Doggie Friday: Happy Halloween!

 

music heaven

my step Dad is a music lover.  that's one thing we have in common.  he also has an amazing vinyl record collection.  i wish we had that in common.  i'm talking the best of the bests.  rare Beatles albums.  Led Zeppelin.  Fleetwood Mac.  The Doors!  i just about passed out when i stumbled upon these in his collection.  Oh the sweet sounds of Jim Morrison's voice.  it's enough to put me in a music induced coma.  he did tell me i could have any of the albums i wanted...but i just don't think i can take something so precious away from him.  maybe someday when i find a sweet vintage record player on one of my thrifting adventures.  but until then, he can store them for me.

snow.

on my way to work the other morning i couldn't help but stop to marvel the beauty of the area i live in.  the fall colors mixed in with the snow capped mountains is breathtaking.  we can't wait for snow.  mostly for snow boarding...Gordon's season pass has been waiting to be used since July!

Patricia's Mexican food

Whenever I find a good authentic Mexican food restaurant I get really excited. I love Mexican food. I keep my blinders on because if they really are authentic, then it’s not that nutritious for me.

We ate at Patricia’s and I fell in love (Gordon ordered chalupas…they were nothing like the ones he use to get at Taco Bell…he was disappointed). Mostly I fell in love with the gentleman singing Mexican love songs and playing the guitar. He had a beautiful voice. And added a little romance to our dining experience.

a sight to see

which i'm sure it actually wasn't.

on Saturday night Gordon helped the young men in our ward with fund-raiser dinner.  when he told me about the dinner i was less than thrilled about going.  he said i didn't have to go if i made brownies.  sold.  i made brownies (without eggs...who knew eggs added so much to things...they were still good, but not amazing.  the added choc chips helped).

this was the first Saturday in a long time that i didn't have anything planned.  i was so excited to do absolutely nothing (although i did go to free yoga in the morning with my sis-in-law Jenny so i didn't feel like such a big waste of space).  i didn't get ready for the day.  i wore pajamas and didn't put on makeup or do my hair.

Gordon had to come home for something before the dinner started.  he brought a friend from our ward with him.  they both came inside.  there i was sitting in my pajamas, wrapped up in a blanket, hair a mess, no makeup on, plopped right in front of the computer looking at my google reader subscriptions.  i'm sure i was a pretty sight.  Gordon apologized.  he didn't know he would follow him in.  i sure hope he doesn't think i do this every Saturday...if only i could!  this Saturday was the perfect Satuday to do it too.  it was stormy which screams to me "stay inside and be cozy". 

the friend asked if i was coming to the dinner.  i said no (hello, do you see what i look like...i know you do).  i made brownies so i didn't have to (...i didn't actually say that, i just 'no' with no reasoning or explanation).

Doggie Friday: hanging with cousin "H"

every other Sunday we get to have dinner with Gordon's family and hang out.  of course the dogs usually come.  they get to see their big brother Simon, the grandparents, and their cousin "H".  they are not huge fans of "H", but they are warming up to him.  once he's older and is more "soft" with them (aka not kicking them) i think that will change.  well at least it will for Abbi.  i don't think Briggs will ever reallly warm up to him.  but at least he just leaves him alone now instead of attack him.  that's a big improvement.  yes, we're worried for the day when we have kids...we're hoping he'll be better...

Happy Birthday Mom!

It's my Mom's Birthday today!  Happy Birthday Mom!  I love you!

Here are 5 reasons I love my Mom:

1. She is strong. Mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. She’s unbelievable. And she gives me strength.

2. She is the best mom in the world. She will do anything for her kids. And we haven’t always made her life a joy ride. But she loves us, no matter what we do and who we are. She will always be there for us. Doing whatever she can. Always.

3. She is gorgeous! I’ve got great genes. Inside and out.

4. She has always been a wonderful example for me. She’s a hard worker in all her endeavors: church, work, mother, wife, daughter, sister. I have a lot to look up to and be because of her.

5. She is one of my best friends. She is always 2nd on my list to call when something happens in my life (Gordon is 1st). She’s the 1st person I call when I can’t find something at the grocery store.

**she loved her birthday gift from all of us.  it was a complete surprise.  now she's apart of the "toms" club too.

the only office i've ever known

is empty.  yesterday was my last day working in my office.  i get a new one in a few weeks.  i'm excited.  my new office will have two walls that are glass windows.  aww...natural light.  i won't miss anything from my old office.  not one thing.

so for the next few weeks i'm a gypsy.  i'll be moving from work station to work station.  nothing is permanent.  maybe i'll have some fun stories to tell.  like this one...today i was working out of one of the libraries.  my coworkers and i set up shop in one of the study rooms.  there are two study rooms connected to each other.  the wall that seperates them is partly glass.  and you could hear what the other people in the room were saying, so there is no privacy.  well one of the people that used the study room next to ours must not have realized that we could see him starring at us.  one of my coworkers wrote on piece of paper (that we were using) to inform us that he was starring at us.  it seemed like everytime we glanced in his direction he was staring at us.  we continued to work, he continued to stare.  and the last time we caught him starring we were embarrassed.  i was reading from the paper that had "that guy is starring" written on the back.  i didn't know.  i was holding it in the air reading from it.  and he saw.  he starred up close to the glass window, making sure we knew he was right there.  we looked up, saw him, he pointed at the paper i was holding.  i was confused, then looked at the paper realizing it was the paper.  we sunk down in our seats, embarrassed and laughing so hard we were crying.

definitely one of my most emarrasing moments.

white chocolate covered popcorn, mini cupcakes, and a ski movie all for free

almost too hard to believe.

Gordon's work held a public screening of the ski movie "Revolver".  There was a meet and greet with Sammy Carlson, sponsored athlete and one of the pro athletes in the movie (he also had been hanging out at Gordon's work all day long...I told Gordon I would be star struck working there...this isn't the first "famous" athlete to hang out there.  Have you heard of Olympian Jonny Moseley?  Yeah, he's been there too.)  The showing was outside on a gigantic screen.  It was loud, the crowd was pumped, and it left us wishing for snow.
(also leaving us wishing for snow was the snowboard film "Deeper" which we also recently saw.  that film was unbelievable...it had me gripping my seat and forgetting to breathe.  awesome!)

 oh and there were also delicious snacks to enjoy while you watched the movie. that pretty much put me over the edge. i love mini cupcakes.

our latest craving...

Thai food.  Neither of us had ever had Thai food.  We've both heard it was good from several people.  So for one of our date nights we decided to experience it for ourselves.  And we're hooked!  For an appetizer we got the fresh spring rolls.  And for our main dishes we shared shrimp pad Thai noodles and tofu pad kha pow kai dow prepared medium style.  SO GOOD!  Now when we ask each other what we want for dinner we each say "fresh springs rolls and pad thai noodles."  We'll be going back there soon.

like what you see?  try it out for yourself.  delicious Thai food is served at Eastside Diner.

Happy Birthday Dad!

It's my Dad's birthday today.
(he's 53!)

Here are 5 reason I love my Dad:

1.  He is funny.  Always making us laugh.  I like to think I inherited that from him.
2.  He always wants to spend time with us.  Whether it is playing Wii, watching football, eating delicious dinners, go out for breakfast/lunch/dinner...he likes having us around.  I love it.
3.  He is every bodies friend.  Everywhere we go he knows someone.  And they love him.  It's like Cheers where everybody knows your name cause everybody always knows his name and makes it a point to talk to him.  My friends included...they don't call him Papa Gary for nothing.
4.  When you're in trouble, he is right there to help you.  He's like the "one call that's all."
5.  Although he has made mistakes, he's made it a point to make up for that and I think he's doing a great job.  He truly cares for us and we know he loves us very much.

Happy Birthday Dad!  I love you very much!

Doggie Friday: show 'em that you care

It's Utah's "Week for the Animals" this week.  Do something special for the animals in your life.

Right now our dogs are having a day at the spa (okay they're getting groomed, which I think might be torture for them but none-the-less).  Can't wait to see them all short-haired and skinny.

updated: my dogs get groomed down the street from my work.  i usually leave early to go pick them up because i can't stand to leave them there all day locked up in kennels, but since hardly anyone was at work friday, and upper management said it was okay, i picked them up and brought them back to work with me.  i thought i would love it (i always wanted a 'bring your dog to work day') but it wasn't all that great.  i kept worrying about them, hoping they wouldn't bark or have an accident in my office (although it wouldn't have been that big of a deal since we're in the process of moving out and into our new building which, by the way, will cut my commute in half!).  next time i do this i'll just take a half day and take them home.

mysterious mustache

he’s such a funny man, my nephew Skyler. always wants to make people laugh. for sunday dinner he showed up with a sweet mustache on. said he drove to my mom’s with it on…fooled all the cops into thinking he was old enough to be driving. since it looks real and all. (he gets to drive my sister’s car once they are in my mom’s neighborhood…he thinks it’s so cool, especially when my niece is with him…such a show off). he thought it was funny to put this mustache on everything, take a picture, and send it to his cousin who was also doing the same thing. (oh, to be fourteen again…)

i took a nap after dinner. and was rudely woken up by the sound of a camera. and a mustache on my face.

He’s hilarious, right.

Side note: Gordon also has a fake mustache. He keeps it in the ash tray of his land cruiser for special occasions.

the cabin

I love the Hardcastle family cabin.

It’s a place that brings family together.

And build "hides" (a.k.a. forts).

Give "horseback rides".

And even make up a few new songs to sing…Julie!

I love this place...and all the memories that we make there.

Doggie Friday: off the leash with success

Briggs is a very good dog.  He minds us (for the most part) very well.  He does not need to be leashed when we go anywhere.  He's that kind of dog.

Abbi is smart.  I think really smart (Gordon thinks otherwise).  She listens to me (not Gordon).  But she has to be leashed.  She acts like she doesn't know her own name if she isn't.  And doesn't listen to anyone.  She's very independent and does what she wants.  We're a lot of like.

We went hiking last weekend to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and colors that were all around us.  The dogs love to hike.  Don't let their smallness fool ya.  They can hike with the best of hiking dogs.  Just like any other hike we have gone on, Briggs was free and Abbi was bound.  She kept walking beyond her leash capacity and would look back at me like "hurry up slow poke".  Gordon kept saying "Just take her off her leash" and I kept refusing and keeping her pace much slower than she wanted.  Then after struggling to keep her by my side I decided to do it.  Set her free.

She loved it.  Kept looking back at me almost in disbelief that she was free.

She would run ahead, look back to make sure we were in sight, then continue on.  Listening when I told her to stay.  Coming when I asked her to.

It was like she was a different dog.  Nope.  She's smart.  And knew how to play the game.  Because next time I'll let her be leash free.  And if she continues to do well she'll get more privileges to be free.

I hope she doesn't prove me wrong and keeps up the good wrong.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

it is what gym partners are made for

Jodi (my sister-in-law & gym partner): "Sure wish I was cuddling up in my sweats and hot chocolate tonight during the storm but my slave driver sister in law won't let me"

Me: "Tell me about it.  My sister in law is the same way."

Jodi: "Damn so we're going..."

I wouldn't trade gym partner for the world.

I wouldn't be running as many miles as I do,

have 2 hour gym nights,

or wake up early for a Saturday morning workout without her.

and we wouldn't have gone last night if we both didn't make each other go...glad we did cause yoga was amazing!

swimsuits in October...say it aint so.

i can't.  it is so.  and i loved every moment of it.

so handsome...all dressed up for Priesthood session. 

don't mind my Uncle Larry (the one in the hat).  he was trying to be "cool" like my nephew. he did not actually wear that hat to the session.

our church's general conference should only be experienced enjoying the outdoors in beautiful weather.  you get more inspiration that way.

and oddly enough i listened more intently to the radio than i do when i watch it on tv.  we left bear lake feeling uplifted, blessed, and encouraged to continue on.

he's so deprived

Gordon snuck these in our grocery cart. Usually I catch these sorts of things. It’s usually beer (which is just a joke…he’s never had a sip of the stuff). Or something full of partially hydrogenated oils.


I have a rule for our grocery store trips: no foods that have high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils in them.


It just so happens that one of Gordon’s favorite foods (if you can even call them that) is fruit snacks. He loves them all. Especially the ones with the filling. Sadly, most of them are full of high fructose corn syrup. I’ve found alternatives for him. But he says they’re not the same.


And so he snuck in Mario Bros. fruit snacks. And like a little kid he said “but they’re Mario Bros.” and “they're made with real fruit”.

I’m such a mean wife.
really i am...apparently i made him feel so bad that he took the rest of the fruit snacks to his scouting activity for the boys to eat.  he only ate one package.  i do sort of feel bad.  but then i think about all the horrible things they are made of that he doesn't need in his body and i realize i'm really doing him a favor.