I am waiting to "SPRING"

I am waiting to spring... out of here! I woke up this morning with 2+ inches of snow! What the heck is going on here? Instead of doing yard work and planting flowers... we are shoveling the blasted drive-way. Thank goodness for the trusty old snowblower! My kids can't decide if they should wear shorts or parkas- I guess this is called Spring on the Wasatch Front. The good news is... ina while I will be really loving life in CanCun! I can dream of warmer days to come while I dig my way out of this newest snowy mess. It does look quite beautiful outside, but I really can't wait to see this instead.

Viv...

Wednesday was my mom's birthday... The whole family had a huge surprise party for her, but since I had just returned home from St. George- I didn't go back. So Sad! I wanted to blog and BRAG about my mom... Viv- She is the best! Someone wondered why I call my mom by her name instead of "mom"... We always have. It is just so fitting and I think we had to get her attention by hollering "Viv" when she didn't answer to mom. Anyone who knows her loves to be around here because she is soooooo much fun. The original party girl- wherever she is... fun is to be found also. She is a great friend. She is the queen of service- sometimes to her fault! She loves to shop! Here main motto is, "You're never sick about what you bought, just what you didn't buy... you can take anything you don't like back!" It is the truth! Words of Wisdom from the Queen of shopping! Viv is the best to take on a girl's trip... she once organized a huge shopping/ theater trip to California of friends and family. It got to be so large we had to rent the Dixie College bus... we called it Treats and Travel. She laughs hard, gets yummy treats, and is just a whole bunch of fun. She is always ready for one more party, will feed ANYONE, and is loved my anyone who is around her. We have often said that we are not good for each other, for we can always go in one more store, or do one more thing. We seem to forget about time and spend a lot of money together. She is the best Grandma in the world. The kids love to go to her house to swim- lunch at the pool party consists of Pizza Factory Pizza and LOTS of popcicles. She even let my boys try out the Harry Potter jelly beans on her. She said, " Oh, Mitch that one tastes just like dirt, let me try it again!" She is warmand generous and funny and just the "best ole' gal on the block"! I love her so much and am so lucky she is my mom!

Thankful Thursday...

I am a lemming... I will follow the group! I like reading "Thankful Thursday" on other blogs so I am going to post one as well. I have so many things to be thankful for...so here are a few of the top!

* A husband who knows I am high maintenance and still loves me. He also helps me out a ton ( he even cleaned my master bathroom)- But most importantly, I am so thankful for the fact that he is one of the funniest people I know. He cracks me up all the time... I just love him.

* I am thankful for the fact that Jackson did all of his make-up homework with only a little bit of a fight. He usually has a cow at homework time, but for the past few days he has been a ROCKSTAR!

* I am thankful for our family tutor...Judy Wayment. We started going to her for help in reading for Jackson, but now she is my total mentor, life coach, friend. She is so wise, caring, and can trouble shoot any adobe problem I run into. She is the best and she helps me so much.

* I am thankful for funny things in my life. I love to laugh and humor makes the world go round. I bright spot in my laughing life is Mindi's blog...check it out here.

* My mom and sisters... Wow who could ask for a better bunch of friends! I am so lucky to have the greatest, most fun mom in the whole world PLUS two crazy sisters and one darling sister- in-law. I had such a great time with them in St. George last week. I am so glad that we have such fun relationships with each other.

The Secret is Back-Pedaling...

I have laughed for days after reading all of Mindi's comments about blogging and timing the return of husbands. ( For a hilarious account we all can relate to... read this) This is an art I have prided myself in for years... and I have only been blogging for a little bit. I am somewhat of a fun seeker. I can't really remember a time when I have let fun slide by because of some boring task that needed to be done. The difficulty in this is my husband is quite tidy and likes things nice and neat. I really can't justify staying home and then expecting him to come home and take care of the house too... so I came up with the idea of "backpedaling" Backpedaling is when you play all day ( or sit at the computer and read things about people you do not know) and then hurry home an hour before your man does to "bust a move" and get all the crap you were supposed to do done. A few really nice touches are to turn on the dryer, and throw in a batch of laundry... Vacuum marks mean a day spent slaving behind the vacuum, and nobody can deny the ole' "put some Mr. Clean in the sink for a nice clean smell" trick. My friends all know that I am up for a party, but at about 3:00 in the afternoon my carriage turns into a pumpkin and I have to go get my stuff done.. or the appearance of it done. Now... I must give a disclaimer... My man is so great! It is not him that demands this... it is me. He isn't some ogre that expects me to be the 50's housewife waiting at the door with his paper and slippers...NO, but I do like to have things nice when he gets home. I just like to have fun too! Back-pedaling is means to a perfect day

There is no place like home...

There is no place like home! From beginning to end in the past two weeks I have only been home for approx. 72 hours! ( only 24 or so consecutive) Yikes- no wonder my laundry room looks as if a bomb has hit it.

I am so glad to be home! There were a few benefits to being stranded in the greatest Spring city in Utah with only winter/funeral clothes. I got to...

* Buy some new clothes so I didn't look like Winter Storm Watch

( see Mindi's unhealthy purchasing 101 - item #2)

* Buy Meggie some new clothes... that means shop a little ( or alot)

* Spend a great afternoon with my St. George Babes... Cafe Rio and a movie ROCKED!

* Stay up late laughing with my mom... and believe me, she is funy!

* Go on "THE" daily Coke run with my crazy sisters

* Have a fun cousin day at the pool

* Laugh and laugh and laugh with my sisters - Jody, Brandy, & Mindy

* See my darling nieces and nephews

* Hang with the inlaws

* Eat treats and drink alot of diet Pepsi... ( sorry, Trainer Troy @ Boot Camp)

* Enjoy Spring for 4 extra days

All that said... it was a great time had by all...but I am not leaving my house for a while!

Why Don't I Live Here Anymore?

Why don't I live here anymore? This is a question I have been asking myself all week long. St. George has the corner on the market as far as spring is concerned... I have really missed living here since I have been here this week. Today Meg and Jackson got to swim in Gram's pool with cousins. So much fun. We did the usual- pizza from pizza factory, diet coke, and lots of popcicles for the kids. Who would imagine that it is freezing back home in Davis County? We are involved in a baseball tourny and the weather is perfect for watching 2 games a day. We will love it, and sadly have to leave it in a few days. This is a great place to be... We totally get spring fever!"Mermeg" has waited for the pool to heat for days... Finally it was warm and she put her swimming suit on first thing this morning. She could be in the pool all day! She really is a MerMeg.
Spring is here! Jacks and his Friend Ty are having a ball playing outside in the warm weather. I bet my kids have asked me 10 times if we can move back. So fun to visit... I just keep telling myself...July and August & reminding myself of the beautiful fall leaves off my deck in October.

We love St. George in the spring!

History Anyone?...The Tudors!

Okay...get ready for the nerd alert! Hi my name is Amy and I am a history major...(Hi Amy)I have always been fascinated with European History... I think it is because it is actually worse than any soap opera known to man. I read The Other Boleyn Girl and got hooked on the whole king Henry VIII thing. I used to teach it when my English classes would read Romeo and Juliet, but I liked my job so I left out the whole S-E-X aspect. Anywho... I watched an episode or two of The Tudors and after reading The Other Boleyn Girl I rented it again and watched the whole first season. HELLO! It is awesome! I loved the book and the movie of TOBG... but this series is so indepth... it is a little naughty- just so you're warned, but I love it. Season 2 is airing on April 30th... I can't wait! I also heard that it is on On Demand- this is a rated PG way to watch it. Jonathan Rhys Meyer is King Henry VIII and he is great! Katherine of Aragon is so good in The Tudors... I couldn't get past her mole in TOBG movie. I wanted to confess to a guilty little pleasure of mine... Smutty English History on Showtime! If any of you have read The Other Boleyn Girl, are interested in King Henry VIII and his 6 wives, or just like a good old fashioned real life soap opera I highly recommend renting this and watching it. But, be careful... this is not for a FHE movie night.

A Sad Day...

I am so sad! On Monday my Grandpa Garth died. It was for the best, because he has suffered with Parkinson's Disease... I was quite close to him so I have really reflected on what he meant to me... Here is a list of things I learned from him...

* You can never go too fast on a snowmobile.

* It is good to be a hard worker

* Too much candy is not a bad thing.

* Be smart with your money...save, save, save!

* It is possible to stop in every town from Cedar City to Salt Lake City for treats... even ice cream.

* Pay your own way and be generous to others.

* The Utah Jazz are the best team in the whole wide world.

* Be kind... don't say bad things about others.

* A pocket knife IS an everyday accessory.

* Be an honest person.

* Teasing is a talent... practice makes perfect.

* Follow the Gospel...gain a testimony and stand for what is right.

* Family is everything! Gapping generations is so important.

* Being placed on top of the fridge and left for a few minutes is a fun game.

* Don't be something you're not...be humble and just a "normal" person.

* Have a positive outlook on life, smile, laugh, and tease someone everyday!

* Endure to the end!

Aprons...

I love to entertain and why not look cute while entertaining? Borrowing a line from Mindi... I am going to engage in "shameless self promotion"... I wanted to share my latest little project- Aprons! My sister, Jody, wears an apron every night when she makes dinner. She loves them! I went to a store in Highland, "Dear Lizzie", and saw that they had the cutest aprons ever! My mom is a subscriber to St. George Magazine ( which I admit I love to read when I am at her house) and there was a darling article on aprons... how they aren't just for grandmas anymore and told how they are making a bold comeback. So... since last summer and fall aprons have been on my brain. I made one for my friend, Tonia, for her birthday in August ( granted I started the night before the birthday party, without knowing how I was going to do it or even really knowing how to do a ruffle... it was the hardest thing I have ever done!) and it was a huge success- she loved it! My sister was hosting "bunko" at her house and decided to make 12 aprons...one for everyone that came. She struggled, and figured, and streamlined the process and then I stepped in and gleaned her knowledge. I made several for friends for Christmas and have decided to make them for birthdays. I have only made 8 or so, but Jody's last count was like 24! YIKES...l guess it pays to know her. Anyway... these are the latest that I have made. I just wanted to throw them out into the blogging universe. I am happy the way they turned out!

The BLOG and The BUGG...

This week has been a real "B"... not what you are thinking. I have entered two new phases of my life... #1 THE BLOG & #2 THE BUGG. The Bugg is a Body Bugg. I've been going to a "Boot Camp" for the last little while and the trainer suggested getting one. It is an ugly thing you wear on your arm, but it is AWESOME! It calculates the number of calories you burn throughout the day. Then you enter the number of calories you have eaten and tada... there is your magic number. Either have a treat or get on the treadmill. FYI...since 5:30 this morning when I went to Boot Camp I have burned 2960 calories. I check it all day long! If you watch "The Biggest Loser" it is what they all have on their arms. It has just added a little bit of accountability to my life (which is good). Check out the website... it is best to order it through 24 hour fitness because it is cheaper...Check it out here!

Good Friends...

Ode to good friends...

The March Oprah Magazine is all about friendship...how to be a friend, what kind of friend are you, articles on great life friends, etc. I have been so fortunate to have such great friends in my life. Each friend has influenced and shaped my life in their own way. I credit ( my man blames) Erica Gillett for my love of dishes and setting a fun table... you can serve ok food if the presentation is great. Another friend taught me that everything doesn't need to be so "matchy- matchy" and now I miss-match happily. To my oldest S.G. friends... when I moved to Idaho I think I cried more for you that I did my family. You have all gotten me through so much. To my Idaho pals... you were my family when I didn't have family. You made it easy for me to leave my comfort area. And now...my new Utah friends - You inspire me, decorate for me, entertain me, and have started kicking my butt into gear ( literally). Friends...old and new I am grateful for you! Without sounding too cliche'...friends do leave their mark on your heart. I am a better person because of the friends who have shared themselves with me... I am so glad they weren't stingy!

It's a new day...

Okay... this is a huge step for me to come from lurking and stalking in the blog shadows to the light of being an actual blogger. I am a little unsure of what I'll write, how often and really how to play this new game. I taught high school for ten years and so I felt pretty up on the latest and greatest...but I quit 4 years ago and technology has wizzed past me. I should have kept teaching so I could have been a really great cell phone texter and a blogging pioneer. Too bad! I'll have to stick with the old school cell phone talking... and as for my blog? Well...here we go!