Monday, February 28, 2011

Miss Spanish Fork and updates

Well, first the biggest news, Danielle placed in the Miss Spanish Fork pageant!  She was awesome.  They did swimsuits, talent, interview question, and evening wear.  She was so confident and just amazing.  When they called her name for the royalty, we all went crazy.  So awesome to see her hard work pay off.  She so deserved it!  My brave and beautiful little sister: (if you can't tell I'm sort of in awe)



Her bio: "Danielle Jones is the daughter of Ray and Barbara Jones. She will be performing a piano solo of Brahms' "Rhapsody Op. 79, No. 2 in G minor". This former Spanish Fork High School and current Utah State University student is promoting, "A Positive Well-Being for Those with Mental Disabilities" so that those with a mental disability can achieve a life more full of opportunity, contentment, and overall happiness."

Update on the rest: We've had a little spat with our realtor, but hopefully we are moving on with things now.  The virtual tour company came today while we were at work.  Supposedly we are supposed to be listed as of tomorrow, but we'll see.  At least our house looks awesome now.  We moved a ton of furniture into a storage unit on Saturday.  Now that it's gone, I don't know how we ever fit it all in here.  It's so much nicer and bigger without it.

Tonight I finally started the 5K training, for real.  Last time I tried to start, I ended up going to St. George and then getting sick, but I finally feel like I can exercise without hacking up a lung.

No word on if they've hired someone for me to train yet.  We should be starting training in a week or so I would hope.

Sometimes nine

This is the blog of a former co-worker of mine; we used to do payroll together.  Yes, she really is that funny, all the time.  She was a blast to work with.  She says on facebook:

On this week's episode of Conversations I Never Wanted to Have With My Parents: "Dad, where are your glasses and what are you doing with that ax?"


http://sometimesnine.blogspot.com/

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Airport chillin

Call us overprepared, we got to the airport three hours early. Plenty of time to blog about nothing!

It turns out that gwen's temporary caretakers are allergic to her! I felt so bad that they had to be miserable for a whole day. But I am glad that we discovered it on a trial run. I was stuck at work in Lindon, but Erik picked her up after his classes and took her to mom and dad's. (so nice and helpful of him! He's so awesome!) I still miss her.

The realization has hit me, that this trip will represent the furthest away from home i have ever been. Weird because I think so much about going places that this didn't really seem like that big of a leap at first, but I guess
it is.

Thank heavens for iPods. And wifi. And radio apps that let me listen to u92 from anywhere. I'm going to watch Netflix now.

Hi from the psycho looking person sitting next to me.











Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Yup, it's happening, slowly but surely

We met with a realtor today!  He came to our house and drew up a plan for us.  He was recommended by mom and dad and we really liked him a lot.  He's having a virtual tour company come next Monday, to take pictures of our place so they can be posted online the following day.  So that gives us the rest of this week, and the weekend, to get our house ready.  Good thing we already did a major de-clutter this past summer when we did the yard sale.  Now, I just want to get out a bunch of the furniture, like the bookshelves, filing cabinets, dresser and cedar chest.  That will make the rooms look so much bigger.  Then we need to take down the overly-personal touches, like family pictures and stuff.  Tonight, we went through our bedroom closets and bagged another four big bags full of clothes to donate.  So the closets won't look so cramped to buyers.  We still have quite a lot of work to do though in the next few days.  Woo!  We're really doing this!!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Stuck and can't go anywhere

This is me right now.
Well, this is dumb.  The banks are closed.  Most of our clients are closed.  And I can't even work on W2's because I'm shut out of our system until the IT department comes around and updates everyone's computers individually.  Basically there's nothing worthwhile to do.  (So yes, I'm online, shhhh).

After a talk this past weekend, we've decided that we're moving on with life as soon as humanly possible.  I'll be at my job until May of course, but we probably aren't going to stay around for the whole summer as originally planned.  Of course nothing is for sure yet, but once we know where we're going, there's really no point in sticking around.  Unless we can't sell our home.  But then we'll just rent it.  But we'd really like to sell it.

Which, I want to call the realtor today soooo bad.  I'm ready to list.  But his office is closed today, and although I got his cell phone number from the website, I'm nervous to call him and reach him on his day off.  I would think a realtor would want to take any work that came their way, but I just don't want to be rude.  But boy I am itching to get going on this whole process.

Went back to the dentist today.  It makes the third dentist visit in a month.  I have to go back once more (hopefully only once more) to get this temporary crown off.  I'm more nervous about losing my dental insurance than my health insurance.

And I'm still sick. But it's better today.  I'm very tired.  And very antsy, if you can't tell.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Sick

It's the flu, probably.  Chills, aches, shakes, coughs, tiredness, general I-got-hit-by-a-bus feeling.  But no nausea, thank His Holy Goodness. (Can't tolerate nausea!)  It's gotten worse throughout the day, so I'm going home to knock myself out with something Geoff was kind enough to go to the store for me with.  Hopefully it feels better by tomorrow because I don't think I can go back to work feeling like this, and that would be bad seein's how I just got back.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

St. George

I got to go to Sunny St. George for a couple of days.  I sat in the jacuzzi by myself underneath the moon and stars (well, they had two jacuzzi's and a pool - I never saw a single other person there, I had it all to myself!), I read books until late in the night, visited with an old friend, took myself to 25 Main for breakfast, browsed bookstores, and basically shopped till I dropped- almost literally, because I got kind of sick on the last evening.  Woke up Tuesday morning and was home by 11 a.m.  It was sooo nice to enjoy some sunshine/warmth.  It wasn't really warm, but enough so that I wore flip flops and it was fine.  It was good to come home though, and be around my own stuff and in my own bed.

There is a clothing store in the outlets down there, called Rock N Rose... cheesy name, GREAT clothing, and so cheap!  I could've bought the whole store if I'd had the money.  Of course, I narrowed it down to only three shirts.  But I wish we had that store up here, I loved it.  It's a bit outside my "comfort zone," but Alison says I need to diversify.  I think I did a little.

Oh and I got an Anthropologie shirt at Downeast for $30.  A little steep for a shirt, for me.  But it was normally $118!  (and cute, so I thought what the hey)  But who pays $118 for a shirt!!  It was a pretty sweet deal.

This morning, I took Gwennie on a 30 min. walk in Nelson's Grove Park.  Fulfilled today's 5K training requirement, got some energy out of Gwennie, and enjoyed the sunshine... I even wore shorts.  Wanted to enjoy it before it snows tonight... I know? No clouds in the sky, great temps, snow.  Doesn't really make sense.  Oh well.  I've got some kind of chest congestion going on now, it hurts to breath very hard and really hurts to cough.  Hope it goes away soon.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Umm

I opened the newly-arrived Netflix envelope, fully expecting to see the Pineapple Express in my hands - one I've been wanting to watch for awhile - and out came... Tarzan 2?  What the?  Neither of us remembers putting Tarzan 2 in our queue.  I didn't even know there was a Tarzan 2.  The first one wasn't even all that good.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Official

I think I am depressed.  I have no motivation for dealing with anything.  And I mean anything.  Just give me my bed please, that's all I want.  My job-quitting is official.  I talked to my boss last Friday, and yesterday he sent an email to the company looking for applicants or anyone who knows of potential applicants.  So, now that everyone at work knows, I can blog about it.  I'm happy to be done... although I'll be sticking around until May for training of the new person.  I feel kind of bad that I'll be leaving a great company, but I won't miss the work at all.  In fact, I would be totally happy if it was over right now.  So I could go home to my bed.  It just feels like too much right now.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Running

I'm such a bad stress eater, and I think it's showing right now.  BAD CALI.  Well, I got three days off next week, mon-wed.  So, I can at least look forward to that.  I think it is helping me get through the rest of this week a little better. 

I was telling my friend about my embarrassing experience of finishing second to last at the 5K that Geoff and I completed last winter.  I won't say we ran it because that would be a lie.  Anyway, she said that people actually train for 5K's before they run them, not be stupid like me and just go do it out of nowhere.  (She didn't say I was stupid, but I was.)  It seems like traning shouldn't be needed because it's only 3.2 miles.  But, if you're as out of shape as me, it is.

So she gave me a running schedule that I could follow - 8 weeks to go from completely out of shape to a running mode, then 6 more weeks to get to 5K mode, where three miles can be easily run.  It's a big time committment because it's five days a week.  But, I think I'm going to do it!  I know it'll be hard because I hate running.  (Unlike what some runners claim, running doesn't feel good to me.)  And it'll be hard to get my butt to the gym on those days when I just feel like hiding in bed.  But it'll be good for me.  I want to conquer this. 

It's really specific on what days you run vs rest, so I'm going to start on Monday, since the gyms are all closed on Sunday in Utah County, and Sunday will be one of my two days of rest.  We all know how well I stick with these kinds of things, so wish me luck!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

he he

Funny... 

The Star-Mangle Banner

Just read it!
Lord please help me get through this day, week, month. 

Monday, February 7, 2011

Men giggle

My Dr's appt was at 9:40 this morning... I showed up an hour early, thinking it was at 9:00.  Oops.  So I left, and took some donuts to my dad.  Went back to the clinic and who should walk in right after me but my old coworker, Anna!  She and Ken were there for an ultrasound.  We only got to talk a few minutes before they called my name, but it was good to see her.  We're going to do lunch sometime. 

In one of the examination rooms, waiting for my Dr, I could hear an ultrasound going on in an adjoining room.  I could hear the heartbeat monitor, then exclamations of surprise and a man's giggle.  It was cute.  Had my extremely uncomfortable checkup, and then as I was getting dressed again, I could hear a new couple in the adjoining room.  My guess is it was Anna & Ken because it sounded like Ken.  I could hear the hearbeat, then a man's giggle.  I laughed, it was so cute.  How fun it would be to do ultrasounds for other people!  I told Ashley about it and she said it would've made her way uncomfortable to know people can hear what is going on in adjoining rooms.  Lol.  I guess she has a point, but I don't care.

After work I was going to have my roots done, but Nat wasn't able to make it.  So instead I took a bunch of old textbooks to Pioneer Books and sold a bunch of them.  I cleaned 15 textbooks off the bookshelves last Saturday; books that we weren't able to sell back or just plain forgot to.  At about $70 - $275 per book, that represents a lot of money!  I got $130 for them.  Well, not bad considering that Geoff was going to just throw them away.  At least we got something!

It was hard to be at work today.  My brain just wasn't there.  And I'm still dealing with that crap that happened last week.  Ugh. 

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Weekend is over, but a good way to end it

Superbowl party.  At a family-friends' house - our fam dams were all there, mostly.  It was nice to chat.  And yummy food.  And yes, we left early, to come let out our little Gwennie-poo, who had not actually done so since the early a.m.  Now to eek out the last few hours before going back to work tomorrow...

I think we're getting rid of our satellite service.

Thanks.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Plato's closet

Plato's Closet grab bag sale - pay $10 per bag and stuff as many items into it as you can.  Alison and I decided to go try it out, and guess who got there at the same time as us! 

Jessica from The Loco House!  We went to high school together, and have not seen each other since then, although we are facebook friends and follow each other's blogs. :)  We waited in line outside and the all the bodies packed in and we were basically at the mercy of the crowd, but it was actually kind of fun!  I didn't find even one thing to buy, but oh well.  Still fun hanging out with Alison & Jessica!  I'd do it with them again!



After this, I went to Alison's apt with her and she gave me some skinny jeans.  And a way cute coat!  Yay! My first pair of skinny jeans!  They are way cute, now I just have to go through my closet and find stuff to wear with them!

Last night some fun stuff happened too.  Geoff had to work late, so Alison called and I went to dinner with her.  We just went to Burger Supreme (I know, bad for us, but so good for us too- I've been a serious stress-eater this week, oops).  On my way home from that, my friend Rachel called and she was at Barnes & Noble, and I was on the street right in front of Barnes & Noble, so I went in and joined her.  It was fun shopping for books for like an hour just talking about everything.  She has seriously the cutest little baby bump!  Love it!  I haven't seen her in forever either, so it was really good.

Now for the rest of today - I plan to declutter the bookshelves and under the bathroom sink, yick! I don't even know what half that stuff is or how it got there, so wish me luck!  Also need to buy some makeup because left all mine at the office.  Most of it is almost used up anyway.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Pictures

So much for my goal of putting more pictures on the blog.  On this page, currently, I've got one of William Shatner, one of the dog, and one of the fridge.  lol.  Oh well, I'm loving reading everyone else's right now and that's all I care about at the moment!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Hmph

Blahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Not today, and probably not tomorrow.  Maybe Friday. For now I want to hide under the covers from everything.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Onward

Well.  It is what it is.  Most days lately, I feel pretty great.  Today (regarding my job), I feel defeated.  Just when I feel like I've got my ducks all in a row, everything's going great, I'm on top of it... something jumps out of the woodwork.  I've chalked it up to growing pains.  Most of these things that happen aren't things that anyone could've forseen - not anyone's fault, really, they just happen because usually it's a situation we haven't dealt with before and we're new at it.  And they have to be dealt with, and we do.  I just, today I just feel like it's always just one too many spinning plates.  I'm tired of it; it's really time to move on.  They're looking into buying some new software specifically for my job, supposedly to make my specific job a whole lot easier... I'm sure by the time that is installed though I will be long gone.  Hopefully it will make the next person's job a lot easier.  But either way, it's time to move on.  Has been for a long time.

Anyway, I heard a song on the radio today.  Normally I like Tori Amos, but the minute I heard the lyrics to this song, "God, sometimes you just don't come through," over and over.  I was kind of taken aback by it.  I don't know much about Tori Amos, other than she's had great success as a musician.  But it seems like a pretty ungrateful stance to take.  People may do as they like, and things are always different once seen from the other side, but for me, myself, I hope that isn't the attitude that I've had about things. 

It's hard for me to decide exactly what I've been feeling vs where I should be.  On the one hand, I may have been incredibly ungrateful for my job... especially at a time when lots of people need jobs.  On the other hand, it could be my gut telling me that it's time to move on, that this is no longer the right thing for me, that it's time to grow in a different direction.  Well, which is it?  Or is it something else altogether?  Am I just burned out?  Dunno.  I hope that once a decision is in stone that I will feel good about it and have that confirmation.

Anyone who has been reading my blog for the past year or so probably knows exactly what I intend to do, ha ha.

Anyway, I do know that I've been incredibly blessed.  Like I said, most days lately, I feel pretty great.  And I'm trying to keep in mind that the Lord works in ways I may not see or understand.  I may grumble about stuff now, but He knows what is best for me, and is always pointing me in that direction... so long as I am smart/humble/in-tune enough to pay attention.  Which reminds me, I need to get better at that.

Well, tomorrow is another day.  Hopefully I will be writing about positives then. :)