Monday Mingle Vlog Jan 25, 2010

Time for Monday Mingle vlog.

It's been a few weeks since I've joined in, but I'm here this week.

My Dream....

I'm beginning to wonder if I will ever "GET IT TOGETHER!!" 

What do I mean by this?  Well, that's what I'm still trying to figure out.

I was able to visit with my really good friend from college on Monday, and just loved being with her, and being in her home. 

Why did I like it so much?  Well it was everything my house isn't. 

Her home is so CLEAN!! Minimal items in every room, and the walls are tan and look sharp with contrasting white base boards and trims.  She has more then one bathroom, that's definately a plus.  She has a downstairs that has a "family/rec room" down there, and there is absolutely not one bit of clutter anywhere!!

Not to mention her house is a lot newer than mine!! So things are fairly updated and look nice, and she has room for the kids to be wild, and to send them downstairs when she wants quiet upstairs. 

Oh how I wish I had the space!!

So in my new quest to find some kind of newness for me, I'm on a mission to declutter this house.  I've started in my living room, and have half the room done. With more downsizing to take place really soon. 

Next is the kitchen, followed by the bathroom area and then the bedrooms.  I've actually been going through all the "too small, too dingy, and too torn up" clothes and have thrown lots of it away, and have yet to get all the laundry done at the same time.  It feels great to get rid of this stuff...so watch out, and stay out of my way  please. 

I might not have a big house, and might not be a great decorator, but I can start with eliminating all the junk and clutter that has no use in my home.  And I'm too scared to think about the MESS that awaits me in the cellar that has become the dumping grounds and really has no order to it, until recently. 

Someday I'll have a home that is bigger in size, and newer in age and then I'll not have to worry about the electrical wiring that needs to be redone, and even add in extra outlets and have to pay for that.  And maybe one day I can live in a home where all my kids can have their own rooms, and that the lights are turned on with switches rather than a pull string.  Where my office, library, and living room will all take up roots in different and separate spaces.  Where I will have adequate cupboard space and use of my walls in the kitchen, and taht the kitchen cabinetry will all match.  My bathroom will have a fan for ventilation, and then I won't feel so bad for taking my warm showers.  I'll have a big screen TV, with a few lazy boys, and in my library a huge bean bag where I will perch myself when I read.  I'd like a bay window in my bedroom so that I could sit there and read as well. 

But let me get back to reality, and just be appreciative of my home that I do have. Because it's something we can afford with the job we are fortunate to have.  But I hear it's also great to have a dream/goal so that life always seems worth going on.  (not to say without this one dream, that my life would not be worth living, because it most certainly is, this just helps)

I'm so glad that I have a husband that is able to know and figure out how much we can really afford and that we were smart with the type of loan we got into.  I'm glad that we didn't run into trouble and not be able to afford the before mentioned dream house and now be facing foreclosure or become homeless even.  I'm grateful for my roof over my head, and the job my husband has.  I'm also grateful for my kids, even when they get crazy and ridiculous.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  Until the time and money are right.

A letter to someone from my past....

I've decided to follow suit and join up with Mama Kat on a writing prompt. So here's a letter to my first love that broke my heart....


Hey You,

I just wanted to send a letter letting you know how much you really meant to me!! I felt a real connection to you, and you always seemed to get my heart pumping fast whenever you walked into the room.  I thought maybe we'd have been able to really have and pursue a relationship.  And if you had intentions of not doing so, you certainly didn't let it known.

I remember dropping by and visiting and talking with you for hours, and watch you clean and take care of all your guns and ammo stuff.  Then we'd go out and you'd shoot them off. 

Yeah, I remember kissing you, and thought I was in absolute heaven!!  And then every time we would see each other after that, my blood was boiling because you'd seem to heat up the room.  I really felt that I loved you, and part of me still does. 

But when I was informed right before I headed off to college that you were actually (three timing) seeing another girl in the stake, myself, plus a girl that was somewhere in Utah at the time.  As in the words of Buttercup, " I died that day!!"  but fortunately I knew that what we had wasn't true love. 

I managed to get beyond my feelings I had for you, it was tough but I managed.  I wanted someone who was good, and would treat me well, and if I had pretended everything was good with us, I'd have been really upset within a short while. 

You thought you were a jerk when I found all this out, but I'm so glad I had a dear family friend tell me of such actions.  Yes I was sad and distraught, but I've moved on. 

I've now been happily married for 11 and half years, and you know what else... you may be the only one that can stir such feeling within me, but your kiss wasn't as good as my husbands!!! 

Hope you have had a nice life, but seriously I have heard you've gone a different way in life than I wanted to go, and so I think it really was best that things ended when and how they did.  And I seriously pray and hope that you aren't hurting any other hearts out there the same way mine was hurt and broken. 

But thanks for the experience because really it's part of who I am today, and a great reminder of what someone needs to know about a signicant other.  You just didn't have it, but I hope someday you can make a lady really happy and truly love her. 

I used to care about you....
and sometimes I still think of you....

But I know I'm better off without you.  Sorry but that's just how it is.

Heart Broken but I've moved on,
Wendy

Wordless Wednesday, Mostly ....not.

A picture from my recent trip to California.

 We visited my Great Grandfather, and here the two of us are!! 

He's turning 90 this next August (2010) and I'm turning 32 in April.

5 GENERATIONS!!!

My Mom and Grandma just had their birthdays while we were there too.

They turned 51 and 70.

And my oldest daughter is turning 11 this year come April.  And except for Papa Jones,

all the females are the first borns.

Birthday Suprises concieved by my little brain.

It's Tuesday Wednesday and I'm in California !!! (I think I lost a day since I was in the car all day on Tuesday)    No I haven't moved here, but I was a little devious and planned a suprise visit to my parents place.  Where everyone around knew we were coming except for my mother.  We devised the plan in such a way that we were able to leave early the morning of the 29th of December, and amazingly enough arrive right around dinner time, and my Mom was completely surprised and had no clue that we were coming.  It also helped that I was able to call her while en route and claim that we were headed to a friends house later that night, and wouldn't be able to call her later so I wanted to do it then. 

Being the sneaky little devil that I am I crafted this little plan and it completely came together like bread on hot butter.  My mom was completely surprised and had no clue.  Her face was priceless and I can hardly wait until I get home and can download it, and find out how well/bad it turned out.  

Now you might not think that surprising someone for a birthday is a big deal, but when I live in Utah, and my Mom lives in California and the drive is around 10 -11 hours long.. and you don't get to see each other very often it makes  moments like these very sweet.  

And to top it off, we are going to take a trip tomorrow to visit with my Great Grandfather which happens to be my children's great great grandfather, and we'll have five generations there.  How awesome is that!!   We'll be getting an updated 5 generation picture.  And the cool thing on top of this, happens to be that we came on my Mom's birthday which was the 29th, and my Grandma's birthday is Jan 1st and she'll be turning 70!! And my Papa Jones (my great grandfather) will be turning 90 in 2010 !!! 

He's never had the chance to meet my two boys yet, and it's been even longer since I've been to his house, and we'll head there tomorrow. 

I love life and all the surprises that bounce my way. 

And it sure is great to get some time away from Utah, to get a change of scenery !!!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Just wishing you a Merry Christmas at this time of the year, and may your family be blessed, and be safe this Holiday season. 

CHristmas Tag... What can I say...I'm a sucker for these.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? WRAPPING PAPER all the way!!! Unless the item isn't a good one to wrap, and then we improvise.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I love the smell of real trees, but couldn't hack spending the same amount of money on a tree ever year, so we have an artificial tree that won't die!! Bonus!!

3. When do you put up the tree? We try to set it up the weekend after Thanksgiving!! Always a fun time for our family.

4. When do you take the tree down? Well Usually by the 1st of the new year. (But this year it will have to wait until ... well I can't say it's a surprise....shhhhh)

5. Do you like eggnog? <<<<<>>>>

6. Favorite gift? Well I really enjoyed what Chris did for me last year. He supplied me with some cash to purchase tickets to go see Twilight, because I hadn't seen it yet. And there was enough money to grab a bite to eat before hand too. This was a girls night out with my sister in laws. Awesome ladies. Plus he had a nice bracelet waiting for me in the tree. I LOVE IT!!!

7. Hardest person to buy for? Chris. Yeah, sure he says he doesn't want anything, but if I have some money I can use on him, I try to use it. But everything he wants/needs are usually clothes, and he likes he stuff a "CERTAIN" way, so it's hard to surprise him with it.

8. Easiest person to buy for? The youngest kid. They are always so easy to please. (But it might be the age factor)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Maybe the question to ask is how many do I own?? I have 12 right now, and I love to collect them. So every few years, I try and acquire a new nativity. I love them.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Well, of course, I mail them. But sometimes I forget a few people, or get surprised by someone sending me a card I wasn't expecting, and then if I can I send them a scanned version of what we sent out. And then add them to the list the next year.

11. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received? They have all been pretty practical, although there was a white elephant one time that consisted of one hot pad. Not really a big deal but this thing was half grey and BRIGHT orange. It was rather obnoxious. but like I said it was practical. But I don't think I have it anymore, I think I passed it on.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Oh my, I can't even narrow it down. That's what I want to do next week, is watch lots of Christmas Movies. I do really enjoy A Christmas Story.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? When I have the money. So usually end of NOvember or December. This year we started the day after Thanksgiving.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Call me lame but I love DEVILED EGGS!!! And the pies afterward!! Yummy stuff....this is making me slightly hungry.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, and we switch off from colored to white. Chris prefers white, and I like multi. This year we have white lights. Because we hung the colored strand around the girls bedroom.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Angels we have hear on high. And Oh Holy Night.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We usually stay home for Christmas, and just visit with close family later in the day, but still return home to our beds.

19.Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Well if they are all named in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer than HECK YEAH I know them.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? STAR. IT changes every year. Next year will be interesting to see what we put on the tree. Since we are going to do a HOME MADE Christmas Tree.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning.

22.Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Everyone is TOO busy, to just hang out and spend time together.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? My ornament theme at the moment... anything that is Shatterproof. I have kids. And next year, we're going to do something a lot different. It'll be exciting getting everything ready for next year.

24. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner? Usually it's a tukey. But one turkey memory blends into another turkey memory, and soon all is forgotten, but one year, we didn't have money to buy the turkey so we just had lasagne and the kids LOVED it. And so did I!!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? For my family to be HAPPY! And to spend time with those that mean a lot to me!! ALthough a LAZY BOY would be a great addition!! But that will have to wait for now. A new computer would be nice, a DSLR camera, A bigger house.... I could go on and on. But I know that these things won't happen this year, but it's always good to have goals to work towards. Right.