For Fun

Yes, we had Christmas.  Yes, it was fantastic!  Yes, Gabe is suffering from a Christmas Hangover.  But since I don't have time to go into detail right now...enjoy our silly faces!  It is now almost impossible to get Gabe to take a normal picture. 

Hope everyone had a safe and blessed Christmas.  Much love to you all!

Extra Spicy!

I think I just discovered what Gabe really wants for Christmas.

Much love to you all!

Not a Marine Biologist...Yet

You may be wondering why I have taken a picture of Gabe eating his Gogurt and watching his morning cartoon. It is because of the stuffed whale sitting in his lap. This is a toy that was given to Gabe and he has not shown any interest in it until recently. I believe it is supposed to be a North Atlantic Right Whale and if you squeeze him he makes a whale noise.

Gabe calls it a dolphin and has named him “Legs.” Yes…Legs. Does anyone else see the irony in naming a whale Legs?

Lately he is constantly asking, “Where is my dolphin?” anytime we have to leave the house or if he has to go to bed or if he loses sight of that thing for more than a minute. This morning as he was carrying the “dolphin” downstairs he threw it and said, “I threw Legs! Legs in the sky.” I don’t know what it is about this toy but it is his new favorite thing and it is so darn cute.

Much love to you all!

Craft-tastic!...& The Kids

I wanted to post my wonderful creation because I never craft. I never craft because usually when I do, my projects turn out crappy. But I am really pleased with the way this one came out. It is a weekly organizer that you hang on your wall. It is a picture frame and you use dry erase markers to write down your week. I made this one for my sister for her birthday because she gets some sort of sick thrill from being organized...FREAK!
And since I know many of you ONLY stop by to see my kids, here is a picture for you! Much love to you all!

Let's Hear It For the Girls!

This video goes out to all my female friends and family. I think I have watched this video about 20 times now and it is still funny. Mostly because I hear myself saying A LOT of these things. Ladies, if we can't laugh at ourselves sometimes, we will just end up getting laughed at.
Much love to you all!

Big Stinky Feet

Gabe: "Mommy look! Socks off!" said while proudly holding socks over his head.
Mommy: "Did you take those off because you have stinky feet?"
Gabe: sits down and smells own foot..."Yep! I have stinky feet!"

Also would you look at the size of that kid's foot? HOLY COW! Is it big or is it just me?
Much love to you all!

Adios 2011!

Things I Have Learned in 2011

1. Marriage can be hard work but when you have a great Husband the work isn't so bad.
2. 2-year-olds can be challenging.
3. 2-year-olds can and will outsmart you
4. 2-year-olds are so much fun!
5. It doesn't matter how many times some people screw up, if they are nuts they will not learn from their mistakes.
6. NBA lockouts SUCK!!!
7. Good people will always be good people.
8. When good things end it just means there is something better coming.
9. Never give up on what you want.
10. Have a little faith and God will help you out.
11. When it comes to a home-owners crisis...I tend to lose my shit.
12. I learned that I really am a tree-hugging Liberal.
13. Hammer Time will NEVER be out-of-style.
14. Like always, I have the world's best friends!
15. It doesn't matter how old they are, they will forever be my little brother and sister.
16. I love cooking!
17. Take time to relax and focus on yourself every once in a while.
18. Being a Mom can be tough but it is always worth it when you see your kids smile.
19. Nothing is better than hugs from your loved ones.
20. It doesn't matter how it is prepared...broccoli is EVIL!
21. What is better than having a loving husband? Having a loving husband that will fight for his kids no matter the odds.
22. Sometimes it feels really good to yell at stupid people.
23. I enjoy the show Doctor Who and I realize that I am a total nerd.
24. I need to hear the words "I love you." every day.
25. And even though I have said it before I am always amazed at just how much more I love my husband and kids every single day.

Much love to you all! Hope you have a wonderful 2012!

The Liebster Blog Award

First and foremost I need to give a HUGE thank you to Lacie Messerly who selected me for the Liebster Blog Award!!!! I had no clue what it was until she clued me in and now I find myself full of smug pride that she honored me as one of her choices. This is why I love Lacie...she always feeds my ego. Plus she is smart, driven, and smokin' hot!

So what is the Liebster Blog Award you ask??

I decided to look it up on Google after I read a post on Lacie's blog and saw that is what she did. I am totally a copy cat like that! And just like Lacie, I found that Liebster is German and it basically means favorite. The whole idea for this award is to spotlight blogs that you love but that have less than 200 followers. I should be hurt that I do not have more than 200 followers but then how would I qualify for the Liebster Blog Award? It is double-edged sword.

Upon accepting the Liebster Blog Award, you are asked to:

1: Thank the giver, mention them, and link back to their blog.
2: Publicly choose 5 blogs you would like to give the award to, and leave a comment letting them know.
3:Copy and past the award to your blog.
4: Ask those that you pass the award on to also pass it on to their 5 favorite blogs with under 200 followers.

So all of this being said I am hoping that most of you are still with me and will enjoy the following blogs:

The Bitterman Blah Blah Blog: This is a blog done my lovely cousin Jennifer. She started this when she moved to New York so that we could keep up with her family. She is funny and takes wonderful pictures which is understandable when she has an adorable little girl. Even though she has moved back to Utah now and I wish she would keep updating because I love the way she writes.

Cheeky Gal: This is a blog my completely adorable friend Whitney! I read it while she was overseas for school and now as she has become a married woman. She is one of the most charming and sweet people I have EVER met and it totally comes through it her writing. If you want a little ray of sunshine in your day just read her blog.

The Peanut Press: If I could be a stay-at-home Mom I would want to be just like my friend Sarah. She loves her family so much it proudly displays it on her blog. And she has a list of books that she is reading that I always turn to when I am looking for a good book.

Utah Valley Foodie: To my friends in Utah County, if you are not reading Janey's blog then you are crazy! Not only is she a wonderful writer but the photos she takes are stunning. I check her blog daily for updates because I NEVER want to miss a post. Janey's talent is obvious as is her passion for good eats!

The Schilling Clan: This is my long time friend Ashley's blog where she posts all about her children and her life. Ashley is such a strong and dedicated mother and I love reading all about the fun times she has with her family.

So there you have it! My 5 nominations for the Liebster Blog Award. I hope you enjoy them all as much as I do! Much love and thanks again to Lacie for the nomination. This really was fun!

Chatter Box

The following is a conversation that I had with Gabe this morning in our kitchen. It made me laugh so I am sharing it with all of you. Living with a two-year-old has its perks when it come to the humor department.

(Disclaimer: This is an older picture from a couple weeks ago but it still fits!)

Gabe: Hi Mommy!
Me: Hi Bubba.
Gabe: Whatcha doin’ Mommy?
Me: Making some lunch to take to work. What are you doing?
Gabe: Call Beeeecaaa.
Me: You are calling Becca?
Gabe: Yup. Call Beeeecaaa. *Picks up his toy phone and pretends to push the buttons.*
Gabe: Beep! Beep! Beep! (These were button noises.) HI BEEEECCCAAA!
Me: Are you talking to Becca?
Gabe: Yup. HI BEEEECAA!
Me: Can I talk to her?
Gabe: NO! MY BEEECAA!
Me: Please Gabe?
Gabe: NO MOMMY! NO NO NO! MY BEEECAA!
*Runs from room still saying the word no and shaking his finger at me*

To be honest, if he really was talking to Becca I doubt she would have wanted him to hand the phone over to me anyway. Much love to you all!

Sometimes It Really Is About Me

A friend of mine who I have known for about 11 or 12 years recently wrote a blog about trying to find out who she is. First off, I can tell you that she is amazing. She is stronger than she gives herself credit for and she is smart. She has come such a long way in her life and gone through more than I ever have or hopefully will. But she talked about trying to discover who she is and what makes her happy. I found this to be so interesting because how many of us are brave enough to admit that we don’t know who we are really?

It got me thinking about who I am. I assumed that I know who I am but most of that is in relation to who I am to other people. If I were to strip away what everyone else thought of me, both good and bad, what would be left?

1. I am a writer. I claim that this blog is so that my family can keep up-to-date on what I am doing but really, it is for me. I love expressing myself in such a fluid form. When I write, I write to make other people see or feel certain things. And when people tell me I am funny based on what they have read it makes me so happy.

2. I am an entertainer. I love to throw parties or make dinner for my family. I love telling stories and making everyone around me laugh. I love entertaining in various forms and each way makes me feel good.

3. I am a cook. Something about cooking a delicious meal (or even attempting something that turns out to taste like farts.) makes me feel creative. I love being creative and taking raw ingredients and turning it into something that I can put on my dinner table. I love cooking new things and trying out new ingredients. I love making my “go-to” meals and hearing how much my husband loves them. I love to cook.

Yes, I am a mother and I cherish my kids. Yes, I am a wife and have an amazing husband. I am a friend, a co-worker, a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, and more. But I am also a person and I need to embrace who I am. So thank you to my friend who reminded me of that because I think it is something we all need to be reminded of once in a while. Much love to you all!

Personal Ad

SWM seeks SWF with similar interests. Enjoys walking in parks, reading, and relaxing in home appliences. Skills in Washer/Dryer repair a plus!!! Please comment if interested.

Yes, my son put himself in the dryer. No, we did not close the door or turn the dryer on. Yes, he really did get himself stuck in there. No, we have not figured out a way to make it so he can't do this again.

Much love to you all!

The End of An Era

Last night I was lucky enough to be invited to see an advanced screening of the final Harry Potter movie that is going to be released this Friday. Was it amazing? OF COURSE!

I have not always loved Harry Potter. I boycotted it at first because people were telling me that I absolutely had to read it. I refused and it wasn’t until after the first movie came out on DVD that I even bothered to pick up a copy.

After the first book, I WAS HOOKED! I fell in love with the characters and truly hated others. I can remember while reading Order of the Phoenix, “Is it right that I hate Delores Umbridge so much? She is a fictional character.” And I really did hate her. The emotion was so real even though she wasn’t.

But that is what great books will do for you. They come alive and the characters become people to root for, cry for, and sometimes hate. A good author can make you feel real emotions for fake people. And for me, that really is what those books did.

The books are wonderful and I was sad, as I am sure many others were, when I finished the last page of the Deathly Hallows. I felt sad that the story was over but at least I had the movies to look forward too.

Last night marked the end of that for me too. The movie was, well, it was simply spectacular. Of course I loved it because I love the story so much. It could be the biggest piece of technical trash with poor effects and bad acting and I would probably still love it. But in truth, I thought it was great.

It had parts that made me laugh, which was nice because Deathly Hallows Part 1 was such a serious movie. This one brought a little humor back and I loved it. Ron has some of the best dialog and the actor Rupert Grint has great facial expressions. It kept me smiling between the parts where I got choked up.

Yes, I did shed a tear at a couple parts-I know, LAME! And there were other parts where the entire theater cheered and clapped at. It was fun to be in a room full of people who loved it just as much as I did that when you see Ron and Hermione kiss, you can’t help but clap. (That does sound a little creepy now that I think about it but oh well.)

All I can say is that it was a fantastic movie and I am sad that it is over. I don’t want to go on and on because most of us know the story. And for those of you who don’t…have you been living under a rock? I won’t spoil it for those who don’t know how it ends but honestly, if you haven’t read the books and you don’t know what happens go to the library right now and check them out.

Thanks to my Mom for taking me with you. Thanks to my Dad for not wanting to go and letting me have your ticket. And thanks to Ryan and Becca who were cool with me going even though I know they both wanted to see it too.

And remember, help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.

Seriously?

Okay this is just getting ridiculous! This is a picture of my father-in-law Scott and what appears to be a MOUNTAIN OF SNOW! Linda and Scott went for a Sunday drive and this picture was taken on Cooke City Highway in Montana. Mother Nature is giving me the finger with all that snow. I am glad it is in Montana and not in Utah. If anyone else has snow pictures, send them my way! Much love to you all!

WTF?!?!

My Dad sent me this picture about 10 minutes ago. These are 2 of the guys he works with and they are all up near Brighton Ski Resort. IT WAS TAKEN TODAY! Look at all the effing snow! I hate snow and by the looks of it, very soon I am going to hate snow runoff. Eeep!

Part 2...FINALLY!

Recently I learned that the "Beginning of the End" was scheduled to happen on May 21, 2011 at 6:00pm. I decided that blogging would have to take a back seat as I prepared for what would be left of this world. As you can see, I was not planning on being one of the chosen few who were lifted up and taken to Heaven. All I asked of my loved ones was that they put a good word in for me once they got there.

6:00 PM came and went yesterday. I would like to tell you that I was huddled in my living room in the fetal position with a helmet on and a shotgun tucked safely within arm's reach but alas...I forgot. I was driving down Bangerter Highway when I asked Ryan, "What time is it?" When he replied that it was about 6:27 PM I said, "Well we're still here." After I came to the conclusion that I was safe from a flaming and miserable 5 months of existence I knew there was only one thing left to do...Jager shots.

All this being said, I woke up this morning and decided to continue on with my blog because clearly, Jesus didn't come yesterday because he was also waiting for Part 2.

Part 2

With all of Ryan's family in town I thought it would be nice to make Easter dinner. I wanted to impress them with my culinary skills. I also found out that my Mom would be out of town Easter night and so I asked my Dad to join us for Easter dinner. Then my sister Becca and her hubby Spencer asked if they could come too. OF COURSE! They were quickly followed by Byron and his fiance Holly. Okay...10 people and one Gabe. I bit off more than I could chew. Luckily everyone pitched in and helped with dinner so it went really well.

After dinner we did another egg hunt for Gabe and he kind of kept getting distracted and wasn't really interested. Becca ended up finding most of the eggs for him.

It was a busy weekend but it was a great weekend! I love being around our families and letting Gabe really get to know them all. Ryan's family lives so far away that I feel bad he doesn't see them as often as I wish he could. That is why this weekend was even more special because he really got to spend a lot of time with them.

Easter is such a special time. I know I joke about being an evil hell-bound person but I am going to get all spiritual for a second. Easter always reminds me of new beginnings and being able to overcome any trial. You all know the personal trial that our family has been going through for almost the past year. It has tested my faith on more than one occasion. But Easter came and I was reminded that if He could overcome death, I can overcome...well, you know.

Since Easter we have been trying to enjoy the few sunny days we have had. We have spent several days playing in the park or across the street at the elementary school. Gabe is so big now and he loves climbing, swinging on swings, and going down the slide.


It is always so much fun getting to explore with him as he discovers new things.



And even on rainy days Gabe still knows how to have fun and he never lets the gray clouds stop him.
Ryan always says the his Grandpa Dunbar remarked that he would never have a grandchild that doesn't love puddles-that statement is still holding to be true!

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the world didn't end yesterday because there are still so many great things Gabe has to discover about this place.


Thanks to everyone for waiting for Part 2. I guess it probably wasn't as exciting as you were all hoping it would be. But hopefully you see this the way that I do: It may have taken me a month to finish his blog but on the plus side WE AREN'T BURNING UP BECAUSE WE ARE EVIL!

Much love to you all!

Top Ten Again! (& Gabe Too)

Time for my favorite segment where I get to complain about things! YAY! That’s right my 10 (Hells yes double digits!) followers, I am talking about a new Top 10! And if you would like to pretend, each one of you can claim one of these Top 10 Items as your own. Sort of like I am dedicating them to you but I won’t…because I am lazy.

Top 10 Things I HATE About Living in MY Townhome Community

1. The Drive-In Swap Meet: I do not want to hear about all the bargains you can find at a swap meet. (Ryan I am talking to you here!) Mostly it is full of old N64 games, knock-off purses, and bongs…I mean, decorative vases. And as much as I love myself a nice decorative vase, I don’t love the line of cars the swap meet draws EVERY EFFING SUNDAY! Sunday is my time to drive to the store because I forgot bacon the night before, not to wait for you as you wait in line to go buy yourself a crappy pair of sunglasses.
2. The Garbage Can Situation: First off, let me start by saying I am glad we have a pickup and not some random dumpster somewhere on the property. However, when the 2 cans we drag out in front of our unit get blown over, sending our garbage along with the lid to our can rolling down the road, I don’t love it so much. And if by some miracle the cans don’t get knocked over, the garbage man usually tosses the lid back on my lawn finding the small patch of mud near the wall or random pile of dog poop left there by the yellow lab that roams around. Thanks for that Garbage Man! Also, the people on our street that drag there cans to the grass across from our driveway and leave them there for 2 days-I’m going to paint curse words on the cans next time as a friendly reminder to pick up your crap!
3. Dog Poop: Speaking of crap, the people who let their yellow lab crap on my lawn or the community grass. I pick up after my dog. My neighbors pick up after their dogs. Why are you special? Your dog leaves GIANT poops and I don’t want my kid landing in them. Clean it up before I make you wear it.
4. My Neighbors Kids on the Stairs: We share a wall with a family that has 2 young boys. And those boys must have freakishly strong legs because them noise they make tramping up and down those stairs sounds like a pack of wild buffalo. I am going to talk to them about “Indoor Feet” and how if they don’t stop, they will be hobbled.
5. The Guy Who Creeps Me Out: Jason, I am talking about you here! Just kidding. But seriously, there is a guy who whenever I go outside either downstairs or on my deck, he is peeping out his window or peeking over the fence on his deck. For example, we were out grilling on Saturday and Ryan can hear something over on the guy’s deck. The fences we have on the deck are pretty tall, maybe 7 feet so Ryan stands up on a chair and sees the guy looking over his fence at us. I KNOW RYAN WAS BEING CREEPY TOO! Please don’t point that out because I already know, but it freaked him out when Creepy Guy was already standing there looking at him.
6. The Stairs: Our townhomes have 3 levels so there are 2 big sets of stairs and then a little set of baby stairs. Yes I have fallen down them because I am not very graceful but that is not why. It is because when I have too many shots with my friends, those things are impossible to climb! I usually have to lie in the hallway on the second floor until the world stops spinning before I can keep going.
7. That Red Car Across the Street: My carport is being torn up because they are going to re-pour my driveway. No problem except there is a red car that has not moved in a year taking up one of the only extra spots we have. And if you think I am joking about it being there for a year I’m not!
8. 2:00 AM Fire Trucks: Our complex is across the street from a fire department and I am grateful because I know someday Ryan is going to blow up something. But when there is a fire or accident at 2:00 AM on a weeknight, it is not so fun. They try to be as quiet as possible and wait to turn on the sirens until they are down the street but it still wakes me up.
9. The Fact That My Mailbox Is At the Other End of the Complex: Need I say more?
10. Location! Location! Location!: I don’t mind that I technically live in west Valley. It really doesn’t bother me and I feel safe in my little complex. (Minus the Creepy Guy) But it bothers me when people hear where I live and assume that I must be A) Getting Shot At Constantly or B) Have Seen or Been Involved in Some Sort of Criminal Activity. It’s West Valley People! Time to wake up and smell the urban development.

All this being said, I do love where I live because I am close to the freeway, I don’t have to do yard work, and I have the world’s best neighbors, so it isn’t that bad. Much love to you all!

P.S. And once again, for those of you who only check this blog to see my cute boy, I present you with this. Gabe drank that entire cup of lemonade by himself! He is getting so big.

I LOVE YOU ALL! SERIOUSLY!

I know that everyone is expecting a Gabe blog, and trust me, it is coming! I have lots to share about Gabe. But I quickly wanted to share my thoughts on an issue that hits very close to home for me.

Please understand this first and foremost: I am grateful that we love in America where people have the freedom to live their lives as they choose. I embrace that freedom by living my life in the way I choose. My husband has been to Iraq to help other people get the same opportunities to have that freedom. I respect that everyone has the right to feel how they want to feel. And I understand that not everyone who reads this blog is going to agree with me on this issue.

I was raised to believe that God loves everyone. EVERYONE! There are people in this world that I detest with every fiber of my soul and I still have to accept the fact that God loves them. THEM! Really?!?! Yes really. And as much as I think there is no way anyone could really love this person, God does.

I have heard the saying “God doesn’t make mistakes” many times in my life. When I was younger and hated myself, it was said to me on more than one occasion. And I have come to believe that it is, in fact, true. God loves all his creations because he made them. He knew when he made me that I was going to be the size that I am. And God loves me, just as I am. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t want me to be healthy, but he loves me either way.

God loves me even though I don’t attend church on a regular basis. He knows that I believe he is out there and that he listens to me when I need him. I know that he loves my family and friends that do attend church just as much as he loves me. God just wants us to be good people. And truth is, even when we are not, he loves us anyway.

God loves us not matter our gender, religion, skin color, or…sexual preference. I know that God loves people who are gay. God doesn’t care because, well, he made them knowing that was the way they were going to be. It isn’t a choice for them just like I didn’t choose to be heterosexual. Who would choose to fall in love with someone of the same sex knowing that they would not have the same rights? Who would choose to have their relationship judged and deemed unworthy? Would you choose that? I know I wouldn’t. I believe that just as I love who comes naturally to me, so does everyone else.

And yes, there are gay rights activists that are loud, pushy, and obnoxious. But there are anti-gay activists that are just as bad. You will find pushy, rude, hateful people on both sides of any argument. That is just the way it is…I mean, look at the Democrats and Republicans!

I have people that I love and cherish who are gay. And I would never be so bold to assume that I am better than them and deserve more because I am heterosexual. I have friends who are of an ethnic minority and I don’t feel like I am better than them either. I have family and friends who are very religious and I know that they love me even though I don’t believe the same as they do. Hell, I have Atheist friends who might think I am a little weird for believing in a higher power, but they still love me and would do anything for me.

I guess the moral of this blog is, I don’t care how you live your life as long as you don’t care how I live mine. And no matter what, God loves us all. He loves us despite the mean and cruel things we do to each other. And I think He just wants us all to get along and quit judging each other.

I hope that you all take from this the message of: I will love you for you. And for those people out there that I don’t like and wish you would just go away, I may not love you, but God does and that is at least on person on your team-YAY FOR YOU!

Mick Jagger

This post is dedicated to my father, Chad Paulsen, who always reminded us that no matter how much we complain and yell and beg, sometimes...You Can't Always Get What You Want. I think that there is one person in my life right now that really needs to learn this same lesson.



I saw her today at a reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man

No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
And if you try sometime you find
You get what you need

I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she was gonna meet her connection
At her feet was, footloose man

You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well you might find
You get what you need

Oh yea-ay (hey-hey-hey, oooh)

And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singin', 'We're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't, we're gonna blow a 50-amp fuse'
Sing it to me, now

(You can't always get what you want)
(You can't always get what you want)
(You can't always get what you want)
But if you try sometimes, well you just might find
You get what you need
Ooh baby, yeah, ooh

I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescription filled
I was standin' in line with Mr. Jimmy
A-man, did he look pretty ill

We decided that we would have a soda
My favorite flavor, cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was 'dead'
I said to him

(You can't always get what you want) well no!
(You can't always get what you want) tell ya baby
(You can't always get what you want) no
But if you try sometimes, you just might find, mmm!
Mmm! you get what you need
Ooh yes! Woo!

(Instrumental & choir) Ooow-ooh!

You get what you need
Yeah!
Ooow, babe!
Ooh, yeah

I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art of deception
Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands
Say it!

(You can't always get what you want) yeah!
(You can't always get a-what you want) ooo-yeah, baby!
(You can't always get a-what you want)
But if you try sometime, you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need

Ooh, yeah!
Ooh, baby!
Woo!

Ah, you can't always get a-what you want
No, no baby

You can't always get a-what you want
Tellin' you right now

You can't always get what you want, mmm!
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find, that ya
Get what you need
Oooh, yeah!

I'm tellin' the truth, babe

Resolute Resolutions

I guess a lot of people read this blog. I am not 100% sure. I started this blog almost 2 years ago so that Ry's family could keep up with all that we do. I didn't know that it would turn into what it has. (A bunch of hot air that some people find amusing.) So I guess I wanted to start off by thanking everyone for reading. I know that many of my family and friends having taken to stopping by and seeing what is pissing me off this week and that means a lot. Or you are just checking in to make sure that you are not the thing that is pissing me off this week. Either way, thanks.

2009 was a great year for me, as most of you know. Sera moved back to Utah. I had my first baby, Gabe-zilla. And Ryan made it safely back after 6 months of school in Mississippi. But as far as my 2009 resolutions, I tanked. I mean, I really failed to complete any of them in a truly spectacular manor. I wanted to go to the gym at least 2 times a week...nope. I wanted to read one book every month...not even close. I wanted to write some of my book at least once a week...there were times I didn't even work on it once a month. (No, you cannot read it yet!)

So with 2010 here I am going to try again. No excuses this time. I need to get off my ass and follow through. And I am posting it here, on my blog, so that I am more likely to at least try. With all my family and friends who read this, it will hold me more accountable. Are you ready Internet? Are you? I am not sure that you really are. Because here are my 2010 Resolutions!!!

1. I was told about a list called "25 Books to Read Before You're 25" and I had always meant to do this. And now that I am on my way 26 I figure, I can still get it done. And I am going to post the list so that if you wish, you can try and do it too.

1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
2. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee-DONE
4. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
5. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
6. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
8. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
9. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
10. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
11. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card-DONE
12. The Quiet American by Graham Greene
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Stand by Stephen King-DONE
15. Animal Farm by George Orwell-DONE
16. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
17. Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
18. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck-DONE
19. The Crucible by Arthur Miller-DONE
20. Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn
21. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
22. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas-DONE
23. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain-DONE (A long time ago!)
24. Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlossinger
25. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

2. Keep up with my blog on a more regular basis.
3. Go to the gym at least once a week.
4. Get my book at least half-way complete.
5. Go to church services twice a month.

And I am going to STOP right there. Know why? Because any more and I am going to look at that list and say, FORGET IT and go eat a package of Oreos. I really want to keep my resolutions this year. I cannot imagine how great I would feel about myself if I kept up on this.

As for Ryan, well I thought you might ask. His list includes:

1. Become less of a "fat fat fatty" by eating better & exercising more.
2. Not allowing copious amounts of laundry to hang out in our bedroom.
3. Clean up after pets better.
4. Go back to school by end of the year.
5. Be able to run 10 miles in one stretch
6. Finish transcribing Grandpa Jim's book

And for those of you who think number one on Ry's list is mean, HE SAID IT THAT WAY! I wrote it exactly how he said it. So don't go writing me saying "Of you're so mean!" or "Why would you say that about Ryan?" He wanted me to put it that way. Maybe he should add "Quit being so self-hating" on his list as well.

So there you go Internet. Now you can watch me tank this year too. Happy 2010 People!

I'm like the lady that lived with gorillas, but not really

My Grandma Diane has often been an inspiration for me. She is kind hearted and funny. She is her own person and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. But perhaps it is her love for animals big and small that has really rubbed off on me. And while I was living with my grandparents I saw my Grandma Diane do some interesting things. But one of the strangest has to be the morning I woke up and found a feather duster in the bathtub.

I had been out late with my boyfriend, and now husband, Ryan. I got home probably around 3 am and both of my grandparents were obviously asleep. I was so tired that all I did was change into my pajamas and crawl into bed. I didn’t even go to the bathroom to wash my face or take out my contacts.

So when I woke up about 6:30 to get ready for work, I was still pretty sleep deprived. And as I stumbled into the bathroom and started to brush my teeth, I didn’t immediately notice the old things that were in the bathtub. But I did hear a tiny squeak which caused me to turn around.
I look through the sliding glass door of the tub and saw a small desk lamp, a feather duster, a hand towel, and a small dish that had water in it. I wondered if that was where the noise had come from or what kind of crazy cleaning my Grandma had been doing in the shower. And as I slid the shower door open to get a closer look the feather duster rustled with movement and a tiny baby duck waddled out from underneath. It started peeping in fear and ran to the back of the tub to get away from me. And I, not expecting a duck to be in the tub, was a little startled myself.

After getting ready for work I headed downstairs and asked my Grandma why there was a baby duck in the bathtub and she explained that the day before she had been in the front yard when her neighbor’s dog came by and started sniffing something in the grass. When my Grandma walked over to see what the dog was getting into, she saw the duck. She took it inside and called the Humane Society who directed her to animal control who directed her to some lady in Riverton who has turned her farm into a rescue for all types of waterfowl. And after finally getting through to the lady, it was too late to take the duckling there but she told my Grandma what to do for the little duck over night and that she could take him to the rescue the next day.

And my Grandma, being the kind and loving person she is, did just that. She set the duck up with what he needed in the bathtub and the next day, she took him to the rescue. She said that when she released him, he ran over to a bunch of other ducklings and seemed to be happy and safe. It made her feel good to do something for a poor helpless little duck. And it touched my heart a little too.

So maybe she was my inspiration yesterday because as I was leaving work, I saw an injured bird on our sidewalk. I stopped and looked at it-it appeared to be some sort of hawk. He was bleeding from his beak and his wing was sticking out at a weird angle. I cringed a little because normally, I do NOT like birds. So I got in my car and pulled out of the parking lot but the bird stayed in my mind. He would freeze to death if I didn’t do something. Even if he was going to die from his injuries, he didn’t deserve to suffer in the cold.

So I called Murray Animal Control and they said they would come out but I had to put a box over him so that he would still be there when the officer showed up. So I turned my car around and headed back to work. I called a guy I work with and he brought a box downstairs and was kind enough to put the box over the bird. (I didn’t want to get that close.) And because I had to go pick up Gabe from daycare, another lady I work with said she would stay until animal control showed up. She was there until almost 5 pm when the officer showed up. Her told her it was a Kestrel Hawk and that it had probably flown into one of the windows and got hurt. He put the hawk in a cage and said that he thought it would be okay and they would try to take care of it.

This is not a picture of the hawk I helped save, but it is what he looked like. I feel good that I called and that the bird didn’t just suffer and then die from the cold. I still don’t like birds, but the thought of it suffering broke my heart. And even if they had to euthanize the hawk, at least he didn’t just lie there scarred and cold and alone. I feel like I should one point in my good karma column.

So this post is for my Grandma Diane. I just wanted you to know that I really am a lot like you,especially when it comes to going out of your way for birds…minus the household goods and bathtub.