It's a surprise

Click HERE if you like The Departed, or music from The Departed, The Red Sox, Parades, Men in kilts, or guys making fools of themselves.

Change the World

I'm involved in several ventures currently and my goal as always is to change the world - well, to change my world and that of my family anyway. I was thinking about this commercial the other day that I may have already told you about, but it comes into my mind every so often and I wish our world was always as extraordinary as we envision it could be.

After all, if we are thinking of what could be, isn't that the first step to make it a reality? Change someone's life today, and it doesn't just have to be giving them candy treats.

After the big game

I hope you're all proud of me. I'm wearing purple and white today. The fact that I'm not wearing anything Red, Blue, or Green is a major accomplishment. And a sign that baseball season is over for the year. I WILL be wearing ALL of my favorite gear tomorrow, however, because every year for the past few years I dress up as a "Red Sox Fan" for Halloween. Not very original, but it's easy and an excuse to show my loving affection for the Boston Red Sox.

On to other fascinating area's of my life... which there isn't much to say. The other day I decided that we needed pictures of our first apartment together. And... since Justin cleaned the whole house last week, I took out my camera and grabbed a few shots. Please do not use these photo's to 'case the joint' and steal all of our valuables!

This is our living room (the door is to the right). I have no idea what Justin was watching on TV.

I really need to hang something over the piano, but what I really
want is too much money right now, so I'll wait.

And the kitchen. That's all of it too. There's a fridge to the left of the photo, but it's tight quarters in there.

My 'cute' bathroom (the one where everything matches) and the laundry room, down the hall.

Here's our bedroom and the bathroom where things don't match. Well... I guess the rugs match each other, but that's about it.

Oh... just for the record, if you notice the wedding pictures (of me) on the wall -that's Justin's side and he put them up there!

And finally...

the office/spare room. I'm not going to be embarrassed about the lack of organization. The only people that go in there are Justin and I (and poor Erin, Justin's business partner, when they meet to go over financial stuff for Business Elements -sorry Erin).

That's all... thanks for going on the tour. Now our first apartment is saved for posterity's sake!

I love that dirty water

You knew it was coming... my final post of the season. I know I seem a little obsessed with the Red Sox (and I am) but I really calm right down after the play-offs. I'll be keeping my eye on a few key trades and contract negotiations (Terry Francona, Lowell, Beckett, and that jerk A-Rod who tried to make the final game of the the World Series about HIM and his precious 250+ million deal with the Yankees)


So, here it is>>>

Congratulations 2007 Boston Red Sox!!!

World Series Champions

See you next spring!

What a night!

Last night we had dinner at Justin's mom's house and carved pumkins with his cousins, Skylar and Ethan... it was a lot of fun. Here's some pics.



Other than that... I finally finished the 4th Harry Potter book last night. It's a LONG book. I'll be taking a break and reading a few different kind of books for a while. One might call them 'muggle' books.

And... this wouldn't be complete without at least mentioning that Game 1 of the World Series happened last night. The Red Sox HUMILIATED the Rockies, 13-1. Hmmm... where's your winning streak NOW, Colorado?

This is NOT a Red Sox Post

I'll save that for tomorrow. Or... actually, you won't have to suffer another one of those until Thursday probably -since the game is Wednesday night.

But... in order to write about anything else in my life... I had to steal this from another blog post I read this morning. I didn't look at all of it, I hope I can finish it.

i am: determined to clean off my desk today at work. (I know blogging at work may appear to impede my ability to get things done, but trust me, this blog will take 2 hours, during which time, I will answer phone calls, finish my logs, finish reading my blog list AND clean off my desk of papers)
i think: I chose my outfit poorly today. I was trying hard to NOT wear a Red Sox shirt, and I decided on capri's. It's TOO cold for capri's. Good thing I'm in the office (which a blanket on my legs) all day.
i know: I can do (almost) anything I put my mind to.
i have: everything I need and many things I want. This is probably a good way to live you life.
i hate: Worrying about my weight. I wish I was content with the fact that I exercise daily and eat healthy.
i don’t: like leaving messages on people's voicemails.
i can’t: stop reading a book once I start. Even if I don't like the book, I still have to finish it. This goes for most movies too.
i can: almost see the bottom of my desk (I told you I'd finish it)
i will: wear long pants tomorrow, and probably for every day after that until April.
i won’t: dress up for Halloween. Actually, for the last few years I've gone as a Red Sox FAN -it's just another excuse to wear all my stuff to work.
i forget: very little. Just kidding -Justin thinks my family and friends are so used to me remembering every little detail that no one questions me. I'm sure sooner or later he'll realize you're all right!
i miss: the TV show FRIENDS.
i fear: physical pain and loneliness.
i feel: a headache. I have a headband on today, and by lunch time it usually starts digging into my skull and causing me pain. I don't' know why I wear headbands.
i hear: the radio and the heater in my office.
i smell: Nothing really. I just put on some lavender+vanilla lotion, so I guess that's what I smell.
i crave: Anything right now. I'm trying hard to not snack in between meals -which is particularly hard in my office. Especially since a coworker just put a chocolate on my desk 5 minutes ago.
i wonder: what my future children will look like.
i regret: very little. Every experience in my life has made me who I am now. If I tried to take any of that away, I don't know what effect that would have on who I am today.
i love: the smell and sound of rain; grey and cloudy days, falling asleep at night, having lunch with friends, finishing books I'm reading, setting a goal and sticking to it and autumn leaves on the mountains.
i dream: about the future.
i long: for friends that are no longer close.
i care: about too much. Although, I have developed a sense of 'outward apathy'. I think I made up this word. I like to at least appear that I don't care so that other people won't know my weaknesses.
i always: get up early and go to the gym. It's just part of my routine and it's not a question in my mind when the alarm goes off. I just get up.
i am not: comfortable in the spotlight.
i believe: everyone can do a little more to live up to their potential.
i smile: when I think about my dog, Charlie.
i laugh: at off color jokes. I can't help it.
i collect: bells. I haven't bought one for years, but I still have quite a collection from gifts and places I've been.
i play: the piano and organ.
i write: more now that I have a blog then ever before. I suppose I'm also getting over my immense fear and dislike of anyone reading what I write. Although, I still keep a private journal.

i await: the time when I no longer work here, although it also scares me.
i cook: often. I like trying new recipes. So much that I rarely make the same thing twice. I am getting a list of things that Justin and I both like and are quick and healthy.
i trust: my cell phone to tell me EXACTLY what time it is.
i intend: to finish this blog and my office work by 2pm.
i search: for answers to everything and everything on the internet. I love researching about purchases, health topics, and people.
i look: for ways that will make my life easier.
i shout: at the TV. I'm not really a shouter, but I have been known to yell at the TV during a baseball game.
i whisper: when no one is listening. It's a trick I learned years ago from Bryon's mom. If you start talking quietly when there is a lot going on, people will listen because they think they're missing something.
i listen: to the Radio From Hell program on X96 EVERY morning, without fail.
i ignore: drama -if at all possible.
i live: HERE

No end in sight

I kind of lied. There IS an end to my constant Red Sox posts. It's 4 wins away. Here's a picture of last nights WIN. Wednesday night they take on the Rockies... and knock them off their high horse.

AND... for those who like to call me a band wagon fan (cough... Kathy's brothers...cough) it's not my fault I became converted to baseball and the BLESSED Red Sox late in life. Just because I wasn't 'born into it' doesn't mean I'm a less devoted fan. Maybe someday I'll tell you all my 'conversion story' on how I became a member of Sox Nation.

Here he comes to save the day

No... not this guy.

But... THIS GUY showed up on the mound last night and saved the day! I won't bore you with the details... and now that Justin showed me how to add those links... you can head over there and read about Beckett's greatness!

I really don't mean to ONLY talk about baseball, but it is the play-offs, and maybe my life is just boring.

To every season

Winter is coming. It's not hear quite yet, even though it did snow the other weekend.

But... that means I get to wear my favorite type of clothes. My winter clothes. In fact, it is quite cold, windy, and rainy today, and I happen to be wearing a gray sweater, so I pulled out my favorite coat. I bought this Mont Bell coat last year with money I earned from my health insurance programs like exercising and losing weight.

I was so excited to get it and wear it in Europe on our honeymoon. It's super light and fits in a tiny bag (I have always loved things that come in their own bag-I have NO IDEA why that is) and it's really warm. I'm not sure why I thought this was worth a post today... I think I was just thinking about all of my winter clothes I get to wear during the next few months. I'm sure I'll be complaining about the cold and snow soon enough.

True Blue

Not only am I a TRUE BLUE fan (I'm not sure if this is as universal as I think it is, we used it ALOT at Utah state) but I'm also just a little blue over the last couple of games.

I was enjoying Game 2 and fell asleep (that doesn't mean I wasn't enjoying it, it means I was really tired) sometime between the 8th and 9th innings. We were tied 6-6. Somehow when Justin woke me up he convinced me the game was over and the Sox won. When I asked him the score he said 6 to 6. I guess I was a little out of it, because I still went to bed and didn't wonder how they had won. I woke up around 1:30 that morning and checked the score on my phone. 13-6, Indians. They had QUITE an 11th inning. I was sad the rest of night. Luckily, I was sleeping.

Last night was... well... I didn't enjoy last night. The Sox couldn't seem to catch a break, and the Indians kept hitting line drives right between all of our players. And as far as pitching goes... the picture to the left (from SoxNation -see the link to the left) may give you a small indication about how some of the Red Sox Nation are feeling about the million dollar deal to bring Daisuke Matsuzaka (Dice K) over to pitch. He hasn't quite lived up to his price tag.

Other than that... life's been pretty boring. Last night when Justin got home from work our kitchen ceiling was leaking water from our light fixture. Odd, you'd think. We have an apartment above us and apparently their toilet has been leaking, possibly for some time now. The ceiling was soft to the touch, and in one of OUR bathrooms the paint was starting to bulge near the ceiling. He called an appreciative landlord who sent someone over to look at it today.

Ahh... the joys of renting!

Sense of Humor

I think it's important for everyone to have a sense of humor, but it can be quite relative. Today at staff meeting (which is normally 10-15 minutes of actual 'business' and 30-45 minutes of eating and venting) the nurse that works with our team mentioned that maybe she should try to get hired on as a caseworker because our jobs are 'so interesting'.

It's very easy to make our jobs sound interesting in a 20 minute ramp of how dumb our kids are, stupid the judges are, and clueless the parents can be. (For those of you out there who may not know what I do, I work for the State of Utah in the Division of Child and Family Services. I have a caseload of kids who are in states custody (foster care) and most of mine happen to have kind of developmental delay).

On a daily basis, it's only our sick, dark, and often misunderstood sense of humor that keeps us coming back day after day. -That and the health care benefits.

Where else can you find a group of people laughing about that fact that we work with sad, helpless, but often idiotic kids and despite all of the system barriers, we're expected to get them through their childhood -with as few criminal charges as possible. And with some of our kids, that'd would be quite an accomplishment.

In other news... I'm ALL decked out in my Boston Gear today. The Red Sox are playing their first play-off game against the Indians tonight. I'M SO EXCITED!

Back to the Grind

I love when you have a weekend that ACTUALLY feels like a weekend. Usually that takes an extra day -to recover from your weekend (and I don't even drink?!?!?). This weekend was pretty relaxing compared to the last couple of months. We attended General Conference Saturday morning and had a quick lunch with my parents afterwards. We watched the other 3 sessions at home. Sunday morning we had a lovely breakfast with friends and then dinner at my parents... where we played a lively game of "Cash Flow"


This is quite a game. It's by the guy who wrote "Rich Dad, Poor Dad", it's kind of like a real-life monopoly -on Wall Street-type of game. Maybe I'll give bi-monthly reports on the game... since we'll probably be playing it every other week forEVER.

So... the teams are (1) Justin and I, (2) my Mom and Dad, (3) Jodi, (4) Matt, and (5) Gordon and Jessica. Currently Jodi and Matt are rolling in money -Jodi owns a bunch of houses. Gordon and Jessica are hanging on with a couple of bucks (downsizing!) Justin and I are doing OKAY... -I hope slow and steady wins the race, and my parents have quite a bit of money but are too scared to do anything about it -like invest in things. -Now, remember, I'm talking about a GAME... NOT our real lives, but sometimes it's hard to tell.

Anyway... we're all still hanging out in the "Rat Race" which is that center section, going around in circles. I have no idea how we eventually get of that place, only time will tell. Speaking of the Rat Race... I'm back at work (for a blessed 4day week) and I should probably do just that.

Get back to work!

Boston headed to ALCS

The Red Sox had a comfortable lead in the 7th... 2-0. But, by the end of the inning, it was 9-0. They let up just enough for the poor angels to score one run. We're heading to the ALCS championships... as soon as the Yankees lose.

More to Life

I think my biggest problem when I sit down at the computer to write something bloggish is that I never really know what you want to read, or perhaps there's just too much that I want to share?

Work was very busy last week, and I fear it will only get busier. We have a new tradition at our location where the winner of a certain award gets a superman cape put on him. It was a little embarassing to wear a superman cape in front of everyone at my office, but a fun memory as well...

Saturday came and it was all conference for us. We left at about 8:30AM and rode with Mel's parents to the first session. I love conference. I love seeing the prophets and apostles and feeling of their spirit (and that of many many others). It was interesting, as I have noted in the past couple years, to see changes happen in the organization of the first presidency and quorum of the twelve. The Seventy are going to be led by three presidents instead of the seven or so previously. A few of those I identify with were made Emeritus as well.

It was especially painful to me when President Hinckley and President Monson walked out without President Faust. It brought me to tears to feel the impact of that vacancy. He was truly a great man (as I suppose they all are). Plus, he served his mission in the second greatest country on earth...Brazil.

This morning I lit our fireplace and it took me back to our home on 6595 South when we would have the fireplace going and sit beside it on the cold stone wrapped in a homemade afghan blanket. I remember cold winters with much snow and a warm fireplace. My mom always seemed to make it there first, but sometimes us kids would lie on the floor and put our feet up to be warmed. I miss those days.

I guess I'll stop there. It's almost time for breakfast at our couple-friends house. Yumm!

Sox leads the series 1-0

Sorry for all of you that either don't care for baseball, or don't care enough to want regular updates on my blog... but it's the play-offs... and I just can't help myself. But I'll try to keep it short.

Josh Beckett and the Red Sox had a GREAT night yesterday and beat the Angels 4-0. To quote a story on the MLB website:

"There's only one word to describe the Red Sox's win over the Angels in Game 1 of the ALDS: Dominant."

The next game is on Friday -Go Sox!

Here come the play-offs!

A 5K is NOT 5000 miles

For those of you who are not familiar with The Office on NBC you missed that joke... and youtube doesn't have the clip, so you're just out of luck! But trust me... it's funny.

Although we didn't run 5,000 miles, by Sunday night I felt like we had come pretty close.

Sorry for the late update on the haircut saga -I'm sure many of you must have concluded that the cut was so bad I couldn't bring myself to upload the pictures... not so...we just had a very busy weekend. So, here's the before

and after

Not bad. I think it'll take some practice to get it down...but it could have been worse!

Back to running around this weekend. It started Friday. Justin needed to get the 5K shirts from my uncles on the very WEST side of the valley and get them to the very SOUTH side of the valley, but at the same time his grandparents were expecting him. So, I got to get the shirts and take them to the Draper Theater and met him back at home. Then we went to the very EAST side of the valley, fed his parents dogs and then went to visit Justin's brother and sister-in-law and the baby. It was TOO late when we got home for a haircut.

Saturday we got to leave the house at 7am with our friends, Bryon and Yvette (who were NOT very excited that we were leaving our house at 7am), to drive out to Draper for the 5K. Well, for SOME of us it was a 5K, for others it was more like a 7K+ for Bryon (who was forced by an ill-informed person to follow a group of people going on a 20 mile run when he was close to the finish line of OUR little 5K). Yvette and I decided to do intervals -walk and then run- the race (which is a LEGITIMATE form of cardio, thank you very much) and Justin ran... as far as I know. As soon as we finished that we had an extremely large and greasy breakfast at Sharon's Cafe -just to make sure we didn't lose any weight from our morning run.

Justin and I headed downtown for a service project with his work at the Food Bank for a few hours and then went to my uncles place to help finish up the (hopefully) last cleaning trip before the condo sells.

Sunday started with a quick trip up to the doctors because I realized I had an infection that I had 2 years ago and needed antibiotics. (Sorry, no more details than that... it's not anything gross, and I'll tell ya if you ask me, but this might not be the right medium for the description -although Justin might disagree, since that was his opening line for 4 or 5 people we talked to at church, my parents house, and anyone who called on the phone all day).

After teaching our class at church and staying for choir practice, we drove up north for dinner at my parents and then, finally, back home.

I can't believe today's Monday -I need a weekend to recover from the weekend.