A favorite hobby

I have a confession. Sometimes I go to the grocery store....and I sit in the magazine isle...for a long time...and I just read all of the magazines. I'm not talking about browsing through a few pages, it's more like cover to cover reading here. Should I buy at least one? Maybe? Do I? Nope. Do I feel bad about it? Nope! :-) Today I looked through all of the Better Homes and Gardens looking for cute white cabinets and hoping that one of them would tell me the exact color that I should paint my cabinets (I am not about to walk into the store again and have to decide on a shade of "white" paint). And guest what! I found one--"Simply White" by Benjamin Moore. Mission Complete!

Dreaming of Decorating

I finally painted my kitchen blue...but something isn't right. (other than the fact that this shade of blue is not exactly what I was going for). And I have decided it is definitely the cabinets. (well, and the countertops) and until I paint those-the wall paint color will always look wrong. So I searched all over for my dream kitchen to get a better vision of what I want my end result to look like (you know-probably ten years from now) :-) Here is the kitchen I fell in love with.

Doesn't it just make you happy! :-) To make this happen someday I would need to:

• buy new countertops


• new windows (they just don't make them cute like that here)


• add crowne moulding


• and a new sink.

But for now...maybe I can:

• paint them white


• buy new handles


• add some feet/legs to the bottom of the cupboards and the island to make them look more custom. (this website got me all empowered to do it myself)-thanks to my neighbor for sharing it.


• add some bar stools (yard sales here I come!) :-)


• come up with an inexpensive way to add a backsplash
  Maybe I will try this shade of grey/blue -it is more neutral and subtle.
  Paint colors: Aura by Benjamin Moore Walls: Feather Grey Ceilng: Cascade White

by the way -all of these pictures are from http://ratemyspace.hgtv.com my sis told me about this site-and the cool thing about it is you get to see how normal people decorate their places and each one is unique (unlike all of the rooms in say a pottery barn catalog-even though I love that style-sometimes I need a little more variety) :-)

I love this frame that my neighbor added to her bathroom mirror.--And thanks for telling me all her tips so I can copy it :-)

What do I do?

Some of you know that I do bookkeeping for a Cosmetology Association...For all of you who wonder exactly what it is that I do-here are two little tidbits:
I get lots of free stuff:


I sit next to people in my office who pitch ideas to the media trying to promote cosmetology as a career-here is one video that just ran on good morning america that our association arranged with one of our members some of you may know-Nick Arrojo:
Cosmetology on Good Morning America

Trying something new

Most of the time I could care less about my weight. But sometimes I am annoyed that I am so skinny. Right now is one of those times. I am annoyed that you can see the bottom of my ribs, annoyed at my boney shoulders, annoyed that it has possibly contributed to throwing off my shedule of when to have a little sibling for Rach, and annoyed at my lack of "curves" :-). I know, not the problem most people have-but a problem nonetheless. And for those who have the opposite problem and are thinking right now that we have nothing in common-I beg to differ and here is why:

• I am trying my hardest to eat healthy, struggling to plan meals and bummed that all the healthy food is more expensive
• I feel like I am embarking on an impossible task-one where my body is working against me
• I am starting a new plan of counting calories -so I am constantly analyzing everything I eat

(sound familiar?)

I have talked to my doctor, and a nutritionist, then I searched the web looking for someone to lay out a plan of how to gain weight healthily (I am not trying to pull a fast food diet or put on weight like wrestlers do) And I was hoping to find a plan of menus all laid out "Eat these meals for 30 days and you will gain weight." No such luck. But this is the best site I found. (works to lose weight too). My favorite part is that you can enter your current weight, then enter your goal weight-and you can include a goal date you want to reach it in. Then it tells you how many calories you need to eat each day to reach your goal.

My goal: to gain 9 pounds by May 31st. I am on day 4 and I have about a month and a half to go. Wish me luck!

Quote of the day

• Rachel: Mom, but I want to wear my dress to soccer practice so that everyone can see my pretty new dress


• Mom: Rach. When we play sports we do not wear skirts. Only shorts or pants.


• Rachel: Are there any sports where you can wear dresses?


• Mom: No! Okay, well I guess sometimes girls who play tennis wear skirts


• (a few minutes pass)


• Rachel: Mom, I think I should play tennis.

General Conference Quotes

Elder Ballard (I loved this talk and I especially loved his understanding for the mothers to hear it in list form-show me a list and I will understand and be able to act on it :-)

The amount of time a child is in a parent's home is only about one fourth of the parent's life. During that time the child needs to be the priority.
How can mothers reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more:

• the joy of family comes in moments, live in the moment
• Don't over schedule yourselves, or your children. Each family needs some unscheduled time together
• Find time for yourself to cultivate your talents and interests-don't waste time with soap operas and surfing the internet
• Pray, study, and preach the gospel

What more can a husband do to support his wife and his family?

• show appreciation and give validation
• schedule some evenings together alone
• give your wife a day away now and then, it will greatly enhance your appreciation of your wife
• come home from work and take an active role with your family

What can children do?

• pick up your toys
• make your bed, do other chores-WITHOUT being asked
• say thank you more often-when a meal is made for you, when clean clothes are put in your drawers

Alma's counsel to his sons is true: "behold I say unto you that by small and simple things great things come unto pass"

President Thomas S. Monson
His wife left a note, "Dear Children, do not let daddy touch the microwave...or the stove, or the dishwasher, or the dryer." this made me laugh.
Honor your husbands, they need a good word...

I am grateful for the opportunity I had to sustain President Monson as the new pophet and for all the talks that were given and the spiritual upliftment they gave me.

Picture of the Day

Sound asleep on the coffee table...when there is a perfectly comfortable couch nearby

Quote of the day

preface: I went to the gym for a hip-hop aerobic class and when I got back Rach was asleep and then I realized that we forgot to give her the evening dose of antibiotic. So I decided to go wake her up to give it to her--plus-I thought I better make sure that she wasn't too hot because she had just found these pjs and insisted on sleeping in them. So when she wakes up she rubs her eyes, sits up and asks:

"Show me your dance moves!"

And I am not sure what is funnier-that comment-or the fact that I actually did. It was 10pm and the lights are all off but I am dancing in her room--She smiled and then went back to sleep. Thanks again girls for coming with me-it was a blast :-)

Sisters Day

Here are some pictures of the last day that my sis came out for a visit. If you guys think Rach is full of energy you should see my nephew. We thought we would have a relaxing day laying by the pool while our kids splashed around in the hot tub (because it isn't really warm enough to swim yet)...as it turns out it was not so relaxing for Lacie. This kid was ready to SWIM! Not sit on the edge and put his feet in the pool, not wade around on the steps--there was no holding him back-no matter how hard she tried :-) Here are some more pics of our day

Missing our fun cousins

Here are some pictures from the last time Rach got to play with her cousins before they moved out of state. So much for moving to Arizona to live near family :-) I hope they got to their new home in Seattle safely-as we have yet to hear from them. Hint Hint :-)

I may be bad...but I am not the worst...wait, who am I kidding...I am the worst...Sam is the best.

So after a few of my friends (Alli & Kirsten) gave me a hard time about not having a current post on my blog I decided to see who else is slacking. So after much research I have determined that while I can never compete with Kirsten's multiple posts per day (especially since she stock piles them -you cheater! :) At least I am keeping up with some. That's right. I am an average blogger. And I am okay with that. So if I don't post for a few measley days...get over it. ;-)

I win! Amber said that I would never guess her password or have the wits to create a post. Well HAHAHAHAHAHA! Take that!


HAHA HA HA HA -now let's see who gets the last laugh :-) Just for the record he did not figure out my password-but was sly enough to sneak on and try to post his own funny pictures while I was signed on.

Quote of the Day

"Mom, I am putting these toys in your pockets so that you won't forget about me. When you put your hands in your pockets you can see them and then you will remember me."

~ Rachel

Feeling productive...or not?

You know how you have those days where you feel like super woman--and you feel like your multi-tasking skills are at the top of their game and that you could do anything and everything? Well today is the opposite of one of those days. Ya know-the kind where you look back and think--what have I gotten myself into?

Here is what I got done today:

1. worked out at the gym
2. played in the mud with Rachel all morning (mud pies, mud mountains, mud slides...oh yea)
3. cleaned pool
4. paid some bills
5. fixed a possible bill pay fiasco after being on hold for 30 minutes

here is what didn't quite get done:

1. grocery shopping (this morning we had: no milk, no eggs, no bread) oops :-)
2. clean the house
3. make dinner
4. write on my blog (ha ha -Alli-I just noticed this on the list I made yesterday---see I was trying)
5. my hair
6. my make-up
7. work from home for an hour
8. read scriptures

In an attempt to get a hold on things I decided that I just needed to figure out the best time to do each thing and figure out a schedule.

best time to:

• work out: 6am (before anyone else is even awake-and earlier than when I normally wakeup)
• shower/do hair and make-up: first thing in the morning-right after breakfast (otherwise you can kiss it good-bye)
• get work done: while rachel is watching morning cartoons
• grocery shop: early in the day-before I get too tired ...(or find something more fun to do)
• have quality time with my child: before lunch-so she isn't tired and cranky
• to clean/work on blog: in the evening after Rach is asleep (except on days when I woke up for a 6am workout)
• see friends: while working out-you get to cross two things off your list
• scriptures: before you get out of bed in the morning

Biggest problem? Too many things for the mornings. Hmmmm how could I fix that? Keep waking up earlier and earlier? Make it longer by pushing lunch back to 3:00 (ha ha that would never work).

And can I just say that I am sick of there always being something that requires me to be waiting on the phone FOREVER! Does it ever stop? Because it sure is not helping my productivity level. Maybe someday I will figure it all out.

Quick read, through provoking, creatively written

What I thought would be a fun lighthearted read-turned out to be a very touching book that had me bawling and writing in my journal for hours last night. The entire book is notes that a single mother and her teenage daughter leave for each other on the fridge. Who would have thought you could learn so much about them. Here is everything it left me thinking about-mainly things that I hope Rachel knows :

• I loved watching you do handstands for hours today and dancing to Big Bang Rock--http://www.noggin.com/shows/lazytown.php (it is the third video) Even though you played the song for over an hour-i never got sick of watching you get all excited when you did a good handstand


• I am sorry that I was working all weekend


• I had so much fun playing in the mud with you yesterday.


• You have been my best friend ever since you learned to talk :-)


• I love that you have your own style--which is always wanting to be in a dress. "Mom, help me find something beautiful to wear" "But I wanted everyone at my soccer practice to see my pretty new dress"


• I am glad that you like to read-it is the one thing that I think I can exclusively claim you got from me


• I really do wish you had a sibling...or at least that I could get you a dog...but the whole sibling thing just isn't working out and I just don't have the energy to take care of a pet


• You inspire me. You keep making me choose the right. I know that you are watching me like a sponge so I try to be the best I can be.


• I NEVER forget about you-even with you are not with me.