blogggggguh

Last week I went to the gym four days - this week, three so far.  I've never been this consistent before.  It seems to be paying off cuz I've lost about five pounds - though it could just be water weight, since I can't seem to get enough water now either.  I think it's gonna have to be this way if I'm ever going to get in shape - none of that long-term goal, specific and measurable crap.  Just take it day by day, and I'm not even going to put a timeline on that, because it intimidates me.  I am focusing on a few specific muscle groups though, so hopefully there'll be some results.  Dunno, mom and sister are doing the HCG diet, and it's worked great for them.  I just haven't given regular diet and exercize a fair shake yet though, and if that doesn't ever work out, then I'll maybe go for HCG.  Gotta be honest though, 500 calories a day doesn't sound like much fun at all, haha.

So excited for this weekend.  I've been shopping for some good summer clothes and walking shoes/sandals, since it's a disaster every time I try to wear flip-flops in LV.  Geoff found a whole bunch of new stuff that we can do down there that we've never even heard of before, including some dueling piano twins, an ancent Egypt display at the Natural History Museum, Bonnie Springs, soda tastings, a drag show, and a swap meet.  And I reallllllllly want to do the Haunted Vegas Tour, all in good fun, but it's rather expensive for being what it is, so we'll see about that.  Maybe we'll go see Eclipse too!

Work has been a little busier today, and will be even more so tomorrow and Friday since I'm covering for someone plus an increased load of my own due to the upcoming holiday.  All will be worth it though!  Actually, it's nice having a bunch of stuff to do.

Pretty vegas

We just can't stay away.  Vegas is calling, again, so we've made arrangements to go this weekend.  I know we're trying to save money, I know.  Geoff found a cozy little place a ways from the strip in Summerlin, it seems clean and has a pool, which I know we'll want in the mid-summer heat.  The thing is, when you're booking a trip last minute, and it's a holiday weekend, the hotels on the strip are EXPENSIVE.  But this will work.  Also, it's completely non-smoking, which is a nice retreat after a day in the trenches.  We're going on a trip!!!  So excited!

Dad sent us all an email this morning saying he got the whole family tickets to see KISS in September.  Geoff is excited ("holy monkey balls!") and I am too, I hear they are a good show.

Our complex-neighbors brought their 2-yr old male pug, Krug, over to play with Gwennie yesterday.  She had so much fun playing with a dog who had almost as much energy as her, even though he's 25 lbs (over twice Gwennie's weight).

Catching up

Not really feeling the desire to blog this last week - the world will keep turning whether or not I write what we did, but here-a-go anyway, for kicks and giggles.

Ummmmm.......  I can't remember that far back.

Friday- work as usual, and Geoff and I went to a barbeque at my uncle's house in Lehi.  I met cousins/second cousins I'd never met before.  There were a lot of people!  I bet our family is so much bigger than I have a clue about.  But it was fun, we ate fruit pizza, cake, bbq chicken, potato salad, and played basketball.  It was a sort of celebration of all the June birthdays.  After the bbq we went to Spanish Fork to pick up Gwennie and bring Dad and Danielle their Father's Day/Birthday presents (I know we're super late, sorry).  We were going to try to pull an all-nighter, and I drank a 5-hour energy and a 20 oz Mtn Dew, and was out like a light by midnight.  Oh well, maybe next weekend.

Saturday morning I went to the funeral of Myrle Jones (Aunt Myrle), who was married to my Grandma Boyack's brother.  I remember her always smiling and being very sweet, even though I didn't see her all that often.  Dad has only good things to say about her.  I know she and my grandma were very close. 

After the funeral, since I was in Payson, I wanted to see if some places were still there back from when I worked there before I got married.  China Moon was no longer there, although the sign still was, but the little coffee shop was still there.  Alison came with me, and we got smoothies and went to the park for a few minutes.

After that, I went to work at The Journey for a couple of hours, then came home to relax with my hubby and puppy.  We went to the grocery store, walked the dog, and later, like at 10 pm, went to the gym.  It is cheesy but I really love just doing mundane stuff with Geoff.  And we sat on the couch and watched movies/read books for the rest of the night, it was so nice.

Today we've got temple recommend interviews and visiting teaching, and another evening of relaxing.  It will be nice.

Love Come

I love this song - Love Come, from Sarah M's new album.  Have had it on repeat for about four days straight - in the shower, in the car, and at work.  LOVE!  (Luckily the people at work can't hear it; Geoff's the unlucky one who gets to hear it over and over). 

There's a Bryce Canyon camping trip in the works!  So excited for that!!

Via text

I told Geoff I tasted the chicken dog treats.  His reply: Salty huh?

Overall our opinion is not impressed.  lol.

Yayyyyyyy

This weekend was full of great times!  A little of the fun:

• Ghost Adventures party with Alison
• Dessert and games with some couples in the ward
• Double-header kickball games in Murray (Geoff is on a team)
• BBQ with Grandma and Donald

It's been great!  Makes me want to continue and not go back to work tomorrow!!

Laws of Illusion

Went car shopping with a friend the other night - for her, not me.  Although I wish it was me, just not bad enough to add to the monthly stack of bills.  But it was actually fun!  I should hang out with friends more often...

http://twitter.com/calbabe1

My new twitter account, a nickname my grandpa gave me.  Just thought I'd try it; don't know how much I'll use it, but I managed to "tweet" from my phone today ha ha!  I have exactly one follower, thanks friend.  :)  I'm following two people, Johnny B and Jimmy Kimmel.  Don't really know who else is on there but spose I'll look around.

Last night Erik changed my brakes.  They feel so much better now.  He wouldn't let me pay him, so I got him a gift card to the movies and some cake bites instead.  He's such a good guy, my brother.

The new Sarah album is amazing.  I love her, I love the music, everything about it.  There's a little bit of country in this album, but I love that it is still true to itself, salve for the soul.  Here's the song that stood out from the start, it's so pretty.  I'd post it in the sidebar because you really have to hear it to love it, but it's not on playlist.  Anyway, the lyrics:

Forgiveness
from Laws of Illusion, Sarah McLachlan

Loving. lying enemy
I have seen your face before
Never thought again I'd see
Didn't want to anymore
I remember your loving eyes, And the moonlit kiss
The evening lullabies, I would truly miss

Through the years we'd had it all
The midnight whispers, the midday calls
This house of cards it had to fall

You ask for forgiveness, you're asking too much
I have sheltered my heart in a place you can't touch
I don't believe when you tell me your love is real
'Cause you don't know much about heaven boy
If you have to hurt to feel

Now every time I see you
I can't help but look away
All along I had believed everything you'd say
When I look now I know I've seen your face before
I don't want your deceiving smile standing at my door

I don't care what people say
I'm ready now to face this day
I have lost you along the way

And you ask for forgiveness
You're asking too much
I have sheltered my heart in a place you can't touch
I don't believe when you tell me your love is real
'Cause you don't know much about heaven boy
If you have to hurt to feel

'Cause you don't know much about heaven
boy to ask for forgiveness
You're asking too much
I have sheltered my heart in a place you can't touch
I don't believe when you tell me your love is real
'Cause you don't know much about heaven boy
If you have to hurt to feel

Here we go

So now that it's been about six months since I was in school, my grace period for student loans is ending and we've had to take a good hard look at where we stand.  Wasn't real smart about keeping track of them while in school, and we owe more than I would've thought.  BUT, we knocked a big ol' chunk of it out to start (some of the higher amt, higher interest rate ones), and a plan is in motion to rebuild our savings and get the loans paid off as much as possible before fall 2011.  I hope we are disciplined enough to do it.  I think we are.  We'll just have to go into saving mode like we did when first married - which sucked a lot, but it's worth it to get stuff paid off and have our savings back.  I am only a little troubled that it seems the A/C in my car is beginning to give out.  The A/C has always been fantastic in that car, and is pretty much a main thing I have to have.  We can't even drive Gwennie around in my car if there's no A/C.  (Pugs can overheat and die from being in extreme heat in as little as 30 minutes).  So here's crossing my fingers that it holds out - preferrably another couple of years but we'll have to see.

Ghosts and kabobs

Dinner last night was so fun!  We went to our friends' in Mt. Pleasant and bbq'd kabobs, with steak, chicken, and veggies, and we also grilled corn and pineapple and had melon salad, it turned out so good!  We had planned to go to the drive in but it rained, so we ended up playing a board game called Blokus, and listened to the "subliminal messages" when songs are played backwards.  Ha we laughed so hard, it was so fun.  And they have this old turn of the century house that they've fixed up.  It's so cute but so old and a little spooky.  Geoff had made a CD out of a paranormal podcast and we listened to it on the drive home through Thistle and Spanish Fork canyon - it was spooky and so fun!  We picked up Gwennie at mom's and got home at one a.m.  I fell right to sleep but Geoff had drank a 5 Hour Energy to drive us home, so he was awake until 3:00.  Then he got up at six to let Gwennie out, so sweet.  So he's pretty much dead today and is sleeping right now. 

Church this morning at nine.  It was good.  My second time leading the music in RS.  I guess I won't really be playing the piano like I thought, which is a little sad but it's fine.  One of the hymns we sang actually changed time signatures halfway through the song and I hadn't noticed it so it totally threw me off.  I completely stopped leading for half a verse because I was so lost!  Well, I really don't think anyone even watches the chorister anyway, and if they did, oh well.  I just tell myself, "at least I'm not teaching the lesson, that is scary."  Ha ha.  We came home, ate lunch, then went back at 1:30 for me to get set apart, and came home again.

That's when Geoff went to sleep and I took Gwennie down to Spanish Fork again and Erik took a look at my brakes, which are making awful noises.  We have to replace the front brake pads and one of the rotors, because the brake pad dug way into it.  I don't know why my brakes always get so messed up - I'm a slow braker.  Well at least that's the worst of any problems I've ever had with that car; it's a good car. 

Well, we have the rest of the afternoon and evening to hang out and I'm going to go cherish it.

Sat morning

Love weekends!  Last night after work Geoff and I went to this place called Friday's Kids in Salem.  They also have them in Orem and Lehi.  But it's a place where parents of special needs children can bring them to play for a few hours so they can get away without the kids for a few hours.  We were assigned to this kid,  M, who had cerebral palsy and was mostly deaf and blind.  Poor kid.  We pushed him in his swing for the most part, but every now and then he wanted Geoff to pick him up and hold him.  Some of the regular volunteers said he's kind of picky about who holds him, but he was so attached to Geoff, it was cute.  I played with this kid, H, for a little bit, and he would put on this dragon costume and chase the other kids around, and they would pretend to be scared and run away screaming, then he'd get real close and throw the costume off and shrug his shoulders and everyone would say, "Oh, it's just H."  Then he'd put the costume back on and it would start all over.  I'll be honest I was a little nervous to go play with the kids - not because of them, but it's just been so many years (about 7, back when I was in the nursery at church) since I've really played with little kids period, I worried I wouldn't know how.  But it worked out great, and they were so cute.

After that, we went to our fav. Mongolian place in Springville and brought dinner home, yummmmmm.

I have to go to work for a couple of hours this morning, then we'll be taking Gwennie to this two-hour socialization play-time thing.  I'm curious to see how she really does with other dogs.  She went to day care again yesterday and seemed fine.  The workers said she's such an energetic little puppy, ha.  After that, I think we're going to Mt. Pleasant to do dinner with some friends.  I just love the weekends.

Here comes the sun, do do do do

My sweet little Gwennie-girl is the mad farter tonight.  I guess that's one side effect of upgrading a puppy's food.  I guess it's good if that's the only side effect so far, ha.

I feel myself changing a lot these last few weeks/months, doing a little bit of soul-searching.  Can see that I've been trying so hard for the past some years to build myself up and be important, and make sure everyone else noticed - as though that matters - that I didn't consider the sweet and tender souls around me as much as I should.  And that's sad because the people I love are what truly and honestly make life worth it.  Eddycation and jobs and houses and stuff are all good stuff and I am thankful, but they would be an empty existence if they were all I had.  A comfortable and happy home, and family relationships that mean something, they are the real meaning and joy in life, imo. (In My Opinion - facebook lingo).  It seems like a pretty obvious conclusion, but I must have a very thick head to not fully appreciate it - them - and I want to change that going forward.  I've been so blessed with a truly good man for a husband, and so blessed for such great mom & dad and siblings.  I love them all so much.

Work was better today - I just tried to have a better attitude and to stay focused, it helped a lot.  Went to my other job too for an hour or so.  Ready to take it easy now, goodnight.

Goats go to hell

So, I seem to need a major reality check.  Seriously, like, my logical brain is saying, "try being unemployed and see how you like that."  The rest of me is going, "I'M SO BORED!!!!!!"  I know how terrible I sound, and can't imagine that this is fun for anyone else to read, sorry.  I just feel like I'm going out of my mind a little.  I have stuff to do, but it's just so incredibly boring I just want to keel over sometimes.  And I say this in the same breath as how great my employer is, seriously.  They are amazing.  I just don't know what my problem is.  Immaturity?  I'm coming up on four years at the same place, the longest ever for me; I don't know how some people can stay at the same job for ten, fifteen, twenty-plus years without going crazy.  Well I've just got another year or so to go, I can just make that, and be grateful in the meantime.

Talking with one of our auditors the other day.  He said he's enjoyed auditing ever since he started about five years ago, because he gets to be in a new place every couple of weeks.  (He did staff accounting before getting his CPA so I imagine he's been in my spot before.)  Although he admits he works for a good firm - some firms (he didn't name names, but I've heard from a few people about KPMG) have a tendency to work the new auditors into the ground, so to speak.  Anyway, some people seem to enjoy giving the auditors a hard time, I guess because they interrupt you while you're trying to work.  I don't mind them at all though, usually they're pretty nice.

All I know is, I want to love you madly.  Outside, outside the walls, out where you don't hear the echos and calls, but the steel eye, tight jaw, say it all.  They say it all.  And sheep go to heaven.

My random thoughts for today

I think my mom thinks I overreacted to Gwennie eating a mushroom.  I'm sure I did.  But though I hate to overreact, I'd hate it worse if she got really sick and/or died.  So, anyway.  It occurred to me that we can take all the precautions to keep our puppy safe and healthy - all her immunizations, get her spayed, protect her from other dogs and other dog poo until she's considered "safe", etc, but it all means nothing if she goes and eats a bad mushroom, or gets bitten by a spider or something.  Is this what happens when you have kids?  Am I gonna be a paranoid-type mom? 

My co-worker who just had her baby 5 weeks ago brought the little guy in to visit us yesterday.  He's still only about 6 pounds!  (Gwennie is 10 lbs now, which makes him seem all the more tiny to me!)  He is so cute, completely calm just like his mom, and fell asleep right in my arms while I was holding him.  So cute.  It does not make me baby hungry at all, but it's still cute.  His momma is doing great too, except she gets sad when she thinks about having to leave him and come back to work.  I'm happy for her, but I don't really envy her situation; that would be hard.

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary at work.  It was an all-day celebration, with cute balloon decorations everywhere, games and drawings throughout the day, and lunch catered.  We had a staff meeting and the two people who started the company talked a little bit about the company and their experience, and also about how much they admired the two people currently in charge for taking it this far.  They mentioned how they are the most honest and upstanding guys they know, and I found myself agreeing.  I know that an experience like this does not come along everyday (I have only to look around me to see that) and I am so lucky.  Really.  I know I get sick of the routine sometimes (who doesn't) but overall I know how lucky I am to work for a place like that. 

Oh also they gave us each a little goodie bag with some 20th anniversary memorabilia (mugs, pens, sticky paper, etc.) and a bunch of $20 bills waded up - $140 in all.  So great!!  In addition, I got a mixing bowl and some mixing tools (spatula, wire wisk, etc) in the drawing.  I think it was for little kids because it says "for kids" on it, and the mixing tools have suction cups on them so you can stick 'em to the counter, but I actually think that's a genius idea.  We'll make good use of it. :)

So last night I went to work at my other job for a few hours. I'm kind of wondering if I should quit once my class starts in the fall.  I feel kind of bad about quitting, because I accepted the job, and feel like I should be good and follow through.  I just don't know if it'll be worth it to stay, but we'll see.

I've been looking around online for Las Vegas housing that accepts pets.  I was afraid that everything available would be junky, but there are actually some really nice places down there.  The only bad thing is that rent is quite a bit more than we are paying for mortgage right now.  We talked about buying a place and keeping the same monthly pmts we have now, just living in LV.  Both options have their pros and cons, but it's too early to decide anyway.  We don't even know where we're going for sure, and won't know for at least 9 months or so.  It's just fun to look.  First thing first is studying for the GMAT, which I've really been dragging my feet on.  But the book came in the mail, so there's no excuses now.

Anyway, there's my novel.  Gotta head back to work.

Sigh of relief!

The results are in, Gwennie's tests were normal!!!  Yayyyyyy!!!!!  I'm so happy.  She's running around playing like her normal self.

Wild mushrooms = not good

So it appears we're having a heat wave.  I'm totally fine with that, except it's not a great time to forget to put on your deodorant.  (Oops, we'll pretend it didn't happen. I have some now anyhow.)  Anyway, I was rushing my puppy out the door to the vet, so I forgot.

Last night, we took Gwennie to the little park down the street to let her run around a bit and get some energy out.  It was fine, except she happened to find a wild mushroom - the only wild mushroom growing in the whole field, as far as I can see - and ate it.  I saw it in her mouth from a distance, but I thought it was a dirt clod because it was black and stringy- and it's normal for her to pick up any random stick, clump of dirt, leaf, etc. that she finds lying in the grass, so I didn't worry.  Geoff later told me he tried to grab it out of her mouth, but she scarfed it down too fast.  That's when I went poking around that area and found the bare mushroom stem with a tiny bit of black stringyness left hanging from it.  At the time, I thought, if it's anything bad for her, she'll throw it up.  It wasn't until about midnight that it occurred to me that it could be poisonous, or lethal, and I started looking all over the internet but couldn't find anything on this mysterious mushroom or whether it was poisonous.  I called emergency pet care, but they couldn't do anything without knowing the name of the mushroom, said it was too late to induce vomiting, and to just keep an eye on her.

So we let her sleep, and she seemed fine, but I was worried so sick, and slept horribly.  This morning at 7:30 I called Banfield and they said to bring her in, so I took her up there on my way to work.  I was told twice by the nurses that they couldn't do anything without knowing the name of the mushroom (I said to them, how in the world could I be expected to know the name of the mushroom, I only know what it looked like, and can't find anything definite on the internet).  The vet called a couple hours ago to say that she doesn't have tremors, doesn't appear to be hallucinating, and that her vitals are fine.  The only other thing that it could affect is her liver, so he said they could do some blood tests to check on her liver.  Yes, please.  So they're doing that today, and they'll call if they find anything. 

Gosh.  I feel so so so bad for not thinking it through better when she actually ate the damn thing.  We could've made her throw it up and not had to worry about further health problems.  Poor little thing.  I know we've had other pets, who I've liked with varying degrees at different times, but Gwennie is different.  She's my sweetheart.  If anything happened to her it would be so devastating.  Sigh.  Hopefully everything will be fine.

I like warm

See my new curtains... I think they warm it up a lot.  Alison helped me shop for them, iron them, and hang them.

We took Gwennie to doggy day care for the first time today.  When I walked up to the gate, she was outside playing with a little dachshund. They said she had a blast, and when we got home she was sooooooo tired, which is a nice change.  I feel much better not keeping her in her kennel all day every day.

Too exhausted to move.

I made Risotto Primavera for dinner tonight.  Yes that's right, I said I actually cooked, and with actual vegetables.  It was surprisingly strong and filling for just being a bunch of veggies, rice, and chicken broth.

Happy graduation!

Danielle is the last of the kiddos out of high school!  Come August and all four of us will be in college!  (probably) Woohoo!

The society of the relieved women

Tonight I got a calling to do the music for Relief Society - or rather, "the Society of the Relieved Women," as Geoff calls it.  I'll be rotating leading/playing piano with two other girls, so if one of us has to miss, it'll be okay.  I think this will be good because it will force me to go to RS, and it's not a huge time committment outside of church, only practicing piano, which I actually like to do.

Anyway.  I feel happy tonight. :)