Cut and Color

I got a cut and highlights put in a week or so ago. I like it a lot.

11 Weeks 2 Days.....The Journey Continues

So I haven't written in a while. I have been in bed a lot and home feeling sorry for myself. Just kidding. I have joined the millions of other women who experience a torrent of emotions during the first trimester and I am sure never subsides completely.

I wonder if I will be good enough. I wonder if I will be able to meet my babies needs. I wonder if I will have the strength and stamina to meet the demands that are looming in my future. I wonder what kind of little kindred spirit is inside of me. I wonder about all of the logistics of how we are going to make this work. I wonder about a lot of things. I mean, I have lots of time. I lie awake at night with insomnia mulling the joys and symptoms I experience during this thing we call pregnancy.

I wonder a lot. I also am amazed at the whole process. So many times I read a book on pregnancy and just tear up in excitement and joy and amazement. I also tear up at the thought of giving birth. I am not going to lie. I am scared, but getting better. I have went through a little spurt where I was feeling guilty because I didn't feel so joyous all of the time because I was experiencing so many nasty symptoms and I just plain didn't feel good. Then that got me thinking, "Well why am I not excited to be having a baby? Why do I feel so down?" And then I really thought about it and that was a stupid thing to feel guilty about in the first place. I AM EXCITED....SUPER SUPER EXCITED but I just feel like c-r-u-d and that's OK not to be over joyous everyday.

The point is I have to give myself time to adjust to this new role I am stepping into just like anything else; and that's OK. It's OK that life has slowed down a bit and I am taking care of myself. It's OK that Dusty has to do dishes and cook (aka eat out) ;-) because I can't do it for a brief moment. That's life and that's why we are a team. It's OK to be a little frightened of the unexpected [read labor]. I know that the Lord is with me and that I was made to be a mother from the very beginning of my eternal being. THAT gives me great comfort in this time of great excitement, confusion, sickness and joy.

All of the women who have gone before me give me strength and courage and hope and love for what is to come. I am empowered as I think that I have been chosen to be a vessel for a sweet little spirit to call my own here on earth and throughout the eternities.

Caring People

Some of you know how much I have loved my doctor. I have dealt with hypothyroidism and she has helped me through so much. She has call me on weekends, in the evenings, before hours and ALWAYS listens to me and makes sure she understands me before she does anything. She has been the absolute best doctor I have ever had. She is even my friend. Well in January I had to switch insurance companies and she was no longer a network doctor!! SO BUMMED! But I called her office anyway and asked to speak with her. I was out of meds and needed her to call in a subscription while I found a new doc interim. When I told her I couldn't come see her anymore she was bummed too. She gave me her personal cell number and told me to call her any time and she would help me find another doctor that I liked.

Well I had a few kind of emergency medical questions and called her cell to see if she would help me find a new doc ASAP. She spoke with me for 40 minutes at 9pm and told me to call her back and keep her updated on my situation. I mean, seriously, what kind of doctor does this?! She has gone out of her way because she cares so many times. I am sure she has touched a lot of people's lives. I am not going to take advantage of that but its nice to know that she is there and truly cares.

I am grateful for caring people and people who are so ready and willing to impart wisdom, experience and helpful advice. I mean as a professional her time is valuable and can bill for that kind of consultation but she is just a kind person wanting to help. I am grateful for her and lots of others out there who inspire me to be a better person and be more giving.

Sicky Wicky

Dusty and I are both sick puppies! He got a cold or the flu last week and gave it to me and we are not good. It sucks when you are both sick. We are miserable! But, at least it's not something worse and we know it will pass; eventually ;-)

London and Scotland

This is a Church building in Hyde Park, London, England. I have always wanted to go to Hyde Park. It is so rich in history in and out of the Church. We all showed up at the conference late so we could go to Church service. We took a train and then walked, a lot, but finally arrived. We only stayed for sacrament meeting but that was enough for me. I felt so blessed that day.

This is a picture from Scotland from one of the main streets. Look how gorgeous the typical street it. I absolutely loved, loved, loved Scotland. I would rather go there than London any day. Both were fun but Scotland captured a place in my heart. Everything is old. Everything. The "new city" was built over 200 years ago. It was truly a magical place for me. My jaw literally dropped when I walked up the ramp out of the train station and saw the absolute beauty of Edinburgh. I will

Who doesn't love red phone booths?! You saw people taking pictures of them ALL of the time. This was in London. I took the picture and then messed with the colors to make it look like it was an animated picture. This totally reminded me of Harry Potter and made me more excited to go and see Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Crossing railway station. This picture was taken right before we got to Big Ben.

This is one picture of Edinburgh Castle. I took so many pictures. There are some that are much better but I just this one up as a teaser :-) The castle was so big. I had no idea it had so much in it; including the Crown Jewels. What a gorgeous place. I always like to take a moment and think about the people who were there when it was new so many hundreds of years ago. The castle has so much history and tradition.

So this is Big Ben! It was so cool for me to get to see it in person. I have seen it countless times in movies, plays and read about things that happened there. It is in Westminster, London and is even bigger than I thought it was. This is an extremely high traffic tourist spot but was a lot of fun to be in the mix right there in the middle of it in London.

This was a typical scene in Scotland. Real men wear skirts :-) It felt like I was back in time seeing men like this all around.

This was a sidewalk chalk artist (do they have an actual title?!) at Trafalgar Square. There was a huge celebration going on that day we were there and it was crazy!! People were everywhere. This totally reminded me of Mary Poppins. He was really good and was real animated with his talk and was singing. It was great.

This was the last full day in Scotland. It was such a wonderful way to end the trip. I remember walking up and down the beach in the open, cool air thinking about the fact that I had traveled to England and Scotland, two places I had always wanted to go but never thought I would visit. I had such amazing experiences. This was a great time to stop and meditate before the trip home. A perfect ending.

........more pictures to come.......

Labor Day at Mount Timpanogos

Yeah this is late but here are a few pictures of our time at Mt. Timp hiking. The whole area around there was so beautiful. We went for a drive afterward and it reminded me of Colorado. It was gorgeous.

Tagged

So I used to hate being tagged to do things but I don't know what has happened but I don't mind anymore. So, below is in response to being tagged by Marcie.

I am: cold
I think: about fitness a lot. To bad thinking about it just doesn't take care of it :-)
I know: everything will work out ok
I want: to learn how to use my new camera
I have: big dreams
I dislike: having to check the pockets of cargo pants that have 50,000 pockets before doing laundry….did I mention Dusty has a lot of cargo pants? Dang Nature Boy! ha ha
I miss: being around family and ALL my nieces and nephews
I fear: I will fall short of reaching some of my goals
I feel: like I am moving onwards and upwards
I hear: the crunching of ice. I HATE hearing that all day……
I smell: some yummy black raspberry vanilla oil spray
I crave: some white bean pasta soup and cornbread!
I cry: when I actually let myself feel my emotions
I usually: use humor to lighten things up
I search: ponder and pray
I wonder: what my life and family will be like.
I regret: not going after what I really want a little sooner
I love: fall weather
I care: about creating healthy habits
I always: have a to-do list. Seriously. Everyday. Ask Anyone.
I worry: all the time……
I am not: a quitter
I remember: having a WONDERFUL childhood full of family and laughs and smiles
I believe: that all things will work for our good
I dance: all of the time
I sing: to my husband
I dream: BIG
I argue: only if I feel REALLY strongly about something
I write: to understand what I really feel
I win: when I play Dusty in Uno and checkers! HA HA HA
I lose: at the stupid shocker game
I wish: I knew how many kids I will have and where we will end up living and and and and and ……..
I listen: to my instincts (and the Spirit)
I don't understand: why I can’t find a brand of jeans that I am in love with or even remotely like
I can usually be found: with a to-do list in my hand!!
I am scared: going hiking with Dusty and finding cougars or rattlesnakes or anacondas or whatever and he goes to play with it. (just kidding, but I am scared of hiking sometimes)
I need: to date my husband a lot!
I forget: things that happened like yesterday but I have great long term memory. So if you need to ask me something that happened yesterday, just ask me in a month or so
I am happy: because I know I am a Child of God

I tag: Melissa, Chauntel, Charla

Happy Birthday to Me!

Well I had a great birthday today hanging out with the family here in Kentucky. I went to lunch with Mike, Charla and the CRAZY and FUN boys Blake and Eli and then mom and Melissa and I went out and then Nathan and Evan joined up with us for dinner.

I can't believe I am 27. It's kind of freakin me out that I am so close to 30, but deep down I am OK with it. It's just nuts to me.

Thanks for all of the birthday wishes!

The Scrapbox, my new love

This can be moved to the top ob my wish list. I love, love, love them. The Scrapbox is amazing. We are selling them through my work now to help genealogists get organized. We had a focus group where the company brought one in and we told them what we like and didn't like about it and all the uses we can think of for it. My favorite part is that it really does fold up easy and looks like a beautiful cabinet for your home. Did I say I love it? I love it. I want at LEAST two in my home. I can use the mini scrapbox for mail, stamps, important papers etc. that need my attention, use it at my bill paying station or whatever. The big ones can be used for craft stuff and scrapbooking and then I would want one for our home office to keep extra supplies in, chargers, cords, cds, office supplies, etc. etc. etc. If you are a writer you can use one to store all of your research and data until it is complete and then move out the stuff and make room for your new project.

I would even settle for a big scrapbox and then a mini workbox. check it out. If you actually want to buy anything off the site, come to me and I can get you a better price!

Did I say I love them? I love them.

"I Let Them Scalp My Hairs, Alright!"

Well, well well. I got myself a new look today. I took the plunge and chopped my hair off!! Wow. What a feeling to have your ponytail cut off!!! It was SO FUN. My stylist was really fun too. She was just as excited as I was. Melissa and I had been talking about it and I just decided to go for it and do it. I LOVE IT! I think it is a kind of sophisticated cut. I just really really like it. I was completely freaked out when she handed me my ponytail.....yeah.....that is a feeling I can't describe. The workout clothes pictures is because I got some new tennis shoes in the mail today too. So, of course, I had to try them out with my new haircut!

Here are a few pictures. What do you think?!

Back from Canada / My Trip of "Firsts"

So I am back from another trip. This time it was from Canada and New York. I flew into New York and then drove into Ontario, Canada. All the while forgetting my passport and answering a question wrong at boarder patrol. I don't recommend doing that. It makes you really nervous even though you are completely legal and it ticks the people off behind you.

This was a trip of "firsts" in several ways.

New York

I have always wanted to go to New York but not necessarily NYC. This was perfect for me. I flew into Buffalo and saw some beautiful parts of New York during my drive.

Niagara Falls

I have always wanted to see Niagara Falls and I drove right through on my way to Canada so of course I stopped off for a few hours to see it. There are several pictures forthcoming. It was a beautiful area. The falls were amazing and the falls at night are spectacular.

cross Canadian border

I just thought this would be cool to do. It was cool going into Canada but not so much going back when I answered a wrong question :-)

go to Canada

I just wanted to add that I feel like such a big girl now that I have driven in New York and to Canada and back all by myself! I think dad might have another heart attack!

ate a cold meat wrap

OK. This one is really weird but I have never eaten a wrap with cold meat in it and I finally did and it wasn't so bad. I still prefer it to have hot meat in it. (and NO deli meat)

Air Force One

When I was sitting on the airport runway for over an hour waiting for our plane to get fixed at least I got a consolation prize...I got to see Air Force One right next to us! Then when we were ready to take off we had to wait for the Air Force One helicopters to take off.....and that made me miss my connecting flight, but hey that was kind of cool.

sleep number bed

• Dusty and I always talk about wanting to get one and I have to admit they are amazing. When I first got in the bed it was really firm and I held down the button to make them softer and it felt so nice. My sleep number is 20 think. I played around with it for a while and I think that is where I did best. It was so nice.
  

• First time I ever got an answer like this:

(You need to know this was the dumpiest hotel I have ever been it. It was dirty, scary and just awful)

• Amy: "Do you have a non-smoking room I can be moved in to?"
• Clerk: "Well you don't have to smoke."
• Amy: "I understand that. I just wanted a room that doesn't have the aroma of smoke. It is making me sick."
• Clerk: "I don't think we got any of those."

Sure enough, the sign outside just said "Smoking Rooms"!!!!!! I have never heard of that! Needless to say I switched hotels and that's how I got into the Radission with the nice sleep number beds.

Power over Pizza!

So Dusty and I are on Day 5 of a 10 Day kick start workout / diet program in junction with Turbo Jam. We are basically just working out everyday for 10 days while eating foods with optimum protein and complex carbohydrates, low fat etc. It hasn't been too bad but it's when you do this that you realize how much food can be a temptation. The foods we have made have been flavorful and we have been very conscious eaters which is a big change for us :-) It also helps to do this together and give and get motivation from each other.

My problem is 1) sweets and 2) portion control. I have no understanding of how much is enough. Another part of this thing that we are doing is trying to retrain our bodies in a sense that feeling satisfied is enough; I don't have to feel full every meal.

I have resisted every kind of chocolate imaginable and today even pizza! I thought about eating it and not telling Dusty :-) but quickly realized that I have power over my body. I have power over what I feel. I chose not to eat any of the chocolate or even pizza. This is a major accomplishment for me. So when it really came down to it, it wasn't too much of a temptation.

I know that I will eat pizza and chocolate again and probably too much of it at times but this little experience has been great for me to really realize the power I have over my body and how my unconscious living and eating can have severe effects on my overall well being. So next time I will consciously pig out on chocolate and pizza (ha ha just kidding). Seriously I have felt empowered as I have striven to live the Word of Wisdom a little better and create the life and health that I really desire.

Platform 9 3/4 in the London Railway!

Here is a little teaser from my trip. In the Harry Potter books the entrance into the Wizzard world is through Platform 9 3/4. They actually have a platform at King's Cross Station in London. (this is the station mentioned in the books). On my way to Scotland we had to get on a train at this station so I ran over and snapped a few pictures of it. I don't know if you can tell but the trolley (or cart) is half way in the wall kind of like it's taking you into the Wizzarding world! I thought about running straight at the wall to see if it would take me into Hogwarts but something just told me not to.....

It was too cute and lots of fun to get to see. It was a great way to end a great trip!

Aloha from Scotland :-)

I don't know what they say here.....Cheerio, Cheers, whatever. I know I haven't been posting lately I have been to Ohio, Kentucky, London, England and now Edinburgh, Scotland!!!!! I can't even tell you how much fun I have had. I have to say that I think my favorite place (besides seeing family in KY) has been Scotland. I can't even begin to put into words how absolutely gorgeous this place is.

I love you all. I miss you all. I will write again soon and give you details about what has been going on since OH and KY up till now. My computer is about to die. I love you guys!

Bath Time

OK. As you are probably all aware of my favorite things to do when I visit KY is to spend the night with Lissa and take a LONG hot bubble bath in her jet tub :-) Some people aren't bath takers but I love it. I think it stems from doing it so much growing up. When I had muscle soreness from dance or something I would take a bath as hot as I could get it and just lay there. I still do it. I love it!

I also used to drag in our radio into the bathroom and play soft music to help me relax. When I took showers I loved to have on some music that pumped me up for the day. I don't know what it is but I love music when I am taking a bath or shower.

This week being sick I have taken lots of long hot baths and I finally have a vertical CD player that Dusty attached to the wall for me so I could relax and enjoy music while I try and feel better! Now my bubble baths are complete! (or at least as complete as they can be without that garden tub....)

Day 7

It's day 7 of being sick! I am lots better but now I just seem to have a never ending head cold. I had some kind of flu/cold/strep throat thing going and and I am so glad to be feeling better! I wish I was in KY so mom could take care of me :-) Dusty did a great job though, when I actually let him take care of me. I hate just sitting around. I want to be doing things or out of bed. But Dusty was quick to put me in bed. I hope whatever I had doesn't make it's rounds with your families. It was pretty nasty!

Tag, I'm It!

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names and then goes to their blogs and leaves a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and that they should read your blog.

10 Years ago...

I was in high school, really active in clubs and dance at school and at the dance studio. I was also teaching dance there. Dance pretty much is what I did! :-)

5 things on my list to do today....

1. Church
2. Devotional with Dusty
3. Visiting Teaching
4. Dinner at a friends house
5. Read a book

Snacks I enjoy.....

anything chocolate basically, chips and salsa, soy beans, ice cream, bananas and other fruit and lots of other things. I am pretty easy to please.

What I would do if I were suddenly a millionaire.....

Pay tithing :-) Build a house with a NICE dance studio in it. Take a vacation for a month and then come back to life refreshed! Invest the rest of it.

3 bad habits......

1. Indecision!
2. Put too much on my plate and then get overwhelmed.....and then do it again.....
3. Not taking care of myself like I should

5 places I have lived.....

1. Louisville, KY
2. Pasadena, TX
3. Webster, TX
4. Provo, UT
5. in a snake farm......

5 jobs I have had......

1. dance teacher
2. worked in a few game rooms
3. subrogation unit in an insurance company
4. Preventive Pest Control secretary
5. PR and Marketing for a genealogy company


5 things people don't know about me.......

1. I really want to be the kind of person who wakes up at 5 am everyday.
2. I love to watch black and white movies.

3. I wish that I could paint and draw, but I cant! I am terrible at it.

4. I love to watch and read documentaries, histories, nature stories etc.

5. I was turned on to theater big time when I saw a Charlotte's Web play on a school field trip in second grade. I don't know what it was about that play but it had me enthralled from beginning to end and it really enhanced my love of dance and began a love of theater.

I tag:

1. Dusty
2. Melissa
3. Nathan
   
4. Mike
5. Charla
6. Mom and Dad (just send it to me via email and I will post it)