For Good

From the musical Wicked

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you

Because I knew you

I have been changed for good

And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the thing I've done you blame me for

But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share

And none of it seems to matter anymore

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood

Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better

And because I knew you...

Because I knew you...

Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good.

Dear Colbie

Dear Colbie,

I would like to tell you I am in love with your new album! If you keep on writing songs like you idi on this last album, I do believe we will become the best of friends! EVER!!!!!!!! Just sayin!

<3 your biggest Fan!

Me of course!

Rambling!

So I have been thinking lately that I don't watch tv to much, and when I do I watch it down stairs. Since I stopped watching tv, just because I have no reason really, I decided to take my box of a tv out of my room and this resulted in my wanting to move my room around. Big surprise right? If you know me, it's not a surprise at all. But this time I mean really move it around. But as I got thinking about it, it wouldn't work how I wanted it so I am leaving it.








This also got me thinking I better marry someone who is willing to let me rearrange furniture often. Or marry someone who is willing to let me spend money on redecorating. Better yet someone who will buy me a house with a big storage room, because I know I am going to be one of those women who, when her kids move out one by one, will have one of their rooms dedicated to seasonal decorations! Because I will have one of those houses that will have fall decor everywhere from the mantle of the fireplace to fall leaves in the laundry room just because I can. Maybe I should marry a attorney hahaha

Sometimes

I hate being a girl. Nuff said

White Chili Chicken

I mean White Chicken Chili







Yummy!

I doubled mine this time due to the amount of chicken we had to thaw (since there were five GINORMOUS chicken breast in a zippy)

1 lbs chicken breast cubed
1 medium white onion
1 1/2 teas garlic powder
Sauté in oil (olive oil for a healthier sauté)
Put in crock pot with:
2 cans great northern beans rinsed (make sure its the 15 oz can)
2 cans 14 oz chicken broth
2 cans diced green chilies
1 teas salt
1 teas ground cumin
1 teas oregano
1/4 teas cayenne peppers
1/2 teas ground black pepper

Let cook in crock pot on high for about a hour after it is heated through or until chicken is done

Add 1 cup sour cream and or 1/2 cup whipping cream.
I just add the sour cream and not whipping cream due to saturated fat content. (those darn high cholesterol genes)
Add sour cream after so it doesn't curdle. If you desire add it to individual bowls instead of whole pot of soup.

This morning.

So last night I got home at 1 AM, don't freak out! I was hanging out with friends. I didn't drive. The boy did ha.we went to Raquels house and hung out played some ping pong, talked, laughed, watched a movie, you know hung out. Well while I was. Watching the movie I almost fell asleep. But I didn't and that's what counts right? Well as my friend started to walk back to his car from walking me to my door, I told him to let me knows when he gets home I may be asleep but let me know anyways. Because he was tired and had to drive a little ways to get home, and guess what readers! The little turd, despite saying he would let me know when he got home, didn't send me a text like he said he would! And because I had to get ready for bed and all that fun stuff I was wide awake till like 2:15! so I WOUKD HAVE BEEN AWAKE! He must have not wanted to wake me! Anyways so I was awake late again! And then to top that off I WOKE UP AT 4:45 wide awake!!!!! NOT COOL!

So I was laying in bed for like a hour and it started to get light outside so I decided to open my blinds and watch the sun rise! Oh it has been forever since I have done that and I forget how nice it is! It's so pretty and peaceful! As I sit there watching it it makes you realized Heavenly Fathers love for us! It rejuvenates me! It's so peaceful! Tranquil! Beautiful. I remember going fishing growing up and we would sometimes leave before the sun came up and I remember thinking it was so blasted early. It still is but hey I was wide awake already, I remember being on I-215 east bound heading for Parleys Canyon and seeing the sun start to come over the mountains. And even appreciating the beauty then, albight being a little grouchy. Needless to say it was a great start to my Sunday!




And since it's Sunday here is a beautiful picture of the Salt Lake Temple with a sunrise reflecting on it.





Thank You google images for the pictures!

Tonight I feel....

I feel cute! It's a good hair day! And to me those always make or brake my day! I totally have on my woods pj shirt as a regular t shirt and i don't even care....because I feel cute! I feel like I could turn guys heads! How much make up I have on you ask? Just mascara! Yup thats right no foundation (don't use that stuff anymore now that I found face stuff that cures my acne!) no eye shadow no eye liner no blush! No nothing but my bare skin and the good ol' trusty mascara! MAN I LOVE GOOD FEELING DAYS LIKE THIS! I think every girl should feel them!

P.S. I sure wish I could feel this cute when I go out with ahem (you know who) ha ha ha don't get me wrong I do but I wish I could feel like throwing on a t shirt and totally be okay with it! I almost did when we went to ice cream till my shirt got toothpaste on it! No need to mention how it got there. Use your imagination! Let's just say it was a fresh out of the tube not the mouth! I was going to put the toothbrush in my mouth when some fresh toothpaste decided to fall off the brush and land right on me! (hate those days)

I will leave you with a picture!

Wanna hear a little story...

So tonight I went out on a little date...it was kinda a big deal...you see I kinda like this kid...he is alright! And on this date we went for ice cream...because I had already had dinner. This kid must think I am alright too because... Well readers...I found out he was knocking in Ogden today! And he lives down south it Orem. So that meant he went from Orem to Ogden...which is oh about 45 to a hour away from me! In TAYLORSVILLE! And Orem is only like 30 mins away from me only in the opposite direction. Add that up and that is like 3 hours total of driving for work. Anyways so I thought he was in Salt Lake County like he usually is for work because I got a text that said "have you already had dinner?" I said "I have actually." So he replied with quote "oh darn well what about ice cream?" I said "nope I haven't had dessert yet :)" and he said "well you want to go get some? I just got done working." I said "ya" so to ice cream we went! But not before we stopped at sports chalet so he could buy a biking helmet so he can be safe while he rides his bike up the canyon! Crazy kid! Anyways so we go to Jordan landing to coldstone and he orders after me because he is a gentlemen like that, and while ordering he totally confuses the girl and she totally looks at him and smiles (I would be too) but also has this are you kidding me look ha ha ha it was funny!
Anyways so we go find a spot to sit down and what did we end up doing! PEOPLE WATCH!!!! Best thing EVER! so we watch tons of people but the whole time we watch these to ladies! I totally thought they were LDS and came after visiting teaching or were in a presidency together or something and just discussing stuff! And well he happens to think they are lady friends! (you got the underlining message right ;)) So anyways we are watching them off and on in-between other people and as we were about to leave he totally decides to go ask them! Because it was bugging him that bad! Ha SO FUNNY! Lol i think he just messed up a little bit but he doesn't think they caught on ha ha ha! Anyways so he totally went up to them and asks one of the ladies if her husband was a little league coach ha ha ha ha ha ha she looked at him and said no and he was like oh really you look so familiar! He kept on going and had to so he could find out if she was married and she eventually said well my husband dry walls ha ha ha oh my it took everything in me to not start laughing! I told him as we were walking over there i will start laughing! And he said if you do grab you phone and act like your getting a call and walk away! I said okay! And as we got closer what does he do! GRAB MY HAND AND HOLDS IT! (its about freaking time he makes a move like that) probably partly because he wanted to and to make it harder for me to walk away ha ha Oh my hilarious! So anyways he eventually asks are you LDS? They said ya! And he was like (this is where he messed up) I served my mission here are you from close by and they said yea! Come to find out he served in a stake close to theirs ha ha ha oh my so funny anyways so I asked I'm early on what the prize was if I won. He said I will buy you another ice cream from coldstone! lol so guess who is going to buy who ice cream! Ha oh that was probably on of the best dates ever! Not gonna lie!

Maybe I will have him take me to ice cream this weekend!

How I feel about now!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!! I can't sleep I am just that happy! Maybe it's more then happiness though!

just sayin!

New shirt!

Saw this shirt in Old Navy in Gilbert and knew when I got paid I needed to splurge and go buy it! So today I did! And I am in L.O.V.E!

First tomato of the season!

And it tasted Devine!


(yes it is a cherry tomato!)

You know it's Wedding Season when...

...your fridge is covered in wedding announcements.


And there is more to come! Including one in our family!

Arizona

I am back from Arizona! It's bitter sweet, usually I am ready to come home after two or three days of being gone. Not this time. I wanted to stay another five or six days. I felt so at home in Brinton and Becky's house. As it should be, after all it is my brother and sister in laws house. While in Arizona I learned/experienced/saw/learned the following....

It is pretty in a different way.
The Navajo Nation has trading posts on the side of the highway! (so cool! I wanted to stop at one to look at the things
they had for sale but didn't)
The Phoenix area is HUGE!!!!
You get turned around...EASILY! (I now know why I love the mountains so much!)
experienced driving in a haboob! (I was the one driving)
Found out driving in a haboob is just like driving in fog in Utah! Not scary or hard.
Scottsdale is ritzy like Beverly Hills.
Visited Glenna and Michael...gave them my update.
Saw cars two.
Learned they have outdoor malls that have misters....that let out a mist of water...not meaning men like I was looking for when told to look at the misters.
Swam twice a day everyday but Sunday.
Went to church.
Went to the Sugaro Cactus National Park.
Saw A.T. Still University.
took a tour of the above facility...given by no other then the Student Doctor Brinton Woods.
Then glen canyon dam is HUGE! I can't even picture the Hoover dam.
Driving the hours of the twelve hour drive is not that bad.
Sedona is GORGEOUS! Definitely want a house there someday.
The 112 degree weather is not that bad...I must not get bothered by the heat at all.
Church is entertaining when, immediately (not even joking) after the sacrament your nephew hops down on the floor and uses the metal place that separates the gym floor and the carpet as a train track.
Gilbert is bigger then you thought.
When you get to your nieces and nephews house and they want you to sleep in their room, you find out there is "only one problem, we dont have a bed for you! But not to worry I will make you one!" Said Dane!
Sales tax is more.
When you tell your niece you almost forgot the street to her house for the fifth time she will say "oh wow" just like you do.
Scorpion hunting.
Cockroaches on the cement while doing the above activity.
Crickets jump not bite, but you still get the heebie jeebies from them.
Your brother finally teaches you how to swim without plugging your nose...true story.
The said brother throws you in the pool.
The same brother won't drive your car with your disco ball necklace hanging from the mirror and will in fact take it down.
Nor will any of your brothers.
All of their roads have names.
Those same roads if running east to west stretch the length of the valley. With the same name....as does the north south ones.
Their malls still have brand new cars in them like the malls at home used to.
They don't speed but cut in front of you of enough amount of space is open.
Aunt Glenna remembers songs on the accordion like there is no tomorrow. I.e. Home on the range, you are my sunshine....
Aunt Glenna plays the accordion period....But I think I remember hearing that anyways.
Uncle Michael WILL NOT play piano for anyone other then Glenna and their kids.
Jack is a nice nice dog!
Arthur will give you a bloody trunk. (scratch ip you arm good. Didn't experience it thankfully)
Your nephew picks out a cactus from anywhere and let's you know you missed it if you don't say yea Dane!
You niece likes sushi and loves the Philadelphia roll that you just happen to order! That in fact has raw salmon in it! But she doesn't care she still devours it!
My mom doesnt like cooked sushi!
My sister doesn't like the vegetarian roll!

There is more I am sure but it is late and I have work tomorrow :(

Packing...

Is not my cup of tea. I hate having to try to pick out what outfits to wear. If I knew I could get away with it I would totally wear the same outfit everyday while on vacation. Tonight while I was supposed to be packing for Arizona (we leave tomorrow at noon) I found myself doing the following

Buying songs in iTunes.
Getting on Facebook.
Painting my nails.
Listening to the long lost missed songs on my iPod I bought (see first distraction) for the trip...and them some.
Eating.
Removing my make-up...legit reason.

So readers as you can see I procrastinate. There is no reason why I should! I AM STOKED TO GO SEE THOSE KIDDOS! This week has drug because I am just that excited. I just wish I could skip the packing and get a time machine that would put me there instantly. Here is a picture of how far I got earlier...










Nothing but clothes... But I had hair I had to do so I can't pack that stuff. And I need my make-up and stuff tomorrow morning...I just feel like there was so much more I wanted to take but didn't need. Maybe it's a good thing I forgot what it all was right...you know to...help save on gas mileage...and I probably won't touch the stuff once I get there. All I really need is my camera so I can document this trip! That readers is why I hate trips. Oh and p.s. I remember coming home fro girls camp and taking weeks to unpack that stuff...yeah gross I know. But I hate to unpack as well...let's hope I marry someone who doesn't mind packing for two plus...(me and him not children that's the plus)

Good advice...

I have seen these good little quotes this weekend and fell in love with them readers.fell.in.love.with.them.all

-Love begins in a moment, grows over time, and last for eternity.
-The privilege to work is a gift...the power to work is a blessing...loving to work is success ~ President David O. McKay
-Let him sleep for when he walks he will move mountains.
-You will always stand taller when you kneel to help a child.
-Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect it means you decided to look beyond the imperfections.
-Live simple, give more, expect less.
-In all of living have much fun. Life is to be enjoyed not just endured. ~ President Gordon B. Hinckley
-May the sunlit of faith ever warm your hearts ~ President Gordon B. Hinckley
-Do one thing each day that makes you giggle.
-Perhaps strength doesn't reside in having never been broken but in the courage to grow strong in the broken places.
-There are no separate paths back to that heavenly home. Just one straight and narrow way at the end of which though we shall at once be drenched in joy ~ Neal A Maxwell.
-Happiness does not depend on what happens outside of you but what happens inside of you ~ Harold B. Lee
-Let those that know you who don't know god want to know god because they knew you were there.

$80 later and I still don't regret it...

Because I will look this hott on Sept 8th





Little black dress $60 JC Penny's
Black patent leather stilettos $20 forever young shoes
Me walking around in this cute outfit (plus a green shrug) priceless ;) jk readers. But seriously I can't wait to be able to wear this outfit!

In LOVE

With this beauty!




Ain't she a true beauty. I have had this mad obsession with this puppies for quiet some time. Once while helping my grandma clean out great grandma and grandpas house I was able to get their old typewriter but it was electric and not as nearly pretty as the Vintage type writers.I saw one this weekend at Gardner village and I wanted it so bad! I just sold my violin today...perhaps I should use the money from that to buy my vintage typewriter! If only I didn't have a car coming up on 60,000 miles...maybe another time.

Remember these?

Yeah bloggers! I am obsessed...again! Ha ha ha it's 10:47 pm and I should be in bed but I am making another. Because you have to have a odd number! So here is to more friendship bracelets!

I knew there was a reason

I did not want to go to work today! It entailed drinks freezing! But not just any drinks! CANS! Ugh! They exploded everywhere and I mean literally EVERYWHERE inside the cooler at least! I had to gut it and wash it all down! Which ended up in me doing this!



Ashley walked in when she got to work and heard what I did so she came to ask me about it so I showed her the pictures which then gave me the idea of having her take a picture with me so we got this!


Oh what fun! I had to find fun in the situation somehow! I didn't want to be grouchy all day because of it! LoL I love the fact that almost as soon as Ashley hopped in she was complaining that it was too cold! If you ask me it felt great to hop in there for a second or two to "cool off" ha ha ha

Something every father should read!

I think there are no other four better words to be told to the men performing the rolls of lousy fathers. Great article that I couldn’t help but to share

This is the link but I also copied it and pasted it below. Enjoy!

The woman started crying.

I didn't expect this, because, well, why would I? We were two adults, standing in a preschool auditorium, waiting for the year-end musical gala to begin, talking summer plans and Twitter and junk fiction and all things mindless parents talk at mindless events. Then -- tears.

"My husband," she said, "doesn't care."

"Uh, about what?" I asked.


The floodgates now open, she told me her husband works from home. But he never drops their daughter off at preschool. He never picks their daughter up at preschool. He never wakes up with their daughter, never puts her to bed, never takes her to a movie or a carnival or a ball game; never comes up with fun daddy-daughter activities. "All he worries about is golf," the mother said. "Sometimes he'll take her to the driving range for an hour. But that's it. ..."

Two days later, by mere coincidence, a different mother cornered me. I was sitting in a pizzeria with my son, Emmett, and daughter, Casey, gnawing on a calzone. The woman, another preschool regular who always seems to be dragging around her kids with the worn look of a chain gang inmate, glanced my way and muttered, "My husband would never do that."

"Do what?" I asked.

"Be out alone with both of the kids at once," she said. "Never."

In case you are wondering, I am that dad. The one who works out of the house. The one who drives his kids to school, packs lunches and pushes swings and arranges play dates and attends teacher conferences and -- generally speaking -- frequently finds himself alone in brightly colored rooms filled with women and tykes.

Along with my wife (who, until recently, also worked from home), I wipe snot, clean poop, order time outs and say no -- Really, no! I'm being serious, no! -- to the damned ice cream man and his Satanic siren call. I know all of my kids' friends, and most of their tendencies (Ashley and Emily love dolls, Lucas only wants to talk about Derek Jeter, Tyler digs applesauce).

Hence, I have been sent here today, on behalf of the stay-at-home mothers of the world, to convey to my fellow pops a message of love and hope in this lead-up to Father's Day: Wake the hell up.

Really, wake the hell up. Now. I understand that most of you have 9-to-5 jobs, that you leave tired and come home tired and just wanna chill in front of SportsCenter with a bowl of chips. But, seriously, you have no remote idea: Being a stay-at-home parent is exhausting. At the office, you can hide. You can take lunch. You can pretend you're working while scrolling the Internet for Yankees-Blue Jays and, ahem, Lindsay Lohan news. You have genuine social interactions with folks over the age of, oh, 12. People ask questions about your day -- and listen to the answers.

I envy you, but I sort of pity you. Kids grow. Age 1 turns to age 3, which turns to age 7, which turns to 15 and 18 and 21, all in the blink of an eye. If you're there, as I am, it flies. If you're not there -- if you're almost never there -- it barely exists at all. Which is why I just can't stomach those millions of dads who view their days at home as recovery from work, who'd rather rest than engage, who have no problem with passing the tykes off for more alone time with mom and who, literally, moan to their wives, "You have no idea how hard I work."

For you, I offer these 10 commandments of righteous fatherhood. Pay close attention, because, behind your back, people are pitying your wife:

1. No golf on weekends: Seriously, it's ludicrous. Your spouse is home with the kids all the time, and you think it's OK to take five hours on a weekend day to pursue your own pastime? Selfishness, thy name is Father.

2. Wake up: Literally, wake up. With your kids. On at least one of the two weekend days -- and perhaps both. I know: you wake up early for work. Not even remotely the same thing. Rising alongside the kiddies is hard. And crazy. And (gasp!) sorta fun, if you'd just stop moping.

3. Change diapers: If you have little kids, and you don't know how to change diapers (or, even worse, refuse to change diapers), you're pathetic. That's no exaggeration -- p-a-t-h-e-t-i-c. It's not all that hard, and though the poop sometimes winds up on the fingers, well, uh, yeah. It just does. Wash your hands.

4. Play with dolls and paint your toenails: How many fathers do I know who refuse to get girlish with their girls? Dozens. Dude, put aside the machismo, break out Barbie and slather on some pink polish. You'll make a friend for life -- and nobody else is watching.

5. Do things you don't want to do: It's easy to take the kids to the driving range -- because you want to be there. Now try spending the day having a tea party at American Girl. Or crawling through one of those wormholes at the nearby kiddie gym. Fun? Often, no. But this isn't about you.

6. Order the wife to bug off: I recently met a mother who told me her husband hadn't been alone with their 9-year-old daughter for more than two hours ... ever. Inexcusable. Let your wife do her own thing: relax, take a run, whatever. Entertain your children solo. They don't bite (Note: CNN.com is not liable if your children do, in fact, bite).

7. Surprise! Just once, on a random day without meaning or purpose, show up early at your kid's school/camp/wherever, say "Get in the car!" and take him/her somewhere special. Just the two of you, alone. A movie. A park. A hike. The memory lasts -- I promise.

8. Dishes Don't Clean Themselves (Nor Do Toys): It's amazing how this one works. You pick up a dish, run it under hot water with some soap, rub it down with a towel and place it back on the shelf. Then repeat.

9. Wake up your kid: Not often. But if you want to score big points and create a killer memory moment, walk in Junior's room at, oh, midnight, wake him/her up and go outside for 10 minutes to watch the stars.

10. For God's sake, tell your kids you love them: They never see you, and they'd probably like to know.

Bud, as you read this your wife is expecting little -- and your kids are expecting even less. Pull one out of the blue. Make Father's Day less about you, and all about them.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeff Pearlman.