#212

It was rainy today. The air was humid, thunder shook my salon walls and the sounds of the water variations echoed through the windows. One minute it was just pouring buckets of rain. Others it was a slight sprinkle. But whatever the variation was, it was on and off pretty much all afternoon. It left a wonderful scent looming around all day. It was such a clean and pure smell, I couldn't get enough of it. Once my day at work ended, I just wanted to play around in the puddles surrounding my house. The sun hadn't gone down yet and it was still 70+ degrees outside...perfect for a play date with the rainfall.

Of course after testing out my shot for the day, I ran it to grab my faithful 'photo blog model' Andee and had her roll up her pants to come bounce in the puddles with me. Once I told Andee about the shot I was looking for, I sat down on the wet asphalt and just snapped photos of her dancing around in the puddle. The water was going everywhere and it looked so cool!! I must admit I was a little jealous I had to be behind the lens, but it was fun to capture all the different splashes. Andee, you were awesome and I appreciate you dropping everything to come and play with me. The photos all turned out so great, I couldn't decided which I liked best!!

Here is my playful #212 - Have you danced in the rain lately?

#211

Back on my #105 post, my picture of the day was all the Harry Potter movies on Bluray DVD. That was back in April. Our goal was to watch all of them, up to 7.1, before 7.2 came out. Well, 7.2 came out on July 15th and here it is July 30th and I can NOW say, we're ready to see 7.2!!

We were gung-ho about our goal when we first bought all the DVD's, but that wore off pretty quickly. Especially because the first couple of movies are just under 2 hours and easy to watch. (We've seen them MANY times before) Once the 4th movie came around, they were 2 hours plus I think and we'd only seen them once before [or never at all], so we really had to pay attention. It was hard to find that time. Well...it was hard to dedicate time. We actually watched the 4th one at the beginning of June and just watched 5 & 6 last night. I mean come on, 7.2 has been out for 2 weeks now...it was time for us to get on the ball!!!

Last night was fun because we watched 2 back to back. Joe and I saw the 6th one in the theaters, but I feel asleep and Joe got confused, so we FOR SURE needed to see it again before seeing 7.1. After staying up until after midnight last night watching Potter mania, we booked ourselves out tonight watch 7.1. Oh my gosh it was good!!! LONG, but good!! I almost cried in 2 parts and I was really scared a few others. But now I'm ready to go see 7.2, all I need to do is find the time!! Looking over our schedule for the next week, I'm afraid we might not be able to see it until next Sunday, which is a WHOLE WEEK AWAY!!!! Bummer! I might have to bump someone or something, just so I can clear a night to go see it. Sorry, but I might have to!!!!

#211 - HARRY POTTER and the DEATHLY HALLOWS!! This picture today, is kind of a re-use. Technically I've already taken a picture of this DVD back on post #105...but I don't care. Again, I make the rules! :)

#210

#210 - Do you know what this is? 

THIS IS AN EMPTY HAND!!!!! That's right, an empty hand. I misplaced my wallet today and I can't explain to you how naked and empty I feel.  The wallet I lost was that simple Cheers wallet that I posted about on #141. Luckily I only use that wallet for handheld purposes. Basically it has my ID in it, my debit card and any cash tips that I get at work. It usually sits in my back pocket. (I keep a bigger wallet in my purse with all my department store credit cards, my mini cosmetology license, checks and insurance information.) Losing my simple wallet isn't that much of a loss, more just an inconvenience. The situation could definitely have been worse. The biggest inconvenience obviously is being without my ID, but luckily I was able to leave work early enough to grab all necessary documentation and head to the DMV for a new copy. An hour & 1/2 later, I have my temporary license. Also, we had to cancel my debit card. Which is a major inconvenience because we have no other access to our checking account. We don't have any credit cards (other than departments stores) so our funds are all in one account. Joe doesn't have a debit card...for many reasons...insane impulse spending being the #1...and we don't have an ATM card. Basically meaning the only way we'll be able to use our checking account is with writing a check. And with that, Joe would have to write them out because I had no ID! UGH! Well luckily I do now have a temporary ID and Joe was able to head to our bank branch and get an ATM card issued so PHEW! We WILL have money this weekend!!

It was a rough afternoon to say the least. But I have to thank my lucky stars, because it could have been A LOT worse. I have a few friends that have been dealing with identity fraud and fraudulent charges on their accounts, so I feel extremely lucky. However I am seriously bummed I'll have to memorize a new debit card number. Apparently I'm the only one that knows my 16 digit card number by heart. I guess I can thank the MANY online purchases I've made over the last year (my feather extensions). Hopefully my new card number will be just as easy to memorize.

Oh the INCONVENIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#209

I was downtown this morning. I'm hardly ever in the city, but the short visits I have are always quite interesting. The city has such a different lifestyle and I always admire how people can live around the chaos, late nights and trendy lifestyles. I envy country living myself (suburbia is the closet I can get), but I can appreciate the excitement of the city life. When I was walking out of my doctors office this afternoon, I noticed the street I parked on had a line of trees down the median of a split road. It reminded me of a neighborhood my friend used to live in when we were in high school. Even though I was smack in the middle of the downtown area, there was still a little something that reminded me of suburban life. Even when it was surrounded by office buildings, bus stops & newspaper machines on each corner, liter in more places than I wish to count and loud construction noises everywhere. It wasn't as pretty or as quiet as the serene little street my friend lived on, but snapping the photo in black & white seemed to make it look more peaceful. If only you could see the mass hysteria of city life during business hours that was happening right behind me. Cars, buses, people everywhere!! They all looked so important walking down the streets in suits & skirts. It was actually fun to sit and watch the hustle & bustle and wonder what these people did for a living or what sort of business chats they were having. It was a very chill and thoughtful afternoon. I could sit on that curb for hours just watching city life walk right past me.

My #209 - A quiet street in a loud, chaotic part of town.

#208

Today's picture really has nothing to do with anything, but I wanted to share anyway. We were talking about our attachment to certain things back from our childhood, today at work and I happened to mention my blankie. That's right, my blankie. Most people had some form of 'soothie' when they were an infant, a teddy bear, pillow, clothing item or in my case a blanket. I was lucky enough to have kept mine...in somewhat...good condition over the years. And yes, that's right, I STILL have it and I STILL sleep with it. Don't judge!!

I was given this blankie when I was a year old, if I remember correctly. I believe my mom's friend Paulette gave it to me...but that was 28 years ago...I could be wrong. But in talking about my security blanket at work today, I remembered a story that almost banished my blankie from my life completely. (And YES I'm going to share.)

About 17 years ago, my stepdad & mom were taking us girls to Albuquerque, NM to see my Grandma for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately we didn't make it past Spanish Fork. Our car slipped on some black ice and we slid off the highway. Of course were were just heading straight down the hill with no issues, but apparently there was a big water pump or pipe sticking out of the ground and the front end of our car hit it and sent the back end our up and over and we landed completely upside down. Our things were sent flying, glass was everywhere and we all scurried out of the wreckage. To make the story even shorter, after the hospital visit and a few days of recuperation, my parents headed down to the wrecking yard to gather up the remainder of our belongings. After searching through all the luggage and crap just thrown in a pile, my blanket was NOWHERE! I was distraught for more than a week. I don't remember what I did or said that bothered my mom so much, but she drove my butt back down to Spanish Fork canyon and we all searched in the snow, for my blanket. Not knowing the exact location of the crash or even thinking it would still be there, my mom sent us all on a wild goose chase. However after quite some time of digging through snow...my blankie was recovered!!! It was frozen stiff under a fresh pile of snow, but nothing a warm car ride home & a trip in the washer couldn't help!!!

I'm so grateful for my mother who actually took the time to try and recover it. Now I'm more attached to it than ever and not only do I sleep with it every night, Joe can't deny, he loves it too. I catch him cuddling with it every now and then!! ;)  Here is my random #208 - Light blue, faded bunnies & butterflies, ties that have knotted up almost completely and my tattered ends.  Talking about it, reminded me of how much I love my blankie. Always and forever!

#207

#207 - I'm sick and not real happy about it.


Let's talk about Airborne for a minute. I have been sick twice now this summer and when I started feeling the yuckiness this morning, I ran to the medicine cabinet for some Airborne. I've never 'seriously' tried it before. I've had one tablet here and there, but never intensely. This time around, I'm hardcore. I followed instructions this morning, 4-6oz of water to 1 tablet. Then I read, 'use every 3 to 4 hours AS NEEDED.' Yet the next sentence says, 'use no more than 3 times per day.' Confusing much?? So can I use it every 3-4 hours, or can I only use it 3 times a day?  Joe tried explaining this to me. He thinks it makes sense. I understand that they don't want me to overload myself with 3000mg of Vitamin C in one day, but come on, couldn't you word that differently?? Like say 'use only 3 times a day with 3 to 4 hours in between each intake.' Now THAT would make sense. Oh well, at least I know not to over do it. I had my 3 doses today along with some Tylenol Cold & Sinus. Hopefully I can kick this quickly.

Parts of my family were sick during our reunion last weekend, so I guess it was only a matter of time before I caught it as well. Yucky. I'll just keep on truckin' like I always do. I gotta get back into my work schedule. No rest for the sick when you've just had a 10 days off for vacation. That is why Airborne needs to be my savior this week. Cross your fingers for me!

#206

Today was our buffer day. I had to go into work this morning for a conference call and some schedule making, but I didn't stay long. (My first officially day back is tomorrow)  Joe also had today off with the holiday yesterday, so we lived the day to the fullest...okay, well not really at all...we were so LAZY!!! We watched a few of our TV shows that we missed while on our trip, then we had a very eventful trip to Costco and spent way too much money, then we came home changed into comfy clothes and literally sat around all day. Joe made a yummy dinner with some fish that he caught in Pine Valley and I finished laundry...so technically I got off the couch for something!! It was a great way to end our vacation. Just an alone day, doing nothing, but enjoying each others company.

Now back to the work routine tomorrow. Joe and I don't have anymore vacation time this year, so I'm thinking this trip was IT for 2011. However, we were grateful we got the time off and we're happy we finally got to reap the benefits of working so hard.

Here is my #206 - Our silly purchase at Costco. Totally pointless and random, but we had fun watching a few episodes this afternoon and reliving our childhood memories.

#205

We have finally arrived back in SLC! Our vacation was long, hot, relaxing and FUN! I enjoyed every minute of it!!! Upon arriving back home, I noticed that I've acquired a nice 'natural' tan, two cracked heels from wearing flip flops non-stop, one big suitcase filled with only dirty clothes, a camera memory card full of pictures to edit, two happy puppies that are also home and were well taken care of. I also have a few bags of leftover food, only 3 water bottles & 1 Mexico Pepsi left AND a filthy car from driving on dirt roads all week...not to mention my nice new dent on my passenger door! (My Grandpa accidentally backed into us one day. It definitely gives my car some character...hopefully it'll get fixed soon!)

Of course I am sad that my summer vacation is over and the reunion I've been waiting months for has passed. But I am excited to be sleeping in my own bed and cuddling with my puppies. I had little to NO service in Pine Valley, so I wasn't able to call anyone, send text messages or look at Facebook or emails. Joe and I were literally disconnected from the whole world for week. It was nice to be unreachable for a little bit and not needing to have my cell phone constantly in my hand/pocket. Now I have to head back into work for a little bit tomorrow morning and officially start working again on Tuesday. Its going to be crazy busy week...I bet some of my clients missed me! ;)

Thank you to my mom's family in Enterprise for your hospitality and staying up late talking & telling jokes. Thank you to my Enterprise friends (Chandra included) for getting together with me for a nice visit. And thank you to the Snow Clan for a wonderful 2011 reunion. We had such a great time catching up and just relaxing with the ones we love. I'm so happy we've continued this 24th of July tradition. Not only do I get to see parts of my extended family each year - but I have many friends that live close to Pine Valley that I am guaranteed to see once a year as well!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Okay, back to the photo of the day. I didn't want to take a picture of Pine Valley or anything about us leaving southern Utah. It was hard enough emotionally to leave my favorite place, I didn't want to have to document my sadness. Instead I decided to take a picture of our road trip saving grace. Joe and I were both EXHAUSTED on the way home tonight. (Too many late nights and being up with the sun...it has taken its toll!) Plus we left very late in the afternoon, so on the drive home, we were both wishing we had napped a bit before taking off. However Joe has recently fallen in love with the band Mumford & Sons. Joe quickly downloaded their whole album once we got on the road - thank you Music Junk - and we listened to it the entire way home. (I got kind of annoyed with just an hour left of our drive...so I just put on my headphones and listened to my ipod for a better mix.) But Joe just turned up the volume and jammed out to his favorite songs to keep himself awake and alert. So, thanks to Mumford & Sons, the ride was quick and enjoyable!! Even after listening to the album over and over...and over again!  :)

#205 - Our 'go-to' road trip music. (It used to be an album by Boston. But now we have something new to shake things up.)

#204

Utah's Pioneer day is on July 24th. Since Pioneer day falls on a Sunday, the majority of the state celebrate on the Saturday before. The church here in Pine Valley puts on a program, breakfast and games in celebration. I don't remember the program or breakfast as a kid, so its possible that this addition has happened just in my adult years, but the games & races I have at least 10+ years of actual recollected memories of participating as a child.

I overheared the program a bit today, but showed up to late to have breakfast. Moments after I arrived the races began. They have the simple running races which I remember so well as a kid. They involve each individual age group (to make it fair) and they move the finish line farther and farther back as they get to the older ages. They don't designate a winner - we're all winners here in Pine Valley, so each child or adult that participates gets the coveted box of Cracker Jacks. (Or if you just walk up to the person handing them out, you can get a box too...without even participating!!! I learned that quite a few years ago!!)  Over the years they have added other races. Some have stuck around year after year, some slowly fade away. I remember the race with the 'egg on a spoon.' I remember walking ever so still and slow to make it all the way down without dropping the egg. Super hard. In years past we had the 3-legged race. Many injuries have come from people topplig over each other. Now they have added the pony races with a mop. You can race alone or they have the round where the little kid AND their Grandpa share the same mop and try to race. It makes for some good laughter. They also have the saltine cracker/whistle race, the long licorice partner race, the hard bubble gum chewing/making a definite bubble race and of course the water balloon toss. (I think they've used eggs before in previous years, but as of the last 5 or so years its strictly been water balloons. Less messy.)

Really just recalling the races now and back then, just brings a smile to my face. So many years of memories. However it also brings a somber mood to this beautiful sunny day. As I sit and watch the families and the little kids participating in races, it starts a little tear in my heart. I'm just hoping I will one day have children of my own to share in the great joys and memories I had in Pine Valley and at the races. One day I will be at the finish line with open arms just waiting to catch my little racer. One day...

But for now I have plenty of nieces and nephews not to mention all my cousins kids that I get to enjoy the festivities with. This morning was great fun and its just another addition to my bank of Pine Valley memories. I got my box of Cracker Jacks!!

Here is my #204 - The races...in action!

#203

Some of us love the game Pounce. I've heard it called Nerts before, but we call it Pounce. Its a simple card game, as long as you know the order of the cards Ace thru King. Its a game of speed, strategy and just plain luck. My sisters Kalie & Andee and I are hardcore players and can be pretty quick. But it has come to my attention that my oldest sister Robyn is a very competitive as well and I never knew it!! I played a few games with her and man my heart was racing. Robyn is my families Dark Horse in Pounce!!

Its a great past time here in Pine Valley. We were taught this game MANY years ago by my Aunt Amie and its been a tradition ever since. Its really funny to see that we don't ever play Pounce outside of Pine Valley. I don't know if we just forget about it in our daily lives or its just a PV thing. But its loads of fun and we always have a great time.

Just watch for shouting, cheating and teasing. You can't be a pansy and play with the Snow's. If you have the skill...and a backbone, you can definitely play at our table.

My #203 - An INTENSE and LARGE game of POUNCE!!

#202

Another wonderful day in Pine Valley. We spent the afternoon at the local pool and it was wonderful. A little crowded, but great! Lots of visiting, happy kids and sun tanning...awesome!!

While here in PV we have been enjoying ANY and ALL snacks the group has provided. We all shared the 'supply' duties and brought our favorite treats to share. As you can imagine, a house full of girls, husbands with bottomless bellies and kids that snack 24/7, we have plenty to go around. We have ding dongs, beef jerky, pistachios, granola bars, apples, peaches, string cheese - OMGosh the cabin is FULL!!  We also have a porch full of coolers. I think Joe and I have 2 coolers, plus there is at least one per couple and I think that amounts to 6 coolers? And they are all full of water bottles, vitamin water, various sodas AND bottled Pepsi (which I brought and they have been a HUGE hit with everyone.) I don't know if its the bottle, the refreshing taste coming out of a extremely cold glass, the retro feel or the fact that they are the ones made in Mexico...I don't know. But EVERYONE here wants one. I came down here with 4, bought 6 more the other day and now Joe just bought a 24 pack when he went into town this afternoon. I'm hoping we don't run out again. There is about 50+ people here in our reunion and they have been in and out of our cabin all day sharing our Pepsi's. Tomorrow is a big 'on site' activity and I'm worried all the drinks will be gone by the end of the day. Oh well, a trip to town takes about 30 minutes, we can get more.

Silly picture for today, but an iced cold Pepsi on a hot day is just hits the spot.  My #202 - the best refreshment of the reunion.

See, even in taking a picture of the bottles, my nephew tried to steal one. They are going like hotcakes around here!!

#201

I don't have much time to blog today. I'm sitting here on the Pine Valley Chapel's steps alone and its the only true moment of peace and quiet I've had today. I'm sitting here, looking out into the beautiful valley as I type this. Watching the cars drive in from the canyon. Wondering if any of them are my family members that are supposed to arrive this evening. I'm watching a herd of about 6 or 7 cows trying to cross the street, a passerby stops by the side of the road to let them pass and also hops out of their car to get a closer view. The cows, not wanting be a spectacle, start trotting faster to escape the attention. I can hear the bees buzzing by, the sound of a 'off road vehicle' in the distance. The smell for fresh Utah air and the slight breeze across my face. I'm so happy here.

The majority of the Snow clan arrives this evening. After tonight, all I'll hear is the sound of woman chattering and catching up with each other. The sound of the guys playing frisbee on the lawn or playing catch. The kids either playing together or whining to get attention. My belly will be full with all the delicious meals planned ahead. My heart will be all warm and fuzzy from spending great quality time with the ones I love.

Happy Wednesday everyone. Its a cool 78degrees in Pine Valley. Dinner is on the stove and calling my name. Back to the cabin I must go.

My peaceful place #201

#200's

Today was another thin slice of heaven. We are now officially in Pine Valley which will be the last stop on our vacation and another of our favorite spots in Southern Utah. I love it here...absolutely love it. (The rest of my Snow Family can probably agree on that.) We have an semi-formal annual reunion down here every 24th of July weekend and my immediate family has participated many of my 29 years. This year we are having a formal family reunion - just minus a few that couldn't make it. :(  The reunion officially starts Thursday morning once all have arrived and I can't wait for a whole weekend of catching up and just hanging with great family.

There isn't anything you couldn't love about this place. The peace & quiet, family togetherness, fresh pine smell in the air, all the memories from my childhood, the history of this hidden valley and now the awesome discovery of WiFi on the local Chapel grounds!!!!!  That's right people, I said WiFi!!!!  I was sitting in our cabin, desperately trying to find a strong enough signal to get online from my cell like I had practiced. It took about 20 minutes of frustration until some wonderful news from Grandpa that there is one local hot spot!!! YAY!! All that worry for no reason. The chapel is just walking distance from where we are staying and I will now gladly look forward to my nightly stroll to the chapel just to post my picture of the day.

Since today marks my 200th photo, I really wanted to find something special to capture. But in the enjoyment of my vacation, loading and unloading the car, a nice cat nape on the couch and preparing dinner with my sister...there just wasn't a moment of actual photo-blog thought. Weird! ;)  But after a peaceful day of relaxation and a short jaunt in the wagon around the block, I decided to capture the beautiful faces of my twin nieces. They are at such a cute age, where they are curious about everything, learning from their stumbles and yakking away in their secret little language!! We've had a great day watching and laughing at them. Unfortunately they didn't want to be photographed tonight, especially right before bedtime when I pulled the camera out, but I was able to snap a few that show their individual personalities!!

My #200's!!!!  Avie and Ella. Avie the prankster and mischievous one with her cheesy grin. And Ella, Ms Prissy and major attitude. I couldn't get a smile from her to save my life. It was either this [daddy resembling] scowl or the thumb in the mouth. HAHA!

#199

We were in St. George all day today and it was a gorgeous day in Southern Utah, 100 degrees all afternoon, so we spent a good portion of the day at the pool. A nice way to keep cool without constantly being in an air conditioned room. Plus the peace and quiet was wonderful!

Now we are sitting up on the red clifs, enjoying the beautiful view. We missed the sunset by about 5 minutes...bummer...but its an amazing site nonetheless.

I'm LOVING this vacation!! Now after already seeing the movie Horrible Bosses earlier today, we're about to see Super 8. I'm finding myself wishing it was a drive-in theater. It is incredible weather tonight!

#199 - Our last night in St. George. Next up, Pine Valley!!

#198

Our first and only 'over night' stay in Enterprise, was at the Sleep E Motel. In all my years of traveling down to E-town, I stayed here. I was always lucky enough to have many offers of lodging at my aunts place or a few of my friends homes, but the Sleep E, holds a special place in my heart and its better for more independence. I could always come and go, have friends over late and party without disturbing anyone. It isn't the grandest of motels, very quaint and simple but I love it. Plus it was always a great central locale for all my friends to hang out it in. All the laughs, jumping on the beds, pedicures, late night conversations and bizarre secret photos, this was the place!! Hahaha, so many good times.

(I forgot to charge my camera battery before we left SLC, so...needless to say I was unable to take many pictures today. But fear not, it will be charged up for tomorrow.)

#198 - The infamous Sleep E Motel.

#197

The first day of my vacation! Can I get a hells yeah??

Since I am on vacation I won't be posting any long stories or explanations. I'll keep it short...you're welcome! Tonights post is mainly about our road trip. We left this afternoon and headed straight to my favorite place, Enterprise!! I can't begin to explain the happiness in my heart at this very moment. My early adulthood started here and I have a lifetime of memories that are all about this town and my awesome friends that came with.

I will live here one day. Thats a promise.  I'm overwhelmed tonight with emotions. This place is home to me and I never want to leave.

My #197

#196

Tonight was awesome!!! Joe and I were invited to see my good friend Joy's dad participate in a summer concert tonight. His group 'Contagious' was part of a "Summer Concert Series" held by a local shopping area and they perform on a courtyard in between restaurants and shops. It was great fun! Not only was the weather just PERFECT, but the music was so entertaining!! 'Contagious' is a cover band that plays songs ranging from ZZ Top to John Mellancamp. Collide by Howie Day to Pink Floyd's The Wall. SUPER FUN!! I could sing along to all the songs and dance in my personal space! (Joe was good at that!!) The best part was, I got to FINALLY hang out with JOY!!! We've been wanting to get together and we finally made it happen. See Joy? Once its been done, its easier to do again.

Joe and I also ran into quite a few people tonight. I saw my stylist Jordan and her boyfriend and we saw my sister Jessica's new 'in-laws' and sat by them the whole night. It was great fun and a completely random night out for Joe and I. We LOVE random date nights!

Thank you Joy for inviting us!! I'm glad we got to hang out (outside of the salon) to have some great conversations and giggles. And thank you 'Contagious' for putting on such an entertaining show. We will definitely be followers now - guess we'll see you on August 8th!!

#196 - Tonight's fun was really 'Contagious!' I'm glad we had so many people to share it with.

#195's

Woo! I'm posting early today. I think this may be a record!! Usually I post right before bed time, when the day is over. But I was excited about this event today and I had to jump on it!

Back story (you all know you love one of my back stories...) My sister Kalie is 6 months pregnant and has to have weekly progesterone injections. She is considered a high-risk pregnancy, so not only does she go in weekly for doctor visits/ultra sounds, she is also going in weekly (on a different day) to have these injections. I swear everyone at this hospital is on a first name basis with Kalie. Of course it'd be nice if she didn't have to go in all the time, but its also great for the weekly reassurance! Anyway, she literally needs a shot every 6-7 days I believe. No sooner, no later. And of course with the big reunion next week down south, she will be out of town on the 6th AND 7th day. Basically meaning she needs someone to give her the shot while we're on vacation. Who did she ask? Well, ME of course!!! (Lucky me, I'm going to be giving her her 13th shot!! Oooh lucky 13!)

We went to the hospital early this morning and I got a 'crash' course on how to give an injection by this really sweet nurse named Maureen. She was very informative and I believe I got the gist. Pretty much, hold the hip for sturdiness, jam the needle in, hold the bottom for support and use pressure to lower the syringe. I think I got it! **She had me practice on a folded up towel and warned me the most important part is jamming it in there. The slower I go, the more painful it is for Kalie, so just GO! Haha, it was interesting!!  I was having so much fun, I had completely forgotten we were in the Women's Center of the hospital which is my LEAST favorite place to be in the whole wide world. Practicing giving a shot was a great distraction!!

Maureen loaded up a 'goodie bag' for me. It reminded me of those party favor bags you got as a kid when you went to a birthday party. But instead of penny candy, noise makers, stickers and a pencil, I got gloves, alcohol swabs, 1 syringe, 4 needle tips (in case I accidentally un-sterlize it) and a band-aid! See, what a great goodie bag!! And instead of a Superhero logo or Villain insignia, I get a big BIO-HAZARD symbol!!! LOL

Here is my #195's - Don't worry Kalie, I got this!

 The 'stuff!'

My goodie bag!!

I'm now starting to think Maureen should have given a lesson on the importance of 'responsibility' when handling needles and how dangerous they can be! At least she told me how to safely dispose of the used needle!!! Wait until next week and I may post a picture of the injection - in action! LOL

#194

Refer all the way back to post #96 where my I posted about this cute 7 year old that became my inspiration. Well today for my 194th picture, I have yet another great post about donating hair to Locks of Love. My sister-in-law Amanda and her daughter Lauren have been growing their hair out, specifically to one day donate the 10 inches needed for Locks of Love. Lauren who has always had long hair, has been patiently waiting for her mom's hair to grow and catch up. I can count so many times I've talked to Lauren and she always asks if her mom's hair is long enough yet! She's been super excited.

Today was finally the day!!! Amanda's hair wasn't excessively longer than 10 inches, so we really had to cut hers short in the back, but Lauren's hair is still down to her shoulders. It was such a fun day! Since Lauren wanted her hair the same length all the way around, we actually cut off 3 ponytails from her hair. (1 in back and 2 on the sides.) And on Amanda we took one THICK ponytail from the back...man her hair was THICK!!

Once again I'm posting about an inspiration to grow my hair out. Even after cutting 2 inches off my length yesterday, I'm still trying to grow it out. (I just needed a little shape & style) One day my hair WILL be longer than 10 inches and I WILL be able to donate it. One day...

#194 - You're My Inspiration. (I was totally singing that song by Chicago in my head as I typed that. Love it!!)

#193

Okay you may have noticed my previous post. If you haven't, its no big deal, it was just a test to see if I could FINALLY blog & upload a picture straight from my phone. I was going to delete it, but its another stepping stone in the challenge process so I decided to leave it. But basically as you can see from that post, I am able to upload from my phone!

I have an Android phone and dealing with Blogger has proved to be difficult on several occasions. With my vacation starting (in just 4 days!!) I wanted to make sure I could post with no problems once I'm in an area with no internet connection. I was actually planning on giving my password to my friend Joy and then send her the photo via email on my phone and have her post each day for me. (She's an internet nerd like me and she's always online!! LOL) I may actually still have her as my backup plan in case I have service issues. So Joy, I may be calling you!! As of Saturday you are officially on standby for 9 days, okay?! :)

My aunt & uncle have an internet connection at their house I could use, but Joe and I will be arriving quite a few days before them, so I can't rely on their source all 9 days. I also asked my bro-in-law Jarron who said he'd be headed to St. George every day to check emails at any Free WiFi hot spots. So its nice to know I have other options. See how obsessed and dedicated I am?? I'll be on vacation for crying out loud, but I still want to make sure I'm consecutive! No worries my fellow readers; followers and stalkers. I will be posting all 9 days of my vacation!!

If you are at all curious, my solution was just a new web browser. My phone's default internet app and Opera Mini browser were already installed on my phone and neither were blogger friendly. I went into my App Store and downloaded 7 different browsers I've never heard of and then tried to blog with each of them. I was shocked that 6 out of the 7 were just the same as my default browser. However I did find 1 - thank you 'Skyfire!' Now I can post with minimal obstacles!!


Okay enough mumbo-jumbo you probably don't care about. Since I blabbed for so long I'll keep this photo post short. I received another surprise today at work!! I have a client that is German AND works in an 'Authentic German Bakery' called Vosen's. (I love her accent and when she yells at her husband in German!! So funny!!)  We talk about her work all the time, but I have never asked about the yummy things they bake & sell, until her last hair appointment about a month & 1/2 ago. After she made me incredibly hungry by just talking about them, she promised to bring me some next time. Well, she brought me a surprise box of delicious pastries today!! Mmm -mmm they were so good!

Since I get made fun of for posting too many 'food' pictures, I thought I'd just post a picture of the box seal. (Sorry Kalie, what's a fat girl to do? Love me some food!!) My #193 - The sugar coated goodness that is NOT pictured! Haha!!  

Danke SUE!!! (Good luck going home next month. I can't wait to hear about your trip! Tshüs!)

test

i have to test this so i can see if i can post on my vacation. this is just a test

#192

We had a birthday party for my brother-in-law Jarron this evening. Today is his actual birthday and the good guy that he is, opted to celebrate with the entire family on his special day. What a great guy, right? Thanks Jarron for sharing your day with us! :)

I snapped a silly photo of him right before we sang 'happy birthday' and I was planning on using it tonight...but then I thought about it a little more. I'm not one to support the cake, presents and singing after turning 21. (And 21 is pushing it.) Its just silly, embarrassimg and juvenile. We're all adults now, we've been sung to and spotlighted for years and we don't necessarily have that 'need' or 'want' after we reach a certain age. I'm sure most adults can agree with me on this, so that is why I've decided to nix the original photo for the day. Jarron has had enough attention on his day, I highly doubt he wants me to showcase that silliness on this blog for the whole world to see. So Jarron, you're welcome! :)

My new photo for today is another 'action' shot. I've been really into this lately; ever since the night of the fireworks my curiosity has grown. Snapping a photo of something in motion is fascinating to me. But basically the boys were playing in the backyard with these new nerf guns Nancy had bought. They are more like machine guns because they shoot out 15 bullets very rapidly. After mulitple tries and multiple failures, I was finally able to get a good one. Thanks Dallin for letting me get so close and not shooting me! (They actually really hurt!!)

#192 - Dallin in action!

#191's

Okay well today was an eventful day and of course I have no pictures to show for it. :(  My moms birthday was yesterday and the sisters took her to get pedicures and out to dinner. It was really nice, we all got along and shared some interesting stories! But do I have any pictures of that? Nope! I was really slacking today!!

Joe and I did spent the afternoon shopping - my favorite thing - not his. We don't shop for Joe often, because first off, he hates it and second because he only wears the same 6 outfits each week and there are brand new clothes still in his closet!!! We had a shopping spree for him about this time last year...I think it was in May or June 2010 and we bought him a bunch of new shorts, t-shirts and nice button up shirts and we haven't shopped for him since! So today we had the idea to venture out and get him a few new things for our trip coming up next week.

Once we brought home 4 bags of new clothes, we decided...okay I decided...that his closet needed to be cleaned out AND the shirts needed to be cycled through. Like I said he wears the same things over and over again, so all the clothes at the back of his closet haven't been worn hardly at all. In fact we discovered a few t-shirts he has NEVER worn! Ugh it makes my head hurt thinking of all the clothes in there I've never washed or I paid money for and its gone to waste....err!!

When we started this closet clean out, Joe's side of the closet was completely full! If all his clothes are clean, there is literally no wiggle room for the hangers. I was impressed to find quite a gap once we finished cleaning it out. I was so proud of him for losing 6, yes 6 Oakland Raiders shirts that he hasn't worn in years. (I let him keep one, so that means he actually had 7!!!) We got rid of many 'gamer' shirts, like Mario, Zelda and Nintendo shirts...he really isn't into that kind of gaming anymore. Plus we got rid of MANY over worn shirts that I've been trying to get rid of for years. THANK YOU JOE!

Plus once I saw all the new space on his side, I decided to clean out my side of the closet as well!! I wasn't able to get as much room as Joe, but I am proud of myself. I buy clothes for myself ALL THE TIME, so I'm also getting rid of clothes all the time. I have to stay on top of it or I literally have no where to put things.  I now actually have wiggle room too!!

#191's - CLOSET SPACE!! Yay for spring...er summer...cleaning!!

Here is Joe's new 'free space!'

And here is my new 'free space!' 

#190's

Remember when I talked about 'surprises?' Well my post today it yet another surprise gift! While at work today, my husband Joe showed up unannounced, with a sweet gift of love & appreciation. Actually it was a gift of truce, but I like the other reason better! :)

#190's - Not only did Joe think of me, but he though of my salon girls as well!  Thank you Joe!! And you are forgiven - ;)

Isn't watermelon the best summer treat? My household has been obsessed with watermelon lately and we can't get enough. Joe cut up this delectable watermelon and brought it in for me and my girls to snack on. I'm not going to lie, I think I had 7 pieces!!! Seriously I wasn't lying when I said we were obsessed!!!

#189

I know you've heard it, I've said it before, but its worth repeating; I love my job!

Today was rough. Slammed busy for 8 straight hours, no break, no lunch, no time to sit & rejuvenate. Nothing, just work, work and more work. I can't complain much because the money is good and the creativity and interaction part is so rewarding...but man I'm getting old. It was a long day, my feet hurt, my legs ache, the back is cramping, my arms are sore and I'm exhausted! Phew!

However, like I said, only the chaotic days make me crazy. Everything else about my job is completely awesome!! In fact after my rough day today, I came home, got reacquainted with facebook & my news feed and found this wonderful status update my sister posted: My #189 - Just what I needed to see after a day like today!

(Sorry for the bad photo - I had to take a picture of my laptop screen!)

My sister is so sweet - as are the wonderful people who commented on this. I enjoy being creative and making people feel better about themselves. I love the confidence boost people get as they leave my chair and I LOVE all the feedback and referrals I get as well! On rough days like today, its nice to get a happy reminder on why I love my job so much. Thank you Andee for posting this and I'm so glad you get all those compliments. I know it makes you feel good about yourself and it definitely makes me proud of all the hard work (and rough days) I've done & gone through. Everyone needs a reminder every now and then and I'm blessed my reminders can come with the happiness of my sister!

#188

BEACH BUMS! - Okay not really, but Joe and I got to swim for the first time this summer!!!  We were invited to yet another birthday party with my friend Misti and her family. Misti's parents have a pool in their backyard and last week we were completely fascinated with it. This week - even with a slight sprinkle from above - we HAD to swim!! The pool is heated [heck yes!] and there is this really cool padding on the sides and the bottom, so its super soft of your feet. Plus they don't use chlorine to keep it clean, they use a salt system. It doesn't dry your skin out as much, my eyes aren't stinging and actually my hair felt like I had just got out of the ocean. We had great fun playing with the kids and using multiple beach balls, played a crazy came of volleyball!  It was a fun night and we're so happy Tayvin invited us to his 5th birthday!! And thank you Steve and Charlene for letting us take advantage of your awesome pool!!!

#188 - First swim of the summer and many more to come I'm sure! LOVED IT!! (sorry its a self portrait, I just couldn't resist! Joe cracks me up)

#187

I love receiving packages. Who doesn't?  I especially love packages that are unexpected. Either because I forgot I ordered them or someone decides to surprise me with something special! Haha!! Todays photo is actually both of those. I forgot I ordered this (just yesterday actually) and I was surprised when my friend Jackie showed up at my work today with it! Thank you Jackie for getting it to me so soon!! You're awesome!!

I'm not the biggest fan of Mary Kay. I mean I've liked all the things I've ordered, it just isn't ever my 'must have - go to' catalog. I have a perfume I like, I have makeup I already like, I have skin care products that I already love. So there isn't really anything in the catalog that rocks my world above anything else....EXCEPT their eye make-up remover!! Seriously there isn't anything better. Its 'oil free,' doesn't sting my eyes, gets waterproof gunk off with no problem, plus it soothes my sensitive skin. Anything else I've ever used before hurts my eyes, dries out my skin and takes many washes to get it all off.

This is my MUST HAVE item from Mary Kay and I'm so lucky I have Jackie at my quick convenience.

#187 - You gotta try this stuff man!

#186

I'm loving summer. Just like I was loving spring. Yes its been hot, but I have to say, I'M LOVING IT! I love driving with my windows down (I love having hair long enough to blow in the wind.) I love sitting outside until 10pm and its still warm. I love all my different sunglasses. I love having a tan so I can wear skirts and no sleeve shirts with more confidence. I love hearing/seeing all the kids playing in their front yards. I love Popsicles and ice cream cones and I love a good iced tea as I sit in the shade and read a magazine.

I'm loving summer.

#186 - I'm also loving these. They are popping up all over!!

#185

The theme to this post is 'Oh to be a kid again!'  We had a BBQ at my mom's tonight even with the on and off sprinkling rain. My mom has this blow-up slide/pool for the grandkids and they just love it! When Joe and I got there, only my nephew Jesse was in the pool and he wanted someone to get in with him. Joe was playing with him outside of the pool for a bit, then decided he had to play on the slide as well...without a swimming suit!  Now the hilarious part is that the slide 'steps' in back only support about 200lbs max...and even that is pushing it. Since Joe was unable to climb up - he had to take a running start and jump up to the top, then in that same motion, slide down into the pool. He did only about 3 or 4 times before he wore himself out, but the rest of us just loved laughing at his attempts!! :)  What a great sport!

Then once the other grandkids arrived, the adults had fun watching them soak up the [slight] warm weather and have a good time. There is just something about watching kids play with a smiles from ear to ear. They always have so much...even when there is a little whining, arguing and pushing involved. Oh kids!

#185 - Oh to be a kid again. Joe's inner child came out to play tonight! (I added a few other photos as well to show you how much fun they had!)

This photo is my 'actual' photo for today - it inspired my theme. 

Joe was 'frolicking' while trying to catch bugs with the pool net. 

Seriously he is a kid at heart.

And then here are some action shots for fun. The first 2 are Joe's sliding action, then the rest are of Jesse, Caleb & Lauren. Caleb has no fear when it comes to this slide; he was literally jumping off the top. Too funny! Plus I loved the 'SPLASH' photos - loved capturing the spray of water!

#184's

I wanted to save a picture of fireworks for the actual 4th of July, but I just can't help myself. We got together with my dads family tonight for a BBQ, S'mores and fireworks, but tomorrow we are doing the same thing with at my mom's AND we might catch a 'city' firework show afterwards. So since the bigger city show tomorrow would have a better display, I thought I would "practice" taking pictures of fireworks at my dads tonight because taking pictures at night [without] a flash is really hard and I haven't mastered it yet. I ended up catching some great photos and I HAVE to post them!! (I talked to my dad about the shutter speed with taking pictures in the dark - he recommended a tripod, but I ended up just propping my camera up on the curb and was able to get some great shots!)

So Happy [early] Independence Day everyone! Since the 4th is on a Monday, there have been many celebrations all weekend. I know of a few parades and firework shows that were over the weekend - not to mention all the other celebrations that will happen tomorrow. Its been one crazy weekend!!

#184's - Love me some fireworks!!