Independence Day

Well, I did not bring my tripod.... like I told myself that I would. So again, this year I have a lot of squigly firework pictures... but that is ok. Many of them did actually come out pretty good. I just like this picture for some reason, but there are probably others that I took that are better.

My baby has proven to me, this Independence day, that he is becoming more and more independent. So even though this is our countrys holiday, I dedicate it to my baby as well. His favorite thing to say (when I am trying to help him) is "no mama! I do it!" and "don't help me!" From walking up the stairs with a millions toys in hand, to putting on his new flip flops (even though he puts them on the wrong feet and puts the thingee in between the wrong toes!), he is going to do it himself now. And I can only stand by and watch and try to guide him and his toes in the right direction.

I've Come to Realize......

Sunday Stealing: The "I've Come to Realize" Meme

1. I’ve come to realize that my chest-size...is freakin huge

2. I’ve come to realize that my job...is very easy and pays well, what more could I ask for?

3. I’ve come to realize that when I’m driving...I get anxiety

4. I’ve come to realize that I need...to always have my toe nails done, even in the winter when no one sees them.

5. I’ve come that realize that I have lost...my fear of roller coasters.

6. I’ve come to realize that I hate it when...annoying people talk too loud

7. I’ve come to realize that if I’m drunk...I am much more talkative

8. I’ve come to realize that money...is important and fun

9. I’ve come to realize that certain people...are really stupid, and others not so much

10. I’ve come to realize that I’ll always...do anything for my family and friends

11. I’ve come to realize that my sibling(s)...is effin' cool. (me too!)

12. I’ve come to realize that my mom...is still the person I call first.

13. I’ve come to realize that my cell phone...should be permanently attached to me so that I never lose it. (it got stuck in the couch today and I freaked out!)

14. I’ve come to realize that when I woke up this morning...I was ready to watch movies and eat pancakes with my son!

15. I’ve come to realize that last night before I went to sleep...I drank too much wine.... owell

16. I’ve come to realize that right now I am thinking...going to bed soon

17. I’ve come to realize that my dad...is one of my best friends (you too mom)

18. I’ve come to realize that when I get on Facebook...I get sucked in

19. I’ve come to realize that today...was relaxing. I got to watch a girl movie all by myself!

20. I’ve come to realize that tonight...was relaxing. I ate cheese and crackers.

21. I’ve come to realize that tomorrow...I am working overtime. (why!!!!)

22. I’ve come to realize that I really want to...go back to school

23. I’ve come to realize that the person mostly likely to repost this is...probably no one.

24. I’ve come to realize that life...is fabulous!

25. I’ve come to realize that this weekend...my baby is growing up =(

26. I’ve realized the best music to listen to when I am upset...Lil Jon or System of a Down or Tori Amos

27. I’ve come to realize that my friends...are my family

28. I’ve come to realize that this year...is going by too fast.

29. I’ve come to realize that me exes...I don't realize anything about me exes.

30. I’ve come to realize that maybe I should...Find something better to blog about. --- Me too.

31. I’ve come to realize that I love...my ipod..... but it is no longer with us.

32. I’ve come to realize that I don’t understand...boys in skinny jeans - blech

33. I’ve come to realize my past...is what happened to make me who I am today

34. I’ve come to realize that parties...are awesome.

35. I’ve come to realize that I’m totally terrified...of dying

36. I’ve come to realize that my life...is amazing!

I think I have Skeeter Syndrome!

I had never heard of skeeter syndrome until today. But this huge mosquito bite was just really bothering me and I was just really thinking "this is not normal!" I noticed the bite last night on the tricep/upper elbow area of my right arm. It was about a half inch diameter at that point, but I had bumped my arm on the door and then it immediately started itching. It looked pretty bad last night, but when I got to work this morning it was confirmed that it looked like I had been attacked by some type of nasty something. So I suffered through the itchiness all day, I only really scratched it once. From that one little scratch though it doubled in size. So I decided to google mosquito bites when I got home.... just to see if this was normal. I found out that the average mosquito bite is only about 1cm, max ...... mine however is about 3 inches! I did not take exact measurements, just with my fingers, but it is huge! It also registers as 99.9 degrees on my temporal thermometer (I know that is not what it is for, but my other arm was registering normal). I think it has stopped growing so that is good. Oh.. and in case you were wondering... this has always happened when I have gotten mosquito bites - for as long as I can remember anyways. Thank goodness that I do not have any of the more severe symptoms!

(black lines show how far the swelling has gone, since it was kinda hard to see in the pic)

Growing Older - I'm eighty-two!

For the last two years, it has all been about my baby growing older. But today is the day that I officially add a year to my "age". Whenever someone asks me how old I am I always have to stop and think. The first age that comes to mind is 26.....but I have not been 26 for a long time. All year I have been 27 and not even realized.... until Andy reminded me. When I was really 26 years old I remember wanting to be 22 forever, but I am definitely past the early twenties now. Now I am 28!

Today, I will say goodbye to my 27th year. It started off so well last year with one of my best birthday parties yet and had a few too many rough spots in the middle but now has evened out and ended perfectly. Really my happiest year yet. I think I really learned a lot about myself and really accepted and created a role for myself in my family. I am loving my life more and more every day. I hope that this 28th year of life will bring just as much happiness.

I will have to say it is starting a bit rough this morning though.... I spilled my coffee all over my leg as I was reading about the declaration of the swine flu pandemic this morning. The first pandemic in 41 years! Also I am supposed to go birthday camping on Saturday and it is supposed to be sooo rainy and cold all weekend... so it looks like that plan might be a bust. Owell. Hope everyone stays safe and healthy. Wash your hands, don't lick any shopping carts (Wesley!) and don't use any of this contaminated hand sanitizer!

Day Out With Thomas

Last weekend was Memorial Day weekend. On Sunday, we went to the Heber Valley Railroad to see the real live Thomas the Train! It was so exciting! We got there at about 10am. It was kind of a dark and rainy day so it was not too hot (thank god), and we got to walk around a bit to see a couple of the little attractions (money traps) before we got on the train. We saw Thomas when we first arrived and Wesley got a little upset (full on temper tantrum) when Thomas started to pull away. We had to explain that Thomas was going to come right back and we would go on our train ride next.



We finally got him away by luring him to the tattoo parlor to get a temporary tattoo. Wesley picked out a Rosie tattoo ( a pink girl train with freckles ).


Then we went to the petting zoo and saw a donkey pee. After that we got stuck in the little tent of train tracks and other various toys they had set up for everyone to play with. There was another mini temper tantrum when we had to leave there because it was our turn to ride Thomas. I was really amazed at home many people came to see Thomas. It was a slow little train ride up and down the track. We got an open car so we could stick our heads and hands and whatever else we wanted out the little windows.


After the train ride we got stuck in the gift shop, where we had another mini tantrum, bought some much needed toys (a train whistle, Stanley, and some Thomas sunglasses). Wesley wanted the Thomas umbrella sooooo bad, and I just had to talk him out of it by saying "oh, we don't need an umbrella right now... it's not raining." Well, sure enough, when we walked out of the gift shop tent... it was raining. And all I could think was "oh please do not remember the umbrella" and thankfully he did not. A little rain never hurt anyone right?

Race For the Cure Part II

Here are some pics from the Race for the Cure last week!

There were 18,000 people walking / running this year. The race started at North Temple and 3rd West and we walked to about 12th North (I think... I forgot to look at the signs past 6th North). Click on the pics to make them larger and you will be able to see how many people were in front of us.

And this is a shot looking back... Just as many people behind us as there were in front.

My baby ran for just a little under a mile! He was so excited!


Here he is trying to catch up with the crowd (not really, there was still a huge crowd behind us, we just had a little hole for a minute)



When he slowed down a little bit I would ask him if he wanted to get back in the stroller and he would say "no mama! I am running!" He was so proud to run with all the other people around us.

He followed the yellow line most of the way, ha ha!

And finally..... we finished! We walked the whole 5K in 1 hour 26 minutes and 34 seconds! Pretty good with a baby and stroller if you ask me.

It was really about 3 hours total for walking though. We got to our parking spot about a block from the Gateway at about 8am, walked all the way to the other end of the Gateway to meet my team and they had already left =( -- we were late-- so then had to turn around and walk up to North Temple and 3rd West to the starting line, walked the 5k, then walked around to visit the little booths and stuff.... got back to the Jeep finally at about 11am. So 3 hours total, who know how many miles!

Susan G Komen Race For the Cure

I have been lucky to not have personally known anybody with breast cancer, but it is still a very important issue to me and I plan to support until the cure it found. Last year was my fist year attending the Susan G Komen Race For the Cure and it was an amazing experience. I had no idea what I was even doing, or that there would be 17,000 people there participating, until I got downtown and tried to find parking, lol! Wesley and I did the 1 mile walk (actually, I walked and pushed the stroller) which we will do again this year. If I would have know how amazing it was, I totally would have brought my camera. I have one pic of Wesley and me there that someone at my work took, but that is it. This year I am sure I will have a plethora of pics to show everyone.

The event is on Saturday May 9th, 8am at the Gateway downtown Salt Lake City. Last year there were 17,000 + participants and they are expecting to exceed that this year. There is a 5k run or walk and a 1 mile fun run or walk. There are also lots of fun booths and sponsors there set up with free goodies and tons of info about what is going on. I would really encourage everyone to experience this. --Website Link--

Breast Cancer Info

Risk Factors

• Being a woman
• Getting older
• Having a personal or family history of breast or ovarian cancer
• Having a previous biopsy showing hyperplasia or carcinoma in situ
• Having your first period before age 12
• Starting menopause after age 55
• Never having children
• Having your first child after age 30
• Having a mutation in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancer genes
• Drinking more than one alcoholic drink per day
• Being overweight after menopause or gaining weight as an adult
• Currently or recently using combined estrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Another cool thing I did not know is that there is also a Raft For the Cure! I learned of this last year, but did not have enough time to plan for it (and unfortunately will not be attending this year either). I sooo want to do this next year though. It is a river rafting trip in Moab and they also have a concert and a bbq and stuff. It sounds like so much fun. I have never been rafting before (I chickened out in Yellowstone and went horse back riding instead --- should have went rafting instead lol!). This is totally a mellow rafting trip though - good for all ages according to the website.

So, I want everyone to feel their boobies this month (and at least every month thereafter), or have someone else feel your boobies for you ;)