Favorite spot

August 28, 2012
Blu's favorite place to have a nap is on a vent, with the air conditioning blowing cold air right on her. Any vent will do but she seems to really like the bathroom vent.

Progress on the shed

August 27, 2012
I am very grateful to have such wonderful neighbors.

Especially since one is a contractor who can help Jeff get his man shed built. Oh, and as an added bonus, he has a 16-year-old teenage sion to help with all the heavy lifting... that is when he wasn't distracted by his phone!

Thank you Kennard's!

Crazy driver

August 26, 2012
I sure hope she's better at this whole driving thing when she turns 16.

Crazy driver!

Kiss Me Dirty

L-R: Melissa, Heather, Me, Jen, Stephanie

August 25, 2012
Today was the day.

The day I had to face my goal of running a 5k.

The day I had to also face the fact that for the past three weeks, I have not run once. I blame the dog. Ironically, the same dog who was supposed to get my fat butt into shape. Oh well. She's still a puppy.

The day I got really, really muddy.

If you remember from this post, I agreed to do a 5k girls only mud race with some friends. I started exercising early in the mornings in preparation. I've never done a race before, even during those years when I actually considered myself a runner. So I figured a girls only race whose entire point was to have fun and get dirty wouldn't feel competitive.

It was the perfect race for me. More like a mud walk than a mud run.

As soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I realized this was basically an excuse for grown women to dress up in Halloween costumes or let their inner slut loose. The team costumes were hilarious... everything from little boy Batman undies and capes to granny panties to "dirty" housewives in aprons and prom dresses. I was kind of a bum this week... our team had an 80s theme (admittedly I don't remember much from the 80s but I was only a kid) and didn't do much for a costume other than buy a hot pink shirt and iron on a "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" logo we made. Oh and I sported a side ponytail.

The course was pretty fun too. I loved all the obstacles. And boy were we covered in mud by the time we finished. Head to toe in gross, slimy, sticky, not-sure-it-was-all-mud (we did run on a horse track) mud. It was so much fun I told Jeff we should get all of my siblings to do one next year.

Thanks girls for the peer pressure to "Kiss Me Dirty!"

Olympian

August 24, 2012
Cole's an Olympian!

Yes, for his uncanny ability to walk backwards and do the crab walk.

Too funny!

Major dog

August 23, 2012
In the words of my Uncle Dan, Blu is going to be a "major dog."

Her paws are HUGE!

We were on a walk the other day when this lady came running out of her house to ask if she could see her. Uh, kind of weird but ok. Well, come to find out, the lady shows dogs and has been a judge at dog shows. She said she never notices puppies unless they are really special. Apparently Blu is the perfect chocolate lab. She raved about how beautiful and how well proportioned she is, perfect features for the breed. When I told her we weren't going to breed her, she about fell on the floor with disappointment. I learned that had her mom been AKC registered (she supposedly is a purebred but for some reason they never papered her), we could have made a lot of money with her pups. I felt like one proud puppy momma.

And then she looked up at me and said, "You do know she is going to be a big girl, right?"

Yep. We've got a "major dog" on our hands. 

Night walks

August 22, 2012
This is the reason I got a dog.

Walks at night.

Quick fix

August 21, 2012
Ah man! The strap on my purse broke today as I was heading to the airport. Super annoying. But I'm crafty and did a quick fix to get me home.

Oh well. I was tired of it anyway. Time for a shopping trip!

Black List

August 20, 2012
I overheard Jeff and Pearl this morning talking about who I'd bring home a gift for on my latest trip to Atlanta this week. Pearl was certain it would be her but Jeff was quick to pipe in that maybe it would be his turn for a surprise.

Jeff won out. I needed something to read on the plan in between my naps. He really likes the author Brad Thor so when I saw a new book from him at the airport, I bought it. He has been telling me for months that I should read one of his books. But when I ask him what the books are about, I've always declined. They sound absolutely terrifying! The kind of books that are based on true-life organizations, places, and technology. Which means this stuff could technically happen.

And now I know for myself. They are super good reads, drawing you in from the first page but I also feel a tinge of terror that our government could turn our world upside down at any second!

Stylish

August 19, 2012
My YW must have loved these bracelets I had on today 'cause they all complimented me on them. Thank you JBellaShop.com!

Which for a 31-year-old mom who felt run-down, tired, emotional, fat, and frumpy, a compliment from some stylish teenagers is a big deal.

Mud socks

August 18, 2012
My Mom's side of the family got together today at Bear Lake. Everyone was there but five of my cousins (and their spouses). I can't even remember the last time I saw some of them, let alone all together!

Since the lake is still pretty high from last year's wet winter and spring, the beach is well. Muck. The water is warm but getting to it requires trekking through decaying willows and methane gas filled mud.

Eeeewww.

But Pearl and Ruby love it! They proudly displayed their mud socks to everyone after  sloshing up and down the murky beach. It's a good thing we're all family, 'cause they stunk afterwards! 

Raspberry love

August 17, 2012
I love my mother-in-law.

Not only does she more than happily watch our kids anytime we ask, she saves all the newly ripe raspberries for me. She seems to always know the little things that remind me of some special memory from my childhood... picking raspberries in my Grandma Allen's garden.

Cole thinks he's a dog

August 16, 2012
Should I worry that Cole thinks he's the dog, not Blu?

The "MoPo"

L-R: Kami, me, Nicole, and Brenda

August 15, 2012
I met the "MoPo" today for lunch. (Blue Lemon at City Creek... oh my deliciousness!!!)

The "Mormon Posse" as we're known.

You see, three of us are LDS and one is well, I'm not really sure. Hence we are her "MoPo." But it doesn't matter one bit to me. I love these ladies! They are all such great examples to me of what strong women should be. They understand the struggles of raising strong willed kids (and husbands) and working outside of the home while doing so. Not to mention they always make me laugh, are great listeners, and make me want to be a better person every time I'm around them. And as an added bonus, Kami is probably the only person who truly understands why I hate being pregnant!

They are amazing women! So amazing that it took weeks of a gazillion emails to get our crazy busy schedules coordinated for a simple lunch date.

A Frosty for Patty

August 14, 2012
Today was Patty's funeral. It was an emotional day for me. Not only did I have to sing in front of an entire congregation, but I had to face Patty's sweet family and see for myself that this was really real. I was doing ok, even with the singing, until I saw Patty's husband. I completely lost it. Not just a few tears, I mean complete hysterical crying. The kind where you just try to run down the line, giving a quick hug, and get out of there before you start wailing. And in true Jones family fashion, Lary grabbed my arm and made me stand face to face with him. He asked me if I knew Patty loved me. Yes. He asked me if I knew they loved me. Yes again. And then he told me that was all I needed to know.

That man! He is amazing.

After the funeral, a group of "my girls" went to Wendy's for a Frosty. Patty loved Frosties. I'm sure she was laughing because they ran out of Frosties when we were there!

Wedding advice

August 13, 2012
When I woke up this morning and realized I had planned a bridal shower for one of my friends at work and it was TODAY, I almost cried.

Ok, I did cry.

I feel like my life is a train about to derail.

I wrote a list of what had to be done today. My list had seven things on it. 1. Go to the grocery store to get stuff for a Texas cake. 2. Bake a Texas cake for the party. 3. Buy Whitney a bridal shower gift with the theme "wedding advice" in mind. 4. Get to the office in plenty of time to set up for the bridal shower. 5. Remember to feed my kids lunch. 6. Don't let Blu pee on the carpet. And 7. Bake lasagna for dinner.

You'd have thought today would be under more control seeing as how I planned all of the to-do's on my list weeks prior. But nope. I ran around like a crazed mad woman. I totally forgot about utensils for the dessert bar, made the bride bring and set up her own decorations, and caught the dog peeing on the carpet once. But my kids ate lunch, I got the cake baked and frosted, made dinner, and gave Whitney some pretty good wedding advice if I do say so myself.

The advice (accompanied with an Our Best Bites cookbook) was the same advice my Grandma Allen gave me when I got married. She gave me a cookbook from her little hometown Panaca, Nevada with an inscription that read, "Kissin' don't last but cookin' do! Try to follow the example of your Grandma... ha ha ha!" You have to understand that my Grandma hates cooking even more than me. I remember one time when she cooked dinner for us growing up.

But you know what? She was right. At some point every husband gets this crazy idea that their wife should actually do something "wifely" like make them a hot cooked meal. Crazy I know. It took me a long time to figure out that Jeff would be happier if I fed him. So I told Whitney in a few years when the "kissin" had slowed down to dust off the cookbook and give it a try.

Cookies make everything better

August 12, 2012
Today was a really, really, really bad day.

I won't go into details but my heart was broken. On top of being sleep deprived, grieving over Patty, and getting that same nasty cold I seem to get every three or four months. I cried and cried and cried. And have no clue what I'm supposed to do, say, or feel.

What I needed was a hug. What I got were some cookies. Oh, if only cookies fixed everything. 

Wicked!!!

L-R: Lam and Rachel, me, Ty, Kali, Emily, Molly, Jamie, Kristy and Brady

August 11, 2012
Can I just say that today was "Wicked" memorable?!

And that I will never be able to watch the Wizard of Oz again?

A bunch of the girls I grew up with got tickets to see Wicked at Capital Theatre.What we didn't know was that Rachel, who was in charge of getting the tickets, had surprised us with front row seats! Front row, baby! We could see down into the orchestra pit and every single detail on the costumes and makeup. It was indescribable!!! Amazing, brilliant, fun, hilarious, and totally WICKED! I had an absolutely incredible time with all my friends. If you ever get even a inkling of a chance to see the show, you need to do it! I loved it 100 times more than Phantom of the Opera or Les Miserables.

The only thing that could have made the day better was if Patty had been there with us. She was supposed to come... but I knew she'd be so mad at us if we hadn't gone and told everyone as we debated back and forth the past two weeks whether we should still go or not, that we were going. I think it helped everyone to get out and do something fun together. And I know Patty was watching the show with us from above.

Love my friends and loved the show.

Digging

August 10, 2012
Luckily the only place Blu likes to dig is in the sandbox.

So far anyway.

We are awesome

August 9, 2012
My coworkers have a running joke about how awesome we are.

So it was only fitting to have a cake at our staff retreat to remind us of our awesomeness.

My Patty

August 8, 2012
My dear Patty Jones passed away early this morning.

My heart is aching. And that's exactly when the Lord knows to send a couple tender mercies my way to remind me to that things will be ok.

After holding back tears all day, I came home only to remember that tonight was my own YW night (I found this very ironic and Patty's way of telling me to get out and serve) and to find a letter from my Bishop. In it he expressed his thanks for all the "unselfish service (I) rendered at Beehive Camp." He commented that he could feel the love and concern I had for each of my Beehives and reminded me that my "example and teachings are lessons that will help and bless our precious Young Women throughout their lives."

If he only knew how true that last statement was for me with Patty.

One dog or two?

August 7, 2012
Apparently I didn't need to get a puppy... just a kennel because now we have two dogs.

Raspberry milkshakes

August 6, 2012
You didn't think I'd miss my chance to get a Raspberry milkshake did you? After all it is Raspberry Days.

What I wasn't expecting though, was having to fight with Cole for every spoonful.

Family photo

August 5, 2012
Hmmm... it looks like we've grown by one furry addition since our trip to the Paris Ice Caves last summer.

Also different... my little baby is now a rock-collecting, dirty, independent big boy. Pearl? She's still her sassy, cute self but thankfully this year she wasn't scared to explore the caves. Me and Jeff? We're still the same old, boring parents.

My favorite time of day at the lake

August 4, 2012
I love the evenings at Bear Lake.

The sky is filled with pinks, oranges, and blues from the sun setting. The lake is smooth as glass. And it's not super hot anymore.

Ironically, Blu has shown me that one can see a similar scene at the crack 'o dawn too.

Blu's first vacation

August 3, 2012
Twelve hours after picking up our new puppy, and we're on our way to Bear Lake for a long weekend.

We must be crazy.

It really is like having another kid. None of them wanted to take a nap on the drive, they were bored, and we had to stop for pee breaks.

But at least the other two sleep through the night.

Our new addition

August 2, 2012
Meet my new baby.

A six-week-old female chocolate lab puppy we named Blu.

Let's hope I survive puppyhood until I have my running partner.

My cousin Nichelle

 

August 1, 2012
Ever since I was put in the YW Presidency in my ward, I just knew I had to get my super cute cousin, Nichelle, to come and speak to the girls.

That's Nichelle with an "N" and yes, she is Amy Adam's long lost twin sister. Oh, and she is uber talented, has a blog business, Vintage Wanna Bee, and extremely amazing... just check out her "The Slash Blog" all about sisterhood and spiritual growth. Yep. Hard to believe we share the same gene pool.

Aside from her overflowing cuteness and talents, the main reason I wanted her to come and speak to my YW is because of her story surviving a sledding crash two years ago. You can read it here. She has an amazingly strong testimony from it and she is never afraid to share it through all of her online blogs, businesses, and creations. She is truly an inspiration and I really admire her. I wanted my girls to see someone who is cute, fun, spunky, shy, crafty, good, and spiritual. Just like they can be.

Nichelle told the girls about her story, bore her testimony, and then helped us get our craft on with these cute braided headbands and felt bobby pins. That she sells! Just in case you're needing some new hair accessories....

I think the girls really liked her. I know I do :) Even though we didn't grow up near each other, we hardly keep in touch, and I still think of her as a little girl, it was so neat to see my cous' all grown up into a beautiful woman.

Olympics

July 31, 2012
Pearl has been so intrigued by the Olympics. It's all she wants to watch from the second she gets up until the second we force her to go to bed. She doesn't even want to watch cartoons! From day one she's been asking and asking and asking when the gymnastics will be on. After all, "it's my favorite, Mom." Duh.

Well, tonight was her lucky night. Not only was it the women's team finals but Jeff and I agreed to let her stay up as late as she wanted to watch. She was absolutely glued to the T.V. determined to see if Team USA won. Which according to her, "the Americans are the best because they are the cutest."

She almost made it. Poor thing fell asleep with the last two floor routines to go. Guess we'll be telling her in the morning that the "fab 5" won. Go USA!

SURPRISE!

July 30, 2012
It all started this morning.

I had upped my life insurance policies at work and they had to come and do some blood work and vitals on me. You know, to prove I'm healthy and worth another $10,000. Lame.

I'll be blunt honest. I know I'm fat. But I've been getting up at my least favorite time in the day to go run and I've been fairly diligent about it. I even went early this morning before my appointment... and I had to keep fasting afterward until all the blood work was done. With that being said, when I had to get weighed as part of my appointment, I was kind of hoping the scale would surprise me. It didn't. Which didn't bug me too horribly until after when I calculated my own BMI... because we all know that's what the life insurance company will be doing. Heaven forbid they fork out any money for a fat person who dies, even if they are exercising.

For the first time in my life, my BMI was "overweight." Even if it was by just 0.4. It was still overweight. My heart sunk. It was embarassing and very, very discouraging. I'm pretty sure I will not be getting up to work out tomorrow.

So I pouted all day about how fat I've become. I mentioned something to Jeff about it, hoping he would tell me he was proud of me for getting up early in the mornings and that he thought I looked better. Or at least say nothing. But he was honest and said we'd both gotten fat. Surprisingly, I wasn't mad at him, just sad that it was true. He could tell I was really bummed and said he'd take the kids to the store for something he needed.

I continued to pout as I did the dishes, vacuum, and pick up toys. Then Jeff called and said Pearl was asleep in the truck and he needed my help getting the kids out. Fine.

Well, when I walked outside, I saw both of them running around the front yard yelling, "Surprise! We tricked you Mom!" Jeff had bought me a new patio set we'd seen earlier that week. Apparently he knew I needed a pick-me-up after our conversation. Plus, it was half-off and already assembled!

It was very sweet. And I sat my fat butt right down in one of the chairs and had a nap!

Ballerina boy

July 29, 2012
Jeff keeps telling me I am going to ruin his life when I let him wear this stuff. Even if it was Pearl's idea in the first place.

I figure if I haven't ruined his life already, it's bound to happen eventually so why not.

Doughnut D&##!%

July 28, 2012
My kids love doughnuts. So all too often on a Saturday morning we make a doughnut run. If they last until Sunday we're doing good.

But when you hear Cole asking for a doughnut, you might think the language spoken in our home is a tad questionable. You see, his doughnut sounds a lot like, well. You know. The "D" word.

The first time my giggly aunts heard him ask for a doughnut, they couldn't believe their ears! They laughed and laughed and laughed and then promptly told me to get that kid a "doughnut D&##!%".