I'm not a link snob, I promise!!!

So I wanted you all to know that I'm really not being a snob about links to other blogs - I have only a few in my sidebar - but that doesn't mean I don't have a LOT of other blogs I stalk. I've seen people that have a HUGEamongous list of blogs down their sidebar and I just like things a little clean - ok a lot clean, I'm verging on OCD - but I wanted to share a few that I visit often . . . besides those I have listed permanently.

Seriously, So Blessed!

OK - so if your not LDS you might not get it -  or you might think we're all a bunch of fake, shallow, self-righteous, crazy people - but really and truly, it's poking fun at that sort of thing. At least I think it's poking fun . . . no one could be SO much of the stereotypical Utah bred mormon girl all wrapped up in one. But I tell ya' - whether the author is a woman, a dude, a spinster or whatever - she/he is HILARIOUS and I just laugh every time I'm there. Funny blog!

Scribbit

I think this is the first blog that really got me hooked into the blogging world. It was the first one interesting enough for me to think - hey, that blogging ISN'T worthless and a waste of time - maybe I'll try it. So here's to Michelle - oh - and I DO know her - we've even been invited to their home for an evening of friends and dessert and also shared appetizers at Applebee's. She's one of the top 5 mom-blogs in the country - and I know her.

Here is a collection of girls I've met here in Alaska through church - we've had a couple ward boundary changes since living here and it's facilitated getting to know lots of great chicas -

Running Like A Girl

aksmeds

Seriously Skinner

High Heels and a Sippy Cup

The Rockin' Republic of the Novakovich's

This is the group of girls I have gotten to know through working at the scrapbook store - It's a creative and talented bunch of ladies - and a lot of fun to hang out with.

Bridget

Paula's Place

La Dulce Vida

Living the Life

"Final Scene First Kisses"

The other night I watched "Penelope" after the kids had gone to sleep and Dan was out of town for the night. As of late I just don't watch TV or search out entertainment news. I didn't know anything about this movie - only that a few people I know have seen it and loved it. 

It was such a great  movie!!! LOVE James McAvoy! He's so darn cute. . . . as long as I don't think of him in Narnia with his freaky half-human/half-goat-ness. Ew. Anyway - when he's not a half goat he's a pretty hot guy. I absolutely LOVED the movie - and thought Penelope was even cute w/ her original nose . . . 

I loved that my kids saw it w/ Dad for Family Home Evening (I had a baby shower to go to) and they discussed it afterward w/ what Dan says were all the right things to get from it. What a great movie!

One of my favorite parts is the final scene first kiss - I had to re-watch it like 5 times. It was so great! And it got me thinking of other movies w/ that final scene first kiss . . . now, I don't have the best memory - so I checked a couple of my favorites out to find either it wasn't the first kiss - or the first kiss wasn't the final scene . . . so I had to really  narrow down my favorites - so if you have one - share it with me!

Didn't see that one coming!!! But it was such a good scene . . . 

"When was the last time you were really kissed, I mean really good and kissed?" or something like that . . . 

"Dave Gamilguard, New Year's Eve, '61"

"Ok then . . . "

SMOOCHES - I just think it's sweet!

So I think this has to be THE best final scene AND first kiss ever in a movie - and to combine them was just ingenious. That whole ending scene is great - I get teary-eyed every time . . . when the clock runs down and he's not there . . . and she drops the mic - and see . . . I'm getting verclemped just thinking about it. But then he's there, and she's fighting back the tears and the stadiums like, ohhhhh . . . then uuuuuhhhhhhh? then Ahhhhh . . . and he comes onto the field and approaches her with determination - yes, determination . . . and takes her in his arms and plants one on her. The world goes spinning and ahhhhhh - such a great scene.

What are your favorite final scene first kisses?

I really do love my horrible, rotten, mean, awful, sweet, wonderful, absolutely fabulous husband!!!

Alright - so we've fixed the ring dilemma - if you don't know what that means . . . click HERE.

For a couple months - I've been scouring the internet and jewelry catalogs at fine jewelers all over town - looking for my ring. I have seen some pretty close rings - but not what I've  got all stored up here in my head. Well - last week we had a breakthrough and the FABULOUS jeweler we've been working with and his wife (of Blakes Fine Jewelry) finally found the right setting. And a couple nights ago I'm asking about the ring - Dan's being overly analytical about his response to my analytical suspicions. 

So today I'm thinking - hmmmmmm . . . maybe he HAS it - and the only possible way for me to know is to check our credit card statement - so I go online and when the balance comes up I can tell the charge isn't there - BUT then I click on the statement and voila . . . the payment is pending. And I'm trying desperately to forget what I just saw and trying to convince myself that just because he's paid for it doesn't mean he has it . . . . then he comes home and gives me an extra smoochy smooch and I can tell he's got something he's not telling me - so I step back and say, "WHAaaaaaaT?" And I see that he has a ring box in his shirt pocket - kay, so I'm dying because I need to run now that he's home and take dinner to a friend that just had her baby (cute little thing!) and I'm just freaking out - do I run even more late or do I look at the ring I've been waiting for? Well, he pulls it out - opens the box and pulls out a little draw string bag - and from that, he pulls out a YO YO!!!! No lie! I almost punched him right there . . . so he tells me he does have it - but I should go deliver the dinner. 

Once I get home, we serve up dinner and I'm just dying - trying not to pry cuz . . . who knows, maybe he's got some specific plan, and I'm Sooooooo trying to work on my impatience . . . so in the course of dinner I can tell the kids know more than me and I start asking questions - 

I ask Harrison, "What do you know?"

he says, "I know that Dad's conspiracy level is greater than yours." 

WHAT? He's just cracking us up - and at one point while I'm bantering with Dan, Harrison also says, "Yeah - stick it to the man!" along with other hilarious dialog I wish I'd had a recorder for - that kid reads too much Calvin & Hobbes!

So finally Dan brings in a shiny silver bag and I'm shaking and SO DANG EXCITED! Well - it's EMPTY!!!! No wonder my kids can be boogers - they get it from their Dad. The kids are hysterical with evil laughter and I'm ready to burst!

Then Dan steps into the front room and says, "Maybe it's in here." - I follow him in there and he's holding an even more beautiful little box. I start getting all shaky and giddy - then scared spit-less because I'm afraid it won't be what I saw in my head - I can't hold still - I'm getting nervous palm sweat - and he finally opens it - and it's perfect. It's so beautiful! He says it's time to replace the old one and slips the new ring on my finger. I'm ECSTATIC! Of course I was all teary-eyed. I got so excited I just tackled him. The kids are all running around laughing and having a great time! Harrison's taking pictures and saying things like, "lemme get a shot of your love-fest!" (crazy boy!) And Dan says, "It's a lot more fun having all the kids here than it was the first time." I have to totally agree - I'm so glad they were there - so thankful to Dan for this beautiful ring - so glad we've had 10 fabulous years together along with 4 kids - many experiences - and more devotion than I've ever imagined. I so love him! Even if he made me sweat over it - twice!

Dan says I better be 100% happy with this ring because if I even HINT at wanting another ring he's threatened to get me one with hearts and dolphins! (No offense to you fans of  jeweled dolphins!)

Click on the photo to get a better view -

{Photos and Experience August 28, 2008}

Ever have a stray bruise?

I hope I'm not the only one who experiences shock and bewilderment when happening across an unexplainable contusion. I do it all the time - mostly I think I really bruise easily - mix that with a head full of appointments, stains to clear up, dishes to scrub, kids to keep track of and bills to stamp and get in the mail - and you can see my issue - I can't possibly keep up with every bump to every body part. So I take it as pretty typical - however . . . 

The other day I'm on the phone with a really cute friend {hi friend!} and because I'm on the floor playing with Aidan, I actually have a visual on my toes - 

let me back up . . . a week or so ago I finally took the polish off my toenails and notice one of them is pretty black & blue . . . so I start filing through the last month or so in my head - trying to pin down a bump so painful that it causes my toenail to discolor! 

So - back to the other day on the phone - I check up on my unknown injury and realize it's not just discolored, it's suffering death of the grossest kind! It's seriously going to FALL OUT! EEEEWWWWWWW! I know - just yuck. Aren't you glad I didn't post the photo - yes - I DID take one!

So in all my quandary - it takes me a good week, if not more, to remember how on earth I could have hurt my toe THAT bad . . . 

I was going into our sauna to weigh myself {with the cost of utilities these days, we'd much rather use the sauna for a private weigh-in facility!} and totally stubbed my toe on the corner of the door - while simultaneously crushing it under the door. Now - how could I forget a pain like that? I've been thinking I'm pretty flakey - until Sunday - the day the nail finally comes off - and I mention it to our friends - and Vickie, bless her heart - tells me the same thing happened to her. I can't tell you the relief I feel to know that someone else has gone so far as to lose memory of a horribly painful injury that causes the loss of a nail. Thanks Vickie for making me feel less crazy!

It's Working!

So I dunno why I feel this way - after losing 40+ lbs the first time - then losing the weight after Jack and throw in being a WW leader for almost 5 years - but I still feel amazed when I realize it's working!!!

I've been working my butt off (literally!) and have been so careful in watching what I eat - working out every day {except Sunday of course!} and have had this system posted up on my bathroom mirror - my progress. Thanks to PhotoShop you don't know the actual numbers unless you are one of the few people I have been showing my house to and forgot that they are posted up there for people to see - more motivation, I guess. But to be honest - it HAS helped.

Then the other day I decide to do a quick check on my jeans - you know - THE JEANS - the ones you are working to get back into. The ones you loved to wear, the ones you felt good in and knew you looked good in, too. So - drum roll ............................ I tried 'em on - zipped 'em, snapped 'em and ran {stiffly} downstairs to show Dan. They were a bit tight - but I got in 'em. I wore them for about a half hour then went to change because I started feeling nauseated and ready to vomit . . . but hey . . . I got in 'em. Those are the moments you feel are worth it - and they still surprise me . . . 

I am still amazed I guess, because I have spent my whole life battling weight and never finding a cure - and when I follow Weight Watchers, it works . . . still takes me a bit by surprise!

So - 7 more lbs to go - those jeans are going to look GOOOOOOOD!!! And Hawaii - here I come!

He's SO the man for me!

So back on August 11 - to pacify Harrison during our hiking in bear country, we let him take control of the camera - and on the way home . . . without us knowing . . . he was taking shots of everything he could - the blurry trees going by, his siblings with dripping cheese smiles, the back of my head, the seat belts . . . and in the midst of laughing while going through them - I stumble on this -  probably completely unintentional - who knows - maybe he was trying (unsuccessfully) to capture the car deodorizer hanging from the rear-view-window . . . regardless - it made me sigh - just like you're doing right now! (Shut up - I know you sighed!!!)

So it makes me realize how much I love my husband - not only in the heart-skipping breath-taking way - but also in the best friend - hug me when I need comfort - hold my hand in the car kind of way. I love him - and SO need his calmness in my life. So I love this photo - sigh! (See -  you did it again!)

Flatop

So if you know the Mormon Culture - you know that Monday nights are reserved for "Family Home Evening." Which doesn't always occur at home or in the evenings but always includes the family. A couple weeks ago we went up to Flatop - well, the overlook anyway - and did a bit of "hiking" around -  which means we walked over the paths, both paved and dirt. We took a trail up to the power lines and never should have mentioned the word "bear" because Harrison FREAKED out the entire time . . . "I wanna go home now!" "Let's please go home!" "I don't want to hike anymore." So - fortunately for him we had three younger kids - a couple of which were getting ready for bedtime . . . so we didn't stay long - but I must say - with the LARGE amounts of bear maulings and sightings this year, I'm a bit disappointed that I have not been a part of the phenomenon - not the maulings - the sightings! And since you can't actually predict the outcome of a sighting - I'm not that disappointed.

Harrison isn't a fan of direct sunlight - maybe he's a vampire!

(Although he doesn't sparkle like one!)

This photo made me laugh - Aidan is definitely his father's son.

Jack was a bit freaked about the bear situation - but only because he thought we went to SEE bears - and since we hadn't seen one yet, he was not excited about going home. Try telling a 3-year old that they aren't as passive on flatop as they are at the zoo!

Me and my Eme - she's so dang cute in a hat!

After the hiking we went home and made huge mongo gigantor banana splits and ice cream sundaes with so many topping options Ben & Jerry's would have been jealous! So much for our FHE topic the week before about the Word of Wisdom - which includes what's good and not good to ingest - hey, ice cream sundaes aren't on the NO list, just the SOMETIMES list, right?!?!?!?!?!?! At least the bananas were healthy!

{Monday August 11, 2008 Family Home Evening}