Monday, December 31, 2007

Born on Christmas Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILL!


It's been almost a week since his birthday, but what a week it's been. Sorry I'm only doing this now, but better late than never, right? I love to do little-known facts about people on their birthdays, because it's fun. So here's some interesting stuff about Bill:

  • He was born on Christmas Day
  • He was born in Guam, so technically, here in the U.S., it was only Christmas Eve
  • He's 1/4th Japanese
  • He can't breathe through his nose
  • He proposed to a girl he'd never met after chatting with her online for a week
  • He wants to be a CPA
  • He was just made Elders Quorum Secretary
  • He is a little infatuated with Transformers
  • He has a rockin' wife
  • He likes food for its natural flavor, he rarely uses condiments or seasonings
  • He is the funnest dad on the planet
  • He is hilarious, but most people don't know it cause he's so shy
  • He's addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper
  • One of his very favorite things to do is service, no matter what kind
  • He gets me like no one else, and does whatever it takes to keep me happy
  • He can do SO MANY impressions that only I have ever heard
I could go on and on, but at least now you have a little insight into my crazy, wonderful husband's life.

Happy Birthday again, Sweetie Pie!

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Happy Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHAYLA!


Shayla and I lived just down the street from each other for two years before we realized we were twins separated at birth. Okay, not really, but almost. Here are some fun facts about Shayla:

  • She is a self-taught web page designer, and she is amazing at it.
  • She LOVES to read but never buys books, even if she loves them. She is a regular at the local library.
  • She married her high school sweetheart, and was so confident they would marry that she picked out her ring and wedding dress before he got off his mission.
  • She is an awesome, loving mother of two beautiful girls.
  • She and her husband are best friends and will often sit side by side at their computers and e-mail each other.
  • She is very knowledgeable about computers, but is deceivingly awful at math.
  • She loves to scrapbook and make cards, and is very talented at crafts.
  • She has a sense of humor that most people don't know about. When you first witness it, it's a little shocking.
  • She's a great friend who would drop anything at a moment's notice to help someone in need.
  • We are often freaked out to find yet another thing we have in common.

Happy Birthday to the twin I never had!

Thursday, December 27, 2007

High School Musical 2

Hollywood called and threatened to de-throne me if I didn't talk about movies soon. And Blogger is all on my case....apparently you can't claim the title of "Movie Queen" unless you actually post about movies. Huh. So, here's me trying to keep Hollywood and Blogger happy.



We got High School Musical 2 for Christmas. I still had never seen it, as we don't have the Disney Channel at our house. I have had the entire soundtrack memorized since last August, however, thanks to my sister giving us a copy of it. I have been dying to see the movie, and, four months later, I finally got to.

I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I like it just as much as the first one. Too often sequels just don't add up to the originals, especially if the original shot to unexpected levels of fame and high ratings. (Pirates of the Caribbean II, anyone?) I worried that the newly famous actors, complete with scandals and tabloid appearances, would have changed the way they played the bubbly, virginal characters we all came to love in HSM1. Or, that the director would have played up the cheesy, oh-so-very-Disney musical aspect, which was already just teetering on the border of too much for me in the original. But, with a few exceptions, it was fairly cheese-free.

Here's what I loved:

The music. Isn't that the very heart of HSM in the first place? At first I didn't think the songs were as catchy or addicting as the first one, but after listening to it several times, I was singing along with my very best scoops and forced vibrato. Favorites: Of course the obvious, the give-me-a-toothache-sweet duet between Troy and Gabriella, "You Are the Music in Me." And I love the second duet they sing (although I'm usually not a big fan of the gospel choir endings), "Everyday." My guiltiest pleasure on the soundtrack is Troy's "Bet On It," which has my inner hip-hopper fighting her way out to pop 'n lock. But my very favorite is Gabriella's break-up anthem "Gotta Go My Own Way." If I was a pre-pubescent girl, I'd be sobbing into my Hello Kitty handkerchief.

Troy and Gabriella. Finally past the "Are They or Aren't They?" stage, I was so relieved to see their relationship was more realistically high school than, say, Saved By the Bell, which is to say, they actually spend time together outside of school. Gabriella was the same giggly, doe-eyed sweetheart to whom I don't relate at all, and Troy, well, he's just swell. We love Troy. We love Zac. He's a great actor, great singer, great dancer, great looking. (And is it just me, or would he not be a great Edward?) He's probably the only guy that could play Troy and still maintain his heterosexuality. And the fact that he hasn't been able to get more than ten minutes into either HSM movie without having to turn it off just makes him all the more appealing. Come on, wouldn't you be a little worried if he loved tween musicals?

Ryan. A likable, minor character in HSM1, he evolved into a fully funny, lovable character in HSM2. Best line: (Ryan's dad) "Have you been working out, son?" (Ryan) "Yoga."

The scenery. Suddenly Albuquerque is at the top of my list of places to live. But only if it's at a country club with a lush, green golf course and a pool with a rock waterfall.

Things I could have done without:

Troy's dance number to "Bet On It." My hubby told me about a spoof on YouTube they did where they put that scene to "The Hills Are Alive" (Sound of Music). I never saw it, but watching this scene made me laugh, just picturing it. I can totally get where their inspiration came from.

When Troy touches Gabriella's nose as they sing their final duet, and she responds with a giggle, her 55th of the movie. I was choking down the bile.

Seriously, could they not put Troy in anything other than blue? I kept track during the movie. He wore two shirts (of about 12) that were not blue. We get it, he has amazingly blue eyes. I half expected Chad to show up in a scene wearing one of his expressive t-shirts that said "Troy has amazingly blue eyes." It would have been less obvious.

Claim To Fame:

The coolest thing about High School Musical 2 is that my awesome cousin Jen and her husband, Cory, are in it. They walked on as extras and made the final cut. In the talent show scene at the end, they're sitting behind Ryan and Sharpay's parents, smiling and clapping. (Cory is the really tall guy.) It's so cool, and I still can't get over it when I see them sitting there. I'm trying really hard not to hate Jen for being in a movie before me, but who can hate Jen?

So here's hoping HSM3 brings just as much great music, sweet romance, and a polychromatic wardrobe for Troy.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Okay, my fans have spoken, and they will be heard. To respect Nicole's privacy, I won't name any names. But it has been made known to me in no uncertain terms that I need to get my butt back online and update my blog. So here I am, in all my glory. Oh, and I have to welcome back my fans who have just recently realized I am blogging again. I apologize that you couldn't find me, I swear I wasn't trying to give anyone the slip. I'm so glad you've found me.

So I'm going to have to cram all the posts I've been wanting to do into this one, to make up for lost time. Things have been kind of exciting around here lately, which is really weird. I actually have stuff to blog about, just no time to do it.

So here's a rundown of what's been going down in my world:

  • I chopped my hair off to just below my chin. Aaaaahhhhh! I LOVE IT. I will not post a picture for two reasons: 1) Because I attempted to fix it today and hate it. I have to go back to cousin Heather to get a tutorial on how to fix my hair. And 2) Because what's the fun in seeing a picture? I can't get feedback through a computer screen. If you all saw a picture of it first, then the next time you see me it's old news and not, "Oh my gosh, your hair!!" I need that verbal feedback, people. I'm not ashamed to admit it.
  • Last night we had to take my daughter to the ER. She couldn't breathe. I've never had a child who couldn't breathe before, I had no idea what to do. I was pretty sure it was croup, and I'd always heard to take them outside, so we bundled up my poor, sick, miserable, gasping 6 year old in her coat and blanket and stood outside in the freezing cold. She was so confused, couldn't figure out why we were making her stand out in the cold in the middle of the night when she was so sick. It helped a little, but not enough, so we took her in. All they did was confirm it was croup, gave her a steroid, and told us that if it happened again, to take her outside in the cold again. (I had to give myself props for figuring out on my own what the doctors said to do. Yay me.)
  • Tonight I got an unexpected surprise. A phone call at dinner had me on on a massage table ten minutes later, getting a free massage. Me likey free. Me likey massage.
  • It's official, again. I don't have celiac disease. Again. I went to Dr. Gastro to find out once and for all, and he said that with the biopsy results showing no signs of it compared with the blood test results (the numbers when I wasn't eating gluten compared with the numbers when I was were almost identical), that it was almost definite I don't have it. He said the original blood test that made them think I had it must have been a false positive. Imagine that. All this over one false test result. So my theory? It's the acid reflux. I've been symptom-free since I started taking A.R. medicine, and when I don't take it I feel sick again. The only problem occurred when Dr. Gastro said I was self-medicating and needed to try to control it through diet changes. This is the list he gave me, I kid you not: NO mint gum, NO pop, NO sugar, NO greasy fast foods. Um, huh? Is there other food out there? Does he want me to starve?
  • But quite possibly, the most exciting thing to happen here was the completion and distribution of my Christmas cards. Hallelujah! I can get back to life.

So there you have it. An update. Hopefully it'll tide you over for the next two weeks. Just kidding, I'll try to do better, Nicole.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Busy, Busy, Busy

It seems like whenever I have a million things I want to blog about I can't spare two minutes to sit down to the computer. I've even worked up a fun little ditty about how busy I've been in my head but I have no time to sit and put it on my blog! Between making my Christmas cards, Christmas shopping, playing chauffer, trying to get my house clean and laundry done, making my Christmas cards, returning things to the store that I changed my mind about, wrapping presents, making my Christmas cards, paying bills, and making my Christmas cards, I have been the equivallent of a recently beheaded chicken. As soon as these blasted Christmas cards are done, I'll have a lot more time to do what I need. So, check back soon for some real blogging. And sorry to those of you who have e-mailed me and such, and to those whose blogs I'm ignoring, I promise I will get back to you asap!!!

Monday, December 10, 2007

Change

An many of you know, our stake recently re-did it's boundaries and a new ward was added. My old ward, 6th, was cut in half, and we wound up in 3rd ward, which is weird to me, since this is the ward I grew up in. I had mixed feelings about this. I had been so excited about the upcoming split, mainly because of the probability of me being released from my calling finally. But I was also excited at my ward getting smaller so that we could actually know the people in it, and they could know us. It never occurred to me that not only could I be part of the group leaving the ward, but that almost all of my friends were staying behind. But, I'm always up for meeting new people and making new friends, and....I WAS BEING RELEASED!!!!

Yesterday was our first Sunday in our new ward. It was so weird, but exciting. I was shocked to see how many fellow 6th warders made up the new 3rd ward. It was very comforting. Especially in primary (where I went to help out for a while, I knew they'd need help). Old 6th warders made up more than half of our primary. It was nice for the kids.

And then for the first time in three years, I got to go to Relief Society! I was so excited. It was so nice being in with adult women, having gospel discussions and being inspired. (Plus, I got to hold a precious little baby the whole time.) But I was shocked at how much of me wanted to be back in primary! I know, I know, I can't be pleased.

Anyway, by the time church was over, I was very optimistic about our new ward. Some familiar friends, some familiar faces from my old ward that I've never gotten to know and now I can, and some new faces that I can't wait to meet. And of course, I can't wait to see where I'll end up, calling-wise. BUT I STILL MISS 6TH WARD!!!!

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

And The Winner Is.....................

MARY ANN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Woohoo! All the way to AZ!
And honorable mention goes to Kim, who got 6 of my 12 items right, more than anyone else, although I am completely amazed at how close everyone came. (And some people came up with some that Kim didn't!) I think Kim will get a small secondary award, maybe something small, green and minty.
M.A., give me a few days to finish getting it ready and then obviously shipping time, but I promise to have it to you by the 12th. Oh, and e-mail me your addy. Enjoy!
And thanks to all who played, I had SO much fun doing this!
If you want to know what my actual list of 12 was, let me know, I'll e-mail it to you.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Part II

I was asked if I was going to tell what the winner of my giveaway would actually win, and I so badly want to say except I don't want to ruin it for the winner, since they will all be wrapped presents. But.......I thought it would be lots of fun (for me) if people thought they could guess what my 12 items about me would be. I would love to see how well people know me, or think they know me! As an incentive, if you take the time to guess my 12, I'll put your name in the drawing again, even if your guesses are all wrong. I would just be happy that you tried! So come on people, help your chances at winning and humor me all at the same time!

(If you're just reading about the giveaway for the first time, refer to my last post. You still have one more day to comment. You can comment on either this post or the last for it to count.)

Sunday, December 2, 2007

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

I've always wanted to do a giveaway on my blog, and I thought that Christmastime was just the time to do it. I loved the idea of doing stuff that I love, some of my favorite things, like my good friend did for her birthday. So all you have to do is comment on my blog before Tuesday at midnight (I guess technically that would be Wednesday morning), and you only have to comment once. Each person that comments will be entered into a drawing. The winner, who will be announced Wednesday morning, will win my personal Twelve Days of Christmas. Twelve gifts, to be opened starting Dec. 12th, and each day following, until Christmas Day. OR, the winner can open them all at once, whichever they want.
Ready.....set.....comment!

Friday, November 30, 2007

Footloose

I have a confession to make:
I used to do this:
Only it wasn't as cool back in 1990. But the idea was the same, the steps were the same, I LOVED it, and if I do say so myself, I was pretty good at it. My cousin who also used to do this sent me this video and it was such a blast from my past, I had to share it with you all. I have to say, when I see it, a part of me wishes I still did it. Can't you just see it now?

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Relationships 101

Okay, seriously, I thought I had atleast eight more years before I had to start worrying about this stuff.

But..... my six year old daughter is already capturing the attention of her male classmates. It started a few months ago, she would come home and complain about how Cody in her class never left her alone and was so mean to her. Then it was that Cody chased her around at recess, always had to sit by her, and would write that he loved her on his paper. She had no clue what was going on, she thought he was a dumb, annoying boy, so I explained to her that Cody has what is called a "crush" on her, that for some reason when boys like girls, they sometimes act mean to them. She was flabbergasted, but I could tell inside she was flattered. When I went to her Thanksgiving feast in her classroom, Cody came up and more or less introduced himself to me. Eeeek!

This was bad enough, but then yesterday, the phone rang. It was Cole, from her class. He just "wanted to talk." They chatted it up for about five minutes and then hung up. I asked why he called and she said she didn't know, that he had asked for her phone number in class so she wrote it down on a paper for him.

Okay, SERIOUSLY?! I mean, I get it, these boys have good taste, she's beautiful, but 1ST GRADE???!!! I may be making a call to the phone company. Refer back soon for my new phone number.....

So today my four year old son comes home from preschool and says, "Mommy, Ethan has a crush on me." Luckily my back was turned because I was dying trying not to laugh. I asked him why he thought that and he said, so annoyed, "Because he's always hitting me and punching me and being mean to me." I explained that people being mean doesn't always mean they have a crush, and that boys have crushes on girls, not boys. (We hope. It is preschool.) He didn't believe me at first, but I finally convinced him. I hope I didn't give him a blow to his ego.

I miss the good old days when all I had to worry about was diaper rash and colic.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Bella is Cast

At the risk of revealing the full extent of my obsession, I just had to post this link to Stephanie Meyer's website. I googled "Twilight the movie" to see if anyone had actually been cast yet, and this is what I found. Meet the new Bella.........

What do you other Twilighters think? I think it will take some getting used to, but not too unbelievable.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Obsession

There are so many things I could blog about, but there is only one thing on my mind. All the time. To the point of obsession:
Vampires.
No. I can't believe I just said that either, and yet, there it is, in bold print. I am obsessing about vampires. Well, just one actually. His name is Edward.
The irony in all of this is that I hate vampires. Not in the "vampires are bad and scary" way that you're supposed to hate vampires, but in the "books and movies about vampires are ridiculous and juevenile and retarded" way. My husband LOVES them. His very favorite movies are vampire movies. I have never been able to sit through five minutes of any of them. And you know coming from me, that says a lot.
This is the reason I was so hesitant to read the Twilight series. Although everyone raved about the love story, I just couldn't get on board with the vamps. But, like anything else, once I saw that the hype was not dying away, my curiousity got the best of me.
Enter Edward. And my newfound vampire obsession. I think it will be a very good thing when I finish the third book, so that my mind might finally be free to think about other things. Until the next one comes out, of course.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Thankful

The gospel in my life, every day

Healthy, happy kids who love me unconditionally

A wonderful, loving husband who understands me better than anyone

Never having to go hungry, cold or homeless

Krispy Kremes

Friends who truly know me and love me

Urban-themed scrapbook paper

Lots of family close by


Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Lots On My Mind

I've got so many things swimming around in my brain I couldn't settle on any one thing to blog about today, so I'll just briefly mention what they are. Here's what's on my mind...
  • 1st grade Thanksgiving feasts. We had one today in my daughter's classroom and the food was actually really good! It was awesome to see the turnout of families that came to watch and it was nice to sort of get my foot in the door of her classroom and get to know her teacher better. I really haven't been as involved this year as I'd like. They were all wearing Indian headbands that they'd made (most of the girls had their hair in braids) and they each said a little line about the Wompanoag Indians and they told us their Wompanoag names. My daughter's was Red Flower. So cute.
  • Baby showers. My sister's is tonight and I'm excited for it. I love showers, well, any kind of party really, but I'm especially excited to do my Celebrity Baby game.
  • Dieting. We, as a family, are really trying to switch to a healthier lifestyle. We're doing well, but, you know, those first few days SUCK.
  • Twilight. I finished it on Sunday and can't stop thinking about it. I'm dying to start the next book but have to wait for my wonderful Sister-In-Law to finish it first. I'm so desperate to read more about Edward and Bella that I'm this close (imagine my pointer finger and thumb barely touching) to starting the first book again!
  • Christmas shopping. I'm starting to get that panicky feeling because not only have I not bought a single Christmas present, but I haven't even given it a thought and only just sat down yesterday to figure out who we even have to buy for. I need to get on the ball!

I could go on and on but my head hurts and I'm tired. (Also topics that have been on my mind.)

Monday, November 19, 2007

Blurb

So, like just about everyone else, all the recent blogs about safety issues online has got me thinking about what I want to do to feel I am protecting myself, my family and my friends to atleast some extent as I blog. I immediately thought of past posts I have done that definitely give away too much information, and went to go change them. But then I realized, I am in an interesting position. Because I took my recent hiatus (which happened to fall on my year mark) as an opportunity to change my blog address once returning, everything I have posted since coming back, everything from my "second" year of blogging, is safe in my eyes. So, I thought, instead of going back through a YEAR'S worth of posts and changing anything that may be deemed unsafe, why not just delete that entire year? Does it really need to be there? Especially if it's full of pictures and facts I now realize shouldn't be out there for Creepy McScaryguy to see?

I had already decided months ago, when
Passionista first talked about Blurb on her blog, to publish my blog at my year mark. So now, I can publish, and delete it, and it won't be lost to me forever! I was so excited I instantly downloaded my blog to Blurb, but for anyone who has worked on Book Smart, the editing program on Blurb, you know that it can be a little time consuming. And I am a perfectionist. And if I'm gonna publish a book, it's gonna be perfect, dangit! And I have a year's worth of posts to edit and get perfect. So, this is my question: Even though I have not finished my blog on Blurb and sent it to publish, do you think it is safe to delete that year of my blog, since it is all saved on Blurb, or do you think there's a chance that if my blog disappears online, it might suddenly disappear from Blurb and be gone forever? I'm pretty sure it would be safe, but I'm terrified to delete it and have it be gone with no chance of ever getting it back.

So if anyone knows anything about Blurb, or for you computer savvy people, I would LOVE it if you could help me out here. (I've searched Help in Blurb and can't find my answer anywhere.)

Friday, November 16, 2007

Where Has G-Rated Gone?

In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a tad passionate about movies. I love everything about them, from the actors and music to the way they take you to a different time and place for a few hours.

It's not surprising that my kids love movies, too. I'm only a little ashamed to admit I was that mom that plopped my babies in front of Baby Einstein and Elmo often so I could actually get something done. But from the get-go my kids were mesmerized by movies. They would sit there, enraptured, even through the credits.

Fast forward to now. We don't have one kid tv station, not even PBS. If my kids want to watch something, it has to be a movie. This has it's plus-side, for all of you gasping right now: I know exactly what my kids are watching, when they're watching it, and there is a definite start and stop point, whereas before I would switch on Nick Jr. and walk away. Six shows later I'd suddenly realize maybe it was time to shut it off. The downside is fairly obvious: My kids are sick to death of the movies we own, and we have quite a collection. Needless to say, we are at Wal-Mart every Tuesday that a new "kid movie" is released on DVD, cash in hand.

But here is where my problem lies. Finding "kid" movies that I want my kids to watch, knowing they will watch it over and over til they have it memorized. It used to be frustrating to me that every kid movie, even Disney ones, had stuff in them I wasn't too keen on having my kids learn, ie the references to "butts" and how often they say "shut up." These just aren't words we say in our house.

Now, I miss the old days of "not-nice" words. Now I have to worry about actual swear words, and references to much worse things than bodily functions. Case in point: Ice Age? Great. Cute, funny, clean. Ice Age 2? My kids watched it once and we had to sell it on eBay after hearing three swear words in it. Do you know how much I hate to own a movie and not its sequel?

What got me fired up enough to write this post was my experience last night. When Transformers came out on DVD, we knew we were going to have a problem on our hands as my husband had done his best to get our son OBSESSED with Transformers and we knew that as soon as the movie was in our home (Monday night at midnight of the release date) it would be torture with him begging constantly to watch it. YEAH RIGHT! Besides the obvious guns and shooting, there were completely unnecessary parts of the movie that made me squirm. So my husband, in all his wisdom and foresight, ordered the "vintage" cartoon Transformers movie that he grew up with. We waited anxiously for it to come in the mail, holding our son off from the PG13 version as long as we could. After over a month (yeah, someone's getting negative feedback) it finally came yesterday. I excitedly popped it in and watched with joy as my little boy parked himself a foot from the tv and started pointing out all the characters with glee. Halfway through it, however, my joy turned instantly to shock as I heard what I am 90% sure was the "sh" word. I thought I must have been mistaken, but was convinced I wasn't when five minutes later one of the transformers yelled, "work, da**it!" WHAT?! Are you KIDDING me? And this movie was made in the 80's, all our husbands grew up on this movie. A CARTOON. I was completely disgusted and devestated as I realized it would be the last time he would get to watch what was sure to be his new favorite movie of all time. How do I take this away from him now?

UGH! Why can't people just make kid-friendly movies anymore that are actually age-appropriate and have a positive influence on our future generation? Am I alone in this? Let me know how you feel about this.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Everyone Loves a Sequel

Alright, enough is enough. I stayed away as long as I could, but I miss blogging so badly I ache. After trying to get caught up on all the blogs I've fallen behind on the past few weeks, the desire to blog again became so strong I couldn't get back here fast enough. So..................................................................................................................
THE MOVIE QUEEN IS BACK
in all her crazy glory. And to prevent another disappearance like that, I've decided to lay down some ground rules for my peace of mind and, well, for the sake of humanity, really. It goes something like this:
1. I'm a crazy person. I have many, many levels to me. On any given day, you may get any of the following: Funny Me, Serious Me, Depressed Me, Normal Me, Sarcastic Me, Thoughtful Me, Nostalgic Me.....and this is my blog. I feel this makes it interesting. I hope you feel the same. Rule #1: I reserve the right to be all over the map.
2. Depressed Me tends to make an appearance and then set up camp for a week or three. Depressed Me is the anti-blogger. So if you visit my blog and get the same thing day after day after day, just know that Depressed Me is in town but hopefully packing her bags, and maybe check back in a few days. Rule #2: I reserve the right to not blog whenever the heck I don't feel like it.
3. I'm going to try my very hardest to not let the content or quantity of comments on my blog affect the way I blog. It's dang hard, but I'm going to try. I love reading the comments I get, I just don't love the way I depend on them. Rule #3: I reserve the right to be human and judge myself on the number of comments I get on a post. (However, I will try my best to not be human.)
So, that's out of the way. Whew! Let the blogging begin! Okay, here's a synopsis of the craziness that has been my life since my last post:
  • The Crop For Her Cure consumed my life for a couple of weeks, but was totally worth it. We had an amazing turnout and an amazing amount raised. Everything came together wonderfully and the night was a huge success. After being so involved in getting this thing off the ground, I was emotionally invested and had a lot of pride in how great it went. Of course, none of it could ever have happened without this awesome gal.
  • We had our primary program on Sunday, hopefully my last. The kids did great, although they really had fun stringing me along, making me believe the whole thing would be a disaster, only to get up there and be perfect angels for the actual performance. Crazy kids. Seriously, I don't think I can do another primary program. Ever.
  • I decided not to be the last person on earth to read "Twilight." I'm three days into it and still trying to figure out what all the hoopla's been about. It's good, I just expected more. Much more. And I still have to get past the fact that I'm actually reading a book about vampires. But, I always, always finish a book, even if I hate it, and I know this one will get better.
  • My sister had her baby boy five weeks early. He was 4 lbs. 14 oz., the tiniest thing I've ever seen, but has done stinkin' awesome since the moment he came out. He should be coming home any day now. We can't wait.
  • My blog's birthday came and went on November 7. I'm sad that I missed it. It's pretty ironic that I missed my blog's year mark because I stopped blogging for a while. Anyway, Happy Belated Birthday Blog.

I think that's it. Wow, that felt good. I can't wait to come back tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.....it's good to be back.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Roll Credits

This has been a very difficult decision for me to make, one I've been going back and forth and back and forth about. But I have decided that I am ending my blog indefinitely. It's just not something I can do right now. It makes me sad to think of not doing it, but it stresses me out to think about doing it, and obviously I haven't been doing it much anyway. I have nothing to say right now that isn't about being sick or depressed, and I know what I need is to just not have to worry about it. I can't sit in front of a computer for more than five minutes anyway without getting a splitting headache and horribly dizzy, and I'd rather spend those five minutes reading what you all have to say on your blogs!

I'm focusing on getting some real answers about what's wrong with me. It's incredibly frustrating dealing with doctors and trying to get answers. (They tried telling me again that it's Celiac, even after the biopsy showed no signs of it.) But I am determined to find out what is wrong with me and put an end to all this misery. I am also going to someone about my anti-depressant. There has to be something out there that works better than this.

Thank you to all my devoted readers and for all the wonderful comments you've given me. I know I'm going to miss it, but at the same time this will be one less stress for me right now. I know you other bloggers probably don't think of it as stressful, but that's what it's become for me. As soon as I am doing better, and I mean all the way better, I may start blogging again. As for now, the Movie Queen is signing off.......

Thursday, October 11, 2007

I'm Sorry

This has been weighing on my mind since I wrote my last post.

I realize that my struggles may seem nothing compared with others' and I truly hope that the timing of my last post didn't come across as selfish, petty, or insensitive in light of recent events. I'm not saying that I had no right to express my personal struggles; I firmly believe that everyone's trials are their own, and what some might consider minor may affect someone else in a major way. I don't want to sit here and take back all that I said about what I've been going through, because it was all true and I needed to get it out.

BUT I absolutely realize that the timing may have cast a negative shadow on my expression of feelings and I sincerely hope that I didn't come across as saying "I've got the biggest problems, feel sorry for me." In retrospect, this week was probably not the best choice for me to complain about my personal woes, and I apologize if it in any way seemed like I was putting my problems above someone else's who could definitely use the love, support, and kind words I was given WAY MORE than me.

I tend to do things without thinking sometimes and this is one I regret. Please know that not a minute goes by where I am not thinking of Rochelle and silently praying for her, and that this whole thing has certainly helped me put my own problems into perspective.

Please visit Kim's blog for details on how to help Rochelle and please help however you can!

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

When the Going Gets Tough...

We all go through hard times. For some people it's a bad day. For others it's a bad week. Some people are happy to have a few good days a month.

I've always considered myself to be a happy person. Although I've suffered with anxiety my entire life, I've never been "depressed." It always drove me nuts when doctors said I suffered from "depression with anxious tendencies." No, I have anxiety. I'm scared, not sad.

For some reason this changed a year ago. I don't know why, I don't know if it's age, changes in my chemical make-up, or what, but for the first time ever I was just depressed. Not anxious, depressed. It lasted a week until I went to my doctor and he adjusted my meds. Problem solved. Or so I thought.

It's a year later and never before have I had to struggle so badly just to get through the day. Again, I don't know why. Everything just seems too hard. It's too hard to clean my house. It's too hard to be social. It's too hard to lose this weight. It's too hard to be a mom. It's too hard to be happy. I'm sure it is largely due to the fact that I've been sick for six months, but, whatever the cause, I'm struggling.

I have had to work on not comparing my life to other people's lives who just seem so perfect and easy and happy and fun. Why, I wondered, do some people have to work so hard at life while other's seem to float through it with a perma-grin? It just doesn't seem fair.

Sunday I was laying on my couch, nursing yet another headache and hating life, listening to conference with my eyes closed. Someone, I don't remember who, was speaking on "enduring to the end." I've heard that phrase a million times in my life, but for some reason it struck me this time like a slap in the face. I realized that that's what it's all about. This life is a test. We weren't sent here to sit back and ride a silver cloud, eating candy and enjoying the view until we die. We were sent here to prove ourselves, that we would remain faithful and strong even as we face trial after trial after trial.

I would like to say things got easier after this. But I'd be lying. I'm still sick. I still feel like I'm hanging by a very thin thread, just trying to get to the end of each day. But it feels more worth it. Instead of hating life and how unfair it all seems I know that I have to endure and that there is a reason for that. And I have to have faith that one day, maybe soon, maybe not, it will get better and easier. I've always been bothered by the "quote" by Christ that says, "I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it," because there's nowhere in the scriptures that says he actually said that. But right now, it seems to be the phrase constantly running through my mind.

I better have the biggest mansion in heaven.

Friday, October 5, 2007

Inheritance

I have always been a huge fan of fantasy. As a child I was fascinated by elves, fairies, enchanted forests and anything else magical. I know this is a big part of why I love Enya's music so much. It never fails to carry me away to a make-believe world where nothing is impossible.

When I first heard about the Inheritance series, I thought it sounded kind of hokey. I read that is was written by a 15 year old, which intrigued me, but it sounded like a giant rip-off of Lord of the Rings meets Harry Potter. However, a few years ago I needed something to read and saw the first book, Eragon, sitting on my sister's book shelf. Purely to satisfy my curiosity of what a novel written by a 15 year old would be like, I borrowed it and started reading.


I thought the beginning was slow and I couldn't seem to get past the fact that it was written by a teenager. But finally I forgot about that and soon I was lost in a wonderful world of dragons, dwarves, magic and all things related. I couldn't put it down. Lucky for me I was a late-comer and the 2nd book, Eldest, was already in print. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.




I finished the sequel last night, and I am having a hard time coming back to the mundane reality of non-magical life. I am dying trying to find anything online that will tell me when the third book, yet untitled, will be released, but it seems to be a long way off. Ugh.

If you like fantasy at all, I strongly recommend the Inheritance series. What I love about it is that, although you can definitely see the influence that Lord of the Rings had on these books, it is definitely not a copycat version and it is not as dark and gory as LOTR. My only wish is that I could somehow insert the Enya songs that are running through my head as I read, creating my own soundtrack that was surely meant to go to this series.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

There's No News Like Old News

NOTE TO SELF:

If you're going to do the same blog as someone else, do it better, or at the very least, as good as. I couldn't figure out why no one was commenting on my post about Danyelle's baby. "Isn't anyone excited for her?" I thought. "How rude is everyone?" Until I finally read Marilyn's post about it. Oh, so my news with no details 12 hours later wasn't as informative or interesting? That's weird. I mean, come on, who needs to know the exact information up-to-the-minute? I, for one, like old news with very sketchy details.

Welcome Audrey!

Danyelle had her baby last night, a little girl! I'm sadly fuzzy on the details as I've gotten different versions of them, but she is 7 lbs. something and most likely named Audrey. When I get more concrete details I'll post them. Mother and baby are doing great.

Saturday, September 29, 2007

And The Grand Total Is....

DRUMROLL............................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
........................................$585.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can hardly believe it!!! I was hoping for maybe $300 at best. Woohoo! We're going to Disneyland! (Not really, it's from those commercials.)

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Come Buy My Crap


We're having a yard sale on Saturday, our first ever that we've done alone. Of course, I had to refer back to Nan's Yard Sale Blog for her list of tips and yard sale advice. I also had to use her picture, because it's just so dang perfect! You can't drive around my neighborhood without knocking over at least five cardboard boxes that say "yard sale" on them. So if you've been looking for an ancient pink homemade ice cream-maker or you've been dying to have your very own Travel Scrabble, our house is the place to be Saturday morning. The stuffed plush gorilla is calling your name, you know it is.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

It's Official

I'm boring myself with nothing but updates lately on my blog, but it seems to be the only noteworthy things going on in my life right now. And this is a pretty fantastic update:

I OFFICIALLY DO NOT HAVE CELIAC DISEASE!!!
I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am about this. The funny part is, for the first time in two months I can eat bread again, and I'm still not. I thought I'd go hog wild and eat every grain in sight, but I started doing the Core Diet and there's virtually no bread on it. I did celebrate with a couple things, but one great thing that came out of this whole Celiac thing is that I learned I'm totally fine not eating bread. Just knowing that if I want something I can have it and it won't make me sick is enough. I've never dealt well with being told I "can't" do something.
So that's my latest update. I wish I could say it will be my last, but it won't. My symptoms are back and between the gastroenterologist (for the nausea and stomach pains) and my optomitrist (for the dizziness and headaches) we're still trying to figure this out. I feel weird saying "keep me in your prayers" but, seriously, could ya? I really don't want to feel like crap anymore. It's been almost five months and I just want to feel normal and good again.

Friday, September 21, 2007

FINALLY

I did it!! I have lost ten pounds. I have been waiting to lose that last dang tenth pound for three days, sure it was going to happen each day, and finally, today, I did! I am ecstatic. And for the first time in my life I'm doing it the right way, by completely changing the way I eat, what I eat. By eating healthy. No more "dieting" by not eating all day and then having ten cookies. Sure I lose weight that way...for a day. Then I gain two back the next.
I'm doing Weight Watchers Online, but here's the key: Weight Watchers never worked for me before because you are allowed any food you want as long as you stick to your points. So I'd use my points up on cookies, corn dogs, etc. Nothing changed except that I was starving. Last week I was checking out their Weight Watchers online site, desperate, and stumbled across my dream diet: The Core Plan. It is a huge list of healthy foods that you can eat as much as you want of because of their low calorie count, and there is no points tracking at all. This is exactly what I wanted! Someone to tell me exactly what is considered "healthy" and not to have to calculate each meal.
I've been doing it for four days and have only lost one pound, (the other nine I had already lost on my own before I started) but technically I'm not supposed to weigh myself til Monday, so I cheated. I know it's slow going, 2-3 lbs. a week, but I don't care, that's a lot faster than I've been going! And for the first time, it's just as important to me to be eating healthy for health reasons, with all the crap I've been feeling, than losing the weight. And this way I'll keep it off.
Anyway, I am beyond excited. Here's to the next ten!!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Don't Hate Me

Sorry, not yet. I'm not trying to be mean, I promise. I really thought I'd be able to post it today, but I can't. Crossing my fingers for tomorrow. It's getting really frustrating, actually, but I guess it'll make it that much sweeter when I can finally do it. Check in tomorrow!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Bare With Me

Sorry for those of you who have been checking my blog daily and finding the same thing. I have purposely been waiting to update my blog til I can write what I am dying to blog about and I am SO CLOSE to being able to. I thought for sure today, but maybe tomorrow. Okay, don't get too excited. It's very exciting for me, but now it'll probably be a huge let down to you all now that I've built it up. Anyway, keep checking in to hear my very exciting news. (No, I'm not pregnant, no we're not moving.)

P.S. Haven't heard on my results yet, I'm calling Friday.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

I Suffer From Short-Term Memory Loss...Atleast, I Think I Do

The endoscopy went great, better than I could have hoped. Bill went with me and I was so happy to have him there as I waited. It was just in my doctor's office which was less intimidating, and it was fast. Once I was prepped they took me into the procedure room. I didn't realize I was going to be "out." They had told me I'd be awake and aware but really sleepy and happy. I had been nervous about that, being aware of everything. I was thrilled when instead they said I'd be asleep, but not the really comatose sleep like they do for actual surgery. The minute they stopped giving it to me I'd wake up. My kind of drug.

They had me roll on my side and gave me a plastic thing for me to bite that would keep my mouth open, and the doctor said, "Okay, give her the Happy Juice." I was fully prepared for it to be like my last experience with being put out: first I'd feel very happy and dopey and relaxed, then I'd fall asleep. (I was actually looking forward to experiencing that euphoric feeling again. It's like being high, but legally, and I can still hold a temple recommend.) But I remember hearing the lady say, "This might burn a little going in" and I thought she meant where my IV was, but then my head felt like a thousand needles was poking it and the next thing I knew, a nurse was shaking me and I was back in the prep room, and Bill was there. I couldn't believe it. They weren't kidding when they said I wouldn't remember a thing. I was amazed at how fast I woke up and how coherent and conscious I was. I immediately started talking to Bill, telling him all of this.

"Yeah, and I didn't know they were going to put me to sleep, and seriously, the last thing I remember was my head tingling, and then I was in here..."

I was thinking how disappointed Bill was going to be that I didn't say anything embarrassing coming out of the anesthesia. He was ready for some laughs, but I was just so clear-minded and normal.

"The doctor went over my labs before he started and told me it was still a little abnormal but they'd learn more once they saw inside my stomach..."

I was still marvelling at my coherency and memory when Bill smiled.

"What?" I said.

"That's the third time you've told me about your labs," he said, laughing.

I couldn't believe it! My short-term memory was ka-put. I seriously thought I was totally aware of everything but wasn't. That was almost freakier.

So then I say, "So what did they find, can I eat wheat again?"

Bill said, "Are you joking?"

I looked at him, confused. "What?" I said.

"The doctor just left here, he went over all of it with you. You asked him if you could eat wheat, and when they'd get the results back from the biopsy. You had a whole conversation with him."

I did not remember any of this!! And yet I completely remember the nurse waking me up, and all of this happened after that. It was so weird, and so funny. Bill was thrilled he got something after all.

So he starts to fill me in on what I had already been told: THEY SAW NO SIGN OF CELIAC!!! Nothing whatsoever. They are like, 99% sure I don't have it, but I have to wait for the biopsy results to know for sure and start eating gluten again. It did however, show that I do have acid reflux, which I was pretty sure I had anyway, and I can TOTALLY handle and which would explain what I've been feeling. (I had really started to question the whole celiac thing after that few weeks where I started to feel like crap again and was still not eating gluten.) I felt like they had just given me the Happy Juice. I was so elated. Not only did I most likely NOT have Celiac, but they still may have found what is wrong with me, something minor, and the whole endoscopy was over and done with and went great! It seemed too good to be true.

Then I got to go home and sleep all day in an empty house while my mom had my kids and Bill helped Ryan on their house.

Anyway, I am so glad it's over and so glad to have answers and so glad it went like a dream. Gluten here I come!!!

Friday, September 14, 2007

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Kids

Payson started pre-school yesterday. He was so excited he could hardly stand it. He had so much fun and learned that "fish have scales." I didn't know what to do with myself with no kids for two and a half hours! I could go grocery shopping, or go to Michael's or Craft Warehouse, or the mall, or Target or anything I wanted to do!!! The possibilities were endless! So.....I took a nap.


Macy's movie ended halfway through our trip home from Yakima on Saturday (it was just she and me) and she was bored. I handed her my camera to take "a" picture. I just discovered her works of art when I uploaded my latest pictures. I got quite the laugh. I love to see what a kid finds "photo worthy."

Friday, September 7, 2007

Ten Years and A Few Pounds Later

This weekend is my 10 year high school reunion. Here. Where I graduated. I don't need a plane ticket to go, I don't need to pay $60 bucks to get in, I don't even have to drive more than fifteen minutes to get to any of the events. Less than five for one of them, actually. I have been thinking about these people I graduated with for ten years, wondering what became of them, what they're doing with their lives, what they look like now. I have been dying for this reunion to come so all my curiosity can finally be put to rest.

However, I can't bring myself to go. Why's that, you ask? One pure and simple fact. Below is a picture of me on my way to Senior Prom. This is what I looked like the last time these people saw me:





Okay, so now you see. You get it, right?
I refuse to go and be that girl....the one who shows up to her 10 year reunion all fat.
The one who "let herself go." I've come to terms with the fact that my body, without my consent, decided it loved the way it looked while being pregnant and therefore chose said state as it's permanent appearance. But when I think about those girls in high school who hated me, smirking because "she got hers" or my ex-boyfriend (who WILL be there) sighing relief that he "got out of that one" my pride gets the best of me.
Bill has given me permission to go buy a new outfit that I felt flattered me the most and therefore would make me feel comfortable whilst reuniting, but....what if someone can see right through me? The fat girl masquerading as the
"I still have a rockin' body" girl? And, please, it's clothes, not cosmetic surgery. How much can I really fool them?
And one more question....AM I REALLY THIS SHALLOW?! This is what anything high school-related does to me. Takes me back to the shallow, insecure girl who based her self-worth on her looks. And sure, I'm a great person on the inside-- nice, friendly, funny... but no one will be looking at me saying, "Oh, she was really nice and funny. I wonder if she still is?" Nope, inside, they're gonna be laughing their size 4's off.
Oh, the dilemma.....



Friday, August 31, 2007

Celiac Shmeliac

I'm feeling the need to whine and complain.

I think I've been pretty half-glass-full on this whole Celiac thing. But let me tell you, IT SUCKS. No really, not even a little bit cool.

In the beginning, I thought it was totally do-able. I could still have some of my favorite cold cereals (which is still my saving grace), I could still have Cheetos, corn chips, potato chips (which is wonderful except that I eat more of them now than ever before and it doesn't fare very well for the weight-loss thing), and I could still have potatoes and rice. I love Asian food, so it was perfect....rice and meat, I can have that!

Nope. Come to find out there is no Asian sauce that is not soy sauce-based. Soy sauce has wheat in it. There goes my beloved teriyaki. There goes Asian food.

Eating out, one of my very favorite things to do, is no longer fun. The fun has been taken right out of it. Even things I thought I'd be safe with have gluten hidden in it, somewhere. Bacon? What the heck is that about?

You'd think this would be a good thing, that I'd be forced to eat healthier. But my body has had 28 years of junk food. No matter how hard I try, I cannot convince it to change. So I compensate for the loss of white breads, cookies, cake, etc. by eating the crap that I am allowed: ice cream, chocolate, and what has become my staple: nachos, which are basically melted cheese and sour cream with a side of corn chips.

But it was all worth it. After less than three weeks I started to feel better. No dizziness, no nausea, no headaches, no stomach pain. Oh, did you notice that "was" back there? Yeah, that was past tense. Lately I have felt like crap and I don't know why. Not the same as before, but crap none-the-less. The headaches have been the worst of it, accompanied with being soooo tired I feel drugged. Everybody told me when I went off of gluten I'd feel better than I ever had before. Those people need to be hit in the head.

In a few weeks they're gonna give me the happy juice and stick a tube down my throat to see if it's actually Celiac. I think there's room on the table for one more, if anyone cares to join me. I heard it's a blast.

So, to sum up, I don't get to eat any of the stuff I actually want to and I still feel like crap! Celiac is the BEST!