monday's moment

There have been many great things about today so far...

-the sun is shining bright

-the laundry pile is shrinking

-the bathroom is clean

-ziggie is cute...just like every other day :)

But with all of that greatness there is something even greater.... something that makes me SOOOO EXCITED I can hardly contain myself!!! Yep- that's because she's coming and I only have to wait one more day! Tomorrow close to this time I'll be driving to the airport to pick up the one, the only, the beautiful: MOMMY !

Just in case you weren't sure- I CAN NOT WAIT!!! We have so much fun together- even if all we do is sit and stare at the wall. She always knows the right thing to say, she makes me laugh and is always there for a good hug. We love to watch movies and eat popcorn together, we love to laugh together, we love to play with Mekena and Kirra, sing funny songs, go on walks, eat and eat, AND she's a really good helper with organizing.... so she's comin' at the perfect time! Get ready mom- my office is calling your name!

HURRY UP- get on the plane and get here already!!!!! YEA!!!

P.S. Ziggie's really excited too- he's jumping at the chance to lick you all over the face!!!

my "flower" project

Okay- so it's kinda funny because this project really was about flowers.... Anyways- finally I'm getting the pictures up for it so here it is....
I made this for my Beehives to help them with their Personal Progress. Basically each time they accomplish a value experience they get to add a petal the same color as the value to the stem. Silly maybe- but the girls seemed to like the idea. Then when they have all the flowers complete we'll have a sleepover with fun activities and such. I just cut the vase out of cardstock and tied the ribbon around it. The stems are made out of wire and then I cut black circles and glued buttons of each value color. It was really simple. I'm hoping this will give the girls that extra push to work on Personal Progress- it should be fun for them and I want them to get excited about it so here it is! Did any of you do any projects?! I want to see!


P.S. "monday's moment" will come later on....

flower power

You have to take time to stop and smell the flowers....or really,

what's the purpose of planting them? I've been thinking about this

lately. I don't have a real garden, the typical garden- cute and colorful

flowers and cool plants with a butterfly here or there....and maybe

you don't either.

BUT then I realized we all have "gardens" in some form or another.

Like when you take time to "stop and smell the flowers"...

whether it's real flowers that give you that joy or if it's taking time for

yourself to read that book you've been meaning to get to, go on a walk

just because, reading through your old journals to spark some fun

memories, writing a note to someone you've been thinking about,

making your favorite cookies just so you can enjoy them, taking time to

create that project that's been forming in your mind...or whatever it

is that brings you that breath of fresh air that you get from smelling the

flowers... DO IT. do it TODAY! It will bring a smile to your face and a

little bit of piece from this hectic world...

For me, today I'm going to take time to create a project that's been

brewin in my mind- and when it's done I'll post a picture just so you

know I really did it. So, each of you "stop and smell the flowers" and

then tell me about it!

(I know, I'm a cheese ball... but that's just how I am and if I were

talking to you about this in person you'd probably be laughing

at me because I'd have a big silly grin on my face and give you a

big hug and tell you to get to it! So do it...GO!)

just for a laugh

My exact words (bad spelling and all) from 1995:
"If I could envite anybody in the world to dinner I'd evite Marilyn Monroe, Jodie Sweeden, Candace, TLC and Whetney Houstone. I like all of them very much. I think they would be fun to hang around. Jodie and Candace are actresses in Full House, Marilyn is also an actress she stared in a amovie called Some Like It Hot. TLC and Whetney Houstone are singers. TLC is a group. That's who I'd envite. If I could go anywere in the world to eat I'd go to Lasentenco. It has any kind of food you could imagine. ...It was funny because we all stood on top the tabel and sang Creep. When we were done every body clapped and gave us ll their money."

I was obsessed with Full House and appartently had a liking for Marilynn Monroe- whoda thunk?! I honestly don't know if I've ever even seen "Some Like it Hot". And for all of you TLC fans out there (are there any?!) ... knowing "Creep" goes without saying. I've been going through lots of old papers and such as I've been attempting to organize my office. I came across this and had to laugh- I thought I would share it with you... who knows why really, I suppose it's always good to stroll down good ole' memory lane every now and then. I especially like the end the best- where everyone gave us all of their mula! haha

monday's moment

ok- so lately Monday's have not been liking me very much. They are often a hard day for me because I enjoy the weekends and being able to spend time with Jeff so much and then Monday starts and it's back to work. Well, I've been trying harder to find things to do on Monday's that make them more enjoyable for me because I hate the thought of dreading a new week when really I'm grateful for a new week.... so I'm starting "Monday's Moment" where I will write about something (sometimes plural) whether big or small that make my Monday a little brighter....Today there have been quite a few things like Mekena giving me a health lesson and telling me "my lungs help me breathe Auntie Amy. That's why it's not good to smoke, it makes your lungs black and icky and then they stop working." (thank you Dr. Mekena.... thank goodness I don't smoke or she'd be givin me a lecture!) or hearing Kirra count to 10 for the first time... but my conversation with Chrissy just topped it all and it's only 6pm. I'll spare you the details of all our silliness but bottom line.... she's a hot mama who gets free dessert and attracts all sorts of guys! (even the ones who aren't typically attracted to girls) I love her- I mean come on now, who wouldn't she's absolutely beautiful!

a little love lift

Valentine's Day was great- we started with breakfast (I attempted to make omelets... wasn't so successful with the whole flipping of the so called omelet, how do they do that?! Any omelet experts out there who are willing to share their secrets?! (and is it omelet or omlet?)) We went to a matinee to see "Definitely, maybe". I'm not much of a movie critic- mostly because I like just about all of them. I thought this was a cute one- the adorable Abigail Breslin is one of my favorite little stars and she always does a good job making me smile. Jeff had to work but his boss was kind enough to let him take a long dinner break from 6-9pm. We drove over to Davis Island and ate at mexican place called "Estella's". It was delicious! (but then again, I'm not a very good food critic either... same reason, I like just about all of it!)

I love Valentine's Day! In elementary it was fun because I always tried to decorate the coolest box (I remember one time my mom helped me make a panda bear out of a cereal box... it was so cool!) and then it was always exciting to read them and eat all the candy. We always celebrated it together as a family growing up- mom would make yummy stroganouf and big sugar cookies. Each of us made some sort of homemade valentine for all the family. We'd have balloons on each of our seats, a big cookie and little candy hearts scattered around the table. Mom and Dad always spoiled us! (and still do)

It's true what they say... "love lifts us up where we belong" How better a feeling than to love and be loved?! Family, friends, husbands- all of it. Love is a giving and selfless thing and I think it truly lifts us up- how can you be in love or be loving and not be floating?!

Jeff makes me float and here's a few reasons why:
-his smile makes me smile
-we fit together like a puzzle
-he is so musically talented
-he watches girly movies with me (and sometimes secretly likes them!)
-he's always up for an adventure
-he puts up with my moods (and sometimes even throws oatmeal on his face when I'm sad)
-he cooks more than I do and is really good at it
-he makes me feel beautiful

and the list goes on and on!

If only every day were Valentine's Day- I guess you can only get away with so much mushiness in one day. But lucky for me I have a great husband who loves me everyday and keeps me floating!

Mr. Adventure

For those who know my sweet husband you know he's up for any challenge, any adventure, any craziness!

One of his new activities is biking. He goes to "Alafia State Park" and loves it. I'm happy riding around the neighborhood on my cadillac seat with my little basket up front. Of course for my Mr. Adventure this isn't exciting enough. So instead he decides it's fun to ride on steep dirt hills going over roots and holes and sometimes flying over his handle bars.. no joke, last week I went with him, he fell and was still grinning from ear to ear- walking to the parking lot I noticed some dirt on his shirt and a nice stick in his shorts... crazy boy has sticks in him and scrapes and bumps and he's loving it!

This past Saturday there was an event for "Gasparilla". Verizon was a sponsor for the event so all of their employees were able to participate for free. Jeff thought it would be "fun" to run the 15k! I'm thinking to myself... fun?! You crazy boy! Now, he's tough and strong- exercises all the time but he's never trained for any of these things like all the other runner folks. But, seeing as he's always up for a new adventure- off he goes with his running shoes on. He did great, it was a fun day (fun for me because I was sittin on the sidelines cheerin' everyone on and enjoying the comfort I was in and not pain and exhaustion!) and he's motivated me to get my little (big) booty in shape!And off goes the sea of craziness! Go Jeffy, go!!Yea! Comin' across the finish line- he's gotta be feeling great in a tired sort of way...

Look how good he looks- even after runnin like crazy- way to go babe!

i've been tagged

So here it is folks... thanks to Miss Katie:
4 Jobs I've had:
-Mananger for Mariposa
-Nanny
-assistant for EELP (early exceptional learning program) class
-teller/customer service for America West Bank
4 Movies I can watch over and over: (depends on my mood... but for we'll say these for today)
-How to Loose a Guy in Ten Days
-Little Women
-Monsters Inc. (thanks to Mekena and Kirra I have no option)
-Raising Helen
4 Places I've lived:
-Land O Lakes, FL
-Layton, UT
-Ogden, UT
-Brentwood, CA
4 TV shows I love to watch:
-Gilmore Girls
-The Office
-What I Like About You
-Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
4 Places I've been on vacation:
-Costa Rica
-Bahamas
-Carmel
-Hawaii
4 Websites I visit everyday:
-Bank of America (keep my budget in line)
-Yahoo (email)
- http://www.elizabethkartchner.blogspot.com/ (to get my creative juices flowin)
- http://lovelife.typepad.com/ (for a little GO power)
4 of my favorite foods:
-Ben and Jerry's ice-cream
-Mellow Mushroom pizza
-mom's cookin
-dried mangoes
4 places I'd rather be:
-with family
-in a clean office
-sitting by Chrissy having her paint my nails
-Savannah, Georgia
4 lucky people I tag:
-Gretchen
-Tiersha
-Marci
-Brooke

"nobody's perfect"

For your viewing pleasure....

Hannah Montana & Susanna Louisiana (aka Mekena and Kirra)

Ok so I know I'm a little biased but they are so stinkin adorable! I was cracking up (as I'm sure you heard)... they seriously know every single word -if only my ameature recording skills would have done them justice! And those dance moves- well I asked Mekena who taught her how to dance and she said, "I learned them myself! When I was a baby I didn't know... and now I do!" Well then, I guess the rest of us better sit back and watch these charming little pros at work!