Glenn Beck's Tribute to President Hinkley

I'm not a huge fan of Glenn Beck. But I respect the way he stands up for his church and is so proud to be a Mormon. He often speaks of his membership and defends it's principles and doctrine vigorously. This tribute especially touched me because of the fact that he took the time to share, on national tv, his true feelings about a person that taught him to "stand for something."

To view Glenn's tribute on YouTube, click here.

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

Gordon B. Hinkley (1910-2008)

We thank thee, O God, for a prophet...

I've sung that hymn so many times throughout my life, with the most memorable and powerful times in the awed presence of President Hinkley, himself. What an amazing man he was! And what an amazing legacy he has left for himself...and for our Church.

After I heard the news tonight, I immediately ran and grabbed the latest Conference edition of the Ensign. I wanted to reread his last words..his last advice, his last thoughts, and above all else, his last declaration of his love to us all.

I then began to think about what kind of an influence he had been to me in my life...let alone to the lives of so many people throughout the world! And it wasn't long before I was visually and spiritually reminded of the power of one man's dedication to his church and to his God.




Lastly, as I was reading through an article that was emailed to me tonight, I was inspired by the words that President Hinkley spoke in his first conference address as acting President, during the 165th General Conference on April 2, 1995:

"The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"This is a time to be strong.

"It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth and the importance of our mission.

"It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow.

"It is a time to be found keeping the commandments.

"It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain.

"It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all our relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike."

There's no doubt that our Church will move forward without Gordon B. Hinkley leading the way. Then again, there's no doubt that we are 13 million strong because of his life, his humility, his dedication, and his love for us all.

U2:3D

So...lately, all I've been hearing about from my "music" friends is how great this new U2 movie is. To tell you the truth, I hadn't even heard about it until just last week. And did I mention it's in 3D? So, last night some friends of mine and I decided to see what all the hype was about and went and saw it for ourselves. We drove down to Dallas to the IMAX theatre and donned the Universal Studios-inspired 3D glasses and sat down for a great concert...theatre-style.

I mock the whole idea, but in reality, it was one of the best concerts I've ever seen! I really felt like I was there. I wanted to stand up and totally rock out (a-la Def Leppard!), but settled for tapping my feet and waving my arms.

From my fave Where the Streets Have No Name to the classics Bullet the Blue Sky and New Year's Day, each song was performed by 4 very talented (and finally aging) artists. You would have thought they were playing their first concert ever by the way they rocked it. And did I mention it's all in 3D?

If this movie is playing in a theatre near you, please take the time to go see it. I highly recommend it. Seeing it brought back so many great memories from high school (go Brighton Bengals!), spending every lunch hour of my Senior year camped in front of my best friend Brooke's TV, memorizing Rattle and Hum. Those were the days...

THIS is the place...

So...I've decided that whenever you think you've figured out your life and have it all planned out, life has a way of shaking things up.

Up until about 6 months ago, I really thought I'd live in Texas for the rest of my life. A "lifer" is what I called myself about living here. But then things started to rumble and things became misaligned, and before I knew it, that perfect straight line to the end of the road became a fork. Or in my case, a U-ie. In my case, the U-ie is taking me right back to where I came from. Where I was born. Where I call home.

That U-ie is taking me back to Utah.

So...it's with so much excitement that I announce that after 7 years of living in Texas, Jeff and I are moving back to Utah! Jeff has accepted a job transfer with Countrywide to become a Sales Manager in a branch on Foothill Blvd. in Salt Lake City. The current plan is for Jeff to leave at the end of February and the boys and I will follow just as soon as our house sells (say a prayer and keep your fingers crossed that it happens soon). It's been on the market since the first of September...ironically, before we even knew where or what we were going to do (think...rumblings). However, I feel confident that now that we have a plan and a real goal, that we will be blessed to have it sell quickly. I can't imagine our little family being separated for longer than it needs to be.

Another thought I can't imagine is leaving so many of our good friends...and family. We have grown to love and appreciate those around us and will be truly sad to say good-bye. As excited and confident as we are in our decision to move back, there is still a sense of sadness and loss. The reality of never seeing some of these people again is heart-breaking.

I am learning to be grateful for the rumblings and the shake-ups that life sends to me. I've learned that it makes life interesting and unpredictable....but in a good way. And I have no doubt that life in Utah will be both...and so much more! But I must say that in my heart, I will never forget my time here in Texas nor the person I became by living here...a mother, a better wife, a stronger woman, a loyal employee, and a good friend.

To those of you that saw me become even one of those along the way, I say good-bye.

Or even better..."SEE YA'LL!"

What color is Jeff?

I made Jeff take this test, too...

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Black

Your color is black. The color of night. Serene and mysterious, black conjures up images of elegant evening gowns, dashing tuxedos, and gleaming limousines. Traditionally a symbol of success, black also represents power and an uncompromising demand for perfection. Not surprisingly, you tend to set challenging goals for yourself and do whatever it takes to achieve them — your strength of character is second to none. This unfaltering determination, along with your natural elegance, impresses people. But keep in mind that your personality might be intimidating to some. Try to temper your demanding side with a little softness — trust us, it won't kill you. Overall, though, black is the color of professionalism and achievement, which means it's clearly the color for you.

Take this test >

What color am I?

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Brown

You're brown, a credible, stable color that's reminiscent of fine wood, rich leather, and wistful melancholy. Most likely, you're a logical, practical person ruled more by your head than your heart. With your inquisitive mind and insatiable curiosity, you're probably a great problem solver. And you always gather all of the facts before coming to a timely, informed decision. Easily intrigued, you're constantly finding new ways to challenge your mind, whether it's by reading the newspaper, playing a trivia game, or composing a piece of music. Brown is an impartial, neutral color, which means you tend to see the difference between fact and opinion easily and are open to many points of view. Trustworthy and steady, you really are a brown at heart.

Take this test >

Happy Birthday, Cameron!

Just thought I'd take another trip down memory lane...in honor of my little brother's 31st birthday.







Happy Birthday, Cam!

Happy New Year!

If I say this one more time this year....it won't be one too many: I can't believe it's 2008!

2008!!!!????

I swear, JUST yesterday...

...It was 25 years ago, the year was 1983...I was 8 years old and had one thing on my mind....dancing! (No, not boys...not yet, anyway!)

...It was 20 years ago, the year was 1988...I was in 7th grade and had just gotten my braces off and was obviously very excited to be wearing a retainer. Furthermore, it seems as though I was a little confused about what the current hair style trend was supposed to be.
...It was 15 years ago, the year was 1993...I was graduating from high school and heading off to Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. And yes, I was still VERY confused about what the current hair style trend was supposed to be.


...It was 10 years ago, the year was 1998...I was living in Florida and about to move back to Utah to finish college. Shall I say I was getting a little better about the hair style?
...It was 5 years ago, the year was 2003...I was a proud mother of one and living in my first house! Hey! Hairstyles don't matter now that I'm a wife and mom (at least that's what I told myself!).


And now...what-do-you-know? It's 2008.

Amazing.

I'm anxious and excited to see what this year will bring. I may not know what lies around the next corner, be it happiness or trials or adventures...But I do know that, whatever may be, I'm blessed to be surrounded by good friends, a wonderful family...

....and a great hairstylist!

Happy 2008, ya'll!

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve just isn't what it used to be. That's not saying that it's not as fun as it used to be. On the contrary, I think it's better! For starters, at least now-a-days I have a guaranteed kiss when the New Year rings in!

Tonight, we went with some of our best friends to dinner at Patrizio's in Plano. It was so fun to be surrounded by good friends, great food, and no children! After dinner, Jeff and I went and saw a movie and ironically, still made it home before midnight! Ahhh, parenthood.

"Tis the Season to be Mary!"

This Christmas was a quiet one. Unlike in year's past, there were no visitors. Just Jeff, me and the boys. I was a little worried before hand, not knowing how we'd spend the day. But I have to say, as much as I love visitors, this Christmas was definitely relaxing and just as memorable.

The day started off slow. In fact, the boys didn't wake up until 10:00 AM (that's my boys!). Jeff and I waited in our room, eager to see Garrett's reaction to the presents left for him. Our waiting paid off...I'll never forget his almost frenzied shock and awe that "Santa came, Santa came!" It still makes me smile just thinking about it.

Garrett's very specific wish list from Santa this year was simple (gotta love that boy!): a Blue Power Ranger's costume (wish he could've told me that BEFORE Halloween was over though), and a squirrel toy (huh? what's a squirrel toy? Exactly my same question. You see, when we were in Florida, he saw tons of squirrels...so he immediately began asking for a squirrel toy. I ended up getting him a stuffed animal. Needless to say, he loves it! And it goes everywhere with us.) We also gave him a new desk that he can sit and draw at. I got tired of him sitting on the arm of my chair while I worked. So I decided to get him his own! Now he can sit in the office with me and we can both "work" together.

Isaac received a basketball hoop and lots of Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story figurines. The kid loves Buzz. From the time he was about 15 months old, he could sing the notes to "To Infinity and Beyond!" Hilarious.

After presents were opened (which took much longer than I thought due to the fact that after each present, Garrett would run off and play with it. I actually had to demand that he keep opening another present), I put my new Christmas waffle maker to good use. We had a great breakfast/lunch (aka: brunch!). Then we settled down for a nice relaxing afternoon. By 7:00, we all needed to get out of the house. So we drove around and (gratefully) found that my favorite restaurant, IHOP, was open. Breakfast again? Nope, a nice salad and Diet Coke with lemon.

Once we got home again, I had the strange desire to take down the tree and put away every Christmas decoration in sight! I'm not sure what came over me. But at that point, I was so done with the holiday. I know Jeff thought I was crazy, but it was nice to go to bed knowing that my house was "back to normal."

Shoot, before we all know it...we'll be putting it all BACK up!

Until next year...

The Six Days of Christmas

Shortly after my parents visit to Dallas at the beginning of November, we realized that their 3 and 1/2 day trip was just not long enough. Mind you, with my parents having 7 kids living in 5 different locations around the world (literally...my sister lives in China), they have become world travelers! Combine that with both of them working full time at work and church, it's hard to actually catch them at home with "nothing to do!" But thankfully, with a little wiggle room in between their Thanksgiving trip to Utah and their Christmas trip to Hawaii, we were able to plan a quick, week-long trip to Florida. Unfortunately, Jeff wasn't able to take work off, so just me and the boys took flight!

I hadn't been back to my parents' house (outside of Jacksonville) for over a year, so it was so nice to go home and be babied once again by my mom. She really is the greatest hostess ever! Not only did she do all our laundry every day, but she is always so great about having meals prepared and memorable activities planned. Each day we literally had a detailed agenda! Not to mention, she had completely decked out the house with Christmas decor (all for the boys' sake) and even had presents wrapped under the tree for Garrett and Isaac...one for each night we were there. We quickly dubbed our nightly present opening, "The Six Days of Christmas." Her thoughtfulness will be remembered for a long time to come.

I never realized that a short trip home could recharge me like it did. I especially treasured the time that my boys had to spend with their grandparents. I'd give anything to have them live closer! I hold on to the hope that maybe one day, they will! Needless to say, this trip home was extra special. It made me remember why I'm a mother...because I've had the example of parents who constantly proved that life is made complete, because of, and through their children.

I'm also grateful for parents who continue to be, well...my parents. I appreciate the advice and emotional support they give to Jeff and me. We don't know everything yet, so their examples are priceless. We seem to have a lot of unknowns lately...enough to throw us both for a loop. So we've both come to rely on the constant steady hand that my parent's advice provides. I can't imagine my life without it.

Of course our trip wasn't complete without visiting the St. John's River pier (I actually jumped in that river once....key word, once!), enjoying the lights in St. Augustine (THE oldest city in the United States), the Christmas Fair in Green Cove Springs, and making Gingerbread houses with Craig and Cassie (my little brother and his darling wife), who came over from Gainesville to visit. It was fun to spend time with them. By the end of the trip Garrett had a new best friend...Cassie! I think it was due to the fact that she was the only one that would sit down with him and play Play-Do for hours! That girl is creative!

Anyway, since our Christmas is going to be rather quiet this year (no visitors), it was nice to fill our cantine of family love before hand. Love you Mom and Dad! And, Go Gators!

Garrett James Barlow

Photo courtesy of Siri Sudweeks Photography

Happy Birthday to my sweet Garrett Love! I can't believe it's already been five years ago today, that Jeff and I had our first child. Garrett was born on Thanksgving Day at 12:18 AM. He weighed 7 lbs 15.9 oz, was 21.5 inches long, and (shockingly) had tons of dark black hair. I can't remember ever seeing anything so beautiful. Nor can I ever remember feeling anything so wonderful, complete, and exciting, all at the same time!

Jeff and I had decided that we would name our first son "Garrett James" long before our little guy even came along. When I found out Jeff's middle name was Garrett (Jeffrey Garrett), I was sold! I had always loved that name so it was a no-brainer for both of us. "Garrett" is also Jeff's Grandpa Barlow's middle name (Edmund Garrett Barlow). The name "James" comes from both Jeff's dad's name (Edmund James Barlow), as well as my Grandpa Copeland's name (James N. Copeland). What a legacy our son has! But I have no doubt that my little Garrett will live up strongly to those great men he was named after.

Until I was actually pregnant, I would have bet my life that I would have a boy first (for some reason, whenever I'm pregnant, I just know that I'm having a girl!). So when at 13 and 1/2 weeks I found out that, indeed, I was having a boy, I wasn't shocked (not really, anyway) at all. What a dream come true! I was so excited! And, of course, so was Jeff!

Needless to say, for the past 5 years I've had the honor of having Garrett in my life. He is quickly becoming, one of my best friends. I truly enjoy hanging out with him. His smile is infectious and his laugh, one-of-a-kind. One of my favorite times of the day is when he climbs into bed with me in the morning. Jeff will have already left for work so I allow Garrett to fill in the empty space gladly. Of course like everything else he does, we have to go through the exact same greeting each morning, "Hi." "Hi, did you sleep good?" His day isn't complete unless that moment takes place. I've come to realize that mine isn't either.

We also have this thing about quoting movies. Mind you, this kid's memory is amazing and therefore he can remember lines much more easily than I can! Our favorite quotables come from Max and Ruby, Shrek (of course), and Cars. It's amazing how many lines he can remember, especially after seeing the movie or episode only once or twice. His ability to say them at the exact same time and in the exact same manner as the movie is incredible! Most of the time I just end up laughing at him because he is so dead-on.

I know I've said this before, but I'm so eager to see how my little guy grows up. I mean REALLY grows up. It's amazing how much he's changed and grown just in the last year. I can't imagine what he'll become in 10, 15, 20 years! Of course I have my list of goals and dreams that I would love for him to accomplish (be baptized, obtain priesthood, serve mission, graduate from college, be married in the temple, become a father) but it's HIS goals and dreams that make him so unique and wonderous. Currently, on this very day, these feats include: becoming a "cooker" (aka: chef), a builder, and a football player. Mind you, all will occur when he "gets bigger." Regardless of what he actually does become, I have no doubt that he will be successful in his own rite, happy, and a wonderful example to his siblings.

With this milestone of a birthday upon us, I couldn't help but go through all his pictures and reflect back (happily) through the years. These are the ones that stood out in my mind, and perhaps always will. Enjoy!

Give Thanks...

What a wonderful time of year it is! Granted, it would be great to have a little bit of snow to ring in this holiday season, but I'll save that wish for Christmas Eve. I do live in Texas after all! What can I expect? Then again, Monday it was 80 and today it barely hit 45. So who knows what another week could bring!?

Anyway, I thought I'd take a minute and write down some of my thoughts and feelings. This time of year, ironically, always helps me to slow down and to really reflect on my life. And even though it doesn't have to be Thanksgiving Day for me to realize how truly blessed I am, I couldn't go throughout this day without formally acknowledging my complete gratefulness for a few things.

First of all, I am so grateful to be a wife. It wasn't too long ago that I feared that I would never be able to enjoy a wonderful marriage. I had a phobia, actually, that I would never find that special someone. But I did! And I'm so grateful. Jeff is a wonderful husband and an amazing dad. He is so selfless. And such a hard worker. I appreciate his dedication to Heavenly Father and even more so, the role of Patriarch he fills so humbly and worthily in our family.

Eight years ago today, Jeff asked me to marry him. I've never regretted my decision to say "YES!" We've come a long way since then, and definitely had our trials along the way, but I wouldn't wish to enjoy (and endure) this life with any other.

Secondly, I am so grateful to be a mother. I've been so blessed to have two beautiful, and yet more importantly, healthy and intelligent little boys. Someone once told me that they couldn't see me being a "girl mom." At first I thought that was a knock on me, but then I soon realized that it must mean that I do a pretty darn good job at being a "boy mom!" If that is truly the case, then I'll take that compliment any day!

Garrett and Isaac bring so much joy and entertainment to my life. I honestly can't imagine my life without them. Every day they teach me something new about myself and about life. They keep me humble, but at the same time give me confidence and self worth like nothing else in my life ever has.

My mom once told me that some of her greatest joys have come from living vicariously through her children. Our triumphs are her triumphs. Our goals are her goals. Our happiness is her happiness. That advice makes me look forward to my children's future and all the exciting opportunities and possibilities they have before them.

Thirdly, I'm grateful for my health and strength. For many, this has seemed to become such a fragile thing these days. I can't go but a week or two without hearing of a dear loved one, or a close acquaintance, that has been diagnosed with some sort of health issue. From infertility to cancer, it seems that our generation is being plagued with so many medical trials. And I've learned that no matter how old we may be, or how well we may take care of our bodies, our health is fragile, our health is a blessing. I'm so grateful for mine.

And lastly, I'm so grateful for the wonderful people I have in my life. From my family to my friends, I am (thankfully) surrounded by so many good, good people.

I love this time of year and the formal opportunity that it gives me to voice my thanks and count my blessings. Happy Thanksgiving!

A Parent's Thanksgiving List

From Families Who Laugh . . . by Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard

I'm grateful my children demand I talk to them when I don't feel like talking, feed them when I'm not hungry, and change their diapers even when I'm all dressed up and ready to go somewhere special. I don't think I'd discover the world outside my own needs without them.

I'm grateful my children haven't learned how to hold back their tears when they're sad, laughter when they're happy, or screams when they're frightened. They constantly remind me that emotions are for sharing.

I'm grateful my children have broken nearly everything in my home and used a crayon or ink marker on the rest. They've taught me that things aren't important, but people are.

I'm grateful my children start out small and helpless so they don't become aware of my incompetence until they're teenagers. By then, we've both grown so accustomed to each other, we somehow manage to make it through the rest of life together.

I'm grateful my children get their pants dirty, pick their noses, burp without saying "excuse me," and quarrel in public so I'll never be able to get too arrogant, proper, or judgmental of other people's children.

I'm grateful my children sometimes call me names like "weird" because sometimes I am "weird," and it helps keep a person humble to be told they're "weird" when they're acting weird.

I'm grateful my children occasionally miss the bus at the precise moment I've stepped out of the shower, contemplating the well-planned, organized day ahead of me. Experiences like jumping into the car after throwing on whatever's handy and racing to school have a tendency to loosen rigid plans into something better known as spontaneity.

I'm grateful my children always need new shoes, piano books, prescriptions, haircuts, fieldtrip money, tuition, food, toothpaste, and underwear. That way, I don't have to waste my time thinking about a new sofa. It's difficult to get wealthy and think about luxuries when you have to buy toilet paper and milk by the truckload each week.

I'm grateful my children know how to play. My five-year-old asked me to come downstairs so he could "teach me how to play" with his plastic animals. While Jacob demonstrated the subtle techniques for sinking a rhinoceros into couch cushions while pretending it was quicksand, I realized my young son was right. I really do need someone to "teach me how to play."

I'm grateful my children question my every command and giggle when I get angry. It's difficult to feel too powerful or self-righteous with kids around to remind you of how funny you look when you're pointing your finger.

I'm grateful my children insist I hug, kiss, rock, or put my arms around them often. Otherwise, I think I'd forget how the sense of touch is so healing.

I'm grateful each of my children is unique when the same strange, inexperienced mother raised them. Somehow they don't seem to let me ruin them much.

And lastly, I'm grateful for the gift of children in my life. God willing, I'd like to fill the rest of my days with those interesting people who call me Mom.

I've Been Tagged!

So, I've been tagged. I guess it was a matter of time before this little game fell into my lap. And ever since it has (thanks, Jules), I've been thinking...what are 6 things about me that nobody really knows? I'm not that interesting, and truth be told, everything about me I wear on my sleeve. ("Wait a second, donkeys don't have sleeves!") Sorry, I couldn't resist!

Anyway, here are the rules:

The rules: Player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves. At the end of the post, player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and posts a comment letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read their blog for the rules.

And here are my facts:

1. I have very particular sleeping habits. No matter when I go to sleep, whether it be to take a nap or for the night, the following stage must be set:
a. It has to be dark
b. It has to be cold
c. I have to have at least one fan going (not necessarily blowing on me, but it's more for the white noise. Then again, if it's hot, this one serves as a dual purpose. And please keep in mind that I even have invested in travel fans. These things are as important to pack as my clothes. Maybe even more so.)
d. I have to have my own blanket and I CAN NOT sleep under sheets.
e. I can't sleep touching anyone. Thus the separate blankets helps solve that problem. Luckily, Jeff is the same way. Cuddling is not allowed once I'm ready to go to sleep. And NO kids in the bed!

2. I love to watch documentary or biography shows such as Dateline, 60 Minutes, True Hollywood Story and (my favorite) 48 Hours Mystery. I'm not sure what it is, although I particularly like the crime investigation ones. Kinda morbid, I know. I'm not sure what it is, although I love the whole voice-over thing. My favorite is Keith Morrison on Dateline. However, I just finished watching a really good journalist documentary on CNN by Anderson Cooper called Planet in Peril. Awesome.

3. I'm a Comedy Snob (or so I've been told). I LOVE to see movies and watch TV, but very rarely will a comedy pass my high expectations. Not a lot of things/situations that other people find funny, do I see in the same way. I hate slap stick comedy especially. Now, there are a few "classics" that have passed my test: Vacation, Christmas Vacation, Dumb & Dumber, What's Up Doc?, and My Cousin Vinny. These movies, I'll watch any time, any day. I can't get enough of them. And that's saying A LOT. As for TV comedies, my favorites right now are The Office and Samantha Who? Hilarious.

4. I love Reality TV. I think it's because I'm a people watcher. Some of my favorites are Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race, The Apprentice, and American Idol. If I could go on any reality TV show it would be The Amazing Race. I'd give anything to go. But I need a partner. Unfortunately, I don't think Jeff and I would make a good team. We don't do well in stressful situations. But I have to say that I would make a fabulous partner. I'm great with maps and directions. I can sense North from just about anywhere (well, as long as my mountains are to the east!). I wouldn't be good, though, if it came down to an eating contest or bungie jumping, sky diving, or hang gliding. I can't handle the free-falling effect, nor could I make my gag reflex work in my favor when it comes to eating things that I let the exterminator kill! So, who wants me to be their partner now?!

5. I cry easily. And even more so than that, once I start crying, I CAN'T STOP! It could be 4 hours from when I've stopped crying, and if you say to me, "are you ok?" I'll say "yes!" and then start crying again. Anything will make me cry, but the for-sure catalysts are:
a. Music: MoTab at Conference, certain church hymns, or any really great song that brings back a good memory or has a great beat.
b. Certain TV shows: The Baby Story (just as they are giving birth...makes me think of having my own kids, which, you better believe I was hysterical throughout!), The Amazing Race (each time someone is voted off ), and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (this one does it everytime!).
c. Someone else is crying: I'm not sure why, but if you are crying, shoot, I may as well be, too! Misery loves company, right?

6. I love music. When I was younger, during my spare time, I would record a song onto a tape, and then proceed to write down all the lyrics on paper. It would take hours to "translate" all those words. And if I couldn't understand what the singer was saying, I just made up what I thought sounded best. I never did anything with those lyrics, except maybe compile them in a notebook. But just having those words down on paper was something special to me.

So, what type of music do I like? Well, I'm a girl of the 80's, so anything in that decade works for me (from Erasure to Def Leppard), but I had older siblings who taught me to love "the classics," as well (Journey, Queen, Pink Floyd, SuperTramp, and Fleetwood Mac). Then there's the music my dad taught me to love (Neil Diamond (my ultimate fav) and the Beach Boys). I also love "dance music". Anything with a good beat. There are some types of music that I'll put in the "maybe" category, which means I have to take them song by song. Country, Rap, and R&B fit into that category. If I had to name my top 5 favorite songs of all time, well, I'd have to think about that for a little while. But one of my all time favorites is, without a doubt, "Every Breath you Take" by The Police. A little on the stalker side, but a classic nonetheless.

So now that you know a little bit more about me, I'd like to know a little bit more about you! So I'm going to tag: Nattie, Rhonda, Nicole (all my lovely college roomies!), Rachel Crofts (one of the few I KNOW reads my blog!), Mandy (miss and love you!), and Gladys (a shout-out to the good ol' Florida days!). Tag, you're it!

October...

It's been a little while since my first post (shocker), so I thought I'd recap the last couple weeks in one post. Better late, than never, eh?

Halloween, Trick-Or-Treating, and the Pumpkin Patch...

This year was so much fun, being able to take both the boys to all the Halloween festitivies. Garrett was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Leonardo, to be exact. And Isaac was a skeleton. Once again, both of their personalities rang true. Isaac, of course, wanted to see how much candy he could stuff in his mouth at one time. Garrett, of course, wanted to see as many spider webs, ghosts, skeletons, and decorated haunted houses as he could. That means, for the past month, we've been doing decorated house "drive-bys." In fact, it got so bad that the "drive-bys" became a sort of reward or incentive to Garrett that we were doing daily. "Eat your veggies and we'll go see the spider webs!"

Here's the thing...you know when you visit Hollywood and can pay good money to take a tour around town, just to "drive by" all the famous people's houses? Yeah, it's kinda been like that around here lately. I think by the time Halloween actually arrived, we had about 8 houses on our route. And, keep in mind, these houses are NOT close together. Posh Spice and Tom Cruise may live close to each other in Beverly Hills, but the "spider web" house and the "eyes in the trees" house do not. I think my gas bill went up at least $50 this month. I don't know who's more happy that this hallowed season is over; me, or the confused owners of the houses on our tour. Next year, I may have to print brochures, charge a fee, and start my own "best-Halloween-decorated-houses-in-all-of-North-Texas" touring company.

October and Halloween also bring about our annual adult costume party. This year was our 5th year in a row that we've had the party. It's always a fun event. And being that it's not every day that you see grown men in tights or makeup, at least we have one day a year where they can (somewhat) get away with it.

I was thinking back to all the fun costumes Jeff and I have come up with. I think my favorite was when we rented Wizard of Oz costumes. I was the Cowardly Lion, and Jeff was the Scarcrow. This year, we decided to throw back to the good ol' years and went as Ghostbusters.

Another annual event that we had to do was the Pumpkin Patch. And on a scale of 1-10, our PP is about a 7. This PP is not just a normal "find your pumpkin and let's get the heck outta here" PP. It has a petting farm, hay-ride, free hot dogs, and um...oh yeah, pumpkins. Every year I've taken the boys with our ward's playgroup, but this year I decided to wait for Jeff to go with us so we could go as a family.

We started our family fun day with a stop at MY favorite, gourmet restaurant, IHOP. Honestly, who wouldn't pass up a 3-cheese omlet and the best pancakes ever?! Delicious. Jeff says he'll never understand why waiting for 45 minutes on a Saturday morning just to have breakfast is all that appealing to me. But it is! I love it!

After breakfast we drove out to Celina to the PP. The boys loved the petting farm and the hay ride. My favorite part was loading up Jeff with as many pumpkins as he could carry for only $10. I just kept saying "one more!" The funny thing is, we only carved two of them. I guess it was the principal of the whole thing, right?

So...with the end of October brings the start of the true holiday season. I wasn't surprised when on Thursday morning, November 1st, the Christmas commericials were in full swing. Thus, I'm already debating to put my tree up next week. Shoot, the darn thing takes me two days to put up! A few more weeks of enjoying it wouldn't kill anyone, right? I mean, Nordstroms has probably already beat me to it!

Anyway, that's about it. The month of October was much more eventful and busy than I can sum up in a few paragraphs. But in the end, all is well and we are happy. The house is still for sell. It was a quiet month for showings so we are hoping that next month will pick up some. Many of you have asked what our plan is when we sell it. At this point, we still aren't sure. All we know is that Jeff's commute of an hour and 10 minutes is really start to get to him (and me!). But the thought of moving away from our "home" is too much to think about. So we're just taking one step at a time. Sell the house and then we'll see. Who knows, maybe this time next year we could be back in Utah!

So...with that said, IHOP anyone?

The Launch Party!

So...I've finally done it! Between working from home, raising two (very active) BOYS, and trying to live up to the idea of being a perfect wife, I've found some time to make this blog. Please know it was done with a LOT of help! (Thanks Haley and Jenny!).

But the thought of having something that can help me log and track the daily events of my life is something that I've been meaning to do for some time. I'm hoping that this blog will help me do that. So I apologize in advance, if this blog is a bit on the selfish side, as I'm doing it more for me than anyone else.

With that said, here's a little "Intro" (as Crush, aka Mr. Turtle, would say): Let's see, where do I begin? Well, I am currently 32 years old (what?), married (happily), and have two little boys. Garrett is 4 (almost 5), and Isaac just hit the big ol' 19 month mark. I know I say this often, but time really does fly by. I swear it was just yesterday that Jeff and I met for the first time (a whole 'nother story), and look at us now!

I was born and raised in the Salt Lake City/Sandy area and graduated from Brighton High School in 1993. Three days after I graduated, my family moved to Gainesville, Florida. At the time you would have thought we had moved to Mars. We were so "out of place," with the LARGE bugs, humidity and all... But after going to two years at Ricks and a year at Utah State, I moved back with my parents and lived in Gainesville for a good year and 1/2. Although the decision to move home, at first, wasn't at the top of my "most-desirous" list, the time spent in Florida became some of the greatest years of my life. I met so many good friends and became really close with my family (GO GATORS!). I never wanted that time to end.

But....my education had come to a standstill and there was still a little someone that I was destined to meet...again...

So, I moved back to Utah and lived with my oldest brother, Kevin, and his family in Highland. Kevin had recently started a marketing company called North Point and had merged his marketing company with a book publishing company called Woodland Books. Which is where I met my husband-to-be, Jeff. And like I said, that's a whole nother story. I'll save that one for later.

Jeff and I were married in April of 2000 in the Salt Lake City Temple. Roughly 10 months later, we moved to Dallas, Texas. Neither of us had ever been to Dallas, but once the opportunity was presented to us, we both immediately felt as though it was a good decision to move here. And even though the first two years were tough (can you say newlyweds, near-poverty, and beyond homesick?), we eventually moved up to the Frisco/McKinney/Allen area and have loved it ever since.

Jeff is currently working at Countrywide Home Loans as a Vice President, Sales Leader. More specifically, he is a manager of about 17 Spanish-speaking Loan Officers in the MultiCultural division. Having served his mission in Spain, it's quite a blessing that he is able to keep his Spanish fluent by working with his employees, as well as the customers who call in.

For the past 3 years, I have been working for The Empower Network, a recruiting agency. Before we had Isaac, I worked full time, but after he was born, I quit to stay at home. That lasted for about 6 months before they called me and asked me to come back. I told them there was NO way I was going to put 2 kids in day-care and work full time. But they told me that as long as I came back, I could work from home, and wouldn't have to put in more than 20 hours a week. What, are you serious!? In that case, heck ya! I'll come back! Actually, it's a little harder than it sounds. I've masterd the art of typing with one child on my lap, taking phone calls in the bathroom, and sleeping with my Blackberry under my pillow...just in case. Then again, it's been such a blessing to be able to keep up the skills I've worked so hard to learn. Not to mention, the extra money is nice, too!

Garrett, who was born on Thanksgiving Day, fills the shoes as our independent, dramatic, and perfectionist eldest child. It's highly entertainig to watch your children grow and wonder, "where did he get that from?", then quickly realize, "oh, from me!" That's how it is with Garrett. So, when I see Garrett at the age of 2 and 1/2, lining up his cars in a perfect row, or making sure we say the same thing every night before we go to bed ("love you, sleep good, goodnight"), I can't blame him for the display of OCD. 'Cuz he got it from ME!

But I must say that Garrett does have a lot of Jeff in him, too (not to mention he looks EXACTLY like Jeff). He is calm, has an amazing memory for a 5-year old, and is always comfortable being himself (um, Jeff?). He thinks everyone is his "best friend" and has so many goals and dreams. His latest passion is drawing, which he has become quite good at. Then again, with two grandmas who are artists, it doesn't surprise me. In fact, I'm actually jealous! I've always said that if I could have one talent, it would be to draw.

We are also working on teaching Garrett to read. He is doing awesome! Two days a week, after preschool, Garrett goes to a Phonics class which is teaching him so much. I love to read. Always have. I think I got that from my Dad. So if there is any (good) quality that I can pass on to my kids, it's the love of reading! So far, it looks like I'm doing something right!

Isaac, on the other hand, is our happy, opinionated, social butterfly. Again, me. From day one, Isaac has looked, acted, and thought NOTHING like Garrett. And I'm sure like other first-time parents, we were expecting a "cookie cutter" 2nd child. I mean, what else could Jeff and I make, but another little Garrett? Seriously though, for the first 6 months of his life, I kept thinking, who does this kid look like? (Since then, I've thought a lot of other puzzling questions, but none that I'll admit to.) I'm telling you, this kid has NO fear. None. He'll climb on anything, go to anyone, and stop at nothing. I seriously think the word "no" to him, translates into, "yea! you go boy! keep it up! you're doing awesome! and whatever you do, don't stop!" And to top it off, he's stinkin' cute! All that kid has to do when he's in trouble, is bat his eyes, smile, and I'm done for. Man, are we in trouble!

So, that's our family in a nut-shell. Stick with me, and along the way, I'm sure I'll have more kid(s) to speak of and more (hilarious) stories to tell, but for now, I'm all blogged out. I'll let Shrek close it up for tonight, with one of my favorite Shrek quotes, "That'll do, Donkey, that'll do."