Yep, I'm 40!

On my birthday, there was a knock at the door - and when I went to answer it there was no one there but an arrow (made out of dr. pepper cans) on my doorstep. It was pointing to...

The number 40 made with dr. pepper cans on my drive way - who could have asked for more - 40 cans of dp when I turn 40 - love it!

Thanks Steve and Kimble - one of the best birthday presents ever!

I did have a great birthday. It started the night before with a bowling party with some friends. Then off to the Survivor premier that had the BEST tribal council ever - I think just for my birthday. The next morning we had donuts from Lehi Bakery and then lunch with some girl friends at Kneaders. At lunch, they gave me a present of a girls night out - skiing and then an overnighter in Park City -complete with hot tub! Can't wait!

I also got a 2 liter of dp from my friend and gift certificate for a fill on my nails! Perfect timing as they had grown out so far I was almost going to start prying them off! A yummy edible bouquet was delivered from the blueberries that was pretty and delicious. My YW made a flag and hung it at my house that had a HUGE 40 on it - so no keeping my age a secret in our neighborhood! Got a lot of phone calls, texts, and fb bday wishes - I sure felt loved.

John did have to work that night (hence the bowling party the night before) but I took the kids swimming so they all went to bed early and I had some quiet time.

All in all a GREAT birthday.
Thanks for all the birthday wishes. Have to say my husband has gotten a lot of mileage out of telling people I'm 40 and he's still 36. What can I can - he obviously married "up" in more ways than one! Love you honey!

My Inner Self

So...after a little persuasion (yeah - I'm sure you all know how much persuading I need to throw some attention on me!) I am posting the pics that I'm sure will one day make Emily famous. Click here to see her photography blog - she is amazing! Love you Emily!

Amendment to the List

Seeing my Utah Primary Presidency - that's good!
Missing my Idaho Primary Presidency - that's bad!

Love you gals!

A Very WICKED Weekend

After much anticipation (around two years) and a few bad rhymes - the day had finally arrived! I was going to WICKED! I had made a few attempts (lottery in NYC, missed opportunity in LA) but it was worth the wait. I went with my in-laws and loved every minute of it! I don't think I would have had the same experience without "the sisters". My Mother-in-Law's family is quite the riot. I enjoy watching them together. They love each other, love to be with each other, and most of all - love to laugh! It was great!

Here they are in front of the Wicked poster. Obviously they were not prepared for the pose...


Here we are again and this is the first time "the sisters" have taken a picture with me. What's a picture without a pose? We had a grand time - and dad I didn't even break out in song.

I did love the play, but it is not my first choice. I don't know if you will always love the first play you go to or if Les Miserables is just that powerful. I don't think anything can really top it. I have seen it three times, and each time it is just as great.

But I did love Wicked - and go ahead and call me Galinda if you want to. I feel that role could have been written for me - if I could only sing. I have told John - I have the heart of a singer just not the voice - and sadly he never disputes that statement!

Anyway - It was a fabulous time - thanks to Tiffany and Grama for making it happen for me. I loved it and loved being with you!

BIG NEWS!

glitter-graphics.com

Girl's Night

It's so fun to have girlfriends! Here we are at the Albion Cafe for a little birthday dinner. We have three birthdays in February - Trista, Jan, and mine. We are not really into the day-to-day kind of thing so it's wonderful to get together once a month and our one weekend in the summer to catch up and just enjoy the friends we have been since Jr. High!

Well - Trista and I have been friends since - I don't remember a time we weren't. I remember going to her house and playing with her Holly Hobby EZ Bake oven, and then we went skiing almost every weekend in the winter during elementary school.

I think the hub our little blueberry group is Emy. She is the one that brought everyone together and keeps us together. She brought me in during Jr. High. They mis-spelled my name so I got the bottom locker under her (Emy Peterson - then) and she kept dropping things on my head. I think she felt sorry for injuring me so often, so pretty soon we were fast friends.

I think Emy was all ready friends with Jan and Cindy from 6th grade. I don't know how Jennifer came in - I do know Jen and I were best friends in 8th grade because of athletics. I spent a lot of time at her house and was always envious she had double doors to her bedroom.

Stacie moved in the summer before 8th grade and was in Trista's ward. They became best friends and so Stacie was automatically part of our group.

Kim was our latest edition - she moved in the summer before our Jr. year. She and Emy met and there you go.

It has been fun to live here with some of the Blueberries - but sad we don't see each other very much. Amazing that even though we are all the same age - we are at such different stages of life. Wish we could see each other more and just hang out - but hey - life happens!

Love you gals! Can't wait for the summer get together!

It Can Kill You?

So, I have gotten the flu every year - the 24 hour kind. Miserable, body aches, fever, you know the kind, and then just when you think you can't be any more miserable - it's the next day and you weren't really even sure you had it.

Well, I never thought I would get the kind that could kill you!

This week I got the serious INFLUENZA - Type A. I got really sick Sunday afternoon - right after my primary meeting. The worst headache ever, body aches, stabbing back pain, and high fever, but chills that made me think I was going to freeze to death - and then top that with vomiting and diarrhea.

I suffered through the nigh with NyQuil thinking I would be ok in the morning - not so - if anything it was worse. John had to leave town so things were looking bad. Luckily, our down-the-road neighbor offered to take the kids. She has them from 11am-6pm and then my in-laws took the kids overnight.

I thought I was going to die. When I stopped throwing up enough to breathe I just laid in bed and cried. I tried medicine I could find - tylenol, advil, hydrocodone (worked with one dose that gave me two hours of relief), finally on Tues I had my dad call in a prescrption for Tylenol with Codiene - that made me so violently sick I vowed to never take medication again!

Anyway - luckily my in-laws kept my kids dressed, fed, and going to school. John kept asking if I had made a dr. appt. No - one because I was just too worn out to actually find a number and call, and two - what does the dr. do for the flu? Tell you you have the flue and send you home with medicine - which is what I thought I had been doing and it wasn't doing such a great job until then.

Well, by Thursday, John drove home by 3pm and had had it - luckily using my dad's name - we got a dr. appt for 4:50pm. Oh the wonder drugs at the actual dr. office!!!!!! The dr. said there was such a bad flu going around people were being hospitalized (what? for the flu?) even when they had had their flu shots. Back to the wonder drugs - I had to survive the brain-probing swab up my nose - twice! but got a postitive result so I got the heavenly nausea shot and the pain killer shot right in my derierre! Jacee couldn't quite giggling about that one.

Anyway, John knew I was in bad shape when I actually didn't say no to the shots. That night was heaven. I ate a little, drank a lot (the dr. told me if I didn't get fluids in me I would have to come the next day for a couple of rounds of I.V.s because I was so dehydrated and if you know me you know that wasn't really going to happen!)

The next morning I thought I should be good to go! I woke up and made the kids breakfast and this took everything out of me. Luckily, John was home, so I took some more medication, and slept all day again.

Today seems to be going ok. I am not nauseated and I think my fever is gone, but I am just weak and tired. The kids have been playing with each other and I've been able to nap on and off. We'll see how the rest of the day goes.

Oh - BTW - this flu is so bad my entire family has to take the flu medication that cost a ga-zillion dollars so they won't get it either. My advice - if you start having flu-like symptons - just go to the dr. immediatly and save yourself some agogony and pain!

Random 25

I was tagged by my nephew Jogus - and what I wouldn't do for that boy! Hey is pretty funny so I thought I'd better get on it so here are 25 random things about me.

1. No one can really describe my eye color. One time they were described as a kind of grey - that is the description I agree with the most - even though my driver's license says blue/green.

2. I am about 75% grey.

3. I love to drive my mini-van - I don't car if it's not fancy.

4. I have had hair extensions. (1995)

5. I have 7 fake teeth - and they can't be bleached! So I need 7 new ones that are porcelain.

6. I make up my own words to about every song I know, and I love to sing loud and proud - can't carry a tune so it drives my husband crazy. He once asked me if I even knew what the notes meant in the hymn book (no, I don't!)

7. I would love to grow up to be a combination of my mom and my mother-in-law. Thoughtful, loving, and happy.

8. I think my husband thinks I'm bi-polar.

9. One of my biggest weaknesses is gossip - I'm working on it.

10. I secretly laugh when Maddie throws a big fit - it's kinda cute the way she throws herself down on the floor.

11. I do not like people to point out that I have a messy house or messy kids.

12. I think I'm a good mom, but worry that my kids will have a strong testimony to help them when they are teens.

13. I wish I could afford a cook. (someone like Brent Black)

14. I have grand plans that usually never materialize - or at least materialize the way I have envisioned.

15. I sometimes eat cookies or cake while watching the biggest loser.

16. I love it when I do something and someone says, "That reminds me of your mother!"

17. I miss all the love and attention I got while teaching school and directing ballroom teams.

18. I worry that we won't be able to afford college tuition for our children and I want them to get a college degree almost more than anything.

19. I sometimes pick things out of my teeth with a scrap of paper.

20. I love to know everything about everyone!

21. I hate to lose at games and being married to my husband has guaranteed me a life of never winning again!

22. I do not like talking on the phone - I am a face to face person.

23. I volunteer for things knowing that I could never do it without my husband's help.

24. I do not like long toe nails and it secretly grosses my out when people have long enough toe nails to do a "french pedicure".

25. I do not know how to make gravy and probably never will because my husband is so good at it.

I tag: John, Sayda, Karen, Jen - let me know when you've posted!

More for me than anyone else

I know this is a long list so you don't have to read it. It is fun to remember what you've gone through and that you have had a good life!

What I've done...

copy and paste the 200 statements then bold the ones you have done!! Hope you enjoy it!!

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (chocolate dipped strawberries for girl's camp)
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it (love you hubby!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (no comment!)
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (everyday!)
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (what happened to drive -ins?)
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring (I think it broke because my mood swings are so violent)
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train (oh the inhumanity on the Russia tour)
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class (remember Richard?)
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane (every time)
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival (drug dip!)
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Commented on someone's blog