Hope

Please tell me you know how it is when you feel all is lost, not worthwhile and just downright frustrated with where you are on this pathway of life? I've hit my personal mountain along this pathway and have fought to get over it. I'm sure as I look back it will only actually be molehill, but it's been difficult all the same.

My anniversary has really made me look back over the last 10 years and think of how far we've come and just how much further we have to go. So, in honor of this retrospection, Chris and I have made some 5 year goals that are actually realistic. I'm very excited that we now have a plan ahead of us and working on the means to accomplish these goals. It will help us along this path we have chosen and help keep everyone happy along the way.

I've joined up with some ladies to lose weight. I'm making positive changes and having fun doing it. I've made a goal to run 2.5 miles by Sept 30th without stopping. This is HUGE since I'm so not a runner. I've wanted to "learn" to run ever since I got married. Chris ran Cross Country in HS and a little at BYU. I've been fascinated with the ever elusive "runner's high" and want to actually experience it. Anyway, this group is really helping me stay motivated and keep me honest about my own reality. I'm still gun-shy about the actual weight loss, but I'm resolved that making healthy food choices, actually feeding my body, and exercising will take care of the weight. I'm not actively pursuing any one diet, but focusing on good changes along the way. I've even impressed myself these past month with the changes I have made.

I was released from Young Women's on Sunday. It was bittersweet. I'm sooooo sad to not be actively involved with these wonderful YW, but I'm very excited for the "new blood". They will be excellent together and really take this program to the next level. What's been very hard about the whole experience is that I didn't receive a different calling. It just makes me feel like I wasn't doing a good job and was FIRED. I have hope it's just a matter of my calling not being available yet and not the fact that I did suck and He doesn't want me anywhere now. But seriously, I still have a testimony and will still attend church although it's at 2:30.

So as far as that mountain is concerned, it may acutally be a molehill and I've already moved on...

Personal FAVs

If you haven't guessed already, I'm a movie lover. Chris and I spent our Anniversary in the theater watching all the summer blockbusters that we had yet to see. Anyway, here is a compilation of my personal favorite movies that I turn to over and over again.

RUDY: I love this movie. I love a movie that the main character chases a dream. I like football and a story revolved around this is AOK in my book. Not to mention I use to have a major crush on Sean Astin (Goonies, anyone?)

DEAD POETS SOCIETY: I'm fascinated with the "upper-crust" society and this embodies the east coast Who's Who. I like the coming of age with these boys and needless to say, it has a lot of good looking actors.

MONA LISA SMILE: Again a movie about East Coast Society. It is just simply a very beautiful movie to watch. The cinematography is gorgeous and it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. And the sociologist in me loves the story of these young girls breaking the mold.

NEVER BEEN KISSED: Drew Barrymore is one of my favorite actors. I admire her come back from addiction. This is just a fun fun story and reminds me why I NEVER want to return to High School.

Of course, there are oh so many more, but those top my list of favorites. What's your favorite movie?

Happy #10

Wow! Can you believe I've been married for ten years today. It has been great so far. We got our Football Tickets (GO COUGS!) in the mail yesterday and I was having lunch with my Sweetheart at the very hour we sealed the deal.

Here's what I did for our Anniversary:

http://www.mypublisher.com/bookshelf/bookviewer.py?d=tq%3Ey-cppl%60je%3E3411537

Hopefully this will work. Since I'm not THAT computer savvy, just open a new tab and then copy this link into the line. It should work for you. If not, oh well, it's the thought that counts.

STUDMUFFIN

I am so awesome. I finally figured out what was wrong with my posts and my paragraph spacing! I love learning new things and hope I may help someone along the way in this blogging adventure!

Proof

Chris sent this to me today. I think he finally "gets" it.

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in
their pjamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers
strewn all around the front yard.

The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house
and there was no sign of the dog.


Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the
counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the
back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more
piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill,
or that something serious had happened.

He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the
bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and
more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and
toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed
in her pjamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.

He looked at her bewildered and asked,

'What happened here today?'

She again smiled and answered,

'You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?'

'Yes,' was his incredulous reply.

She answered, 'Well, today I didn't do it.'

Breaking Dawn (spoilers ahead)

So after 2 days of marathon reading and potty training my 3 year old, I have finished the most anticipated book of the month. All I can say is that I should become a proof-reader. I found so many mistakes it was distracting and it made me lose respect for the book as a whole. I thrive on perfection around me, mostly because I lack it, and this one let me down. Overall, I liked it. I liked the sweetness between Edward and Bella. I actually respected the graphic betrayal of the birth. Ironically, it was the most exciting part of the book. I was disappointed that no one died. After all the hoopla around the Volturi, I was shocked that they just came to the clearing and "blah, blah, blahed" for 4 chapters and then just walked away. I guess that's par for course with Young Adult Literature.....I liked Bella discovering a multitude of talents and abilities that she lacked in her human experience. Does that mean I have to wait for immortality to receive all the talents and abilities I lack and lust after in other humans? Anyway, overall it was a good book. I enjoyed the series and I'm glad I was entertained while reading it. However, I wasn't left anticipating much more from this series. I'm not dying for Edward's story, nor am I waiting on pins and needles for the "field guide" in December.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the YEAR.....

And I'm not talking about the green and red decorations. For me, once I start smelling freshly sharpened pencils and seeing underwear ads in the paper, my skin starts to tingle in anticipation of the First Day of School! Since my kids entered the halls of higher education (as compared to home), it is the day of the year I most look forward to. Don't get me wrong. It has been a great summer, we've had lots of fun, and it's time for them to go back to those hallowed halls of learning before I start to slit my wrists..........was that too graphic? My life it getting too complicated with commitments and there really isn't one that I'm willing to part with. Hence, it's time for my little angels to be occupied by something beneficial so I can remove the guilt I feel for ignoring them while I get my work done. I hold a special place in my heart for the many many wonderful people who have made teaching their calling. I for one relish the few hours I have for things that I like to do without children, like grocery shop during the daylight hours, or venturing to those much required Dr. visits that ask me to expose more of myself than I'm comfortable with, or having quiet time without the theme song of "Signing Time" playing over and over and over again. Although I will admit to shedding a tear or two as my little boys ride off on that big yellow bus the first day of school, I love to have my children out of the home for a little bit of time. It helps me rejuvenate and be glad to see them upon their return. Sam will be starting pre-school and I couldn't be happier. She is so ready to be involved in the structure and the activities and the social connections that come with school. She is my baby, but I'm ready to cut the apron strings and see her walk away from my arms into that great big world. I love seeing my kids grow-up.

Ok so I'm sure you noticed that this blog has no new paragraphs in it. How do I make that work? I will write and write and write so many wonderful ramblings and use all the proper grammar and paragraph formations and then post it only to have all my hard work undone and an image of me not knowing anything about proper paragraph placement. It just eats away at me in my sleep. So I plead with those more blogger-savvy than myself, save a suffering victim of unknown paragraph spacing!

My Personal Worst

There are a few movies that are the all time worst movies I will reluctantly admit to spending 90-120 minutes watching.

• Beowulf- this one takes the cake. It was boring, awful, and bordering on obscene. Obviously this was not my pick. I felt like I had wasted my precious time on this one.
  
• The Gods Must Be Crazy- I will concede that this has the potential to be humorous. However, when you are a 14-year-old girl, it has no humor whatsoever!
• Men in Tights- I have never walked out of a movie. I should have on this one. I think I left that theater with a few dead brain cells.
• Dodgeball- This one was soooooo stupid it did actually get me to laugh......... in only one part.

So bring it on, ladies. Let's hear what is the all time worst movie you've wasted your time and money on.