I take it back...

As much as I swear I don't like country I have to admit that I sat at my computer tonight and listened to these songs at least five times each!  Singing at the top of my lungs, wish you all could have been there.

Martina McBride "How Far"

Martina McBride "I Just Call you Mine"

Martina McBride "O Holy Night"

Carrie Underwood "Cowboy Casanova"

Carrie Underwood "O Holy Night"

These two ladies have the most incredible voices although I have to say that Martina McBride will always be my favorite.

Some things will never Change...

Tonight I got home from work and did not want to leave the couch! So my Dad and I got a Paper View movie.  I have wanted to see "Four Christmas's" for a while so I talked him into it. There were seriously some really funny parts but O' my gosh...I was SO embarassed by some of the humor!  Really I couldn't even look at my Dad half the movie because I didn't want him to see how red I was.  The worst part is that I was actually laughing at this stuff! I choose to believe it was just because I was so embarassed and really didn't know what else to do. I'm sure you all remember these days and it's weird when you can finally sit through a movie with your Dad and this time he doesn't tell you to turn it off...I kinda wish he had! So uncomfortable!

Things I love...

Some people are so passionate about things they collect, a certain sports team, a hobby... I always wished there was something in my life that I was extreemly over the top passionate about.  I can be a crazy music junkie at times, I can be the biggest fan club of new or obsolete artists that I can see in real life, especially when I know them personally.  Every day I find a new favorite song on the radio but these really aren't passions for me. Tonight however, I realized there are two things you will always find in my house:

1 - Children's Books - My favorite authors are Max Lucado, Ronald Dahl, Shel Silverstein, Maurice Sendak. Some of my favorite books....

2 - Nativity Sets - BUT I am very very picky!  I don't love just random nativity sets.  They have to be unique...I have a beautiful one that was hand made for me in Egypt and Israel and I'm praying that Santa brings me the new Willow Tree Nativity set.  If not I'll just have to buy it!  I saw it at Time Out For Women and I fell in love with it.  Something about Nativity sets really bring the spirit and help me remember what this season is all about!

I know this is a random blog but reading some of your blogs tonight really got me thinking about this!  And really this post is for my Mom AKA "Santa".  We fill out a survey every year of what we want for Christmas things like shoe size, favorite perfume or jewelry, favorite church book, things we need for our car (this year my brother Kyle said gas, pretty sure I'm right there with him).  These are a few things I forgot on my list to Santa simply because I assume you know, so here it is Mom!

K...a....r....M...a..........

Let me tell you a story (for fear of embarassing her and all involved we are using fake names).  "Alicia" has been talking to this guy we are going to call "Tom" ever since she moved back to Cody.  He asked her to go to the Movie Blind Side tonight and lucky for him Alicia finally said yes...he has been incredibly patient with her canceling on him at least 8 times or more.  Probably the most patient any guy has ever been with Alicia.  All day at work however, Alicia is feeling bad about going on a date tonight because her brother and sister in law and new baby are in town from Idaho and this is their last night here for the Thanksgiving vacation. 

Around 12:00 Alicia decided to cancel with Tom letting him know that once again she was really sorry but tonight was not going to work because she felt like she really needed to hang out with her family.  Around 2:21 this guy we are going to call "Nate" text Alicia and asked her if she has seen the Blind Side. The conversation kinda went like this....N:"have you seen the blid side?" A: "I haven't yet but I want to so bad"...(in her mind she is thinking...dang that's the movie I was supposed to go with Tom...) N: "Lets go tonight..." A: "K! Sounds fun early or late? I get off at 7?"...bla bla bla...so from there Nate tells Alicia he will save her a seat and to meet him at the movie because she is going right from work.  Are you kidding...why in the world would she cancel with one guy then tell another guy yes 2 hours later...? 

The night at work was incredibly slow until 6:30 and one hair cut walks in 20 minutes before Alicia is supposed to close.  She whips out the cutest kids hair cut and rushed out of the salon trying to get to the movie on time.  Ten minutes late she walks into the theater and they tell her the movie is almost sold out but if someone saved her a seat she can go in.  So she buys her OWN ticket and walks in the theater to see Nate with...NO SAVED SEATS!  (Do I need to tell you why this dude is 32 and not married???) Needless to say Alicia walks out of the theater feeling like a Nerd once again...When the workers at the theater asked her if he had saved her seat she was too embarassed to say no so she told them he text her on her way in and said he did't make it to the early movie so they were going to the late movie...duh!  I can't believe she lied to save face infront of people that would know differently in three hours!  So what does she do?... Well I promise you there is no way at this point she is not going to the movie tonight so she calls Tom and guess what...he had just rented 3 movies and was having a drink and watchin movies with his parents...poor guy I probably would be drinking with my parents too if they weren't MORMON and if I had been ditched by a girl 9 TIMES NOW!

Then she calls Joe who had asked her to hang out tonight anyway and what does he have to do....clean his room because he is picking up his 8 year old daughter in the morning before church and if she comes home and sees the bachelor life mess in his room and house there is no way she is ever going to clean her own room. THE LIFE OF A SINGLE PARENT...he even had the audacity to ask Alicia if she had her chores done and should even be going to the movie....ARE YOU KIDDING...she is 30 with no kids....Need I say more?

So then she calls her friend Jenica who is sick, and her friend Peggy WHO ANSWERS THE PHONE INSIDE THE MOVIE THEATER WATCHING THE BLIND SIDE, then she calls her friend Bart who is always getting mad at her for canceling movie nights with him...he doesn't answer his phone so tell me if Alicia went to the movie tonight....Yep! And guess who she is going with....

I wish I could tell you that some hot guy saved me from my misery but this is KARMA in action.  Had I not canceled on Tom a million times, and told him I was hanging out with my family to turn around and go with another guy I might have had a chance tonight!  Instead I got a taste of my own medicine and ended up on a date WITH MY PARENTS!

PS: Tom is still asking for a Rain check...really?!  Has anyone told him she isn't that cool!  Man...what's a girl to do!

ThaNKsGivINg Take II......

So this is take two...I ran to Wal-Mart this morning on Thanksgiving Day of all days!  I kinda feels like it's Sunday because I was so guilty going to the store like it's soely my fault that people are working on Thanksgiving day...but my mom needed MATCHING Table cloths...

The boys finally got home from Phesant hunting this morning just in time to help cut up the turkey before we were ready to sit down...(Chad just needed a little taste to make sure he wanted to stay and eat with us)

This is the Smoked Turkey...Definately my favorite! (My Dad makes a mean smoked turkey.  Will, a family friend, watched in awe...)

Waiting for everyone to sit down so we can eat!  We have had so much fun!  My brother Kyle's in-law's all came from California to spend Thanksgiving with us!  What a great day we had I'm telling you everything about this dinner was very traditional and I do not think I will eat turkey again until next Thanksgiving...ok so we will see....but here you can see the homemade rolls, stuffing, Corn-a-copia (waffle cones filled with candy) decorations, individual fruit bowls, regular turkey, smoked turkey, candied yams, cranberry jelly, bean and potatoe caserol, broccoli salad, mashed potatoes and gravy.....

Chad was feeling sick before we even started...if you have no where to go next Thanksgiving then please come hang out with us we always have WAY too much food....

So to top off the day we had an incredibly family experience that my brother and his wife let us be a part of.  Nelissa Anne Fenton was born October 14th and they waited to bless her until today at our house while we could all be together.  I have been to so many baby blessings but I'm telling you there is something about being in your own home where the spirit is so incredibly strong and you just know that Families are ment to be eternal.  It was pretty incredible to see my brother bless his first baby.  What an emotional time for all there.  Cami/Jeff and Derick/Megan we missed you guys.

Look at this pretty little girl

Nelissa and Uncle Chad...

The night wouldn't be complete without a couple Sparkler bombs from Chad and Kyle Fenton Inc.

There will be a video to follow when I figure out how to post it. The blast litterally shook the china in our china cabinet...And to top off the night...

PIES

We had Banana Cream Pie, Chocolate/Reece's Cheese Cake, Pecan Pie, Apple Pie, and Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without Pumpkin Pie....

The day is still not over until we go Spot light Shooting....Anyone wanna' come along!

What an incredible day I have been overwhelmed with all the blessings in my life, the family and friends! It was so awesome to wake up to 35 texts all wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving! 

We are truely so blessed!

THanKsGIviNg....

Well this is the start of millions of blogs that will revolve around the things we are thankful for.  Everytime I read these blogs it reminds me of the things I am thankful for too and this year I feel like I need to post them.  In sharing these things we allow other people to learn from our life lessons without having to devluge the details...WHICH I so prefer!  So here is my unique list...which you will find is not so much unlike yours...

Loneliness - because of it I know that I still feel something...

My Sister-in-Law Megan - She is one of the few people that can appreciate our common characteristic of being a hopeless romantic, who can experience the up's and downs with me and I know that she is completely honest.  I love her!

Lander - This little town breaks up my drive to Salt Lake and allows me to see one of the greatest people I know - Jennifer Greene and my favorite Bryshawn!

Dancing with the Stars/So you think you can Dance - This has been my sanity for the last three months!  Until of course the last Tuesday night...Am I the only Mormon who was not "thankful" Donny Osmond won?

Temple - This is truely the one place that Heaven and Earth unite and I am able to feel the true happiness that we were ment to feel in this life! I have to make sure I drink at least 24 ozs of water so I'm not dehydrated when I leave.  Sometimes I wonder why feeling the spirit makes us cry but the other night I realized that for me it is the humblest expression of emotion I can feel and cleanses me from all the other garbage we are allowed to feel in our life.

My Sister Cami - Who taught my nephew to say 'lish' non stop and her strong example of obedience that makes me wonder if I'll ever be as great as she is.

Time-out-for-Women - What an incredible legacy of Women I have all around me! For two days I felt so connected to the rest of the women in this universe and wanted so badly to insure their happiness for the accomplisments in their life. They motivate me to be better!

White trucks in Denver Traffic - this is one thing I will always be thankful for because it was probably the most humorus moment in 2009 history!

Feeling Giddy - Whether it's from the excitement of going on a date with a cute guy, re-uniting with an old friend, or random road trips without having to tell anyone where you are going...what a rush!

My incredible Parents - those of you who know them know what I am talking about!  Their patience is unyeilding. I love them.

Singles game nights - Nate I will beat you one day! Even if it is at Wii Golf!

Ugg Boots & Red Hoodies - My two favorite peices of clothing!

People who speak Foreign Languages to me - I can pretend they are saying what ever I want them to say!!!

People - I meet so many incredible people in a day that I can't name them all but I promise my life would not be complete without them.

Jamie Pieper's Blog - Teaches me that it's totally ok to have an opinion about everything!

Candy Bars Hidden under my Parents Bed - I still feel like a kid with a hand in the cookie jar!

Puppies - even if I can't keep them forever!

Girls Nights out in Salt Lake - Ladies you know what I'm talking about - what was his name..."FLoooooo", and the Trax, O what a night!

Vickie Layton - All of her life experiences that have taught me how incredibly blessed I am and her strength to continue through this life and each new day.  You are truely and inspiration to me!

Tanya Johnson - This aside from my Mom, is the most incredible person I know.  She has inspired me to continue to do "me" the best that I can, she has taught me that laughing is best to do in crowded resturants, speeding cars, or anywhere that everyone around you can be so jealous because they have no idea what you are so happy about but secretly wish to death they could be part of the fun...so much so that they inch as close to you as they possibly can without making it obvious!  And..really those Snu....Snu...Snuggies...LOL which we will be wearing till the day we die!  She has also taught me that showers are better if you have to fold yourself in half to fit in them, that things don't happen by coincidence and the friendships that come from them are because we desperately need that person in our lives.

My Dad - who moved me to Utah on August 6th and picked me up September 6th and loved every minute of the city driving pulling a trailer!  Well even if he didn't love it he loved me enough to do it!

Bumper stickers - on beater cars that say "Don't let the car fool you, my treasure is in Heaven", how true this is!

Flight vouchers - the freedom to know that I can go where ever I want when ever I want!

DVR - Need I say more?!

Young women - those incredible girls in Laramie who are so uniquely talented and beautiful in their own way who remind me how mnay incredible people I have had the opportunity to meet in my life!  Don't ever settle ladies!  We can be roommates one day and I promise that will be better then settling!  I'm a blast!

Forgiveness - the awesome feeling of forgiving those we have been hurt by, and the ability to forgive ourselves!  What a miracle and a blessing!

Heath Streeter - You have been one of my best friends my whole life...the good, the bad, and the ugly and you still manage to be one of the best friends anyone could ask for.  Thank you for all the late night chats, advice and a million motivational speeches when I'm feeling like I just can't do it on my own!

Spell check - because right now I can't find it on blogger and I'm leaving all the spelling errors just so you can all see that I'm really not as perfect as you think ;)!


...I'm sure there will be more to come but today I have been thinking about all I am so thankful...the little random things in life that make it so much more worth living!

This is Talent...

So my family can be a little creative at times and maybe this will let you see why we can make Ginger Bread Villages at Christmas because this is what my brothers did for Halloween....

Kyle's Pumpkin...

Chad's Pumpkin...

I'm not even gonna try to compete with this...

Those of you that know my family know that we have alot of really fun traditions.  One of them is to have a Halloween dinner ever year. As kids we LOVED it.  We would usually invite another family and blindfold them and take them to a spot in the woods where we already had the table set up.  My parents or someone the other family didn't know would dress up so you couldn't tell who they were and they would serve all the food.  They wouldn't talk just grunt and stuff.  It was pretty creepy.  This and playing "Trick-or-Treat" were our favorite part of Halloween.

This year I had a Halloween dinner with my Achievement day girls and we had so much fun...

Isn't this the Scariest Mask you have ever SEEN!   Lisa just imagine this standing outside the bathroom door when you walked out! HAHA

So we really were having fun in this picture. Courtney said we were supposed to be scary witches...we didn't quite get the face right! 

Happy Halloween Everyone!

If you come to my house I promise you someone will be hiding somewhere to scare you so be careful!

Niece Brinlee...

Brinlee ReNae Hammond...She has more of a tan then I do and I have no idea how that is possible.  She also has more hair!

Cami finally had number two...There will be more pictures when I finally see my Niece Nelissa.

Update...

I'm finally gutsy enough to go without the wig!  I wear it like this all the time and it's actually really refreshing!  All you women out there should do it!  I promise you will LOVE it!...and if your Husband doesn't then he doesn't love you! HA Just kidding!

Thanks to all those women who don't have a choice and for sharing their beauty with all of us!

Marie T., Kathy E, Julie O and all the other amazing women I have met along the way!

Pictures per request...the Wig vs Shaved...

Some of you Saw me with the wig and didn't even know! Shelby I was wearing it when I cut your hair!

So here are the only pictures I have so far.  It's been about a month and I took some at the first but deleted them after I sent them to my other friends that did it! :)  Here is a month of grow out! Next time Liz...your in! 

SHORT LIVED...BUT SO MUCH LEARNED!

So my move to Utah brought on some new changes...new adventures...and a great experience...sometimes we just need to regroup! Here's a few clips from my one month "Visit" to Utah:


15 - Found out the hard way that there is a head side and a foot side to a Beach Chair...


14 - Learned that I am actually pretty fast at running a mile as long as I am going down hill...on my feet...and there are no cars or people sneaking up behind me in the dark...Other then that it's breeze!


13 - Visited Laramie and Realized that although I miss some of the people there...It was time to move on!


12 - Had some Crazy Adventures with my great friend TANYA JOHNSON! We are Twins can I say more?!?! I am sure there is much more to come where this has begun...


11 - Went to a Dial family Reunion that I haven't been too in years and was re-united with family I haven't seen forever! I'm going to be so much better at keeping in touch with people in my life!


10 - Dealt with a broken down car, some pink tools, and a frustrated Dad trying to tell me how to fix it over the phone...Ah the stresses of life!


9 - Realized that our lives change, and people change...and That what you do with your life is only 1/4Th the equation...the other 3/4Th's is who you do it with!


8 - Received $250 in flight Vouchers - Detroit...HERE I COME!


7 - Got to see my Cousin Tyler who I love to death! Even if it was only a 20 minute drive from the Airport to my house it was definitely needed!


6 - Had an incredible heart to heart with my roommate who I've only known for four weeks but realized there is a reason for everything...even a VERY SHORT move to Utah!


5 - Went to the Days of 47 Rodeo with Kyle, Addie, Kim (my roommate) and Some of Kyle's friends...realized that a secret part of me loves Cowboys and nothin' beats the Cody Night Rodeo! Not even a light show and fire in the arena!


4 - Shared Doughnuts and Chewy Gobstoppers with some super hot Construction boys while stuck in a 45 minute traffic jam!


3 - Sat in Traffic for an hour and a half while they cleaned up a wreck on Bangerter Highway. Yep I was definitely late for work and I can't tell you how much I miss the days of 1 stop light towns!


2 - Shaved my head in honor of my friends and clients who have fought and are still fighting Cancer. It's hair, it grows back and as one friend said..."I think every woman should do it once in their lives, it shows them that their identity is not in their hair!" If it is in your hair you might want to re-think things...you could very likely be the next to lose it... Besides wigs are actually the way to go...it takes 10 minutes to get ready and your hair is already done for you! Can't beat that!...(Kathy Enos - I told you I would do it!)


1 - Realized how important family is to me and that in the end it's all you've got! I can't wait to hang out with my parents for a while in Good Old Cody Wyoming! Yes mom I would love to give you a pedicure once a week!

Move to UTAH..

I never thought in a million years I would be back in Utah but here I am and it's been great so far! My Dad, Kyle, and Addie all came and spent my first weekend with me. It was a blast. We stayed in Park City and then went to the Day's of 47 Rodeo. As cool as the burning 47 and the laser show were, nothing beats the small town rodeo in Wy.

Until my Utah Cosmetology License gets to me in the mail there isn't much I can do but just hang out...I'm considering it a much needed vacation...the picture below, although relaxing as it may look...two minutes before the picture was taken...

The most embarrassing thing ever happened...I sat down feeling all cool in my bathing suit having just worked out and starting to feel a little more toned...tanning lotion on...sunglasses in place...and to my horror...I lay back and BOOM...my feet are above my head and I'm rolling like an otter trying to figure out how to get out of the knotted mess I was in...needless to say...when you lay your towel on your chair make sure you are putting your head at the right end! BLAHHHAH! Glad you didn't see it!

My new all time favorite quote...

While Cami, Jess, and I were on a beautifully lit path at one of the malls in Highlands Ranch. (See the pictures a couple posts ago!) It went something like this...

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they are supposed to help you discover who you are!"

Kinda the story of my life and everyone Else's' for that matter! I just feel so lucky that I'm along for the ride. I have had a blast as I have had the opportunity to spend time with my family while they move around the world to different places and it's ALWAYS nice to get out of Laramie and enjoy the "real world" for a minute!

We went to a Rockies game one of the weekends...it was a serious bust but Jace was Dancing and making friends with everyone...I know the view is a little skewed...HOWEVER...this is pretty much the angle at which I watched the game...and I just need to say that I LOVE a guy playing baseball even if it is from the birds eye view...things just look so good!

...This is what Jace and I do when we just can't be reverent during church...

Another weekend...Jess played Jane Fonda in our very own pool...and she looked hot doing it!

Jace decided floaties the size of his head just weren't worth the trip...

Later that night we had dinner with the sales guys that Jeff works with where I learned what RAVE Dancing looked like...and I also paid for my dinner with a $100 dolla bill and got the $100 dollars back plus the change from my meal!!! (Excellent way to get some extra tithing money right...)and then...

Jess and I had a crazy night...out on the town...seriously what's a Married woman and a 30 year old supposed to do when the singles events in Denver close down at 11:00 because everyone has kids to get to bed! We drove all the way back to Laramie but it was definitely worth the trip! (and PS I didn't keep the $100)

"The past is behind, Learn from it. The Future is ahead, Prepare for it. The Present is now, LIVE IT!" -Thomas S. Monson

...The reasons you just can't help Loving me...

my...RANDOM...SPONTANEOUS...IRRATIONAL decisions...

"Roco"

Beagle/Pug Mix

...he is the one that started it all! He is living with the best family and his name is now Hadden...He comes to visit me occasionally!

"Astro"

Dauch/Austrailian Shepherd Mix

...Just a whim... I picked him up one weekend when I was in Denver and saw an add on craigs list...came home with him that weekend. I'm no dog expert so I had to give him to someone who was much better then I was because he was only 4 weeks old and I was told he was 8 when I got him...let me tell you 4 weeks in doggy years is like 8 months in human years! He now belongs to a wonderful family in Cheyenne and I get pictures and updates about every two weeks! What can I say...I'm starting to wonder if it's my calling in life to Adopt things out to every one else...

"Rocco"

Pug

This is for real! Isn't he so cute! As weird as it sounds I promise he is one of the smartest pugs I know. I have had him for five days and he is Kennel Trained, he knows his name, and he is super chill! Just my style! We get up at 5:30 and exercize and he comes to work with me. He is hillarious! No, he has not run into any walls yet! That's my IQ test...the minute he does...I think we may have trouble! He is a keeper!

"Life is not measured by the amount of breaths you take...

BUT BY THE MOMENTS THAT TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY!"