The Big Five

Rules-Each player answers the questions themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answers.

The Five Ten years ago…

Hailey was finally gaining back her birth weight.
I was getting ready to start my elementary ed practicum at BYU.
We moved into a new apartment even closer to campus.
I got my Honda Accord - which I loved! GREAT CAR!
I was working as a mother's helper for a family with 4 boys.

Five things on today’s “to do” list…

Garbage Day
Vacuum the living room and down the hall
10 hours at work
Dishes
Bank

Five snacks I enjoy

Graham crackers and milk
crackers and cheese and tuna
1/2 a PB & strawberry J and milk
Mallowcorn and strawberry soda
Oreos and milk

Five things I would do if I was a millionaire…

pay off all debt
set up accounts for kids and retirement
invest
travel
new car

Five places I have lived…

Lincoln Nebraska
Provo Utah
Fairbanks Alaska
San Antonio Texas

That's about it!

I am tagging Angie, Amy, Allison, Stacy, and Alison.

Disney Girls

For those of you who read my posts via reader, you have missed the new countdown timer on the right hand column.

You got it... we are Orlando bound (again!!!).

We did Disney a few years ago with the Hill entourage (and I mean almost everybody). Then, we went to Universal Studios and Sea World with my mom, dad and sibs (less Aaron-on a mission and Whitney-as yet undiscovered).

Now we are going back, and taking DJ's fam with us.

I am so excited!!! Pretty sure everyone else is too...

Going Going Gone...

24 days...

I took Hailey and Katie to Washington on Friday. I was there two hours, then turned around and came right back (Standby is wonderful!!!). (12 hours on a plane is not)

I hate it when they are gone. I feel so... incomplete.

I mean, I have stuff I need to do. I have a husband who likes the attention and having me to himself. I have a house to clean. I have work that loves extra hours. I help with church stuff. But I feel like I am not a whole person.

I'm not gonna lie. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for those two little girls. We got through a lot of tough stuff just the three of us. Still, when they leave, I remember that I should be a person without them, so I am stronger for them when they come back.

I guess that is what it means to be a mom. You sacrifice the little things of yourself to be everything to others. Then when they aren't there, you don't know what to do. Don't get me wrong, I love a little vacation now and then from the rigors of daily life (hence Kansas City in May) but give me a few days, and I don't know what to do. I totally get the empty nest thing.

I held my friend's son on Sunday at church. I take partial credit for him. I was present at birth (labor coach and massage therapist) and then I was daycare. It helped to have him sit with me. I also told one of my friends I would play with her kids this week so she could have little break. I'm dealing. One day at a time... 24 days and counting...

Tourists

I am the hugest fan of Lincoln Safari so when my mom brought me the Passport to Lincoln from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, I was so excited I couldn't stand it. I love living in a place that encourages you to look around and appreciate what is here. Especially since gas is so expensive and I really need something for my kids to do.

So tomorrow, it is pretty likely that DJ and I are going to spend the day running the girls all over the city looking at things. I asked him if we could take the bus even, and he said no.

Guess what came yesterday in the mail??? My season pass to the Nebraska State Fair. For $55 total, I will get to see Tracy Byrd, Boyz II Men, Styx, Survivor, Starship, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. I already told my boss that I was not available most of the evenings the week of the fair, and my husband pretty much has given up hope on me. Anyone wanna go???

(I tried to upload cute pictures of my kids, but it didn't work very well... Soon to be posted!!!)

Music Monday!!!

Christy used Mr. Linky to list her music that popped up on her MP3 player this morning.

Here it is, I am just now getting to my blog - and I do Monday Music Monologues. heehee

Here are the top 10 songs in my world this evening:

1. Celebration - Kool and the Gang
Admit it, you can't even think about this song without getting pumped... There's always a reason for a party.

2. You're Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins
Hailey and Katie are leaving Friday for Washington for A MONTH. I am not coping well, and I am going to miss them like crazy. I'm already upset that they are so big!!! The last thing I need is them going away for four weeks. SOB!!! (Can I play with someone's baby?)

3. Lost in This Moment with You - Big and Rich
I love this song. I love that it is about a wedding, but everytime I hear it, I think about my lovie, and I can't help but get lost in many moments. (I know, hun, ewwwwwww.... mushy.)

4. Fantasy - Earth, Wind and Fire
I fully blame my mother for this obsession. She is a funk dancing queen... except she marched!

5. One Hot Mama - Trace Adkins
Okay, I know I am not hot - I am not - but sometimes its just nice to think of oneself as amazing!!!

6. Nothin's Gonna Stop Us Now
Did you ever have someone tell you that your marriage, relationship, job, etc. wasn't gonna work out, and then it did??? Cheers!

7. Ever, Ever After - Carrie Underwood
Everyone needs a fairytale - (even if the butt attached stinks sometimes).

8. Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard
I have no reason to love this song, except that when I headbang to it, my hair is really floppy.

9. Don't Worry, Be Happy
See #2 above.

10. My Favorite Girl - New Kids on the Block
I am still lobbying for tickets to this concert in Omaha... Birthday anyone??? (Hey, if Wendy can ask for a house, I can ask for concert tix.)

Speaking of birthdays....

This year, my birthday falls on a Sunday, but because I love a good party, we should celebrate on Friday night. I am thinking a run to Kansas City, MO, dinner, and Ernie Biggs.

Everything is Coming Up Daisies!!!

At our ward service auction earlier this year, I won a special work from a Tiffany Sauble, a local graphic artist. She is amazing. E-mail her a picture, and she will embellish and make it incredible!!! Her prices are also fabulous.

I decide that this would be a great present for my mom for her birthday, so I sent Tiffany this cute picture of Hailey and Katie standing on a swing at my mom's house. She then uses my mom's favorite flower (which I didn't even have to tell her, she is such a genius!) and makes this adorable picture. Of course, I couldn't have just one, so I ordered more, but I was completely impressed with the work and wanted to share!!!

The Boss

This is my boss, well, today is her last day before she transfers to another center. I'm not happy about this.

To be honest, I think I have the perfect work environment possible. I have never worked for a more positive, happy, goal-oriented and fun person than Jenny. She makes the whole center come alive, which is probably why we are center of the year 2 years running. When you consider that we are the smallest center by at least a hundred people, and that there are 5 centers (soon to be 6) that is really saying something.

Last night we had a little going away party for her. Most of us cried, and it was great to see Jenny's upline come in to praise her too. I know the other center will be glad to have her, and I know that she will do wonders, but I will miss seeing her everyday.

I'm truly grateful for the opportunity I had to work with her, and I'm glad she will still be in town so I can see her sometimes!

Fortunately, my new manager, Erinn, is fabulous! She is almost as positive, upbeat and fun as Jenny. Here she is with her fiancee, Chris. They are getting married next May. I am so excited for her.

I am not big on change. It really throws me off, but this one, I don't think, is going to be so bad. I am fortunate that my company is totally okay with me making friends at the workplace, and with my managers. It changes the whole culture and environment. I love my job because of this relationship thing.

Zippy Tootles... Too "effing" funny (read the blog...)

Preface: My mom, ever since I was a little girl, has determined that the word FART is a word that no civilized person should ever use. It is a "bad word" at her house.

I much prefer the word toot.

Katie, my adorable, blonde 8 year old, has developed two rather annoying little habits lately.

She cannot keep her zipper on her jeans up. (Zippy the clown, I promptly dubbed her.)

She has a little bit of a gas problem. (Tootles the clown, she was also dubbed.)

One day, we were having problems with both of these issues, and I called her Zippy Tootles. She promptly wrote a song for herself. (Sung to the tune of Old MacDonald.)

Zippy Tootles rode in the car

Rode in the car

Rode in the car

Zippy Tootles rode in the car

And farted up a storm.

(I have no idea from whence she gets this....)

On Friday evening, she is having her own little form of gastrointestinal pyrotechnics, and I call her Zippy Tootles. Please understand, we are at my mother's, sitting outside, watching dad blow things up. My mother asks about the nickname and Katie breaks into song.

She finishes, and mom says, "I don't like that f-word".

Katie changes the lyrics.

Zippy Tootles rode in the car

And effed up a storm.

Apparently, there are no words.

Monday Music Monologue - We Are the World

I was uploading some America/USA songs into my playlist, and this one came up on the search.

You can click on the title to get a full list of the artist, and the lyrics (as well as who sings them).

Okay - I am a total sucker for 80's music, so this particular song was my big thing about 2nd grade. My teacher (Mrs. Vick) would play this song everyday, because our school was rounding up money for Africa.

I can remember seeing the pictures of the Ethiopians and how skinny they were, and wanting to save my dinner leftovers to send them.

I can also remember a 4th of July picnic in Colorado where we were listening to the radio, and this came on and we all listened.

It's interesting that our world hasn't changed that much. We still take care of one another, and are constantly working to make the world a better place. Our stake has just accepted a task of providing quilts to the Humanitarian Aid. I am so excited to work with my girls on this project. We may never know where the quilts end up, but we will know we helped someone. WE ARE THE WORLD!!!

Bring the Hammer Down... or Watch that First Step - It's a Doozy!!!

I am not a construction type of girl...

Not in the least little-ist bit.

Before today, my idea of home improvement was handing DJ a bucket of paint and waving as he made his way into another room.

I must admit - I did a pretty great job of installing a new showerhead the other day.

So, you may ask... What were you doing in a stairless pit???

I volunteered to help my brother, Jason, and Sister-in-law, Lindsey work on their house today.

The big goal was replacing the steps into the basement of their 100 year old completely gutted Victorian home.


Aren't I cute??? Because some of the tiles, etc are not exactly... ummmm.... non-toxic (asbestos, animal feces, etc), I had to wear this incredibly attractive do-hicky on my face. I did smile for the picture. Apparently, you are supposed to be able to breathe in these things.

Our job was to rip out the staircase so that Jason and Dwayne (LynZ's dad) could put the new ones they were building in.

LynZ would bang on the planks until they came loose, then I would crowbar them out and throw them out of the way. What she thought was going to take about 2 hours took about 30 minutes. It was great.

The problem was getting back out of the basement, since now there are no stairs. They sent down this ladder and expected me to climb up. I am so freakingly afraid of falling that I almost stayed down in that basement. I watched LynZ go up the ladder (the tall skinny twirp), the ladder shaking the whole way.

I'm not exactly... ummm... a lightweight. I was so afraid.

But hey!!! We got the stairs out. We got me out. I had a pretty good time, and I may actually help again!!!