Digging myself out of the self pity pit

My posts over the past few days have had an aura of doom about them, and for that I apologize. I have never really been a negative, depressing type of person and somehow I allowed myself to wallow for the past for days and it's time to get up and see the light, people!

Have I mentioned that Wednesday Boot Camp makes me hyper? On Wednesday's we do calisthenics and for some reason I am like a freak for the rest of the day, bouncing around, spazzing out. I mean, this stuff kicks my butt. They're some of the hardest exercises I've ever done, but somehow, as soon as I get out of the shower after a Wednesday workout, I turn into the poster child for ADHD.

This gets interesting as I try to work. My boss comes to say hi and I just start running my mouth and laughing at myself. And I read a sentence like "pick your horse and experiment" as "pick your nose and experiment" and I read it again and again trying to make sense of why my boss would tell me to pick my nose and work, all the while snorting and spewing Diet Coke all over my keyboard. (**Just a funny side note, my boss DID in fact write me an email that had the sentence "pick your horse and experiment." That alone would have caused the snorting and Coke spewing but add insult to injury and misread it as "pick your nose" and it just gets funnier and funnier. Especially when you're stuck in SPAZ MODE.)

My other random story for the day involves McDonald's. The place I swore I'd never eat at again after seeing "Super Size Me." But one day a few months ago I was STARVING for breakfast and I was at Dan and Agata's house and the only fast, easy food near them is McDonald's, so I tried a McGriddle sandwich. Small bit of advice. Don't try it. It's the best little breakfast sandwich in the whole world, and once you eat it, you'll NEVER go back. This morning, I was fifteen minutes late to work (not like I can ever really be late, but I try really really hard to get here by 8:30 and I get mad at myself if it's any later than 8:40 and this morning it was 8:45 when I was getting off the freeway - stupid traffic.) and I was STARVING so I decided I'd better go get a McGriddle. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER I am still sitting in the stupid drive-through line, stuck between the window where you pay and the window where you actually get your food. Just sitting there. I'm not sure WHAT was going on inside. The girl taking the money kept sticking her head out the window to look and see if the car at the pick-up had moved . . . like she couldn't ASK the people inside what was going on?!?!? It was a debacle for sure. So I rolled into work at about 9:05, thanks to my stupid McGriddle fascination. The Work-out Gods were mad at me . . . and I probably deserve their wrath.

In other fun news, I am going out to dinner with Agata tonight. We're going to Sapporo, the "hip and happening" Japanese restaurant in Scottsdale. It's the only place we've ever gone together. I'm not sure if it's because she loves it that much or because it's "the place to see and be seen" according to high Scottsdale society. Needless to say I put on my sassiest fat clothes and will try hard to fit in with the barbie doll that is Agata and the rest of the Scottsdale princesses. It's not going to be easy! Then I'll really give myself away when I don't order a cosmopolitan or Appletini! I'm so "out" aren't I? Last time we were there I saw Danika Patrick. Today I'm crossing my fingers and PRAYING that Matt Leinart is there, and that he thinks girls with big butts are hot. HAHAHAHAHA. *Disclaimer: My husband is aware of my Matt Leinart obsession, and he knows that if in fact, a miracle ever occurs and Matt Leinart wants me, I'm probably not going to be able to resist his lusciousness. I mean I fit the profile right? His last girlfriend was Paris Hilton . . . and the girl before that WAS in fact LDS and a volleyball player. I'm totally his type -- I'm LDS and Paris Hilton and I have the same yacht sized feet. When we meet, he will immediately fall for me. That's what I tell myself every time I see his beautiful face on TV.

Petey's Party

er . . . wedding.

Yeah, Pete is my favorite co-worker and he recently got married at the swanky Phoenecian. The ceremony was awesome, the food was delicious and the party was AWESOME. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:
**these were taken by Agata . . . and Matt was there, he just wasn't in any pictures!

Agata and I dancing

Agata and Carrie, obviously the bride

The proud Groom (apologies to any virgin eyes)

My friend Stacey, co-worker Chris (liiiiitle punch drunk) and Agata

Fun had by all!

I took home one of the floral centerpieces and it pretty much took over my kitchen counter!

The dilemma of the day

So I mentioned my stomach ailment.

What I didn't mention was the stress headaches and cramps.

So here's the dilemma:

Do I take a painkiller to ease the cramps and headache, thus causing the stomach ailment to rear it's ugly head?


OR

Do I not take any painkillers and just sit here numbly staring into the blackness rubbing my neck hoping for some relief?



OR




I honestly can't decide which is worse. So I sit here staring at the five advil I grabbed out of the first aid kit. And that's all I'm doing with it. Staring. Wishing.

And here's what's totally sad . . . I'm blogging about this! I guess it's sort of like virtually reaching out to all my friends and whining! And that makes me sound really mature!

On to other matters - I went shopping today at lunch because I figured I needed shoe therapy or SOMETHING right? Apparently not. I just wandered through the store, looking at Christmas Decorations but unwilling to commit, trying on shoes but unwilling to commit. This is so not like me. I passed on shoes AND Christmas decorations? Shirley would be disappointed (ps- Shirley is my most awesome stylin' Grandma who gave me my love of shoes and all things Christmas)

This week is turning me into a Grinch!! A Grinch who can't find SHOES!

And then the heavens opened up and shouted "Kate we hate you!"

My brother Sean used to say that all the time and we'd all laugh.

This week I am saying it and honestly, not so funny when you're the one feeling compelled to say it.

After finally fighting off my plague, I am now struck with my other common ailment, the stomach monster called "Gastritis" (and it is not as that phrase implies, just FYI) and I am now only allowing myself to eat white bread and bananas in hopes of preventing my entire midsection from cramping up every time I eat anything.

That was yesterday.

Then today happened. Stupid, stupid today.

My boss told me today that I am being too much of a victim. Maybe that is true and maybe it's not, but it was sort of like a slap in the face to hear that. Let me explain why . . .

My 90 day review for my new position as Marketing Specialist is due this week. I brought this up last week to make sure everyone knew I was expecting it this week. And now, somehow, it's not happening because there is a "process" and in the "real business world" it doesn't happen right when us measly employees expect it.

In my mind I'm thinking "wow is it really to much to ask that after two years in this company, busting my ass and doing humiliating tasks, after I FINALLY get promoted, that I get a raise the day I was promised I'd get a raise? Is that really too much to ask?" More specifically I thought (and later actually said) "I brought this up last week to facilitate having the review THIS week so I could get my raise THIS week."

I was told I was being completely unreasonable and I could STOP being unreasonable and be patient or I could quit. Except his words were "You can stop being unreasonable and be patient or you can walk."

Right now my walking shoes are sounding pretty dang good.

Thank the heavens this week is OVER!

I'm not sure when I've been so excited for the weekend to roll around. EVER. In my entire. life.

Some of you know I have been sick this week . . . but it wasn't really a normal, Kate sickness. It was bad. I mean BAD. I missed three days of work this week. THREE. I haven't missed three days of work due to illness since . . . well, ever. You will all remember me feeling like crap last weekend in Pennsylvania. Well I put my sick butt on a plane. And five out of five health care professionals say that getting on a plane with a slight cold will cause you to immediately go from "sniffles" to "full blown plague with 90% chance of death." Oh and the people sitting within 100 feet of you will immediately be infected with the same plague. So basically, I think I just started the first outbreak of the black plague since the dark ages. My apologies to everyone on my oversold flight, everyone at JFK airport, everyone at Sky Harbor airport and anyone who got anywhere near to THOSE people.

ANYWAY, I had/have bronchitis. Usually this is identified immediately in me with a horrific, phlegmy hacking cough. Apparently in THIS version of bronchitis, that is not the case. The cough doesn't show up until DAY FIVE of this particular version of the death disease. On Wednesday I finally dragged my butt off the couch to take a shower and FORCE myself to go to work ... and immediately started hacking up a lung. Maybe it was the standing up? That must be it. I hadn't stood up for a significant amount of time since the dreaded "show" in New York. So that was when I decided to consult our lovely local overworked urgent care facility. Much to my surprise when I showed up I was one of two people in the lobby, so my prayers were answered and I knew I would be seen soon.

**Random side note: At this particular urgent care facility, they ask you to check yourself in by computer. Now this would be an extremely wonderful, effective way to get people checked in, if we lived in a perfect world. But here's my point: The people who go to urgent care typically have one or more of the following symptoms: Amputated digit, plague, flu, cold, BRONCHITIS, blood, guts . . . you know URGENT CARE TYPE OF THINGS. I'm thinking that most people will infect the computer with their particular slew of germs, bleed all over the thing or be TOO SICK TO TYPE IN WHAT THEY ARE SICK WITH. Ok, sidenote over.**

Back to me and my experience. I got in pretty fast. I was asked by the nurse what my symptoms were. While describing them I'm thinking "what the crap did I fill out all that crap on the computer for if you idiots aren't going to READ IT." But explain I did. "Sick for five days now, lots of snot, coughing started this morning." She sends me in for a chest X-ray. Um, people, I've had bronchitis every year since I was about 5 and I have NEVER had an X-ray. I'm thinking this is going to cost me . . . bastards. Anyway, finally the doctor comes in and he is actually great, effective, nice, well groomed and carrying this sweet notepad computer where he enters my symptoms AGAIN but this time with a stylus! Then he says "your prescriptions will be ready at the front. You have acute bronchitis. Hope you feel better." Sweet! A virtual prescription! (see how bored I was all week? Daytime TV really sucks.) Anyway, I'm on meds now. Being drugged up is SO GREAT!

Thursday I dragged my still sick butt back to work. Remember now, this was the week after a big trade show. I'm pretty sure the world fell apart while I was gone. So I groggily tried to wade my way through that day. I'm not exactly sure what happened but I was there from eight to five.

Friday was a BAD day. I mean BAD. I was starting to feel better for real but my boss and I decided to not like each other for the day. I had a real argument with my boss for the first time ever. And I don't mean THIS boss. I mean first argument with ANY boss. He, "Mr Communication" claimed I misunderstood what he said to me, but I'm pretty sure that when he said "You are making this problem a B priority and it's not a B priority, Kate!" that he meant to say "You are making this problem a B priority and it's not a B priority, Kate!" I've never actually been accused of making a well known issue a "B" priority. Especially when I'd spent the majority of the day trying to fix it . . . oh and an hour with a very busy developer the day before. But whatever right? Hahah, the Kate most of you know would have just shrugged it off. Apparently plague Kate is a monster. Plague Kate said "Don't say I'm making this a B priority" . . .and then sort of went off from there. I got splotchy. Those of you who know me know that when I get splotchy, it is NOT good. I look like a teenager with like fifty hickeys. It's not pretty and there's NO way to hide it.

Anyway, I walked out mad, then he called me back in and we "worked it out" (as you can tell I'm still not quiiiiite over it though) and I came home . . . sort of a mess, sort of in tears. Apparently Plague Kate is super emotional as well.

Ok this post is getting a lot long . . . I'll sum up fast (and sorry there are no pictures. I, er, hate the camera lately. Or something.)

We went and saw "The Prestige" on Friday night. It's very cool and very entertaining. And have I mentioned my love of Christian Bale? Yeah, I pretty much have been in love with him since my first glance of him in Newsies in 7th grade. Anyway, the movie has lots of cool magic stuff, lots of pretty boys for the gals to look at, lots of Scarlette Johansen's cleavage for the boys to look at, and a cool storyline and some really cool twists and turns. Just when you think you've got it figured out they HIT ya. It's great. And did I mention Christian Bale . . . with his ENGLISH ACCENT? Yeah. Drool.



In his next movie he plays a German soldier captured in Vietnam. Oh and he's apparently manorexic looking. Caaaan't wait!

Quote of the Year

I am pretty sure this is my favorite quote of all time:

"Prince might be the only human who's actually made of butterscotch and grease"
-- John Heder, on explaining his choice of a Prince song on his iTunes celebrity playlist

And then New York kicked her butt . . .

Oh my gosh i feel like crap.

C
R
A
P

I think I wore myself out this week!

I was on "trade show duty" Wedesday and Thursday all day. And I mean ALL DAY. I was up at 6:30 EST (which is 3:30 Arizona time. OUI) and I was standing, in our booth, from 7:30 AM until about 6:00 PM both days. My feet were KILLING me . . . to the point that I called my sister on the verge of tears and begged her to send me a pair of Danskos so I could handle the next day of standing all day.

The Danskos came and they helped a bit, but I think my entire blood supply was pooled in my feet. They were swolen to twice their normal size and popping out of the top of the shoes.

On the bright side I went and saw the musical "The Drowsy Chaperone" and loved it. I recommend it to everyone.

Friday I walked all over New York. I walked up and down Fifth Avenue a few times, walked through Central Park, walked everywhere. My fat body is not used to that i tell you what!

I had woken up feeling sort of sick so i went to the pharmacy and got some Airborne and cough drops, hoping they would help, but I dont think they did.

Friday evening I took a train from NYC to my parents house in Lancaster, PA, and I have pretty much done nothing but sleep since I got here. I'm really sick AGAIN. I have had the chills and the shakes and a sore throat and all kinds of lame crap. I was supposed to go shopping today but instead I slept. And slept. Then ate, then slept.

Tomorrow morning I go back to New York to fly home from JFK. The train drops me off at 12:30 and my flight isn't until 6:00 PM but I think I may just go straight to the airport and sleep some more. If I walk anymore I think I might open a vein.

I still love New York but I'm really ready to go home and see my husband and sleep in my own bed.

Of course going home means going back to Boot Camp too, but honestly, it might be better than the swolen feet New York caused me this week.

**Pardon my errors within this post. I'm using a Mac and I'm struggling to type and too tired to care!

I "Heart" New York

Someday I'll learn HTML and be able to add a picture of a heart or something in my titles . . .

ANYWAY

I am in New York and oh how I love it here. I love the tall hallways of buildings, the city smells, the knockoff purses on the corners, the amazing shopping, the sort feet from walking everywhere . . . everything.

I am here for my first real business trip. I feel so fancy and so . .. well, old. Since when do I have a real job and a real life? Holy crap!!

Anyway, here I sit in my hotel room, not sleepy because it's only 8:30 at home but 11:30 here and I have to get up at 6:00 here which is three-freaking-a-freaking-m at home . . . and I want to sleep but I can't. I'm staying at the Hilton New York, right in the heart of the city - near Times Square, near 5th Avenue, near Central Park . . . it's newly renovated and really quite nice, yet all I can think about is the fact that in a small way, i am contributing to stupid Paris Hilton's trust fund. And that pretty much pisses me off.

But ANYWAY, I love New York. And I should stop saying that . . . I am really excited because on Friday morning, after the rest of my company goes home, I am going to an endowment session at the Manhatten Temple! I have wanted to go since it's announcement but this is the first time I've been to New York since I've been endowed.

I will also, as is fitting to my dramatic self, try to find a show to go to. I'm thinking Drowsy Chaperone or Jersey Boys, if I can get decently priced tickets. Although Donny Osmond IS playing Gaston in Beauty and the Beast! It's the role he was BORN to play, no?

I'll try to keep you all posted, though in the next two days my only entries might look something like "Stood on my feet for twelve hours straight today, boss won't let me sit down. Shoe size has gone from water ski size to full billionaire yacht size. Stay tuned for tomorrow when they will be the size of Mount Everest."

Ow.

How fair is Photoshop/Airbrushing REALLY?

I was looking at some Blogs the other day by some really great photographers and scrapbookers. The pictures were truly beautiful. The colors were bright, the smiles were white, the eyes were clear and sparkling . . .

Then I started to think about it. They are all just photoshop whores. (and I say that with the utmost respect . . . if you can call someone a whore and mean it respectfully)

If I knew what they know about photoshop and airbrushing and making eyes look bluer and greener and taking off fat rolls and other such things, I'd look hot all the time, and so would everyone I ever took a picture of!

I'm filing a complaint with . . . someone.

Either permanently Photoshop ME as a person, or stop doing it to pictures. I want to know what people REALLY look like.

Or maybe I should just learn Photoshop . . .

Quote of the Week

"My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first one being -- hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint."
-Erma Bombeck-

I correct that to: My second favorite household chore is . . . wait, I don't have one.

Boot YOU Boot Camp

Ow 'scuse me, Ow

My legs hurt. And so does my pride.

This boot camp thing is kicking my butt. It's GOOD and I know that but wowsas!

I have always felt like I was in pretty good shape and I could keep up with the "fit chicks." NO SIREE. I have boot camp with some women who are stay at home mom's who's kids are all in school and I think ALL THEY DO during the day is work out. They were like, two laps ahead of me at all times.

I felt like Jamaica in the bobsled race. "Gee Kate, thanks for the effort and you're a winner just by being here."

Here's me: You SHUT UP SWEDEN. You and all your snow. I like my ocean and my beach and my palm trees and my hang loose attitude.

Except in our case it's stamina and muscle vs. my soggy bottom.

Well Boot Camp, I'll be seeing you tomorrow, struggling to keep up and cursing you under my breath. Or out loud . . . because the instructor and the fit chicks will be so far ahead of me they won't be able to hear me anyway.

Does this post make me look fat?

Because let me tell you, by body does. So I'm finally doing something about it. And not my usual "pretending to be on a diet" doing something about it. I mean DOING something.

I feel like a freshman college football player, going to training camp for the first time . . . tomorrow morning begins my crazy workout schedule. I AM GOING TO GET IN SHAPE DAMMIT.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday I will be at a workout "Boot Camp" from 6-7 AM.

Tuesday and Thursday my new ward friend (who is also attending Boot Camp) Karajean and I go to the gym at 5:15. A.M.

Oh and have I mentioned I've been sick? I caught this AWFUL cold from one of my primary kids. I think it's spreading to my chest, but OH WELL! Boot Camp here I come! Body, we are getting up EVERY DAY and going to the gym or to boot camp, WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIKE IT.

See, my goals are threefold . . .
1) Lose 20 pounds ( a number of pounds I NEVER thought I'd gain -- stupid happy marriage happy fat. I didn't sign up for THAT!)
2) Fit back into my "cute" clothes . . . since I currently have three outfits I allowed my fat self to buy.
3) Be in hot bathing suit shape by the time my family goes to visit this magical paradise http://www.fantasticvillas.com/CasaSalinasII.htm in January.

So kicking and screaming, my Devil half is going to drag my sleepy Angel side to work out every freaking morning. And trust me, that sleepy angel will be screaming her little head off.

See you all on the skinny side!

IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! IT'S FINALLY HERE!!

OH MY GOSH IT'S FINALLY THURSDAY! GREY'S ANATOMY IS BACK ON TONIGHT. Did everyone hear me? TO-freaking-NIGHT.

I have been waiting all summer with baited breath, viewing every music video and every writers blog and comment I can find about Season 3. And now, I no longer have to wait. Tonight, I get to plop my fat arse down on the couch and watch the drama unfold . . . WHAT is going to happen with Derek and Meredith? Did Izzy really quit the program after Denny died? And FINN! WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO FINN NOW THAT MEREDITH AND DEREK HOOKED UP AGAIN?!?!?

Seriously people, this is serious stuff. Life altering serious stuff.

I have never been this addicted to a TV show. Ever. I seriously love everything about this show and I wish I was in it. Or on it . . or writing it . . . or something. I am going to get mad and start hating Friday mornings the way I hated Monday mornings last season . . . because that means I have to wait SEVEN WHOLE DAYS to find out what's going to happen next.

Remember how I said the blog I discovered was my new drug? Well Grey's Anatomy is my MAIN drug. The one that fuels my life.

OK maybe I'm being a weeeee bit overdramatic but OH MY GOSH IT'S FINALLY THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My New Drug

I have found a new obsession . . . it's a blog by a really funny lady here in Arizona that i've never met. But I either laugh or cry at every post I've read of hers. Particularly this one:

http://butitsmymadworld.blogspot.com/2006/02/wow-who-taught-these-kids.html

This lady Linsey is funny. And her kids sound hilarious. I can only hope that the kids I will someday have will provide as much entertainment as it sounds like her kids provide.

She has a better looking blog site AND she can also do things on her blog I need to learn how to do. Damn. I knew I should have learned more about HTML and all that "internet" crap that supplies half of the money in this house. Let me specify . . . MY half of the money. I suck. You'd think in two years I would have learned SOMETHING useful working for an INTERNET COMPANY.

Oh wait . . . I learned how to ship a Ferrari . . . I also learned how to supervise the removal of mold from behind a 12 foot marble fireplace . . . and how to convince the manager of Roberto Cavalli to give me the display from their store window. . . Oh and don't forget I also learned how to put a keg-erater together. These are all things that are going to come in handy for a married, middle-class Mormon girl.

I take it back. I totally learned stuff.

Peanut Butter Heart Attack Bars

I have found my new guilty pleasure. I don't know their name so I made one up. I advise making these on rare rare occaisons . . . they are SO good but SO not good for you.

Here is the recipe: (try not to cringe while reading it.)

1 small bottle light Karo Syrup (about 16 oz)
2 cups of Sugar
3 cups of creamy peanut butter (Skippy is recommended)
8-10 cups Special K cereal
2 bags Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 bags Nestle butterscotch chips

In a large pot (I used my big soup pot) mix together karo syrup, sugar and peanut butter. Heat over medium, stirring frequently until the mixture is bubbly (be careful not to burn the bottom. I did that, of course). Once the mixture is bubbly, take the pot off the heat and add the Special K one or two cups at a time until it's thick enough (About the consistency of rice crispy treats. Add as much as you think you need but, 9 cups works about right for me.)

Spread the mixture onto a large cookie pan.

In a seperate sauce pan, add all four bags of chips. Heat over low, stirring constantly until it's just barely looking like a sauce. (again, it burns easily. Yep, did that too) Pour the chocolate mixture over the mixture in the cookie pan.

Let cool overnight or in the fridge. Watch your butt grow before your eyes as you eat the whole pan!!

Kateastrophes

Last night we were watching Just Friends (hilarious, by the way, if you've never seen it.) I am comparing myself to the dumb blonde pop star character for the moment. Not because I'm a hot blonde pop star. Because she lights tin foil on fire in the microwave and causes an emergency landing in her private jet. I've DONE that -- several times (though sadly, not in my private jet. I seem to have . . . permanantly misplaced that particular item). The most recent fire adventure was with a City Hall box of lobster mashed potatoes. I didn't really notice the foil sticker holding the box closed . . . the top of our fairly new microwave is now scorched because I walked outside to talk to Matt while my mashed potatoes were heating up. THAT was dumb. I came back in to a foil wrapper and a huge fire in the microwave. Oops.

I think most of my Kateastrophes occur around food, quite honestly. There was the original one . . . shooting ice cream out of the Pizookie pan at Oreganos . . . it FLEW out of that pan and spatered all over me. Then the more recent egg yolk episode . . . somehow I managed to spill an egg yolk BETWEEN the stove and the cupboards while making breakfast. Not any of the white mind you, just the yolk. If you think about that, it meant that I had to remove the stove from it's place against the wall. That lead to realizing how disgusting it was under there (my advice is to never move that gosh darn stove) and then thinking "gee, I wonder what's under the fridge!" and proceeding to move THAT too . . . basically resorting myself to spending the entire day scrubbing the kitchen with a toothbrush. (piece of advice: the shopvac works MUCH better than any stupid vacuum. I need to make a pink, slightly lighter "housevac" or something out of that and market the crap out of it. That thing RULES).

Shortly after the egg yolk episode there was the baked beans episode. My container of take-out baked beans somehow managed to find itself not only open but at the perfect angle to dump cleanly underneath the passenger seat of my car. HAD TO SCOOP IT OUT WITH A SPOON. It didn't get on the seat OR the side of the door. CLEANLY UNDER THE SEAT. What is it about me?

Then on Thursday night i burned FOUR BAGS of chocolate and butterscotch chips I was trying to melt. Not one bag . . . FOUR BAGS. What a disaster. (Don't even ask what heart attack I was cooking up that required four bags of chocolate and butterscotch chips. That was just the topping!)

So, in case you didn't know, there are just a few reasons why my husband has dubbed these adventures Kateastrophes. And I take a bow. Always glad to entertain!

On Being Creative -- or Random. You Can Decide For Yourselves. I Vote Random.

I decided to attempt creativity . . . I am hosting a birthday party for my entire primary class next weekend *mental note: never offer to have seven kids over to my house again* and I wanted to send "cute" invitations. I am also babysitting tonight for my friend Stacey (who also happens to be my boss Dan's girlfriend -- I sort of rule at setting people up!). Her daughter Alexis is sleeping over (this becomes relevant in a few sentences by the way) and going to church with us tomorrow.

Now Alexis is DARLING and one of the most polite, well behaved, mature four year olds I have ever personally encountered. And, she's HAPPY ALL THE TIME. However, (and I've always known this it's not new information or anything) being a "mom" is not easy. And (again something I've aknowledged) I am sort of selfish. Take this moment for example. I want to watch re-runs of Nip/Tuck on TV. Alexis wants to watch Lion King. I am not happy to report that I am currently watching Lion King. (I still love Disney movies, FYI. Just not at this exact moment. Especially because we just watched Sleeping Beauty.)

Nevermind the naked Barbie, this is Alexis settling down to watch Lion King

So anyway, creativity and Alexis. . . I had to take Alexis with me to Michaels to buy the stuff to make my "cute" cards. I have a new respect for you moms who take your kids to the store. And I only had one!!! She wanted to look at every sticker, every piece of paper, every marker. Then she wanted up. Then she wanted down. Then she wanted to stamp her hand. But there was no stamp ink . . . then she decided to start running up and down the aisle. Then she hid from me . . . need I say more. It took me twice as long to pick up the stuff I needed, of course. I called Julia in the middle of it all to ask for creative inspiration, but of course had to cut it short because Alexis ran into someone at the end of the aisle. It was actually entertaining, just time consuming.

Then we went to Wendy's to get dinner. This kid has sophisticated taste! She didn't want a kids meal . . . no no no, she wanted a frescata sandwich. And no fries. She doesn't like fries! I was not prepared for the drive through experience to take as long as it did!

Anyway, we came back to the house and ate dinner and then I got to work on the invitations and Alexis got to work on watching Sleeping Beauty on our "oh my gosh that is so huge" TV (direct quote). I am actually quite proud of how my little project turned out, though I got better with each card, so the first ones aren't as cute as the final ones. Here is a picture of the final cards, and then a picture of my favorite two. I feel so . . . half-way creative?

On a random, unrelated side note, I think the dining room is almost as finished as it's going to get. I just need window treatments of some kind (probably a window scarf or something simple) and then Voila! It's the only complete room in the house! Here are two pictures for my bragging and your viewing pleasure. Hahahah.

What on EARTH do I do with that stupid hole/cubby in the wall?? Any ideas???

Mountain West Conference SUCKS

Who on earth, asks anyone, pays $21.95 to watch a BYU game on TV? Answer: We do. Stupid Mountain West Stupid Conference and their stupid TV station . . . there were TWO BYU games that were scheduled to broadcast here in Phoenix. So we turned on ESPN 2 today . . . make that one game. They were showing the Michigan State vs Pitt game instead! So what did we do? We called Cox Cable and found out the only way to get the game was pay $21.95 to get the College Package for one day. So here we sit, suckered into it, trying to get our BYU Football fix. Now we're pretty much stuck watching college football all day because we PAID for the package, right?

Oh, and by the way, BYU is currently losing. Totally worth it! Or something . . . it's only the 3rd Quarter so I'm sure things could turn around for the good old Cougars. Meooowww.

Labor Day Sand Dwellers

Well, after knowing Matt for almost three years, we finally were able to go to the sand dunes and go ATVing (or out on the quads . . . or four-wheeling . . . it all just depends on which part of the country you are from!) We met Matt's parents at the Coral Pink Sand Dunes just outside of Kanab, Utah and my widdle sister Meagan and her new husband, Luke, met us there. We had such a blast!!

We went out for about four hours every day (total) and I think we are all so sandy we have sand in places we don't want to talk about . . . and my apologies to Meagan and Luke, who were right behind me when I got stuck and the tires of the quad I was on spewed sand ALL over them . . . But I did learn how to drive the FAST quad and I LOVED it (however, I am still a proud pansie . . . I don't really go that fast on the fast one. Oh well what do you do?)

Now we're all home and saddle sore and our wrists hurt and we're going to be finding pink sand everywhere, but it was well worth it. Many thanks to Janna and Steve (aka Matt's parents) for working out all the logistics and providing us a warm camper/toy hauler to sleep in and for feeding us.

Aren't my pants cute?!?!

See that person catching air?? THAT is my baby sister!! She is so much braver than me!

Defying Gravity

My life is complete! Matt and I saw Wicked on Friday night. I was in heaven from the moment the music started until the curtain call was over. I am NOT usually a big fan of touring companies of big Broadway shows, they never seem to be as good, but I must say that I was VERY impressed with this cast (Fiero was the lone exception. He could NOT sing but he was pretty . . . I guess that's the point though, right?!) I laughed much more than I thought I would and cried about as much as I expected to (seriously!? Why during EVERY showstopper number do I cry like a little baby?!?! Gets me EVERY TIME!) Matt liked Glinda (or Galinda) the best and I was torn between my love for Elphaba, her songs and her voice and her character . . . and Glinda's HILARIOUSNESS (yes I just used that word. I used it on purpose.) I honestly don't know which part I'd rather play more . . . though I'm sure those of you who know me best would think I'm more of a Glinda . . . sad but true.

Anyway, I have much more to say but my time and patience is limited, as is my alertness this evening. So I bid you all goodnight.