It was a Merry Christmas.

I had so much fun this Christmas time. I hosted Christmas Eve. My sister Karla and her family come up for dinner of nachos, apple pie and Grandma Veselka's gingerbread. It was wonderful. On the 23rd I went for a walk with mom and got 3 different kinds of flowers. I made 2 centerpieces from the $20 worth of flowers. I think they turned out nice.
We ate on the china and I felt so cool being able to serve company on my fine china. I love my china so much. Mom surprised me and got me a beautiful pedestal for serving that is in my china pattern. I love it so much.
We used Grandma Bassett's goblets for some sparkling apple cider. It was a wonderful night. I really enjoyed having Kar, Dave and especially little Spencer there.

Early Christmas morning Kyle and I set out to spend Christmas with his parents. It was a nice trip. I took some pink pills and slept most of the way. It was wonderful to fall asleep in Utah and wake up in Calgary.

Here is Kyle at the airport while we waited for our flight.

The day after Christmas we went to Kyle's cousin's house in Taber and had a wonderful ham dinner and ice cream cake. The green icing from the cake proved to be one of the funniest things about the evening. Wreaking havoc on every one's tongues, lips and teeth.

Jamie was smart and didn't eat the green stuff.

Kyle's cousin DC is so chill.

It was a wonderful time. Very cold and boy howdy I forgot how dry it got in Canada. I had a couple of bloody noses but all is well. I am very happy that we missed the big snow dump. We did have a ground blizzard in Canada but at least I didn't have to drive in it.

How much does honesty cost?

Kyle and I braved the weather and the crowds and went to Wal-Mart yesterday. We picked up some essentials for Sunday Snacking and some cleaning supplies that I would need on Monday while he is at work and I am at home.
Well I wanted to get a great big scrub brush and found a lovely gray one. We hooked the handle on the back of the child seat and continued shopping.
Check out time came and we went through the self check out. Out in the car we are loading up our purchases and low and behold the gray scrub brush, which is the same color as the cart, fell and camouflaged itself at the bottom of the cart therefore it didn't make it through the scanning and paying for process.
Kyle and I stared at each other, stunned that we have just inadvertently "shop-lifted". Kyle says, "What do you want to do?" I say, "I'll go back and pay for it."
I head back in and the greeter asks me if I'm returning the brush. I say no... I forgot to pay for this. She asks me if I still want it. I say yes and she tells me, "Well go to it."
Honesty costs exactly $1.19. But the feeling of telling bishop that I'm honest with my dealings with my fellow men...
Priceless.

Hey Everybody!... Look what I can do!

Last year I hit the after Christmas sales and got a stellar deal on wreaths and flowers and such. For the past year they have been sitting in the closet and Kyle has been giving me the "Why did you buy this?" look. Well I sat down a few weeks ago armed with a hot glue gun, a glass of water, my imagination and went to work.
I made one for myself seen below with the number 3 over it.
And the bottom one is for a sister. They both light and I was able to make them for under $5 each. I love deals. I priced wreaths out at Wal-Mart and they were $25-$30. I think I did a good job.

We did it!

Welcome to the newest member of our family. Aries was born in 2005 and is a Mazda3i. I have no idea what that means, but we got a good deal. It feels great to drive, is quiet and has a good reputation of safety.
We will post more pictures later. Kyle is out right now getting to know Aries better.

The best Husband EVER!!!

I would just like to say that I think Kyle is the best ever. Yesterday was a very fun day for me. I got off work early and made some snicker doodle cookie dough. When that was finished I realized that it was time for the RS Christmas dinner. Kyle tell me, "Don't worry about the mess. I'll clean it up."
He scoops me up into the car takes me to the church and heads on out to Wal-Mart for a few things.
The dinner was lovely. The program was touching with song and testimonies of the prophets past. It was so good to hear Presidents Benson, Hunter, Kimball and Hinkely speaking again. It brought several tears to my eyes.
I get home about 815pm and I am so excited to go to bed early. Kyle wasn't home yet so I'm just writing him a note for phone calls that he missed and I'm off to bed by 830pm. Can you believe it, I get to go to bed at 830! :)
The phone rings again and it's Kyle. The car is broken in the Wal-Mart parking lot. It's either the battery or the alternator. Stinker! We're trading the car on Saturday.
So a phone call later our neighbor is picking me up in a HUGE truck equipped with batter cables and a towing line... just in case.
Well we get there and jump the car. It's running but very weak. Neighbor follows us home and the car makes it home so we're thinking that it's just the battery and it's not holding a charge.
So super nice neighbor lets us borrow his battery charger and an extension cord.
It's now 1030pm. I'm so tired and Kyle tucks me into bed and we read scriptures and say prayers and I conk out.
This morning I woke up and the kitchen was sparkling clean, and everything was in it's place.
Not only did Kyle stay up and hook up the car and all that intails but he also cleaned up the kitchen. He is so good.
So now we're hoping that we can keep the car going until Saturday when we're going car shopping.

Life is much better!

Sorry it's taken me so long to write about happier times. I got so busy living those happy times that I forgot about blogging them.

Well Kyle and I went to Washington DC to visit my brother and his family and had a wonderful day visiting the National Mall. There are a couple of cute pictures for you. I have a video that I want to upload but am too tired to try and figure it out now.

Then we just had a fabulous Thanksgiving at my sister's house in Herriman and we went for a walk after to help make room for pie. It was such a perfect day.

I am so thankful to all of you that love us and support us and read this blog.
I'll blog more when I know what I'm doing.

Bad Day

Yesterday was really bad day at work for me.
I have waited until now to write about it so I could be a little more calm. It all started at 8am when I just started to board my flight to Burbank. Well those of you that have flown know that airlines board the uppity frequent fliers first. Delta boards them as Zone 1 or Breezeway Boarding. I had 13 passengers eligible for such boarding. I called up the boarding and a very nice man who was traveling with 4 small children, his wife and baby came up and they were all in Zone 1. As they were collecting themselves another party of 2 men came to board. I told them it would be just a couple of minutes before general boarding. As soon as the words were out of my mouth I was verbally attacked by one of the men using R-rated language about my morals and what I could do with them.
I was stunned! I have never EVER! Been cursed at so bad in my life. I was shaking and angry and afraid. My supervisor was near by and told the man, "You're done. You're not flying today. There is no call for that language or behaviour."
I was so embarrassed for the little kids near by and all the other passengers as they were trying to board.
Then the angry man tried to board anyway, with out presenting his ticket. THAT IS A HUGE SECURITY RISK. Finally he sat down and his friend that he was traveling with talked to him and calmed him down. Then the friend came to me and apologized for the angry man. Saying that he's not himself and has a Dr. appointment that afternoon and please let them fly.
The angry man then came and apologized to me. It was a forced not meaningful sorry but I didn't want that angry man following me around all day shouting obscenities at me.
So I let them board and as I was scanning the tickets angry man was starring at my name badge and as he went out the door he called me another name.
I then had my Supervisor follow them out to the plane and pointed angry man out to the flight attendant. And said if he sneezed wrong, makes one grumble about anything kick him off and we're calling the police and he can cool off downtown.
He sat there quietly and the plane got to its destination early.
I was so saddened by his actions.
And it never rains but it pours...
30 min. left of my shift and a flight comes in late and 4 passengers missed their flight. I hate it when it happens. One of the passengers was really nice and one was a jerk. (sorry Spence and Sarah) The jerk was a lawyer, and kept throwing that around and told me that he was going to sue me personally. and my favorite "You don't know who you've messed with!"
I told them all that I was sorry that they missed their flight and I'll try and get you...
they jumped in "WE DIDN'T MISS OUR FLIGHT! YOU LEFT US!!!!!!"
I then had to explain, "You are not on the plane. The plane is now gone. You missed the flight. Here are your options."
Well the lawyer wanted a full refund and a first class ticket on the flight to LAX. "Sir you're using the ticket. I can't give you a refund. If you want a refund you can find another airline to take you there."
"I don't want that. I want a first class seat and cash!"
"let me get my supervisor." Supervisor gave him a boarding car for the LAX flt (not first class) and ground transportation from LAX to the other airport. Just what I offered him. He went away swearing and ranting about suing me and my supervisor.
It just seemed like a non-stop day of grumpies.
Sorry for the rant. It helps to get it out.
Hope you have a great day!
:)

This is really neat!

My friend sent me this video of a Japanese mall water fountain. I thought it rocked! It is really water making all the shapes. So cool. Another friend of mine when watching it said, "That is Vegas cool."

Enjoy!

Curses! Foiled again.

My friend Aaannnndrewwww! at work has tagged me. Why oh why did I have to read his blog. It's an 8 things about me tag so here it goes.

8 shows I like to watch:
1. Biggest Loser
2. Simpsons.... sorry dad.. I really think it's funny.
3. America's Next Top Model (it's my guilty pleasure)
4. The Office
5. America's Test Kitchen or anything like unto it.
6. Friends
7. House
8. The Spectacular Spider-Man

8 Restaurants I like to eat at:
1. TGI Fridays
2. Macaroni Grill (they let you color on the table cloth :) )
3. The Chef's Table
4. Wendy's
5. Cafe Rio
6. any good Chinese
7. Karla's house
8. Pizza Hut

8 Things that happened yesterday:
1. I worked.
2. I took a nap.
3. It snowed a lot!
4. Kyle made me dinner.
5. I watched America's next top model
6. I found out that Obama won the election.
7. My flu shot hit me and I didn't feel well. (I'm better today.)
8. They brought us sandwiches at work for employee appreciation week.

8 Things I'm looking forward to:
1. Sleeping in.
2. Visiting my family in Washington DC next weekend.
3. Getting a newer car.
4. Christmas!
5. Kyle starting school.
6. Losing weight.
7. Reading before I go to bed.
8. When we can finally afford a house.

8 Things on my wish list:
1. A new Car!
2. Cloth napkins
3. Mamma Mia on DVD
4. A lambie (aka hot water bottle cover that is cozy and cute)
5. Pillows to fit my new pillow shams... 26x26 inches...
6. George Forman grill with removable plates so they can soak in the sink.
7. Belkin cover for my nano 4th generation
8. New running shoes.

So there is your in depth into my life. I would love it if you would like to respond.
Hope your week is great.

No stitches!

Today for my training I did my 1 & 4's for 30 min. 1 & 4's is when I run or shuffle as fast as I can for 1 min then walk as fast as I can for 4 mins. It's not my friend. The last time I did 1 & 4's I was hurting so bad. I had a huge! stitch in my side and I could breath. I was in bad shape.
Well today I went almost 2 miles and no stitches at all. :) That makes me happy.
AAAAND speaking of Happy... HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAY!

Groupie!

I am a huge fan of Biggest Loser right? RIGHT! Last year was my very very favorite. There was such a great spirit on the show and I really felt that I knew everyone. And I was totally inspired by them.
Well my favorite team was team ORANGE... Jackie and Dan. Soooo, I'm at work minding my own business, running paper work from plane to plane when low and behold...
JACKIE AND DAN WALK RIGHT BY ME.
I turn in to a screaming fan and yell their names at them and say, "HOLY SMOKES, JACKIE AND DAN! YOU'RE MY FAVORITE LAST YEAR!!!!"
They smile nicely at me like I was a fruit cake and say, "thank you?" and almost run to their flight.
But I was tickled. And newly inspired. They still looked great and I want to be an inspiration to others too.

A marathon... are you kidding me?

So my sister Sandy is a Marine... uurah! and is planning on running the San Diego Rock n' Roll Marathon in June and is looking for a couple of suckers.. or some running mates.
Tonight I'm chatting with her as I'm taking my constitutional around the block a few times. I like to walk on Sundays for about an hour or so.

So Sandy asks me if I want to run the marathon with her and this is what pops in to my head. I would look like this... picture my head on Homer's body.


Are you kidding me. I can't bike 26 miles let alone run 26 miles. And Sandy assures me that I could walk it. I'm thinking It would take me all day to do that. Then as she's talking she making a plan for me and if I could walk a 14 min. mile, it would be possible for me to do the marathon in 8 hours or so.
Then we start talking about the Biggest Loser... my favorite show ever!

And how I need a personal trainer like Jillian. She's so cool. I think she used to be military and is tuff and hard but boy howdy does she get results. She's so cool. I'd love to look like her but I don't really have the dedication or the drive or the genes or will power or the someone behind me to kick me in the hinney when I need it. So Sandy says that she'll be my trainer and help me get in shape for the marathon.
I'm starting tomorrow. I am so super excited to start.
My homework is to walk 3 miles and time how long it takes me. We all have a starting point. I am so happy that I have a marine working and fighting for me to win my war of the battle of the bulge!
So soon... I will never look just like Jillian... but I will be closer. And I could start doing marathons.

Mmmmm... gooooood.

I was looking through some coupons when I found an easy chicken Alfredo recipe. I thought it looked good and tried it out.
And it was very good.
How you make it:
make favorite noodles, I used bow tie, while they are cooking in a large pan cook 2 chicken breasted, cubed. I added olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic and some green onions.
After chicken is cooked add 2 can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup and 3/4 can of milk.
When noodles are nearly finished add fresh or frozen broccoli. After noodles are all finished drain and add to chicken mix.
Top with cheese. I used the Italian mix. Salt and pepper to taste.
Soooo tasty. Next time I make it I'm going to add more garlic, and perhaps some other veggies.
A friend at work made this too but with salmon not chicken and used red and green peppers.
It reheats beautifully.

A new career?

So I am car pooling home today with my friend Natalie, found below, and she is telling me about her plans for the rest of the day. Her nephew's birthday is tomorrow and she is in charge of trying to make an Optimus Prime Transformer cake for him. I said, "Wow. How fun. That shouldn't be to hard. It's mostly a big rectangle," and I start mapping it out in my head.
I have so much fun planning it in my head I ask, "Do you need help?" She jumps at the chance and drops me off at my home.

I do a little research. I find this picture of Optimus Prime and I start baking the cake and make a list of things that I will need at Wal-Mart to make it.

So many hours later I have this to show for it. I am very please since it was my first effort of cake decorating on a non-circular cake. I had a lot of fun. I think I know how to make it even better next time.

So if anyone out there wants a big semi-truck birthday cake. I'm your girl. I think I can make just about anything. Except snakes, I don't have the counter space.

"20 pounds of brown sugar"

I love the fall. It is when all the grocery stores have their case lot sales. It is wonderful. I now have my food storage almost completely stocked!
My grandma says that happiness is having a full wood shed. I think it could include having a full pantry.

The Wagon.. Week 3

Okay I didn't post last week because I was very embarrassed. My scale was broken and I didn't know until last week. It was weighing me 10 lbs lighter than I am. Last Monday was not a good day for me.
There was weeping, wailing and a little teeth gnashing. Poor Kyle didn't know what to do. I was distraught and inconsolable. But Kyle went out and got a new scale and Now I'm right back on track.
So I thought I was 281 last week that was a 5 lb loss, but really because my scale was broken I was 291... and I started at 296. Ugh.. I was almost 300!
That is not good. But I am happy to report that this morning I was 286.8. I am down a total of 9.2lbs.
Thank you for your support.

I hate the wagon.

Well it is time for me to get off my duff and do something about my weight.
So I have started the wagon. I am not happy about this... I wish that I were just naturally skinny and beautiful... But I guess I'll settle for smart and beautiful.
I started the "wagon" on Sept. 1st. To prove how serious I am ... I weight 286. That's right. I am now officially considered obese. I am very sad that I have let myself be so lazy. But I am changing that now.
With the help and encouragement from Mom and sisters I have a plan.
This week I worked out on the elliptical machine so far on Mon, Tues, Thurs. I took Wed. off because my knees really hurt. But I am on the Weight Watchers food points. My official weigh day is Monday. I would like to loose 30 lbs by Christmas and 10 lbs by Madame Butterfly. I am very excited to fit into normal theatre seats again.
This morning I was 283.5... so I'm going down. I am looking forward to showing some "After" pictures.
Thank you for your support.

It was a Par-tay!

So the Family Reunion was so much fun. I really enjoyed spending time with the family and we really missed those who couldn't be there. I loved all the new addtions. ie: Spencer-the little-, and Sarah. I took so many pictures.
If you would like all 83 pictures please let me know. ... Kar, I already have yours burned and it's ready for you when you move back to SLC.

I also learned a lot during this past week.
1st. Mom and Dad are still really cute.


2nd. Bowling fashions haven't changed much.

3rd. Spence and Kyle make a great team!

4th. Myah gets a lot of tickets at Chuck E. Cheese.

5th. Jay can still do flips, after all these years. And with a broken "wing"!

6th. Little Spencer really likes ice cream.

It was so great. I hope we can all get together again perhaps next year. And hahaa! I'm the first to blog about it.

Hangin' out, swappin' funnies!

I am having so much fun with my family in Denver. Tomorrow my brother flys in from DC with is family. It will be a party.
My sister introduced this You Tube to me... and DUDE... So funny! I don't remember ever laughing so hard.
I hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngRq82c8Baw

I knew I was a princess but I did NOT see that coming.

So Karla has a link to which Disney princess are you. I was thinking Belle, or Ariel... no.. I was



You Are Pocahantas!



Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.

It was fun... do try for yourselves. Let me know If you are a princess too!

Which Disney Princess Are You? http://www.greatestjournal.com/quiz.bml?Q=16354

Breaking Dawn...

I just finished reading Breaking Dawn.
I LOVED IT! I was sucker punched a little but I had so much fun. It took me just over 12 hrs to read it. But I did sleep and eat and laundry whilst reading.
I was so sad to leave it.
But it was fun.

I"m so excited!

I love the Twilight books so much. The 13 year old in me is so happy to have them in my life.

My faith is restored!

Today I went out to check the mail at 2pm. The post man comes between 1-4pm. There was nothing there... AGAIN! and today is the circular day. I knew something was a foot when I check the post one more time at 330pm. Still empty. So, my loving husband went to the Post Office and gave them the ol' 1-2 while I cleaned the shower. He came home...
VICTORIOUS!
The post office had collected all of our mail and was keeping it safe for us until we retrieved it. I was so happy. I got birthday cards from family, and the make -up I order for really cheap. It looks like good stuff. I'll use it tomorrow.
But the best news... no one pinched our mail. And now I know that we are safe. Huzzah... The human race isn't doomed after all.
: )

A costly mistake.

So about two weeks ago I lost the mail box key, and the quest began.
I looked in the car, house, purse, house, car, car, outside, under our stairs, the car, car, purse, outside, purse, house and car. To no avail. So a week ago I went to the USPS and told them I needed a new key or lock. They said, "No, problem. That will be $15 for the new lock."
"Wonderful. I live here..." and they said, "Oh, we don't service that. But I'll send a tech out just in case."
Fast forward to Tues. Tech calls and says, "We don't service your post box because it doesn't say 'US Postal Service' on it."
So I hopped on the Internet and found 3 locksmiths in the area. All 3 said they could change the lock ranging between $80-100. -crap!- Sooooo
I wait to talk to Kyle about it and on Wed. night we decide to go with the cheapest agency. I called them and made an apt. for 1030. They have 1 hr to come and help us. Well 10 30 comes and goes... 1130 comes and we call, and they say that they can't find their tech guy. We say no thank you. Kyle and I are both going to be late for work. So we call the middle expensive and they are more than rude to us, so we bit the bullet and make an appointment with the most expensive company for 9am Friday. They assure us that the tech will call between 830-9am.
So poor Kyle gets up early and is sitting on the phone... waiting... and waiting... and waiting.... finally he calls them and the tech said, "Oh I got busy and can't be there until this afternoon sometime... Oh, yeah and I can't take credit card, only cash." RED FLAG!
Is this really happening to me?
So I call A Locksmith 23 7 in SLC order a locksmith for now, they say a tech will be calling you soon. 5 min later (I'm at work by the by) the phone rings "Hello this is your locksmith... where do you live?" I tell him, and he says that he'll be there in about 20-25 min.
I call Kyle and let him know. The guy shows up at 1110am.. and the job was finished at 1146am! but to the tune of a lot more than we wanted to spend.
And the really stink part of it... there is no post in our box. I think when I lost the key someone nearby found it and that someone has been pinching our mail for a week. I put a hold on the mail for this week, but I think last weeks' mail is gone.

I'm a laundry girl!

So we live in a smaller apt. and I am very grateful for the fact that we have a wahser and dryer in the unit... but it is a little fisher price washer and dryer. For example, I can fit 3 towels in the washer and it is full. And those same 3 towels can take up to 50 min to dry in the dryer.

And it's not getting any less hot here my friends and a dryer kicks out a lot of heat.

So I got a clothesline. It fits about 4 loads of my small laundry load and in the sunshine and hot air they dry in about 30-45 min. :)

That make us all happy. It's cooler in the apt. and saving engery.

I love it. It takes less time to do laundry now because I don't have to wait for the dryer to be finished.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I had a great birthday. It is so much fun to share it with America the beautiful. I really do love it.

Kyle and I went to the parade in the morning. In a word it was... lacking. But I am comparing it to Cody, WY parades that are very very nice. There was no grand marshal of the parade here, just prom queens. After the parade we went to the local grocery store that was giving free Popsicles. YUM....

Naps and talking with family took up the rest of the day. By the time fireworks came, I was ready to go! Kaysville fireworks were great! I really enjoyed them, and we could watch them from our neighbor's front yard. Very nice. Then we had sparklers. Kyle was nice to hold the candle for me so I could play.

Holy Deal Batman!

So a friend sent me an email that a hoytie-toytie make up company was bought out and they are having reduced prices on the current logo... All make up for $1... that's right ONE DOLLAR.
Surely this could not be true... I checked it out...
http://www.eyeslipsface.com/shop.asp
and it was. I got some make up brushes and some cool colors. The shipping was $7 no matter how big your order was and it will take about 2 weeks for you to get it.
I will update to say if it is nice or not. But I've blown more than $14 on lipstick at Wal-Mart still in my drawer.

Pretty Pictures.

A friend of mine sent me these pictures of a thunder storm meeting a volcanic eruption in Chile. I don't know if they are real, but they are beautiful. So here is your beauty with a grain of salt for the day.

Holy smokes! I'm part of the big kids club!

After much encouragement from family and friends I have joined the tech age.
Thanks Kar, Dave and Spencer for the wonderful weekend.
I loved spending so much one on one time with Spencer. I know the next time I get to see him I will have to share... grrrr....
But as I teach my primary class sharing is good.
I'm just getting back into the daily grind. But it was so wonderful. Kyle had the house spotless for when when I came home. It was great.
I guess I'll write more when stuff happens.