What's lost is found

EVERYTHING has been returned - the i-pod, the camera & the USB cord. All came in separately, but each one reappeared as mysteriously as it disappeared. My i-pod was found in our basement family room plugged into a wall charger. I NEVER hang out in the basement family room - it's strictly x-box/play station territory. The USB cord turned up next to our laptop - again, I ripped the computer desk apart looking for all 3 items, so how did it come to rest there in plain sight - of course nobody knows. And the most hunted item, the camera - it was found under our blanket bin which sits next to the computer table. I looked underneath it at least 3 times and Scott had ripped the entire thing apart looking for any sign of it. Suddenly today, as I'm picking up random toys strewn across the floor, it was there. Either I am a complete idiot and going blind - or, more likely, the perpetrator thinks I am a complete idiot and put the items back to get off the hook. Which do you believe??? At any rate, I am just thrilled beyond words that all 3 are now accounted for.

My Little Picaso

Last Saturday afternoon, as I was trying to clean my house, Hallie was playing way too well on her own in her room upstairs. Kesley came down as I was dusting and said, "I'm not sure how to tell you this, but Hallie stole my markers and has colored all over her door." Here is what I found...

A big shout out for Crayola WASHABLE markers!!! A little windex and her door and wall were as good as before - probably better, it needed a good cleaning with two little messy hands girls.
We had a BIG talk about only coloring on paper and not on walls, doors, furniture, siblings, etc... Good thing Audrey wasn't in there, she'd have been turned into a clown for sure.

Here's the little culprit...

Thievery

OK, I really am ok and not trying to avoid my blog. We've lost our camera. I am so mad because quite honestly I think it has been stolen, and it's an inside job. Funny that the camera AND the USB cord are BOTH missing at exactly the same time. My ipod is also MIA. The suspected perpetrator has been confronted, but is pleading innocent (which I don't buy). So now I am at a loss. As a parent, what do I do??? I HAVE to have a camera!!! Hallie drew ALL over her bedroom door this weekend thankfully with Crayola washable markers, honestly it's hillarious - but no camera to take a picture. Dallin is getting baptized this weekend - HAVE to have a camera for that! I mean with four kids, there are things I daily want to capture forever! Do I just go and buy another one, which I totally can't afford??? HELP - what should I do??????

High School Friends

It is so hard to keep in touch with all of my old friends, and so many of us have moved around this past year, so over the past month I have contacted each of them and I just e-mailed them a new updated contact list, including several of us who already have a blog.

NOW, the reason for including this on my blog... I am asking any of my old friends who look up my blog, to comment and let me know you saw this. ALSO, I am challenging you to start your own blog. Here is some incentive - some old photos from my scrapbook from high school (they are horrible quality because I don't have a scanner at home and I just took a digital picture) but still, brings back memories...

swimsuit blues

OK, so I know we all HATE swimsuit shopping, but unlike years past the thing I hate the MOST this year isn't the fact that I have to find the PERFECT suit, because
I FOUND IT!!!

My problem is that this perfect suit costs $167 and I cannot bring myself to spend that much on a stupid bathing suit!!! I mean, come on,it only has so much fabric, so how can it cost that much - must be the 'juicy' label on the inside (stupid designers).

Anyway, here it is...

Please don't tell me how cute it is - it will only make me want it even more. And I am really tempted because we got our awesome tax refund yesterday. If you just happen to see me in it this summer - don't tell my husband how much it costs.

Oh, and tell me how I can have her body, because yeah, that would be great too!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love Scott.

I love Kesley.

I love Dallin.

I love Hallie.

I love Audrey.

TAGGED!

10 years ago...

I was 24. I had been married for 2.5 years and our daughter Kesley was 4 years old. Honestly I was pretty sad at that time in my life because we wanted another child SO bad and we couldn't get pregnant. I should have been on anti-depressants, but I didn't know any better. I wasn't working since we were living in Grandma Reynolds' basement, so Kesley and I had a lot of fun hanging out together. Scott was working graves with the UHP, so we bought a dog (Browning) and he was about six months old at that point.

5 things on my list to do today...

1. Lunch at Blue Iguana with some friends from work. It is Karin's birthday and they haven't seen my little girls for a long time.


2. Drop off some packages at the Post Office - things I have recently sold therough eBay.


3. Grocery shopping - well it was supposed to just be milk and cereal (on sale 5/$10) - how did that come to $65???


4. Laundry - this is on my list EVERYDAY. I swear it never ends.


5. Clean up my girl's room. Since their daddy tended them yesterday while I worked all day, it looks like a tornado hit. Barbies, Polly-Pockets & board books have rained down everywhere!

Snacks I enjoy...

Oh, I just like everything - that's the problem! I love red licorice, cream soda, doritos, red grapes from costco, flat earth fruit chips, almonds, ANYTHING chocolate!!!

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

Wow, I know I would QUIT MY JOB - obviously! I would build us a new home and hire a cleaning service to keep up with it - that would be so great. I would use a good portion of it to help out my family - give a good chunk of change to each of our sibings and their families so they could buy a home, pay off a home, whatever... I would take everyone on a cruise - probably to Greece. Of course Scott and I would travel a ton and I'd get to do some of the charity work I want to do in Africa. We'd have our kids educations paid for, weddings paid for, missions paid for - wow, what it would be like to not have to think about any of that!

3 of my bad habits...

1. I pick my fingernails and cuticles. I hate that my hands alaways look beat up, but it is a horrible habit I can't seem to break!!! I need to get acrylic nails again so they look nicer, but I hate the upkeep of that.
2. I am an on again off again (and again and again and again) dieter. I hate that I have NO will power when it comes to food. I enjoy it way too much.
3. I am not a patient person. I get easily frustrated and annoyed with my family. I yell at my kids way too often and lose my cool. I so wish I could just take a deep breath and relax, but I struggle with that. I'm frustrated just thinking about it!

5 places I have lived...

1. Dallas, Texas
2. Bountiful, UT
3. Provo, UT
4. Woods Cross, UT
5. Centerville, UT
   

5 jobs I have had...

1. Cashier at the U of U tuition office
2. Waitress at Marie Callenders
3. Health Outreach Teacher for Pacificare
4. Information Specialist for SLC School District
5. Health Educator for Utah Dept of Health

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

1. I was born in Dallas, Texas.
2. I talk to myself - a lot - I even answer myself. People who overhear me at the grocery store must think I am completely insane.
3. I LOVE to shop online. I love the convenience, I love to get things delivered to my house, I love that I can do it ANYTIME - middle of the night if I want to.
4. I really enjoy cooking. I don't do it as much as I'd like because I also love to eat what I cook and I don't need that. I have been known to make brownies and eat a piece when I come down to make Audrey a bottle at 4am. It's pitiful.
5. I say I am done having kids, but if I were surprised with another baby, I wouldn't be all that broken up about it - I just don't want a "surprise" in the next year or so.

I wish I had more people to tag with this blog, but Jennie and Kellie are really the only ones who read my blog and the've already been tagged, so if you are just browsing and I don't know you, please feel free to consider yourself tagged.

fun, Fun, FUN!!!

So last night for Dallin's birthday, he decided to go to Applebee's for dinner and then Hollywood Connection for some games/rides. And he invited Nick & Kellie, Gandpa Bill & Grandma Bee, Jennie (Ty had school) & Zach & Brooklyn. Mom, dad, Hallie & Audrey were there too - Kesley was home sick.

At the restaurant, we made sure to let them know it was his birthday and they came out with a birthday treat and sang to him. He was sooooo embarrased - wish I'd have been quicker and caught it on camera! Hallie was terrified of the KISS poster hanging across from her and kept saying, "But, I don't like those scary mans." Brooklyn thought the one looked like a kitty.

At Hollywood Connections, we rode rides... some were big hits - others not so much...

Then we headed upstairs to play a few video games...

This place is definately geared more towards kids, but there wasn't SO much to do that the adults felt lke we were stuck there forever - so it was FUN! And Dallin had a blast - on the way out to the car he hugged me and said that it was the best birthday EVER!!!!!

Happy Birthday Dallin

Today is Dallin's 8th birthday!!!!! I so can't believe he is getting so big - I swear he was just a baby ten minutes ago. We had a family party yesterday at his grandma and grandpa's house. I am so extremely happy about how his cake turned out...

He loved it - his exact words: "mom, it's the most awesome cake ever."

Dallin had asked for a Red Ryder BB gun, but didn't think he would get one. Everyone collectively now, "You'll shoot your eye out." Well, you can see by the shape of the package, he scored. Yeah, dad bought him a BB gun. Not sure how I feel about it - I hope small children, neighborhood pets and my windows are safe. Although I really want new windows, so that wouldn't be ALL bad.

I think Dallin had a great time with his cousins yesterday and tonight we are going out to dinner and then to Hollywood Connection for some fun with all the family. Love you Dallin!!!

Paradise

Although I hate to admit it, my life tends to revolve around food. I love to eat, I love to cook, I love to go out to eat, I love to grocery shop (although I hate the expense), and I love to gather with friends/family and eat. I don't eat to live, I LIVE TO EAT! Just ask my stupid waistline.


Anyway, today I went to one of my favorite places with my mom and two youngest daughters: Paradise Bakery...Oh, just the name makes me all warm and smiley. My favorite? Fire roasted tomato soup paired with a half a turkey and cranberry sandwich on their homemade wheat bread. AND as a bonus, you get a cookie with your order too. How great is that????

I am supremely content this afternoon. AND it was fun to go out with my mom - it's been a really long time since I've done anything with her and I have really missed it! Good times.

I miss my dad

Today marks two years since my dear father passed away. I can't believe it has been so long. I miss him terribly. This man was my greatest hero and my life has forever changed since he left this earth. Dad died from cancer, sarcoma to be exact. It started in his right thigh and even after grueling chemo and radiation and then a ten pound tumor surgically removed - it STILL ravaged his lungs and took him from us. Dad fought so hard to stay. He went through eight surgeries in 2 years. He tried all conventional therapies and then tried alternative means, even traveling to Mexico for stem cells. It's hard not to clearly remember all the suffering he endured and just remember his wonderful life. As time has passed, I am able to think less of his death and more of his life. I can remember details of being with him on family vacations, rides to and from work (we both worked at the U of U), late night talks, and family dinners. One of the things I miss most about him is his goofy sense of humor. He loved to be a clown and although he was SO embarrassing sometimes - it's those things that really make me smile when I think of him. I also miss his great big smile – it would light up a room and was so comforting to me. I so miss his advice. No matter what I was going through, he had words of wisdom and a way of helping me see a realistic picture. He understood me in a way no one else did. He knew when I was struggling, but was never critical. He loved me unconditionally. I miss just sitting next to him an holding his hand. I did this a lot when he was sick and I am so thankful I got to spend so much time with him the last few years of his life. I loved that I could serve him that way. I sat next to him as he left this earth and it was such a special thing. So hard, but I’m glad I was there with him.

Today is hard for me and I think it will continue to be a day of reflection as long as I live. I plan on visiting his grave today and placing hearts on it since we are getting close to Valentines Day. I love you so much dad!

Rick Fullmer (Nov 3, 1944 - Feb 3, 2006)

Our last family photo - (10 days before dad died)

Christmas 2005 - last one with dad

One of my favorites - Hallie as a baby

Scott & our parents - summer 2005

Tagged

My sister-in-law Kellie challenged anyone who hasn;t been tagged to respond to her blog's questions, so here goes...

no.1 What do you want to be when you grow up?
I don't want to grow up - EVER. But once my kids are all moved out I want to go to Africa and help build schools and work with children left orphaned by AIDS. I have several friends who have done this and I REALLY want to go. I actually hope to do several of these humanitarian type trips when I am older - and I'd love Scott and my kids to participate too!

no.2 If you were an animal, what would you be?
An eagle. They are so majestic and have few preditors (very important!). Flying would be great too!

no.3 If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
Greece. I love all the history and ruins, but I also love the countryside and living right on the Mediterranian would be awesome. Even though I will never live there, I am definately going to vacation there someday!

no.4 If you could meet a famous person (alive, or not) who would it be?
Rachel from the Old Testiment

no.5 Describe your perfect day.

• Sleep in unitl at least 10am (with no kids crying and no Scott snoring).
• Go out for breakfast - I love to do this, but Scott never wants to. I'd order french toast with warm maple syrup and fresh squeezed OJ.
• Spend the morning shopping. I'd have money in my pocket and I'd find all the cute outfits and they'd fit me perfectly because my perfect day would also see me 10 pounds lighter!
• Go on a drive with my family in the mountains. Stop for a picnic lunch and a hike to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The weather would be perfect and NO bugs!
• Come home and take a nap. Everyone would sleep blissfully for 2 hours, all at the same time - no staggering!
• Dinner with Scott at Thai Siam in SLC. They have the BEST chicken coconut curry dish - it is divine!!!! Kesley would babysit for free with NO complaints.
• Watch a late movie with Scott while we eat Cold Stone ice cream - cake batter with brownie chunks.
• And last but not least, with all the food I've eaten, I wouldn't gain a pound - in fact my hike would cause me to lose two. HEY, it's my perfect day - OK?