early, tomorrow! That's the bummer of middle of the week birthdays! Oh well, next year it will be Thursday, and maybe I'll take Thursday AND Friday, and go to Disneyland!

I've Got ONE Thing to Say Today . . .

VOTE!!!
It doesn't matter how popular or unpopular your favorite candidate is . . . JUST USE YOUR POWER TO VOTE! It is important to make your vote count!
And, remember, he who does NOT vote has nothing over those who CANNOT vote. In other words, if you don't vote, you can't complain about the outcome!
I'm out!

Happy Halloween

So, October 31 - And the Lifted Chick is having a SPECIAL on her book today! Woo Hoo! Go here: http://michellemeisenbach.blogspot.com/ for more details! Frightfully exciting!

What is it about this day that makes people completely lose their inhibitions and do crazy things? I guess the costumes, and covering up part of a person's usual self probably contributes to that.
I was just now talking to a guy that I work with - he proceeded to tell me about what his costume was last year; a Catholic priest with some accessories that aren't appropriate to discuss on this family oriented blog. This year he is going as the King of the Spartans, from the movie "300". The most exciting part for him??? He gets to go commando all night . . .
Yes, don't worry, I immediately told him that this was WAAAAAAAY too much information! Yikes!

But, I guess part of the fun for everyone is that they get to choose who they get to be for a day. The last few years the extent of my "costume" has been an orange Old Navy t-shirt that has 2 jack-o-lanterns on it and the store name under them.
2 years ago, I tried to make my face look like a jack-o-lantern, with eye shadow, just to sort of enhance my "costume". And, two guys from work were ready to track down my abusive boyfriend . . . (I didn't have an abusive boyfriend and Jorge, my then fiance, was still in Utah, at that point!)because they thought that I had been beaten up! So, I won't try that trick again! LOL

Tonight is our Fall Festival. I am the Activities Chairperson in my ward. Thankfully we are combining our efforts with the other ward that attends in our building, so my work was cut in 1/2 . . . okay, well it maybe was cut by a 1/3! LOL Not that I am some sort of control freak, but there are always communication imperfections, and things didn't get distributed as they should have, and we can't find root beer extract ANYWHERE!! and there just wasn't enough time in everyone's busy schedules for some of the little details! Not to mention the vicious rumor that was going around the ward that this party is ONLY for little kids . . . c'mon, people, it's Halloween, LIGHTEN UP!!!!!!!

Anyway, I'm not really worried - The Bouncy house is scheduled to arrive at 5:30, the food assignments have all been distributed, and the weather (supposedly!!) will be beautiful!!! Mid 80's baby!! Woo hoo! I've decided that life is too short to sweat the small details . . . we're going for festive here!

Okay, so out with the old month and in with the new . . .

ANOTHER tag . .. be serious!

10 years ago I ...
- Worked at Kinko's. . . for the 3rd (but NOT final) time!
- Thought being single was the next best thing to DEATH!
- LOVED to scrapbook, and did that MOST of the time!
- Lived in an apartment with my sister, DeAwna - love her!
- spent a LOT of time with my nieces and nephews . . .that was back when I wasn't too nerdy to hang out with! (pre-teenage years!)

5 Things on my "to do" list today ...!
- Make bread for my house and Tiff's house (8 loaves, y'all!)
- Finish Balloon dart game for my parents' ward Trunk or Treat
- Scrap . . . I need that!!
- Clean the house (not my favorite, but necessary!)
- Chill -- isn't that what Saturdays are for??

5 Snacks that I enjoy ...
- POPCORN!! Caramel, Kettle, Cheese, home-popped, you name it! YUM!
- Ice cream . . . a serving a day will keep the bikini away! LOL
- Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate!
- Dried Mango . . . oh my, that's good stuff!
- nuts or trail mix

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire ...
- pay off all our debts
- TRAVEL!! I need a passport, first!!
- Help my family members buy their homes
- invest in a business
- Help others in whatever way possible

Places I have lived ...
- Moscow, Idaho
- Mesa, Arizona
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Northern California
- South Carolina

5 Jobs I have had ...
- I've mentioned Kinko's already . . . I won't cheat and list all 4 times that I worked there as seperate jobs! :)
- Scrapbooks, ETC.
- A Doctor's office (OB/GYN) All women worked there . . . even the janitorial staff! Ya, sometimes the estrogen levels were almost suffocating!!
- Wells Fargo - that job changed my life! (because my friend, who introduced me to Jorge, worked there with me!
- Toys and More - that was my first "real" job . . . LOVED it!!!

Picture Tag!

Okay, 2 posts today . . . Tammy keeps taggin' me! This one is a little different, though! 3rd picture folder, 3rd photo . . .

This is my sister, DeNeece, and her eldest daughter, Daylyn. See any family resemblance, ha ha ha!!
♥ these girlies!
I tag Brooke, Aubrey, Annette (mostly so that ghastly photo of the crawdads will go away!!) and Michelle. The rules are that you upload your 3rd photo from your 3rd photo file . . . have fun!

What's New with the Chu? (short for chihuahua!)

Okay, so, we took Chica to PetsMart . . . they scanned her, but she has no microchip! Jorge's theory? "She's a Mexican . . . they don't use microchips!" He's kinda cute, I'm FOR SURE keeping him! :)
Anyway, got some posters up, asking around the neighborhood, and dodging my landlord like CRAZY! (We are, officially, not allowed to have pets in our apartment! Gotta find her mama, or find her a new one!!)
And, BELIEVE ME, he will find out! He has his ways! For example, my friend, Nancy, was over again, on Saturday, and we were working on a crafty project. Her car was parked in the driveway of the apartment on the other side, oh, and she has "For Sale" on her back window.
So, she had been at my house about an hour and a half, and I needed to go to the grocery store. So, off we went. We were in the store, and my phone rings. I look at the phone and basically had a panic attack, because it was my landlord! I was mortified that he was calling about the dog!!!
But no, instead, he says, in greeting, "Are you starting a used car lot?" And, for a moment, I was completely confused! But, then I realized that he was talking about Nancy's car. "No", I replied, "that's my friend's car . . . she's just visiting, and didn't want to park on the street!"
His next question? "How long is she visiting?" Okay, dude, we can just move the &^$%#( car!!! "she'll be here just a couple of hours!" was my answer.
"Oh, well, that's okay with me! I just thought that someone might be wanting that apartment, and saw that car there . . . " In retrospect, I think he felt really silly (as well he should!!) and wished he had never called.

8 Things Tag

8 current obsessions...
1. Chihuahua cuteness! And she is SOOOOOOOOO used to being carried EVERYWHERE!! But put her down, outside, and watch her GO!!
2. Organizing my scrapbook room -- If only my wallet contents could match the vision in my head! Be patient, honey, I'm trying!!
3. Fall Festival for church -- success is in the details!
4. Christmas gifts for the fam . . . what do they like? and, more importantly, what can I afford???
5. Spiritual health -- God loves me even when my efforts are weak!!
6. Jorge's sleeping issues - why won't he listen to me???
7. Digital camera - dead and gone, need a new one! Can't be family photo historian without a camera!
8. Wanna have a baby, wanna have a baby, wanna have a baby!!!!

*8 words or phrases I use often...
1. "I love you!"
2. "In Spanish or English?"
3. "Whatever!"
4. "Silly!"
5. "You can do it!"
6. "If you don't know what it means, don't say it!"
7. "wanna play Scrabble?"
8. "Okay!?!?!?!" (with a sarcastic tone!)

*8 things i want to do before i die...
1. Be a mommy
2. Make a difference in the world, to someone!
3. Scrapbook all my pictures.
4. Be sealed in the temple, to my husband!
5. Write a children's book, or two, or nine!
6. Visit another country . . . preferably European!
7. Compose a song
8. Help the world find a political happy medium . . . "Can't we all just get along??"

*8 things i have learned from my past...
1. First and Foremost -- We did the best that we could at the time!
2. There is no instruction manual for being a "perfect" anything . . . parent, sister, friend, etc.
3. DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF! In reality, it is all small stuff!!
4. Crying is not a sign of weakness!
5. Good times are worth recording, and hard times are worth counting as experience gained.
6. True love sometimes causes its own kind of turbulance!
7. If at first you don't succeed . . . that means you are human! Try it again!!!
8. For all the pain and suffering of growing up in a large family, I have that many more friends/family members to show for it!

*8 places i would love to go or see..
1. New York -- the entire state, but especially the city!
2. Colombia - I want to learn about the native country of my love!
3. Europe - anywhere, and everywhere!
4. Hawaii -- Jorge and I have a goal to go there, and SOON!!!
5. Disneyland - I DO love to go there, and as many times as possible!
6. Every temple in the continental United States! Maybe I could design some sort of map!
7. To a quiet, local, romantic hotel, with Jorge, for a few days, just to escape life!
8. To the birthplace of the Savior - Bethlehem and all of the Holy Land.

*8 things i currently need or want...
1. Money for a beatifully organized and aesthetically pleasing scrapbook space! (Aunt Deby, you're my inspiration!!)
2. A day without a head/back ache! Man, I wish I had appreciated them when I had them!
3. In reference to #2 - a good, and comfortable, chair to sit on, 8 hours a day! Who knew it could be so difficult to find one???
4. Reassurance that my choices aren't always uneducated and completely wrong!
5. New clothes! But since I don't have the best luck with ready made clothes, maybe what I really need is a personal tailor/fashion designer! :(
6. An idea for a business; or rather, a way to channel all the ideas that I have into one productive idea!
7. A massage - DAILY!!
8. An office remodel! This space is entirely too uninspiring and, at times, cage-like!
There it is, my "8" tag! I tag ALL Y'ALL! At least anybody who wants to jump on the bandwagon! ♥

PS - okay, here's the story with Chica - I still haven't heard anything from anyone about ownership. I DID call a service called "Missing Mutts", and filed a report with them, so if anyone calls there, they can pass on my information. I made flyers, and am working on distributing them. Trying NOT to get too attached, but it's not easy!

I'm Ready for Monday . . . Bring it on!

Have any of you ever had such a crazy busy weekend, that you are almost relieved to go back to work, on Monday, for a little relaxing, sittin' in my chair doing busy work, time? That is how my weekend was! Go, go, go, go, go!!

I took Friday off, too, so maybe that's part of the problem! My weekend was one day longer than usual, and so I felt the need to pack it just a little more full of stuff! Ay, ay, ay!!!

Jorge worked Friday night, so I had my friend, Nancy, come over, and we worked on some crafty projects together. We made some Peanut Butter Cheesecake brownies (YUMMMY, by the way!!) and had a few laughs, and kept busy! But not before we made a trip to Wal-Mart and the little Panaderia (Spanish for "bakery") down the street from my house.

We wrapped things up about 2 am -- dang, that's late! Then, we had to start again Saturday morning, with a trip to Sam's club, to print out some photos and hunt down shoes for Jorge. But, before Nancy and I could get out the door, we were joined by a little friend! Apparently, as we were about to leave the house, and I realized that I forgot something, we turned around, and the screen door didn't get completely closed.

So, we start to head back to the front door, and I look down and see this little dog that had wandered in! She's DARLING, and the kind of dog that I have been wanting for a LONG time!


I went outside, looked around for someone to be calling for or searching for their dog, but nobody was. I asked the neighbor across the street if he had seen this dog, or anyone looking for it. The response? "No , but, finders keepers, right?!?!?!"

Nancy had a big tote bag, so we decided to take Chica (the name another friend, Megan, chose) into Sam’s Club with us. She did sooooooooo well! She did not make one peep, didn’t whine, didn’t growl, nothing! We got lots of looks and a few “cute puppy!” comments, but otherwise would’ve forgotten that she was there!

When we got home from Sam’s, I asked the neighbor, again, if anyone had been around looking for her. She has a collar, and somebody has been loving her, because her nails have been polished. But, where there once was a tag, the little loop that held it on had been stretched. In these tough economic times, it is hard to tell whether she is lost or if someone just ditched her!

So, Saturday night – working on projects for the Fall Festival, at our stake center. I needed to make posters and flyers. I had the plan to just make one flyer, enlarge it to poster size, and then make smaller flyers from the same original. I got my printer out (ya, so we’ve lived in our current apartment for 16 months, and I am just now busting out my printer . . . big deal!!!), and there were no chords! No USB chord, to connect in to the computer, and NO power chord!!! And I, being the QUEEN of procrastination that I can be, sometimes, waited until 9:30 pm to even bust open the box!

Eventually, after looking for the chords for a while, and calling around to see if anyone has my same printer, I gave up! I still had a lot of stuff to do . . . including going to Americopy before they closed at 11 pm.

And, my posters and flyers ended up being hand-written . . . maybe a little lame, but desperate times call for desperate measures! And my hand-writing isn’t terrible, so . . . I did what I had to do! My head didn’t hit the pillow before 3 am – I had to take the dog out, you know!!

Then, my alarm went off at 6:30 am for my 7 am meeting Sunday morning . . . OUCH!! After Sacrament Meeting, in which I could BARELY keep my eyes open, I went home and took a 30 minute power nap, before heading back to the church for Relief Society.

Anyway, long weekend + short sleep = VERY TIRED GIRL!!!! At least at work, I can sit in one chair and chase papers for a few hours at a time, to relax! Here’s something you won’t hear me say, very often . . .
HAPPY MONDAY!

Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice

Okay, this is a LITTLE late, but better than never, right??? This week has been a crazy one, with no "personal" computer time!

Every six months, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has its General Conference. The amazing thing about this is that AT LEAST every six months, I TOTALLY need to have my spiritual bucket fill to overflowing. The speakers and topics of General Conference ALWAYS do that for me! This time was no exception.

The other amazing thing is, that in this world of turmoil, fighting, back-stabbing, mud-slinging, hate crimes and violence, the overall message is always: Hope through Jesus Christ. The most everyday disappointments, and even major heartbreaks can be healed through Him, and these conference sessions remind me that Jesus Christ is TRULY the "way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6), and how much His example and influence can calm the storms of my life.

I love to hear the prophet testify of the love that Heavenly Father has for each one of us. And, my favorite talk was probably by President Monson, when he urged and reminded us over and over again, to "Enjoy the Journey"! (Yes, I may just stitch that on a pillow!)

It was refreshing, rejuvinating and hope-filling . . . I am always sad when the Sunday afternoon rolls around (all too quickly!!) because that means it is over for 6 more months. But, hey, that's why we have DVR!! I can watch and listen to whatever talk I want to, to be reminded again and again.

Another Birthday . . . .

Happy Birthday, Dear Kerry!

I'm not going to sing the song, because of this:

Ever wondered why some restaurants make up their own silly birthday songs for their staff to sing to patrons? It's so they don't have to pay royalties. Every time you celebrate someone's birthday at a restaurant or other public place, you are technically committing copyright infringement by singing "Happy Birthday to You" to the birthday girl or boy.

The tune was written by sisters Mildred and Patty Hill in 1893, and copyrighted in 1934 by their sister Jessica. Although the original copyright would have expired in 1991, two intervening acts of Congress have extended it through at least 2030. The song earns about $2 million per year in royalties -- and would probably make a lot more if The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) had a representative enforcing the copyright at restaurants.

Have a good birthday, anyway, Kerry! ♥ your Kentucky-livin', horse-lovin' guts!

She's 29 today . . . AGAIN!

Today is my "little" sister's birthday! And, I put little in quotes, because she has been taller than me since she was 16, so there you go!

Karalee is an amazing person! She is a very talented hairdresser, and she has a great sense humor! Her teenagers love her, because she still has a kid's heart!

You should hear her order food, in the drive-thru, with her baby talk voice! Oh my gosh, pee your pants laughing!

She is one of my best friends and she loves me all the time, even when she has a good reason to just give up and walk away! (Ah, family ties that bind . . . and gag! LOL)

Happy Birthday, my sister! Sure love you!

The More I see You!

I saw this on my friend's blog ...it looked fun!
1. Put your iPod on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it sounds.


IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
"Change for the Better"
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
"Wonderful Tonight"
HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"What I Needed"
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"Guilty of a Crime"
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"I Already Do"
WHAT DO YOU OFTEN THINK ABOUT?
"I Still Miss Someone"
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LOVE?
"Want You, Miss You, Love You"
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Turn Down the World Tonight"
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"Love Look What You've Done to Me"
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LOVE?
"Stay Beautiful"
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"Fast Cars and Freedom"
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
"You Walked In"
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"More Than Words"
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Never Can Say Goodbye"
WHAT DID YOU SEE OUT YOUR WINDOW TODAY?
"Listen to the Music"
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
"Where My Heart Finds Christmas"
WHAT DO YOU DREAM ABOUT?
"I Will Follow"
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS?
"That's the Way (I Like It)"
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE?
"Heartless"
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE WAY YOU LOOK?
"New Year's Day"
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR BLOG?
"I Think About You"
WHAT GOAL ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
"I'll Be Home for Christmas"
WHAT WILL THE TITLE OF THIS POST BE?
"The More I See You"

This Ipod tag goes out to anyone who wants to have a little fun with their playlist! :)

105th Blog Entry

OOPS!!! I missed my 100th entry by a few . . . I guess I wasn't really paying attention!

I have to say that this blogging experience is truly an enriching one, for my life! Not only do I get to share, vent, praise and opine all on the internet, for the world to see, but I also get to re-connect with old friends, because of my presence here! That's pretty cool!

The last year has been a challenge -- but aren't they all, in some way, shape or form?? I only hope that I will be better equipped, next year, to deal with all the challenges that come along, because of what I have learned this year!

And, if you care to notice, this year has meant MORE blog entries than last year! I guess I am really getting the hang of this!

"Lifted" and other random scrappy thoughts. . . .

My friend, Michelle, has written a book. And, not just any book -- It is titled "Lifted", and it is an incredibly inspiring collection of scrapbook pages, with lots of ideas! (http://www.papertherapy.com/ - That's her website, for more information!)

Anywho - she is doing book signings, all over the valley, at a scrapbook store near you! And, at the Paper Vineyard (http://www.papervineyard.com/ervineyard.com/) she did a Late Nighter Lift contest. It was sooooooo fun!!! Between the owner, the two sales clerks and Michelle, they couldn't pick winners, so us contestants had to actually vote on the winners.

Here is my entry:

I "lifted" a DARLING page that Michelle did of her brother and her daughter. The layout was completely inspirational for me, as I didn't know what I wanted to do with the photos from my niece's graduation night! Thanks Michelle, for being so willing to share your talents with us!

Also, I am working on Tina's Christmas cards, but have been working on other random scrapbook pages as well. I'm trying to think of a way to make money doing what I love, but my limited brainstorming time slows down the process!

Here are some other things that I have been working on:

Tina's custom Birthday card . . . just her style!

This layout has been 18 months in the making! These photos were taken 2 years ago, by Jackie Lindfors (see her blog listed to the right!!), and I have just barely pulled this together! I am going to hang this on my "A to Z" photo wall - (Their last name starts with "A" and mine starts with "Z", so it will be a wall of family . . . get it???) and is my first project for that wall!
Of course, once my mom and my sister, the mother of these cuties, saw this layout they both whined, "I WANT THIS FOR MY WALL!!"
You know what they say . . . . "Christmas is coming!!" wink, wink!

Then, this little guy turned 2 on Sept 3, 2008, and I am just getting around to scrappin' his birth! I've been slackin'!!


And, last, but certainly not least - These 2 cute nieces of mine worked at Sunsplash together, for the summer of 2007. I had to record this moment in history, one Saturday morning, when I was their taxi for the day! How cute are they???