The Little Chatterbox

Guilty Pleasure or Pleasures

2012-02-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

I watch too much crap on T.V. for sure. I love Janet Evonavich books and consider them to be brain candy. I used to have real guilt over what I read that everything had to be very literary and on a college reading level just because I can read on that level. The fact that I majored in English probably didn’t help. (And yes I know that it is very funny that I majored in English but cannot spell, I can however give you an example of irony) Then I had this brilliant professor who was talking in class one day about reading Bridget Jone’s Diary and loving it and I thought I loved that book too! After that I stopped pushing so hard. I really love children’s and young adult lit but as they are “work” related I feel that it’s “ok.”

Food defiantly falls in this category for me. I have a few things that I love to eat for dinner like Macaroni and Cheese (the Kraft kind in the blue box) that Todd gives me a hard time about. Whenever he is out for the night and I’m on my own for dinner it’s my go to meal. Kinda sad I know.

I really love to sleep late on the weekend. And I love to lay in bed for an hour or so after I wake up just reading. I have actually responded to the question “Why don’t you have kids” with “Because it will affect my ability to sleep late on Saturday morning,” for years. (I am however rethinking this opinion of late)

If You Could Have Any Job it the World What Would It Be

2012-02-01T18:19:00.000-07:00

I think that I would love to be an artist or a writer. I love to create things. I look at women who are professional bloggers and get to spend all day making stuff and am envious. I do realize there are a LOT more complications to it and that doing anything you love with the pressure of deadlines or for money changes it. I really liked selling stuff I have made at the farmers market over the summer but at the same time loading everything up, selling to people, managing the money, and making the same things over and over every day lost its appeal. But the ability to just freely create new things all day without pressure would have great appeal to me.

A Moment I was Most Satisfied with my Life

2012-01-30T18:18:00.000-07:00

Well there are some obvious mile-markers here like the day I got married, or bought a house, or finished school, or Kyle came to live with us. But I think it might be more interesting to talk about some of the littler times. There are many small moments in my life where things are just really, really good in a sweet and simple way and if I am a very lucky girl I realize right then just how awesome my life is. I can think of one of this back in high school right before a show (I was in stage crew, nerdy I know but It brought me a lot of other good things) and there was a group of us just hanging out and I felt that way. There was a day on a cruise ship in Mexico when Todd and I were standing on top of the boat watching this AMAZING sunset over Mazatlan and I felt that way. Often when Todd and I are having dinner alone together (Eating out of course) and the conversation is good I feel this way. I feel this way when Todd and I are making a meal together at home too, and of course when we dance in the kitchen.

Oh and Sunday Mornings, I love Sunday mornings when we sleep late and go get breakfast. I love the ability to move at our own pace. I love going to a museum or movie on a Sunday afternoon with Todd.

My Favorite Childhood Toys

2012-01-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

I had a knock-off cabbage patch kid that I called Mary. I LOVED that thing and slept with it every night until I was like 12 and my cousins started making fun of me. Emily and I each got one for Christmas one year and my mother made us each a diaper bag and TONS of clothing to go with them. We even had several outfits that she made us to match our dolls. My mother was amazing!

When I was older I got an American Girl doll for Christmas. I got Samantha but I was getting a little too old for dolls by that point and only played with it for a year or two. What I really enjoyed was sewing cloths for that doll and tot give to my sisters as gifts for their dolls.

I don’t have many other memories of specific toys. We played Barbies a lot but what I really enjoyed was playing pretend and making things. I had delightfully imaginative cousins and all of our games has very intricate plots. If we were playing Barbies for example we would be French Models on vacation in Hawaii for the summer and we spent as much time building beach front mansions out of chairs, books, blankets etc and discussing/creating our back stories as we ever spent “playing.” We once played Jungle Barbie and tied hundreds of pieces of green yarn from the ceiling in my Aunts living room and then hung Barbie tents that my grandmother had made for us and spent the afternoon “swinging” from one “vine” to the next. (We also played Monchhichis this way.) Other days we filled up all of the sinks in my Aunt Sherry’s double bathroom and the tub to play Mermaid Barbie. Other times we played fairies or desert dwellers without dolls building elaborate tents in the basement or in trees in the back yard as “houses.” Yep, I had one very, very, very amazing childhood.

My Zodiac Sign and Does it fit my Personality

2012-01-27T18:15:00.001-07:00

I am a Virgo, I will be honest I do not know a great deal about what that means. I believe very strongly that belief in and of its self is very powerful. I think that if you read your horoscope and go about your day looking for it to be true you will find it is. I prefer to start my day picking a goal or focus I want to work on or achieve and looking for that to be true. I am not a believer in fate, or religion. I believe in the lessons that I have learned from my past, taking time to really think about decisions, and trusting a sense of peace when I have made the right decision. I think that feeling unsettled or anger that you cannot make peace with tells you very important things about changes you need to make in your life.

My Favorite Comfort Foods and Why

2012-01-26T18:14:00.002-07:00

I love cheese and bread in all its many forms. I like macaroni and Cheese, I like nachos, I like cheese quesadillas, I like French bread with cheese melted on top. These are all foods that I grew up eating. This past year I have focused hard on eating healthier food. Mostly this includes eating fewer carbs and less fat and eating more vegetables.

I also love BLT’s without tomatoes (Which Todd insists is not a BLT but just a bacon sandwich). I love to make these the same way that my mother made them by toasting the bread and using three slices of wonder bread with Miracle Whip on each side of the bread. She used to line up all the slices of bread on the pullout bread board in my childhood home and making these always makes me think of my mother.

My Views on Religion

2012-01-25T18:13:00.001-07:00

I was brought up in the Mormon religion but as a young adult I choose to leave. This was a choice that I spent a great deal of time deliberating about and at times it still causes conflict with my family as they are all still active members.

I think that losing my mother and the reaction of the church and its members to all the many deep issues surrounding her injuries first sparked my break with formal religion. I really struggle with the message/ concept that god intentionally causes pain in order to teach lessons. Or that providing trials is God’s way of proving the blessing of growth. I also struggle with the inequality that exists between men and women in the religion, their views on gay rights, spiritual plural marriage (that a man can be sealed to more than one woman but a woman cannot be sealed to more than one man) and several other beliefs.

I do not currently believe in any formal religion. I do find the idea or reincarnation very appealing because I believe that the purpose of life is to gain knowledge and understanding and think that the ability to live the lives of many different people in different places and times supports that.

Where do I want to be in 10 Years

2012-01-22T15:49:00.000-07:00

This one is really really weird for me to even think about and the idea that it is weird is weird. For a very long time I have has some very specific goals and as a general rule I am a goal oriented person. My goals for years have been to get my maters degree, get a job as a school principal, and buy a house. All of those happened last year. I have been so focused on those I haven’t thought much beyond.

I have considered getting my PhD and having children so both of those would be on my 10 year list. I think having a house that is a little more “us” would also be on the list. I want to travel more and maybe take an advance in my career. I think I would like to teach on the college level or at least a college class at some point. None of these are super specific though. I think that I need to give this one a lot more thought. Oh, wait a second, I want to write a book. I have wanted to for a really long time but I think my life is finally going to settle down in the next month enough for that to really happen.

My Current Relationship

2012-01-21T15:48:00.001-07:00

I have been married to Todd for almost 9 years. We met in high school when we were both 17 and dated for 5 years before we got married. During the early years of our relationship we were both struggling with a lot of loss. (His mother passed about a year before we met and mine was in a horrible life altering car accident about a year after) I think a lot of our bonding during those years was about “getting” what the other one was going through when many of our friends at the time did not.

We grew from teens to adults together and made some important decisions about who we would become as adults together. We started our first year of college living at home and communing to Weber State. We drove to and from classes together then went on to work separately later in the afternoon. One year later we moved out on our own (in separate apartments of course) and when to college at Utah State (me first and Todd following a few months later). We had an awesome time At Utah State and I think that both of us would tell you it will forever be a high point in our lives.

Todd is my best friend and the only person I know who understands me fully. I am often uncomfortable asking for help or taking things from other people, I often find myself in relationships of all kinds where I give a lot. Most of the time this is a really good thing and I like it but every once in a while it is nice to recharge the batteries. Todd is one of the very few people in my life who recharges my batteries. He has defiantly been a mellowing influence in my life (like all of my siblings spouses, us Parkins are born a little tightly wound).

Todd and I enjoy doing a lot of simple things together especially reading and swapping books so that we can talk about them later. We like traveling and have been to some very cool places together. We like watching odd or foreign films and used to be very into the Academy Awards hosting a party every year. I love going to Art exhibits, festivals and museums together because we can both wonder freely with out pressure to hurry up because our pacing is the same. I always feel rushed with other people it seems but not Todd. We also going on picnics and hanging out at Barns and Noble (Our favorite free dates in college). Now days we spend more time working on fixing up our house together.

Gonna Give it a Shot

2012-01-20T17:43:00.001-07:00

2011 in review

2012-01-10T14:51:00.001-07:00

What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Bought a house, Finished a Masters Degree, got a job as a Director of Education, became a “parent” of sorts, read 99 books, started accepting things being less “perfect,” walked away from a job because it “was time,” got into the Salt Lake Farmers Market, said “no” to one thing.

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Nope, read 99 books instead of 100 but I accepted that I would rather spend the last days of the year with family than reading alone so I’m ok with this decision. I set some very ambitious goals for this year though. Waiting to see how it goes.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Emily, Hilary, many couzins, and a few close friends (Jen, Sheena, Maryanne)

Did anyone close to you die?
Todd lost his Gandfather.

What countries did you visit?
Nope, focused on other things this year. Hoping to hit Europe with Todd in the spring!

What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
I got both from last year. And Kyle came to live with us which was a total surprise bonus. So nothing, which makes me think that I need to be far, far, more grateful and happy.

What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory?

Our first night in our “new” home.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Finishing school, getting a job I’ve worked a lot time for, buying a house.

What was your biggest failure?
I am still not good at saying no but there is nothing that I feel I failed at. I would like to see myself accept that things will not be perfect and enjoy the moment I am in.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, lucky.

What was the best thing you bought?
The house, such a big project and so very proud that it belongs to US!

Whose behavior merited celebration?

Todd, first, foremost, always.

Kyle, he is funny! He started over this year which has been very hard. I would never want to go to a new school like he has.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Where did most of your money go?
House, buying it and fixing things.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting a house, finishing school, having kyle come live with us, and Todd getting closer to finishing school.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? The same, perhaps just a little thinner.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, Got a raise but not much

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Useless games on Facebook, writing papers for school

What was your favorite TV program?
Shameless, Big Bang Theory, Weeds, Boardwalk Empire, Project Runway All Stars, Downton Abby

What was the best book you read?
Time Travelers Wife maybe.

What did you want and get?
House, Guardianship of Kyle, a Mater’s Degree, New Job

What did you want and not get?

Last year’s list : NOTHING

What was your favorite film of this year?
I can’t think of one

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
31, funny I can’t even remember. Probably food.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Todd getting through school, still, always.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? Simple, I think I need to go back to everything matching a pair of black shoes.

What kept you sane?
Sleep, Todd, friends, accomplishing so big goals, a light at the end of the tunnel.

New nick names?
Nope

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
It’s not perfect and not only is that ok, my life is pretty dam good!

Books I Read in 2011, most of them

2012-01-09T12:52:00.002-07:00

Paper Towns - Sold - One Fifth - Alas, Babylon - What My Mother Doesn't Know - The First Part Last - The penny Pinchers Club - Winter girls - Incarceron - Pearl of China - The Witch Doctor's Wife - F in Exams - No Fear Romeo and Juliet - The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - At Home - The Tender Bar - Notes from a Small Island - A walk in the Woods - Kiki Strike - Critical Conversations - Gathering Blue - The Death and Life of the American School System - Eat, Pray, Love - Fables Book 4- March of the Wooden Soldiers - Smoken' Seventeen - Fables Book 3 - If I Stay - Fables Book 3 - The Time Travelers Wife - Fables Book 2 - The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb - Fables Book 1 - My Sister's Keeper - Wicked Girls - Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 4 - Juliet, Naked - Making Mischief: A Maurice Sendak Appreciation - The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party - The Happiness Project - Chains (second Reading) - Heist Society - Fully Present - The Handmades Tale - Lady Susan - War Dances - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Love, Stargirl - Theodore Boone Kid Detective - Pieces of Georgia - Sway: The Pull of Irrational Behavior - Life on the Refrigerator Door- Mindsight - The Chocolate War - Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 4 - Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 3 - All Around the Town - The Joy Luck Club - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café - Chains - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants II - Freak the Mighty - Cutting for Stone - The Imperfectionists - A Short History of Nearly Everything (p. 624) - No Easy Answers: Short Stories About Teenagers Making Tough Choices (p.336) - Black Dagger Brotherhood book 3 (p.464) - The Crispin: Cross of Lead (p. 320) - Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol. 1 (p. 760) - Does this Book Make Me Look Fat?: Stories about loving- and loathing- your body (p. 208) - The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (p.352) - Things I Have to Tell You: poems and writing by teenage girls (p.80) - 101 Things I learned in Fashion School (p. 212) - 145th street (p. 151) - Living Dead Girl (p. 176) - Bob Dylan's Chronicals Vol. 1 (p. 320) - Kira Kira (p. 272) - Johnny Trimain (p. 336) - "No Fear" Othello (p. 320) - Vocabulary Building Card Games (p. 80) - The Compound ( p. 272) - The Girl who Played with Fire (p. 630) - The Perks of Being a Wallflower (p. 213) - Pigboy (p. 101) - Monster (p. 281) - Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents (p. 256) - Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation (p. 304) - What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures (p. 448) - Dutch (p. 256) - Fire Eaters (p. 224) - Howl and Other Poems (p. 57) - Apartment Therapy Presents: Real Homes, Real People, Hundreds of Design Solutions (p. 264) - Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum) (p. 320) - The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference (p. 301) - Just Kids (p. 320) - Outliers: The Story of Success (p. 309) - I hope they Serve Beer in Hell (p. 336) - Water for Elephants (p. 464)

2012

2012-01-08T12:24:00.001-07:00

I thought that when I quit my second job and finished school I would have more time to get things done, but one month in I do not feel like I getting anything done. I think that I just lack focus. So with the New Year starting and the holidays over I have set some new goals. In the past keeping track of goals on my blog has helped so I’m going to try and do a bit more of it here in hopes that it will get me blogging more again. I also am hoping that it will get me blogging about some more interesting topics too!

Tonight...

2011-07-14T16:14:00.003-06:00

I will take Kyle to the final midnight showing of a Harry Potter movie.
Which we have been doing since he was little,
Which he is not anymore.

It is a bit bittersweet.

How do you measure a life?

2011-06-14T14:49:00.000-06:00

When I was in high school I loved the musical "Rent"
It had this song called "Seasons of Love" (Cheesy title I know)
It was all about how you "measure" your life
And when I got into college
I learned that this was just a ripoff variation on a T.S. Elliot poem
about measuring your life (only he used coffee spoons instead of minutes)

And over the years the idea has stuck with me
and I often catch myself thinking about how I measured today,
or this week,
or this month,
or even this year.

And I think it says a lot (good or bad)
about who I am
and what my priorities are.

This week I measured in

things sold at the farmers market. (14)
Books that I have read (3)
Wonderful days that Kyle has been with us (10)
Nights left to attend grad school (23)
Months left to work two jobs and go to school (6)

AHHHHHHHHH!

2011-05-03T14:03:00.000-06:00

Today I am so frustrated by kids I did the only thing I could think of

and broke out the chocolate covered pretzels.

My job, in a Nutshell

2011-05-02T15:02:00.002-06:00

I have long had this on my classroom wall.
Because it expalins a lot about human nature,
and everything you need to konw about my job.

Today,

2011-05-01T22:04:00.001-06:00

we bought a lawnmower.

It was the act of gown-ups.

Which I guess we are now.

This is going to take some getting used to.

10,367 pages and a few thoughts

2011-04-26T15:21:00.001-06:00

So I have finished 32 books this year.

Which amounts to roughly 10,367 pages if

                A- Amazon's page counter is correct,

                B- I did the math right

               C- You count the pages of audio books (which I do)

And here is my reflection so far.

Setting a reading goal forces me to finish books I might usually have quit. I kind of like this part of reading 100 books a year. But if I hate a book I also feel obligated to finish it or else I feel like I “wasted” the part of it I did read. I actually stopped reading a book on body language this year because I just could not get into it. It was hard for me to do.

The reading goal also gets me reading a wider variety of books. I start to get tired of traditional fiction and so I started reading some non fiction. I was looking for a few quick reads and poetry fit the bill. I even began reading a few how-to books cover to cover instead of just glossing though the pictures. I even let Todd talk me into a few comic books. And this brodened the way that I read. I liked that.

Last year a read a few books that were absolute crap just to get to 100. Not many but a few. This year I wanted to focus on quality and not just quantity. I did a few things different this time. I started asking for more recommendations and I also challenged myself to read all the books off the Newbery awards list just to make sure I hit a few good ones. I also started ~~stalking~~ following authors that I really enjoyed like Malcolm Gladwell or Bill Bryson. Again this opened doors I would not have thought of before.

Getting to 100 takes as much planning as it takes reading sometimes. I have learned a few tricks. First, I always, always, always have a book with me. I have an audio book in my car nearly all the time. I use this to tackle big books like The Autobiography of Mark Twain Vol 1 (several hundred pages) and histories like my current book The Path Between the Seas. I have a book in my purse (right now its Walden). I have a book by my bed (currently The Imperfectiontionist). I have a book on my desk at work (currently I Read it but I Don’t Get It). I have an audio book that I listen to while sewing (currently Certain Girls). Finally I have a book on the back of my toilet tank (Currently The 12 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership and yes I now think it would be creepy to lead out, no it is not a library book).
I used to buy a lot of books but after several moves, including one with over 35 book boxes, Todd and I have seriously cut back. I have become an avid user of the library. I particularly like placing items on hold and using the waiting lists to access popular books. Their recommendations are also great and I Love, Love, Love that they e-mail me when things come in or need to be returned.   It's a lot like shopping on line. I rearly walk through the shelves, I just rquest online then zip in and pick things up.

One big downside to counting all the reading and trying to hit 100, sometimes I avoid reading a book that I want to read because it is too “big.” Or I find myself needing to read several smaller books to “save up time” to read a bigger book. This happened with The Girl Who Played with Fire. I have to catch myself at times and remember that all this reading is something that I enjoy and not another chore and I don’t like needing to do that. So there are pros and cons, like with anything I suppose. Overall, it’s a habit I want to keep but we'll see.

Guilty Pleasures

2011-04-19T08:29:00.001-06:00

So as I was channel surfing one night I came across Bitchin’ Kitchen on the cooking channel.

I was dumbfounded.
Couldn’t decide if I loved it or hated it.
Yes it is Campy.
Yes it is over the top and the host losses her “accent” as often as not.

But like a train wreck I could not help but continue watching.
An noticing the like details like chainmail “towel” on the stove, or the silver baby doll head vases full of roses.
I love that there is always a camera shot of the Nadia’s stilettos,
And that she says things like “It’s not rocket surgery.”

And then on Sunday night we made the peanut butter banana fritters.

And now I’m completely hooked.

To Todd

2011-04-13T14:12:00.001-06:00

Who (rumor has it) sometimes reads this blog.

You wife would really love this print.

She finds it peaceful and AMAZING
size large, unmatted.

You can buy it for her here.

If we brought a brand new house,

2011-04-07T12:58:00.002-06:00

instead of an old house that is new to us…..
I would not have
several yards of dusty pink wallpaper
to remove,
or a toilet
that sounds like a cappuccino machine,
and one that sings.

If we brought a brand new house,
instead of an old house that is new to us…..
you could not come over
and play a lively round
of find the fuse box,
(I’ll give you a hint,
we have seven).

If I brought a brand new house,
instead of an old house that is new to us…..
You could not
build sand castles
in my crawl space
or have a popcorn ceiling
rain down on you
to celebrate Todd’s 30th birthday.

If I brought a brand new house,
instead of an old house that is new to us…..
my yard would be a bare patch of mud,
waiting for sod

And I would not have stood under
full grown trees
while my neighbor Rosemary
(in her bare feet)
taught me
how to prune
my rosebushes.

Which grow down the side of my driveway,
just like the house we lived in
when I was very small.

Popcorn and Three Decades

2011-04-05T19:57:00.000-06:00

So Todd turned 30 last Sunday.

And I'm not sure why exactly but we spent it pulling down a popcorn ceiling in the spare bedroom.

One down, Four more to go!

I like it better...

2011-03-28T19:52:00.002-06:00

when it has our stuff in it.
I don't know why it seems to make such a difference but I like our house
so much better with our stuff in it.

"Boy Stuff"

2011-03-27T19:51:00.001-06:00

So I keep getting asked at the farmers market for "Boy Stuff"
And so here is my best effort

Tabbed

2011-03-18T11:50:00.000-06:00

Hey look what I ~~stole from someone cooler than me~~ found!
Cool tabs to add to your blog and categorize some of your posts.
Check out my new blog feature by clicking on the tabs between my header and my posts.

This excites me.
I know, I'm a geek that way.

The best book I've read this year.

2011-03-15T15:23:00.001-06:00

So I'm at it again,
trying to read 100 books this year
that is
and 22 books in
all I have to say is
"The Adoration of Jenna Fox"
by far
the best book I've read this year.

Meet Malcom Gladwell,

2011-03-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

He is my new favorite author. My only complaint with Malcom is that I have already read all the books that he has writen and I am now out. If your looking for a good read, I would recomend any of them.

It's like shopping, only free!

2011-03-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

So I am a reader, one of my better traits if I must say so myself.
and I read a wide variety of stuff.

Uaually I by books, quite of few.
At one point Todd and I had over 45 boxes of books.

And one of our friends pointed out that was a little nuts.
(He was the one moving the boxes, resonable complaint.)
Needless to say we downsized a lot!

And the books went to the used bookstore, where we got new books!

Well last year Todd went back to school and we got on a budget.
which ment I bought fewer books.

I also started to use the library, I always felt that the library was kind of hard to find things in unless you know exactlly what you were looking for.

But when you use their online features, and place books on hold it is amazing.

So here is how I do it, I find books that I want to read on amazon, or at a "real" bookstore and jot down the names. I actually have a list in my phone for this. Then I pull up the library website and type or cut and paste them in. Next I put the books I find on hold (I usually go for the audio books first if I can.) Then I wait for the library to e-mail me (also on my phone) that my books have arrived and I just need to pick them up. It is just like shopping on amazon only free!

It's Vintage, Our house that is.

2011-02-20T12:43:00.001-07:00

So I finally got it together enough to post.
Here is our cute little house.

I took it in the evening so it is a bit dark.
It is in need of some love.

So lets get on with the tour, shall we?
Here are two upstairs bedrooms.

Note the closet upgrades. Yep, they put that addition right in front of the window. Next they added blinds instead of doors. Are you impressed? I know that I was, and the custom T.V. well, that came free with the house as did that nifty bed frame you see in the corner.

In that second bedroom we have ton's of free shelving. Look for this room in future blogs as this is the room we will be gutting first!

Next stop on our tour will be our kitchen.

And here it is in all it's seventies glory.

It has lovely features like wall to wall florescent lighting, diversity in appliance appearance, and a new trash compactor ( I can not figure out why).

Here is what will be our library, that lovely pink couch was a left from the previous owners and I see a craft project in it's future! I also see a lot of wallpaper to strip and roomer has it that there are hardwood floors under the carpet and since that carpet does not look like much of a loss.

Here is our upstairs bathroom, oddly enough that floor looks much better in the picture than it does in real life. Are you getting the sense that these are all going to be before pictures? We have not even gotten to the basement yet.

This is a random room that might be an office, or a bedroom, or a dinning room, or get remodeled completely, it's future is a little ambiguous.

Here is Todd's office.

Here is the family room. Now I here you asking why there is a huge closet in the middle of this room? I then you added why there is a kitchen sink in the closet in the middle of the living room? Isn't there a sink in the kitchen? Why yes, yes there is. Why you ask? I have know idea. But I will rip it out with my bare teeth if I have to.

And with a quick look at the second bathroom we will round up the upstairs tour.

Are you ready to hit the downstairs? Now they are a little steep and it's a little scary down there so brace yourself.

Here is the laundry room, I love the sink on the side, super handy. They even left the deep freezer for us! But a coat of paint wouldn't hurt.

And here is my little crafty nook! Which I'm excited to spruce up but the previous owner used it as a sewing room and so the lighting in here is GREAT!

This bedroom is another mystery. Guest bedroom with a bigger window? Kids play room? Who knows.

This bedroom has no window, so really is is just going to be storage, which is ok because I'm a little overwhelmed by the amount of work improving this room would take.

Well that concludes the general tour. I'm hoping to do in depth with a few cool quarks so stay tuned.

Update

2011-02-10T11:20:00.003-07:00

So my blog is looking a little empty.
Lacking visuals,
and sad.

We moved and everything is in boxes
but it is ok because we go the the house.

I get you visually updated soon.

Our New House!

2011-01-23T13:29:00.001-07:00

So here are some pics of our new house.

What, did you just say they are blank?
Crap, how did that happen?
I mean we qualifed for the loan and did all the paperwork.
We signed a contract and put down earnest money.
We packed up boxes and made plans to move.
I know I remodeled the whole thing in my mind at least twice.
Oh, now I remember the bank forgot to approve the short sale second mortgage.

Wait how does that happen you say?
I asked the same thing, and after much garbage from our agent the short answer is...
because they can.

So now we wait.

Year in Review

2011-01-10T15:11:00.002-07:00

So I did this last year, and I really liked it. I think it is good for self reflection, and an interesting way to document part of my life, which is the point of a Blog after all.

What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Looked for a house, Started Grad School, Sold things that I have made, Participated in a Farmers Market (Ogden), Participated in a boutique show, Read 100 books, said yes to way way too much.

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I think I am a nicer person which was a goal from last year. I decided that I’m always going to be too busy, too stressed, too crazy, but I don’t have to act like it. Making people feel good is important. I’m not perfect but I have improved significantly.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope, weird

Did anyone close to you die?
Nope, it was a blessed year.

What countries did you visit?
Nope, it was a downsizing year. Big plans for 2012 I hope!

What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A house, were so close but I hate to jinx it. An administrative position!

What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory?

Nothing stands out here. Maybe the feeling of selling my work, that was a pretty cool high.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Being busy! I work two jobs, attend grad school, started selling stuff that I make, and did a lot of little extras.

What was your biggest failure?
Probably taking on too much, I need to learn how to say NO! Or, probably “No thanks.”

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, lucky again.

What was the best thing you bought?
The snuggy Todd gave me that came with a book light. New boots maybe. Or didn’t buy would be a ton of books because I rediscovered the library WHOOOOO!

Whose behavior merited celebration?

Emily puts up with a lot living with me. Her husband Aaron, who I respect more every day I live with them. Todd, always, makes be better being married to him.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I get frustrated when Todd struggles in school be he rallied this last semester and impressed me. There is always work drama. Teaching me to leave work drama at work.

Where did most of your money go?
Todd’s school, My school, More Craft Supplies, Gas, Eating out. We saved up for a house though!

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
We are so close to getting a house! We have been this close before though so I’m trying not to get too excited.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? The same
b) thinner or fatter? The same, perhaps just a little thinner.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, Todd took a new job that has be looking up and worried about school
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Nothing, I wish I had done less, I was crazy busy this year. Once again Im looking for balance and trying to simplify!

What do you wish you'd done less of?
TV probably, doing too much.

What was your favorite TV program?
Still Project Runway, but contenders include Dexter, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Weeds, The Big C. I have cut down a bit.

What was the best book you read?
Where to start, see previous post I guess.

What did you want and get?
To sell my stuff at a craft fair, a few actually.

What did you want and not get?

Last years list : A house, A masters degree, a baby.

Were close on the house, I’m half way through the master’s Degree, and the baby won’t happen this year unless we are taken by surprise. I would like to add a job as a principal.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Didn’t see a ton. Maybe Zombieland.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 30 OUCH! Went out with Todd, low key kind of thing.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Todd getting through school, still, always. Finishing my masters, buying a house, getting a promotion.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? I bought a knit dress or two and some legginings. Still wishing I were more put together here.

What kept you sane?
Creating things, sewing, sleeping late, reading

New nick names?
Todd as a library of thousands, I get a new nick name about every week. Nugget of Love however made the banned list.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
That I need to learn to say no. That balance is an ongoing process not a destination.

Yes, I Finished

2011-01-09T13:13:00.003-07:00

So a few people have asked and yes I finished the 100 books.
So that I can clear out the side bar for 2011 here is the complete list, though I swear I'm miss a few.

Luthor, Man of Steel * Ignition City * Pinocchio, vampire slayer * Eating the Dinosaur * Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking * What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self * Elmer * It's Kind Of A Funny Story * PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God * The Help * Pirates! * Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid * The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists: A Novel * Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 2 * A Lifetime of Secrets: A PostSecret Book * The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants * Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince * 501 Easy Look and Fell Good Tips * Neruda, The Book of Questions * Supermarket * I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being a Woman * The Boy in the Striped Pajamas * The Nest Home Design Handbook: Simple ways to decorate, organize, and personalize your place * Firegirl * Nonviolence: The History of a Dangerous Idea * Under the Tuscan Sun * My Secret: A PostSecret Book * Filthy Rich * Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment * Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes * The Secret Lives of Men and Women, Complied by Frank Warren * Paint Me Like I Am: Teen Poems from WritersCorps * What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People * I'm a Stranger Here Myself, Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away * Mockingjay * Step by Step Begining Gardening * Post Secret * The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod 8th grade * A long Way Gone * Nutureshock * 700 Sundays * A Girl Named Zippy * Vanishing America * Hucks Raft: a History of the Amrican Childhood * Freedom Writers Diary *Black Dagger Brotherhood book 1 * Born on a Blue Day * Kitchen Gardens: how to create a beautiful and functional culinary garden * 50 High Impact, low care garden plant * Fast Plants: choosing and growing plants in a hurry * Catching Fire * The Hunger Games * Twilight at Monticello * Talking Back to Presidents * Escape * 13 Reasons Why * Burning Bright * The Minds of Boys * A Great and Terrible Beauty * I Can't Keep My Own Secrets; Six-word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure * The Book of Questions * The Trouble with Poetry * Eat that Frog! * Deep South * The Memory Keepers Daughter * Snitch * Indigo * The Circus in Winter * Alice I have Been * Metro Girl * You the Owners Manual * In Cold Blood * Twisted * The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo * Crank * Why do Men Have Nipples? * The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian * Bad Mother * Balance is a Crock, Sleep is for the Weak * The Gunniepig Diaries * The Mole People * Stuff * Julia Child's My Life in France * The Joy Luck Club * Street Pharm * Touching Spirit Bear * Things I have Learned From Women Who Have Dumped Me * American Horticultural Society Practical Guides: Hanging Baskets * Isaac Mizrahi's how to have style * A single Shard * Spark * Nobody's fool * Al Capone Does My Shirts * The Lost Continent; Travels in Small Town America * All the Pretty Horses * Motor Mouth * Story of a Girl * Green Angel * Dead Until Dark *The Man Who Ate Everything

Wow!

Update: I went back through and color coded the best, it case you are looking for a recommendation

Next Years Festival Tree....

2010-12-29T20:12:00.001-07:00

Will hopefully be a quite cool variation on this.

Two More To Go!

2010-12-26T10:49:00.001-07:00

Because I am a crazy lady I decided to try a read 100 books this year.

I started out simple

Only planning to read a book a week

For a grand total of 52.

Simple

Right?

Then I finished early in August.

And I thought the year is only about half over,

And now that I have discovered audio books,

It wouldn’t be that hard to just hit 100

Right?

Like I said crazy lady.

It has become a compulsion.

There are books piled all over my life.

In my car, night stand, desk at work, toilet tank, etc.

My poor husband is neglected.

But I’m only two away,

Cant quit now

Right?

Festival of Trees, a wee bit late

2010-12-19T21:11:00.001-07:00

Hey I have an Idea!

2010-11-27T16:24:00.001-07:00

Let's take about a thousand women,
Line them up outside in the freezing cold on Black Friday.
Wait until the store SHOULD be opening.
Then step outside and lecture them all on how to buy fabric.
(I'm here at 6:00 am with a bunch of crazy ladies, fabric crazy ladies, We know how it works,)
Now arm them all with free scissors.

Maybe it's because I work in a treatment center and have compulsive tendencies when it comes to scissors but it blows my mind that no one got hurt.

I’ll admit it….

2010-11-22T14:16:00.003-07:00

(Thanks, Jen for the Blog Inspiration)

Sometimes I go days without eating a piece of fruit or a vegetable. My eating habits have a lot more in common with my 3 year old niece that I want to admit.

I dislike teachers who show movies, I think that it is lazy and uncreative. I have shown 1 movie in the past 2 years and I thought long and hard about it first then felt guilty the whole time.

I keep track of weird things and I’m really motivated by numbers or keeping score. Like counting the number of books I read in a week or the number of steps I take. Assigning numbers to things is the best way for me to get things done. Sometimes I get anxious when I don’t reach the goal I have set for myself, even when I know it is unrealistic. (Yes I’m aware that there are words for the people who do this.)

There have been times in my life when I actually compared the rent late fee and overdraft check fee and picked which one is less. I love not having to do that anymore.

I watch a lot of T.V. Every time I hear my parents complaining about how much T.V. my little brother watches I think, hum… I watch a lot more than that. And I spend all week looking forward to Sunday Night because that is when the best T.V. shows are on.

I am afraid that I do not give Todd enough credit for how great he is.

I can make cooking really complicated when it is not. Todd says it’s because I try to multi-task when I should be focusing. He is right.

I almost always do my homework on Sunday night. Class is on Monday Night. It is always stressful and I always regret it, but don’t do a lot to change it.

I wish I wore more fun and funky clothing but am scared to try it, that it won’t fit with how other people see me or that I will look silly.

I don’t know how to say no. Like telling my boss, “Sure I’ll make a Dorothy from Wizard of Oz costume for your dog” Sometimes I hear myself agreeing to do something that I do not have the time, energy, or desire to make work because I don’t want to let other people down. In my mind I hear myself ask why in the hell I’m agreeing or offering to do ______________, when I know I have already over committed myself. I keep going anyway.

It took a really long time for the sound of ambulance sirens to not bother me. For years all I could think about when I heard them was somebody’s daughter, father, spouse it getting “that” phone call right now. I hated getting “that” phone call. Now I feel guilty that it no longer crosses my mind.

Like Jen, I thought I would be further in life by now. Done with more school, have kids, own a house, all that stuff.

There is a student at my second job who thinks I hate her. I don’t but she is super annoying and I don’t want her to sign up for my class so I don’t go out of my way to be nice to her like I usually do with struggling kids.

I learn the best things from my students. I often catch myself doing something I would never let my students do and then change my behavior.

I secretly want to own a convertible, light blue, V.W. bug.

What I did this weekend

2010-11-21T15:46:00.001-07:00

I sold some of my stuff here.

It was the first time I did a show, it was kind of fun, I learned a lot and got a bit addicted.
I already have plans for what I want to do different next time and new things I want to add!

Labeled

2010-10-20T14:50:00.002-06:00

Today one of my students said to me....

"You know Miss Amy, youz pretty gangster for a white bitch."

I can't decide if I'm insulted or flattered.

Talented People part III

2010-10-14T10:07:00.002-06:00

My fiend Jen is part of talented people part three.

She is the one who is willing to get up early on saturday morning and haul all our crap out to the farmers market. She makes very cool purses and you can check them out here.

She has been so motivating as we try our little bussiness venture. It has been so nice to have a partner and she is so easy going and brings her with her joy. Working with her has been a breeze!

She is a theripist at Cottonwood and her website is apptly named...

Here are just a few of my favorites!

She even does custom orders, check her out.

How to get that amazing soup from my last post

2010-10-13T20:34:00.001-06:00

So my little sister Emily, who is amazing because she spent like three hours pulling my hair through one of those stupid do it yourself dye kits this week and didn't complain once, read my last blog post about soup and today she made it.

Tonight I got to eat really, really, good soup just because I have two really great sisters, how lucky am I?

So now I can tell you that the soup not only looks amazing it really is amazing, and I usually hate soup.

Sometimes I 'm just amazed that we all come from the same family because I am hopeless in the kitchen and I don't know how to play the piano and both by sisters do. How does that happen?

Emily, just so you know, you are a rock star!

Yummy, Talented People Part II

2010-10-09T21:56:00.001-06:00

So talented people part II will feature my cute sister Hilary and her tasty food blog. Here is hoping that this inspires her to add new stuff.

Cuz I've been thinking about making this soup for an embarrassingly long time.

Surround Yourself With Talented People

2010-10-04T19:10:00.000-06:00

I never cease to be amazed by the number of creative and talented people out there. I happen to be lucky enough to know many. So I’m going to give each of them a little shout out here!

I’ll start with my friend Sheena based on the fact that I am simply amazed by the sheer amount of knowledge she has placed on her blog.

Her blog is called Natural Bliss. It has tons of information on natural healing, aroma therapy, foot zoning and general health knowledge. Check it out!

August in Review

2010-09-03T11:04:00.002-06:00

So for me any way August was a record breaking month.

I did my first craft fair, so I made a record amount of money, even if I made no money.

(I did a little bit better than that)

I read a record number of books, at eight, that's two per week.

I also posted the highest number of posts on my blog since I started.

No truly major of life altering accomplishments, but sometimes I get a kick out of the little things.

Life is made up of the little things.

That Mess Part II

2010-08-31T18:04:00.002-06:00

So here is our little golf course.

My class did Vegas, Can you tell?

After you got to the top of the ramp your ball went down a water slide and into a pool of water filled with fish! There was a little island floating in the middle you had to land in!

If you landed in one of the holes you rolled back to the start, how clever are my students I ask you?

This one had like 20 different routes for the ball to take.

Your Ball even had to bounce into a couple of them.

This one was so detailed, they put furniture inside the church, and the whole thing lit up! With Stainglass windows and Music. As usual my photo skills do not do this justice!

This foutain had water and smoke running through it!

Did I mention the stained glass?

Here was one by my cute FASD kids

This one was Alice in Wonderland

Over all I think the kids had fun, and it's kind of fun to show you some of the stuff that I actually do all day.

(No, it is not usually this fun, not even close!)

What is the Hot Mess you say?

2010-08-30T11:56:00.000-06:00

What is that white hot mess you say?

2010-08-26T09:48:00.001-06:00

Why that is my classroom of course.

It is innercession week.
Which means I am teaching somthing fun more than somthing pratical.

Do you remember my post about the artist golf course?
Well we took the students.
(They had a ball)

And now we are in the process of making one of your own.
Details to follow!

Hey Grandma......

2010-08-23T13:35:00.001-06:00

And Aunt Angela of course!
I just went in and updated my blog to include posts by people who don't have blogs.
I'm hoping that this means you guys can now comment here too!
Try it out, will ya?

How to Make Killer Plum Jam

2010-08-22T10:25:00.001-06:00

Start with relatives that have 100 year old plum trees in their backyard.
Or you can do what I did and marry into a family that has 100 year old plum trees.

After picking a ton of purple plums decide instead to hop a fence,
cross the neighbors yard,
and slide down a hill covered in poky, scratchy, evil bushes
while clinging desperately to the wild plum tree

that your husband and father-in-law call a Potawatomi Plum.
(Which really do taste amazing)

By the way, this must be done in shorts and flip flops,
Your favorite, slightly dressy ones that feel less grubby than
the cheap plastic ones you got on sale last summer.

Now, still clinging to that tree, pull off as many plumbs as you can
which you will place in a cheap plastic grocery sack.
This sack will break on you two or three times spilling your plums
irretrievably into the poky, scratchy, evil bushes your are balancing on precariously
Do not get a new methoid of carrying your plums despite this on going failure
frustration is part of the process,
as are the squished plums that are now making the ground beneath you
sticky and dangerously slippery.

When you have 4-5 half filled second hand grocery sacks
Feel free to fall the rest of the way down the hill of poky, scratchy, evil bushes on your butt
plums in hand.

When you finish your legs should look like this.....

Give half of your plums to your in-laws and head home.
Separate out the good plums from the bad and research recipes online.
Decide that the idea of pitting and peeling plums sucks,
dump the plums (3 1/2 pounds) into a pot with 1/2 cup of apple juice, a teaspoon of cinnamon and boil.

Next smash the whole hot mess through a stainer until you have yummy pulp.
Next mix in sugar at a rate of 6 cups of pulpy mess to 8 cups of sugar.
Place the surgery mash back on the stove to boil.
Re-read the recipe on the the back on the sure-jell box and use for favorite curse words to express your feelings that you should have added the sure-jell before the sugar and their is nothing you can do about it.

Throw the sure-jell in any way, what the hell. You spent way too much time smashing crap through a strainer to throw it all in the trash, worst case scenario you can call whole mess syrup right?

Finish cooking and processing the jam as directed on the package, even though you have never "processed" jam by pouring it into a boiled jar, screwing on the lid, and flipping the whole thing over for 5 minutes. ( it works by the way, who knew?)

Hope for the best, plan to make waffles.

Check out the stuff the next day. Be stunned and amazed that the whole thing worked.
Hold it up to the light and admire the color, take pictures and feel like they do not do things jusitice.

Bag the plans to make waffles, you are a jam making rock star!

Craft Lake City

2010-08-21T10:13:00.001-06:00

So the original plan for the summer craft fair booth thing, was to be in Craft Lake City
Which long story short, didn't happen.
Here is hoping for next year.

But it didn't stop me from going,
with some cool, crafty girls, I might add.

And I scored great stuff, really great stuff.
So I am sharing.

I love this sweet little neckless.

This wooden cuff is fantastic, and the picture does not do the colors justice.

This funky and fun bookmark.

And finally, this amazing soap that makes me wish my blog had a smell feature, cuz it smells amazing.

Ode to the Brothers Crumb

2010-08-20T09:23:00.003-06:00

Oh brothers crumb, how do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.

You arise on Saturday mornings,
before the dawn turns over in it's bed,
to make me tasty bread,

And schlep it all the way down from Logan
so that I simply have to zip down to Salt Lake
to the Saturday farmers market
to enjoy the tasty country sourdough goodness.

Crunchy, crisp crust tears apart to revel your
doughy goodness.
I can eat you whole,
all by myself,
devour your tangy goodness,
with a slice of cheese,
or toasted and topped with scrambled eggs,
or perhaps I will brush you across olive oil and balsamic with a pinch of pepper.

and that is to speak nothing of your goat bar,
which truly requires a post of it's own

but oh, my brothers crumb, how I love you.
For above all you bring to my week,
pure
and
simple
JOY

We did it!

2010-08-19T21:23:00.001-06:00

We finally did it, we got our booth up and going at the Ogden Farmers Market.

My best seller was definitely the baby shoes, I love the baby shoes.

Here are a few of my other goodies.

A Magical Age....

2010-08-06T22:58:00.001-06:00

Setting: The kitchen, evening, Aaron is making no bake cookies, Emily is getting Maddie (age 5) and Ashlynn (age 3) ready for bed. Amy and Todd are bumbling around making a late dinner and cleaning up.

Maddie: Dad what are you doing?

Aaron: Making cookies, if you hurry up and get ready for bed you can have one in the morning.

Maddie: Ahhh man, I want a cookie now.

Aunt Amy: You know if you don't go to bed soon the No-Bake Fairy will come and eat all the no bake cookies and then there wont be any left in the morning. She is always watching for little girls who don't go to bed when they are suppose to and then she comes to eat their cookies.

Maddie wide eyed and jaw dropped runs down the hallway to where her mother is brushing Ashlynn's teeth. She turns to her mother demanding her vitamin.

Maddie: Hurry up mom, I have to get into bed or the No-Bake Fairy is going to come and eat all the cookies and their won't be any left. Mom! I NEED MY VITAMIN NOW! MOOOOOOOOOM!

Emily: Maddie, there is no such thing as a No-Bake Fairy, Aunt Amy is lying to you. Now let me finish brushing Ashlynn's teeth.

Maddie returns to the kitchen, hands on hips and exasperation on her face.

Maddie: My mom says there is no such thing as a No-Bake Fairy, she says you are LYING!

Aunt Amy: Maddie, who is older Mommy or Aunt Amy?

Maddie: You are.

Aunt Amy: Maybe mommy is too little to remember the No-Bake Fairy. Maybe Mommy never met her.

Maddie stands, hands still on hips and a confused expression on her face. Not knowing what to do she waits.

Aunt Amy: And maybe, just maybe, Aunt Amy, is a lair who just really really likes to tease, you never know. Here is your vitamin, now go to bed.

What can I say?

2010-08-05T22:17:00.000-06:00

I don't even know where to begin, but it was definitely an experience.

The Gigiel Garden is one of the most interesting touristy things to do in Salt Lake that no local has ever heard of.

Some of it is very cool.

Despite the hundreds of scriptures carved in stone through out the garden, I have no idea what many of these are about.

Like these internal organs....

Or the artist's self portrait with brick pants.

But the Joseph Smith Sphinx is without a doubt the most famous.

Either way, it is without question an interesting way to kill and hour.

On to plan B

2010-08-04T16:03:00.001-06:00

So after
my cool friend Jen
and I
got into the Park Silly Art Market
we realized that it cost $170

This is not for the season but by the day.

Now we are pretty cool gals,
but we are new to this,
and as newbies we might not be $170
cool.

So we moved on to plan B.

Plan B involves the Ogden Historic Farmers Market
Which has a very cool and funky vibe,
and is much more laid back,
which is much more our style!

So here we go,
The plan is we'll be there Saturday,
in all our crafty glory!

I am
TERRIFIED!
and
very,
very,
very,
excited!

Purses by Jen

2010-08-02T22:10:00.002-06:00

These fabulous purses are made my by very cool friend Jen, and she is even cool enough to try selling her stuff at the farmers markets this week.

Get Your Golf On

2010-08-01T22:03:00.003-06:00

So last week Todd and I went to the Art 337artist designed miniature golf exhibit.
The best part about this activity, it's free!
Check out the info here

There are 18 holes, each one designed by a different artist.

They had all kinds of different holes.

This one played Donkey Cong when you got the ball in the hole!

Half Way There

2010-07-21T14:55:00.001-06:00

So I decided back in January that my New Years Resolution would be to read a book a week in 2010. Since some of the books I read are long and some I are not I decided to not focus too much and reading exactly one per week but more like 52 in the whole year. I have been keeping track in one of the side bars and am proud to say that half way through the year I’m at 30 books.
So after plowing through all those pages I have a few worth recommending.

Alice I Have Been is the haunting story of the girl the Alice in Wonderland books are based on. It talks about her very odd relationship with the Louise Carroll and how being the subject of the books affected her for the rest of her life. Beautifully written, I loved this book but it does make me never want to read Alice in Wonderland.

Bad Mother is a series of essays exploring how critical our society is of mothers and the impossible standards that have been set. Funny and heartfelt I love how the author explored all sides of the subject. I role model to any mother who has thought she knew it all and way proved wrong, tried to keep her own identity without surrendering it to her children, worried about what she hands down, or simply feel judged standing in line for groceries.

The Girls with the Dragon Tattoo was and interesting exploration of Swiss culture and a delicious murder mystery combined. I can see why this brain candy is an international best seller.

Idea Spotting was a quick read and a cleaver way of looking at how ideas are created and evolve. Changed your perspective on where your ideas come from and how to get new ones. A perfect read for random 5 minute chunks of time.

The Guinea Pig Diaries was absolutely hilarious! This poor mans wife has lived with him making nearly everything into a social experiment. If you liked the movie Super Size Me this is the book for you. The most interesting exploration of modern society I have ever read.

The Absolutely true Diary of a Part Time Indian is my favorite book to teach. Heartbreaking and hilarious it gives a modern look at life on a reservation and the challenges Native Americans face in trying to become a modern definition of successful. Sherman Alexie is the cat’s pajama’s for writing this book.

Wow

2010-07-14T21:33:00.001-06:00

I found this really inspiring...

Your secret from Jean-Sebastien Monzani on Vimeo.

Twilight's like soccer.

2010-06-29T22:02:00.002-06:00

They run around for 2 hours, nobody scores,
and its billion fans insist you just don't understand.
-Posted on twitter by someone smarter than me.

It was during one of these bouts of male posturing that Kristen Stewart's Bella, refusing to choose sides, said: I'm Switzerland. And it hit me. I'd been seeing this story in terms of high school gangs - Sharks and Jets, or wolves and bats or whatever - but there's a much better metaphor: geopolitics.
Aging European aristocracy - Edward being 109 years old and downright Byronic - meets brawny all-American boy, Jacob - having apparently spent most of his 16 years in his tribe's gymnasium. Pasty, anemic Edward loves poetry and sitting in blossom-filled meadows. Virile Jacob likes hikes in the woods and sitting around campfires. I mean, sure, they'll be allies when the Germans - sorry, when the newborns threaten.
But they're basically from different worlds. Even their acting styles match up: Robert Pattinson's an English thespian, giving Edward sad eyes and a smile that looks like indigestion. Taylor Lautner's Jacob is such a chest-thumping Brando-wannabe you half expect him to yell: Bell-llaaaaaaaa.
The film around them has pretty scenery, pretty people, pretty wolves and pretty broad winks at the audience, including a jokey male-bonding scene atop a mountain in a tent. Bella falls asleep between her two hunky boyfriends, and they talk about the pain of love till the sun comes up. All it needs is a herd of sheep outside.
Director David Slade keeps the action brisk and the time-killing attractive. There are better special effects than last time, and Bella gets to be brave when it counts, all of which should be like a freshly opened vein for fans, especially as it results in "Twilight: Eclipse" ending up almost exactly where it started, weddings still to come. Can you wait?
-Clip from the movie review by Bob Mondello on NPR

So maybe it is because I work in a treatment center but am I the only one who thinks that Twilight is a creepy and glorifies a disturbingly unhealthy relationships for teen girls. Not only is Edward the controlling boyfriend who makes Bella want leave her family, friends, and any hope of a future behind their relationship is build on lust without common interest. But he loves her a buys her cars and everything turns out alright in the end so that makes it ok for him to take over and control every aspect of her life because Bella is not capable of making "safe choices" for herself. Is anyone else worried here?

Bella gives up a healthy relationship with Jacob and ties to her family and a foundation on common interests for Edward whom she literally compares to a drug and sinks into life altering depression every time he abandons her "for her on good."

Then there is the final book, with it's undercurrents of pedophilia. Ummmmm, don't even know where to begin here except to say "who messed with Stephanie in her childhood?" Making this into and ok thing just creeps me out. I worried that everyone else thinks this is a perfectly acceptable definition of eternal love.

I'm just saying.
-Me

The last of my stuff

2010-06-27T13:33:00.001-06:00

Now if I can just find a place to sell it, cuz that has been a little dramatic lately.

Let's Colour

2010-06-27T12:31:00.001-06:00

The video segment below is a very beautiful clip and idea for the "Let's Colour" project. It is a worldwide initiative to transform grey spaces with vibrant color -- a mission to spread color all over the world. Isn't that rad? They've already spread color to Brazil, France, the UK and India.

Read more about "the Let's Colour Project" here.

More Stuff

2010-06-21T18:02:00.001-06:00

Here are some accessories I have been working on.

Stuff

2010-06-20T12:42:00.001-06:00

Here is some of the stuff that I have been making.
It took like 1,000 pictures before I got ones that I like.
Which means that Maddie had to be nice to me like 1,000 times.
And put up with me saying, "smile pretty, no that's not pretty" when she acted goofy
or scrunched up her face funny.
I hope I have not scared her for life.

Funny thing is,
and it took me way, way, way too long to figure this out.
When I asked her to just play or twirl,
She became so beautiful,
just being her sweet simple self.
Silly Aunt Amy, should have known better from the start!

In

2010-06-17T12:57:00.001-06:00

Whooooooo!
I am In,
The Park Silly Sunday Market that is.

I will get a chance to try and sell my crafty stuff.
And see if other people like it as much and I do.

And even if they don't, I've had a great time trying.

If a caterpillar waited this long to eat......

2010-06-15T23:17:00.000-06:00

He would be more than hungry,

He probably would have starved.

So when Hilary had Camden I promised that I would make him a blanket.

And I mostly kept my promise,

11 months late,

And with a LOT of help from Emily.

But the quilt turned out great.

Based on the very hungry caterpillar book,

Complete with finger puppets,

And a supper fuzzy backing.

I love this sweet little quilt.

Tradition

2010-06-12T21:57:00.001-06:00

Every year, my mother's family treks up to Muller Park and makes breakfast in the canyon.
We go all out and before anyone can leave my Aunt Sherry makes us all pose for a family photo.
Which usually drives us all nuts, but I think were getting used to it.

2010-06-03T16:52:00.002-06:00

Today I did all the things
I was supposed to.
Kept my commitments

And was not a scatterbrained
apologizing
mess.

It felt so good.

2010-05-09T22:32:00.001-06:00

Dear Mom,

I miss you.

I miss the softness of your cheeks.

And watching you read.

And telling you about my day.

And having you as my best friend.

I wish I could ask you a lot of things.

Like if you ever felt this inadequate

because to me

you were always

Amazing!

How did you manage that?

I wonder what you would think of me as an adult,

of the person I’ve become,

while you were gone.

If you still think that I will turn out ok,

and what insights

you would offer into

how I can become a better person.

Because you always did that very well.

In the kind of way

that made me think

for myself.

So maybe you would

not be too disappointed

in the person I’ve become.

Even if she is a little too independent.

I wonder how our relationship

would have grown,

now that we are both

women.

What kinds of things we would do together

Just because

we enjoyed

each others company.

I wish I had learned

a little more

of your kindness.

I wish missing you

didn’t hurt so much.

And yet

In a way

I’m glad it does,

because things that are easy

usually aren’t worth very much.

If your hungry and in Salt Lake.....

2010-04-25T17:12:00.001-06:00

and good or tasty just won't do.

If you are looking for

mind blowing,

amazing,

how did we ever enjoy anything before this?

May I recommend

Les Madellines

just south of the downtown library.

Nothing there is not amazing.

It is a religious experince.

Oh, and get the Kouing-aman

It will change your life

I promise.

Mornings In My World; a two minute play

2010-04-13T00:29:00.001-06:00

Scene: Early morning in an average American kitchen the day after Easter. Amy and Todd are getting ready to leave for work and school respectively, gathering books and bags, putting on shoes. Maddie a bright and happy four year old is sitting on the floor moving hard boiled eggs out of their container and happily placing them around the room.

Uncle Todd: To (Maddie) What are you doing?

Maddie: Hiding eggs, Ashlynn are I are playing Easter hunt.

Uncle Todd: Did you count the eggs before you hid them.

Maddie: No

Aunt Amy: Hey Maddie, what is the difference between something that is hidden and something that is lost?

Maddie: You can find something that is hidden. Things that are lost stay missing.

Todd and Amy exit to the driveway

Aunt Amy: Why do I get the feeling that in three days we will all be looking for stinky eggs?

Uncle Todd: I know exactly what you mean.

May I Proundly Recommend.....

2010-04-07T23:11:00.001-06:00

Ok, so I watch a lot of T.V.
or I used to before I started Grad School
(which is eating my life!)
And we have an amazing cable package,
so please take me seriously
as I recommend
Parenthood

I like it because it makes me laugh.
Because it makes me cry.
And because I makes me want to be a better member of my own family.

Impulse Buy

2010-03-25T15:36:00.001-06:00

I bought this little number today.

It looked like fun.

Tagged

2010-03-25T09:20:00.001-06:00

4 things I'm passionate about:
1.Creating things, this is the absolute definition of bliss. I am so happy when I make something new a beautiful. I happy when I see beautiful things that others have made, ie blogs. I’m also so frustrated when something I am creating does not work out. Hummmmm.
2. Reading, I love to learn about new things and wonder to weird parts of the book store or library to find something that I would not normally pick up.
3. Travel, but have been doing less of it lately, and talking pictures of lampposts from places that I have been.
4.Eating, I like discovering new restraints or good places to eat, especially when I go with Todd. I love spending a good lazy day with Todd.

4 phrases I say a lot:
1. “Not going to happen” This is code for it’s the last time I’m telling you no. Applied mostly to students at work and my nieces. It has also earned me the title of the “Mean Aunt” because I say “not going to happen” I am also know as the “crafty aunt” as compared to Hilary who is the “pretty aunt”
2. Darln’ or Darlings- I call all the students that I work with Darln’ and all though I am not southern it is magic how you can give a kid bad news or tell them something they really don’t want to hear and they take it better if you start and finish with Darln.’ As in “Darln’ I’m sorry but your not going to be able to punch your peer in the face and then stay in my classroom so I need to ask you to leave now Darln’.”
3. “Hey Todd……..”- The preface to anything nice that I want my husband to do for me. And I usually get it. It is often followed with a question directed at him which is actually about me. Such as “Hey Todd…..are you feeling really cold?” Which he absolutely never is and I always am. Or “Hey Todd…… are you thinking about going upstairs and getting the last brownie to split right now?” And then I magically out of nowhere have that last brownie. Boy did I get lucky in the husband department. Spoiled, spoiled little girl.
4. “Nobody loves that”- Which is my response to any petering that Todd is doing, i.e. tickling, pinching, poking, etc. Todd loves, loves, loves, to pester, poke and prod. To which he responds “I’m not nobody” and I put up with because he so willingly succumbs to my manipulative approach to getting brownies and blankets.

4 things I have learned from the past:
1. It is ok to go backwards, and it teachers you good character building type things.
2. That I am tougher than I look, and not as tough and I think I am
3. That I need to learn to listen
4. I trust myself to land on my feet, no matter what is going on.

4 places I would like to go:
1. Italy, to hike the five cities
2.Paris with Todd
3. A cruise to the Bahamas
4. China

4 things I did yesterday:
1. Homework, I started grad school this week. Yipieee!
2. Worked, one job not two like on Mon, Wed, and Fri
3. Babysat the Nieces
4. Went to bed early with Todd as we are both sick

4 things I'm looking forward to:
1. Warmer weather
2. Farmers Market this summer
3. Owning a house, Someday, Someday
4. Watching Project Runway with my sisters

4 things I love about winter:
1. Festival of trees
2. Hot CoCo with candy canes
3. Visiting my Dad’s cabin
4. That’s about it, I’m not a big fan of winter.

4 things on my wish list:
1. A house.
2. A Masters degree
3. A baby, maybe
4. New cool trip to look forward too.

4 friends to tag:
Hum, Don’t think anyone besides Hilary will do this, and perhaps Jen who did and tagged me. Which made me feel cool, so thanks Jen.

Today

2010-03-23T09:16:00.002-06:00

Today, and last night, I miss my mom.

I miss her a lot at Christmas,
and off and on throughout the year,
But when my sisters are having a hard time,
I miss her most of all,
because no matter what I do....
I feel inadequate.
Like it is not enough,
because she would have done it better.

Yep, still love this place

2010-03-04T11:50:00.002-07:00

Just in case you missed the fact that I love this store.
I will reiterate.

I love this store.

I like this place, and could willingly waste time in it

2010-02-26T13:47:00.002-07:00

Every time we hit the Gateway,
I have to make a stop.

And that stop is at Anthropology.
And although it is a little pricey,
The art design reminds me of the shop windows
in Paris.

I wish I had taken more pics of the windows in Paris.

and READ all over

2010-02-24T11:19:00.002-07:00

So I moved my classroom.
And that also meant moving the library.

And now I have about 100000000000000 books to organized.

My Sad Little Classroom

2010-02-19T08:48:00.002-07:00

So until last week
I taught in the
saddest
smallest
most
crowed
classroom in the whole world.

It had one sad little window,
was about 12 by 12, feet that
felt like inches.

There was no room for desks,
so we sat on cushions on the floor
and wrote on clip boards
And my poor FASD students
had little tolerance for all of that!

And on top off all that,
I had the whole library in my classroom
and the sewing table,
and certainly not least
Adalynn the T.A. was in my room.

And now the crowding is gone!
I have space in leaps in bounds.
I just need to get organized.

Sedona

2010-02-17T14:02:00.002-07:00

During my time in flag,we took a day trip to Sedona,
Which was a pretty drive
a fun little town
and had great funky shops.

We ate at a great little Mexican place
debated about bracelets,
and didn't
buy Carmel apples.

Cute baby.....

2010-02-16T11:39:00.002-07:00

it's too bad his Aunt made him such an ill fitting sweater.

I swear I followed the pattern
I swear it says size 3-6 months
I swear that is the size of other clothing he wore

I just don't know why it turned out so HUGE!

How do I love Him, Let me Count the ways.

2010-02-14T17:30:00.001-07:00

1.Todd is supportive, in his very nature, so much so I really believe it takes almost no effort on his part it is simply who he is. 2. He loves to travel. 3. He makes me laugh until I squirm, cough, cackle, squeal or cry. 4. He'll read a book that I just finished just so I'll have someone to talk to about it. 5. We have the same pace in museums and art shows, I never feel rushed when I am with him. 6. He will go with me to the fabric store, craft store, or DI even though he really, really hates it. 7. He bought me flowers today. 8. Sometimes he buys me flowers for no reason at all. 9. He tells me every single day that I am amazing, and although I do not always believe it, I believe he does. 10. Every year he sets up my tree at festival because he knows that is my least favorite part. He wires on the rebar, and hose clamps, and hauls in all the boxes and then wishes me luck. 11. He never once has told me I spend too much or complained about things I have bought, although we talk about all the big things, and I don't spend more than we have. 12. He loves that I want to go back for my masters degree. 13. He said he'd have a baby right now, even though it would be a kayak and neither of us are ready yet. 14. He is always there to bail me out when I bit off too much and even though he knew better he doesn't tell me so. 14. He cooks. 15. He does laundry. 16. He gets up early on Sunday mornings and washes my car. 17. He likes foreign movies. 18. He sits through the credits at the end of every movie, and actually reads them. 19. The last thing we both pack before a trip is our books, yes we both pack more than one. 18. He pushes and supports us having independent lives. 19. He always asks me to pack his suit case, and he is a very capable guy but this makes me feel needed somehow. 20. He lets me pick almost everything. 21. He spent weeks researching the camera he bought for my birthday to have all the things I didn't like about my last camera. 21. He puts songs he thinks I'll like on my zune. 22. He keeps me young. 23. He makes me try new things. 24. He makes me try new food. 25. He likes to sleep with one arm around me and if I'm too crabby to let him his foot slid over until it is just barely touching me. 26. Every morning he starts my car so it is warm when I get in. 27. Every night he turns my electric blanket on early so the bed is toasty when I get in, then he laughs at me as I slip my feet in and smile. 28. He went back to school and is doing so well. 29. He makes the best macaroni and cheese, and if he knows it's been a really bad day at work (which used to happen a lot but not anymore) he has started heating the water before I have even gotten home. 30. He lets me sleep in on Sunday mornings.

There are millions more reasons, these are just the ones that spring to mind first.

Let's Compare and Contrast Shall We?

2010-02-13T15:30:00.001-07:00

So I dove down to Arizona last week to see my sister.
When one thinks of Arizona one thinks of cacti and colored rock formations.
But this is what the road looked like the morning I left.

And as I pulled into Utah,
where one thinks of the greatest snow on earth
I found this

I could not get over how much snow there was in Flagstaff.
When we are left with small melting tuffs of snow here,
I was shocked to find Hilary's front yard looking like this.

But I was amused by the couple that I saw skiing to the store
in the early light of Superbowl Sunday.

2009 in Review

2010-01-18T09:26:00.001-07:00

So I did this last year, and I really liked it. I think it is good for self reflection, and an interesting way to document part of my life, which is the point of a Blog after all.
What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Went to Europe, whooooo! Took like 1000 pictures of Paris, stayed on an aritforce base, visited a real castle, several in fact. Stepped down from a job, simplified my life, found new joy. Applied to Grad school

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Nope, still have last year’s ten pounds too loose.
For this year, I would like to be a nicer person.
To find peace inside myself and focus on developing character.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Hilary has a beautiful baby boy, and I’m shockingly jealous. Nearly all the woment I work with had babies this year.

Did anyone close to you die?
Todd’s Grandmother, still miss my mom, as always.

What countries did you visit?
Germany and France, sadly no new ones on the agenda for this year, maybe Todd and I will have to plan a road trip to Canada, I have visited a new one every year for the past three or four years, and I don’t want to let it go.

What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Wow, this one is hard for some reason, I think I’m happy, I have lots of plans for the new year and our future but no feeling that I lack something.
But I got last years Eiffel Tower that I purchased myself in Paris.

What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory?
The happy feeling I had when Todd told me he wanted to quite his job and go back to school. It was kid on Christmas morning kind of happy.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Downsizing my life. I changed my job and went back to teaching looking for something simpler and less stressful. I tried to emphasize who I am outside of my job because I felt that it defined who I felt I was too much, and I looked for a different kind of joy. I’m used to pushing hard and achieving things moving forward being how I define success, it was challenging and different to set goals that involved going back, slowing down, finding joy. I think that it changed my life philosophy a bit. And realizing that I still have a lot of work in this department.

What was your biggest failure?
I have thought about this for a while and im not sure. I have lots of things about my life that I want to be different but I see these more as works in progress than failures. But I kind of have a love hate relationship with failure because, of course I like to be successful at things and do well in my life, but I learn a lot from the failures in my life. Its like angry feelings, my angry feelings are great red flags for the things in my life that I need to step back from and look at how I can do differently. When I have a failure or angry emotions that I just can’t shake it’s because I need to look at making some changes in my life, and in a really weird way, I like that.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Actually been a bit healthier in general, I did have to get my nose x-rayed, cus I swear it was broken after being hit a few times by one of my residents but luckily only scratches and bent glasses came out of the whole thing, and a bit of wounded pride I suppose.

What was the best thing you bought?
Hum, love my new phone and the new car, because it has seat warmers and keyless entry. Which consequently is now for sale because Todd went back to school, a good trade I think, even though I love, love, love that car.

Whose behavior merited celebration? Todd’s, as always, for making me a better person and being brave enough to go back to school. A co-worker that showed me though example that it is possible to be exceptionally kind and still get a really hard job done. That being stressed, frustrated, and under pressure all the time does not need to make you frazzled and short tempered. I know this seems like a simple lesson but it has had a big impact on me to see it done so well.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A co-worker I used to respect who let the job get to them and destroy many relationships they had spent years developing, who was frazzled and short tempered and fear full and suspicious. Then let that become back biting, petty, and unapproachable. Which I hated because it was someone I used to genuinely like and respect. Who I learned from because I could see so much of myself in and in comparison to the co-worker and see from the outside how it impacted others, and decide to work very hard at being something else.

Where did most of your money go?
Todd’s school, cars, travel, and craft supplies. In that order.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Paris. I actually squealed like a little girl when I saw the Eiffel Tower!

Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier, much happier
b) thinner or fatter? The same, but I don’t really put any effort into changing, I just like to think that I do.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, but Todd is in school so happy.
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Attending cultural events, plays, concerts, independent films, art museums and such, same as last year. Saved up for Todd’s school before he left Latitude. Cleaning, cooking, finding my own happiness. Gotten into Grad School. Gone with the flow.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worry, be stressed and short tempered.

What was your favorite TV program?
Oooo, way too many here. Still Project Runway, but contenders include Dexter, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Castle, Big Love, Weeds, The Tutors, The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency and The Office. Who ever invented the DVR should get a house on the beach in Hawaii FREE because they made my life better.

What was the best book you read?
Maybe Janet Evonivich, not sure. I liked Stiff and went to see the author speak wich was cool. I also discoversed Philipa Gregory who wrote “The Other Bolyn Girl” and about eight other books about the wives and children of Henry the 8th So if you every want to read 12000 pages on the subject I recommend her. I know I enjoyed it, and as an added bonus I can now keep all of Henry’s wives straight in my head. Here is the list of everything I have read in 2009. Almost a book every two weeks, not quite as much as I would like. I kind of enjoyed keeping track on my blog though. It was a good habit and I think that I will keep it up.
Fingerlicken’ Fifteen
The Geography of Bliss
New Moon
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Loven'
Lean Mean Thirteen
The Boleyn Inheritance
The Virgin's Lover
The Queen's Fool
Under the Banner of Heaven
The Other Boleyn Girl
Stiff
Bonk
The Amber Spyglass
Craft Inc
Sin in the Second City
The 19th wife
The Subtle Knife
Four Souls
When you are Engulfed in Flames
Twelve Sharp
Atlas Shrugged

What did you want and get?
Less Stress, Todd to quit his job and go back to school. A trip to Europe and an Eiffel Tower I bought on the streets of Paris, about 1000 pictures of lampposts.

What did you want and not get?
A house, A masters degree, a baby.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Nine, Sunshine Cleaning, Julie / Julia

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
29, spent it in Rapid City, South Dakota on a marketing trip. Maybe 2010 will be better.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Todd getting through school.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? I’ve tried to add color and some fun and funky accessories to my wardrobe. I have a secret inner desire to be one of those funky artsy people buck lack the bravery.

What kept you sane?
Creating things, sewing, sleeping late.

New nick names?
No but it seems I will never loose “Miss Amy” at work, even if I am and have been married for my entire teaching career so was never a “miss” or leave the classroom and become an administrator. Not even the CEO gets a Mister so why am I Miss?

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
To step back and not feel like a failure, what direction I want my life to move in, how to find a little more peace and joy.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Hum so not a lyrical girl how about the life motto I adopted last year. “Listen, seek knowledge, gain understanding, go confidently, live the dream.” I am still working on listening and seeking knowledge, but I feel I have more understanding and a direction for my dreams to go confidently in.

The Cause or The Cure?

2010-01-16T10:42:00.001-07:00

So this week, while reading Obama's speech to the American students in my English class, getting ready for a unit on speech writing, we were comparing the responsibility of students and the responsibility of the government to educate the youth of America. One of my students raised his hand and asked why Obama is so selfish.

I asked him to give me an example of how Obama was selfish.

To which he responded that Obama just prints all the money and keeps it for himself, he doesn't give any of it to the people who really need it.

Now mind you this student is an adult boy from inner city Washington D.C. and his stay in treatment, costing a few hundred dollars a day, is being paid for by the American government.

I told him that Obama does not just print out money and give it away and that he, as all members of the government are limited to only spend the money they collect from the American tax payers, other wise they have to go into debt and things get more complicated.

This concept confused and frustrated my students to no end. We talked about inflation and the problems that Russia has when they printed off their own money. Many students decided they just would not pay taxes, and after explaining that they are just taken out of your paycheck and that you can go to prison for tax evasion they became more upset.

And as I stand there baffled that these students come to me without even a basic concept of American government, it occurs to me that because these boys are part of our adult program they are all over 18. Which means they have all the same privileges and rights to vote that I have. That their vote and opinion, however ignorant and backwards is every bit as valuable as mine when it comes to deciding the direction that our country should move in. And as this is making me question the fundamentals of the American electoral system, a hand goes up in the back.

And my most reluctant student who never participates in class discussions asks 'Why, if we live in a free country, do I need to pay for gas and rent? That doesn't sound free to me."

And I gave up entirely.

Blue Moons, Bonfires, Frozen Lakes and New Beginings

2010-01-12T14:01:00.001-07:00

We spent New Year's at my Dad's cabin this year.
We caught the bonfire and the blue moon.
And Drank the best Hot Chocolate.

On New Years day we rode the snowmobiles out to Mirror lake,
Which I'm obsessed with,
and was really cool looking frozen over.

Sunday Afternoon

2010-01-05T09:02:00.001-07:00

The best way to spend a Sunday afternoon is at the movies.
After a late breakfast at
The Original Pankcake House
The Dutch Baby
and
Bacon
are a must!

I love, love, love their bacon.

Then we caught the movie nine.
And I know it made a lot of critics
worst list.

But I'm no movie critic,
and I loved it.

Almost as much as the bacon,
but not quite.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2009-11-30T19:27:00.006-07:00

So the festival tree is finished,
and in record time!

So today was festival.

Oh, my pie!

2009-11-30T19:19:00.001-07:00

For thanksgiving dinner we ate a whole lot of pie.
I made a pumpkin cheesecake.
Emily made chocolate and blueberry pies.
And Jason made enough pie to feed a homeless shelter.
All in all we had 8 adults at dinner
and 9 pies.

Good to know

2009-11-22T13:22:00.001-07:00

Sometimes,
it is good to know,
that the costume design class,
and patterning class,
and period theater class,
that you took in college,
that had nothing to do with your major
or your current career,
still have uses from time to time.

Rissa had colonial day this week,
and she needed a dress,
and I guess simple,
and understated
just wouldn't do.

Pretty

2009-11-18T21:31:00.001-07:00

So after many mistakes
playing around with epoxy
and scrapbooking paper
paid off.

So now I have
new jewelry
and
Christmas gifts

So Very Cool!

2009-10-30T14:36:00.001-06:00

I came across this on a blog today and I think that I have found a new love. It is the coolest thing I can think of, and I am in a complete state of envy. I want to play with these talented fun ladies!

If you are even a little bit crafty check it out!

I wonder if I could?

2009-10-16T14:13:00.001-06:00

So I love this
ruffled shirt.
And although
I am really on a kick
making clothing for kids,
I rarely make them for myself.
But this one
got me wondering
if I could figure out
how to make this?

So good, I had to steal it.

2009-09-25T16:18:00.001-06:00

So I found this on my cousin's blog,
which is quite cool,
they have a terrific sense on humor.

So in the grand tradition of cutting
and pasting. I have "borrowed" it.

Cus it was the kind of thing that makes you
laugh enough that you simply must
share it with others.

And the three people I sat down
and made listen to me read it
out loud,
were simply
not enough.

found these "random thoughts of 25 to 30 year old's"

-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can
think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell
my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves
me.

-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you
realize you're wrong.

-That's enough, Nickelback.

-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't
work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically
fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all
know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards
or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

-There is a great need for sarcasm font.

-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually
becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting
90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's
laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little
bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the
only one who really, really gets it.

-How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than
take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to
finish a text.

- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron
test is absolutely petrifying.

- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart",
all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod
and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up
to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in'
examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete
idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and
said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and
i nstinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I
know how to get out of my neighborhood.

- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the
shower first and THEN turn on the water.

-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their
profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got
the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if
I do!

-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go
around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly
nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be
a problem....

-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't
want to have to restart my collection.

-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are
going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me
if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I
swear I did not make any changes to.

- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people
watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will
they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't
watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and
leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she
hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light
internet stalking.

-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle,
then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers,
but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they
drive behind obeys the speed limit.

Blanding

2009-09-19T11:28:00.001-06:00

So we drove down to Blanding
few weeks ago
to meet my new nephew,
Camden.

Who could not be sweeter
Nope, not possible

And Zeb,
I do apologize
for calling your little man
sweet.

I'm sure that will time
he will grow into something
tougher, and smarter,
and more athletic
but
for now
he is simply
sweet

And spend time with my sisters.
The thing about having sisters,
I now realize is that you own all the same cloths
cuz you have similar tastes,
and body types.
Which means,
if I like it and it looks good on me chances are,
the same will be true for my sisters.
Plus,
we like to shop
together.

For instance,
I own a copy of
every
article
of clothing in this picture,
and I bought them all
with my sisters!

And spend time with family,
and remember just how funny my brother
Jason and his wife can be
and
miss them
just a little bit
more

And learned to play Scum
which you all should do

And on the way home,
we discovered
a truly funky tourist trap
which met the definition,
in every
sense
of the word

Complete with a memorial
to Franklin D. Roosevelt
Carved right into
this huge rock
Although
I can not
for the life of me
figure out
Why

But it made me
laugh

The Bet

2009-09-12T21:58:00.001-06:00

So this year I planted a garden.
And since we live in an apartment,
I planted it all in pots.
Some mounted on walls
Some hanging
and some regular.

I planted zucchini,
cuz I'm from Utah
and you can't call it a garden
if you didn't plant zucchini.

Well Todd laughed at me and said
that there is no way it would grow.

And my friend Victoria,
who actually knows a lot about gardens
said it would not grow.

But, Ha, cuz here it is.....

It's too bad I didn't have something good riding on this.

Park City Arts Festival

2009-09-07T21:04:00.001-06:00

Renaissance Woman II

2009-08-30T17:15:00.002-06:00

So here is my list so far.....

Is a globe traveler
Owns art
Is mastering a few speciality dishes
Is well read, (pod casts, audible books, magazines, and websites included)
Discovered a work out that works for her
Has a master's degree, maybe more
Takes interesting photos, displays them in fun ways
Supports a Cause
Has rockn' playlist's
Lives in a place that reflects her personality
Speaks more than one language
Has theater she supports by attending performances regularly
Can converse intelligently about current events
Can get around a foreign country
Has attended a lecture in the past year
Rocks a stylish wardrobe
Votes
Still Sends Thank you cards
Takes classes on a variety of subjects to keep her sharp
Blogs about her interesting little life

The idea is to have a lifetime of work here. A little ambitious but achievable