Socks for all.

For awhile now I have wanted to post about my socks. I have a love hate relationship with my foot attire. I hate to wear socks, but when I do, I have those that I love. Some because they are just fun and others with sentimental value.

These socks were given to me for my birthday by Brenda. I have another pair in brown. I love them for cold days and to warm up my feet in bed.

These are a cheap substitute for a pair I loved. Leslie and I bought tweety bird slipper socks together 800 years ago or so. They just recently wore out at the back and I had to throw them away. It was a sad day. These were purchased around the same time.
These were also a gift. They were from Justin "Yellow" for Valentine's Day. Who would give socks to someone for Valentine's Day you ask? Well now that explains a lot about him doesn't it. However, they are extremely warm and as they come up to my knees practically, they are perfect for cold days and hot cocoa.
Last but not least, the socks and pajamas that were a gift from Marissa and Tiff. I love the gripper bottom feature of the toe socks. Very sexy.
As a whole it's all really silly, but I just can't seem to part with them.

Don't worry, I can blackmail myself. Part 1

So, moving always presents itself with it's ups and downs. The downs are that you have to pack up your life and move it to a new location. The ups are that you get a chance to remember your life... for better or for worse.

As I was going through a box that I have hauled around since High School, I stumbled upon a variety of items that made me laugh right out loud! I feel the need to share.

First. One of my favorite things about going to my Grandma's house was sneaking into her room and playing with her grandma jewelry. The chunky beads and gaudy earrings were just so dang fun. So, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to make a collection of my own. I was going to keep those items of jewelry that I had outgrown but my kids and grand kids would be sure to love. I kept them in a Noxema box of all things. I have literally hauled it around for years and just today I decided to open it up and see what treasures I had vowed to pass on to my posterity.... oh my.

I give to you the single earring that used to be a set. Why on earth I kept them... My favorite it is the 2nd half of the "best friends" earring. I'm pretty sure that Ed had the first half.

Next come proof of my once-upon-a-long-time-ago infatuation with dragons. Sorry it's a little blurry, couldn't get it any better in current conditions. I used to wear it with a purple shirt. This one actually did come from my Grandma! Shazaam!
Did I ever tell you I had a rock tumbler? I got it for Christmas one year. No one knew that the stupid thing had to run for months on end in order for it to work. My parents regretted it the moment I took it out of the box. I only made it one round myself. I honestly don't remember this one, but I must have kept it for the many beautiful colors that my kids were sure to love! And who can forget the friendship bracelets handmade in the comfort of Mr. Washburn's arts and crafts class. And my all time favorite laugh out loud collection. Each one is slightly smaller than the palm of my hand and made of plastic. I can hardly find the words. It was these gems that made me laugh the hardest,

My heart is light

Oh happy day!

K, so it's been quite awhile since I have had so much to look forward to. Usually it's doctor's appointments with not so good news, but today is different. Yesterday we moved a good chunk of our stuff into our new house. In fact, we only left the pictures on the wall and minimal furniture. Our cupboards are practically bare. We'd give Old Mother Hubbard a run for her money. We did take the liberty of purchasing Totino's pizzas, pot pies, and cold cereal for our daily fare while still in our pink-ivy wonder. Pathetic, I know. But I really don't care.

The good part is that I put away all of our food and food storage, plates, cups, mixing bowls, spices, etc. into the new house and I actually have room to spare!!! I have cupboard that are currently empty! I never realized just how lacking our kitchen really is in the realm of cupboards and space to put things. It made me want to do a little dance!

It is exciting. It's nice to have this tender mercy fall right into our hands. It's felt as if we were stuck in a rut with life. We've needed change, but now is not the time to change jobs and we clearly have not much say in the size of our family right now. So a change of home scenery is just what the doctor ordered! And fortunately we are still close to some of our good friends in the ward. It's been decided that if we lose contact just because we are no longer in the ward that we are all grounded. Besides, I was in Primary, not like I got to "hang" with people at church anyways.

Long post I know, but life is just so good right now. Feels good to wallow in the positive for a change.

Come philosophize with me

Why am I such a glutton for punishment?!

You know those people that you used to hang around with that were so dang much fun. You laughed, you cried, then you went your separate ways. Life takes it's twists and turns and you find yourself in different paths, and quite happy with it too. Then life twists your way again and you come face to face with a opportunity to renew a friendship. Only you're not really sure if you want to.

It's the rose-colored glasses scenario. You look back at those memories with fondness, initially. Then as you dwell on the past you realize that perhaps said past wasn't as rosy as you prefer to remember. In fact, if you are completely and brutally honest with yourself, a lot of those times really sucked rocks. Like that one time when everyone was invited to dinner but you. Or that other time when you are conveniently left out of the end result of your own "hey we should all get together for dinner sometime" idea. It's then that you begin to question if any of it was real or if you were simply a "friend" because you happened to be breathing and in close proximity at the time. A friend by default.

Well, it's time to take a stand... right? Why get it touch with people that just do the same thing as before? Invite you over and then leave because they got a better offer at the last minute. Friends?? I don't think so. More like a reminder of a semi-painful past. Who needs it?

Real friends are those you keep in touch with and mean it. No smoke blown. Whether you get in contact daily, weekly, or yearly, doesn't matter so much as the sincerity.

Moving!

So, yeah... we're moving. Not too far away though, just a slightly better location and a lot better home. Not that I don't just love the little pink ivy wonder that is our home right now, I just can't say no to a garage and two bathrooms.

K, so here's the scoop. David and I weren't planning on looking for another place to live for quite awhile. We both hate to pack things up and resettle, reorganize, or readjust to a new place. I think it stems from the fact that both of us have a healthy lazy streak. However, things just fell into our laps.

Last Sunday, fate made us early for church. We were actually going to choir practice in the morning and it had been cancelled. Instead of spending an additional 45 minutes at home I opted to stay at the church while David went home. As it turned out I ran into an old friend and he asked if I knew anyone that needed a place to rent. He was moving to Las Vegas and was planning on renting out his house. I got the information and thought to myself... "huh."

Couple of days later I talked to David about just going and looking. We'll, we both loved it. New kitchen counters, actual closets to put clothes in, and two whole bathrooms. And best of all we will actually be paying $25.00 less than we are currently paying! Woo-hoo! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am! Closets!! Actual closets!! I tell ya, it's the simple things in life that really get me. We'll be moving in two weeks so I'll post pictures of the new place soon... maybe. Depends on how long it takes to get everything moved over... including the internet.

25 Random Things About Me

1. I can't throw a live plant out even if I hate it. It usually works best if someone else does the dirty work for me. In fact I would rather commit "accidental" murder and let it freeze outside while "getting sun" than throw it out healthy and alive.

2. I use the same alarm clock I used during high school complete with melted button from where I put a curling iron on it. Still works!

3. I am going to learn how to knit, my first lesson is tonight!

4. I have recently developed a fetish for earrings. I don't know how it happened. During my mission and several years after I had the same pair of silver "balls" in my ears, as in they never left my ears. Now I don't even know where they are. I have big dangly things that David is still shocked about.

5. My favorite holiday is Christmas followed closely by Halloween.

6. I hate shrimp. It's like eating dead fingers.

7. I never really learned how to swim even though I took swimming lessons as a child. I can do the dead man's float really well though.

8. I like to scrapbook, though you wouldn't know it because the urge only comes once or twice a year. I have to take advantage of it.

9. I HATE cleaning the bathroom. David is kind enough to do it for me.

10. I have several pairs of socks with sentimental value.. sigh.

11. I have two screws in my ring finger.

12. I keep my toenails painted all the time, even in the winter when no one sees.

13. My favorite scent in candle or spray form is Pear.

14. I am allergic to Clover Club BBQ potato chips.

15. I threw up after my first kiss. It was my 16th birthday.

16. I prefer to make my own birthday cake cause then I get exactly what I want.

17. I can read books while running on a treadmill. (It's more difficult when running on the street)

18. I buy my own toothpaste cause I don't like David's choice.

19. I am a cat and a dog person (go figure!)

20. Even though swimsuits are not my friend, my vacation spot of choice will always include a beach.

21. I once cut off a mole on my arm with a pair of fingernail clippers.

22. I hate it when other people try to "organize me" or my stuff or anything else. No touchy.

23. I don't share food unless it is my idea.

24. I like to exercise by myself.

25. Last but not least, I actually like the snow even though I seem to hate it at times.

Let's talk about snow.

So, in my last post I was clearly excited about the sun and it's presence. It was a breath of fresh air, a hint of Spring, the promise of warmth yet to come. Oh that Saturday could have stayed! But alas, I live in Utah, in Northern Utah, in the cold ice pit that is Cache Valley... it's snowing again.

Silver linings... we really do need the wetness. It's not sticking too badly. I love the way it coats the trees with it's puffy whiteness. Ummm... the slush squishes underneath my feet when I walk and sometimes on to people if I'm not too careful. I still get to wear scarves(love them). There's nothing like toast and hot chocolate to get you warm and cozy.

Tis a beautiful day.

What a gorgeous day! I can't believe it! I'm actually not in an office and the sun is shining! I couldn't have asked for a better Saturday.

So, life is looking pretty good right now. I have a clean house (amazing I know) my laundry is done, my groceries are purchased and it's only 3 in the afternoon. What I couldn't do if I didn't have to go to a regular job... sigh.

I do like my job, but the thoughts of running into a million dollars with nowhere to go but my bank account would really lift up my spirits. K, so money isn't everything and the government would get half anyway, but it sure would be fun for awhile. But alas, tis not to be.

Still, it's nice to have the sun. I even opened the windows in my house! It's been in need of a good airing-out for awhile now, but it was always so cold and dark by the time I got off of work that it just didn't seem like much fun. Now that I can it's almost like airing out my soul, which needed it desperately as well.

So, enjoy this day all of you out there and know that Spring will come! It just has to!

"Ah, But Your Land is Beautiful"

I recently finished reading this book by Alan Paton. This is the second book of his that I have read and by far my favorite of the two.

The book is set in South Africa during the time of apartheid (1950's). The separation of races and the justification thereof is addressed throughout. I find his writing both difficult at times and yet fascinating. This book particularly. It is told through many forms. Conversations, newspaper clippings, letters to family. As a reader you follow the story through many eyes, yet none of them omniscient and only few spots are narrative. It is an intricately woven story with complex characters that still leave questions in the mind as to whether they were good or bad. To be hated or pitied.

As in all race-related issues, there are rarely clear-cut answers to anything except that equality should be given to all regardless of race, religion, or creed. That's the ideal, how everything really should be. Unfortunately there are still people battling pre-conceived notions of other people and they don't even know it. I often wonder what I would have been like had I grown up in a different time. Would I have joined the Freedom Riders of the 60's or marched with Martin Luther King Jr. Would I have had the guts to speak out against my race and stand for what was right rather than popular? It makes me wonder if I am taking the back seat and don't know it.

How wonderful would it be if we could wave a magic wand and have 300 years of slavery disappear in our history. Not just from the books, but the anger from the hearts. The hurt, the pain, all taken away as if it had never been. The notion that one people is better than another, the perception of lower and upper class as though at the end of the day we aren't all just people trying to do their best.

Paton's book makes you think, it reaches out and touches your heart in unexpected places. I highly recommend it.

Just one of those things

Last night I put my laundry away... all of it. You should be proud.

Because I am pathetic

Because I am pathetic I haven't been writing in my blog. I'm not sure what I have been doing besides staring at the television like a true couch potato should. I'm not sure exactly how this happened. I remember the days when I used to do things. Weird huh! And I mean aside from the usual housework-never-ends nightmare that is every woman's lot in life. I used to do little projects. Now I'm lucky to re-heat a descent meal and share it with my husband.

I've thought about folding the laundry for 4 days now. We had friends over for the Superbowl, kind of spontaneously, so I shoved the laundry in the basket into the den and haven't removed it yet. This wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't the second batch of laundry that's been shoved there this week. The first was on Tuesday when my piano student came. Apparently I do have some standards.

In all reality I have been addicted to the "play instantly" button on netflix along with MASH episodes (I'm currently on season 4 out of 11) and whatever else I can find on the internet. I can seriously feel my butt getting bigger even as I type. I really have to get back into the swing of things.