New Years Resolutions

Resolutions are as follows:

1. Stop swearing or at least take it to the minimum
2.Learn how to install a sprinkler system
3. Regain some of my flexibility
4. Teach Ella her colors, body parts, animals, etc.
5. Eat less sugar
6. Finish one of my many literary geniuses
7. Be nicer
8. Go to all my church meetings
9. Loose the pounds I gained at Christmas (blaaaaahhhh. Months of hard work, only to be sabotaged by pie. Oh how I love pie!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The wreckage of the day!!! Ella was spoiled rotten and got too many toys! I don't know where they are all going to go!

Christmas morning. Brent had to work so Ella and I spent it with my mom, dad and brother. We got up at 5:30! We are still big kids!

Ella's dollie from Grandma. She was giving it loves.

We played white elephant bingo Christmas Eve night. It was so fun!! Jordan and I won the most, we have the gambling gene in our blood!! Ella thinks she is playing too!

Family picture!!! We had to wait for the timer. You would be surprised how impatient children get in 10 seconds!! Everyone looks oh so beautiful and handsome!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

This Stuff

Every year for Christmas, when my dad worked for Nevada Power, his friend Art would bring him a big Ziploc bag full of this stuff. I don't know when it started but it has been a long time tradition!! We loved it so much and anticipated its arrival every Christmas Holiday. We never knew what it was named. One day my sister and I deemed it "Art Shaner's Magic Potion". And that has been its title ever since!! I begged my dad to get the recipe one summer, when Christmas was too far away to wait for the delicious goodness. A few days later he brought it home. It was hand written with no title. I always laugh when I picture: 2 men, dressed in Dickie's work clothes, steel toed boots and hard hats, exchanging recipes at break time!! I LOVE this stuff!! I can't just have a taste and walk away. I can't just have one taste. I have to eat half the bowl and have someone physically remove it from my sight or I eat until I am sick. I think it's the Karo syrup that addicts me.

Does anyone know the real name of this stuff?

Only 6 Days.....

My mom's birthday was yesterday. She turned.....yeah right like I was going to tell!! She really is very young. WAY younger than my friends moms. We all ate too much and the kids went crazy. I don't know what I would do with out her!!

I asked Ella what she wanted Santa Clause to bring her. (Not by any means expecting an answer) She held up one of the books she was looking at and shouted, "BOOKS!" So Santa might have to make one last shopping trip this year!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS and I am so excited it is almost here. The only draw back with Christmas coming, is then it is over. Always a sad day!! The 26th of December has got to be the worst day of the year. We have had our tree up since 2 weeks before Thanksgiving and the decorations went up on Black Friday. I had a cookie day last Saturday. I baked over 100 cookies, made peanut butter fudge, and toffee. I had never made toffee. It isn't too hard, but very stressful!! I think of it as moody candy. It has to be the exact temperature or it goes bad! Ella loves the tree. She loves Christmas lights. We think blue is her favorite color, because she always points to all the blue lights and happily chatters to them.

Ella Update

I realized I haven't given an Ella update since she turned a year old. Yesterday she was 17 months. I can't believe she is that old already! She is 50% for height and 10% for weight.
These pictures were taken by my friend Esther. She did an amazing job. These are only 3 of the dozens of good pictures she took. But I thought I would spare you 100 pictures of my baby!! The above picture is her evil face....frightening I know! (If you want GOOD, inexpensive pictures call Esther Jones)

Ella has the fine and gross motor skills, and the responsive, social development of a 22 month old child. She is doing really well in those departments.

She loves: Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Jordan

Black kitty (her little stuffed toy)

Anything edible!! She loves to eat!! Anything!!

Playing outside

Walks

Birds

Jara

Kitties

Books

What she is afraid of:

Dogs

The Train

Jack

Strangers

Wind Shield Wipers

Things she can't do: I know as you read above some of you were thinking, oh how lovely, she's advanced in some areas. And the other half were thinking, great another bragging mama. Good news!! Ella's not perfect!! She doesn't speak. She says kitty and daddy and that is about it. Sometimes I think she might be saying something else, but I think it is my hopeful imagination!! She also has a hard time sitting still. She's not hyper active, she just likes to be MOVING!!

I'm up on my soap box....be prepared....

WARNING: Ranting and Raving is about to ensure…continue at your own risk.

I have always been of the opinion, that every one is entitled to their opinion. I usually shrug if it is a topic I don’t agree with and keep mouth shut. If I am truly passionate about said topic, I will put in my two cents, BUT really, people can think what they want.

HOWEVER, I have came across several blogs (as I’m happily blog stalking) and Facebook account of people cursing, criticizing, and nothing short of verbal abuse of police officers. Recently I came across a girl’s personal blog that claimed that ALL cops were (and I quote) “dicks”. (I would like to verify, her words, not mine.)
And this my friends really pissed me off.
LET ME TELL YOU WHY!!! (back me up on this Laura)
MY husband is a COP, and a damn good one if I say so myself. And he has to put up with ignorant people All. Day. Long. These people don’t know why they have to go to jail, when they beat their wife, and/or girlfriend, and/or prostitute. These people can’t understand why they have such a big ticket to pay when their car isn’t insured, and they have suspended plates, and they blew through a school bus with red lights flashing and the stop signs out.
So let me say this….IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GO TO JAIL AND YOU DON’T WANT A TICKET, DON’T BREAK THE LAW.
It is NOT a secret that speeding is against the law. It is NOT a secret that mouthing off to a police officer is going to get you into to trouble. HELLO! Why would you try to argue with a cop about a ticket. Is there anybody out there who has been able to convince a cop (or any authority figure) that they are wrong and you are right?
I realize that there is good and bad officers everywhere. Just as there are good and bad doctors, and good and bad teachers. But is it necessary to solemnly swear every one is the same to the next?
Before you criticize a police officer; think for a moment, what it is like to put up with idiots (like you may be acting) all day long……Thank you.

Thanksgiving!!!

Thanksgiving morning dawned bright and early. My mom and I went on a walk/run around the high school. We caught glimpses of the informal 'turkey bowl'. We returned to her house and the preparations began! I had the honor of cleaning our 23 pound turkey. I find sick pleasure in turkey cleaning. I love to squeeze the rogue quills out of its skin. I love to happily dig bag o' guts and neck from the cavity and proceed to scour left over entrails from the rib cage. I also give him a little massage when I season him. It my way of saying, sorry buddy, but you'll taste good!

All the food was fabulous. But I failed to bring my camera to the dinner!!

After the turkey enzyme kicked in, we crawled back to our house and slept off our meal. Friday morning arrived along with Black Friday... (cue music) My mom and I left my house at 4:50 am and headed toward the stores. Ella was sooooo good. She didn't throw any fits and was good tempered all day. I was so proud of her. I only had to fight once for a discount item. It was worth it, although I may now have an enemy out there that is twice my size, but fortunately half my speed!

This is what happens when Ella tries to 'help' me wrap presents. She tries to help a lot lately. It usually ends this way.

Above: The high school alumni game. The old men kicked butt! It was interesting to see some of the boys my age (boys? I guess they're men now!) playing. I can't believe we are all so old! With kids and mortgages.

Below: My sister in law Lezlee with the one and only Bowler grandson. Poor little guy is out numbered 5 to 1.

What's in a Name

I saw this on my friend Sheila's blog and thought is was interesting. I also thought I would share!

1.Do you have cultural or religious naming traditions? No. Brent and I are just two regular white people so we didn't have much to go off of!! :)

2. Did you or your partner come to your marriage with pre-selected names? Yes. Although we did not use any of them! Brent liked Elizabeth. We actually did consider this and will again when we have another little girl. I liked Kyrah, Shena and Jessa. But I won't use them. I think I liked them for too long, didn't use them and are now sick of them.

3. Did you consider the sound of the first and middle and last name combination? Yes! I really liked Aurora. But Aurora Bowler sounded like aurora boreallis. Brent said it also sounded like someone barfing.

4. Did you have veto power? Yes. Brent didn't really need it because his names were simple and tasteful. But I admit some of mine were weird. I started to get a little too creative.

5. Did baby naming cause arguments? Nope.

6. Did you think was easier to name boys or girls? Well we only have one girl and that wasn't too bad! But I really can't answer that.

7. Did you eliminate names because of people from your past or present who you don't like or because a certain image come to mind? Yes! There are certain names I would never name my child because I know someone with that name or because someone I dislike has named their child that name.

8. Did you tell people the child's name before it was born or 'keep it in the vault'? I told everyone what I was going to name Ella. I didn't really care who knew. I had never heard the name before so I figured it wasn't being used. Since Ella was born about 100 of them have popped up. I also wanted to call her by her name so she would recognize it.

9. Did you use baby name books. Yes. It was very important to me that her name mean something. My name is boring and means something boring so I wanted it to be special.


So what did I name my child?.....
Ella Ruth Bower

Ella is Old English for ALL. I thought that was beautiful because she is 'my all'.
Ruth was my Granny's name and I found out I was pregnant the day she died. Also, Ruth was the friend of Naomi in the bible. So it was a the name of a righteous woman.
I love her name. I think it is beautiful. Just like I love her and think she is beautiful.

I'm Afraid!!

While I was happily blog stalking away tonight, I made a realization: 8 people I know are pregnant and 2 just had babies..... Can anyone say YIPES! I'm afraid to drink the water! Has it been a particularly cold autumn? Beware ladies, there's something in the air!

I am Thankful for...

Okay, it is officially time for the yearly, emotion filled, sappy profession of gratitude!! So here it goes!....
1. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband!! HE is charming and perfect and I am so madly in love with him.
2. My crazy daughter! She tries all my patience and melts my heart with her big blue eyes.
3. My family. I don't know how I could live with out my mom. Maybe one day I will be as wise!!
4. All my other extended family. All my wonderful aunties and uncles. (Here's to you Katie and Beulah!)
5. Memories. My granny died 2 years ago this month and I miss her so much it aches. Although I know she is in a better place, I miss her.
6. Brent's job. Such trying times. We are blessed to have a paycheck and insurance.
7. My darling house.
8. My pretty car.
9. My health.
10. That I finally lost my baby weight! ( yes I'm bragging a little. Sorry for that cheerleader ego burst. It's under control now.)
11. The gospel. I would be so lost. It is so hard to be righteous sometimes, that I am glad for repentance.
12. My Savior. There are no words to describe the love I have for Him.
13. My friends.
14. This nation.
15. This valley. (most of the time)
16. The beautiful fall weather.
I won't go any farther, I could for pages but that sums it up. I challenge everyone who passes by this blog, be stalker or friend, to post what you are thankful for!!

The Intruder

I arrived home from my mom's house after dark, and had forgot to turn on a light. I hate coming home to a dark house! I came in and switched on the living room light, the kitchen light and proceeded down the dark hall way toward Ella's room. She was wet and needed a change. As I approached her bedroom, I glanced into the guest room right next door. There, crouching in the corner was a figure!! AAAAHHHHHH!! Actually, I managed not scream and played it off. I said, "Oops Ella! We forgot your diapers in the car!" I hurried to the car, keys in hand, 911 dialed on my cell phone. I opened the garage and buckled Ella into her car seat. I put the keys in the ignition. But I was angry!! How dare someone sneak into my house! That is the room I keep all my Christmas presents! I keep my finger on the send key on my phone. I leave Ella safely in the car and the drivers side door open for a quick escape. I lock all the other car doors.
I go back into the house humming. Acting as though nothing is wrong. I step into Brent's computer room where our shotgun is housed. I keep chatting on like I'm talking to Ella. I grab the gun and creep silently down the hallway. I spring into the room, simultaneously cocking the gun, and flipping on the light. In the meanest voice I could muster I shout, "Don't move." I figure at this close of range, the spray of the bird shot will hit something!

And here is who I nearly blast away.....

I forgot I had pulled him out to store something else in the closet.

(Insert shaking of head here) I really am an intelligent person.

The Weekend

This week has been so busy! I went to St. George on Thursday with my mom and Ella. Ella is an awesome shopper. She likes to stand in the big part of the basket and wave at everyone and shout in her own crazy language. (We think she sounds like an angry German) She loves to eat out with us too. Whether it's rice, mashed potatoes or french fries, as long as it is in steady supply, she is very happy! She is a really good eater. She is willing to try anything at least twice before she rejects or accepts it.

Friday was the craft fair, and I had crazy errand day. I was in the car for over an hour paying bills, bank stops, post office stops and the all-dreaded Lin's visits.

Saturday it was back to the craft fair to show Brent how cute several items were, that I would not be able to live with out! We didn't feel like spending the day at home, so we went to Vegas to do some early Christmas shopping. I like to be prepared! The last time I was not prepared a month in advance for an occasion, my sister didn't get a birthday present until December.

Above: Ella's darling tutu my sister made. She wore it for the party!

Below: The above mentioned reindeer I couldn't live with out!

AND THEN we went to my sister's for a yummy dinner and Jack Jack's birthday. It was a beautiful night and we ate outside. Ella chased her cousin, my sister's nephews, and some other friends around all night long. It was lots of fun!!

Jack Jack is one year old! YAY for cupcakes!

Ella's New Friend

I'm holding him still for the picture. He doesn't need to be restrained or anything!

Ella is generally afraid of dogs. Every time my dad's dogs start barking, she buries her face in my neck and shakes. It's the same when our neighbor across the street, who has a hound dog, gets going. She just shivers to pieces. But this little guy is the exception! I think his name is Andy (or sandy, or candy, or randy) but we just call him wienie! Ella occasionally watches a cartoon on Sunday mornings called Oswald and his little dog is named wienie. And he looks just like this one! Ella loves him!! He belongs to the family in back of us. I'm hoping they don't care when they see their dog on our back porch in my lap, fast asleep, while my daughter mauls him to pieces! He is really lovey too, and doesn't seem to mind that she pets his fur the wrong way or pokes him in the eye! She gets SOOO excited when she sees him. She holds her foot up in the air so he can sniff it, and then laughs hysterically. I keep telling Brent she needs her own puppy...... but Daddy hasn't given.....yet.

Happy Halloween!!

My niece's birthday party is tomorrow and my sister decided to have a Halloween party today. It was a costume party, but Brent and I were lame and didn't dress up. Brent said he was an off duty cop and I said I was a witch. Ella was a unicorn!!

These are our awesome pumpkins!! Brent took over an hour to intricately carve a pirate ship. I made a kitty cat for me and an Ella pumpkin.

My niece was a very cute bunny rabbit.

Ella looks like a dragon, which would probably be more fitting, but she's a unicorn. It was warm so I took her 'head' off.

My nephew was a super cute turtle. Actually he was a tortoise and she was a hare.

My day was AWESOME and came as Sasquatch. He had a face too but he didn't wear it the whole day.

We had so much fun! We had lots of good food and pretty cake. I do love Halloween but I am more excited to take down my jack o lanterns and put up my turkeys tomorrow!! November and December are my FAVORITE months of the whole year.

New Baby.....

Ella's new favorite food: potato chips.

She has also learned to climb. Great.

Note: She is usually dressed a lot cuter than this, but both these pictures were taken right before bed.

HAHAHA!! I bet you all thought I was referring to myself, but I tricked you all!! My sister in law just gave birth a few days ago and it has started me thinking, when will Ella get her sister? (I am convinced I will only give birth to girls, as I was cursed by my mother to do so. Don't laugh, the curse is powerful. I also do not plan on having more than 2 children.) I have been asked the "when is the next one coming" question since Ella was blessed at the ripe ol' age of 5 weeks. Isn't it interesting that in the LDS community the anticipation of the arrival of the NEXT child is so often speculated on! I remember at Brent and my wedding reception, we were asked when we were planning on having a baby. I looked at that person and with a naughty smile said, "Well, there is a very important step that has to come first, and we can't leave here for 45 more minutes." Said person was embarrassed. I was delighted. BUT, back to my original question: when is Ella's little sister coming? WHEN THE SHOCK FROM HAVING HER WEARS OFF.

Oh good Grief....

Everyone should feel very bad for my daughter. Come to find out, Ella not only suffered from strep throat BUT she was ALSO cutting her front tooth, AND had a urinary tract infection. (Mother of Pearl!!!) No wonder she was so miserable!! I received a phone call from the doctor, and she said that a urine culture they took grew ecoli.... WHAT!! I instantly thought of mad cow, bad ice cream and the 15 teenagers that died from it in Minnesota a few years back. The lovely medical assistant assured me it was not the same but still not good. So now my poor daughter has to have a serious of tests performed on her to make sure her kidneys and urinary track are not...well....screwed up. I think (I don't remember the details) it involves running dye through her urinary track to make sure it is running properly and then an MRI (or an x ray or something else. I don't remember) Yeah, this is going to be great.
1st: There is no way in hell Ella is going to be docile during these procedure. She is going to FREAK OUT ROYALLY!!!
2nd: I get the opportunity to be the one to watch her get tortured. She won't understand why she is strapped to a table and stuffed in an MRI (or x ray or whatever) machine, alone and terrified. She will wonder where her mommy is and why I am letting them do this to her.
Well, there is something to look forward to. (note: sarcasm)
Oh why can't my baby be healthy?

(Note: self pity and pity for my little girl)


It seem slike its been forever since I had a HAPPY post!! Sorry.....

Sick Again!!

Warning: The content of this post contains scathing anger directed towards medical personal. If you, or a loved one a is a medical person, please do not be offended. I am ANGRY at a certain person, not all doctors in general.


Ella woke up on Monday morning at 5am with ANOTHER high fever. (Insert expletive here) I made an appointment right away for the following day. The doctor is only in on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We suffered through a sleepless night and showed up for our appointment the following day. I explained that she had a very high fever that I was having a hard time controlling and her urine smelled really strong. She also refused to eat. The doctor tried and FAILED to collect urine, did not have the equipment to do so, so sent me home with a PLASTIC BAG and some tape to try and tape to Ella to collect a sample......okay...... She looked in her ears. Tried to look in her throat. Informed me there wasn't anything in there to worry about and sent me on my way. It took until the next day to collect said sample. When I took this tiny cup full of baby pee back to the clinic, I was greeted by some silly, empty head girl who said "like, umm" EVERY OTHER WORD. She told me I would have to wait for the doctor to call me because she didn't know what she was supposed to do with it. Lovely.
SOOO, I wait all day for the doctor to call me and say she didn't know what was wrong but it was probably just a viral infection and she would prescribe me some antibiotics.
I called a doctor in mesquite and went the next day to see her. Nothing wrong with a 2nd opinion, right? Dr. #2 takes lots of time asking questions, looking in nooks and crannies and pronounces her tonsils are extremely swollen. Strep test.... POSITIVE!!!!!!!!!!! I am PISSED because she was at a doctor 2 days before and no one did a strep test. NOT A HARD TEST TO DO, MIND YOU!! So she had to suffer 2 extra days with a raging fever and practically starving to death. Dr #2 also confirms she is WAY below weight and I should start pedisure immediately. Dr #1 told me it was no big deal. In actuality, it WAS!! SO, I am currently ANGRY at stupid doctors who don't give a FLYING FRISBEE and just rush through everything. It was an awful, infuriating experience. I am so sad for my daughter who has been sick for, I swear, a month. She feels awful, no one would help her and I have to watch her burn and starve to death.

Am I being over dramatic?.....MAYBE!! I have slept since Saturday and that is NOT AN OVER DRAMATIZATION!!!!

Draculina

Ella has four teeth. Her 2 bottom teeth and, as you can tell, her 'I' teeth. Yes this is my little vampire. I should have know this from beginning, due to the fact that she has never wanted to sleep at night! Isn't this an evil, scary picture!!

My nose is in the picture. I was nomming her face to get her to smile.

.....Sigh.....

Brent and I were recently talking about how we never get out anymore. We wished something exciting was going on so we could get out and about. We didn't know what we wished for.

Ella has been perpetually irritable lately and I chalked it up to teething. She was tugging at her ears and always wanting to chew. WELL, Saturday she just kept looking more and more miserable! She felt warm...and then warmer....and then warmer. She sat on my lap with her arms wrapped around me and just whimpered. I started Tylenol, bathed her, and stripped her. She fell into a fitful sleep around 11pm. She woke up around 1am and was BURNING hot. She was trembling was so weak she couldn't sit up. I tried to wet her down ad she just sobbed. I decided, I have the insurance and the money, I'm going to let a professional handle this. At 1:30 am we set off for the Emergency Room. I had all sorts of horror stories going through my head: swine flu, meningitis, a new strain of flu yet undiscovered. The ER was empty (a blessing) and they got us straight in. The doctor was wonderful and very patient with my hysterical daughter. He checked her out and announced she had 2 severely infected ears. (Insert me feeling like $%&# here) They gave her an insane amount of Motrin and Tylenol and started her on antibiotics.

She was already cooler when she went to sleep and woke up feeling a lot better. Unfortunately she was getting warm when she went down for a nap. Sigh.... My poor baby. We both feel terrible!!

(Note: I didn't put in a picture because it was just too pathetic)

Long Live My Husband

I saw this post on Lauren's Blog and thought I would also pay tribute to my husband.

I am madly in love with my husband! He is the MOST patient person on this earth! He deals with me and my drama every day and has for the last 4 plus years. He listens, and soothes my fears. He doesn't mind when I wake him up in the middle of the night because I had a nightmare or 'thought I heard something'. He gets up with Ella every Saturday morning so I can have the chance to sleep in. He is one of the few people who gets my weird and sometimes morbid sense of humor. He respects me. He trusts me. He believes in me.

He is also silly and so very, very cute!! He sings in the morning when he wakes up. He doesn't mind cooking or cleaning, but he does draw the line at changing 'chicken noodle poop'. (When Ella eats chicken noodle for dinner it is quite un pleasant the next day) He loves holidays and isn't too macho to be excited about Christmas morning. He always tries to cheer me up or calm me down. (I'm intense.)

I love his unwavering faith in UNLV, his tolerance for the ignorant, and his courage. I love that he is unafraid to walk into a house when he doesn't know who or what is there, just because someone needs help.

I love his faith, his testimony, and his sense of humor.

The best day of my life was the day I married my husband.

Green Eyed Monster

I woke up last Saturday and tried to put in my contacts. I have to wear a special toric lens for my left eye and sometimes it bothers me. I was fussing and poking at it, but it wouldn't fit on my eye. I blinked hard and it fell out of my eye, and into the sink.... while Brent was running the water and brushing his teeth. NOOOOOOO! I rummaged in the drawer, thinking I had one more disposable left. No. The last one had gone down the sink with Brent's discarded plaque. I did however find a free trial pair of green contacts that the doctor let me have. I put one into my left eye. I didn't think they made much of a difference but the contrast between left green eye and brown right eye was too different to wander around in. I put the other green contact in the right eye and tada! A whole different me!... Just kidding. My family didn't even notice for 3 days. But if you notice, don't think I am having an identity crisis. I just ran out of options!Normal, brown eyes
Altered, green eyes

Labor Day

This morning we woke up and Brent declared it "National sit on our butts day". Instead of Labor Day.So we literally sat on butts all. day. long. And it was NICE. We are stressed out people and a day to just sit and relax was wonderful!

We ate.

We slept.

We watched Ghost Hunters Marathon. For like 10 hours.

We stayed in our pajamas. And ate crescent rolls. Requested by Ella. They are her favorite. I wish every day could be National Sit on our Butts Day. But alas, it only comes once a year.....

Complaint

Gynecologist

Un mentionable infections

Menstrual cycle

PMS (Which is REAL and I get it)

Breasts (ok these I love)

Tweezing

Shaving

Make up

Blow dryer

Flat iron and/or curling iron and/or roll brush

Exercise

Cooking

Cleaning

Sometimes I HATE being a girl......

And then sometimes, it's not so bad......

Rite of Passage

The Culprit (Broken fireplace tile: very sharp)

The Wound (after it had been wiped a dozen times and still bled this bad)

First trip to the ER: 3 strips of surgical tape: 1 giant bandage to cover the tape

Ella had a bad day.

Mommy's day wasn't too good either.

Vacation

Ella the Arctic fox. If you don't understand the comparison, look up a video. It's worth it!

This time it was a real vacation!! Just a little one. Brent and I spontaneously decided to go spend a few nights in St. George. We went shopping and to a few museums in town. Mostly we hung out in the jacuzzi and laid around. It was wonderful!! Very relaxing!! We went to Ashley Furniture to browse hutches, tables, and head boards for our bed. I sat Ella on one of them to relieve my arms from her weight, and she got so excited! Most of the trip was spent taking her from bed to bed watching her crawl and roll around! It was like Ella Disneyland! We had a wonderful time. Now back to work......

Alphabet

I was emailed this and thought it was kind of fun!
A - Age: 25
B - Bed size: Queen
C - Chore you hate: Sweeping
D - Dog: None! But I would like a boxer or a lab
E - Essential start your day item: Contacts, followed closely by toothbrush
F - Favorite color(s): Red and purple
G - Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5' 1 1/2 (The 1/2 is very important!)
I - Instruments you play: Piano, Guitar and clarinet, just not well.
J- Job: MOTHER, hairdresser and cheer coach
K - Kids: 1 gorgeous girl
L - Living arrangements: Beautiful new home
M - Mom's name: Bonnie (Incidentally my mother-in-law is Bonnie as well)
N - Nicknames: Ash, babe, peanut, ladybug, and HEY
O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: None
P - Pet Peeve: Fakeness and excess water on the sink
Q - Quote from a movie: "I will come for you" Last of the Mohican's
R - Right or left handed: Right
S - Siblings: A big sister and a little brother. Actually he's not little, he's younger!
T - Time you wake up: Between 6am and 7am, depending on Ella.
U - Underwear: G's. But i miss pretty lacy things.
V - Vegetable you dislike: Tomatoes (are they fruits or veggies?)
W - Workout style: running, walking, swimming, biking, yoga, sit ups
X - X-rays you've had: teeth, both ankles, both knees, spine
Y - Yesterday's best moment: When Ella was super excited for Chili's rice and screamed and laughed. She was so cute!! The people next to us couldn't get enough of her!!
Z - Zoo favorite: Giraffes. They are so large but so gentle.


Extra: Ella went for her 1 year check up. She is 5% for height and 10% for weight. Her height has dropped of the chart but the doctor says it is okay, I can't MAKE her grow!

7 Things About Me

I was "tagged" by my friend Sheila. I have to post 7 random facts about me. So here it goes.

1. I'm blind as a bat. So if you see me from across the parking lot at Lin's or at church down the hallway, and I have a scowl on my face, it isn't personal. I always have a scowl and I can't see you! I can only see from about 15 feet away. Everything from there is slightly blurry. I have astigmatism is the explanation.

2. I have curly hair. It is by nature curly but not really curly. Just curly enough that if it dries naturally I have a fro. I hate all the sticky product I have to load into it to make it look nice, so I just straighten it.

3. Brent and I are high school sweethearts. We just have a long. complicated history. : )

4. I have flat feet. Ridiculously flat. So flat I can smash them together and the arches touch.

5. I'm really flexible. Not double-jointed, freakish flexible. Just able to turn of light switches with my feet.

6. I love Christmas. In all its tacky, Griswold glory.

7. I write poetry. No I will not share.

VACATION

Okay, it wasn't really a vacation, because we didn't go anywhere. It was a STAY-cation!! First we painted. Painting. SUCKS. Brent and I worked for 7 hours on Saturday and finished all the walls (living room, family room, kitchen, hallway). And then we started the ceiling before Brent gave out!

Sunday was our first day teaching 5 year olds. It was successful but we learned they are not like the 9 year olds we used to teach. They can play hang man because they know their letters!

Monday was another day of painting and it was awful!! Trying to edge the ceiling was frustrating! I happened upon this wonderful tool in the paint isle and brought it home. Brent was finished in only an hour! We also painted Ella's room. It has been restored to its former glory.

Tuesday we went to Warm Springs. They wouldn't let us in the pool with out a life guard, so we swam in the river. It was SO fun!! As you can tell, Ella loved it! She is a little fish! She could be in the water all day if I let her. She did not want to stop splashing, even for a picture.

Wednesday we went shopping in Vegas. (I love shopping) I got a couple of new blouses and some 'delicates'. Brent had to go have his yearly physical for the police department, so Ella and I went too. His cholesterol was YIPES (yipes, yipes, yipes) high so we are now all currently on a low fat, low cholesterol, high fiber diet. More on that later.

Thursday we went shopping AGAIN. This time out of necessity! Ella has determined that trying to slap our TV screen in a lot of fun. Brent freaked out and we headed to Ashley furniture and purchased this beauty. I love it! It is so much prettier than the hideous monster we had before. I have hated it from the beginning! I have been gunning for it's removal from the start!

Finally, after much organizing, de-junking, deep cleaning and running from Vegas to St. George, we have decreed the next 3 days 'Sit and do nothing days'! It has been a fun, BUSY week.


PS I found my notebook with how many miles my shoes had. As of June 5, 2009: 2,136

And no, I have NO desire to run a marathon!! (Good for anyone who does)

PSS Ella has finally cut 2 teeth. Which teeth you ask? Her 'I' teeth! They aren't all the way in yet so you can't see them unless I pull her lip back, but when they do come in, she is going to look frightening! Please Twilight fans, resist from driving past my house, hoping for a glimpse of my little vampire.

She has also been eating like crazy!! If she's awake she is crying for food. Because she is such a runt and I have to take her to the doctor soon, I feed her! Her favorite is Gerber puffs and yogurt melts.

Farewell Faithful Friend

These are my beloved Nike running shoes. I purchased them in January of 2007.

I have since put over 2000 miles on them! I kept a notebook with exactly how many miles but I recently lost it. : (

Needless to say they are dead. They are holey, the tread is worn thin and I am practically running on pavement.

So this is their replacement. Exact same shoe, just a different color. They were purchased in January of 2009, but I haven't used them yet. They just don't seem to feel like my faithful grey shoe. I have been waiting for the others to disintegrate right off my foot and I think they are almost there. I guess I should wear these but I just have such an attachment to my life supported shoe!!

Oh the Humanity!!!

The searing heat of the desert has sent me screaming for the indoors and central air conditioning! The monotony of being confined indoors is growing weary. I asked Brent what I could do to ease this boredom and he only shrugged his shoulders, so I changed my blog back ground..... TA DA!! Well people, that is just about the most excitement I have to report on. The heat is getting so oppressive it is even cutting in on Ella and my walk/run every morning. She is up and at it usually around 6. But lately she has been getting up at 6:30 and by then it is almost too hot to go! My Tahoe has an on board thermometer and this morning is was 95 degrees at 7 am. BLAHHHHHHH! I have hope that I have made through the worse of it and soon the down hill slope of burning hell-like conditions will ease, but we shall see.

On another note: Only 4 more months until the Christmas season begins!! YAY!! I love Christmas and go crazy with decor, presents and the like. And I'm not chic, tasteful Christmas either. I am tacky, red and green explosion Christmas!! Santa Clause with a real faces and Rudolph and the whole Griswold extravaganza! I can't wait.

Well, I don't even have a cute picture to post. SO you will have to be satisfied with my incoherent ramblings! Good news is: Brent has a whole week of vacation NEXT week so hopefully I will have something exciting to say!!

Things I Don't Understand

I have been thinking about all those girls that are having a hard time conceiving and I am sad for them. I didn't realize it was so common. But I can think of 6 people close to me just off the top of my head. As hard as pregnancy, labor and delivery, birth and parenthood has been; I feel like every woman should be able to have this experience. Nothing is more special than feeling little kicks inside your belly. Or that rush of relief when she finally slides out and the physical pain is over. Or the first time I held her in my arms or when she figured out how to nurse. Of coarse there is GER and the constant crying that comes with that, mounds of diapers, spit up, weight gain, and all sorts of other difficult things. But I still think that EVERY woman should be able to have the chance! The chance to know it for themselves. To see those eyes gaze up at you with complete trust and love. For all those poor women who have struggled, who have cried, have lost hope or are too afraid to hope, I am so sorry for you. I am so sorry that it has been so hard and hurts so much. It isn't fair and I have deep sympathy for your pain. I wish it could be different and that the loving women of the world would not have to have empty arms. They are the ones who deserve it. They are the ones who deserve babies. I know that their hearts would love them more than anyone can imagine. Because only a mother knows how much a woman is capable of loving.

Happy Birthday Ella

I can't believe my baby is a year old. She has gotten so big so fast and it breaks my heart. I have been thinking about her and the day I had her all day. I checked my entry after I brought her home and I didn't tell the whole story of the day she was born. So I will. I woke up on July 12, 2008. My brother called and wanted to go lift weights with Brent. I decided to go so I wouldn't have to sit home by myself. While they lifted weights I decided to walk around the gym. When we got home I felt the over powering urge to clean my house. Half way through dusting I had "an evacuaton of fluids". I didn't call the doctor because I had a false alarm 4 days earlier and I wasn't going back to his office again for nothing! I was due on August 6th. If my water had really broke, I was 25 days early. But it happened again! We called the doctor and started on our way to Mesquite. At Wells Road my water officially broke!! (For those of you who have not experience your water naturally breaking... Yipes!) I had experience NO contractions up to this point. Contractions hit VERY hard and only 2 minutes apart. Everything was sooooo fast! From the minute my water broke until the time she appeared was almost exactly 5 hours! I only pushed for 25 minutes and Ella came into the world.
The nurse handed her to me and she wasn't crying.She just stared up at me with great big eyes. She was so beautiful and the first thing I thought about her was, "her nose is perfect." It was! It took me 3 days to get the nerve to touch it. She was so soft and warm and I instantly fell in love with her. I am still in love with her.
Happy Birthday to my little girl, the light of my life.