Christmas Party 2008

So, we actually went to a high-end art gallery this year for Dave's company Christmas party. It was an open bar and three different food stations throughout. I was amazed at the money this company puts out!!! We had a good time and I wish we got better pics, but here are the ones of us at Heather's house just before we left. Wow, Dave has dressed up twice this year! It's a new record! Yay me!!!

Ms. Evey, Me, Kendall, and Jessica

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving with some very good friends, Jessica and Gavin. Gavin cooked the entire meal and it was DELICIOUS! I have to say this was the best Thanksgiving we've had in a long time. If we couldn't be with family then the Fieldings were the next best thing. Thank you, Gavin and Jessica! And thank you Kendall for letting my little monsters play with all of your toys! This year I'm thankful for good friends, a happy family, and for good health. It's been a long time.

Nobody tagged me, but I saw this on someone else's blog and thought it would be a fun little post that I don't have to be too creative with. Not a lot of time this week, but this looks fun. Here you go:

10 years ago I was:
I was a freshman in college and begging my family to let me move away to Salt Lake City with my big sis, Heidi. I wanted to get away from an old boyfriend sooooo bad!!! I think I was working at Great American Video, which I was fired from a few weeks later for deciding to go on a trip to Tokyo, Japan over the Christmas holiday rather than staying and working for them. Who knew that honesty wasn't the best policy in the moving renting business? I should've just told them I wasn't going anymore and then quit the week before, I guess. Uh, I was still actively mormon... although also actively avoiding going. Ten years ago, I was very confused, very frustrated, and starting a part of my life that would change who I am and who I thought I was FOREVER.

5 things on my to do list today:
Spray paint my wood letters and frames
Decoupage
Drink Coffee
Start sewing projects
Drink more Coffee

5 snacks I enjoy:
Chips and Salsa
Triscuits (Rosemary and Olive Oil or Cracked Pepper)
Soybeans
Carrots
Soft Pretzels

5 things I would do if I was a millionaire:
Pay off ALL my debt and loan all of my family and close friends money to pay off their debt without interest rates.
BUY A HOUSE!!!
Go on a trip to Europe, Africa, and especially BRAZIL!
Set up savings accounts for myself, my kids, my neices and nephews.
Set up a family reunion fund for all of my brothers, sisters and their kids so that money is no longer an issue for getting together once a year.
AND, since I'm a millionaire I get ONE more...
I would invest a set amount of money into something that I know will acrue over time and then donate the profit to a different chairity WITHIN this country every year. The U.S. needs to help our own lost children, too, you know?

5 places I've lived:
Pocatello, Idaho
Salt Lake City, Utah
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Phoenix, Arizona
more to come, I'm sure

5 jobs I've had:
After School Program teacher for School District 25 and for ISU's Early Learning Center in Pocatello, ID
Great American Vido clerk (first job) in Pocatello, ID
File Clerk for L.D. Fitzgerald, a Bankrupcy lawyer in Poctello, ID
Front Desk clerk and Summer Camp counselor at Snowbird Canyon Racquet Club in SLC, UT
Pottery Barn sales associate in Scottsdale, Arizona


I tag: whoever feels like it.

Message from a SAHM

So, I've decided that I am never going to find the time to post seperate entries on all of the pictures we've taken over the last while, and so instead of some clever, witty diddy, you get these. Mosaics. Collages. Snoring, I know! But what else am I gonna do with them except stash them in a photo album and let them collect dust. Besides, after talking with my awesome friend D. extensively about this blogosphere world we live in, I think that what it all boils down to is that my kids are cuter than yours. That's why we blog... to prove just that... only mine are cute, but kinda rotten, in a cute, sweet, I want to rip my eyeballs out kinda way. Eat that you June Cleavers out there (none of you read this blog so that's why I feel comfortable shouting this my fellow blog readers). This message brought to you by the new, improved, and sometimes too brutally honest SAHM (stay at home mom -- for those of you who are retarded). Check it.

Here's a little taste of what I've been working on for this craft fair coming up in December. I know the pictures are bad, but I've yet to make my photo light box so that I can take stellar pics of my product. Pictured above are the tutus, tiaras, paper-crafted christmas trees and topiaries, and christmas blocks that I make. Someday I'll post other stuff I've been crafting, but I thought I'd narrow it down to Christmas and tutus for this post. I sell my tutus and tiaras and ship them, so if you know of anyone looking for adorable girly gifts then send them my way!

A Midsummer's Night Dream

So... I've got a little confession to make... I like ballets. I never thought I'd be saying those three words, or at least not in the same sentence. I took Phoenix to her first (and mine) ballet last Christmas at Phoenix Symphony Hall for The Nutcracker. I was amazed at the set and the costumes and just about everything you could be impressed about. My only complaint... it was LONG! But, not so long that I wouldn't come back. So, I had my chance to take Phoenix to another ballet this year. A Midsummer's Night Dream. I couldn't resist after seeing the adversing online. This is by far the most amazing performance I have ever seen (not that I've seen a whole lot). The costumes were incredible! The colors and the details were... I don't even think there is a word that describes how beautiful they were. I felt like I was in this magical world, for realsies! AMAZING! And Phoenix was completely enthralled! She knew that there was a story behind the dancing and would ask, "what are they doing?" or "read what is happening, mommy"... obviously I am not a ballet buff because I didn't even know that I could read what is happening. She went to the ballet with her Auntie Heather late last spring, so she obviously must have learned that little tidbit from her. But does that really surprise you? I mean, I just confessed that I have been a closeted ballet lover for over a year. I've got a lot to learn, but it's going to be fun doing so with my little girl.

Having said that, Phoenix has started ballet classes. She made quite the impression for her first day. Silly mommy didn't realize that ballet is such a serious thing at 3 years old and didn't dress her in pink tights and leotard. Nope, I decided it would be a good idea for her to wear black yoga pants and a blue puma tank. Yeah... she stuck out like a sore thumb. 14 other little girls show up and all 14 are wearing... you guessed it, pink tights and leotards with pink ballet slippers and tight, tight hair in buns. And then there was Phoenix. As if that weren't enough to scar a poor girl for life (thank goodness she is only 3 and doesn't understand that "different" blows... *sigh*, GIRLS!!!) she was also the only white girl. I'm talking major ivory and a foot taller than everyone else. She looked like John McCain at a gay marriage ceremony... out of place! But the class was amazing!!! Her teacher is my new hero and mentor as far as teaching is concerned. She had a roomful of 3 and 4 year olds following her every move and there was no screaming, yelling, crying, or straying during the class. I have never seen such control in a situation such as this. We love Ms. CeCe!

This week I've learned...

This week, after a few swears and a whole lot of middle fingers, I have learned...

1. I am not the soccer player I used to be... not even the same one I was last week. I seem to be getting progressively worse and even funnier to watch. I didn't realize that this would be my first shot at improv. "Thanks, guys, I'll be performing every Monday night plus a great matninee on your Sunday mornings! I bet you can't guess what animal I run like!" Now that's funny shizz.

2. Poopy diapers suck the big SUCK-a-DUCKA from DookieVille. I swear that Gracie's stanky-butt drops little nuggets in her diaper like it's a treasure box. No joke, every morning from the time she wakes up until after 4 o'clock, I discover a little gold with every wipe. It's true, folks! No KIDDERS! My behind the back diaper throw into the backyard is getting pretty good these days since those little treasures aren't going anywhere near the inside diaper pail. We just gotta nip that stank in the bud. Can we say dry heave? Honestly, she's been known to make me throw up a little in my mouth.

3. Lastly, I've learned this week that I should never, ever type a blog while under the influence of Ambien. Hopefully no one read the unedited version of this post before I got to it. For realsies, guys, I didn't even realize that I had posted a blog last night until I logged in this evening. It was really bad and mostly incoherent. Can we say embarrassing? At least I wasn't writing about rice bags falling from the sky or faces coming at me from the walls. I've been known to do and say strange things while on Ambien.


That's it for this installment of "What I've learned this week"! (the original post had a few more lessons, but after reviewing I cannot even explain where I was going with it).