Creative Ramblings

Long time, no see...

2010-01-28T20:54:00.000-08:00

I've not updated this blog since Nov. 2008, but I'm considering starting up again. We'll see how long it lasts.

It's good to see you. How've you been?

Cruisin'

2008-11-27T17:24:00.000-08:00

Mexican Riviera Cruise

Day 1: We arrived in LA in the afternoon, caught the shuttle to the Port of LA, board the ship. The ship leaves the dock at 5:00 pm, shortly thereafter, I fell ill to sea sickness and spend the entire night in bed. :( Ryan wanders the boat and eats dinner without me.

Day 2: No sea sickness! We spent the day on the ship swimming, lying in the jacuzzi, drinking and gambling.

Day 3: We arrived in Cabo San Lucas and were immediately herded to our excursion tender which took us snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez. We weren't very good at it, at first, but we got the hang of it and were able to see some colorful fish, which we used water-proof cameras to preserve the moment (not yet developed). The surf was a little rough and the area was a bit crowded. We got back on the tender, had a snack and a few drinks and were then dropped off at the port. We wandered around for a bit, bought some Pomegranate Tequila, ate some delicious food and headed back to the ship to enjoy our couples massage/facial.
Day 4: We arrived in Mazatlan and again were herded to our excursion tender which took us to Stone Island for a "getaway". We were dropped off on the island and were escorted by "Mexican limos" to a restaurant with an open bar and private beach. We lounged in the sun and met some really great couples; Lauren & Noah, newlyweds from southern CA, Clare & Dan, newlyweds from LA and Pete & James, from Cape Cod, MA. We lounged in the sun, played in the salty Pacific Ocean about 40 yards out and still touching the soft sandy bottom, ate lunch, got drunk and beat the shit out of a piñata. Then played bingo on the ship.
Day 5: We arrived in Puerto Vallarta and were herded to our excursion bus. We drove through the city and learned a lot about the culture from our guide, Jose, who grew up there. We walked part of the boardwalk, saw amazing sculptures and an old church. We drove to a more rural area, past the all inclusive resort, otherwise known as the local prison, to the Tequila de casa. We had a short tour of how the tequila is made and then got to try the three different types they sell. We had lunch at the "Real Mexican Taco Bell" with the most delicious carne asada tacos made with tequila marinated beef and lovely margaritas. Then back to the ship.

Day 6 & 7: Two straight days at sea. We spent the time playing quite a bit of blackjack, swimming, drinking, eating and they offered scrapbooking classes, so I went to those. We hung out with our new friends in the library at the "Cigar Aficionados" meeting. We watched our friends participate in a game show called "Love & Marriage", hilarious. And really just relaxed.

Day 8: Arrived at the Port of LA, waited our turn to de-board, caught a ride from our friend Cory, had brunch, then headed to the airport to come home.

All in all a lovely vacation and one we will never forget. I highly recommend taking a cruise and know that this will not be our last. And maybe next time we'll take Morgan.

A nation weeps...

2008-11-04T21:30:00.000-08:00

...tears of elation.

Barack Obama to be the 44th President of the United States, the first African-American President our nation has voted into this office.

This is a pivotal moment of our lifetime and it is amazing to be able to experience it.

If this does not move you to tears, you are dead inside (okay, not really, but close to dead).

Voting and other things...

2008-11-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

If you've not yet voted, be sure to get out there on Tuesday and rock it! I'll be there bright and early, joyfully choosing the next president and obtaining a happy little "I Voted" sticker to adorn my outfit (mainly for braggin' rights).

:::

I have Monday and Tuesday off due to lack of daycare, so if you want to stop by, I'll probably be here, pulling out my hair and screaming bloody murder. I was not meant to be a stay-at-home-mama.

Luckily, or not so, Morgan has her 3-year doctor's appointment tomorrow and I have a hair appointment, so that will keep us somewhat busy. And Tuesday I'm also watching Nikki's little girl, Gillian, so that will be fun.

:::

In more exciting news, we leave for our cruise in a week. Mexican Riviera here we come!

Our first stop is Cabo San Lucas where we have booked an afternoon of snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez. And plenty of time to explore.

Then on to Mazatlan where we've booked a 3-hour island tour (sound like Gilligan's Island to you?) with an open bar and lunch. And even more time to check the sights.

Then to Puerto Vallarta for a tequila factory tour (with samples!). And more time to shop, etc.

At some point we hope to try para-sailing. Who knows, maybe we'll decide to zip-line through the canopy of the high Sierra's or off-road through the Mexican desert. There are so many possibilities... and no kid to slow us down or keep us sober. Not to mention the spa on board where I hope to have a lovely massage, the casino where I can expect to lose some money and the rock wall where I'm sure to steer clear of.

It's been a while...

2008-10-31T13:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Ryan dropped Hazel off at the vet to be spayed. Five years old and two litters later, we figured it was about time.

Ryan brought her home at the end of the day and she was stoned out of her mind. Lying around looking wall-eyed and out of sorts, avoiding Morgan at all costs. Poor puppy. It broke my heart to see her like that. She's my first baby, ya know.

Today she is more like herself, up and around a bit, although we have been giving her pain meds. She doesn't seem too concerned with the stitches, so no cone-head for her. And her tail is wagging again.

I'm relieved that it's done and over with and we don't have to worry about another heat. Plus, we're hoping it calms her down some, being a boxer makes her quite hyper at times.

:::

Morgan's third birthday is Saturday and I'm still wondering where the time went. I had her convinced to have a pirate-themed party, but while looking at the catalog she saw Tinkerbell, so that was the end of that. Tinkerbell it is! Plus, since she is dressing as Tinkerbell for Halloween, she'll be able to wear her costume at the party.

:::

We leave for our cruise in just over a week's time and my mind is consumed with planning and dreaming, so I apologize for being a slacker.

Seeing stars...

2008-09-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

I love stars! My living room is decorated in stars (not to be confused with America, which it is NOT).

Here are a few quilts I've made that adorn my living room:

Buggy Barn Star quilt:

Oh My Stars quilt (currently on the wall):

Big Star (almost finished and will be on the wall):

Scrapbooking Fool

2008-09-28T10:35:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I asked Ryan if he wanted to have another kid. His response, "If you get caught up with your scrapbooking, we can have another one."

Lately, I've been a scrapbooking fool. The funny thing is, I really don't think I want another one. Maybe subconsciously I do. Maybe I'm just in denial...

Either way, I refuse to go through fertility treatments again. Can you say nightmare? Seriously. I even wanted to divorce me... but, what if it happened on its own? Without fertility assistance? Would I be willing? I guess it's something I really should consider. And maybe, just maybe, one is enough for me. I kind of like her. A lot.

Live United Commercial

2008-09-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

The thing is, I'm in a commercial for United Way. It starts airing next week on local and cable channels in the Utah Market.

Here is the 30 second and 15 second versions. Enjoy!
Also, I've been told that I will be on a bus billboard in the Salt Lake area... so keep your eyes peeled.

Marital Bliss

2008-09-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I celebrated five years of marital bliss, yesterday.

I can't believe how much I adore him, even more and more every day...

*sigh*

Happy Coincidence

2008-09-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

I tend to frequent the library every few weeks and adorn myself with a half a dozen books that catch my attention. Lately, my obsession has been vampire novels. The last time I checked some books out, I found one called 'Dead Until Dark' by Charlaine Harris and I ended up reading it last out of this group.

After reading the first chapter, I set it down and looked to the television just as the preview for 'True Blood' came on HBO. Instantly, I felt deja vu. I was watching the preview of the first chapter I had just read. Weird. I hadn't seen the entire preview for the new series, but had heard about it and had even set the DVR to record the first episode, which airs tomorrow.

I finished the book this afternoon and now I'm super anxious to see the first episode. I looked up the author and realized there are seven more books in the series, which Ryan has reserved for me.

I am always fascinated by coincidences... and this was a happy one.

If you love me...

2008-08-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

And value my friendship...

You won't

1. Put me down as a reference for a check loan
2. Put me down as a reference for a rental car
and then,
3. Skip town and disappear leaving me to be harassed by these places looking for you.

Ugh! What the fuck?

*Yes, this is really happening... I hate people. But not you, I like you.

Live United

2008-08-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

So, I mentioned before how I was selected to be in a commercial for United Way and now the time has come for filming. We will be in studio on Thursday for the better part of the morning.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, and I'm having a little bit of anxiety over it. I'm not exactly shy, but the thought of being on camera makes me feel sick to my stomach. Plus, the camera adds 10 pounds, right? In any case I can't afford to add pounds, if you know what I mean. (I kid).

I have no idea when it's expected to air, but I do know that it will only air in the Utah market. So, if you see a United Way commercial with a dark haired, fat girl with tattoos; yeah, that's me.

Breaking Dawn

2008-08-03T06:09:00.000-07:00

I read Breaking Dawn in one day.

Oh. My. God!

The thing about friendship

2008-07-31T16:24:00.000-07:00

Today a friend at work sent me a horoscope thingy, which, okay, I don't put a lot of stock in, but something in it made me think. It said "it is time to re-evaluate a relationship", and it kind of struck home.

I have a friend whom I used to hear from almost daily and whom I considered to be one of my best friends. Then, I stopped hearing from her abruptly and she won't respond to emails, phone calls and messages, not even texts. I don't know what's going on and she won't even throw me a bone.

If we aren't friends anymore, I didn't get the memo. And I'm the type of person that appreciates a memo. If we aren't friends, just tell me. If you're in a phunk and don't want to talk to anyone, let me know. But, the worst thing to do is start ignoring me. You do that and I can guarantee we won't be able to be friends again. It's happened with other people in my life and if you know me, you know I rarely, if ever, give second chances.

So, if you want to retain my friendship, speak now or forever hold your peace.

15 seconds of... shame?

2008-07-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

I've been asked to participate in a commercial for United Way (with my workplace) that will only be aired in the Utah market.

This is not the first time I will have appeared on television. First, my small stint as an extra on Touched by an Angel (a very long time ago). Then, my adventure with the Sally Jesse Raphael show (a blog for another time). And now, this.

I feel like a total geek and we don't even film until mid-August.

Wish me luck.

Adoration

2008-07-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

I just want to be adored.

Is that so wrong?

What's that smell?

2008-07-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

I just finished my 12th laser hair removal treatment on my face. Needless to say, my face looks like hamburger, feels hotter than hell and the smell of burnt hair is lingering in my sad nostrils.

*sigh*

Nerd of immense proportion

2008-07-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

So, I had pre-ordered Stephenie Meyer's next book in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn on Amazon. The book is released on August 2^nd and I’ve been mentally counting down (no, I haven't made a paper braid to count down, although it has crossed my mind).

I went to Amazon’s website to check my order status and estimated shipping date and I just about shat myself, October 6^th? WHAT??? No way in hell am I going to wait an extra two months for that coveted book.

My friend and I checked Barnes & Noble and they are having release parties at certain locations, we chose a location and called them to sign up. They have us on the list and we’re guaranteed a book. Whew!

Since it is released at midnight, we’ll go, hang out, get the book and then have all weekend to sit around and read. I couldn’t be more stoked!

Happy Fireworks Day!

2008-07-06T16:00:00.001-07:00

Um, two days ago.

We decided to get the hell out of dodge for the extended weekend and ended up in Parowan, UT. Where is that, you ask? Picture a very small town near Cedar City and if you're unaware of that location, think an hour north of St. George or 3.5-4 hours south of SLC. Smack dab in the middle of nowhere.

It's quaint and quiet, except for the cannon that goes off sharply at 6:00 AM the morning of July 4th, at least a dozen times. If that doesn't wake you, I don't know what will. It shook the windows and the entire house. Ugh.

There was breakfast at the local high school, a parade, Morgan got to ring the church bells (and hasn't shut up about it since) and topped off with fireworks at BrianHead ski resort. Loud fireworks echoing off the mountains makes them even louder, if you didn't already know.

All in all a fun trip with Ryan's family, staying in his grandfather's ancestral, historical home and sleeping on an air mattress. Which did nothing for the state of my sad, painful shoulder.

What did you do?

Tagged

2008-06-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged! I hope it's not too painfully boring to read...

20 years ago .... 1988
1. I was 11.
2. I had no style and listened to Def Leopard.
3. I actually lived in the same place for the past two years, which was quite a feat since I had already gone to 5 elementary schools.

10 years ago ... 1998
1. 21 baby! Started doing some serious drinking.
2. Started my career in credit.
3. Got married, for the first time. Eek!

5 years ago ... 2003
1. 26 years old.
2. Married for the second time to the love of my life.
3. Bought my second house.

1 year ago ... 2007
1. 30, mid-life crisis.
2. Cut 14 inches off my hair and dyed it fire-engine red.
3. Morgan turns 2 and the terrible twos begin.

So far this year ... 2008
1. Started a work-out regimen and trying very hard to get in shape.
2. Purchased a lengthy cruise with the husband.
3. Won an iPod at work.

Yesterday... Friday, June 27th
1. Went to The Office and tried to stay busy.
2. Ate lunch from The Store.
3. Made dinner and lounged.

Today ... Saturday, June 28th
1. Stayed in my jammies until 4:30-5:00 PM.
2. Had my sister, Brandi, over with 4 of her boys for BBQ (has 5 boys, but one didn't come).
3. Getting ready to hang out with my friend, Tracee.

Tomorrow ... Sunday, June 29th
1. Hope to stay in my jammies for the entire day.
2. And do nothing but play on the computer.
3. And watch brain-numbing kids cartoons with the spawn.

Next year ... 2009
1. I hope to have the basement finished and start enjoying the new master suite.
2. I also hope to rip out the carpet and re-finish the existing wood floors upstairs.
3. I really don't have a lot of plans yet...

I won't specifically tag anyone, but if you feel like you want to take a stab at it, go right ahead.

Just like the dog

2008-06-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Setting the scene: Morgan and I were sitting in my bedroom, I was getting ready and Morgan was watching. Ryan walked in, naked, surprised that we were in there as he had just gotten out of the shower...

Morgan: Is that your tail, Daddy?

Ryan: Uh... {hurrying to put pants on}

Me: {laughing and snorting}

Rock and Roll

2008-06-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

I love when I hit shuffle on my iPod and the first song to come up is Led Zeppelin. Any Led Zep song will do, but this morning it was Rock and Roll. It sets the precedence for the day and brings a smile to my face. And somehow it makes everything seem better, especially on a Monday!

Bad Day Foretold

2008-06-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

It all started with Morgan breaking into our bedroom at around 5:00 AM. FIVE AM! When I finally rolled out of bed around 6:30AM, after pushing snooze three times, I knew I was doomed the second I stood up.

My head felt heavy, my nose stuffy and my throat sore. I figured it could only be one of two reasons, either it is a reaction from the major allergy attack from the previous night, or Morgan has graciously shared her cold with me. Either way, I feel like ass. And that I am not super happy about the way I feel.

Also, in my stuffy-headed attempt to grab everything as I’m running out the door to get to work, I forgot my Cherry Coke. If you know me, this is a tragedy; if you don’t know me, imagine a morning without your precious coffee. Cherry Coke is my morning coffee. To top it off, the vending machine, where I thought I could find my needed salvation, did not have Cherry Coke. I figured I could settle with plain Coca-Cola, but alas, the only bottle it had was stuck and I was forced to settle even further with a plain Pepsi. Don’t get me wrong, Pepsi is just fine and I was once committed to the sweet, syrupy beverage, but after a long and fruitful love affair with Cherry Coke, I cannot go back. I would have been happy with Cherry Pepsi, but again, none was available.

Because of all of the above events, I know this is going to be a bad day. And it’s only 8:45 AM.

Wish me luck.

Survey

2008-06-06T12:48:00.001-07:00

1. Where did you meet? At a bar, ha ha... Area 51, actually. My friend Tracee introduced us. For me, it was lust at first sight. For him, well, that's another story.

2. What was the first thought that went through your head when you met? Mmm, bald, red beard, hazel/green eyes and nerdy glasses. Sooo MY kind of guy! *sigh*

3. Do you remember what he was wearing? Blue retro-style shirt, jeans and combat boots, *double sigh* I'm a sucker for a guy in combat boots!

4. Where was the first time you kissed this person? At my apartment in The Avenues after a night of lushy drinking at the bar, a cab ride home, the watching of some odd movie and a botched nail painting fiasco.

5. How did he ask you out? Another night at the bar (seriously, I know, you'd think I was an alcoholic), and yes, we were drunk and he told me that while he was camping, he had thought about me. My first response was "what'd you do that for?" then later it dawned on me that he was trying to tell me something without actually saying it. Duh! We were practically inseparable from that moment on.

6. Where did you go for your first date? We didn't technically have one. We hung out a lot before we were technically "together" (see answer to #5), but just as friends. We'd go to restaurants, pre-drink and go to the bar and see movies, preferably at Brewvies. And the relationship just kind of happened.

7. How long did you know this person before you became a couple? Two or three months, I think.

8. Has this person ever proposed to you? Of course... and although it wasn't utterly planned out or super romantic, and the fact that I knew he had the ring and I pouted until he gave it me, it was still memorable and I wouldn't change it for the world.

9. Do you and this person have kids together? Just the one and I'm pretty sure we're not planning on any more. Infertility will do that to a girl.

10. Have you ever broken the law together? Um, how about I just keep my mouth (or keyboard, as it were) shut.

11. When was the first time you realized you liked this person? The second I laid eyes on him. Sappy, I know.

12. Do you get along with this person ex's? Can't say I've ever met one or know the names of any.

13. What's the most expensive thing this person has given you? My wedding ring, of course... except I don't really know how much he paid for it and I don't want to know.

14. What is the one thing this person does that gets on your nerves? There are a few little things, but those things are too minute to bug me enough to blog about.

15. What is the one thing you do that gets on his nerves? I'm sure there's a whole slew of things he could tell you...

16. Where do you see each other in 15 years from now? Counting down the months until Morgan moves out... ha ha. I'd like to think we'd be traveling and enjoying what the world has to offer.

17. Wedding date? September 6, 2003 - Five years this year!

18. Wedding day memories? We didn't go all out, in fact, we preferred going to Vegas... but his mom insisted on having something here that the family could be a part of. We had a small ceremony in his grandfather's back yard with parents and grandparents only. Then a casual luau-style celebration with friends, family and a table of fruit, cheese and meatballs.

Book Worm

2008-06-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

I read like a mad woman (I still feel weird about referring to myself as a woman, am I the only 30-something who still feels like a girl?). I have a hard time putting (some) books down. I constantly have a book to read and feel like something is missing when I finish one and don't have a back up.

We take a walking trip to the library weekly and Morgan even asks to go now (which makes my heart happy). I try to get three to five books for me and let Morgan pick out a few, one of her most recent being one about a crocodile, she has a thing for them right now. I can only hope that she will enjoy reading as much as Ryan and I do. But, even though she can't read yet, she has memorized her favorites and we read to her almost every day.

When I read a really good book, I get lost in the pages and paragraphs and transport myself into the story. It becomes a part of me, I get sucked in and escape temporarily into a new world. And when I close the book for the last time, my adventure ends and a new one can begin with the next book. It's sad and thrilling all at the same time.

After each ending I can't help but think about how mundane my life has become. So domestic. But also how I don't really mind. No stupid bar drama, boy drama, or stupid things girlfriends fight about. The only thing I really miss from the bar days, is people watching. And I can just as well do that anywhere... But I digress.

I'm happy with where my life and my choices have taken me. I would certainly not be the woman (there it is again!) I am today if I hadn't had the experiences that got me here. My point being, even though I'm domesticated now, I don't want to take my life for granted. I think, in a way, books and stories keep me grounded. Remind me of how wonderful my life is and how happy I am.

I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a grandaughter, a friend and much more. All of these things have shaped and molded me in some way and I am proud of that. I am a beautiful, trusting and powerful woman. Although I will need a constant reminder, I am all of these things and wouldn't change it for anything.

(Wow, this turned out a lot sappier than I thought it would!)

I love your guts for being a part of my life.

It's official

2008-06-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

We have finally booked our cruise, however, we decided to do a 7 night Mexican Riviera cruise. And I'm stoked! The cruise ports in LA, to Cabo San Lucas, to Mazatlan, to Puerto Vallarta and back to LA.

I've not really been outside of the US with one small exception; when my sister and I went to a Mexican boarder town for a few hours when I was 15. Other than that, I've never experienced another country to any extreme.

We plan to book excursions apart from the cruise as was suggested by the Boss Lady and since Ryan speaks fluent Spanish, we should be set. I really want to go snorkeling and he's into the ATV tour. I'm sure we'll find time to do whatever it is we want. And, since we won't be taking the kid, we can do just about anything.

Now I just have to wait until November. *sigh*

10 things about my wonderful daughter

2008-05-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

Morgan:

She is kind of a picky eater, which probably comes from me; she also has an incredible sweet tooth, again, probably from me.

Morgan is obsessed with letters, numbers, shapes and colors. Will point them out to us any time she sees one and pretty much has them all memorized with very few exceptions. She has the Leap Frog fridge magnets that she will put in a purse/bag and carry around with her, she has bath-time letters that stick to the tile, and she has floor mat letters that she loves to get out. And endless books on all topics.

And speaking of books, she LOVES books and story time. We read certain books so often, that she can now repeat them to us verbatim. She can’t read yet, but she thinks she can. Her favorite books are a couple of board books I picked up called Blankie and No No, Yes Yes I have to get more of these! both by Leslie Patricelli.

Morgan is a singer! She loves to sing, whether it’s Itsy Bitsy Spider or Twinkle, Twinkle or the ABC’s, she seems to be singing all the time. She’ll even make up songs and belt them out, no matter where we are or what we’re doing. And it’s always LOUD!

She is fascinated by money. Not just any kind of money, but coins. And all coins, no matter color or size are pennies. If she spots one, which she is getting really good at doing, she’ll tell you she wants it and that she “wants to put it in her bank.” The kid has over $50 in her Discovery Kids counting bank. Seriously.

Morgan also enjoys movies and television and will ask for her favorites at any time of day or night. Luckily, we have DVR, without which, we would have a lot more temper tantrums to deal it. Her favorites include, but are not limited to: Dora The Explorer, Teletubbies, Sesame Street, Mickey’s Clubhouse, Jojo’s Circus, Curious George and her new fave, Thomas the Tank Engine.

She has this thing with lining stuff up. I’m not sure if it’s residual OCD from the womb, or if it’s just a natural thing kids do. But, she will unload her diapers and line them up across the floor, all face up. She will take her letters off the fridge and place one in each square of the linoleum floor. She will also line them up across the fridge. She’ll even line up colored pencils and then tell you it’s her choo-choo train.

She also loves to draw. Only she not very coordinated yet, so she asks us to draw them for her. From Dora and Boots to Thomas and his friends. This is especially fun for her on her Magna-doodle, because she will erase everything we just drew and ask us to draw them, again. She has asked us to draw letters and has even spelled out her name. Amazing!

Morgan has a woobie. A blankie that we bought for her before we knew she was a girl, it is a pastel lime green with slightly darker green stars. A blankie that is her best friend, her comforter, the one thing she cannot live without. She can’t sleep without it and will usually have to take it with her wherever she goes. When she settles down for a nap, she goes around the binding of it with her thumb and forefinger until she finds the right spot. I swear, that Blankie book mentioned above was written just for her.

My kitchen

2008-05-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I thought I would share a few more of my crafty endeavors. Let me start by telling you about my kitchen... it is decorated in cherries, if you couldn't already tell from the last quilt pic.

Here is a small corner of my small kitchen:

When we moved in, everything was white on white, so we added the red.

Here is my fruit bowl quilt that I made that is on the pantry door:

And a small hand embroidered decoration:

And there you have it. Now you've been in my kitchen.

Plans

2008-05-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

Ryan and I are planning to take a cruise this fall (without the spawn). It's not booked, but we have one in mind. However, we have yet to apply for our passports. I know, we're total slackers, but neither of us have been anywhere outside the states (boring).

Ryan had to order a copy of his birth certificate, as it has been MIA for longer than I've known him, but we did receive it in the same week. The paperwork for mine is filled out and I'm just waiting on him to complete his part. Then pictures. Dreaded pictures. Only because I never take a good pic. Never! Okay, not really never, if I'm being truly honest. Only the ones that you expect to be bad, like every driver's license picture and all of my high school yearbook pictures actually came out fine. Strangely enough. But everything else has been unacceptable.

I am really looking forward to having a passport. That probably sounds silly, but I've always wanted to travel and see the world and a stamp in my newly obtained passport is really pretty exciting.

I'm a total dork.

Cherry Quilt

2008-05-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

Uh, I thought I would write about my typical day, but it bored me to even put it into words, so I scratched that. Instead, I thought I'd post one of my quilt projects, at least that will be somewhat interesting.

This is my Cherry Quilt that currently resides in my kitchen:

I will continue to post pictures of quilts if/when I'm unable to find anything interesting to write about.

Girl gone wild

2008-04-29T16:22:00.001-07:00

Ryan is getting Morgan dressed after her bath:

Morgan: Look at my boobies! (pointing to them)

Ryan: You have a great future.

Any man can be a Father, but it takes a real man to be a Dad

2008-04-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

I went shopping with my friend, Laura, and her daughter, Devyn, yesterday at the local outdoor mall. Within five minutes of parking the car and finding our way out of the parking garage, we ran into my dad. For anyone else, this may not be strange, but for me, it was.

See, my father and I haven't had the best relationship. To be honest, we've not had a relationship. At all. We've only just started talking within the last few years, and even then it's only been a handful of conversations each year and we've probably only see each other once or twice a year as well. Running into him unexpectedly was a bit awkward, but only because we really don't know each other. I only know the man he used to be, not so much the man he is now. Frankly, I don't like the man he used to be, but I whole-heartedly respect the man he's become.

I really only want us to move beyond the past. And I know he wants to as well, because he's been making the effort I always wanted him to make.

Totally

2008-04-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

Ryan wiped Morgan's nose with a tissue and proceeds to show her what he found:

Ryan: Look at that booger, Morgan!

Morgan: That's disgusting, Daddy.

:::

And this is where I laughed my ass off. She is officially mini-me.

Scrapping in the Wind

2008-04-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

I went to the scrapbook expo today with my friends, Anna and Deidra. After driving around a full parking lot, I ended up at the dirt lot across the street (I don't know who designed that place, but they didn't have parking in mind). The weather was nice, warm but a bit windy... and not too bad of a hike to the expo center.

Inside I felt like an alcoholic in a liquor store. I go often, but it never ceases to make me smile. Rows upon rows of booths full of stickers, paper and stamps, OH MY! And my alotted spending allowance went quickly, but not without something to show for it (Skull paper! Eee!).

My friends and I walked to a nearby restaurant for lunch, by this time the wind had picked up a bit and made Anna feel like Medusa with her hair blowing this way and that. However, after lunch the wind was much worse.

Remember being young (yeah, right) and going outside when it was super windy with an umbrella to see if you could fly? Or standing forward letting the wind keep you from falling on your face? It was that kind of wind. The kind where when you open your mouth you end up eating a dirt sandwich and it is the worst gritty feeling. Yeah, it was awesome. And at this point we decided to take off, to do so we had to walk back to the car. In the dirt lot. Which was eleventy-billion times worse. Dirt was blowing everywhere. A very big gust came crashing into us and assaulted all exposed skin with dirt and small rocks (poor Anna in a skirt).

Dirt in my eyes, all over my glasses, even in my purse. And after touching my face and hair and feeling the gritty residue, I decided I would need to take another shower just to get it off me. And I even found it in my ears. Ugh.

It was awful.

A shitty storm is definitely blowing in. Please don't let it be snow (again)!
(Sorry, there really was a point to this when I started writing, I guess I just lost it along the way.)

Puppy

2008-04-15T16:06:00.001-07:00

Morgan thinks she's a puppy. She keeps barking at me and licking me. When I asked her if she wanted dog food, she shook her head yes.

It might have something to do with her watching 101 Dalmations, over and over and over.

10 Things About Me

2008-04-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

I figured I'd start with a few things about myself...

I love to collect things. This is one of the few traits (hopefully) that I’ve inherited from my mother. Things = Tattoos, Faeries, Devil Duckies, Living Dead Dolls, Stars, Cherries, Fabric, etc. My husband would say that I also collect furniture, but I don’t categorize that as such.

I am “Martha Stewart stuck in a punk girls’ body”, as quoted by a friend of mine. I’m super crafty.

Crafty = I love quilting. I enjoy buying, cutting, and sewing fabric into numerous creations.

Crafty also = I love scrapbooking. Mostly now that I have a kid, it’s much more exciting when the subject is someone other than myself.

I don’t consider myself OCD, I would consider myself very particular about stuff and things.

I don’t enjoy cooking. I just don’t have the attention span for it. Baking, I can do (once in a while)… set a timer and walk away.

I heart shopping. There is nothing quite like retail therapy. I don’t even have to have something in mind, browsing until something catches my eye is always enough.

I actually like my job, which I think is kind of a big deal. I don’t dread going in, sometimes the days seem too long, but mostly I like what I do. I like the people I work with. And I like using the analytical side of my brain once in a while.

I am a total bookworm. I always have to be reading something, whether it sits on my nightstand and awaits my sleepy eyes, or captivates me so much so that I have a hard time putting it down, there is always a book.

I love to be entertained, whether it be books, movies or just plain ol’ TV. I’m not exactly a “movie buff”, but I know what I like. As far as TV goes, when I find a show I like, I watch it until it dies (except ER, that show won’t die and I can’t stand to watch anymore).

Spring

2008-04-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

Spring is one of my most favorite times of the year. The dampness of dew in the mornings. The fragrance dancing and swimming through the air. A myriad of birds singing. A woodpecker peck, peck, pecking in a nearby tree. The sun beating warmth onto my face. The cleanness the rain brings. Love it.

Spring means new beginnings. The slate is washed clean and it's time to start fresh.

It almost makes me want to do some Spring cleaning or yard work. Almost.