I'm in a good mood today...

BECAUSE:

~It's Friday. Which means it's the weekend, and I get to spend time with my hubby!

~My kickboxing class this morning ROCKED!

~Cafe Rio with my friend Wendy & her cute little munchkin also ROCKED!

~I stood my ground on the phone with the agent from American Express until she put me on the phone with her supervisor & they realized their miscommunication...boooyah!! (Phone Cajones are AWESOME!!)

~All my laundry is folded..yay-o-yay-o-yay!!!

~Dishes are done.

~Bathroom is clean.

~I walked my dog whilst listening to music ='s INSTANT ENERGIZER!!

How has your Friday been?

MOTIVATION...

Mine waxes & wanes, comes & goes..has it's highs and lows, just like everyone else. Lately, my motivation has been at an all time low though. (Note the lack of posts the past two weeks..I know, I know..I'm sorry!) I lost my mojo!!

Now honestly!!

I know that I decide how I feel & how I react to the world & people around me! I know this! I firmly believe this!! But these past two weeks I've been in a funky funk..I've been blaming it on the change of season. The fact that we're currently residing in a basement & I don't get anywhere near the same amount of natural sunlight I used to when I was an 'above ground dweller'. Can't blame it on not exercising..because I've still been doing that (and it's a good thing too, or else my hormones would seriously be outta whack! Exercise is my inner witch control!) Definitely can't blame it on the hubby..he's perma-positive (love ya, sweetie-o). So what was it?

I don't know.

BUT, I woke up this morning feeling more sparkly!! (Spirit fingers, everyone!!!) And I'm going to blame that on the fact that it is December 1st! Granted, I'm not feeling especially festive quite yet...but I will get there. I. Will. Get. There!!

SOOOO, I would like some advice on how y'all stoke the Christmas spirit!! C'mon...don't be shy! I WANT, CRAVE, & NEED comments on this one!!!

I will now leave you all with a quote from a personal favorite show: How I Met Your Mother:

"When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True Story."

~Barney Stinson

Does that quote rock, or what?

Ya know what's contagious????

'A big, ol' smile'!! (Direct quote from Dr. Cox on Scrubs..haha :)

Let me start my story at the beginning!!  I went to get my hair trimmed today (yay!).  But got stuck in traffic on the way home (boo!!).  Then I got on the freeway going NORTH to where we used to live instead of SOUTH to where we now live!!  You'd think I'd quit doing that...but I don't.  So, a trip that should've been a 15-20 minute drive took me, um, well, AN HOUR!!

So, I finally got home.  And the guilt strikes!!  My poor doggy, she only got a short walk this morning, she's been stuck in the house..I feel so bad!  So, I fanangled into my runnin' shoes and coat, and got the bouncing (quite literally) puppy out the door.  I was gonna' walk myself down to Beans n' Brews and get myself a tasty treat!

The first 5 minutes of the walk I grumbled a bit..dumb, cold weather..stop sniffing so much, silly dog..yadda, yadda, yadda (Seinfeld fans, anyone?).  But then, I started noticing how many smiles, and waves, and 'hiyas' I was getting..and ya know what?  I started smiling too :)  Then the girl at B&B gave me my drink for free 'cause 'she felt like it', and my dog was cute!  Wow!  People are nice.  They really are..and I would now like to pass on to all y'all a big, ol' SMILE!!

There are days...

That I am inexorably drawn to chocolate!  And I cannot deny it's seductive call...

And because it's dark, I feel justified.  It's practically a health food!

What's your vice?

Sisters are the best..

Want to know how I know this?

I have a sister of my very own.  And she is amazing.

Know how else I know this?

My patient last night has a sister (sisterS actually).

Her sister stayed with her all last night.

And helped her drink orange juice.

And walk.

And sat staring at her in the dark when she FINALLY got some sleep.  

And said to me "I'm afraid she'll stop breathing."

So was I. (I didn't say that, don't worry:)

She tickled her back, and held her hand...she was just THERE.

And today she'll go get her blood drawn to see if she's a match to be a donor for her sister.

Sisters are the best!

Shut your mouth when you're talking to me!

I try diligently to be very 'professional' at work.. & it's really not too hard to do, especially since I'm allowed to wear pajamas as my uniform & give my patients controlled substances! My weakness, I've discovered, lies in the language department! Oh yes! Stress is a constant quite frequently..and swear words really aren't acceptable..SO, as I mutter profanities under my breath (Why is your blankety blankin heart in that weird rhythm?? Where is your gosh freakin dang vein?? Oooooh GOOD! You're coughing up big chunks of blood!...btw, I didn't use to have such a trucker-esque vocabulary..it all started with this job!) SO, back on track...I have to come up with appropriate 'fillers'..I started with the usual: gosh, darn, dang...but those have gotten boring..and as time has passed I have moved on to words/phrases that can only be described as genteel and, well, ridiculous: Goodness gracious me! Oh Dear! Holy Hannah! Yes. It's true. I sound like I should be crocheting & sipping Earl Grey (no offense if you do either of those things..they are both very cool in their own right.)

If only I could quit swearing in the car.

So this is 'blove'..la la la la

My husband 'bloves' me! Yeah, yeah, I know it was only a typo in the text he sent me at work, but still..it warmed my heart! It's like a bloated love! So full it's about to pop..and spew molten, sticky, sweetness...ewwwww.....

So, how do I know he 'bloves' me? At the risk of making this one of 'THOSE' posts..let me count the ways:

~He rubs the knots out of my back.
~He makes me yummy gourmet dinners (the pork chops & risotto were A-mazing!)
~He cleans my car

OK, because I don't want to bore you, those are my current favorite three!

Let's hear you guys count your ways..that your 'significant other' loves you..

Is there anything better...

than a CRISP, FALL, DAY? I submit that there is NOT! :)

I've decided Autumn is my favorite season! For now.

Stacker VS Stuffer!

My hubby & I have 2 distinctly different cleaning styles.  He stacks.  I stuff.  And that was fine in our townhouse.  He happily stacked his papers & magazines & I discreetly stuffed them into cupboards & baskets every couple of days.  Then when he wanted to know where that one paper was, about that one thing in that one place, I knew I hadn't thrown it out!  It was somewhere in a couple hundred different hiding places. SO much easier..lol!  

WELL, now that we're occupying J's parents' basement, my stuffing style has been slightly cramped, so to speak.  Quite surprisingly (and to my relief) I've somehow managed to decrease my anxiety about clutter, so I don't actually have mini panic attacks anymore.  BIG PLUS!  But it does still drive me a little nuts once in a while.  (On a side note, did you know that house hunting generates A LOT of paper??  It does.)  Today is one of those days that it's driving me nuts.  So wish me 'happy hunting', or whatever it is that will help me...I'm going on a stuffing spree!

RN to her patient...

I know you're sick. And I can see how that would make you cranky. But PLEASE don't take it out on me!!! I am trying to help. Really.

You know what I hate...

Cleaning the bathroom. Especially the toilet.  Yuck.  I feel like I need to boil myself in scalding hot Lysol afterwards..I refuse to do it if I've already showered for the day.  I, the nurse, who isn't fazed by puke, blood, guts..am sent into dry heaves whilst cleaning the porcelain throne!  

And that's really all I have to say!

Was that really necessary?

I was blog-stalking tonight at work (*gasp*..I know you all do it, too!!). And as I jumped from blog to blog, numerous thoughts ran through my head: "wow, this girl is funny..I'm not that funny!" or "this chick is one deep thinker..I should stop being so shallow & do more 'self-searching'"...and on & on. I also read some of the comments to these posts..and it truly shocked me how many people left really nasty, mean, anonymous (anonymity makes normally 'nice' people incredibly beasty!!) comments..ouch!! I, luckily, am not so embroiled in the blogging world as to have a large audience reading my schtuff (phew!), which has kept me aloof from most/much of this back-biting. But in reading all these blogs I realized: Everyone blogs for different reasons. Some people do it to keep in touch, some people do it to get a response, some want to get their voice out there, or just need an outlet, or enjoy writing. No matter what the reason, if your blog is public, it really is peoples' 'right' to comment what they will..and if you don't moderate your comments it's much easier for them to do so. But why do people feel the need to be so downright awful? I guess if we could answer this question in general the world would be a much nicer place...I digress...ANYWHO, this thought process led me to this next one: 'sometimes I THINK really mean things..I don't post them, or say them..but catch me at the wrong moment & my mind is full of catty thoughts...That makes me pretty hypocritcal to be judging these anonymous commenters. BUT WAIT..at least I don't spew my meaness out!! I definitely don't think I'm better than anyone, but I do believe that the ability to behave nicely when your urge is to NOT be nice is what makes the world a very SEMI-decent place to exist in. (I could really go for a long time on how NOT decent the world is..but that's not my point at the moment...I'm digressing again:)

SO, the point I'm making: I'm going to continue trying to be nice to pretty much everyone I run into..in the cyber-world, or in person. It is becoming less and less attractive to me to be mean. I will stand up for myself when the situation truly calls for it. But if someone else wants to be snooty I will not let it ruin my day!

Good Day Sirs & Madams!!

Out of a rut!

I've been in an exercise rut..I love to run, so I have continued to do so..but after a very 'run-full' summer I needed something new..and my knees were begging me to change things up!  I have discovered it: the kickboxing class at my gym!  Whoa!  It kicked my trash in ways that running never has..if anyone is interested in going with me I have guest passes & would love the company..you WILL be sore afterwards!

Something Old, New, Borrowed, Blue!

So, I haven't done a post that isn't a 'Tag' in a bit & I just read my friend, Kateka's, blog, & she posted about how she and her hubby met.  Which reminded me she told me I should do a post about how Jeff & I met..so for anyone who cares (I certainly do!), here goes: *names will changed on some people!!

I was the girl who thought there was a good chance I would wait for, and marry, my highschool sweetheart, *Mitch, after I sent him off on his mission..So, off he went!!  I wrote him,  but also dated quite a few other guys while he was gone.  There was one who was particularly persistent, *Satan, who kept coming back, even when I told him I didn't want anything serious.  Well, sooner or later, I guess I just broke down, despite my common sense (& the fact that my mother HATED Satan:) & started dating him more frequently.  It was a really dark time & if I'd stuck to my guns life would be very different..So I am actually very glad that I had that experience because I may not have met Jeff if I hadn't. 

SO, a couple weeks after I FINALLY ended things with Satan, I decided to move in w/ a coworker/semi-friend of mine, *Ellie.  I was looking for some drastic changes in my life & this felt like a good step.  One night, after a couple weeks of living together, she asked if I wanted to go over to her friend's house.  Her friend was a computer nerd & was going to fix her laptop for her :)  ALSO, he had a really 'hot' roommate I could meet!  Ellie knew that I had just ended that rotten-egg relationship & needed to get back in the dating game.  (About this same time, Mitch got home from his mission & we were dating as well..things felt pretty awkward most of the time for me.  I know it's because I had changed so much from my 'Satan dating experience' & Mitch & I were no longer the same people we had been..which makes sense, 'cause who wants to be the same person they were in highschool?)  

Back to going over to get the computer fixed:  We went on over to Ellie's friend's house.  Knocked on the door, door opened..low & behold, there sits a vision in khaki shorts & a button down!! haha :)  Jeff was the 'computer nerd friend' (he is WAY too good looking to classify as a regular computer nerd!) & *Adam was the friend..who was also a good looking guy in his own way, but not my style.  Well, we hung out for a bit & then Ellie & I headed home.  

Fast forward to a couple days later.  Ellie asked if I wanted to go hang out with Jeff & Adam again one night.  'Sure, why not?' was my response (well, duh!).  I wasn't sure how to broach the convo to Ellie that I was more interested in Jeff than Adam.  I knew that Ellie was dating someone else seriously and that Jeff was truly 'just a friend'...so it shouldn't be too hard.

Long story short: we went & hung out.  Jeff paid more attention to me than he did to Ellie.  She didn't like this.  I found out that this was because Jeff was her 'backup plan' in case her current relationship didn't work out!!  (I did not know that some girls actually do that!)  Well, she got miffy every time Jeff & I hung out (if you read a couple posts back you know that 'hanging out' entailed working on the townhouse Jeff was building at the time).  My solution became 'don't ask, don't tell'.  She rarely took interest in my personal life, so I didn't feel the need to tell her the details. (I know this all sounds like some catty, soap opera situation, but I was not intending to behave like a bee-yatch).  I actually wasn't sure how serious Jeff was about me, so I figured if we dated occasionally but nothing serious came of it, no harm, no foul.  We were becoming pretty decent friends through the tiling/painting process that was our form of dating, and if friends was all that came of it, I thought I'd be ok with that.  Obviously, one day the light dawned on Jeff & I & we realized that what we had was much more than just a construction 'buddyship' & that we were pretty deeply in love with each other..and better yet, good friends.  SO, we decided to get married around New Years 2006 & got hitched that May 4th!  The only catch was that I had to break the news to Ellie, who had no idea we'd even been dating by this point..yikes!

So there it is!  My life has never been the same since & it's never been better :)  I love ya, sweetie-o!

Me, Myself, & I :)

This is what I do on night shifts when I'm trying to stay awake...TAG, YOU'RE ALLLLL IT!!

I AM..Soooo tired, & I feel misplaced..I guess that's what happens when you don't have a 'permanent home'.

I MISS..Jeff. I miss him so much! I want to be curled up in bed with him..listening to him snore..& I miss our doggy, Zuky..she's so dang cute!

I THINK..I should be less selfish. I also think I should eat healthier than I have the last 2 weeks...I've drunk my weight in diet coke & pepsi!

I WANT..to go to sleep. To find a house. To save moolah. To start a family..eventually :) To not have the munchies so bad right now and to NEVER DO LAUNDRY AGAIN!

I HAVE..the ability to sleep anywhere, anytime!

I SEARCH..for a good book! Seriously, guys..I just finished an awesome one and can't seem to find another fabulous read..HELP!!

I WISH..I didn't get so resltess. It seems like I always have to be doing something or I feel useless. I also wish I were one of those girls who knows instinctively how to do my makeup, hair & dress cute!

I HATE..seeing Jeff uncomfortable or feeling sick. I just want to make him feel better!

I AM..still so immature..

I FEAR..not alot, actually. I do fear losing the people I love. Or watching them suffer.

I ALWAYS..second guess myself. I'm working on just sticking to my first decision.

I LOVE..Jeff. Family. Zuky. Running. Chocolate. Caffeine. Perfect temperatures. Laughing. Lip Gloss. Giving the perfect gift...

I FEEL..blah. Not a bad blah. Just a restless blah :) A 'life on hold blah'.

I HEAR..call lights beeping. Elevators dinging. Fluorescent lights buzzing.

I SMELL..hospital..sterile..coffee

I DON'T..understand why I have such bad knots in my shoulders..haha

I WONDER..where we will end up living.

I CARE..a little too much what people think of me. But I'm getting better at that, and narrowing it down to just the people that matter :)

I REGRET..Nothing. I learn from everything. Wait a sec..I DO regret not being nicer to some of the guys I dated. I was pretty mean. But it DID all work out for the best!

I AM..didn't I already do this one? I am lucky, lucky, lucky!

I BELIEVE..That everything will always work out. No matter what.

I DANCE..terribly!! Think Elaine from Seinfeld!

I SING..the most random songs when I'm at work..it drives my coworkers crazy!

I WRITE..the newsletter for our unit. And on this blog. I used to write stories when I was in Jr High & Highschool..I love/loved English! Sometimes I think it would've been really cool if I'd done more with the creative side of my personality.

I WIN..the lottery every time I kiss my husband! It's the best feeling!

I LOSE..patience after a long night shift. And my hair when I wash it. I'm afraid I'll go bald!!

I NEVER..return personal phone calls in a timely fashion. I'm terrible at it. I don't call back for a day. Then I feel guilty that I didn't call back, so I wait longer...ahhhhh!!! It's not that I don't love my friends and family..I do. It's a matter of selfishness, honestly. I will get better at it!

I LISTEN..not as well as I would like to. I talk too much.

I CAN..start an IV in practically anyone. Make yummy eclair cake. Run for hours.

I READ..anything that catches my interest. That includes shampoo bottles. I try to find the whole alphabet on everything..labels, boxes of mac n' cheese, hair gel..HOWEVER, I really do refuse to read to Twilight books. I tried to get into the first one and it totally turned me off.

I AM..crazy! But so is everyone else :)

End of an 'Era'

So, the event that I never thought would take place has: We are moving from our townhouse! We sign papers with the buyers tomorrow. Jeff and I are still in shock, and I'm mildly superstitious, still refusing to say that we've actually sold for fear uttering the words will jinx everything & they'll back out last minute. (If that truly is the case I will be too angry for words, seeing as we've packed all of our lives into boxes & are currently storing it at Jeff's parents' house, where we will be living until we find a home of our own.)

I'm not surprised to find that I am more than a little sad to actually be leaving our first home together. This is where we fell in love with eachother. Seriously. Our dating relationship consisted of nights spent in the townhouse painting, tiling & eating fast food :) We didn't go out to movies or restaurants (we only went on one date together before we got married, to ColdStone:). Instead, we got down and dirty & worked together. Jeff taught me how to use a tile saw in the garage, how to properly paint a house (I thought you just painted over whatever color was there first.) I discovered that he was a person who isn't afraid of hard work & a good challenge...who spent all day busting his butt at his job & then turned right back around & worked another 6+ hours of grueling manual labor because he wanted to (he loves tiling, paint, etc). And he got to see me without makeup, sweaty & mad (he made me get up on the ladders to paint the stairwell cause I was lighter!) ANYWHO, the point I'm making is that this house took a basic dating relationship & turned it into an amazing marriage. We are leaving behind memories of the best kinds. However, luckily I don't leave behind the guy I got with the house :) And, we get to go do it all over again when we find a house to move into, and make new memories! But I will miss our first home, where we started our life together.

I'm such a lucky girl!

Random...

Have I told any of you how much I love Pandora.com? I'd heard from various people that is was a fun little music website..then my friend, Jill, told me she liked to use it a couple months ago..well I've been hooked since!  ANYWHO, I'm packing up the last little things in our townhouse (that's a whole 'nother blog) and Pandora is providing the entertainment..woohoo!

Sionara, amigos!

Baby Bump Alert!!

My high school friend, Lisa, discovered a couple months ago that she and her husband are pregnant with triplets!!!  They already have 2 adorable little girls & are excited to add more to the fun (Jen, I know you're salivating at the thought of THREE babies at one time!! :)  However, as you can all guess, 3 kidlets (plus two) are not cheap!   They are entered in a 97.1 ZHT (you know, the radio station) contest to win a nursery for their upcoming bundles o' joy!  They need as many votes as they can get and you can ONLY VOTE ONCE PER PERSON or they risk being disqualified!!!  So pass on the info...PLEEEEASE.  Help a hot mamma and follow these directions:

Go to www.971zht.com/pages/babywatch.  

Lisa is NUMBER 124!!!!  The pic above is the one posted on the site!  So, vote for 124 & help out an awesome girl..and if ya don't, I'll beat ya with a stick :) 

You can vote Sept 19th-Sept 26th..get movin'!

One Word Answers at 4:30 AM!!

1~where is your cell phone: Pocket
2~Your significant other: Jeff
3~Your hair: dishwater
4~Your mother: gorgeous
5~Your father: Determined
6~Your favorite thing: Jeff
7~Your dream last night: Death (disturbing, I know)
8~Your favorite drink: caffeine
9~Your dream/goal: home
10~The room you're in: hospital
11~Your hobby: running
12~Your fear: failure
13~Where do you want to be in 6 years: Mom
14~What you're not: quiet
15~Muffin: topping
16~One of your wish list items: House
17~Where you grew up: Bluffdale
18~The last thing you did: FINALLYatedinnerat1:30am (yup, that's one word folks! Thanks for grabbing it for me, Cher!)
19~What are you wearing? scrubs
20~Favorite gadget? Ipod
21~Your pets: Zuky-girl
22~Your computer: IMac
23~Your mood: inadequate
24~Missing someone: Jeff
25~Your car: Jetta
26~Something you're not wearing: earrings
27~Favorite store: GotBeauty
28~Like Someone: Jeff
29~Your favorite color: Red
30~When was the last time you laughed? Tonight
31~Last time you cried? Tonight

I tag Amber, Becca, Misty, Cheryl, Courtney, Heather Carr, Jen, Kateka, Mandy, Mariah, Rachael, Stephanie, Chelsea, Tiff & Wendy! *whew*

Man Tag!

So, if you read my blogs, you can tell I'm pretty head over heels in love with my hubby :) Anywho, I got tagged for a 'Husband Blog/Sweetie Blog' by Mariah..so now's my chance to brag about my most favorite person in the world!

1~Where did you meet?
We met through one of my roommates. I had recently broken up with a pretty awful guy a couple months back & my roommate thought that I could date her friend's roomie..who had also just broken up with someone. Well, we went over to meet 'the guys' and there was the friend: Jeff. I was MUCH more interested in him than his buddy. The rest is history!

2~How long did you date before you were married?
9 months. We actually didn't date very seriously until about 3-4 months before we got hitched, believe it or not. But when ya know, ya know! The moment of truth came for both of us on Christmas Eve..we hung out the first part of the evening together at his place..then I drove to my parents. I missed him so much on the drive to my parents that I dissolved into tears! He says he felt much the same way that night..awwww :)

3~How long have you been married?
Two years & almost 5 months...funny thing is, I can't imagine my life without him..it feels like we've always known eachother.

4~What does he do that surprises you?
I never cease to be amazed by Jeff...he is a very multi-faceted person:) HOWEVER, I was initially quite surprised by how much he loves to garden! He has an impressive green thumb & could happily spend hours on end planting, digging & watering! I know that when we have a real yard it will always look awesome!

5~What is your favorite feature about him?
His eyes..they change color all the time!! Brown, green, gold..I hope our children have his eyes! I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that his beard grows in RED & he has really hot calf muscles!

6~What is your favorite quality about him?
He is the most positive person you will EVER meet! And this positive attitude is what is constantly challenging me to be a better person. He never complains about work, even when it's keeping him up 24-7 & he always sees the good side to any situation..I truly aspire to be more like him in this area!

7~Does he have a nickname for you?
Haha :) Early on in our marriage we were making fun of rappers' names: 50 Cent, Eminem...etc. I mean, c'mon!! So we came up with our own 'rapper' names: He's '2 Bits' (A british version of 50 Cent) & I'm 'Skittle'. Sooooo corny..but dang, freakin' funny! We also call eachother 'Babe-a-roo' & 'Sweetie-o' alot.

8~What is his favorite color?
Wow..I don't think we've ever asked each other this question! But I'm going to say Blue, cause literally every other shirt of his is blue..and he looks simply smashing in it, might I add :)

9~What's his favorite food?
He's a meat man, that's for sure! He loves his steak & ribs! And he makes dang tasty ones, too! OH! He also loves the peanut butter Cap'n Crunch! And peaches :) And, this dish his mom made growing up: Poor Man's Fish & Chips!

10~What's his favorite sport?
Jeff isn't really a 'sports' guy, per se. He'll watch a football game & go to baseball..but he doesn't really watch sports on a regular basis. He is a powerhouse road cyclist, though! He is also an amazing swimmer!! He's been swimming since he was a baby & he's got really strong arms (I love his arms!) So, he digs his triathalons!

11~Who said I love you first?
He did..I think we both knew that we loved each other long before we said it..but we were both playing our cards very close. I had butterflies for days after he said it..you couldn't get me to stop grinning!

12~When & where was your first kiss?
Well, I don't remember what canyon, or by what river..but we packed a picnic, hung out by a river..ate strawberries and whipped cream for dessert..and then he kissed me till I was dizzy! :)

13~What's your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Absolutely anything! We love to bike together & camp. And our special hobby is house hunting..lol..we love looking at houses! And cooking..well, he cooks, I eat what he makes!

14~Do you have any kids?
We have a dog...I think she's a good start..lol.

15~What is a hidden talent he has?
He is REALLY good at finding me cute clothes! lol. Actually, seriously, he's an AMAZING LISTENER. People who hardly know him will spill their guts to him! He just has that reassuring, comforting vibe.

16~How old is he?
32 buckaroos!

17~What is his favorite type of music?
He listents to pretty much everything..but old school rap will always have a special place in his heart..haha.

18~What do you admire most about him?
What a hard worker he is. If there is a job to do, he will get it done. No complaining or procrastinating. He has an amazing work ethic!

19~Do you think he is going to read this?
Sure do! :) He always reads the blog..he says that it's a way for him to get inside my head when he's not home..haha.

I love you sweetheart!

I tag Amber, Becca, Misty, Cheryl, all 3 Heathers, Jen, Kateka, Mandy, Rachael, Steph, Chelsea, Tiff & Wendy!

Love Your Body!

Saturday the 6th was the Wasatch Women's run and walk!  It was a 5k/10k event to help promote healthy body image in women..which I personally think is a huge issue in todays society.  I fear for the day that I have a daughter and I have to figure out how to tell her she's beautiful, despite what society & the media are shoving in our faces.  I don't often advertise this, but when I was in Jr High and highschool I had issues related to healthy eating habits.  I know I was not the only one.  To this day I cringe when I remember what a personal hell that was and it breaks my heart to hear ANY woman or girl speak negatively about themselves.  I still face days that I don't really think I look that great, or feel that 'hot'..and yet again, I know that I am not alone in feeling this way.  It is so much easier to look at someone else and say 'I want to look like THAT' than it is to be happy with yourself and how you look.  Some friends from work did this awesome event with me, Shelly and Tammy, and I just want them both to know that I think they are amazing, STRONG and gorgeous women!!  I enjoy their friendship!

Post run...WE ROCK! :)
Man those chicks look smokin'!

Trying to blow a kiss to my hubby..hehe :)

And where would I be without my number one fan & support group?  Jeff is ALWAYS there for me..and he tells me I'm beautiful when I have greasy hair, haven't shaved my legs in a week, am not wearing makeup & have stanky breath!  Every girl should have their own Jeff!  He also reminds me that celebrities look great 'cause they have a team of people to do their hair & makeup for them..PLUS they get to be airbrushed in their snaps! haha :)

SO, I know this will sound corny, but I really want to challenge all my girlies out there to treat themselves right and remember that they are beautiful!!  Say it to yourselves every day, or call me and I'll tell you you're hot!

United Way Day!

Note to self: Jeff will probably kill me for posting this picture of him....hehe:) btw, if you're wondering what the green stuff is in the upper, left corner..I shut a tree branch in the door!
Earlier this year, my sweet hubby (ok, crazy, from the looks of the snap above) invited me to get involved in a group called Young Leaders with him. It's a group of professionals who "use their time, talent, and resources to effect lasting change in our community" (I'm quoting from the Director of the Young Leaders Program, April Harrison..who is a pretty cool girl, btw). Yesterday we had the opportunity to do some painting in the Boys and Girls Club in Sugarhouse. It made for a very satisfying way to spend time..who can turn down free breakfast, good company, & paint fumes? Honestly! ANYWHO, we were busy wielding paint rollers most of the time, so I didn't get a lot of photo ops, but thought I'd post a couple I got towards the end :)
We TRIED to not get paint on the floor..but that was pretty unavoidable!!

And Jeff giving attitude...I'm glad none of the kids were around to see such a disrespectful display..haha :) I love you, babe-a-roo!

What an awesome day!

That's not what you think it is...

I have a new, favorite treat! We went & tried it out last night, and I'm hooked..which unfortunately for Jeff, means I'll be craving it 24-7. I fear for the days I'm pregnant, cause I already have terrible cravings..haha. ANYWHO, it's not the icecream you think it is, folks..it's GELATO!!! MMMM :)

Some of you may have already discovered this treat..good for you! I, on the other hand, was curious every time I drove past the new little shop by our house, but was deterred by memories of Pistachio flavored, graininess..bleh!

So last night I got called off work (I was SO sad..lol), and we decided to go check out Bellissimo's..we walked in the door to this:

WOW! Now, I'd always been told that gelato is better for you than icecream in the calories and fat-content department. I don't particularly care, 'cause if I'm going to eat a treat I'm more concerned w/ it's yumminess factor :) But the fact that this stuff really IS healthier than icecream will not hurt it's cause with me, since I'm a mild health-nut!

The first bite was quite heavenly..BETTER than ColdStone (yes, really). The flavor selection..oh my! Raspberry, coconut, diablo (insanely rich chocolate), pineapple...truly yummy stuff! I'm sure there's more shops than just the one up in my neck of the woods (which I can promise I'll be visiting more often, despite the oncoming cold weather) and I recommend you go try this stuff out! Your tastebuds will thank you :)

You know you're a nurse if....

I was reading through an old email of mine..and these crack me up every time..because they're true, true, true! All my nursing gals will agree..and if you guys thing of anymore..let me know!

*discussing dismemberment over a gourmet meal seems perfectly normal to you
*you have the bladder capacity of five people
*you believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if the phrase, "wow, it is really quiet" is uttered
*you mutter, "great veins" when being introduced to a complete stranger (this ruined many a good date for me, btw)
*you believe chocolate is a food group :)
*you have ever restrained someone and it was not a sexual experience.
*you think that caffeine should be available in IV form. (It is, btw, but not to a poor, stressed out nurse!!)
*you have been exposed to so many x-rays that you consider radiation a form of birth control..not to mention CHEMOTHERAPY..yikes!
*you have ever had a patient look you straight in the eye and say, "I have no idea how that got stuck in there"...this is scary, people..AND TRUE!!
*your feet are flatter and tougher than Fred Flintstone's (they also need nightly massages...if only!!)
*your immune system is so well developed that it has been known to attack squirrels in the back yard!!
*you get an almost irresistible urge to stand and wolf your food even in the nicest restaurants
*you refer to motorcyclists as "organ donors." I know this is morbid, but if you don't wear a helmet..IT'S TRUE!
*you are the only one at the dinner table NOT allowed to talk about your day at work.
*your idea of fine dining is anywhere you can sit down to eat..which would be anything my hubby makes..YUM!
*you've ever had a patient with a nose-ring tell you "I'm afraid of shots."
*you've ever sworn you are going to have "NO CODE" tattooed on your chest...I WILL do this at some point..the things I've seen....ugh
*the front of your scrubs reads “Nurses…here to save your butt, not kiss it!” I actually had a nursing prof who had this one her license plate frame..I thought it was hilarious!
*you believe some patients are alive only because it’s illegal to kill them.
*you recognize that you can’t cure stupid.
*you own at least three pens with the names of prescription medications on them.
*you believe there’s a special place for the inventor of the call light.
*you believe that saying “it can’t get any worse” causes it to get worse just to show you it can.
*you wash your hands BEFORE you go to the bathroom..I'm conviced I have most of the scary viruses out there already, actually :)
*you believe that any job where you can drive to work in your pajamas is a cool one.
*you consider a tongue depressor an eating utensil...fat chopsticks, people!
*eating microwave popcorn out of a clean bedpan is perfectly natural.
*you’ve placed a bet on someone’s blood alcohol level.
*you’ve told a confused patient that your name is that of a coworker and to call if they need help..hehe:)
*you have seen more penises than any prostitute could dream of.
*your family and friends refuse to watch medical sitcoms with you because you spend the whole time correcting everyone and pointing out upside down x-rays...I feel bad for Jeff when we watch House & Scrubs!
*you don’t get excited about blood, unless it’s your own...and even then, it's iffy!
*your idea of a good time is a cardiac arrest at shift change...this is when codes ALWAYS happen..never, ever fails!
*you believe that the government should require permits to reproduce.
*you’ve had to leave a patient’s room before you begin to laugh uncontrollably...the things we hear!

AhHAH!

I think I figured out why we haven't sold our townhouse: Bad karma because of my attitude!  Case-in-point:

I worked last night, so I was DEAD asleep!  I quite frequently don't turn up the volume on my phone when I sleep days cause I DON'T WANT TO BE WOKEN UP!  Well, I guess our realtor called to see if someone could walk through this afternoon.  I didn't hear the phone ring.  The other guys' realtor called. Didn't hear the phone ring.  So they came and POUNDED (when I say pounded, I ain't kidding!  I though there was some kind of emergency for someone to be banging away like that..which is why I dragged my butt out of bed after FIVE minutes of ruckus..I usually ignore it.)  The real kicker: our realtor KNOWS I work nights, so he KNOWS if I don't answer the phone during the day there's a 99.99999% chance my backside is glued to my mattress.

And there they stood.

Them: Hi! You didn't answer your phone so we thought we'd just come over.  How are you?

The light dawns  as to who they are and what they want! *DING*

Me: (in a REALLY pissy tone) I was sleeping.

Them: Oh!  Do you want us to come back later?

Me: No.  I'm already awake. You can walk through now.  (I will admit I was being the most discourteous person at this point..I'm protective of my sleep when I have to be up at ungodly hours.)

Them: Ok.  Cool.  Thanks.

So they waltzed through, like they hadn't just destroyed my sanity while I sat on the couch and fumed in my robe, reading a Women's Health magazine article about stress & how sleep can affect it.  Really?

Them: Well thanks!  You have a beautiful home, even when it's not spotlessly cleaned!!??

I'm not kidding.  They said that.  And just so y'all know..my house can never be considered that dirty, even when it's at its worst..I don't have kids to do that for me yet!

Me: *blank, pissy, stare*

Them: I'd love to show your place again..when is a good time?

Me: When I'm not sleeping. I answer my phone when I'm available to have the house walked through.

And out they went!

I know I was rude.  So were they.  I really couldn't care less.

Staying awake....

A. Attached or single? Attached
B. Best friend? Jeff :)
C. Cake or pie? J's molten lava chocolate mini-cakes he makes for me when I have a bad day.
D. Day of choice? Saturday..it's the only day I get to spend completely with Jeff!
E. Essential Item? Cell phone and lip gloss
F. Favorite color? Red!
G. Gummy bears or worms? Ummm..neither..chocolate..but if I have to choose Sour Patch Kids
H. Hometown? Bluffdale, UT
I. Indulgence? Jeff's cooking!!
J. January or July? July, for sure! The 4th is my favorite holiday!
K. Kids? One puppy :)
L. Life isn't complete w/o? My hubby and our families..which includes our dogs!
M. Marriage date? May 4th, 2006
N. Number of brothers & sisters? 4 brothers, one sister!
O. Oranges or apples? Oranges..mmmmm
P. Phobias? Friends, family, or me getting cancer!!
Q. Quotes? "God grant me the courage to change the things I can change, the serenity to accept those I cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference."
R. Reasons to smile? Too many: Jeff, Zuky, my family, the fact that I have a job, a home, enough food, I'm healthy...would you like me to keep going?
S. Season of choice? Spring and fall..perfect running weather!
T. Tag some peeps! Y'all know who you are!
U. Unknown fact about me: I always slam doors & cupboards..so Jeff always thinks I'm mad when I'm cooking!
V. Vegetable? I know it's a fruit but, tomatoes!
W. Worst habits? Procrastination!!!
X. X-ray or ultrasound? they're both useful in their own rights..haha
Y. Your fav food? Jeff's coffee-rub ribeyes, his amazing ribs, yummy salads....
Z. Zodiac sign? Gemini

CAN. NOT. STAY. AWAKE.

My eyes feel like they have sandpaper for eyelids.

Wondering why I don't work a normal, 9-5, Mon-Fri job. Because I love having 4 days off a week, I guess.

Counting the hours, minutes, seconds till Jeff & I leave for Bear Lake. It CANNOT come soon enough.

Drinking ice-cold Diet Coke..it's making me freeze..it's keeping me awake..I HATE being awake at 3 AM!!!

I love my job. I love my job. I love my job.

Provo Canyon 1/2 Marathon Trail Run!!

So, I actually got pictures of this 1/2 marathon..woohoo!! It was a really great run! Jeff and I took our toy hauler down to Provo to 'camp' overnight so we wouldn't have to get up quiiiiite so early for me to catch the shuttle bus up the canyon. We still got up at 4:40 AM..lol. ANYWHO, I ran with my sis-in-law, Misty, and her friend, Lilly..both awesome chicks! I decided there is very little that can beat good friends, good scenery and good tunes while running!

Misty, Lilly, and me..these girls were so fun to run with!

Um, yeah, that IS my 4 month old cute nephew, Ethan, (4 months, right Misty?) she's holding. Misty is my role model!! WOOHOO!!
My very sweet hubby, who has woken up waaaay too dang early for all my runs this summer and always smiles about it! He is the best and I love him SO, SO much!

So, we came, we ran, we conquered! I took some way cute pics of Misty's kids but since they're her children I figure I'll let her post them on her blog! haha :) We went to IHOP for breakfast after the run and thoroughly enjoyed the heck out of our pancakes! Another Saturday morning well spent!

AAAAAARRRRRRRGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I am in a truly pissy mood at the moment (I've been moody a lot lately, but this tops all my recent 'moments', unfortunately.)  WHY am I pissy?  Because if one more real estate agent calls to look at our townhouse and then CANCELS, or DOESN'T EVEN SHOW (w/o the courtesy of calling to cancel, might I add!)  I'm going to go postal!!  Today is especially bad because I just got off three night shifts.  I'm tired.  I was sleeping.  Jeff called to let me know someone wanted to come look at our place in 30 MINUTES!!  (I am TRULY SO SORRY for snapping at you, babe!  I know it's not your fault) Great.  So I hauled butt to straighten up and then they cancelled. FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!!!  (Since this a 'family friendly' page I'm leaving out the expletives.  But believe me, I've been spouting them! Sorry to my mother!)  I'm just so discouraged..the house we've been building is done.  Fine. Final walk through next week.  And no one will buy our townhouse..which surprises me, because everyone LOOOOVES it when they walk through: the custom tile, the custom paint, the location (and in case you're wondering, it IS priced extremely reasonably..no one can manage to get a loan,though)..blah, blah, blah.  If everyone loves it so much then why won't they just BUY THE DAMN PLACE!!  So I can move into my dream home with my hubby...is that too much to ask?  I have been hoping and praying and wishing (you know how the song goes..)  And now all I have left to do is vent on my blog and eat a fruit chiller, which, btw, are my new obsession (my mother introduced me to them).  I highly recommend them: DELISH!

I also highly recommend buying our townhouse!

THE END!

Friendship

FRIENDSHIP, n. 'The state of being friends'.  Well THAT'S about as mundane and self-explanatory as you can get!!  I have another definition (i found it back in highschool, where it was quite accurate at times!) FRIENDSHIP, n. 'A ship big enough to carry two in fair weather, but only one in foul.  The sea was calm and the sky was blue; Merrily, merrily sailed we two.  On the tipsy ship, with a dreadful shout, The tempest descended and we fell out.' ~ Armit Huff Bettle. (Devil's Dictionary).

So, what do you folks define friendship as?  Is it the person who answers the phone at 1AM to listen to you sob?  Or the person who drops everything to come help you, no matter what? (that's my sister, btw).   Are you still friends when that person finally tells you she thinks you're being immature and you need to quit  being selfish and taking advantage of people?  I guess we'll find out..

Ode to...RANDOM THINGS!

So I basically just downloaded whatever was on our camera and decided to  blog about some of the pics..haha!  So, our house in Lehi is almost done (if we actually move into it is a whole 'nother blog!) I really like the fireplace and kitchen cabinets:

Also, can I just say, I totally love our puppy!  She is such a great friend :)  Here she is just chillin' while I water our plants..she listens to everything I have to say and occasionally gives good advice!

And where would I be without red shoes??  I LOOOOOVE red shoes! Especially if they involve heels..some may think these are hideous.  I personally think they are fabulous! 

And those plants I was talking about?  Here's one of our baby rosebushes..which started out basically as a twig in the ground..it looks awesome!  All 'cause my sweet, green-thumbed hubby can make anything happy..even a rosebush!

Right-o then!  Thanks for viewing my random thoughts :)  Have a great day!

It's That Time Again...

Ahhh...the magic of 4 AM..trying to stay awake! I've been wanting to post on the last weekend since we got back from our little road trip...so now's as good a time as any...

For starters..I forgot to pack the battery for our camera..so no actual pics :( Which stinks, cause there were some awesome photo ops! Let me 'esplain: Jeff and I loaded up the car Friday afternoon and hauled our butts down to Circleville (nice little town outside of Bryce Canyon). There is nothing there, except the ranch we stayed at, and a cafe that seemed to fry EVERYTHING it served..lol. Now, why would we do this? BRYCE CANYON HALF MARATHON, BABY!!! My spunky and schexy friend, Jill, recruited me to run, along with her, her hubby (Yay, LJ), her sis, Denise, and Denise's buddy, Darrell. And it was GREAT, folks! SOOOO gorgeous! Picture this: running through one of the most beautiful national parks in THE WORLD at 6:00 a.m. (YES, 6:00 a.m..we got up at 4 to get there..haha) with the sun coming up on the amazing red rock...it truly DID look like this!!!:

I was in heaven! I honestly feel so alive when I'm running! Add to that fresh air, great scenery and some tunes..for those of you who are runners..you know what I'm talking about. It is, quite frankly, the best rhythm to get in :) Problems melt away in sheer running bliss!

I wax poetic...but it WAS a great run! I was SO happy to have Jeff there to support me :) Such a trooper! Worked hard all week, then drove down with me, woke up early to take us to the start, and was there to blow me a kiss at the finish line :) I'm so in love with my hubby! And it was great to be there with friends, too. Jill is just my all-around-girly! I love ya, Darlin' :) And many thanks to Cole's parents for letting us stay in their beautiful ranch..very generous people!

SO, How were your weekends? :)

A Birthday & A Victory!

Happy Birthday to my mamacita!  She is an amazing lady who has been through a lot.  I can honestly say that she's taught me so much about grace under pressure and putting the people you care about first.  She is absolutely not a pushover, but she will never set out to cause someone else harm or distress.  She is always, and always has been, there when I need her..whether it's because I needed someone to cry to, or just to talk to..she is an excellent listener, which is a rarity in many people.  And to boot, she is just gorgeous!  Definitely a very Classy Lady in every way!!  I love you, mom!

This picture was taken last week on the 4th of July..and I just had to put it in here because I think she looks beautiful :)

So, I also have to add as a side note: Jeff conquered the giant weeds in our side garden that so terrify me!  He's my hero :)  And then he made me hold one to help 'overcome my fear'  haha :)

                                                                       Such a stud!

                                                                   And such a wuss!

Just another day...

So, to start off with: Our house in Lehi/Eagle Mountain is almost done!  It looks like we should be living in it already from the outside!  I love it!  So hopefully we will get to move in!  Take a look:

Next on the agenda: Irrational fears! Everyone's got'em: midgets (yes, you, Heather :), spiders (totally understand that one), heights, small spaces, needles..the list goes on and on.  Some make sense and some don't.  I googled phobias and found some really weird ones: Pentheraphobia (fear of mother-in-laws!!  And just to be clear, I am NOT afraid of my mother-in-law..I like her very much.  And seeing as it's her birthday today: HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOANNE!), Spectrophobia, which is fear of looking in mirrors..which I can actually understand, too, especially in the dark.  ANYWHO, the thing that started this all: I have an irrational fear of LARGE WEEDS!  I don't know why, but they freak me out in a very real way!  So, this morning, I was weeding our front little garden and decided to 'conquer' this fear by trying to pull the GINORMOUS weeds growing behind our AC unit.  I got all psyched up to grab this thick, spiny, leafy, grotesque parasite....and all I succeeded in doing is scaring our dog and a neighbor kid biking by, by yelping loudly and jumping a couple feet up and away from the weed the second I got my fingers around it!  Yup, that's me: a big wuss!  So I pulled all the small weeds in our back and side gardens and Jeff is going to have to be the man of our marriage and save me from the big weeds!  Pathetic :)  Oh, and in case you're wondering..I looked for 'fear of weeds'.  The closest I found was Anthrophobia: Fear of flowers.  But I like flowers.  So, here's to fear of large weeds!  And to wishing, praying, and hoping that Jeff and I will get to move into our house..where I will have lots and lots of large weeds to look forward to pulling!

One more thing...

So, this post is to commit myself to QUIT BEING ADDICTED TO PERFECTION!!!  I have been this way for really as long as I can remember (I recall combing my carpet at one point as a child so it would all GO IN THE SAME DIRECTION!) And it's killin' me, Smalls! (Semi-Sandlot movie quote, for those of you who don't know..yeesh!)  The past couple weeks I have really been TRYING to focus on letting go of the small things.  I have a very hard time with that.  Dishes in the sink?  Gotta get'em done!  Floor needs vacuumed..step right to it! Then, 11:30 last night, as I'm lying in bed, exhausted from 3 hellacious shifts at work..shoulda' been sleeping..but NO!  Full on anxiety hits!  Oh my gosh!  I have 3 baskets of laundry, the dog has spread her fur all over our house, the sink is full, I need to sweep, I haven't made anything more nutritious than Mac n' Cheese...AUGHHH!!!  I think I actually slapped my face and said 'snap out of it!'  And I totally mean to do just that!!  This is something that has the potential to make me miserable if I don't just STOP IT!  I have SO much to be thankful for in my life and I'd better just enjoy it and quit freaking out about everything that just doesn't matter :)  So, if any of you catch me combing carpet, would you please smack me in the back of the head? Thanks :)

Belated Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Jeff!  Happy Birthday to Jeff!  Happy Birthdaaaaay dear, Jeffrey Scott Newman! Happy Birthday to Jeff!!  So, if ya can't tell..Jeff had a birthday!  He turned 32 last Friday, June 27th.  And hardworking guy that he is he still worked half a day!  Geez!  We left for Brigham City that afternoon though, to 'glamour camp' (that's what I call it, since we have a toy hauler to sleep in and it doesn't really qualify as camping!) before our MS bike ride the next day.   He is such an outdoors kind of guy and that is exactly how he likes to relax and celebrate..so it was perfect!  We had a yummy steak dinner that night at Maddox and then were up & at'em early the next morning to hit the streets, baby! ANYWHO, I just want to tell him I love him so much!  I really enjoyed the bike ride and just relaxin' with you babe :)  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! 

Weekend Continued....

As the previous post tells, Jeff and I were out late Friday night. We continued the weekend revelry early Saturday morning: Up at 6 AM for a training ride in Kamas with the Zions Bike Team: The Z Team!! WooHoo! (I really do mean the 'WooHoo', btw..I love being outdoors and biking.) Out in our sassy orange and black lycra! Let me tell ya, it was beautiful up there! Busy, too...there were a couple other events going on in the area and the roads were filled with other bikers and runners. ANYWHO, the whole point of this post is to let Jeff know how much I enjoy spending time with him. I tell him this frequently, probably to the point of annoyance, but it's true! I feel so lucky to be married to my best friend! We can do anything together: garden, cook (Jeff mostly does the cooking..I taste test..lol), bike/work out, housework...obviously ANYTHING..and it's fun! This was so apparent to me as we whizzed around (he goes much faster than I do) looking at houses and mooing at cows (that was Jeff..he loves to communicate with the animals of the world..ya shoulda heard him barking to the seals in Cali!). There is no one else I would rather be with. It was also really fun to have Jeff's parents up there..Joanne, J's mom, is a member of the Z-Team too, and a wicked biking chick! After the ride the team got together for a BBQ at one of the members parents' home..yummy burgers (courtesy of, who else, Jeff.) I must say, that was a great weekend!

Fun! Fun! Fun!

This is long overdue, but it's 2 AM and I'm not feeling so productive! So it's blogging time!!

This last weekend Jeff and I went out with Jen, Cheryl and their hubbies! It was so fun! (At least it was for us girls..I hope it was time well spent for our male halves!) We went to Rachael, our wonderful coworker's, wedding..it was good to see her so happy :) And then to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner..where we basically spent the rest of the night! I'm sure our server was annoyed beyond belief by how long we stayed there...and by how unbelievably loud we were! (I had no idea how rowdy we could be!) I'm also fairly certain the waitress I just about knocked over while trying to 'join' the line dance was mildly peeved..but we were paying customers, and I know I left a good tip..so what the hay! No one got injured! I must say I was greatly impressed with the guys' movie quoting abilities (and their talent for telling embarassing stories about us girls!) And Cheryl and Jen: I just love getting together with you guys! I learn something new every time and I know that it'll never be boring! I just love you gals :) Thanks for an entertaining night! And thanks to our husbands for being so tolerant! I know Jeff wasn't feeling so hot, but sweet guy that he is, he still came out and played! I love you, Sweetie-o!

FRIDAY THE 13TH!!

Yes, it's true..it's Friday the 13th! Yikes! I've never been a superstitious person...don't toss salt over my shoulder if I spill it and turn in a circle and all that jazz (I can't even keep my curse remedies straight!) At least, I didn't think so. But then I got to thinking, and realized that indeed, I AM! At least when it's related to work. And I'm sure all you gals I work with can agree: if you're having a good shift, you won't usually come right out and say 'wow, it's so quiet today/tonight!'. And for good reason. I've only uttered that phrase once in my life while at work, and the day immediately went south from there! From that day on, if the thought enters my mind, I keep it to myself and bite my tongue!

SO, to the actual point of this blog: I would like you all to tell me what YOU'RE superstitious about..if you are. And if you want to make fun of me, feel free to do that too :)

I Am Completely Overwhelmed...

By how blessed I am in the family and friends department!! Guys, I could just cry at how lucky I am! Yesterday was my birthday..24 years..wow, so old (yeah, yeah, I know..I'm still a baby)! Unfortunately, Jeff had to be out of town in sunny Miami for work..and I know he feels just awful about it. But babe, honestly, I understand and it doesn't bother or upset me one little bit!! And of course, Jeff being Jeff, he STILL found a way to spoil me from across the country..more on that in a sec.

SO, to start off, I got phone calls from EVERYONE..my sis-in-law (thanks Heather..I'm sorry I didn't answer my phone!), my mom, my dad, my bro..my parent-in-laws..PHEW! And more than one person posting on MySpace. Kami, my wonderful friend, took me to breakfast at The Original Pancake House..YUMMY!! And then we went to my favorite little boutique, Got Beauty, and proceeded to 'get glam' w/ every available eye shadow, lip gloss and bottle of glitter in the place! We looked SASSY by the time we got done!

When I got home, my bouncing doggy and 100 beautiful sweetheart roses (the cute little, good smelling ones) greeted me! Jeff, always looking for ways to make me feel more and more spoiled, sent them to me..and I just about cried! (ok, I DID cry..). Babe-a-roo, I know you're going to read this, so I'll say what I can't say enough: I couldn't have found someone more perfect for me than you! You're my sunshine and I love you!

I then got to go to lunch with my sister and mom. They are my best friends..I mean, how can the two people who went through every up, down, and sideways moment in my life and were there for me every second, not be? I love you guys SO much!

But wait! I still got to go to dinner with 'mah girlzzz', Cheryl and Jen (Wendy, we missed you!!) (Just so y'all know..I didn't pay for a single meal yesterday!) We laughed & cackled through an entire dinner and then went and trolled the mall like 3 teenage chicks! I always know I will have a hilariously wonderful time with these 2..I'm sure we scandalized quite a few people while we were talking in the parking lot of TGI Fridays!! Just a reminder, Cheryl...in 2 weeks...;) haha!

And just as I was winding down, I pulled into my garage..and there were two guys standing behind the driveway holding a cake! My very kind neighbors, Kenner and Jake, baked me a cake! Which we promptly ate, after they sang me a rousing 'Happy Birthday'! (They claimed they'd been practicing all night).

So, that was a long post..and it can't even begin to convey how loved and spoiled all of you made me feel yesterday! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! There really aren't words to explain..I am truly so, SO incredibly blessed to have the most amazing husband, a wonderful family, and 'totally tubular' friends!

Rules of 3

Since I don't really have anything interesting to write about in my life right now, and because it's always fun to do these little 'tag' things: I was tagged by Mariah..the rules are as follow: Write 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions/Collections, and 3 Random Surprising Facts About Yourself..haha!

3 Joys

1~ My hubby & our families

2~Our spunky doggy

3~Running

3 Fears

1~Losing Jeff or any one of our family members

2~Making a serious mistake at work

3~Failing the people I love

3 Goals

1~Move into our new house (is that a goal..i don't really have any say in whether it happens or not..haha)

2~Get better at controlling my moodiness after night shifts so I don't drive J crazy!

3~Do better at budgeting for groceries

3 Current Obsessions/Collections

1~Blogging..haha

2~Eye Shadow (I know some will find this hard to believe since I don't often wear anything more than mascara to work, which is where most of you see me, but it's true!)

3~Eating Jeff's gourmet meals he likes to make on the weekends!

3 Random/Surprising Facts About Me

1~I'm constantly trying to stop myself from talking too much! It doesn't work...but I will continue in this valiant effort.

2~As much as I love to talk..I don't really like talking on the phone..it feels so awkward to me.

3~I eventually wind up hating every purse I buy..it doesn't matter how cute I thought it was when I purchased it..I will ultimately think it is the ugliest, most un-stylish bag I've ever owned!

I now tag: Amber, Cheryl, Heather Harbaugh, Heather Carr, Heather Doney, Jen, Kateka, Rachael, Steph, Tiffany and Wendy!

Wasting Time!

SOOOO, I'm doing this because if I don't do SOMETHING I will fall asleep and never make it home after this ETERNAL nightshift! I swear I've done this questionare in a million different forms..but here goes:

How long have you been married? Almost exactly 2 incredibly wonderful years..just had a great trip to San Fran to prove it (I'll post the pics some day!)

How old is your spouse? 31 (almost 32..but people would never guess it, he looks pretty dang young.)

Who eats more? Well, you would think Jeff, but this is a tricky one to answer..because I think I eat more FREQUENTLY..which could ultimately equal more food....?

Who said I love you first? It was a joint thing, honest. We were both very hesitant to put ourselves out there..but I had the urge to say it for months before I did!

Who is taller? Oh, definately J..I can almost match him with some of my heels, though.

Who sings better? I don't think I've ever heard Jeff ever try to sing seriously...he's always joking around.

Who is smarter? We're both experts in different areas..so together we make one Einstein.

Who controls the T.V. remote? Jeff, and I really couldn't care less.

Whose temper is worse? I'm definitely the moodiest of us, and J is SO patient with me! But we have this great understanding of each other where we can tell if the other is starting to get rubbed the wrong way, so we can walk away from it for a while...sounds corny (and annoying, I'm sure, but it's true!)

Who does the laundry? Joint effort. I think J is actually more persnikity about seperating whites and colors..haha :)

Who does the dishes? Once again, joint effort..but we have an agreement that if 1 person cooks the other usually does the dishes..but I always do pots..J hates'em.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Jeffrey Scott Newman

Who cooks dinner? Now the real question here is who cooks the BEST dinners? And that answer is Jeff, hands down! He is chef extraoridinare (did I spell that right?) Honestly guys, he makes the most amazing meals!

Who is more stubborn? We're both pretty stubborn, but I think I win here.

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? I think it's me..I have a terrible guilt complex and I can't stand to hurt/upset the people I love.

Who has more friends? Does it really matter? I'm married to my BEST friend, and that's all that's important!

Who has more siblings? Me..my poor, poor parents..haha

Who wears the pants in the family? It's a give and take, depending on the situation..but we never make decisions without talking to the other person!

OK, so when ya'll get bored, do this survey!