Only 19 days and 23 hours...

...Until Christmas! For the first time in a few years, I am very much looking forward to Christmas. Since Mike and I got married, Christmas has been a very stressful time of year. Mainly, it is all because of finances. Because of the medical bills that we have been trying to pay off for over two years, money has been tight. But this year, while money is still tight, it's not as bad as it was even a year ago. The Lord has blessed us beyond belief and I am so grateful for that. But I will get to that on another post.

In the meantime, it's officially Christmas time. We have had plenty of snow thus far and the air is as smoggy as can be...which means Winter is here in Utah. We even have done a little Christmas shopping so far, and I am one lucky girl. Let's just say my husband is treating me more and more like a "Princess" as time goes on. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge!)

So last night, while Mike was playing a gig with his band, Molly Drive, my sister, Wendi, came over and helped my get my tree up. Our apartment is starting to look more like a home all the time. 

This year, I decided to go with the blue and white colors and I am very glad that I did. Wandi Loo did a wonderful job decorating and making the tree look wonderful!

I am pretty sure you can guess who's stocking is whose...and no, the pink stocking is not Mike's. Thank you to my sister in law, Amber, for the cute stocking hooks. Since we don't have a fireplace, the TV will work just as well.

This will be our 2nd Christmas on Center Street and I am so excited. I am so thankful that we are here and not in our old Avenues home...even if it was perfect for Halloween!

Thanksgiving Fun!

(The view from my front door)

Happy Thanksgiving my friends! I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend and ate plenty of yummy food. This year was full of all sorts of stuff and it's hard to believe it's all over. As I sit here on my couch in the front room, I am watching the snow fall and listening to the Peaceful Christmas station on Pandora and wrapped up in a blanket. Mike is sleeping and I am finally alone with my thoughts about the weekend and the month to come. I have absolutely loved this past week and I am so sad that I have to go back to regular life tomorrow. 

So, to recap the last week, I think I will go day by day. As I said, there were many things that happened:

Monday - Nov 22nd - This was a regular day at work. Everyone in the office had some issues with focusing on work and was very excited for the holiday. After work, Mike and I went grocery shopping. It was a little hectic and I got pretty frazzled, but once it was over, there were only three things I had forgotten to get for Thanksgiving. Not bad!

Tuesday - Nov 23rd - I got to work that day and found out that there was a blizzard warning out for Northern Utah for the afternoon into the next day. There was supposed to be high wind and tons of snow. The worst part was that the storm was supposed to hit just before rush hour that evening. The news stations made a big deal out of it and we were all starting to get a little worried. I am so thankful that I only life less than a mile away from work, but I knew that traffic was still going to be bad. At about 3 pm, we were all sent home. I got home and bundled up and was ready for the storm. The storm hit at about 6...and lasted for about an hour. It continued to snow...a little...but the winds died down as quick as they came. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed. Mike had decided that he wanted to start learning how to bake and was going to start with a pumpkin pie. He found a good recipe for the crust and the filling, and very carefully followed the directions. When he had completed the first test pie and I took a bite, I realized that something was missing. Oh yes, it was the sugar. He was so devastated that he had forgotten, it was almost kind of sad. So I told him we would try again the next day. 

Wednesday - Nov 23rd -  I had decided to take the day off, and luckily, Mike got the day off as well. We woke up to freezing temps and about four inches of snow. At about 11, I ventured out to the store to pick up the last minute items for Thanksgiving. It took me longer to scrape the car and clear the windows than it did to  get to the store, get my stuff and get home. It was VERY cold. The high for the day was 16 degrees. Yeah, it wasn't right! After that, I came home, got ready, and went to my parent's house to visit with them and my cute Grandma Johnson.

(Me and Grandma Johnson at Andy's wedding, Jan 2010)

My grandma is one of the coolest people I know. This was the third time that she has come down for Thanksgiving and we have all had so much fun. I really enjoyed just sitting and visiting with her. She is very coherent and lively for being 83. She still lives on her own and is doing great. We all had a good time laughing and teasing and just enjoying each other. That evening, when I left my parent's house to go back home, I took this picture of my car's temp gage:

That's right friends...it was a whole 5 degrees in Herriman! This is not normal weather for Utah in November and so it was a little nippy! Thankfully, my husband's car has heated seats, so my bum stayed warm all the way home. That night, we decided to try a pie again. This time, it turned out much better!

Thursday - Nov 24th - Thanksgiving Day! 

The big day had finally arrived. We got up that morning and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This is a yearly tradition for me, especially since I went to New York and have been to that Macy's. It was a fun parade. After that, I took a little nap, then got up and got ready for the day. 

Thanksgiving was at my sister Amy's house again this year. There were so many yummy things to eat and it was fun to see everyone. Jack and I played Buzz Lightyear for a while and then he played with Mike for a bit. 

The pie was a HUGE success. Everyone loved it and congratulated Mike for his good work. I sat back and gave him all the credit, even though I may or may not have stepped in and helped. But that's ok! (Wink, wink!)

Friday - Nov 25th - The Day After!

This day was pretty laid back and a little warmer then the two previous days. I spent more time at my parent's house with my grandma. We had another mini Thanksgiving dinner and decorated the house for Christmas. Well...I watched with Grandma while the house was being decorated. I love going to my parent's house at Christmas time with all of the decorations. It reminds me of my childhood and the good times we had each Christmas. It also made me miss the house I grew up in back in West Valley. My parents sold it just after I got married, so it wasn't too long ago.

Sat - Nov 26th - Cleaning Day!

We finally got the house put back together after all the baking that was done. We made one more pie to give to Mike's parents and called it good. We were able to have dinner with all of Mike's family, including his brother, Dave, and his family. Dave has been in San Diego since March. He is a Marine and his convoy was hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan back in February. His right leg was shattered and he was pretty bruised up. Luckily, he is doing very well and come home quite often. He is doing physical therapy as well as psychological counseling.

After that, it was back to my parent's house for fun and games. I was introduced to the game Farkle. I am totally addicted now. 

Today was a peaceful Sunday and we have been home, watching the snow since after church. Now as I sit here, I realize how blessed and lucky I really am. I have a family who loves me, I have a husband that is my partner and best friend. I have many friends who are just amazing, and I have the Savior and his love in my life. I am a lucky little girl. 

So...what are you thankful for? 

 

My Thoughts On the Subject

I have had several things on my mind as of late. One of the most pressing and difficult thoughts I have had is how I really feel about all the nonsense in the media about Mormons and Homosexuals. This is a subject that has been a very delicate subject for me to address and think about. With all of the comments on forums, newsroom chats and Facebook, there have been so many ideas and views shared, some full of acceptance, some full of ignorance and some full of just plain hate. So, in an attempt to try and figure out exactly how I feel, I will write out my thoughts. Please don't judge me for my beliefs and ideas. I am but human and therefore can't see the whole picture of the grand plan.


So...like many Mormons, I too was watching General Conference two weekends ago. And I too heard the talk that Pres. Packer gave on Pornography. I did not, however, hear a talk about hate and discrimination. It brought up some interesting questions, like why would our Heavenly Father implant the roots of homosexual feelings if He knows it is a sin? Why would He want us to suffer by choosing to live that lifestyle?


I guess I should just cut to the chase. I don't know why some people are gay and others are straight. I don't know why some people are tall and others are short. While they are two different subjects, it still shows that there are somethings that we just don't know. I also don't know why some people actually CHOOSE to be homosexual. But I also don't know why some people are faced with handicaps, be they physical or mental. I don't know why some people struggle with alcohol and others with drugs. The only one who KNOWS the whys and why not's is our Heavenly Father. We have no room to judge. When it comes down to it, the Lord knows our hearts and will be there to help us at the day of judgement. We will all have things to answer for and things to pay for. No one will leave this life unscathed. 


I don't care if you are gay or straight. I have many friends that are gay. I love them just as much as I love my other friends and family. They are good people and want nothing but to live by the good old fashion Golden Rule. I want them to be happy. Everyone deserves to find love and to be loved. I believe that a person can be gay and still hold a temple recommend.  What what? You say... How can this be?! Here's how...you can be attracted to members of the opposite sex, but you can also choose whether to act on it or not. Would it be hard not to act on that? You betcha! Is it do-able? Yes. I know many homosexual Mormons that have decided that keeping the commandments and living in accordance with the teachings of the gospel is more important to them then acting on their tendencies.  And they are loved and accepted members of their wards and families. 


I believe that homosexual couples should have the right to a civil union and the rights associated with that. Now, to call it marriage would be incorrect, only because of the actual definition of the word marriage. 

• Marriage:  
  The formal union of a man and a woman, typically recognized by law, by which they become husband and wife

(Thank you, Google Dictionary!) 

Now, before we get up in arms about this, I do believe that homosexuality is not natural. When it comes to procreating and populating the Earth, there are two things that must be in order for this to happen. You need an egg and a sperm. They need to meet, come together, and the Big Bang Theory occurs again. When there are two members of the same sex that come together, the ability to naturally create life is gone. This is the most basic reason as to why same sex attraction is not natural. In the temple, and in many church-officiated weddings, the couple is commanded to go forth and replenish the Earth. Homosexual couples cannot keep this commandment because together they cannot procreate. Therefore, they cannot have an eternal marriage and be sealed in the temple. This is why many religious groups condemn homosexuality. It's a slight kink in the natural circle of life. Now, I don't want to go into how many couples these days have fertility issues and can't get pregnant on their own. That's not the point here. The point here is that a heterosexual couple have a higher chance of procreating naturally than a homosexual couple. 

Do I believe that the LDS church should conform and change their doctrine to appease the masses? ABSOLUTELY NOT! And you know what? They never will. They are never going to change their stance on homosexuality. They aren't. It's not going to happen. They are not like the Vatican. Just saying! And I'm glad that they won't. The gospel won't change and that kind of consistency is part of why I believe in this church. 

Will they try to teach more love in tolerance? Yes. They already are. We have been told to love our neighbors, love our families and to be kind to EVERYONE! If you have a homosexual child, you are told to love them and help them in anyway, not to hate them and disown them. More and more church leaders are teaching love and respect. They are still our brothers and sisters and need to be treated as such. 

With all this being said, I also need to say STOP BLAMING THE MORMONS FOR PROP 8! Would you like to know that majority of people who voted for it? Old Southern Baptist Women. They were the majority. Not the Mormons. Get over yourselves. Stop coming to Utah to protest. We couldn't vote in the CALIFORNIA election. It's not our fault. Learn your facts and get over it. MORMONS DON'T HATE THE GAYS! 

Thank you for letting me get this out. I think I have worked through my issues and know where I stand now. I will follow what the leaders of my church tell me, but I also will do what the Lord whispers into my heart, because at the end of the day, I will only have to answer to Him.

Hoarding and such things

So...I have been watching a show the past few days called "Hoarders". It is a show on A&E about people who having Compulsive Hoarding Disorder. And we're not talking about people who just need to declutter their house or have a good spring cleaning. We are talking about a serious disorder where these people throw NOTHING away and see nothing wrong with this. Once these people have asked for help, which usually is spurred by neighbors calling th city or health department, and in some cases, DCFS because of how bad these houses are, a psychologist, a professional organizer, the Daisy Maids and a work crew comes in to clean and throw things away.

If you haven't seen this show, it is truly an interesting journey to see how people live like this. It's an area of psychology that I have not really delved into before...and it's fascinating.  It's a mindset and disorder that I can't even fathom. I will be the first to admit that I don't like to throw stuff away, if it has sentimental value, but I have problem just chucking crap. One of the people, that just blew my mind, was a food hoarder. I didn't know that there were different types of hoarding...but it makes sense. She was unemployed and was living on social security. She would buy in bulk and just keep EVERYTHING. Expiration dates meant nothing. In her mind, if the package wasn't bulging, then it was ok to still eat. There were rotting pumpkins in her living room. She had three refrigerators stuffed full of just stuff. She didn't want to ask for help or rely on anyone else for survival. But to top it all off, she also had three cats. There was expired food EVERYWHERE.  And when the cleaners came in, she had to be escorted from the house because she wouldn't let them throw anything away. She tried to save a cooler full of food that was expired and had been sitting out for who knows how long and her son came and threw it away.  This show offered to pay for counseling and lessons from a professional organizer. When they come to do a follow up show? She had never gone to counseling and had continued in her old ways. Her landlord had to evict her because her house had become a health hazard and not fit for living. This is what finally made her open her eyes and realize that she had a real problem.

Other stories include families with young children, and an older man who had lost a loaded gun in his house somewhere and couldn't find it. Some may say that this show just exploits those who have this condition and that it's just a show to make money and get ratings. Perhaps, but I don't think so. I have known people in the past that, knowing what I do now, were hoarders. Every square inch of the house was filled with...stuff. Some people hoard things, some hoard money, some hoard food, but all of them have some sort of traumatic event in their lives that triggered this need to hoard. Whether it was growing up poor, not having anything, being homeless, or like many of our grandparents, lived through the Great Depression, something happened in their life that has triggered this need to have things so that they feel secure.

I guess in some ways, I can hoard. My biggest fears that have developed over the past few years has been tied to money. The big fear is that we won't have money to put gas in the car and food on the table. I have had anxiety attacks about his. So, to calm my fears, I have to have so much cash in my wallet at all times. This way I know that there is money for these things and that we won't be stranded or starve. Now, I know that I can be VERY over-dramatic from time to time (hello? I did get a degree in theatre!) but I have literally made myself sick over this before. Mike and I have been so blessed with wonderful families that won't let us starve or be stranded. They have helped us a many occasions and it has calmed my nerves dramatically.

There has been some positive things that have come out of watching the show. I usually get motivated to clean my house after. I try to target one area of the house at a time. Since there are only two bedrooms, one bathroom and a small living room and even smaller kitchen and laundry room, it doesn't take long. Tonight I focused on the bathroom. I even got on my hands and knees and scrubbed the floor. My mother would be so proud of me! I have also been keeping up on the kitchen. Tomorrow? The family room just needs to be picked up and vacuumed.  Then...the dreaded bedroom. I am a-scared for that. It will need to be a Saturday type of activity. But, I think I am going to try and post my progress as I go.

Now...if I could only get my husband to participate... :-D  (j/k honey!)


Post Edit: So I totally didn't realize how over dramatic I was being when I wrote this last night...It was sounding like I was judging everyone with a remotely dirty house. I guess this subject just fascinates me because it is such a foreign world and thought process to me. It would be like me trying to explain ADD or my anxiety issues to someone who has never felt that way; unless you are in that mindset, you can't imagine what it's like. I truly feel for these people who are so overwhelmed with life that this is how they begin to live, and before they really know what's happening, their lives have spiraled out of control. But it's that way with any disorder, be it hoarding, drug addiction, alcoholism or anything like that.  Ok...I believe that is all for this subject matter. 

You Gotta Check This Out

Welcome to the end of August! Today is was only 70 degrees and it was AWESOME! I am so ready for fall to come and grace us with its presence. This summer has not been to bad, but I love the fall colors and the cooler "sweater weather". It makes me happy. It means college football is back, the world series is coming, Halloween is around the corner and so on. I really can't believe how fast this year has gone. I am having nightmares all the time about me waking up and it's Christmas morning and I had missed the whole build up. It's horrible.

As the days have passed, I have started to follow certain blogs. I love to hear other's stories about their lives, trials, triumphs and just all around good times. So, here are a few that I think you may like as well:

Reagan's Blob

This wonderful and quirky blog is about a woman in New York named Reagan, her husband and her adorable little girl by the name of Piper Jane. Piper was born with a condition called Cerebro Costo Mandibular Syndrome. There is very little known about this birth defect, but the photos of this little Pip will melt your heart. Click on the link above to check it out.


Nie Nie Dialogues


Here is a truly uplifting blog. The author, Stephanie, was in a terrible plane crash about two years ago in Arizona. She and her husband survived, but she was in a coma for four months and was burned on 83% of her body. She and her family now live in Utah and are dealing with their new life. She talks about her ups and downs and how she has been blessed to keep going on. Like the one above, click on the link and get your tissues.


CJane Enjoy It

This lovely lady is Stephanie's older sister and is just as witty and heart felt. When Stephanie was in her crash and she and her husband were in the hospital, Courtney took 3 of Stephanie's 4 kids and raised them for almost 8 months. She is a published author and has two adorable kids and a pretty awesome husband. She was also dealing with infertility for a few years before she finally got pregnant, had her baby and then took in the other kids.

So there you go. Check out these fun blogs, enjoy the pictures, and let me know what you think. I think these are just three women out of millions that are just trying to make it, live life and deal with the trials that are presented to them. So until later...peace out!

Life, Love and the Pursuit of a Purse PART II

So, I totally just realized that I used the word pursue instead of pursuit in my last post. WHO GOT KICKED OUT OF THE U of U ENGLISH PROGRAM? That's right. This girl! Now, it wasn't due to bad grammar, horrific writing or appalling spelling. Nope. I may or may not have written an essay that may or may not have angered my professor. Ok, yes I did.
Back in 2003, I was, temporarily, an English major at the U. I was in one of my many English classes and we were supposed to analyze several poems. I have several pet peeves in this world, and one of the big ones is analyzing poetry. How dare you take a poem, written many years ago, or maybe more recently, analyze it and decide that the author meant by this expression of their soul. YOU DON'T KNOW! Don't tell me to analyze something and expect me to regurgitate your thoughts. My favorite story about this sort of thing comes from the diary of Walt Whitman. One day, he read in the local newspaper that a renowned professor was going to be giving a lecture on Walt's poetry at the local university. Interested to see what this man had to say, he decided to attend the lecture.
He sat in the back of the room and listened while this scholar proceeded to give his take on what he thought the author meant by these poems. At one point in the evening, Walt could not take it any longer. This professor was telling the audience that a certain poem had a certain meaning and that this is what the author was thinking at the time he wrote it. Walt rose his hand and said "I don't think you have this meaning correct, sir." But the professor again tried to convince the poet that this is definitely what the author meant. Once again, the poet said out loud "No sir, I think you are mistaken. I can tell you that this is not what the poet meant by this poem." Being agitated, the professor said "Then sir? Why don't you tell the audience what the poem means?" The poet stood and gave a very detailed and beautiful explanation of the certain piece of literature. When he was done, the professor, feeling that he had been slightly defeated, asked "How would you know what this means? Have you studied the works of this poet? Do you have any sort of real education? What makes you so sure that this was the meaning behind the poet's work?" And with a grin, Walt Whitman  came forward and introduced himself to the professor. The lecture ended and the professor never came back to the college.
So, I used this example in an essay we were supposed to write about the meaning of certain poems. My professor didn't want to know my thoughts. All she wanted was for me to repeat what she had told us. So instead of proceeding to spit her words back at her, I wrote an essay about why I felt that analyzing poetry was useless and a waste of time. I gave strong points, the main one being that unless the poet themselves have said what the poem meant, we had no business in criticizing their work. About a week later, I was asked to stay after class. My professor told me that my writing was adequate and my formatting was good, but that my topic was not was assigned. At that point, I will neither confirm nor deny that I may have told her, in so many words, to shove it where the sun wouldn't be able to shine. The next week I got called in the the department head's office. Little did I know that the department head was also my professor's husband. (They didn't have the same last name.) I was told to find another program and to not come back. And I didn't.
Over the last few weeks, I have learned that there are certain people out there who don't like me. And there are many reasons why they don't like me, but the main one is that they feel threatened by me. I have had some incidences at work this past week where this was the case. So let me just say I DON'T WANT YOUR JOB!  I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE IT. BACK OFF!!! Yeah... and these are grown women, mind you, who are going to HR and complaining that I am gossiping about them behind their backs. YEAH...I KNOW...last I checked, I left high school and even graduated from college. I don't have time to talk about people or to spread rumors. I actually go to work...and work. I know, it's a crazy idea, but it does happen. It just irks me because people won't grow up and ask me if anything they hear is true. Which it isn't. But whatever. What a joke. But I will move on...and if I get disrupted from doing my job again because someone is tattle-tailing on something that they assume must have happened, I will get that much more upset and start stabbing jaws. I know, I was just getting pass that phase.
Anyway...moving one. I guess the point is, not everyone is going to like you all the time. But as long as you can look back at the end of the day and feel like you are square with God and that you have done your best, than those haters can go to Hell. Just saying.

So I don't have a new purse photo to post...I've been too busy and too poor to go shopping. But no worries, I will have some more pictures soon. We'll see what the budget will allow. But I would like to end this post with a little prayer that my Facebook buddies are used to seeing. It is one in the series known as "Dear Lord":

Dear Lord,
  We are thankful that we have survived another day. We are thankful for the little miracles that present themselves in our lives on a daily basis. We are also thankful for ibuprofen, pop corn and, as always, Diet Coke. Please help us to continue through the week with patience and love for your other children, for we do not want to end up in jail like Lindsay Lohan for harming another. And please let the diet coke machine be full tomorrow. Amen. 

Life, Love and the pursue of the Purse Part One

Wow it's been a while since I have updated the blog...but it's been hectic around here. I remember a time when life slowed down during the summer. Everyone would be outside, running around in the sprinklers, drinking lemonade and hanging out until well after the sun went down. Enter in adulthood. Nothing really changes from season to season. You still have to go to work, clean the house, pay the bills and try to get some free time in.
So a few weeks ago, me and a few of mu siblings look an inflatable raft up American Fork Canyon and floated around on the reservoir. It was wonderful. So good in fact that I am still peeling due to the sunburn. But it reminded me what summer was about. Thanks for the fun time Andy, Andrea, Wendi and Gina!

I have been settling into my new job and for the first time in a while, I am happy at work. I work with good people and enjoy my days more. Mike has been doing a lot of gigging with both of his bands, Molly Drive and The Wolf Gang. Hop on over to his Facebook page and you can see their You Tube videos. They are so much fun to listen to and watch. And I am not going to lie, the extra money has been nice too! It also reminds me of how truly talented my husband is. He is a wonderful musician and has a great stage presence.

Speaking of my husband, we celebrated our 2nd anniversary last month. It's kind of hard to believe that we have been married that long. It all seems so long ago that we became sealed for time and all eternity. We have been through a lot in the past two years. There have been some very hard times. A lot of married people don't experience half of what we have in the past two years for a long time afterwards. With health issues, heart attacks, surgeries, moving, cars, school, jobs, communication, money, it has been a rough road. But as I sit here tonight, looking over at my husband playing on his computer, I realize that I do love him more now than I did two years ago. So for our anniversary, Mike gave me a beach cruiser bicycle. I love it. I will post pictures later. And then I also got Harry Potter Lego for the Xbox 360. It is a pretty sweet game. I have all of the Lego games except for Rock Band. But I will own it someday. It will be mine.

I have also become slightly obsessed with a purse lately. It is a line of bags called Miche Bags (Mee - Chee). I have seen them for years and always wondered about getting one. And now...I am in love. If you don't know what a Miche Bag is, go to their website - www.michebag.com and check them out. Then go to the Fashion Place Mall, go to the kiosk by the food court, ask for Paul and get yourself one. Here is a picture of my most recent bad:

And here is the other one that I have:

I have such a hard time finding purses that are a reasonable price and sturdy. But these puppies are wonderful. They come on three different sizes and there are different covers for each one. Read about it on the website. Seriously...you won't regret it. Your husband may not like me for a while because you are buy so many, but he will get over it.

I was trying to think about more of the methodical things that have been cruising in my cerebellum as of late, but nothing is coming at the moment. But I think right now I can hear my pillow calling to me. It has missed me lately. We haven't had as many dates as usual. So, I will continue to think and continue on part two of this entry. So, until then, sweet dreams and Miche Bags!