Hello Kitty

A year and a half ago my friend Kenna's daughter passed away of kidney failure. She was only 34 and left behind two young boys. Kenna has been working through grief over the last year and her friends decided to make a tree for the Festival of Trees. Festival of Trees is a local exhibit of decorated Christmas trees, wreaths, windows, and all kinds of Christmas decorations. This festival is a fund raiser for the local children's hospital. Families of those who have lost a loved one will sometimes design, decorate, and donate a Christmas tree in memory of their loved one. Kenna did just that and she picked Hello Kitty as her theme, since it was Tori's favorite. Everyone has been collecting Hello Kitty, stickers, pictures, baseballs, stuffed animals, calenders, shower curtains, basically anything Hello Kitty. Kenna held 2 fundraising garage sales over the past year where she raised all the funds to pay for everything as well as donating $1,500 to Tori's best friends child who utilizes the services at Primary Children's Hospital. On a Monday Kenna went to set up the tree, they worked from 7am-2:30pm setting everything up. Tuesday night businesses and rich people came to the expo center and walked around and started to bid on the trees. The highest priced tree went for $7,000, a BYU theme tree, and Tori's tree sold for $6,600, a young couple with 3 girls bought it. All the proceeds go to the hospital. I went to see the tree and just was so overcome with peace, love, and joy for the beauty of this tree. So many people were crowed around it, mostly little kids, I overheard a little girl say "I want all that for Christmas" my heart melted into a million pieces.

Here are some pictures....

Seeing the World with Both Eyes

These are the Hawaii pictures

There were a lot of fish right by that first rock and they were so colorful and I am so delighted that they aren't skittish. Shark Cove was awesome I swam with a Moray eel about 3 feet long...kinda scary.

I swam out 1 1/2 miles with flippers and boogie board and swam with spinner dolphins in the wild. It was amazing so peaceful listening to them making their clicking and singing noises. There were about 30 dolphins from 3ft-6ft long and they came right up to me about 3 feet away. Waimea Beach will always be a very special place for me. I will never forget them swimming side by side, spinning into the air, flapping their fins so amazing.

I forget about these moments when I am stressed and frustrated with all the little things in life but I call on them too take me away to something and somewhere so special. I am so glad I have seen these things with both my eyes and taken so many mental pictures.

What is Your Super

So, that Friday was my day. I discovered 2 things about myself.
1. That I have a Super
2. The Bottom Dropping Out

I have a Super! Ro and I have spent the last 2 1/2 weeks watching the whole first season of Heros on DVD. LOVE IT. It has made me think constantly about super powers, flying, blowing up things (which as you remember from a previous post I am intrigued with doing), reading peoples thoughts, time travel, and locating anyone with other abilities in the world. I dream about it, think about it, Save the Cheerleader Save the World! I was siting at a friends desk last week just chatting when my power became clear. I am able to cut a plastic bag with my index finger. Slice it right open. I know right AWESOME!! I sliced that plastic bag like there was no tomorrow, like the Cheerleaders life depended on it. You will be happy to know that I did save her with my Super Power. I know that we think we might blend into the woodwork, but some of you may have a power too, some of you may need to dig deep to find it. I have worked for 29 years and never known my own super, so never NEVER give up!

The Bottom Dropping Out. So I love summer, the sun, the heat, the plants, sitting in shorts and a tank top sipping on a beer, you know all the goods things. Fall is here and it hit HARD this weekend. I was getting ready for work on Friday the TV was on but I wasn't really paying attention until the weather. Grant Wayman, weatherman, came on in a very chipper way and says "Well this weekend the bottoms dropping out" and smiled! WHAT! I know what he meant but why did he say that? TBDO is scary and he was really happy about it. Doesn't he realize all my fun will go away? Not even my Super could overcome this, the Cheerleader will freeze, she will melt, she will disintegrate then the bottom will really drop out!!! Again why did he say that?!!! I am still upset, I am going to protest Grant Wayman and his CRAPPY WEATHER REPORTS. Unite fellow summer lovers, don't let the bottom drop out!!!

tagged

Oh you may be thinking What the Hell you already posted a tag, but Wilson was tagged by his friend Freebie. really i just made that up but here are Wilts 8 randoms.

1. I love my collar, when I have it taken off I lick it, smell it, and generally love it.

2. I don't know where kitty went, he was my best kitty, I thought I saw his leg somewhere on the white box (dryer)

3. I like to talk but love to yell, mostly when other gees are playing, I must referee them

4. I am in love with water, especially the water in the yard: hose, sprinkler, pool, water dish.

5. I must patrol the front yard, no people can walk by, no animals can be in my area, cars are OK unless people are hanging out of them, no one can be in their yards if I can see them

6. I love the closet or any small area where I can hide from brother.

7. I love fatty food and will hunger strike when I am put on non-fatty food.

8. I must hurmphhhhh when I lay down or am not making it.

Calling all paws.... I tag you!

Tagged

OK so finally I have had some time to think of 8 random facts about myself. Aaron has "tagged" me and I had to think long and hard of some things that I haven't revealed about myself on this blog. Here goes

1. I will always roll down the windows instead of using the air conditioning in the car.
2. When said window is rolled down I must drive with my arm extended and if driving past a branch or bicyclist I must extend to see if I can hit them.
3. I detest moths. They land on you and put some powdery dust, which I read is part of their mating ritual. YUCK!!!
4. 9 out of 10 times I let my hair air dry, seems kinder to the environment.
5. Even though I have major opinions about the sustainability of the environment, I am so lazy that I don't recycle.
6. I have a little anxiety attack when I have to call someone on my cell phone. The only exception is my parents.
7. I have never vacuumed out my car. I have owned this car for 3 years and never once have I vacuumed it out. SICKER!
8. Sometimes I lie about what food I have tried so then if it looks gross I can say that I don't like it. I often hear my brother Adam making the throw up noise...oh yeah :) side note: I have tasted a pastrami burger and I didn't like it.

I tag Choll, Corna, and Ro

Happy Birthday Adam

It is my oldest brother Adam's birthday tomorrow. He will be 30 something, I am horrible at remembering dates and the only thing that helps me with birthdays in the dutch calendar that I have right by the trash can. (that way I will see it daily or if I am lazy weekly) Here are some random memories I have of Adam from the past 30 some years.

He is a great baseball player. I remember going to watch him play in the Pony leagues and I thought I was so cool because my brother was a pitcher. Then when he went to South he was on the team there even better he was paving the way for Aaron and I.

When Adam got his drivers license I remember sitting in the back seat, stereo at full blare and almost crying because my insides were vibrating to some Metallica song. I think this was a form of torture.

Adam and I had a fight when I was in my bratty teen years and I slapped him and he looked me straight in the eye and said "The Bible says to turn the other cheek" I slapped that cheek also. I have never slapped anyone since then.

Adam and Aaron would have their friends over to play basketball in the driveway. This was more than just regular basketball it was INTENSE basketball. I always wanted to play, but as the younger bratty sister you can't. I remember one time when all the guys were gone I got to play with Aaron and Adam what I thought was an INTENSE game of P-I-G.

Adam let me move in with him after high school while things were strained at home and I remember spending hours on his apartment deck talking about everything. I haven't thought of those talks until right now. Those were some of the best moments with Adam.

Finally, when I was living with him at his apartment, I came home from work around 11 pm and I walked in on Adam and Tina making out. I was so embarrassed. I remember he told me I could sleep in his room, since I was living in the living room and slept on the "making out couch" I think it was shortly after that I moved out. :)

Love you Adam growths and all.

It must run in the family

TO SAVE MY BROTHER THE EMBARRASSMENT OF HIS GROWTH I HAVE TAKEN THE PICTURE DOWN.

This is some weird growth on Adam's arm, much worse than toe fungi! I suggest BLEACH or remove the arm. Whichever is easier.

Love you ADAM :)

Fungi

I had a great time this past week seeing the family and friends. There are so many things to blog about but since I have not talked about this in 24 hours I feel I must share it with you.

As some of you might "not" know I have a toenail fungus. This is something that I have had for about a 6 months and done nothing about, until Michigan. Jenn and I took Autumn for a pedicure at the local cosmetology university. We all were going to get pedicures, until I told the lady I had a toenail fungus. Everyone in the room turned and looked at me with distaste, I announced that it wasn't anything to be afraid of and it wouldn't get them. However I was not able to get a pedicure per the instructor and got a manicure instead. That was great and we had a lot of fun.

After the thought I would not be able to get a pedicure, maybe never again due to this fungus it became my main goal to obliterate it. I talked with my mom, she has lost her whole nail to the fungus, Jenn had it and beat it with a regiment of bleach and peeing on it in the shower. I am already peeing on it but I need to resort to the hard hitting stuff, BLEACH, PEROXIDE, ATOMIC BOMB directed only at toenail.

People this is hard for me to not think about it wonder what the actual fungus looks like under the microscope. It is joyful to me to see it bubbling when bleach is applied, I want to share my joy. Any one of my family members will let you know they have witnessed my obsession with the fungus. I must destroy, I must keep my toenail, I must show you pictures.

Pictures will come with the progress.

Flower Time

Here are some pictures of the flowers in my yard....LOVE IT!

AWESOME

Things that are awesome ....

• Central Air, so glad we don't have a attic fan (the swamp cooler of the east) and so glad we don't have a swamp cooler (the attic fan of the dry west)
• Battle Star Galactica so awesome!
• New living room drape
• Plants, new ones and old ones
• Dry heat
• BBQ grill
• Cold beverage
• SYTYCD
• New IKEA bed spread
• New anything from IKEA
• Burts Swimming pool ohhhhh how I love a pool
• Dogs swimming pool, mostly awesome for them
• Hair Clip
• Shorts
• Tank Top
• Blog
• Giant Mocha Choca Latte Ya Ya from Beans and Brew
• Gauchos
• Choll creating new blog

Not Awesome

• Warm beverage sitting in million degree garage
• Bills from central air
• 1 pair of shoes that fit new Wal-Mart dress code
• Smelly shoes
• Smelly feet from smelly shoes
• Corn that got stinky in the garbage and now smell will not go away.
• No personal chef to make dinner when 103 degrees and to hot and tired to make anything.
• Wilson's breath
• Running out of TP
• Forgetting to put deodorant on

Overall I have a lot more awesome things than not, so let me know whats awesome or not.

Side note, I always think of the cheer A W E S O M E, awesome, awesome, awesome are we! Why can't I spell it without the cheer????

Oh my

First I will get to the news you all know and most of you HATE. The Jazz lost, the Pistons lost, the world is turning on its DeBron axis and I could vomit seeing him. I secretly wish that the all to famous game starting antics where he powders his hands and then throws a huge smoke of powder in the air could some how be switched out with anthrax and he would never be able to play basketball again, and he would never win a title. Harsh I know but i have very strong feelings of dislike for him I would call it hatred. I am so sick of the announcers praising him and calling him King James, savior, and the best player ever. I WANT TO VOMIT and if you know me you know that I really must not like him.

Second, Marci just finished her visit were in I assume we consumed 1,000,000,000 calories each, smoked 18 packs of smokes, and had suffered from some serious injuries. We went shopping at Wal-Mart of course, no mall for us we are old ladies and need to get our depends as cheap as they come especially me :) We did pedicures, well Marci did on the last day, she painted her own nails while in a lawn chair in the back yard I kept the gross "go go green" on that I had done the night before she got here. We went downtown, saw temple square, went to the gateway, big outdoor mall, went to one store and then got Starbucks sat and watched the kids in the fountains and then said we were tired. Survived "Raging Waters" a local water park. Now if you are like me you probably haven't been to a water park in years, so I am thinking, yeah I can do all the same things I could when I was younger. WRONG, we are old! all of us! Marci was given instructions on the very first tube ride to stay in her tube hang on to the handles, she did not comply 1 second into the ride she fell out and carried her tube the whole way down. When she was done she had blood all over her arm. I went down the same ride suffered from whiplash and maybe I broke my rib or boobs, I can't tell. Ro bruised her tail bone after insisting on going down the toboggan ride, when she "got some air". The biggest difference is that we sat most of the time watching other peoples kids and talking about their parenting skills. I was flabbergasted at the small amount of fabric in bathing suites that girls are wearing these days, I told Marci she should keep her girls locked up. She laughed. When did I turn into a 90 year old lady? Last we got a lot of Utah sun, no humidity and hot hot sun. It was such a blessing to have her here.

Love you Marci, Hate DeBron!

Here I go again...

Basketball is on my mind almost 24/7. I almost made myself sick with the lack of emotion, or talent, that the Pistons did not poses last night. How could this team NOT take control. They are suppose to be champions right? I feel I may have a part in their down fall. As you may remember I have some sort of Love/Hate relationship with the former Piston Ben Wallace. There were times in the recent past were I had the urge to BURN his jersey, crush it, put it through the shredder and make a dog toy out of it. These feelings are right at the surface. This past Sunday, I was feeling sad almost guilty for my thoughts and decided that since it would be the Bull's last game playing in the playoffs I would wear his old Pistons jersey. Little did I know that wearing that jersey would shift the universe so much that the Pistons LOST! Oh how could I, I should have never felt bad for this 16million money hungry traitor. (I told you it was right at the surface) I have since then placed the jersey in Ro's car inside out, after I threw it on the ground and stomped on it several times. Pistons please pull your heads out! You must win this next game.

However, my Jazz team is doing great and now going to the finals with either Phoenix or San Antonio. Either one of these teams is in for a challenge. The Jazz are hungry, young, ready to beat some you know what. To all you fanz in MI, FL, NJ, and around the world I would like you to say a cheer for the Jazz they have not been this far in the playoffs for 9yrs. Everyone here is saying...its about time. Take a moment to relish in their achievements, their young talent, and the baby blue uniforms.

I love me some Playoffs!!

Mom

I wanted to shout out to my mom. I already called her and told her happy mothers day. This conversation was stretched over an hour due to them driving back to MI, and then missing an exit, not communicating, and potty break.

There are so many great things about my mom. How she can just put my mind at ease, she is so gentle with her actions, great at sewing, great at almost all things really. How she inspires me to do so many things, how she loves me all the time.

I love you mom.... Thanks for being my mom.

Dancing Queen

Today I was invited to a children's dance competition. I have never been to a competition before so went in with no idea of what expect. What I stumbled into was a mass of young girls, dressed in sequence, tapping shoes, and a lot of makeup. Little girls were being huddled while grown-up's applied blush, eye shadow, lip gloss, and lets not forget glitter. These girls were maybe 4-8 years of age. The noise level was at a breaking point and got even higher when I tried to go into the stage entrance. I spotted my friend who told me her mom and other kids were sitting down and her mom had a video camera. Little did I know everyone there had a video camera. I did end up finding the mom and her camera. My friends daughter was in the pre-school age group so when her dance company appeared it was 4 little girls dressed in ballerina outfits gleefully looking into the audience. As I watched her first performance, a slow ballerina song, I started crying. It was so beautiful. The girls were so free and proud of themselves. They had no fears of being in front of an audience or not making the right moves, they just moved and tiptoed around the stage.

As adults when did we lose that ability to stand in front of a crowd, dance, sing, and move freely without fear of judgement. I am looking forward to dancing, singing, laughing in front of a crowd with no fear or doubt. When this will happen I don't know but it is part of my new personal sustainability.

What is your personal sustainability?

Caution strong emotion ahead...read at your own risk...

There is something about this weather that starts making you think. You think about your world, how small or big, your mind how crazy or sane. Recently I have found that my mind has gone a bit crazy. I am realizing things about myself that I don't want to know. I am thinking of things that I don't want to explore. My friend Choll made a heartfelt post today about a very hard thing and I applaud her. It is hard to start to realize our own faults, even though most of us have our minds tell us them all day long. Choll linked to a blogger friend of hers that asked some hard questions of her readers. I found one of the questions to be something that is plaguing my mind lately.

Are you good at confronting/challenging people when you have an issue?

I despise confrontation and will do all I can, even to my own detriment to never confront people. This is only the case in my personal life. While at work I am quick to call people out on their problems and help them find a real solutions. I feel today like a split personality. Since I have realized this, Tuesday, I find that I am second guessing every thought, action, conversation. I find it hard to concentrate in the day to day grind. I find that other peoples needs are coming before mine. I do this with everyone. I am careful around my family not saying something that will upset them. I am careful around my relationship fearful of a fight or worse confrontation. I sit an listen maybe never saying what I mean. I find myself more comfortable when I am with a friend and speaking my mind about the issue and never confronting the person who is causing the issue. Most of all I am not challenging myself with issues and it is really really scary. I don't want to deal with things it may show a weakness or that I am actually fragile and other people will know it. When I become strong enough how will others deal with the conflict I will need to bring to them: moving, the letters, work, vacations.

I am using this blog right now as a tool to free my mind. I also am praying that I will have the energy too focus on healthy confrontation.

Earth Week

This is a spin off of Jennifer Spamans blog but I thought it is a good way to spread the word. This week is earth week and since we are not going to be moving onto one of the new planets, John Travolta's idea, we should make simple steps to help cut energy and pollutants into our world.

1. Buy "Bonnie Plants" they are herbs and vegetables in a bio-degradable pots you have less to throw away.

2. Compost, this is good for you plants and also reduces the amount of waste in the landfills.

3. Recycle.

4. Find a local store to drop off you plastic bags or reuse the bags from previous trips to shop.

5. Buy squiggly light bulbs. They seem more expensive but they are worth it over several years of buying cheap bulbs. They also use up to 70% less energy.

6. Unplug things that don't need to be plugged in all day. Hair dryer, cell phone chargers, coffee maker, toaster.

7. Consider taking public transportation, car pool, or ride a bike to work.

8. Use a fertilizer that is organic such as Revive, it will increase your soils ability to retain water.

9. Your lawn only needs 2inches a week, in Utah, to be a healthy green. Watch the weather turn off sprinklers when a rain storm is coming. Don't be the idiots watering your lawn while it is raining.

10. Consider changing your toilet flusher to a more "water wise" flusher. These are the flushers that you have to hold the handle down to flush but they can save millions of gallons of water every year.

Sky Lights

These are some pics I took about 3 months ago. So glad winter is done. Gardening is here and in full swing.

Oh Basketball How I love Thee...

Let me count the ways..

1. I am constantly yelling at the TV as if the players can hear me.
2. I love coming home from a hard days work and watching young millionaires throw a basketball around.
3. I love it when I am sure the game is over and I get ready to switch it over to another game and my team does this...http://www.mhsvideonetwork.com/wmp/PalaceNetPlayer.htm?palace/sheed_buzzer.wmv.
4. Screaming my head off by myself and the dogs start barking along..
5. Noticing that my sliding door is wide open and then letting the dogs out and seeing my neighbor in their backyard looking over my fence with shock.
6. Ensuring my right to the strangest neighbor award.

I love this season and can't wait for the playoffs. FYI a lady at my work has tickets to the NCAA finals and semi finals and sold them on eBay last night for 2,200 dollars a piece.... Got to love it.

Today I saw 2 license plates that made me crazy.

• ILVMYVAN (red beat up mini van) If you love your van so much put it through the dang car wash LADY or maybe upgrade to a real mini you could love.
• UTAH 2 (WHAT!)

People remember that personalized plates and bumper stickers are LAME, unless a shout out to your heritage.

And I'm Oprah!

Let me first say that I love Oprah, I think she is an outstanding woman and does numerous outstanding things with her fame.
However, we switched over the station and caught her special tonight and she was talking about her childhood. They showed her walking down a dirt road too the place her childhood home was, where she lived with her grandmother and mother.
She recalled a time when her grandma was hanging up laundry and her grandmother said something like "now you watch me do this so you will be able to do this some day" Oprah then states her thoughts as a 4 year old child "no I won't do that some day!" I found it hilarious that she said that. I just pictured Oprah as a 4 year old thinking, "I will be the richest person in the world and will have mere common folk do my laundry." I pictured her face as a cartoon character and her eyes blinking and dollar bill signs showing. $$$$

29 years 11 days and not enough minutes

Hello...Is it me your looking for?

Ode to Lionel Richie. I love that song. So its been some time and all I have to say is what a winter. We have been having bitter cold temps with the worst air in the nation and now we are sitin pretty in the 50's. Got to love Utah.

So to the real meat of this post we went to a Jazz game on Monday they played the Bulls. If you didn't know Ben Wallace who use to play for my beloved Pistons traded himself to the Bulls. That was the main reason we wanted to see this game because of Ben. When we first arrived at the newly named "Energy solutions Arena" most people here call it the toxic waste arena or something to do with nuclear waste since that is what Energy solutions does. I thought, what if Ben touched some toxic waste would he think about all of the regrets of his life like leaving the greatest team in the world? NO he would think about how is pockets are filled with gazillions of dollars. JERK!! No really I do love him I just think I haven't finished my grieving. All these nervous feelings melted away when I saw him come out to the floor and start playing. I thought how big he must be in real life, we were sitting 1 seat from the top in the upper bowl, it didn't matter though. I wanted to scream "BEN, HELLO IS IT ME YOUR LOOKING FOR?" the most dedicated Piston fan in Utah? No he is looking for money lots of dirty Chicago money, again not done with the bitterness phase either. I was like the lady in the Lionel's video I am making a clay sculpture of Ben's head, with head band and full picked out fro. Except I am not blind I know that when I am done with that sculpture I will have to burn it to the ground like I need to with his #3 Pistons jersey.

That leads me into my last thought "Wwwwwwwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiii (why)" - Annie Lennox.

I love IT!!!!

you guys have to see this...you think my little ditties are something that runs in the family???
http://www.jagerjourney.blogspot.com/

Crazy Mind

So yesterday I applied for a position for IKEA. It is a Human Resource Generalist position. It sounds on paper, well website, to be similar to what I do in my current job. I am so nervous. It has been over 5yrs that I have looked for a job and if you have looked for a job you know how scary it can be. I am trying to talk myself into not freaking out but true to form it is all I thought about today. I love Wal-Mart but am looking to I don't even know what just apply at IKEA. Ro did a lot of research and they are a very good company to work for soooo why not apply. I think for some people they think IKEA is cooler than Wal-Mart so thats why they think I should work there. I don't know I am in a funk, the winter blues, they are mostly black! Today one of our associates came into the office refused to speak to me, because I haven't called her son about his application, and went right to my training coordinator. She explained in spanish that I have nothing to do with it, that we are waiting to make all the temporary associates permant before we are hiring outside. It will only be a week before we can get him in for an interview but according to this woman, I can not be trusted. I was mad at first and then just felt like crying. Why is this lady bothering me, why does this little thing make me upset. People are the same everywhere and I deal with people who are always mad at me or don't trust me, but I am fine, just not today. I kept thinking today about if I left Wal-Mart what would it be like? How would I find the bargins everyday? My mind is out of control and all I can think about is this. This little thing that people do everyday. Either way I will not lose anything accept that crazy lady not trusting me.