Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just 4 1/2 hours away! I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday with my favorite food.

I hope each of you have a wonderful day. I will be thinking about checking my blog all day but will have to resist or see the sulky face of my cute hubby. Thanksgiving is no time for sulking!

We will watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I'll run to the store and buy a paper so I can dream about buying all the things that will be on sale. We will eat, and eat, and eat. Then we will lay around and wish we had eaten less. Maybe. We'll probably just eat more!

And this will be me tomorrow afternoon. After I have eaten too much turkey, too many mashed potatoes with gobs of gravy, too much stuffing and then forcing a piece of pumpkin pie covered with whipped cream down my throat. I will lay on the couch and smile. And wait for next year!

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am grateful for all of you!

Dear Utah Jazz

Head on over to Secret In The Sauce to check out other open letters today!

Dear Utah Jazz Front Office,

Now that our (notice how I say 'our'? All sports fans think they own the team don't ya think?) season has begun and we are 8-4 I think there may be one thing that needs to be added to the team.

Our starters are amazing. Our bench is the best ever. We are on our way. I'm sure you did notice that Fox Sports ranked us #6. Very nice. I think we should be #1 but those other pesky teams were voted before us. We have the worlds best fans too. But, as you already know, I am the best fan you have ever had or will ever have. (And don't let Nikki at blah, blah, blah blog tell you she is the biggest fan...maybe she is the co-biggest fan!)

So this is a going to be a great year.

Have you noticed that over the years there have been some really HOT players. Players like Bobby Hansen, who used to grab the front of his breakaway sweats and rip them off his body! Or Blue Edwards who was just too cute for words. (Plus those three super duper guys, Stockton, Malone and Hornacek!) But now we have Paul Milsap. (Small pause to catch my breath here!) Paul Milsap makes my heart flutter. I'm sure you saw his interview the other night without his shirt on, and I am here to tell you that the man is SOLID! Hmmmmm...

So, here is my idea. Paul needs his own person Fan Girl. (So, I'm not a girl, use your imagination!) I need to stand right by Paul during the games and fan him with one of those big ole feather fans. I know he gets hot and really could use some cooling down. The best part of this is that I will volunteer my services. You won't need to pay me a dime! I will even furnish my own fan. In Jazz colors of course.

Now, so you don't think I'm some crazed lunatic I want you to know that I am an upstanding citizen. I work a full time job, am the mother of three children, have a wonderful husband and have been entrusted every Sunday morning to teach 12 ten years at church. I swear I'm not the stalker from Hades! You can trust me.

Plus, I know that Paul really wants me to help out. He hasn't actually told me using any words, but I can "feel" him reaching out to me. Much the same way as Donny Osmond and all those baby animals. He wants me!! He needs me!! Oh baby, oh baby!!

So please just give me a buzz and let me know if I should start on the 24th against Chicago. I can be at the arena a little early so you can give me keys to the locker room and Paul's car. Just for safekeeping, don't cha know?

If Paul has any opposition to this please let D Will, Korver or Matt Harping that my fanning services are open to them too. Actually, if we really get down to it, just let me inside and I will fan the whole team, Jerry and the other coaches included!

Good Luck tonight in San Antonio. I will be stalking, opps, I mean watching you here at home. Waiting for your return!

Go Check out Paul at his own website http://pmillsap.com/.

Enjoy The Journey

Today at church I had an amazing experience I would like to share with you. And, no I am not going to go off on some wild tangent trying to lure you into my way of thinking. So relax, sit back and let me tell you about what I learned. Things I have learned before but things that actually hit me hard today. Things that made me wake up and think that I was being spoken to.

We had such a cute speaker today. A young mother of four little children. She started off by telling a story of one of her most trying days. A day that begins quite normally. Two children off to school, Dad off to work and Mom trying to at least get a shower. Her two year old starts off by pouring syrup all over her new couch and Family Room carpet. She deals with this incident and the two year old lives. Next child # 3 goes off to Pre-School and leaves Mom with the two year old. She is still trying to finish getting herself ready for the day when she hears nothing. Every mother in the world has surely heard the dreaded nothing. Two year old makes an appearance and states that there is Big Trouble, Big Trouble, his hands covered with white out. She discovers that her hardwood floors also have white out on them. So she scrubs until she has no fingernails. And the two year lives. Everyone returns from school and work. There is a quick kiss for Dad along with a short hug, dinner, homework, laundry, baths and more cleaning. She goes to bed knowing that tomorrow it all starts again.

We have all had days like this. Days when we barely make it through. I have been very unappreciative lately of all the good things in life and had made a pledge to myself to be grateful for those good things.

We need to Enjoy Our Journey.

This cute young mom gave us 4 things to do so we don't miss out on all the good things going on along with all our trials.

1 - Slow down and open your eyes! When was the last time you played in the rain? The last time you laughed out loud? You read something just for fun? The last time you laid on the grass on your back and watched the clouds? If we can find those things we used to, and still can love, we can renew our spirits. We can have a greater purpose in life.

2 - Find ways to serve others. Cute Mom has job charts for her four children and has added a line for service. She is amazed at what her children can find to do to help others. Things she had never thought of. Shouldn't we try to teach our children how to slow down and help those less fortunate, ill or struggling? Shouldn't we be doing that too?

3 - Pray, Meditate and Study Uplifting Writings. When we take time to understand that sometimes there are greater forces at work in our lives we get the chance to learn and grow. No matter what our beliefs are we can always get strength when we take a few quiet moments to reflect and be appreciative of what we have. A few quiet moments alone with our God or whoever or whatever brings us peace will give us the strength we need to carry on in this crazy world.

4 - Gratitude. As adults we are over sometimes overburden with the have to's in life. We have to get up in the morning, we have to go to work, we have to go grocery shopping, do the laundry, clean the bathrooms, walk the dog and on and on. This is where I have been stuck. I do not want to get up and go to work. I do not want the drudgery of what I see as a hopeless situation. But, (and I cannot tell you how many people have told me this!!) I should be very grateful that I have a job, that I can pay my bills, that I am healthy, that I have clothes to wash and a car to drive. We live in a world where we get the opportunity to be challenged everyday. I am going to start looking for that challenge.


So take a few minutes and take a look around and see how blessed we all are. See, if like me, you have been missing out on some really good stuff. Everyday stuff going on all around you. And hug someone you love every chance you get because someday that someone may not be here to hug.

Blog Slacker

Blog Stalking used to be my passion. I followed so many blogs and felt like I knew what was going on in the blogging world.

Now I don’t have time to do much stalking and for the last two weeks I have struggled with even following the blogs I normally do on a regular basis.

It is now time to snap out of the slump I’ve been in and get back into the old routine.

Last night I attended a program at Alex’s school and was hit by the realization that I have so much in my life to make me happy.

So, here is a little list of those things:

*Alex played in his first Band Concert of his final year of Middle School. They did such an awesome job and I wish I had a camcorder so I could share it with all of you. I am so lucky to have such a great kid!

*Hubby and I talked about our little being a “Jerk” moment and he thought that he had been a “Jerk” too. All this over a stupid jar of pickles. (Hmmm, pickle juice…)

*We had Adiel over for Dinner last week. It was so fun and it felt like she just belonged there at the table with us. (Hope she felt that way too.) Plus Alex said one of his classic 16 word prayers. It was just what I needed to get over the sadness of my old branch closing down.

*I received my very cool necklace that I won during the SITS blogathon from Twisted Silver. I finally wore it on Saturday. It’s so gorgeous it makes me nervous to wear it. Thanks to Heather and Tiffany and Twisted Silver.

*I won a candle over at SuperWAHMZ. To Noelle at Cabin Fever Candles, thank you so much!! The candle smells so good and is so cute. I keep burning it so long that I am going to have to buy another one soon. Maybe a Christmas scent.

*Plus I won some Popr’s from Veggie Mom! It was an executive decision between Alex and me on what the final flavor should be. I can hardly wait to try these!

*I paid under $2.00 a gallon for gas. Actually, $1.97. It was a thrilling experience!

*Tomorrow is Friday. The day after is Saturday. I love Saturdays. This is what I am going to do!

*There are three stations (that I know of) playing Christmas music. Felix Navidad...sung at the top of my lungs. Sorry Liz, I know you really hate it but it does make me so happy!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mucho Gracias

One of my new favorite bloggers has given me a blogging award. I met Kathryn during the SITS blogathon. She has an amazing way with words and I love her stories about the University of Utah (and BYU fans!) Go visit her over at Ritch In Love.


Rules: post six things about you and then bestow the award to 6 more bloggers and list them in this post.


1. Now that it is Basketball Season I am giving myself up to the Utah Jazz again. Isn't Paul Milsap just the cutest thing you have ever seen? Go Jazz!

2. I think every baby animal I see wants me to take them home with me. (They really do want me. They tell me!! Just like Donnie Osmond.)

3. I love the mountains. I can't imagine not living without mountains surrounding me.

4. I love big, fat, fluffy snow. I love the way it looks and feels. I just don't like the freezing temperatures.

5. My number one comfort food is boxed Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. (No chicken pieces please.) Whenever I am sick it's the only thing I want.

6. I am excited for November 26th so I can go see Four Christmas'. (I think that's what it's called) I love Reese Whitherspoon! And who couldn't use a good laugh?


So now I would like to forward this award on to Julie over at the DJtatertots. Julie just gave birth to beautiful triplets. I know Julie won't have time to pass this on, so on Julie's behalf this goes to all those people who have gone beyond friendship to showing her and her family the pure love of Christ. Congratulations!

Tagged!

Liz tagged me. This was difficult. Should have been easy but my brain has been a little slow for a couple of weeks. Time to snap out of it!

The 8 Things Tag...in no particular order

8 T.V. shows I love to watch:
1. House
2. Utah Jazz (I know, not a show, but they are on several times a week)
3. My House is Worth How Much?
4. House Hunters
5. Murder, She Wrote (At least until Comcast took Hallmark away!)
6. Property Virgins
7. Football (Actually, the Packers)
8. Fox 13 News

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Carvers
2. Geeko’s
4. Rocky Mountain Pizza
5. La Puenta
6. Café Rio
7. Chili’s
8. Black Angus

8 Things That Happened Today: (I’m going to use Saturday, nothing going on today!)
1. Slept til 8AM! (YAY!)
2. Picked up Lifesavers for Church
3. A quick trip to Kmart
4. Took Alex and Madie to the Mall
5. Looked at houses for sale with Alex
6. Made Irish Stew (the Scottish way!)
7. Ran Alex to a friends
8. Hurt my hubby’s feelings (I am a jerk!)

8 Things That I Look Forward To:
1. Next weekend – No work
2. Christmas shopping with the girls on the 6th
3. Thanksgiving dinner at Misty’s
4. Lunch Wednesday (I hope) with my former co-workers
5. Putting up my Christmas Tree (After December 1st)
6. Losing 20 pounds (Perhaps I should actually start this one)
7. Getting the day after Christmas off
8. Christmas Day

8 Things On My Wish List:
1. A pair of sweats (Already asked hubby for some for Christmas)
2. Replace my black shoes
3. That the Jazz win on the road (not like today!)
4. That I finally “get” work
5. To sell the house
6. To find another house back in the “old” area
7. Gas being under $2 a gallon
8. Being able to attend Twilight on the first day

8 People I Tag:
Anyone who reads this and feels like sharing all this info with everyone else. I’d like to get to know all of you better!

Good Bye My Friends

Halloween was going to be filled with fun. I had my costume all ready and had just finished putting the last attachment on it when I sent Adiel a text asking if she would be in the office by 8 AM. No sense stopping by if she wasn't going to be there. After her response I decided to stop by about 10:30. But she sent me another text about 8:00 telling me that her life, and the life of all my friends who I left behind, had changed in an instant. Now they are all gone and there is nothing left but an empty shell of a building.

We work in an industry that has been hard hit by this rotten economy. It has taken it's toll on other working friends but now it has hit way too close to home.

Now Adiel, Bob, Steve and all the rest are gone. This has been such an emotional blow. Now instead of being just 12 blocks away, they are spread all over. Some I may never see again. Some I better see at least once a month! (Adiel, did you hear that???)

We had some good times, busy times and trying times as things began to change. But I know in our hearts, we will always be friends.

Each of you deserves only the best and I wish you well.

So, because Adiel and I didn't get to poise in our ultra cool Halloween costumes, here is a picture of us from last year!

Adiel is the young hot Military chick on the left. I am dressed up as Mrs. Rogers, spouse of Mr. Rogers. Which is another work story! Good Memories. (Oh, and I stole this picture from Adiel's blog....shhhhh, don't tell her!)