Humor Makes Things Better

I have been working millions of hours and still feeling constantly behind. My personal life isn't much better. I feel like I don't have time to do the things and be with the people I want. Let's just say it was a long day, heck a long week, month, and today I would say LIFE.

What awaits me when I check my email? An email from my niece Erin, subject "Liberty Loves Santa." I didn't read the email before I looked at the pictures. This picture made me laugh out loud and suddenly everything is better. Life is good. Humor, Laughter, and loved ones make me happy, grateful, joyful, and feel like a million bucks!

Things That Must Go - Seriously

So, I was driving to work last week and I heard an advertisement for UFC (Ultimate Fighting) something about children allowed, and I thought to myself, "What the ?!@@$#"!

Here's the deal. I don't really understand why people want to participate or watch to people locked in a cage fighting! I haven't ever been, but it sounds awful and barbaric, not to mention WEIRD! What is the attraction to seeing someone get beat up? Why do these things draw crowds? What would you do if your brother, husband, sister, friend, child, etc. came to you and said they wanted to be an ultimate fighter? I think I would take them to the therapist.

When I got to work that day I was sharing my opinion with my friend and she said it is a good outlet for people who have a lot of aggression. If they didn't do this then they might do something worse. WHAT THE?!@$@? She asked why ultimate fighting was worse than boxing. Honestly, I had a lame answer that day, but the more I thought about it...I agreed...I guess there will be no boxing matches for me in the future.

I think ultimate fighting must go.

Is it a double standard that I LOVE HOCKEY, even the smashing, but now detest ultimate fighting and or boxing? hmmmm.....

The Magic of Ordinary Days

Thanks to Ashley for recommending "The Magic of Ordinary Days" by Ann Howard Creel . It is a simple heartwarming story about life, love, and ordinary days. I recommend reading the book and then watching the movie. The book is better than the movie. But I fell in love with both!

Narla Stikes AGAIN!

Okay, so maybe not. At the end of October my nephew Jake had a surprise birthday party at Laser Quest. Since I hadn't ever played before I decided to give it a whirl....oh my HECK! I loved it! Well, not so much the part that I totally sucked and came in LAST place, but other than that I loved it! Above is my score card. It is definitely going in the box with my cool memory stuff. If anyone wants to go play...just give NARLA a call!

Side note: my 4 year and 7 year old nephews did better than me. Wow! I am really really bad and need some serious practice!

**Carrie, remember when we made up hockey names? And remember DaNarla was mine...now it is just shortened to Narla...making up nicknames...oh the crazy times...***

Pierced My Heart

Today we had stake conference. A mother of 7 spoke, and during part of her talk she was relaying how this one week in particular she was having a hard week and she felt that she was inadequate in many things in her life. She went to the temple at the end of that week and was renewed and this thought came to her.

"I can do hard things."

This statement rang true in my soul as she said it. Who doesn't have periods where they feel inadequate for the life they are trying to achieve, and who doesn't wonder if they are making correct choices, or doing all they could. I wanted to jump up and say "Me too, Me TOO!" But that would have been weird and awkward so instead I am doing it here...

"I CAN DO HARD THINGS!"

A Thankful Heart

I am Thankful for...
*a healthy mom, who has recovered nicely from 2 hip replacement surgeries. Ardell felt so good, that she prepared a large and very tasty Thanksgiving meal.
*the opportunity to serve my dad and help my mom and sisters take care of him in the last bit of his life. It is something that I really struggle with. I have to work on having a good attitude, to remember that this is a blessing, and some days I am just trying not to gag. I am learning a lot about myself in the process.
*a good job, with wonderful, funny co-workers and AMAZING bosses. Wow, am I lucky.
*the gospel, My Savior, Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost without which I might have had a complete breakdown about 7 times.
*my friends who amaze me almost daily with how caring, funny, inspiring, and completely crazy they all are.
*my immediate family: parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, and all of the in-laws. Each year I appreciate them more and more. I have always said it is hard to be the youngest by 12 years, but that is more than made up for by the people who are apart of my family. Not a day goes by that I don't talk, email, or text someone in my family. We have such a great time together. I am also lucky enough to have THE cutest nieces and nephews they are too funny!
*my education and the opportunity to be able to get more education.
*my blog. I have discovered that it is great therapy for me!
*my many purses...and all the purses I will own in the future.
*yahoo music and yahoo music videos...it keeps me going at work!
*my favorite lamp

Below are some fun pictures from my Thanksgiving day. I hope you enjoy!

Lucky Number 113

The 9th Annual Taste of Utah Charity Dinner for Cystic Fibrosis was on Saturday night. I was lucky enough, along with some cute friends, to volunteer at the dinner. I was excited for 2 reasons: first, I truly enjoy doing volunteer work, there is nothing more freeing. Second: The best restaurants in Salt Lake would be there and you could try a "taste" from them all!

I attended a training the weekend before to learn what I needed to do...and let me tell you...I think I was asleep! My friends and I were assigned to Registration, then mailman, then checkout. As we were getting ready for the people to arrive (the people who had paid at least $50 a plate to come and were planning on spending a lot more at the auction) we were reviewing the instructions and the "script" we were to say. I should have studied harder. The first guests arrived and...I forgot half the stuff I needed to tell them! No worries, I laughed it off with Heather (pictured above)...it only got worse. During the rush of getting guests checked in and getting their credit card information (to pay for the silent and live auction items they would purchase) we were also letting people know their bid numbers. Well needless to say in all the confusion, I assigned a guest bid number 113...and then right as they walked away I turned to Heather to see her writing down bid number 113 for her guest...that had also just walked away! We started laughing and Heather ran after her guest and switched him numbers. Seriously, it was a little chaotic, but we had some great laughs.

Besides the mix up with the bid numbers we also got our pictures taken with Frank Layden, former coach of the Utah Jazz. I know you are all jealous! I will post the picture as soon as I get it signed! Yep, he gave us his card so we could mail him the picture for him to sign!

We all decided that next year, we want to be guests...and not volunteers!

CORROLLA

Let me start by saying...CORROLLA has a lot of patience with me. Some of you have heard and been around for my adventures with CORROLLA, but the latest one...well it is the cream of the crop.

It was a typical Tuesday morning, CORROLLA and I were driving into the parking garage listening to our favorite radio station X96, the Radio from HELL show. Let me pause and give some vital information, our parking garages have been on the blitz with the ARM's up because no one's cards worked to let them in...and it had been going on for about a week now. There usually was a guy standing there waving you in the garage. Okay, back to TUESDAY. I pull up and make eye contact with the guy to see if I need to stop or if it is status quo, he smiles and makes no motion to stop me...so I proceed following the car in front of me...and then...

CRASH &#*@#*#&$#(@*&$@#!!!!

Yep, the parking garage arm came and smacked CORROLLA on the roof.

Seriously, I think this could only happen to me and CORROLLA...we have such bad luck sometimes. For some odd reason I was pretty emotional that day (I think I wasn't fully awake yet), so while I was holding back tears I dealt with the parking garage guys...and CORROLLA got her picture taken. The claim is still not resolved and I am going to have to follow up.

I share this because I am positive that I am not the only person wondering if this ever has happened to anyone...now we know!

Apron, Apron, APRON!

I FINISHED my APRON! I am super excited. It is super cute...although it does need to be ironed and starched a bit. Yes, it does match my the pillows on my bed...and NO it wasn't planned. I am now taking orders for future aprons...the price is negotiable.

Halloween!

Ardell, she can be so crazy sometimes...I guess that is where I got it. She heard on the news that you should give nutritional treats for Halloween, so trick-o-treaters got a string cheese with their candy! Too cute!
I am so proud of my mom! As many of you know she had 2 hip replacement surgeries this year. Well on Halloween she walked across the living room with only the help of her cane. She usually needs to rely on her walker to help her keep the weight off the hips. She is doing so well! She has mentioned several times that this is the first time in 4 years she hasn't been in constant pain. Modern medicine is such a blessing. Oh, and for the record she had about 70 kids come...she likes to keep track.
I went to my ward's Halloween party, pretty much the best party of the year. As you can see...I am not very creative. In my defense...I really LOVE my scrubs. They are so comfortable!
It just so happens that Xena Princess Warrior was in attendance...and we're friends. I know you are jealous.