I LOVE Denver

We recently took a trip back to Denver.  I had forgotten how much I miss it.  We ate at the Smiling Moose almost everyday, had some Bonnie Brae ice cream, went to the Museum of Nature and Science, and got to play with old friends.  I have missed my friends there so much, but didn't quite realize it until I went back.  I forgot how comfortable I am just hanging out with all of them.  It was kind of hard to leave.  It was a bit difficult being in just one hotel room for 3 nights.  We tried to have Caden and Ciara share a bed, but that didn't work.  Caden is just a maniac.  He wouldn't let Ciara sleep.  So I slept with her, and Rocky tried to sleep with Caden.  Didn't work.  Caden thrashed so much he eventually fell out of the bed at around midnight.  I went and got in bed with them, and after he buried his head in my stomach, and tried to open my eyes and mouth with his fat little finger, he fell asleep.  The next morning, I immediately called down to have a crib sent up.  He slept wonderfully in that.  Both kids even took naps each day we were there.  I thought it might be impossible, but it worked.  They were both really great in the car as well.  And I have to give credit to the in car DVD player.  What a miracle.  Worked like a charm.  I have one complaint about the ride home.  Rocky forgot his wallet, so I had to drive the ENTIRE way home.  I don't recommend driving for that long.  It sucked.  On another subject. . . it amazes me how much Ciara is learning every Sunday.  She is really starting to grasp certain church ideas.  First, she was really worried about the Holy Ghost, because someone had nailed him to the wall.  I tried to explain that it was Jesus, not the Holy Ghost, and that he wasn't nailed to the wall, but to the cross.  She didn't believe me.  A few weeks later, she seemed to get the right idea, but wanted to know where the Holy Ghost lives.  I said he lives in every one's heart.  That wasn't good enough either.  She kept asking to see him, and she wanted him to come over and play.  But she did get the heart idea.  A few days later, she was laying on my chest, and looked up at me and said, "Mom, I can hear the Holy Ghost."  Now, her big thing is Jesus.  She really wants to play with him.  She was knocking on the window the other day, and she tells me, "Mom, Jesus wants to come over and play.  Can we invite him over?"  I tried to explain that Jesus is up in Heaven with Heavenly Father.  She then asks me if heaven is where you go when you die, where the angels are.  I said yes.  Which then prompts here to say, "But mom, Jesus came back.  He died, and then he came back, so why is he up in heaven."  I tried to explain that heaven is his home, but she was just so sure that he came back, and wasn't dead.  I was quite shocked that she seemed to understand the basics of the resurrection.  She still talks about inviting Jesus over to play.  And one more subject change . . . I was so excited to see Sex and the City over the weekend!  It lived up to all my expectations.  I can't wait to see it again.  If any of you haven't seen it, and need someone to see it with, let me know.  I will TOTALLY go again.

Week In Review

I was at first a little sad about the American Idol decision, but have since come to terms with it.  I have decided that David Cook has a better sense of who he is, and is less likely to be corrupted by the "biz."  And also, after listening to them both on a CD, Cook's voice carries over better onto the CD.  Archuleta still sounds great, but not nearly as moving as on the stage.  Hopefully Archuleta will get a bit more mature, and get a better sense of who he is, instead of who his family/dad wants him to be, and them maybe he will be ready for celebrity.  

And all hail Grey's.  I know, I comment on it every week, but I am just so happy after I watch it.  I was so psyched that Meredith seems to have gotten over her issues, and I loved the ending.  I was so shocked with the Callie/Erica kiss, and just loved every minute of it.   

We are leaving on Sunday to go to Denver.  How psyched am I?  Ciara has been talking about it non stop since we decided to go.  I don't know how much she actually remembers, but she is very excited to see all her friends.  I am just excited to be there again, and to see the city, the parks, and all my friends.  Rocky is looking forward to eating at the Smiling Moose 3 times a day, and possibly Heidi's as well.  I am not looking forward to the long drive with the 2 kids, but they have gotten to the age where they are relatively good travelers.  And having the TV in the car helps as well.

Rocky has finally consented to get Ciara's ears pierced.  I was surprised at how expensive it has become!  I went and looked at Sweet and Sassy, the salon where she had her princess party.  Like most places, you purchase the earrings, and the piercing is free.  Well, I was shocked to discover that the earrings were $35.  I thought that maybe this placed was just way over priced.  I looked online at Claire's, and they are also the same price.  Has it been that long since I had something pierced?  Oh well.  She is so excited, she can't wait.  I keep telling her that might hurt, but she says it won't.  She had such a good time looking at all the different earrings, and was disappointed that we weren't piercing them right away.  I explained that we have to wait for Aunt Lori to come with us.  Since our Aunt took us to get our ears pierced, Lori has decided that it is the Aunt's job.  So next Saturday is the big day.  I will let you all know how it goes.  And if anyone knows of a good place to get pierced (besides the mall, or Sweet and Sassy) let me know!  And I will blog again upon our return to SLC.

City Mouse and Country Mouse

Yesterday, Rocky and I took the day to drive around and visit different areas that we want to live in.  No, I am not talking about driving around Sandy, or South Jordan.  We drove to Morgan, Heber, and then to Lehi.  It was a lot of driving.  Rocky seems to have got it in his head that we need to move to a smaller town.  I am a little afraid of this.  I have never really lived in a small town.  OK, Tulsa is not all that metropolitan, but it is larger than any of those towns I previously mentioned, and it was not my favorite place to live.  (and yes, I know that Lehi doesn't qualify either, but we really aren't considering moving to Utah county.)  Our first stop was Morgan.  I don't know how I first heard of Morgan, but I have a feeling it was when Rocky decided he wanted to move to Liberty or Eden.  Neither of these are really that close to Park City (where his office will be).  So I looked at a map, and discovered Morgan.  I did some research online, and found that home prices are pretty decent, and I researched the schools. Didn't seem too bad, but still, I am hesitant.  I am just a little terrified to live so far away from civilization.  Morgan is about 40 minutes from Park City, and maybe 20 from Ogden.  So that means it is a good hour to Salt Lake.  That just seems like a long drive.  But to my surprise, I actually liked Morgan.  I was really surprised.  We stopped to eat lunch there, and there were many young families, and none of them looked like hicks.  No one had wranglers on, and I didn't see one cowboy hat.  We even talked to a couple about living there, and they only had good things to say.  We saw some really cute houses as well.  And according to the internet, the schools look pretty decent.  In the 11th grades tests, Morgan school district scored 3rd in the state (pretty good, I think).  There is a lot of new construction, and it is just a pretty area.  One of the main reasons I am even considering leaving is due to pollution.  You may think this isn't a big enough problem to leave, but Caden has been on a nebulizer since he was 9 months old.  On bad pollution days, I notice a definite difference in his breathing.  So our hope is to help him get better by going to an area with little pollution.  It was so pretty, and so quiet.  Our next stop was Heber.  I have been to Heber before, but usually just to pass through.  I was so surprised at how it had grown!  It was so busy, with people EVERYWHERE.  No so small town.  However, Heber is expensive.  We can hardly afford anything.  And the places we can afford, although they are newly built, are the ghetto.  The yards are all full of dandelions, or they have just removed all the grass.  There are also cars parked everywhere!  Besides having 2 car garages, they would have another 2 cars in the driveway, plus maybe another on the street, and one on the dandelion/dirt yard.  Not somewhere we really want to live.  Since Rocky's office will be in Park City, Heber is a logical choice.  We cannot afford anything in Park City, and Heber is the only city around that I will consider.  I hope no one reading this comes from any of these places, but I refuse to live in Coalville, Hoytsville, or any other ville up in that area.  I once worked in Park City, and I worked with some people from these small areas, and there are not too many things nice I can say about them (Nicole C., I am sure you remember them).  They were everything I couldn't stand, and embodied all that is evil about small towns.  So you might understand my hesitancy to move to one of those places.  Also, we noticed a haze around Heber.  It seems as though the SLC pollution is making its way up the mountains.  I know it is better than SLC, but still, if we are getting away, shouldn't we pick a clean air place?  Lehi was just a stop to see some new golf course homes.  Rocky did some work for the builder, so we get a discount and wanted to check it out.  We are both really against living in Utah county, but these houses were really cute, but so out of the way for a commute to Park City.  So that was our day.  All in all, we both really loved Morgan.  That is probably our first choice, but we are not moving anytime soon.  I am waiting for Rocky's office to be permanently there (he is still in Sandy for the time being).  And I wanted to know if any of you had grown up in a small town, and if you liked it.  I just worry about the kids, and if this would be beneficial to them, or not. And I worry about being bored.  No gym, no movie theatres, no nice restaurants . . .  Oh well, we aren't moving yet, and who knows if we will.  Just something we are considering.

Thanks, Nicole C.

ABC's of Me!

Attached or Single: Attached (8 years almost)

Best Friend: Depends on what stage of life.  Growing up, Lesley.  High school, Jonathan.  College, Tiina and Nancy.  Now, I guess it would be my sister.

Cake or Pie: I LOVE cake.  

Day of Choice: Friday

Essential Item: Chapstick and my Dansko shoes.

Favorite Color: Red and yellow.

Gummy Bears or Worms: I prefer the bears, worms are just too long.

Hometown: This, I cannot answer.  I have no hometown.

Indulgence: Chocolate and popcorn.

January or July: Hmmm, probably January.

Kids: Ciara (4) and Caden (2).  Does Rocky count?

Life is incomplete without: My kids and husband.

Marriage Date: September 29, 2000

Number of siblings: Just one sister.

Orange or Apples: Oranges.

Phobias or Fears: Spiders, and losing family.

Quote: "Married a lesbian, left a man at the alter, married a gay ice dancer, threw a girl's wooden leg in the fire, live in a box!"

Ring Size: 6, I think.  Not too sure.

Season: Autumn.

Tag 3 Friends: Sarah, Jennifer and Mindi.

Unknown Fact About Me: I once had a (really cute) nose ring and I have 3 tattoos.  I can also wave my second toe.

Very Favorite Store: Nordstrom.

Worst Habit: Nagging.

X-ray or Ultrasound: What?  I guess Ultrasound, although it has been a while since I have had one.

Your Favorite Food: Thai/Chinese and Cake/Godiva Cheesecake.

Zodiac: Libra.

Explanations

So you all may have noticed that my last post was a little different.  That is because I didn't write it.  My lovely brother-in-law did that one for me.  Thanks, Brandon!  It is a great mother's day present!  I won't delete it as a tribute to you.

And I have finalized my list: Justin Timberlake, Andy Roddick, Colin Farrell, Ashton Kutcher, and Leonardo DiCaprio.  I know, many of you are questioning my Leo obsession, but have you seen "The Departed"?  He has grown up!  No longer all lanky and skinny, he has become quite manly.  So there you have it, my final list.  

Ciara now has been asking to get her ears pierced.  I was kind of surprised, I expected her to request this much later.  But last week, she came home from school saying, "Mom, I need to get my ears peered like Gracson."  She doesn't say pierced, just peered.  I am OK with it, but Rocky says no for now.  I was somewhat surprised by his saying no.  I figured that being a dad, he really wouldn't care about pierced ears.  I have decided that her wanting to do this makes her more of a little girl, and not a baby.  I think this scares Rocky a bit.  Pretty soon, she will start to have crushes on boys.  This should get interesting!

Hoo Dat!

Daaayum this is some good weed. Mah hubby sho knows what mama wants for mama's day, and mama wants to get hiiiigh. I'm just gon sit back, drink this here forty, smoke this blunt and wait for Sanford and Son to come on. I just love that Lamont. He crayzeee!

My "List"

I have mentioned this list before, and after thinking about it some more, I have decided I need to revamp my "list."  For those of you that don't know what the "list" is, it is a list of 5 guys I am allowed to sleep with and Rocky can't get mad.  (Yes, this was taken from a "Friends" episode.  As Chandler put it, "What every healthy relationship needs: trust, communication and sex with celebrities.")  My original list was Andy Roddick, Justin Timberlake, Will Smith, Colin Farrell, and Tom Cruise.  As I said previously, Tom Cruise has been off the list for a few years, but I can't remember who I replaced him with.  First, I thought of Orlando Bloom, but my mom has him on her list, and that is just weird to share a guy with your mom, so I decided not to have him on my list.  So I have an open spot, and I have kind of gone off Will Smith.  (Will Smith was added to the list after the death of Tupac, he was my "gangsta love.")  I want to keep Andy Roddick, Justin Timberlake and Colin Farrell, but that leaves me with 2 open spots.  After seeing interviews with Ashton Kutcher, I have decided that he is just adorable, and so fun, so I may add him to my list.  But that still leaves me one open spot.  I have been digging on Patrick Dempsey lately, and also Eric Dane (McSteamy).  But I just don't know.  So if you have anyone you can suggest, let me know!  I need to get this list done so it can be laminated (no, not really, but just another "Friends" reference).

Some Updates

Well, my Sunday calling is official: I am teaching the kids turning 8 (the CTR A's, I believe).  What is the difference between CTR A and CTR B?  This confuses me.

Also, I have had to give up on the running.  Yes, I know, you thing I am a wuss.  But, seriously, my knees were killing me the night and day after I ran.  And I tried running again, but the same thing happened.  I could hardly walk up the stairs afterwards.  I never thought I had bad knees, but I guess I do.  My new favorite exercise is the stair machine.  Wow, that kicks my butt.  Today, I climbed about 95 flights of stairs (almost 2 miles).  Way to go me!  My head was actually sweating.  

I have decided to start scrapbooking again.  It has been way too long.  Although, to take the pressure off, I will not be scrapbooking every picture.  I am just going to pick my favorites and do those.  I will have photo albums with all the other pictures in it, but just the ones where I can slip the pictures in.  I am very excited to start this (I just ordered some stuff, and am waiting to get it in).  

OK, better go.  Laundry is calling . . .

All the Right Moves

I know, 2 blogs in one day!  But I just turned on Oprah, and Tom Cruise is on, and I am compelled to write.  

They are shooting from his house is Telluride, and of course, it is beautiful.  I have decided that those of us that live in close range to mountains take them for granted too much.  I know, we have smog, and the air makes it look gross, but they are still beautiful.

I have been on a Tom Cruise boycott since his comment about Brooke Shields.  I am putting a hold on this boycott just to see what he has to say.  I want to believe that he is misunderstood, but all he can say right now is that it came out wrong.  He is clarifying that he personally does NOT believe in prescriptions for psychological problems.  Ohhh, now we are going into Scientology.  "We're here to help."  (that is a direct quote from Tom).  Mystery solved, he does believe in God.  

I am still a little wary of Tom, and don't think I will put him back on my list (he was on my list of 5 guys I am allowed to sleep with, but after the couch jumping and the postpartum depression, I took him off my list).  I do feel bad for how much he (and Katie and Suri) has been hounded by the press.  I am sure that if I were chased around so much and recorded, I would say all sorts of stupid things.  I say them all the time, but luckily no cameras are around when I do it.  I do feel bad for all the scrutiny that was placed on them (especially Katie) during the pregnancy.  I can't imagine someone trying to find out about my Doctor's appointments, and delivery.  And I understand why they tried to keep Suri out of the press.  I guess that my boycott might be over, but he still is not back on my list.  

Random-ness

I just have to reiterate how sublimely happy I am now that Grey's is back.  I am kind of enjoying the "Callie-Erica" couple thing.  This should be interesting.  I am very sad that Addison is not staying though.  I am not a huge fan of her new show, I prefer her on Grey's.  

OK, I am now watching Inside Edition, and they are doing this show on open marriage.  Why even be married if you are going to "share him" as the wife puts it.  She is actually making out with this guy in front of her husband!  And they let the sex partners babysit!  What is that all about?  

I have a new obsession:  the Cricut.  I am trying to get back into scrapbooking (I haven't made anything since I made my sister's baby book almost 2 years ago).  I have discovered this machine, and I LOVE IT.  I am trying to convince Rocky that I need one, but he isn't buying it.  It is really expensive, so I know that it is a long shot.  He did say that if I made enough money to purchase one, then I could get it.  So I guess that means I need to be a sales person.  I beg of you all, if you like Arbonne, and need some, please buy some from me!  Everything I make will go towards the purchase of my Cricut machine!  :)

I am so happy that the sun is out today.  Thank goodness the snow didn't stick.  This should be a good weekend.  Tonight we are meant to go to my mother-in-law's friend's house.  I don't know why exactly.  She called last night to invite us, (she had meant to do it earlier, but forgot-shocker!) and what was I supposed to say?  Rocky was upset that I told her we would go, but what else am I supposed to tell his mother?  I guess they are having an Easter egg hunt for the kids. . . why?  Easter was a month ago.  I don't get it.  But we are going anyways.  

For all you blogger experts:  why does my post start as double spaced, but then switch after I hit the enter button?  And where is everyone finding these pretty templates for their blogs?