Mountain Peril

Saturday's hike to Lake Blanche started out so innocently, but turned into an event.

Todd dragged drove Connor and I up to Big Cottonwood canyon to hike up to Lake Blanche. It's not a super long hike - about 3 miles - but it's all uphill. It's estimated that it takes the average person about 2.5 hours to reach the lake. It's a tough hike. HOLY COW it's tough.

I've made it to the lake a few times - but when I was in much better shape. I had every intention of making it to the top - but yesterday my body told me it just wasn't happenin'.

Look how eager and full of hope Connor is at the start of the hike.











The beginning of the trail fools you into believing it is going to be paved and easy like this all the way to the top. It was a bait and switch, if you ask me.












Egads.

It IS pretty up there, though.

A waterfall near the lake.

This is as far as I made it.

We hiked for about 2.5 hours and still had another 45 minutes to go before we would make it to the lake. The last part is the hardest part of the hike.

Todd and Connor had lots of energy left in them to make it to the top but I told them I couldn't do it.

They were really sweet and told me it was okay if we didn't make it.

In hindsight - this was actually a very good decision to stop when I did.

When we finally made it to the car, I started to feel nauseated. Then came the splitting headache! Then I became dizzy.

By the time we made it out of the canyon, I was chilled. It was 93 degrees outside, and I was actually cold!

I asked Todd to pull over and I just laid on the grass in the shade. I was soooo sick. Todd got me some ice water and saltines and after about 20 minutes of moaning on the grass, I was suddenly better.

Turns out it was heat exhaustion.

But all is well now and I'm glad I went. The moral of this incident is that I need to wear sunblock and start the hike in the morning and not during the hottest time of the day - and drink a TON more water.

Lesson learned!

Pity Party Hoodoo Style!

Many many thanks to all of you who read and/or commented on my last blog entry! You deserve medals for putting up with me. Thank you soo much for your many ideas and suggestions. I thought about them all weekend.

You might be happy to know that I have ended my pity party and have pushed myself into action. ;)

I am creating a blog dedicated to weight loss and fitness. Making my goals and progress public just might be the catalyst I need to stick with the plan this time. I'll post it within the next few days.

Thank you, blogging friends. You are all so patient and wise and wonderful and I appreciate you!

Tomorrow is a new day.

*Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.
Eleanor Roosevelt

It's seriously going to take a village.... (DANGER AHEAD)

This is an irritated, annoyed, and gnashing of the teeth kind of tyrade! I just need to get this out of my system so I can fix the problem. You may want to turn back now.




<--- ME






Anger and rage looms ahead in this blog rant.








Enter at your own risk!








Okay - here goes. But, remember, I warned you...

WHAT IS MY DEAL?! Why can't I just stick to a plan and lose the weight? Seriously, what is so hard about denying myself food and expending a little energy during exercise to get healthy?!

I hear the words that I need to be healthy. I know the importance of putting good food in my mouth. I know how good exercise is for the body. I remember how good it feels.

But why can't I do it?

I'm now having some health issues because of my weight. High cholesterol is already here for me. Diabetes is pointing and laughing at me because it knows it will be next. Now I'm having gallbladder issues.

This was never supposed to be part of the plan for me. I didn't grow up thinking I would one day be overweight.


I signed up 6 months ago to run the half marathon with my brother next month. Am I ready? Of course not! Did I exercise? Nope. At all? Uh uh.

Having a friend drag me to weight watchers worked at first - but lately I've just been paying money to show a weight gain.

Something must be done.

After much soul-searching this week, I've determined that it will take a village to get me healthy!

Today I'm taking drastic measures. And I'm telling my friends in blog-land about it so that I will be accountable for my actions.

Here are my thoughts and I hope you'll share what works or doesn't work for you. I know this affects a lot of us. I'm sure that I can't be alone in my feelings.

But I also know that some of you are doing things right and have made changes in your lifestyles.
These are some things I really really want:

• I want to lose 50 pounds.
• I want to run a marathon next year for my 40th birthday (yikes)
• I want to lower my cholesterol and high blood pressure
• I want to be peaceful and less harried - more introspective
• I want to get a good night's sleep and feel energy during the day
• I want to be loving and forgiving of myself

I'm going to post my weekly progress to my blog each week. I'll post how many times I exercised during the week and if I showed a loss at WW. I'm also going to try to bust through some of my fears.

I truly welcome your feedback. What was it that finally pushed you to make the change? Are you currently struggling with motivation right now as well? What are some of your tricks?

Jane Austen

I must confess that I have never read a Jane Austen book nor watched a movie about any of her books.

I know - shocking!

A lot of people talk about Jane Austen on their blogs so I clearly must be doing something wrong.

SO - in order to correct this error, I will pick up a book and/or movie this weekend.

But - which one? And should I watch a movie first or read a book first?

Help!

Raising children..

I received this great email today. This one struck a chord with me...
-----
Paul Harvey Writes:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hannukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

We have a winner!

We have a winner!

Whew! What a day.

I took my son to a doctor’s appointment at 3. I knew I had to be home by 5 because of the drawing – but the traffic, you know – it slowed me down.

So then I finally got home. It was before 5. But barely.

And I realized that I forgot to figure out how the Random.org random number generator thing worked.

So I had to browse that website to find out how to actually do it.

I thought I had to register – so I tried. But it wouldn’t let me register.

But I figured out how to get a random number anyway – without registering.

And I got the number.

But then I tried to post the winner’s name to blogger – it said “TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE”!

ARRGHHH!!

Oh – it just occurred to me that you might possibly want to know the name of the winner.

Oops – sorry!

Okay.

Can I just tell you how EXCITED I AM?!

First, I want to let everyone know that my comment and the comments of my immediate family members (sorry, fam) did not count – so I skipped right over me, Todd (twice), and Connor to get to number 12.

Here is the winning number:


Here are your random numbers:
12
Timestamp: 2008-06-23 23:13:26 UTC


Which just so happens to be…






FRUMPIN' IT UP!


Frumpy won. She is the winner!

Go Frumpy! Go Frumpy!

I am so happy Janell won because she is going through some challenges right now. I've never personally met Janell, sadly, but I can tell she is pretty dang cool! She was actually my first blogging friend and I'm happy to know her.

For everyone else - thanks for sharing your comments. It was sooo much fun getting to know all of you. I can't wait to read all of your blogs!

100 things and a GIVEAWAY!

Apparently it is blogging tradition to post 100 things about yourself when you reach 100 posts. Please don't fall asleep. There is a reward at the end! Here goes..

1. I won't eat olives.
2. I am an EMT.
3. I was the hula hoop champion of my elementary school.
4. When I was a little girl I was terrified of dogs and was scared to walk to my friend's houses for fear of seeing one.
5. I am a writer/reporter for a city newspaper and cover the government beat.
6. Cottage cheese disgusts me.
7. I crashed a driver's ed car in high school.
8. I burned up my parents brand new car when I was 17. A blog for another day. *Sigh*.
9. I think my husband is perfect for me.
10. I have the most hilarious brothers in the world.
11. Cherry flavoring is gross.
12. I absolutely adore my kids and think they are so fun to be around.
13. I'm not a fan of the colors blue or gray.
14. I am thinking of enshrining and displaying a bag of crazy bread in the foyer of my house.
15. I have had thyroid cancer.
16. I love my cats entirely too much.
17. I love strawberry chapstick and have placed one in my purse, my car, my nightstand, my bathroom, my school bag, the kitchen etc etc.
18. An old boyfriend of mine from high school was killed in the Iraq war.
19. Mean people really do suck.
20. I think my daughter Elora is one of the sweetest people on this earth.
21. I used to race home every day from elementary school to watch the Brady Bunch.
22. I am extremely claustrophobic.
23. I have always wanted to run a marathon.
24. I've never met someone who wasn't interesting to me in some way.
25. I have a son on a mission in Russia.
26. I want to do humanitarian work in another country.
27. My high school had a "nerd day" where we could all dress up as nerds. I proudly won my Sophomore class's "queen nerd". A title I hold dear to my heart.
28. A lot of what I say is sarcastic - but I worry that it comes across as rude. I am just trying to be playful and I would NEVER want to offend someone.
29. I once saw a woman hit her little child a few times and was being horribly mean to her. I burst into tears and told her she had no business being a mother.
30. I talk to my cats in a baby voice.
31. I wouldn't eat cole slaw if my life depended on it. (see #28)
32. My favorite movies are Castaway and Chocolate.
33. One of my favorite songs is "Edelweiss".
34. I have only given birth to one child - Connor. Darren, Elora, and Larissa are my step children (my children, nonetheless).
35. My cat, Creature, follows me wherever I go.
36. I would love to go back in time to see what it was really like for the pioneers.
37. I love history.
38. I have a horrible habit of procrastinating until the last possible minute.
39. I haven't eaten a hamburger or a hot dog in about 17 years.
40. I wish I could go back in time and redo some of my poor decisions in life.
41. I also realize that some of my poor decisions have made me a better person today.
42. My favorite colors are yellow and coral.
43. I like to be by myself to recharge.
44. I like to write poetry.
45. I have an amazing sister that has chosen to live in a cabin that has no running water or indoor plumbing. She grows a lot of her food. I'm planning a blog post about her and her fascinating life.
46. I don't personally know anyone that has a blog. I keep working on friends and family to try it out.
47. I once cried when I saw a dog in the middle of a busy street.
48. I am the third of four children.
49. There is a person in my life that I have difficulty forgiving. I think it's only hurting me but I don't know how to get past it.
50. I love the song "God be with you til we meet again" and could listen to it over and over.
51. I have no musical ability whatsoever - and this is not an exaggeration.
52. I LOVE Bryce Canyon (as if you haven't noticed).
53. My dad tells me that when I was a little girl, I didn't know how to be mad and would say "I'm mad now!"
54. I think my daughter Larissa is hilarious!
55. I love going to temple square and feel so fortunate to live so close to it.
56. My son Connor is going to Europe next month and will skydive in the Swiss Alps.
57. Autumn is my favorite season.
58. Writing this list feels awkward and self-centered to me.
59. Some words make me giggle, like - giggle, shenanigans, broo ha ha (sp?), rural, guru etc. I think I'll try to come up with a blog using all of my favorite words.
60. I love PEZ!
61. If I had a choice between chocolate or pizza - I would choose pizza.
62. I once packed up my little car and moved across country to Florida just for the adventure of it. My car broke down in Tallahassee and that's where I stayed. I lived there for a year.
63. I love learning about other people.
64. Todd loves to make me laugh. I love to laugh!
65. I feel joy, optimism and hope for my future.
66. I love to watch other people's successes.
67. I love the game "cake mania". (Drooping head in shame).
68. I haven't always felt the way I do in #65.
69. I miss working with my friends at VISTA.
70. I've joined weight watchers.
71. I think experiences and adventures are more important and rewarding than "things".
72. My favorite movies growing up were "Karate Kid" and "The Jazz Singer".
73. I won't eat raisins.
74. I have lived in Las Vegas, NV.
75. I want to move to Arizona.
76. I love talk radio.
77. I want to write a book some day.
78. As much as I love the red desert, I have never been to the Grand Canyon.
79. I can't tell jokes. No, seriously, I am horrible at telling jokes.
80. I love classic rock - Styx, Eagles, Journey, Bob Seger, Foreigner, Led Zeppelin
81. My favorite scripture is Mosiah 2:41.
82. I love my Savior.
83. I had three surgeries last year.
84. I have had kidney stones - worst pain I've ever felt.
85. I have never broken a bone.
86. I love ghost stories.
87. I love game night with the fam.
88. I can't wait until I reach #100 of this list! ;)
89. I miss my friend Geri who died a few years ago.
90. I have lived in Sacramento.
91. I want to go to nursing school.
92. I'm terrified of being in an earthquake.
93. I am proud of my son Connor and his excellent grades. He tries hard at everything he does.
94. Chocolate Peanut Butter is my favorite ice cream. Mmmm.
95. My fingers are double jointed.
96. I dream of a life without money worries.
97. My friend Chen and I stole her parents car when they were out of town. I was the designated driver and didn't have a license.
98. I am proud of my heritage.
99. My parents gave me a wonderful childhood.
100. I want to try yoga.

Okay - since you've endured this long and boring list - I am going to give away some of my favorite things!

Journey CD's, Phase 10, strawberry chapstick, weight watchers cookbook, Chocolat dvd, Time Out for Women devotionals, PEZ! These items are all new except for the chapstick (ew!).

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me something interesting about you! Anything at all. If you don't have a google id - just leave an anonymous comment but be sure to leave your name in your post. I will choose a random name on Monday at 5 pm (MST).

On your mark - get set - go!

Mom

Thinking of my mom today. I am blessed to have her in my life. She is fun to be around. She is musically talented. She loves and worries about all of her children and only wants the best for us. I laugh at her little comments, especially this choice nugget when we ate out the other day: "Oh, they know me here. They know to bring your dad extra napkins." I've been chuckling about that ever since!

Love you mom. Thanks for your love and support in all I do!

Here's our song:

The elk-dog incident

A while ago I mentioned that I would one day tell my embarrassing elk-dog story. I suppose today is that day.

First, I'm a total nerd when it comes to animals - including animals in the wild. I also do stupid things ALL the time.

A while back, as I was trying to get to sleep and my bedroom window was open, I heard an elk call. I live in a little mountain community and it wouldn't be completely far-fetched to hear an elk in the wild.

But I didn't know it was an elk because I had never heard one before. So, I went to work the next day and got my friend Michelle (MCF) to help me find an elk call on the internet. BTW, MCF is sooo cool and earthy and didn't think I was a total dork to find this sort of thing fascinating. Here is a short Youtube clip so you too can hear the call of the elk and become as enthralled as I am.



I determined that it was indeed an elk and proceeded to call my dad and Todd, who also thought it was pretty cool that I heard it.

That night, I slept on our family room couch which is closest to the woods by my house and is right next to a window.

Nothing. I didn't hear it.

The next night, I made Todd sleep outside with me on the trampoline.

Nothing.

I didn't hear it again until about a few weeks later. It was about 2 in the morning and the sound was so loud that it woke me up. It woke Todd up too.

After a few minutes, I realized a really disappointing/humiliating fact and tried to pretend I was asleep. Todd nudged me and asked me if I could hear the elk.

Well, as it turns out, the "elk" was never an elk at all - but a really creepy sounding dog that liked to howl in the middle of the night.

Todd literally cried with laughter that night and has never let me live that one down. MCF mocked me incessantly at work thereafter. It is now called the "elk-dog" incident.

I'm sure none of you have ever done anything so embarrassing. Or have you?!! Do tell!

Father's Day Riddle

What do you get when you cross Father's Day, LOTS of food, perfect weather, a freshly stained fence, a photographer with no skill, cute nephews and a niece?

Answer: The best Father's Day EVER!



How cute are they?!










My main squeeze doing anything for a smile (Todd - she doesn't look like she's enjoying your antics).

Say cheese!













The dads








As usual, Creature was a party animal and didn't know his limits. I caught him wearing a lampshade and trying to form a conga line with all of the grandparents.

He'll be in solitary confinement the next time you come up, mom - I promise!






Unfortunately, I didn't get very good shots of my elusive brothers. Next time! BTW - congrats on running your first 10-mile race, Brian!!

Thanks for a great day.

Dad

For my dad. This is one of our favorite songs.

I love your spirit. I love your drive. You never give up. You've always been there for me. I owe you so much. Happy Father's Day! Love, Higgie

src="http://www.myplaylist.org/mc/images/get_black.jpg" border="0" />

Friday the 13th

I need your advice - what would you have done?

First, I should tell you that a) I don't get easily offended, b) I'm not a demanding and picky person, and c) I don't have high expectations of people I don't know.

I splurged on a pedicure today because I felt I sorry for any poor soul who had the misfortune of looking at my scaly, crust-infested feet.

I strolled into the shop and asked for a pedicure. The man that greeted me grunted and head-nodded toward the polishes - indicating that I should pick one out.

Okay then.

I picked one out and looked for my greeter to know which seat I should go to. The greeter was gone - maybe he spontaneously-combusted - not sure. So I looked at one of the ladies that worked there. She was slouched in one of the pedicure chairs, watching tv. She head-nodded for me to sit in one of the chairs to her left. As it was only a head-nod, and not an actual finger-point, it was unclear to me which chair she wanted me to sit in. My bad. Then, horrors of all horrors, I asked her to tell me again which chair she wanted me to sit in. She didn't answer me.

Here is where I felt the first inklings of irritation. Did she not hear me? Was she ignoring me?

I stood awkwardly and then just sat in a chair - the one furthest away from her.

The lady that did my pedicure came and sat down at the foot of the chair and started filling the tub with water. Since she didn't even look at me, I'm sure she didn't notice that I'm human and would be burned by the literally scalding water she filled the tub with. After she grunted for me to put my feet in the water, I committed the unpardonable sin of telling her it was too hot.

Remember B from above? I'm not picky. I would normally just put up with the hot water if it was a little on the hot side. In fact, I like hot. But, this was devilishly hot water.

So, without skipping a beat, she turned off the hot water and poured cold water into the tub. I wasn't about to tell her that it was now too cold when I put my feet back in. No, sirree!

Still without looking at me or even acknowledging that she was aware of my perplexed existence, she busied herself with my feet and I turned on the chair massager.

I was not expecting a grand conversation full of heartfelt exchanges - but a "hello" would have been nice. A smile would have been cool. Pfft.

Did I walk in on a argument between the workers there? It's Friday the 13th - were they all just having one of those days? Did I walk in with a scowl on my face that set off the whole bad experience? Do they just not enjoy their jobs? I had to laugh at this theory because, really, they have to work with people's feet all day. Especially my feet. How can that be fun? Still, if it was me - I would want that tip - a nice tip - and force myself to be pleasant.

These were the sorts of things I was thinking about while she was vigorously working on my feet. Then I realized I was just being ridiculous by being so curious about the whole thing. Why did I have to sit there and analyze possible reasons for their behavior? I hate that I over-analyze things. And I hate that I analyze my over-analyzing.

Then, they all started talking to each other in a language I didn't understand. All of them were chatting and laughing.

I went back to analyzing. Okay, clearly, I didn't walk into an argument and they aren't having a bad day. They are just being rude!

I silently fumed in my massage chair and thought of the way I would leave without tipping. Would I just not tip and then leave? Would I say something about the poor treatment and then leave?

Then, she started massaging my legs. Then she dipped my feet in wax. Then she painted my toes.

Begrudgingly, it occurred to me that she was doing a really really good job, despite being super unfriendly and rude.

Here was my dilemma. She was unfriendly but did a really good job.

Do I tip or don't I? What do you think? What would you have done? What do you think I did?

Bird nest M.I.A.

This is a picture of my front porch (as I'm looking out the front door) taken on May 19.

You can clearly see a bird's nest at the top of the pillar.













More proof of its existence.











And this is the view from today as I went to see the nest's progress.


Huh?!











More proof of its non-existence.











I'm just wondering if I offended the little bird. Or possibly he packed up and moved out due to the SNOW we had this morning. Possibly the wind blew his home away?

A big mystery.

If you see some offended looking homeless bird wandering aimlessly around your neighborhood - send him my way so I can organize some type of bird humanitarian project to rebuild his little abode.

Thanks.

Child Labor

The kids are home for the summer and I get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

"Hey Connor, after you sand and stain the fence - I need you to weed the yard. Faster! Faster! You're losing daylight."

"Elora, don't forget to smile while you are taking down the broken trampoline ring. Then I need you to wash all the windows and paint the kitchen. Work! Work!"

Creature and Bear (yes, she's there too) are hunting in our backyard savannah. Check out their impressive stealth-like approaches.

Hey, this grass is getting far too long. Looks like someone will have to mow it. Who to choose? Who to choose?

Time for Creature to have a break. He's all tuckered out. I can't say I blame him after all the hard work he endured today. Catching bugs is certainly not easy. Rest, dear one.

"CONNOR - WHY DID YOU STOP SANDING?! Stop slacking and get busy!"

Child labor makes me so very happy.

Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef

I'll try not to be too sappy - but can I just tell you how much I LOVE Southern Utah - Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Zion National Park in particular?!

When I first married Todd, he didn't understand my obsession for the Utah desert - slowly, through the years, he sees what it is that I'm drawn to and even likes it now when I drag him down there.

If you have never been to the red desert, make a plan to go sometime because pictures just don't do it justice - especially MY pictures because I am not a great photographer. This place is just down right perty, I tell ya!

I have a lot of memories in Southern Utah. My family vacationed there frequently when I was young and I loved being with my extended family - the super fun Boyacks (aka "BoJacks"), the Burnsides (game loving party animals that they are), and especially Grandma and Grandpa Stevens with their warm and cozy trailer and stove that made the very best hot chocolate! Ah, memories. I'm a lucky lucky girl.

And here begins my narrative. Ahem.

Connor and I arrived at Bryce on Wednesday - it was COLD - and being the naive and trusting individuals that we are - we didn't think it would actually SNOW in June, so we didn't bring coats. I'll never make that mistake again.

This is the path to the rim of Bryce.













We met a few friends on the path who were enjoying some meditation and tai chi. Connor started talking to them in a really high-pitched girly ("hi friendly little deers") voice and they ran off. They were pretty ticked. As was I.










I was embarrassed and whisked Connor off to the rim, scolding and sputtering at him under my breath.

And here is the view from the rim! WOW. Just wow.









We always make it a habit to visit this cemetery. My pioneer ancestors lived in Cannonville and Georgetown (now a ghost town) and some are buried here.













Seth and Lydia Johnson's graves, my great-great-grandparents.

An abandoned home and farm in Georgetown. I would love to find out the history of this home.

On Thursday, we took a jaunt up the beautiful highway 12 to Capitol Reef NP.

Near Capitol Gorge.










An old pioneer school house.

We have plans to go next month again and cheer on my bro while he runs in the Bryce Canyon half marathon. (Yes, I had originally intended to run in this race, but not surprisingly, I have not trained at all sufficiently. So - you can expect a "laziness" rant about that in the near future. Goodie for us all).

As always - it was a fun trip!

If you look closely in the pictures - you might see slivers of my heart. DOP!! I promised I wouldn't delve into sap territory. Oops.

Road tripping with a teenager

My 15-year old son and I went on a road trip to Bryce Canyon (my beloved) for his graduation from junior high. We talked about really annoying important things like video games, future dreams, Matchbox 20, getting his Eagle scout rank, girls, and his ability to create harmony in our home.

He said really sarcastic and cynical kind things like "Mom, why are you singing?" "you are the best mom in the world" and "the Native American music you are listening to is very annoying cool."

He really enjoyed our motels, particularly the one at Capitol Reef National Park because of the wireless internet and swimming pool splendid view from our room.

It sucked was fun eating out with him because he played with the salt and pepper shakers and knocked over his water which spilled all over me and into my purse was so polite and refined.

He was a really curt and gruff great conversationalist. When I asked him how he was enjoying his trip, he acted as though it pained his very soul to utter more than three words launched into a lengthy discourse of the positive attributes of the trip.

We have wanted to go on a trip together since he was ten years old. He was a distracted teenager warm and tender-hearted son who was anxious dreaded going home because he would rather be with anyone but me me than with his friends (yeah right).

Here are the only a few pictures he let me take of him:

Actually, Connor, you were totally fun and I loved every minute I spent with you! (But that's our little secret).

To Nurse or Not to Nurse

I need your opinions.

For as long as I can remember I've wanted to be a nurse. I've been once again mulling over the thought of going to nursing school.

The sight of blood doesn't creep me out (vomit's a different story but maybe I could get past that) and I thoroughly enjoy helping people. Besides, I think there is something inherently rewarding about being a nurse. I think living your life by trying to ease the suffering of others lends a certain contentment at the end of the day. Also, there is a huge shortage of nurses and I worry about the future of our country's healthcare. I have more time on my hands now that my kids are older. Okay - those are the pros to being a nurse.

Here are the cons (and there are quite a few).
*I'm old - 38
*Doctors - they have a reputation of being rude and demanding to nurses
*It will take at least two years to get the degree - the faster programs are considerably more expensive.
*Patients dying
*My dad and husband need my help with their real estate business (maybe I could do this on the side?)
*Do I have it in me to go back to school?
*I'm old - this seems to be a big hang up for me

So what do you think? Should I go for it and ignore the fears or are the fears trying to tell me something? Please give me your honest thoughts. I can take it... =)

Josh Groban

I asked Todd to stop by Deseret Book on his way home from work yesterday to pick up a cd that I wanted. He came home with a Josh Groban dvd that was filmed at the concert we attended last August. It came out a few weeks ago. I just have to say that it was the best concert I have ever been to.

Here are two clips from it. The first is of Josh Groban singing "In Her Eyes". The second clip is from a guest violinist - Lucia Micarelli. She is unbelievably talented. The first part of the song starts out pretty slow - but you need to watch the entire clip - it is sooo good. No one has posted the dvd version on youtube so I found a clip that was taken at the actual concert. Actually, I think this clip is from the same concert a few weeks earlier - but the same performance. Enjoy!



You really need to watch this entire clip - it gets good! Trust me. =)

Millcreek Canyon

This is the view this morning while studying for my real estate exam.

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!