Friday Memes

Food 4 Thought Friday

Feel free to play along for some yummy fun! I will post a new one each Thursday night for those that are on a different time zone. JOIN IN!!!


Food 4 Thought Friday ~ This week's questions

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Breakfast

Who was your childhood hero?

Lunch

In your opinion what is the world's greatest invention so far?

Dinner

What time do you typically get up in the morning and what time do you usually go to bed?

Midnight Snack

What was your last thought?

Recipe for the Week (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for this week?)

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MY ANSWERS ☺

Breakfast

Who was your childhood hero? My older cousin Shelley. She was amazing and I wanted to be just like her. She is still one of my heroes today. She just passed away last year from MS. What a great woman!

Lunch

In your opinion what is the world's greatest invention so far? CHOCOLATE! Okay and the computer is pretty cool too!

Dinner

What time do you typically get up in the morning and what time do you usually go to bed? My alarm goes off at 5:25 a.m. Mon-Fri so I can be to the gym by 6 a.m. On Sat and Sunday I can't sleep in past 6 a.m.usually (drives me crazy!) and usually get up by 7 a.m. I try and be in bed by 11:30 p.m. - unless it's a weekend..

Midnight Snack

What was your last thought? I would really like to be out running right now! I can feel spring in the air.

Recipe for the Week (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for this week?)"The basic thing is that everyone wants happiness, no one wants suffering. And happiness mainly comes from our own attitude, rather than from external factors. If your own mental attitude is correct, even if you remain in a hostile atmosphere, you feel happy." Dalai Lama.

I totally believe that.

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Friday Fill-Ins

1. I'm feeling like I've been hit by a mac truck, I'm sick of being sick, I want to get better so I can run!

2. Why do I have a craving for lots of water right now and not chocolate?

3. How does this body work, anyway?

4. Every morning, I put make up on my face.

5. I consider myself lucky because I have a wonderful family and great friends.♥

6. One day we’ll see a cure for many diseases.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hopefully feeling somewhat better tomorrow my plans include hopefully feeling much better and Sunday, I want to feel completely better!

They're Baaaaack!

That's what I get for posting what I did yesterday!!

But I am so excited they are here!

I do have to admit, when I first saw them, my ♥heart♥ took a bit of a dive and my first reaction was of deep sadness because it was so obvious that Tyson was missing. These are the first professional photos we have had taken since he passed away. It has been almost five years since we had our last ones taken. It was too hard for me to even think of having a family photo without him in it. Silly I know. The only reason I finally succumbed is because my boys are growing up so fast and I know it won't be long until they are gone. I have tossed around the idea of having Tyson digitally inserted in a little circle somewhere like so many people do. I decided that I will do that for the outdoor ones we are having taken in the summer because we are going to wear white and be in a poppy field. I think it would make me feel like it is more complete instead of feeling like someone is always missing. But that's just me. I thought getting these taken would be easier with time, but in some ways it is almost harder. There will always be that empty space without him in it. ♥

BUT...even though you can't see him - HE IS IN THERE IN SPIRIT! That I know!

My STUD muffins! ↓

Whew! It's such a great feeling to have these done!

Family Pho(to)bia!

What is the most stressful thing in the world for a Mom??? ↓

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FAMILY PHOTOS!!!


Do I hear an AMEN or a HERE-HERE? Or am I the ONLY one that feels this way?


What other time do you have to have every single person in your family with PERFECT hair (I mean really - how many perfect hair days do WE really have?), PERFECT (matching) clothes (can we say "Shop til' ya drop" --more like drop over dead and haggered!), PERFECT faces (no scabs, cuts, oozing wounds, dark circles, or zits!), PERFECT bones (no casts), PERFECT teeth, (no braces or chips), PERFECT EVERYTHING!!!


NO OTHER TIME!


And even when you WANT this to happen, it NEVER does! It is impossible to EVER have all those things come together at once with a large family. IMPOSSIBLE! Thus, the stress!!!

I was not looking forward to finding everyone matching clothes and making sure everyone had hair cuts (before the day before) and then scheduling it when there were no oozing wounds or scabs, broken bones, or serious zits on anyone. With all boys, that is quite a feat!

I bit the bullet and scheduled it and then went on the grand hunt for clothes that would look good together. I ended up buying shirts for everyone in two different colors and decided on which to wear the night before. Which meant I also had to return what we didn't wear!

The day of:

~McKay had a scab on his nose (of course!)

~Taylor had injured (and possible broken) his ankle in basketball the day before and was wearing a huge cast boot.

~ I hadn't slept for two days and had huge dark circles under my eyes.

~Two of the boys had broke out on their face.

~Dave's shirt sleeves weren't long enough.

I was just grateful no one had leprosy or something worse!

We arrived at the studio and waited... and waited... for my son Skyler to get there. Then we started the ordeal. I must admit it's much easier to be IN the picture because then I don't have to turn into a circus clown trying to make everyone smile like I used to do when they were little!

A few candid shots of the shoot ↓

*Taylor removing his boot cast for the photos *Me still deciding about a belt *The boys being very bored waiting *Me in the mirror trying to do some magic

*Here we are looking at the shots with Brenda Young the photographer. She does really good work. Can't wait to see the finished product!

It has been about five years since we had our last professional family photo taken. We had them done right before my oldest son Skyler went on his mission. Then while he was gone our second son Tyson passed away and after that I wasn't anxious to have them taken without Tyson in them. It took me a while to get to the point where it was okay.

After the photo shoot, we took the boys out to dinner. Their reward (AND MINE!) for surviving the ordeal!!! It was nice having Sky in town from Vegas for a few days.

Check out those purple boots! Better yet, check out the look on Bryce's face (right next to me)!

~The Fam~

Taylor, McKay, Skyler, Bryce, Me, Dave, & Tyson (he's there in spirit!)

Since I don't have the REAL ones back yet, THIS will have to do for now!

Saturday Memes

1. Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity? I have to get inside my head and so to do that I would probably need to be alone and in a quiet place. Being outside on a run or walk helps immensely.

2. What would be one thing that would embarrass you a great deal? When I forget things like people's names I really know! And pretty much anything that takes me out of my comfort zone. I have to have my house spotless when I leave on a vacation because the thought of the Relief Society (church ladies) coming in to clean it if I were to die makes me crazy!

3. What values did your parents instill in you? Honesty, loyalty, kindness, hard work, responsibility, concern for others, service, & determination.

4. What’s a fad of your teen years that you remember well? Bell bottom pants, mood rings, leg warmers, DISCO!, afros, pet rocks, Farrah hair, streaking.

5. What is your favorite breakfast? German Oven Pancakes with fresh fruit, whipped cream, and orange syrup! Mmm.....ooooo....

6. What is the best birthday gift that you have received? A purple amethyst necklace Dave gave me when we were dating. I still have it.

7. What gadget could you not live without?My cell phone, computer, flat iron, & clothes steamer (I ♥ it!).

8. Do you collect anything? DUST!

I collect money! Seriously, when I am out on a run if I see ANY coins, I pick them up and save them in a jewelry box I have. It is my belief that each coin is a little "HI" from my son Tyson who passed away three years ago. I also collect lighthouses and purple dishes. T-shirts and medals or ribbons from my races. I used to collect miniatures, but haven't for years.

9. What website (non-blog) do you regularly visit? Sugardoodle.net, facebook, & yahoo mail.

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PHOTOHUNT

This weeks theme is NAUTICAL

These were all taken at Lake Powell in 2004


Tyson↓

McKay ↓

Tyson and McKay↓

Alaska ↓
The boys in Alaska Halibut fishing...

Or not!

This is me with Dave's little bro Kevin who is now 30!!!

To play go HERE

Moose

THE WINNER IS!

BABY PURPLE PIGGIES!!!

CONGRATS Shultzybabe!!!

It was neck in neck toe in toe there for a while...but these little piglets pulled it off in the end!

No one can deny the PURPLE precious-ness of these piggies!

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL who entered AND/OR voted!!!

THE CHOCOLATE IS ON IT'S WAY!!!

(if I don't devour it first!)

Oh no! It's a tie! COME VOTE QUICK!

I was just getting ready to post the WINNER of my

PURPLICIOUS CONTEST

But Bloggerland...we have a PROBLEM!

TWO ARE TIED!

Purple Cow (2nd one)

Purple Piggies

PLEASE VOTE so I don't have to have some kind of tie breaker!

The only hitch is you CAN'T VOTE if you have already!

SORRY! But you can send a fellow blogger to vote for who you want to win the SINFULLY DELISH

CHOCOLATE PRIZE!


HURRY! I will leave it open until 4 pm!!! You can vote for three.

These are also close contenders! Mr. Penguin is a VERY close third as I write this! The rest of these were the top vote getters. SO MAKE YOUR CHOICE AND HURRY AND VOTE! I will add these votes to the others on my PURPLISCIOUS POST. Go there to see all candidates!

The Surprise Was On ME!

My dear friend Bonnie had "one of those birthdays" this year.

We were talking about it one day and she said she was just going to ignore this one. Just let it pass by un-noticed. Un-noticed? WHAT? Such a monumental occasion? NO WAY! I could NOT let that happen! I decided on the spot I was going to throw a surprise party for her. I was so excited!

I had it all worked out, down to the last detail. Invitations were sent . I had arranged for the building (a SENIOR CENTER! ha-ha!) Everyone had RSVP'd and we had a full house coming. But then her husband called me the night before to inform me that she wasn't coming home when she had planned to from her parent's house because her Dad wasn't doing too well.

Nooooooooooooo!

I hurried and re-scheduled it for the next week. I called her to let her know that we had Visiting Teaching appointments set up (we are partners) for the time I arranged....the perfect plan! She said she wouldn't be able to make it because of another commitment she could not get out of. WHAT? Again??? Yep! So I called everyone back and told them I would let them know when I could reschedule it again!

I found out she was having a presidency meeting with her Stake Relief Society board (she is the President) the following week and so I worked with Julie who is one of her counselors to try and make it work for that day. We thought we had it all worked out. I even got a better place to have it!

A NURSING HOME! Yippee!!!

Julie was going to make sure they were done with the meeting by 12:30 and I was going to call her during the meeting and tell her one of the ladies we visit teach called me in a panic and needed us to come help her because her son put her in a nursing home against her will (thus how I would get her to the nursing home!). Greeeeeeeeat plan!

HA!

I called her but she wouldn't answer her phone! I text her and she wouldn't respond! Julie text me saying that her phone wasn't by her. She saw it on the other side of the table and so she told me to call back and she would encourage her to answer it. She still wouldn't answer it! During this time, I was texting Julie and she was texting me (both of us in a panic!) and we finally decided that Julie would tell Bonnie I just text her (Julie) and told her that we had an emergency with our visiting teaching ladies and to check her own phone. If she asked how I knew they were together, she would just say that she told me they were having a meeting today. Greeeaaaaat plan!

HA!

Bonnie said to Julie, "Is that Jodi that you have been texting all this time?" Julie said, "Gulp, yes", to which Bonnie replied, "Tell her to quit texting you because we are having a meeting!" Julie said that it was an emergency and she really needed to check her text. She reluctantly did and as soon as she read it she said, (and I quote!), "I don't believe it!". WHAT? How could she NOT? Then Bonnie said to Julie, "I know what she is trying to do and I am not going!"

IMPOSSIBLE!

I was really in a panic now! It was getting to be close to the time that the people were gathering for the party and I HAD to get her there! There would be food after all!

She was NOT budging!

I wasn't either!

Three times of planning it and two times falling through, made me more determined than ever to make sure it happened this time! Come to find out, when her husband tried to get her to come home the first time it was planned (on her real birthday), he finally relented to telling her we had a party planned for her so she would come home. I think that is WHY she didn't come home! ;o) SO....she KNEW we were still going to do it! And had been waiting for it! I had NO idea of this or I would have come up with a better plan to really SURPRISE her.

After all my secondary plans and ideas fell through, I finally went and crashed the meeting. What else was I to do? I told her I was there to kidnap her! She was not amused! She REALLY did not want to budge! Her whole presidency was in on it too. She FINALLY (after many threats that we would still have it without her and that I would take pictures and blog all about her party she didn't attend) relented to come! She even said she would act surprised!

That's a GOOD GIRL BONNIE!

Unbeknownst to her we had a lovely walker waiting for her to assist in getting her inside!

Here I am making sure she doesn't break a hip!

Entering the nursing home. I do have to say she was a GOOD SPORT once we got her there!!!

SURPRISE!!! Whatever!

Lots of good food, friends, and fun! We missed all of you that weren't able to make it THIS time! Loraine even showed up the first time because she didn't get her email it had been cancelled! Guess we could always do it again when everyone could come! Egads!

She inherited some really "nice" new gifts!

Click to enlarge

The party did such wonders for her, she was able to walk out without assistance!!!

This woman does not look one day over 30!

It's not fair!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BONNIE!!!

WE LOVE YOU TONS!!!♥♥♥