The Hunger Games...

I just read The Hunger Games, took me about a day.

And I did not love it.



It made me super hungry. It was much too violent. I would never want to watch a movie that violent. Blood, pus, skulls smashing, necks snapping...that isn't entertainment to me. If the movie is PG-13 I'll go, but I have a hard time imagining they can deliver anything close to the book without being rated R.
[however I just looked it up, and it says it'll be rated pg-13]

It made me more grateful for what I had, though.

Say what you want about Stephenie Meyer's writing...but the "hook" she had at the end of each book left me driving all over town finding the next one. At the end of this one I was like, that's it? I don't think I'll read the next two. I think I even heard some were disappointed with MockingJay.

Anyway. That's that. Twilight is better. The Host is still my favorite book. Shows you how much I've read in the last few years.

What did you think of The Hunger Games?

What Zumba is to Me.

I remember a few years ago, my sister Jana was telling me "You have to go try a Zumba class. You'd love it. Its working out but its, like, FUN." I had never heard of it but I just assumed it was just like going salsa dancing. Which isn't my cup of tea. I went on a date once salsa dancing and I guess in that culture you are supposed to have intense eye contact, which immediately creeped me out.

I never liked chocolate/sweets that much, until I gave birth to Kaius! I guess! I turned into a baking machine. I blame Pioneer Woman, but also would kiss her feet if I met her.

A few friends of mine started a facebook group called "Facebook Biggest Loser". The person to lose the most weight won all the $, it was $20 per person. Well, there were a lot of people who wanted to just do it for free and not for the monetary reward, myself included. I didn't want to temporarily diet with the incentive of money, I wanted to make a lifestyle change (but really, I'm a big cheapwad). ((However, I guess due to not enough people paying, they cancelled the whole thing...Oh well! I was making a change by myself.))
So, I got a gym membership, I started going in the mornings before everyone was up.
It made me feel good that I was doing something...but I would run 2 minutes and have to walk the rest of the half hour. I had never been in that bad of shape!

They had a new Zumba class starting. I showed up, there were lots of ladies there. I just kinda inched my way into the back area. I just looked around at the girls there and said "Am I ok here? I've never done this before." and there was little miss Lisa,who had never done it before either, she was nice. Then, Cammie graced the stage. I remember all throughout the class, Lisa and I kept saying to each other "This is so fun!". I definitely didn't have the stamina to make it through a class, I remember just stopping and standing a few times to catch my breath. At the end we were saying how we couldn't wait for the next one. I casually mentioned to Lisa that I'd love to be up there someday. The next class she asked me if I was going to become and instructor. I was like psh...maybe in a few years?

I enjoyed Cammie's classes because I could TELL she was having the TIME OF HER LIFE. I looked up her Zumba profile and added her on Facebook. I thought she looked like a nice, fun person. Since I just moved to a new area, I thought "what if she and I became friends?"


I would email her messages every once in a while and tell her how awesome she was. She kept things very business and polite. A few months later, she invited me to a "Zumbathon"



and I said, "you say its Zumba and I come running!" so we carpooled together with some friends, and invited them all over for dinner. I served the best sandwich ever,



and I'm pretty sure that's why they all liked me after that :)



I find myself thinking a lot that I think Zumba was made specifically for me. If you know me, you know I LOVE color. Zumba clothes are the most colorful clothes with the coolest, funkiest color combinations. I love that I get the chance to miss my kids. I love the friends that I meet at classes. I love that I'm passionate about Zumba and I am actually having people come to my classes!

If you'd like to come I would love to have you!


1164 South Main Street

Mondays - 8:30 PM
Thursdays - 8 PM
Saturdays - 10 AM

$5 a class or $40 for a 10 class punch pass.

My Instructor training with Gina Grant was awesome. Ok, some of it was awesome. Most of it was going over the steps, how to do Cumbia, Merengue, etc. I used to sit and wait for Cammie at the end of each class, and I've heard many people ask her to break down moves for them. And what shoes are best, etc etc...
So as soon as I heard what each move was formally called what, the rest was pretty much boring. She had to keep going over the moves and I definitely wasn't back in tip top shape yet. I was so so SO mentally and physically drained when there was about an hour left of the training. Me and this other guy Josh were like...basket cases. He said his brains felt like mashed potatoes.

And he said somethin...about pouring gravy on his head. I dont remember exactly. I had been trying to be really awesome when I knew Gina was looking at me, but towards the end she pointed at me and made the yawning motion with her hand.
Well, sh*%.
I nodded back to her. I stopped pretending after that.
But I wasn't too tired for a photo with her!


Then on the way home Jana started feeling like me. We got in her car after our carpool dropped us off and she couldn't even turn the key properly, and didn't know what direction she was driving, haha. We got back to her house and made her husband make us food :).

Long Update.

So 30 days of blogging. It didn't improve my lameness so I decided it dies.

Kaius has been my toy-fetching, diaper fetching, chap stick-eating little man. Still cute as ever. Monroe is almost sitting up, and loves interesting toys. And gets bored easily. She is my little ray of sunshine. And they are NEVER asleep at the same time. Sometimes not even at night.

So, about a month ago I walk into relief society, and I catch someone's eye from across the room...its Melissa, one of my best friends from High School (in Cali)!!!!



I immediately go sit next to her and we embrace (lol, yup, in the middle of the lesson.) We haven't seen each other in over 3 years so we were beside ourselves. It was so hard to keep quiet til the end of the lesson so we could ask each other some questions! She and her fiance were thinking of moving into the ward so they decided to show up! We had them over for dinner right after and caught up. Such a wonderful surprise.

then.
The NEXT week, who do I see new at church? ANOTHER friend/aquaintance from high school (in Cali), Laura Faith (cept she just got married so thats changed).



I stole these from their Facebooks. Cuties.
TWO people that I went to high school in California, not even UT, show up at my ward? it was craziness. So ecstatic about it.


OK, so...I need to blog about my 2 ER experiences.

Last Friday I ask my facebook friends for ear ache remedies. onion oil, garlic oil, breastmilk, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, heat pad, olive oil etc etc...
I tried most of them but it just seemed to get worse. Swimmer's ear is what I had, so putting more weird fluids probably exacerbated the condition. The pain kept me up ALL night. I sat on the couch watching TV and popped IBuprofen...but then at 4 AM the pain would not go away no matter how much I took (I took a max of 800 mg...which is plenty) and I was bawling it hurt so bad. I went to wake josh so I could have him support. Uhm, when Josh is woken out of a dead sleep...he is kind of....not Josh. So for the first 20 minutes he was flipping out.

"HOW MANY PAIN MEDS DID YOU TAKE?!?!?"

"YOU SHOULD HAVE GONE TO BED EARLIER!!!"

yeah.....

Anyway, Josh wanted to call our home teacher, at 5 AM, and have him come be at our house so our kids are home alone. I'm like, NO, I'll just go by myself. So I decided since I'm going to the downtown ER at SL regional, I might as well advertise my zumba classes. So I wore Zumba cargo pants, hot pink chucks, and my Zumba hoodie.

Clue #1...I am a basket case.



At the ER, I demand morphine (thats what they gave me at the ER in california when my sister took me for the flu, best day ever) and they said NO, because I drove myself. (remember that key point)

So the doc asks me if I would like an IV of the start of my antibiotics or would i like to just go home with pills. I told him my main goal in life at that point was to get some SLEEP. So he said, well just take the pills, if your ear gets worse just come back and we wont charge you for a 2nd visit (lie #1). Then he says he is going to bend the rules and let me take my perkocets at home since I drove myself. Then a nurse walks in with pills and says "Here is some water and pills, please take them now" so, I oblige. But before I swallow the perkocets I say "I havent eaten in like 10 hours...DO I NEED TO TAKE THESE WITH FOOD?"
Nurse: "Nah. Food isn't required. Don't worry about it." (lie #2)
I'm like, alright. gulp.

I sit in the car and call around to pharmacies to see if anyone is open. Hmm, I'm really hungry, I think I'll go to McDonalds.
On the way to McDonalds....I am TRIPPIN OUT. I am paranoid and thinking every car is trying to kill me, but my reaction time is very slow. (Clue #2 I am a basket case)

There is a line at Mcdonalds, by the time I hear "Welcome to McDonalds, may I take your order?" I am STRAIGHT UP: HIGH.



High, by definition: excited or stupefied by or as if by a drug.
I'm like "Uh...er yooo serrving breeckkfessst?" (its 7 AM by this point)
The Mcdonalds worker was like, Um. Yes. (They could totally tell I was high as a kite)
Then they took FOREVER (or it seemed to be) to get me my food. I pulled off to the side, to leave space for other McDonalds consumers to pass. I call Josh.

"Hi. I'M IMPAIRED. I DON'T WANT TO WRECK OUR NEW CAR."
"Uh, please pull over"
"I YAM PULLED OVER. I'M IN THE MgDONALDS DRIVE THRU. I CAN'T DRIVE HOME. I CAN'T. I DONT WANT TO WRECK OUR NEW CAR, YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO DRIVE WHILE IMPAIRED."
"ok, just wait there."
I tried eating some food, but I was so sick to my stomach I couldn't eat more than one bite. My ear pain is temporarily gone so my body shuts down. I'm am awakened by my phone and Josh said a member of the bishopric is coming to get me, and a bunch of other crap but I was like...GOTTA GO, and I opened up the car door and tossed my cookies. Fell asleep again.

I am jolted awake by a member of said bishopric by a tap on my window. He took me to a few pharmacies to find an open one, I don't remember the conversations we had, but I'm pretty sure everyone witnessing me throwing up (dry heeving) on the street at each pharmacy thought I partied pretty hard that night.




He took me home and I crashed for about 6 hours straight (at which point Josh((not knowing of any of my throwing up)) updated my FB status that all was well and I was going to sleep for 3 days). Josh waking me to give me antibiotics whenever he was supposed to. When I woke up finally for longer than 3 seconds to drink down a pill, I threw all the water and medicine up. Long story short, I couldn't eat or drink anything so I ended back up in the ER to get an anti-nausea (I only went BACK to the ER because the dumb doc said I wouldnt be charged)




Don't get me started on errors on medical bills. But, the record still stands, I've never had a medical bill since I've been married be a correct bill.

I was basically a useless pile of nothing the next few days. Josh cleaned the WHOLE house and I didn't even notice. Various members of the ward took Kaius while Josh went to work and I'm sure he just had a blast. They brought us the sacrament at home. I received a priesthood blessing (THAT, I do remember. It felt so cool to feel the spirit so strong during the prayer) At church yesterday I was so surprised at how many people had heard about my sickness and wanted to know if I was OK...I've never felt so loved! People care about me! :) Such an awesome support system. We would have been in serious trouble without everyone's help.

Day 12 - A Band/Artist that has Gotten You Through Some Tough Days:

Yeah, ever since I got pregnant with Kaius...I have not wanted to listen to much music. I just have such an appreciation for silence. Music is just noise. And I get more than my fill at Zumba.

Day 11 - Something You Don't Seem to Get Compliments On:

My skin.  Josh told me our kids probably wont have nice skin, and he doesn't have nice skin.  And we are both attracted to people with nice skin (attracted like, "oh look at that girls' nice porcelain skin, honey!")

Day 10 - Something People Seem to Compliment You the Most On:

In high school, my hair.  Now...probably my shoes.  I like shoes.  Bright colored shoes, animal prints, high heels, funky chucks, ballet flats, Coach, patent leather....I love them all :)

Day 9 - Something That Makes You Mad:

Two things right off the top of my head:

No matter what, no matter how much time in advance I give, My family is not. at. the. dinner. table ready with drinks and the table set ready to eat. Its like they like to eat dinner cold?? I work hard for good dinner and so I get a little mad sometimes. A few times its been just too good to eat cold or semi-cold and so I'll just say my own little prayer and start eating!! But then that makes the family (AKA Josh) a little mad. ;)

And when I'm cleaning a room...picking up toys or clothes and putting them away...then looking behind me and seeing Kaius pulls each toy and piece of clothing out that I JUST PUT AWAY, and throw it around the room.

Day 8 - Someone Who has Treated You Bad

Out of 7 of my working years, my boss at Zions was the only HUGE BIOTCH! HAhaha..I seriously have loved every job I've had. Loved all my bosses. Cept her. But she would yell at everyone and threaten jobs, leave the office for 4 hours straight to go christmas shopping, I blogged about her yankee swap gift exchange crap, she would talk crap to me about other people...to other people about me. Pull me in her office and chat for an hour about pregnancy and then get ticked when production was down...yeah... so I decided to peace out and start a family.

Day 7 - Someone Who has made your Life worth Living

Josh was the total knight in shining armor when I met him. I was dating a loser and Josh told me to stop seeing him completely if I was going to start hanging out with him, at all. I was pretty shocked when he said that, and to tell you the truth...I didn't even like Josh that much. I'd been praying for a way out and this was my chance. I remember that we were on the phone when he gave me the ultimatum. He was shopping at Smiths, and I was at work. He said he would remove himself right now before he got emotionally attached, and said to call him back when I made my decision. I had made the decision already on the phone with him, but I waited like 10 minutes to make it seem like I thought about it :P. I wanted Josh as a friend for sure, so that's how it started.

Day 6 - Something you Hope you Never have to Do

I hope I never have to go to my own child's funeral. Biggest overwhelming fear.

Day 5 - Something you Hope to do

*Yeah, I fell off the wagon. I didn't say it would be 30 consecutive days. But seeing my girl Sarah posting her 30 day challenge reminds me to continue mine. Although mine has been...still lame.

I hope to travel to Europe with Josh someday. I hope to always be able to live within my means. I hope I teach Kai & Roe important things, about church, money, credit, and priorities. I hope I always strive to keep my marriage strong and fresh. I hope we are something cool as a family for halloween.

day 4 - Something You Need to Forgive Someone For

I need to forgive Taylor. Sometimes I still think about what a stupid moron he is. And how he didn't think or care about how anyone else would be affected. I always hope that Josh was able to separate the 2 events in his mind, so that when he thinks back to Kaius' birth, he doesn't think of Taylor's death. Plus, we stayed awake until 2 or 3 AM talking/Josh grieving the night before I was induced (I didn't need to grieve yet, I was just pissed). Josh had to leave me in the hospital with brand new Kaius to go to the funeral. I was supportive of Josh going, but pissed that this death was no accident. It was controlled.

But you know what, I need to forgive him. I shouldn't judge him. I do not know exactly what he was going through. I have no idea what it feels like for my spouse to tell me I suck and leave me, and then find out they're pregnant (that would be extra crazy in my case).

Day 3 - Something you need to Forgive Yourself for

I don't think I have anything here for Day 3, but Amanda said something about yesterdays, how it wasn't about ME.

Right now is a time in my life where I feel like I'm not passionate about anything. I change diapers, make dinners, and do laundry. I don't create things. I am not in the best shape, so I don't dance super well, yet. I like lots about me but I can't think of something I LOVE. I love my hair, I guess. I don't think every girl wants the kind of hair they don't have ;).

Update on our car break-in:
Josh saw one of the kids that ran away had something in his arms. Tonight Josh was out playing with Kaius and they spotted a black backpack (couldn't be seen at night)on the side of the road with some car jacking tools inside. The kid I'm sure thought he was being followed and just threw it. Which means all day they didn't come back here to see if it was still there. Which means Josh scared the living crap out of them.

Day 2 - Something you Love about Yourself

I love my choice of husband.

He is also the type of person to have confidence sky-high, but he seems to always surprise me when he stops and tries to do something to make my life better or try to change to be a better husband. He searched a long time for a wife and I think that made him an even more awesome husband. When I first met him, I thought he was a total Me Monster. Well, he still kind of is sometimes (and he can admit it) but I know his intentions. For example, when we were first dating, he came over to my house and my roommate and I were trying to hang a picture in our kitchen. She and I started hammering the nail in and he snatched the hammer out of my hands and said "Oh I'll do it" and he just took over. Me and my roommate looked at each other like he was nuts. But now that I know him, looking back, all he was trying to do was be a gentleman.
OK, cheesefest over.

30 Days of Truth

I've never done a "challenge" style blog-a-thon thing-a-ma-jig before.. But my blog is lame-o lately.


Day #1
Something you hate about yourself:

Hmmm...well I don't really hate anything about myself. I always say "I'm awesome" and yada yada but honestly, I don't think I'm better than anyone else ('cept, like, hitler, really) but I love myself for choices I've made. I haven't always loved myself. Howeva, If I could change something about me, I would change how I'm kindova prude in the bedroom. [Wow, TMI?] But really, looking at the Kama Sutra shouldn't make me blush. I've been married three and a frickin' half YEARS!!

People Make Me Crazy!!!!

Either you can buy your kids' shoes BRAND NEW at Zappos with free shipping (& free return shipping...)


Or


Buy them "pre-owned" on eBay with crusty insides for $27.50 and No Returns accepted. This is the seller's decription: " THESE SHOES ARE IN GOOD USED PLAY CONDITION. THEY HAVE NO STAINS, RIPS, HOLES OR TEARS. THEY HAVE BEEN WASHED AND CLEANED. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE EMAIL ME."
Honestly, you can get these for $25 at any mall. Guess the "Auction Style" really makes people feel like they've won.

Kaius is being so Cute today!

or "tyoot" as he pronounces it. I gotta do an update post about the K-Man.

This little boy would LIVE outside if we let him. Every time he has to come inside or get inside the car, I'm pretty sure a little piece of him dies. At least he acts like it.
He is obsessed with any kind of bike, car, or truck. Of course he is still obsessed with balls. Balls are his #1 priority.
He will look at any oblong shape and say "football". Its the cutest thing ever.
Today Monroe and Kaius were looking and each other and smiling. I said to Roe, "He likes you! Do you like her, Kaius?" and he said "I wite you" and hugged her. Which was probably his first sentence ever, but so cute.
Then I said "Do you love her?" and he said "I wuv you". I died from the cuteness.
He pronounces Monroe: Roe Roe.
bopple=apple
bopper=diaper
gucky= a form of gross, Josh says "ucky" but Kaius made up gucky
coors=cars
mamaw=grandma
pampa=grandpa
He makes a "t" sound instead of a "ck" sound..just like my little brother Matthew. I was "his Tarly" for years...but now he is a grown up 4th grader and is too cool ;).
Kaius is a man's man. If he has a choice between a man and a woman (like if I leave him with grandparents, or we have friends over) he will almost always go to the man. He loves babies.
Candy is currency.
Anything with a wrapper, he thinks its candy. Like...tampons, condoms...he is very disappointed when he finds out its not (by me telling him, not by him getting them open, ps.).
Almost every time we go to the park we are told by someone that Kaius is very coordinated for his age. He jumps with both feet and lands with both feet. He can throw balls pretty far, and sometimes he can catch. He even likes watching football. I'm so burnt out on football, I hope Monroe will be interested in shopping with me instead of watching football!

Well, that's about all I can think of. The end.

Phrases I don't like

"Everything happens for a reason"
What does that even mean? I have always wondered. Why do people believe this?

Well, literally, yes everything happens for a reason. The reason someone gets hit by a train, is because...they were in front of a train.
But people tend to use this phrase in situations like...they didn't get a house they put an offer on, people often give this "advice" to couples struggling with infertility (LAST thing they want to hear, PS) (edited to say, I can't speak for ALL people struggling with infertility..just the ones who have told me this), not getting a job you interviewed for, etc.

No, you didn't get that job you interviewed for because they felt someone else was better for it. If you sleep through your alarm on your way to work doesn't mean if you woke up on time you would have gotten in a car wreck.

Are you pickin' up what I'm puttin' down?

Take 9/11 terrorist attack for example. All those stories of people that were sick that day, slept through their alarm, etc and weren't at the World Trade Center that day and therefore didn't die....They weren't supposed to die, but everyone else who was responsible and showed up WERE supposed to? Puh-lease.

I believe God gives us blessings. Many blessings. Especially when we keep his commandments. But our lives are NOT determined. Yes, God knows what is going to happen but that doesn't mean you can coast through life. You gotta grab the bull by the balls, so to speak. If you want something, go get it. "Oh, I didn't get the job I wanted. Guess it wasn't meant to be. I'll just hold a little ceasars sign on the sidewalk." Can I get an AMEN?
Edited to add one more example...WARNING, its a sad example. How about stillbirth, due to doctor error? What reason did that happen for?? Maybe I'm just looking into it too literally, but if my baby passed away and I knew it was because of the doctor, I couldnt brush it off and say "Oh, these things happen for a reason."


"Never regret anything, because at the time it was something you wanted."
Yeah, at the time, you were also a big dumb idiot! Or just inexperienced with life, is a better way to put it, I guess?
People who say they never regret things [seem to be] the type of people that don't grow and progress as a person, or haven't done so yet. I've made many stupid mistakes in my life, and you better believe I wish I could have learned the lessons I did in another way. However, in a lot of ways I think I have learned life lessons by observing as well (i.e. Ya know when a girl "waits" for a missionary, and then 98% of the time one of them change their mind about the other within the next 2 years? Yeah, I gathered enough statistics to dodge that crap-fest. Its all about setting the correct expectations.)



I guess this can be good, like, I'm a HUGE worry wart..but the only person I knew to say this quote was the laziest person ever. So I don't like it.

Stress.

Saturday night, I had a meltdown. Unfortunately it was in front of about 15 peers of mine that I highly respect.

I'll explain, you see. I received a text 3 weeks ago from my friend's husband inviting me to a surprise birthday party for his wife! Aw! What can I bring! I'd love to bring a salad!
OK, be there at 7:30.

(Now I thought to myself, "Self, do not be late.")

Well. We were late.

We are "those people" that are late to EVERYTHING. Last time I was on time to church? Couldn't tell ya, but good thing it isn't a temple recommend question: Do you do your best to be on time to church?

Anyway, I ask friend's husband (who is also my friend too) if he wants us to wait in the car til after she gets there so we don't spoil the surprise. He says yes, wait. So I say "Ok, let me know when we can come in". Kaius and Monroe wake up because we stop, and start with the whining and crying. 10 minutes waiting in the car goes by. I text him again and say "Wheres this chick at??" no answer. Another 10 minutes goes by and by this time Kaius is screaming bloody murder (Why...oh, my Mom said he had a poopy diaper before we left. I didn't change it, did you change it babe? aw crap.) So we drive down the road out of visual range, and change his diaper. I then text "Hey is your phone off? Cuz my kids are havin' a meltdown and I need an update" no answer. I'm thinking this poor guy is stressed to the max trying to carry out his master plan of doing something sweet for his wife, and he probably isn't looking at his phone, or he is WITH her and doesn't want his phone blowing up.
Plus, this is what we get for being late. Josh and I kept saying that. Its all our fault.
Then next 10 minutes I spend looking up white pages trying to look up her house phone number so I can call the party to see whats up. I found it! oh fax number. I don't have ANYONES number that would be at that party?? Oh, BRAD!
dialing....Hi is Brad there?
"No. This is NOT Brad's phone anymore."
Woops, sorry buddy.
After a half hour of waiting I just run to the house, stealth style. Knock on the door and I see everyone is having a lovely meal. Real cool, friend's husband, real cool. He realizes he forgot to send me the text to come in and I see how sorry he is. I could see it on his face, he feels so bad. I say its not his fault, but say we have to leave because I'm too stressed out. The chin starts trembling and I jet off back to the car. Total diva style.

Josh and I talked..why am I so stressed out? Oh yeah. Cuz I am lacking some serious Zumba in my life. I used to go every day of the week, but since we moved, I haven't found a class I like. I'm picky. Kaius is in his terrible twos....WAY bad right now. Its like he has a goal to make me raise my voice at him. He likes me to yell at him. I give him TONS of positive attention and CANDY when he does something awesome. Which is, like, currency in our house. Remember that facebook status "AAAAH TODDLER FOR SALE!!" (which was just a joke, CPS) its because he pretty much landed on Monroe's face with his elbow. He gets frustrated and hits us or bites us. Whatever, bottom line, I need a freakin break. A daily break to go exercise and be away from the crazies.

My lovely sister Jana invited me a week ago or so to come to California to get certified to be a Zumba instructor. Josh and I decided last night, we're gunna do it. He said if it makes me happy, do it. He said "I am pro-you being happy".
So, we booked our flight (our only and last chance EVER to have both kids on a flight with us, for FREEEEEEEEEEEEE since they are both under 2. Kaius will turn 2 like a week after we get back.

Oh, and its with Gina Grant, who is a big celebrity I guess in the Zumba world!




All my Zumba girls were jealous, anyway.
I'm pumped!!!

Laundry Stain Remover & Other Mushy Stuff

Been a long-time lover of

Shout Advanced. I still have a bottle I'm using actually. But the last few times I've gone to my Dad's in California, he keeps asking me if I've tried this stuff

If you see the little picture on top, its a picture of clothes (pants, shirt, shorts) on a clothesline. He has told me all the things he's gotten out of clothes using it. Oil, grease, blood, etc. And I go, "cool Dad" and then I forget every time I go to Wal Mart. Well, a couple weeks ago when I was in the pharmacy section looking for mineral oil for our


Awesome lady lamp. Have you seen one of these in action, by the way? They're pretty nifty. Anyway, you know how people pick stuff up and then decide they don't want it later and then just dump it wherever (that's GOTTA be annoying for the employees) well, staring me in the face was this container of GOOP. So I snatched it.

I used it on a permanent marker stain and it reduced it significantly. Its gotten oil stains out easily.
Its around a $1 and you can find it in the automotive section. Shout is about $6 for a teensy bottle.

Josh had an oil rain lamp like the one pictured above growing up. They were common for decor in the 70's. Fits our house awesomely! So its a nostalgic piece, but not only for Josh.
Back when I thought Josh was just a good, macho friend of mine...I found out that his parents lived about 10 minutes from my Dad in California (1st date was day after Halloween). Perfect! I'll get a cheap ride since we'll split gas. Well, we pretty much fell in love the 10 hour ride there. I had thanksgiving dinner with his family and there at their house was this crazy looking unclothed (chose that word, instead of the obvious word, so people googling that word will NOT find this blog) statue rain lamp. After dinner we watched princess bride (I had never seen it before) while cuddling. He turned over to me and whispered "I love you" I let out a sigh as if to say "Finally you say it!" and told him I loved him too. We spent the rest of the night talking and pretty much decided my last name wasn't going to be Oler very much longer. No games. He was hot. I was hot. He liked me, I liked him. Lets get married. Lets have babies. Sounds great.

So, that lamp reminds me very much of that night, as it was about 3 feet from me as Josh professed his undying love for me.

Also, some other movies I had never seen before I met Josh: Dirty Dancing, Karate Kid, Casablanca, The Twilight Zone, Ferris Beuller's Day off.

Ramblings

-I don't go to blogs to look at pictures. I will only read a blog if I like the writing style or I just love them. And can laugh at themselves. When people only post the rainbows and butterflies of life, I get bored. ( I do like pictures though, of course)

-Yesterday morning, Kaius climbed in bed with us and started cuddling with me. It was tender. He was still sleepy. He looked up with me and started rubbing my cheek, lovingly. Then he gave me a super cheesy smile! All of this was a rarity. Usually Daddy gets all the lovin'. Then he reached his arm up like he was stretching. His arm cocked back, and he punched me square in the nose. I was stunned. I woke up Josh and made him take Kaius to time out. I cried a little. I hate the terrible twos.

-The last week I actually tried to keep my house clean. I did laundry every day, did dishes every day, and constantly picked up everyone's crap. My house still looks like crap. So disappointing. Keeping a house clean is hard work. I feel so defeated because I feel like I gave it my all.

-You know how they make back massaging chairs? I think they should make back tickle chairs. It would have to be randomized somehow, cuz the same pattern would get annoying.

- I just recently became obsessed with lighting. I love crazy eclectic pendants and I love chandeliers. One day every room in my house will have something awesome.

-My "grown up" life is kind of how I pictured it would be, in every way. I would think that is rare for someone to feel that way, but maybe not. I always wanted to be married in the temple to someone awesome. I wanted to have a boy first, and a girl second...so he could "protect" her from smelly boys. I didn't want to marry for money like some of my friends said they wanted to (some say they wanted to marry a doctor or lawyer, but we all say crazy things as kids). I never had dreams or even thoughts of what my wedding would look/be like. It was always "who". Who will it be? Although my wedding was really special, I don't think I would have been terribly mad with just a day with Josh and I. Wow, epiphany...wedding receptions should totally be like a week after the wedding. The last thing you want to do right after you're officially husband and wife is surround yourself with a bunch of friends (and strangers) and plaster smiles on your faces. You want to get naked.

-I don't like it when people complain publicly about not having money. Especially when they are stay at home moms. It kind of knocks their husband, if he is working really hard. You should always treat your man...like a MAN. (this is not meant to hurt any feelings. Its just how I feel. Not directed passive aggressively at any one person.)

-I always wonder about the other worlds God has created. Do they have colors that we don't have here?

-I often really wish that our society didn't have a currency system. If you've read The Host by Stephenie Meyer, they don't have money to incentivize themselves to work. They all work together in their society and only take what they need. I wish we were like that. Most people aren't. Not to toot Josh's horn, well yes actually, to toot his horn...Josh likes to work. He would work if money didn't exist. He likes to help people. I, on the other hand, would LOVE to sit on the couch and do nothing. I appreciate silence so much these days.

- I am a home body. I probably leave the house maybe once during the 5 day work week. I love being home. I like going out on the weekends most of the time.

- I am not really a phone person. I text occasionally, and I will definitely talk on the phone about plans to do something or something important is going on. But I'm not the type to get to know someone over the phone. I'd rather talk face to face.

- I definitely do know there are mental disorders and that people can have chemicals in their brain to make them feel depressed or sad. I do believe that sometimes medication is needed in some cases. But I also think all humans go through ruts. I believe we have the power to change our minds by serving others, or planting a garden, or painting a picture, or..anything like that. Its different for every person of course. I think everyone feels good when they've helped someone out. I also feel I have already blogged about this.

- My Dad often tells the same stories over and over. I'm sure I'm turning into him hahaha.

- I wish I was crafty and didn't have to get all my ideas from the internet. I wish I could just think of a fabulous idea for a cute & funky pendant lamp that would cost me $5 for the light mechanism.

-I was appointed as the Chairperson (or whatever) for the Lehi High 2005 High school 10 year reunion in 2015. I'm excited but I have no idea what to do yet. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Another Mistake

Sorry, H & M...thirteen grand is a little out of my price range.

I gotta get this out there.

I've been kinda MIA on my blog and Facebook. Its because of this:

I aaam addicted. to.

to.


to.

ONLINE BARGAINS AND FREEBIES.
*exhales loudly*

I'm sure you've seen my posts on facebook. Free sample here, Free Swiffer 360 there, Free bottle of fabric softener, free jamberry nails, free teeth whitening pen... see? I can't stop.

I've been wanting to post this for a while. I feel obligated to share things with friends, because I spend a lot of hours each week looking for free stuff and bargains...I want to benefit more than myself. I always think "Oh, everyone should get this pack of 40 batteries for $8...to have in their food storage stuff for flashlights" or something like that. So I'm just gunna post what I've found to be helpful.

Read it or ignore it.

I'm just going to purge it and then it wont be bugging me.

I check thedealyo.com and freebies2deals.com each day a few times each. I also follow them on facebook and sometimes they'll tell me about something urgent that I GOTTA have.

I take online surveys for $$, or test out products for either free, cheap, or THEY pay ME. For example, at Vindale.com They had an offer for mineral makeup, you pay $10 for the trial, but they put $15 in your account. -$10+$15=+$5 !

They paid ME to try their makeup. Then after you try it, you fill out a survey on how you liked the product/ordering process. They usually credit your account on Vindale very quickly.

For months I always thought "What the heck is Swagbucks, and why do so many of my friends post about it??
I'll sum it up.
Do you use GOOGLE, YAHOO, or BING search engines? Well, Swagbucks is the same thing, only you get points for using their website to search (its random, like every 8th search or so you get points). Then with your points, you can get giftcards. I find the most popular one to get is the $5 amazon giftcard. I've only been on there 4 months or so, and I've earned 2 Amazon giftcards. There are MANY other ways of earning 'Bucks (surveys, special offers like netflix, etc) But I choose not to, out of laziness.

Ok. There ya go. I'll only blog about awesome family stuff now :)

PHOTOSHOPPED??

I mean, COME ON. If you're gunna do it, do it well.

Xena Warrior Princess

4/8/1998 (11 years old)

Xena was out one day and it started to rain Zombies and Xena slit their throats! So all the people moved to different places like: Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Jamaica, Greece, Iceland and Greenland. It only took a minute, by foot!
And it got worse and worse, and I got sad and I cried and then I got even more sad I cried apples and shared them with my friends.


[Where the crap did I come up with this stuff?]