tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69264433793436475442024-03-19T12:23:54.640-06:00Gemini Queen...a collection of thoughts & inspirationsKristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-24450822207752131202010-04-18T18:57:00.005-06:002010-04-18T19:33:23.734-06:00Charlie's Monkey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs206.snc1/7327_153838525591_545355591_2843728_3994070_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 541px; height: 333px;" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs206.snc1/7327_153838525591_545355591_2843728_3994070_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I actually did this a few months ago but I've been too lazy to post anything on this blog. Hopefully the spring sunshine will inspire me to write more. I was very proud of this drawing because I think it was the first time I really felt inspired to create something on my own as an artist and it had very special meaning to me. <div><br /></div><div>As some of you may know the first miniature dachshund Josh and I got was in 2006 and we named him Charlie. He was the cutest little dog- a black and tan smooth haired doxie with a shy and loving personality. Truth be told, he was a momma's boy. He was mine.</div><div><br /></div><div>His favorite toy was the monkey you see in the drawing.. he had loved it so much that he chewed all of the arms, legs, and tail off so it was just a monkey torso. Tragically, we buried Charlie with that toy just after 9 months of his short life.</div><div><br /></div><div>It killed me... like someone had ripped my heart out of my chest. It hurt so much that I started to block out memories of him so I wouldn't feel the pain in my heart. After a while I started to forget what he looked like, only until I would be looking through old photos and come across a shot of his curious, innocent face. Still, it hurt. After burying the pain for so long I lost my memories of Charlie without even realizing it. </div><div><br /></div><div>We quickly got Sam after Charlie died to help fill the holes in our hearts. Sam gave us something to focus on and love. One day Josh came home with a monkey stuffed animal and was so excited that he had found it. To his shock, the toy didn't even strike me as familiar. After trying to explain that he had found Charlie's favorite monkey toy at the local grocery store, he was amazed that I could not for the life of me remember its existence- almost like I had forgotten about Charlie's existence. I felt horrible. How could a mom forget about their dog? Or to me... my child?</div><div><br /></div><div>Since then that monkey has been chewed up, stretched out, thrown around, and fought over by Sam and Nelly. One day, I saw it lying on the ground in this exact position and just stared at it for a while. I pulled out my art tools from the back of the closet, got comfortable on the floor, and started to draw, very intently. And as I drew a memory started to come back- I remembered Charlie's monkey. I remember frantically trying to find it the day of his funeral because I knew Charlie could not be buried without it. I remember the eyes and nose chewed off. I remembered how he used to hop up and down through the venetian blinds when I approached the door coming home from work. I remember how I used to make him dance with me. I remember him running through a field very fast and making the funniest noise as he coughed up blades of grass because he was so close to the ground. I remember he was the best cuddler around. I remember hating to say goodbye to him at the airport as I left for Connecticut that July. I didn't know it would be the last time I saw him alive. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes I think of him and I cry, even to this day. But I know that he is in a better place and I'm thankful I got to be his Mom and mean so much to him only if it was for a short period of time. I think he knows I love him very much and I still think of him and miss him. I just hope there are puppies in heaven!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Dedicated to my one and only Charlie Bones. All my love... Mom </span></i></div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-81346858529528164212009-10-11T14:31:00.007-06:002009-10-19T20:35:30.113-06:00New Seasons Bring New Beginnings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCpR0GZXIKMZDYF8nJiSiJ3HLOGMzTomXwTuoru3RZECNPww78ZV8i8TbNdCg6HE8tJ6g1sX1PCQ4IhlNPUwRN1fTmDG71GVbtT8XPlhKmNStx0a_XKvea4xhCZ-DwYVR-U-Rgx5ivg0/s1600-h/fall+road.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 583px; height: 352px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCpR0GZXIKMZDYF8nJiSiJ3HLOGMzTomXwTuoru3RZECNPww78ZV8i8TbNdCg6HE8tJ6g1sX1PCQ4IhlNPUwRN1fTmDG71GVbtT8XPlhKmNStx0a_XKvea4xhCZ-DwYVR-U-Rgx5ivg0/s400/fall+road.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391443108630861138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I show you this picture of a road leading to a destination unknown because my life is reflecting just that.<br /><br />This new fall season with it's dropping temperatures and glorious colored leaves has not only brought changes in the weather, but my life as well. In mid-September I was told about a fabulous work opportunity that I just couldn't pass up. As a result I found myself saying goodbye to more than just summer sun..... I was saying goodbye to my workplace that I had been at for over 2 years.<br /><br />When I wrote down all of the pros and cons I realized that I had been comfortable and loved the people I worked with, but I was at a stand still and had simply outgrown the position. I knew if I passed up this offer I would resent my job, so I took a leap of faith and accepted the new offer! It was indeed one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make but it was so worth it.<br /><br />I went from being a real estate office receptionist to an administrative assistant in the wedding reception business. I now have my own office (you know... the kind that have a door?) and my own personal phone line (with voicemail! woot woot). Totally an upgrade!<br /><br />On my first day I was extremely overwhelmed with how poorly the files were being kept, the disorganization, but mostly my manager's stress level. I was missing my old job almost every day of the first week. The positive was that my manager was pretty new herself and was so thankful I would be there to help sort out the problems and find the solutions. We work with multiple wedding coordinators and all work as a team to make sure these events are being carried out as smoothly as possible. That's the best part, is that it all happens because of a team effort but everyone is pulling their own weight, like a relay race. When we cross that finish line and look at how well we did we know that we couldn't have done it without each other.<br /><br />I am finding that my voice is finally being heard and not talked over. When I open my mouth people are listening to what I have to say... I'm not just the ditz at the front desk. I'm putting all of my brain power to use really experimenting with creative problem solving. I am starting to feel like an important link for the business's success and I have grown a passion for it... at least that's what can be said if you are having dreams about your job, right?<br /><br />Every day is crazy as we find more issues to solve, but the good thing is that nothing is mundane about it. When I arrive in the morning I usually have no idea what the day will bring me. I can go from editing our wedding guides and setting up our filing system to arranging centerpieces and ordering linens. I guess the thing I love most about it is that it's EXCITING! Every event goes super smooth and our clients would never know the chaos that goes on behind closed doors! I love being a part of the chaos and I feel that in just the two weeks I have been there I have made some really good and affective changes. I am realizing that it's important to feel like you are growing and achieving which I now see how I was lacking those feelings at my old job. I can't wait to find out what other strengths I can use to add to the company's success.<br /><br />Although my real estate job will always have a special place in my heart, I'm missing it less and less. I'm thankful for the learning experience and all of the relationships I have made and I know that I would not be where I'm at without my time there. The hardest part about accepting change is the discomfort with the unknown and always questioning, "Where will this road lead me?" But I'm glad I took the risk because that's what life is all about! If we knew where every road would take us what kind of fun would that be? And how would we ever learn how to make decisions? I'm learning that it's the excitement and learning that helps you grow as a person... and I feel good about that :)Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-13660842619471330952009-09-14T16:12:00.007-06:002009-09-16T16:12:04.024-06:00“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise” -Oscar Wilde<div>So Josh and I had an interesting situation arise late last Tuesday night. It all began around 1:30 in the morning. We were sound asleep when we were awoken by the sound of our doorbell.<br /><br />"Who could it be?" I wondered, hoping it was not some terrible emergency.<br /><br />We both got out of bed, and when Josh opened the door we realized that no one was there. We totally got ding dong ditched! "What a punk," I said, "Let's go back to bed."<br /><br />Not five minutes later we were jolted by yet <span style="font-style: italic;">another</span> doorbell ring. This was getting quite ridiculous. Josh opened the door again and like we expected, no one was there.<br /><br />"Let's wait and see if those guys come back a third time," I suggested. And so we waited patiently, Josh by the door and me by the front window, watching and listening from behind the blinds. I was expecting to see some young kids scatter in the bushes, but what happened next I did not expect...<br /><br />All of a sudden a shirtless Polynesian man, about mid-twenties, came around from the side of our house and started walking towards our door. I recognized this guy... he lived in the house across the street! I had the window cracked, so I yelled out to him to get off of my property. Josh then came out and approached him, telling him that it was nearly 2:00 in the morning and that we were trying to get some sleep, politely asking him if that was OK with him. The guy nodded and went away.<br /><br />"Creepy!" I said as we walked back to bed. With the adrenaline pumping through my veins I couldn't get myself to fall back asleep. I don't know what it is with men, but my husband seemed to drift back into his dreams with ease. About fifteen minutes passed when I started hearing noises.... in our basement.<br /><br />Now, Josh and I rent the top unit of a duplex, and we had a new tenant that was slowly moving her things in but had not moved a bed yet so we knew she had not been spending the night, all the more reason why I freaked out when my friendly little dog started growling at our stairs. I quickly woke up Josh and he grabbed his pocketknife which has a rather large blade. He led the way into our hallway as I followed, and we stood still in the silence, waiting for any sort of sound from below. Shortly after we heard some noises coming from our deck which was right beyond our sliding glass doors in the kitchen...<br /><br />As Josh approached the doors I went into the bathroom and listened through the window in our shower as to hear any commotion. I heard my husband open the door and start to ask this man a series of intimidating questions like...</div><div> </div><br /><div>"WHAT THE *insert curse word here* ARE YOU DOING ON MY PROPERTY??"</div><div> </div><br /><div>followed by,</div><div> </div><br /><div>"DUDE, YOU NEED TO LEAVE BEFORE I CALL THE COPS..."</div><div> </div><br /><div>to,</div><div> </div><br /><div>"YOU ARE DRUNK, MAN! YOU NEED TO LEAVE NOW, I'M GIVING YOU A FEW SECONDS..."</div><div> </div><br /><div>After this man started talking back and refused to leave, Josh grabbed him by the shirt and threw him down the stairs of our deck, tossing him onto the concrete and into the shed below. Josh then began to beat the #$&% out of this guy, punching him at least 8 or 9 times in the effort to move him out of our yard. The intruder squirmed away, and in the process of this debacle, Josh ended up cutting the guy's arm, ripped his shoe off, and tore his belt. </div><div> </div><br /><div>I called the cops immediately after and waited with Josh on our deck until they showed up. While we waited Josh told me the window downstairs had been opened and the front door was wide open as well, and the man was in fact was trying to open our door as Josh approached the kitchen. I couldn't believe a neighbor would be so drunk and so stupid to actually break into someone's house. It worried me because I did not know what his intentions were...</div><div> </div><br /><div>You would think after getting hit so many times it would be a clear warning to not return.. but minutes later he actually came back from across the street and started walking slowly up our driveway heading straight towards us. Just as Josh began to yell out, we saw the cop car's headlights coming down our street catching him red handed!<br /><br />The cops took over from there. They quickly realized this guy was absolutely BOMBED and asked us if we would like to press charges. "HELL YES," was our answer! They found out he had a warrant out for his arrest for trespassing/assault so they got him cuffed and took him off to jail.<br /><br />As we walked back inside to go back to bed we couldn't believe this awful and terrifying thing had happened to us! Even though I knew he was gone I was still very anxious and had a very hard time sleeping. I kept waking up from nightmares thinking that I heard noises or that someone was in the room. Needless to say I was sleepy the whole next day at work and needed lots of coffee to stay awake. On a positive note I had a killer story to tell to my office!<br /><br />The reason why I titled this post with that quote is because after this kid broke in, it was almost like he broke the ice between us and our Polynesian neighbors. During the following days we were overwhelmed with how many family members came over to apologize for Phil's actions (that's the drunk guy's name). You could tell they were deeply hurt and took it very personally that one of their own family member's put their neighbor in danger. I realized that the Polynesian culture takes their family values seriously. I was surprised that they refused to bail him out of jail and that they acted so kindly towards us. They have lived in this neighborhood for years and years, so knowing that their name was tied into a bad situation made them furious. It made us feel better talking to his father. He helped us understand about Phil's past and let us know that we had his family's full support.<br /><br />Phil was bailed out by a friend in less than 24 hours and the next day came by our house to talk to Josh and apologize. He didn't remember anything from the night before, only bits and pieces. He thought he was locked out of his own house, and so he was trying to find a way in, not knowing it was not his home. He was embarassed and ashamed, but after hearing the results of his actions he was in tears. It was heartfelt and so we both accepted his apology with confidence that it would not happen again.<br /><br />So because of all of this, we have made good friends with a couple of the family members, mainly Phil's older brother and his cousin. We have since invited them over for beers and football and I honestly enjoy their company. The stories of their culture continue to fascinate me. I admire their views on how family always comes first, and how even if they are drinking and smoking on a Saturday night, you can bet they will be out of bed and in church the next morning.<br /><br />"Don't you ever feel guilty when you go to church and see all of these perfect families lined up next to you?" I asked, wondering how they could live such a different lifestyle than what the LDS church enforces.<br /><br />"I never compare myself to others," Oni explained, "because it's not between me and <span style="font-style: italic;">them</span>, it's between me and <span style="font-style: italic;">Him</span>."<br /><br />I was amazed by their faith and their comfort in who and what they are. This experience has opened my eyes and has taught me that while I may have little trust for strangers on the outside, I should be willing to familiarize myself with the people around me. To my surprise, they have quickly become like family and will be there for me to help whenever I might need them.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">So that was our little blessing in disguise!<br />What experiences have you had that were blessings in disguise?<br />Please share your stories, I would love to hear them!</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-70746496799598316632009-09-05T09:29:00.002-06:002009-09-13T17:20:21.225-06:00Wine, Lakes & Love<div style="text-align: center;">So I know I've been ranting and raving about our Seattle trip lately, but I'm not finished yet and they get better, so keep on reading!! :)<br /><br />After our Sunday baseball game, we realized our whole week was wide open with endless possibilities of things to do. We tried planning it out, but we ended up mixing in a lot of spontaneity. We decided a wine tour would be really fun and relaxing, since our most favorite Riesling is made in Washington, we were off to The Chateau St. Michele!<br /><br />As soon as we drove through the gates and saw the vineyards, we knew this was going to be just lovely! The wine tour was absolutely free so we signed up and had a half hour to spare before it started. The grounds were amazingly gorgeous; I was loving all of the green trees with crazy huge trunks! It made me think back to tree climbing as a kid back in Connecticut. People were picnicking on the grass sipping their wine and reading their books and flipping through newspapers. No one seemed to have a care in the world... this was indeed a "Stress-Free Zone"!!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4lCtLeXRdzrK9V02XxQyECyouBUVKa7zN1sZ-iIztMHJpdEcfY6mGwhXyaPvR-q2U1xlHh5grEpZX8I3V6Pe1cIOjJPa5CFotGYjLgYkexzT0JR2kGAO5UGH0c1PkjMJEPNKvbsHFGA/s1600-h/DSC01110.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375780570624218978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4lCtLeXRdzrK9V02XxQyECyouBUVKa7zN1sZ-iIztMHJpdEcfY6mGwhXyaPvR-q2U1xlHh5grEpZX8I3V6Pe1cIOjJPa5CFotGYjLgYkexzT0JR2kGAO5UGH0c1PkjMJEPNKvbsHFGA/s320/DSC01110.JPG" style="height: 189px; width: 252px;" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKiwz3XDpdvqL59YqVxTaPPzW__PXAp6U_8hYZLzGd4fEcYLN7MqD6f9iLpzCUgoOfPMn25siOlBj17FXYvvju6IDyzdN_i8afQF0PnXSMTzgn6HCto-dkZJUStmli5Xx5ZAGQNjR4-M/s1600-h/DSC01084.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375780573728208706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKiwz3XDpdvqL59YqVxTaPPzW__PXAp6U_8hYZLzGd4fEcYLN7MqD6f9iLpzCUgoOfPMn25siOlBj17FXYvvju6IDyzdN_i8afQF0PnXSMTzgn6HCto-dkZJUStmli5Xx5ZAGQNjR4-M/s320/DSC01084.JPG" style="height: 191px; width: 256px;" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCotT-X5g8I5dmBOyDZA1tIepolSrWJZ7kmfCvWJZkKmYaeN5aKyScnU26g6lDXljzA-yMbZruppqsCE03SSf1KkIHoE9H_tVyDye8SMVQ9Soy_8txiGVdpkdnqMXiX0a-xliwoRH07M/s1600-h/DSC01080.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375780585795645330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCotT-X5g8I5dmBOyDZA1tIepolSrWJZ7kmfCvWJZkKmYaeN5aKyScnU26g6lDXljzA-yMbZruppqsCE03SSf1KkIHoE9H_tVyDye8SMVQ9Soy_8txiGVdpkdnqMXiX0a-xliwoRH07M/s320/DSC01080.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; height: 320px; width: 240px;" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevSQhAO9eztEgf0qX6XZokr9V-tcfFTwxayCmLCSXktgVaMX_d1LHe-66vWtTu7udefrd1GrCgMqlW5gLn-zME3FbYJRXyCifAjPxhYC42Ws8ja-1E-i9OKLKCI8J3LPxJVnerXuCBi8/s1600-h/DSC01102.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375780595628613586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevSQhAO9eztEgf0qX6XZokr9V-tcfFTwxayCmLCSXktgVaMX_d1LHe-66vWtTu7udefrd1GrCgMqlW5gLn-zME3FbYJRXyCifAjPxhYC42Ws8ja-1E-i9OKLKCI8J3LPxJVnerXuCBi8/s320/DSC01102.JPG" style="height: 320px; width: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmWkSCiiYHhwU_i-3ewOU-AzZG7USjQxl3_46S9mZKxFMt47YY3VHHzQKLpj4RnJ6E3QTa9L-7vxrOS7xPCuXy6AlaHZaJcvbtpIg9xYqxeq0lr388b3j3PB3D3C3wLHXw1pql2dh0f0/s1600-h/DSC01152.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375780599767437682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmWkSCiiYHhwU_i-3ewOU-AzZG7USjQxl3_46S9mZKxFMt47YY3VHHzQKLpj4RnJ6E3QTa9L-7vxrOS7xPCuXy6AlaHZaJcvbtpIg9xYqxeq0lr388b3j3PB3D3C3wLHXw1pql2dh0f0/s320/DSC01152.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; height: 199px; width: 256px;" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNjFqba9LBejy1uchZ7NuTo5tVmX2x-_L5Xkj9S8YXfgbB4_r58dz2bd7V9i9VEgBjavyVASSI5BxA5X_E4zlDmH7J9-66vi4w_VHfFzv_M1bZMZbeX9st5MrptXJfRTyGjnNTV_HEno/s1600-h/DSC01158.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375780827473359458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNjFqba9LBejy1uchZ7NuTo5tVmX2x-_L5Xkj9S8YXfgbB4_r58dz2bd7V9i9VEgBjavyVASSI5BxA5X_E4zlDmH7J9-66vi4w_VHfFzv_M1bZMZbeX9st5MrptXJfRTyGjnNTV_HEno/s320/DSC01158.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; height: 199px; width: 255px;" border="0" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe4uikvUm-rRHbAe9_DBTXxAEmHHcFzDEQ-FKX5P3jBsInozOpa3nft2U1xM7cJcFl6HyxuYs0FfmtcUl5dqHLXSU6Hanv9dKsVB7Tld_wBXRAFfb4aDWx0yKHmGk3T9hshcN9294NXg/s1600-h/DSC01167.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375780839586079714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe4uikvUm-rRHbAe9_DBTXxAEmHHcFzDEQ-FKX5P3jBsInozOpa3nft2U1xM7cJcFl6HyxuYs0FfmtcUl5dqHLXSU6Hanv9dKsVB7Tld_wBXRAFfb4aDWx0yKHmGk3T9hshcN9294NXg/s320/DSC01167.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; height: 197px; width: 256px;" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB8PSu5D9PoWBsmeH_pfWJam_6qvNLlpG_OevylZPE8fCwPUSoVtoWvMVPGpIBWqkwfOk4t-xSNDufWF25pdt7bthxOsT8fcGha_kLSpzR2NiVUtwm_7MIC-dkivsXgBWO101AEOUt1A/s1600-h/DSC01117.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375780835777724722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB8PSu5D9PoWBsmeH_pfWJam_6qvNLlpG_OevylZPE8fCwPUSoVtoWvMVPGpIBWqkwfOk4t-xSNDufWF25pdt7bthxOsT8fcGha_kLSpzR2NiVUtwm_7MIC-dkivsXgBWO101AEOUt1A/s320/DSC01117.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; height: 197px; width: 255px;" border="0" /></a><br /><br />At the end of the tour they provided a free tasting of their three most favorite wines including a Merlot, Blush, and Dessert. I realized that Merlots were an acquired taste and I would have to work on liking it. I enjoyed the blush, and the dessert wine was almost too sweet for my liking. We ended up going home with my original favorite Chateau St. Michele Riesling. Mmmmmm!<br /><br />The following day we went to Pikes Place Market which we were told was one of the most essential tourist destinations when visiting Seattle. It was a good thing Cindy lent us her GPS system since Seattle roads make absolutely NO sense!! We didn't see any fish throwing, but we got the gist of how great the market was. You could get a beautiful bouquet of gorgeous flowers for only $5.00! If I lived in downtown Seattle you could bet I would be shopping for their fresh veggies and fish on a weekly basis.<br /><br />The market sits right on the coast of the Puget Sound and we stepped outside to take in the fantastic views. We dined on classic fish & chips at the Emmett Watson Oyster Bar, passed by the original Starbucks while listening to the famous Seattle Street Singers, sipped on Tulley's coffee in downtown Seattle's Harbor Steps, and observed amazing works of art in the Seattle Art Museum.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVM0v_-nAhYUxDXc-kyPJXSIR22C7sEHPYitz8esHYUcI9sEY80lSJx7Vl5Su17sCACnbXLVbZTFEapugYpp60fvRtiV2kg050T9FZkgoEZVRn5jk2CmuLVjgxD6ZykYgq0UR_U8TXWoY/s1600-h/DSC01180.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVM0v_-nAhYUxDXc-kyPJXSIR22C7sEHPYitz8esHYUcI9sEY80lSJx7Vl5Su17sCACnbXLVbZTFEapugYpp60fvRtiV2kg050T9FZkgoEZVRn5jk2CmuLVjgxD6ZykYgq0UR_U8TXWoY/s320/DSC01180.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378026121987855938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qXPiIsCwVNrgD_O-ukjzVD9M-8IN70FRpoXDw0sZgWLLcJyTspXAUCP15vTWEqaZWdVLv5XZJRXn1dgGutwmbWeQr2NQ1inPvXRLImlFYWCYJm5UiptDT42lkTQYmqEOmmvT8uK0qOo/s1600-h/DSC01192.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qXPiIsCwVNrgD_O-ukjzVD9M-8IN70FRpoXDw0sZgWLLcJyTspXAUCP15vTWEqaZWdVLv5XZJRXn1dgGutwmbWeQr2NQ1inPvXRLImlFYWCYJm5UiptDT42lkTQYmqEOmmvT8uK0qOo/s320/DSC01192.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378026131492642002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAx-H7ZTm8WI5IOt47qnMkM_xlrwq8BMcXx4diMiMkzR2_44Lu7LAbFINuS992xJVljFTH8LeD3i1nPL6uCAHOqi2haA-vTQ7Y4h2FnRNfpL1NxOVZZbZ3ctN9-6qhe5hHrNJz7ZHnzY/s1600-h/DSC01196.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAx-H7ZTm8WI5IOt47qnMkM_xlrwq8BMcXx4diMiMkzR2_44Lu7LAbFINuS992xJVljFTH8LeD3i1nPL6uCAHOqi2haA-vTQ7Y4h2FnRNfpL1NxOVZZbZ3ctN9-6qhe5hHrNJz7ZHnzY/s320/DSC01196.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378026132835233202" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSFQnC5_e23gKE_EkwO0f8knf8rjxovkXT1zipXvSnozhM07mLj3XVA_RPE38vJiRgVE7IuwFv92TjzogGCggMDGfgTEXoelOI8NwYj1PyIVfOw9aU6LV-4anDgdLn1HByE1cOBcW9cM/s1600-h/DSC01206.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTSFQnC5_e23gKE_EkwO0f8knf8rjxovkXT1zipXvSnozhM07mLj3XVA_RPE38vJiRgVE7IuwFv92TjzogGCggMDGfgTEXoelOI8NwYj1PyIVfOw9aU6LV-4anDgdLn1HByE1cOBcW9cM/s320/DSC01206.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378026143679438130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />What a wonderful day this was! When we headed back home Cindy wanted to take us to Martha Lake, a small lake closeby where there is a swim area for kids and a dock with lots of open water to paddle on. We packed up a couple boats and paddled until sunset...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4sjaD9FZ6vp8G1cCykNwpYUUkxY5T-iLCahkvf4UKVNtUm9jA0CQyz8fnU4ZTx79jrjD_4V6jH3FUtRRnCK6h7N89oMRoQ6CME4mb7waojn50v-Zuw254TNOebhr6syIjx9rWmuhtWI/s1600-h/DSC01210.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4sjaD9FZ6vp8G1cCykNwpYUUkxY5T-iLCahkvf4UKVNtUm9jA0CQyz8fnU4ZTx79jrjD_4V6jH3FUtRRnCK6h7N89oMRoQ6CME4mb7waojn50v-Zuw254TNOebhr6syIjx9rWmuhtWI/s320/DSC01210.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378030350445713314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienNVC8dolaOuapozK8DUWGE01i4axPrd0mO8m3HPL1HQ1aV00sCqevCP-DZ1ekRrtdxrxNTfUajRzQts8bV_wRfN-h5tRWfRw6YBmLzAqDsa7b4m-A0ILy7RC03lx3NhlZTY3yYZOzqw/s1600-h/DSC01217.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienNVC8dolaOuapozK8DUWGE01i4axPrd0mO8m3HPL1HQ1aV00sCqevCP-DZ1ekRrtdxrxNTfUajRzQts8bV_wRfN-h5tRWfRw6YBmLzAqDsa7b4m-A0ILy7RC03lx3NhlZTY3yYZOzqw/s320/DSC01217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378030197496094370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpjoxUv7MFhSQYKY35QbMpGl_zoHyDX7whYCSfnzGJGlJxVJ9mkILCm6FiT5izIJm4H2xHaENi6P-cnhxz2s7Ox0bbzBWN3QlD_unRv2lPzIBeDksIm8gRJVtgeav_72cEgLTxKOSTl8/s1600-h/DSC01225.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXpjoxUv7MFhSQYKY35QbMpGl_zoHyDX7whYCSfnzGJGlJxVJ9mkILCm6FiT5izIJm4H2xHaENi6P-cnhxz2s7Ox0bbzBWN3QlD_unRv2lPzIBeDksIm8gRJVtgeav_72cEgLTxKOSTl8/s320/DSC01225.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378030205799623218" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnzIYhJ8XKkmYxZIWdaQqLsuMzA9YmxeMZ2_2jlkkWhvzfQghtrtVW2Ea5pgmYJbG3QsJPH1qaHocotsvaJFLHKsGr27l8s-UTxfdkGoeyAPIc9f2CzvWUgLqyCCYTx5QKRuD50fNsQ4/s1600-h/DSC01226.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnzIYhJ8XKkmYxZIWdaQqLsuMzA9YmxeMZ2_2jlkkWhvzfQghtrtVW2Ea5pgmYJbG3QsJPH1qaHocotsvaJFLHKsGr27l8s-UTxfdkGoeyAPIc9f2CzvWUgLqyCCYTx5QKRuD50fNsQ4/s320/DSC01226.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378030213898995666" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The next day was me and Josh's 3 year anniversary! We decided to go to Golden Gardens Park, which is a nice little beachy stretch of sand with picnic tables and bonfire pits. We brought a blanket, our books, some snacks and our Riesling, and just relaxed all afternoon in a cluster of shade trees. As I tucked my feet in the soft sand, rested on a tree, and tasted the delicious wine on my lips, a feeling of pure joy set in as I gazed out onto the water. I couldn't ask for a better way to spend time with the love of my life....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdo2p-rTL4bjs52c_axb5FKhkHtFxEVwdgmEFhF6lD7phNGn7E0nCUsyMZ-ngpYlalV2gr2i_TmzB9neJlMaHcu37qzwwxHozeFnjo9yOGU7HEMgb946mzujIUyPa_AqNSAlXct-4jihc/s1600-h/DSC01227.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdo2p-rTL4bjs52c_axb5FKhkHtFxEVwdgmEFhF6lD7phNGn7E0nCUsyMZ-ngpYlalV2gr2i_TmzB9neJlMaHcu37qzwwxHozeFnjo9yOGU7HEMgb946mzujIUyPa_AqNSAlXct-4jihc/s320/DSC01227.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378033887700190290" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2FELN9x2yIivGyUl-sR8OlNjVw6F4xkds7DqE9Wjr9a3o7lEPE9yT-1rwu2EFlURfx_BW78PZQzbc49Yv1NcnL-LJYMU7oMSPG1GmEnjTU13NajlY8MJlgdHqfdWJ0NbNnV4z900z4U/s1600-h/DSC01255.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2FELN9x2yIivGyUl-sR8OlNjVw6F4xkds7DqE9Wjr9a3o7lEPE9yT-1rwu2EFlURfx_BW78PZQzbc49Yv1NcnL-LJYMU7oMSPG1GmEnjTU13NajlY8MJlgdHqfdWJ0NbNnV4z900z4U/s320/DSC01255.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378033896646167938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDdYI5uGZEQizsqHgNMTPiNxNT17fK5Vf0G8mUwisofVzZTQvUkFVPfzFYcBq7tL6LlIKoeBHBhWXs7r1UkqIVzMKfsdyrk7hhjQWiMLFvukxb1b5iGYCLWVkuNkFjT0dk-YPpbTJSKE/s1600-h/DSC01254.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDdYI5uGZEQizsqHgNMTPiNxNT17fK5Vf0G8mUwisofVzZTQvUkFVPfzFYcBq7tL6LlIKoeBHBhWXs7r1UkqIVzMKfsdyrk7hhjQWiMLFvukxb1b5iGYCLWVkuNkFjT0dk-YPpbTJSKE/s320/DSC01254.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378033904672806242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxP5qa8FkBE4JvdX8qZmqyUlvUEy771I-X23M9nzxhuGH7y5XyMYbNbhg7iUM0VAku6lZ8_vnb8Kx9OP6e5Uk8VxMXloooIgLuRKslI88Uco_4rTu0I_X4RRRS_B-PfXnvMeevqTfjgI/s1600-h/DSC01251.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxP5qa8FkBE4JvdX8qZmqyUlvUEy771I-X23M9nzxhuGH7y5XyMYbNbhg7iUM0VAku6lZ8_vnb8Kx9OP6e5Uk8VxMXloooIgLuRKslI88Uco_4rTu0I_X4RRRS_B-PfXnvMeevqTfjgI/s320/DSC01251.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378033908576520914" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now feeling a little happy buzz we headed to Ray's Boathouse down the street for a nice seafood dinner. We were seated on an outdoor table with views of the water, served wine and beer, and feasted on fresh halibut and calamari.<br /><br />I'll be honest now... it sounds like a wonderful anniversary dinner, right? Well I'll be the first to admit that I had a little too much to drink and started to morph into my evil Gemini twin, becoming more and more obnoxious and belligerent. I felt myself becoming heated and angry for no reason... Josh pleaded to try and enjoy the moment, but I couldn't stop, all I could feel were the negative feelings: the sun was too hot, we were too crowded, and it was hardly the romantic dinner I had hoped for. There wasn't much love going on between us, only bickering and fighting, so we left quickly both feeling frustrated and hurt. We went home in silence and Josh left to cool off. I sat in the RV in a drunken state of mind, cried, and felt sorry for myself. It was pathetic.<br /><br />So that's a heavy dose of reality, wouldn't you think so? Maybe you're wondering why I didn't keep on with the lovely stories and why I am now sharing these personal details? Well, being a blog reader I come across many that are sugar coated where their lives seem to be so perfect you can hardly stand it. On the other hand, there are a select few that spill out their honest feelings and I find myself more interested in the realness of them because I can actually relate.<br /><br />So here it is, the real me, exposed and imperfect.<br /><br />The truth is I was so backed up on Monday (yes... you know what I mean) that we almost didn't get to go on the wine tour. The truth is I complained a lot about the claustrophobic nature of the market and needed to leave after only 5 minutes. But Josh stood beside me, dealt with my moodiness, and tried to make the best out of each moment. He is a real trooper and I can't tell you how blessed I feel for having such a wonderful husband who bares through the negativity of my evil twin, and has the power to look into my eyes and bring out the real me. I feel safe and secure with him, and I sometimes wonder if he knows me more than I know myself.<br /><br />Despite it all... we were together and we enjoyed our special moments, and at the end of the day we slept by each others side and woke up still happy and still in love. Good morning kisses seem to smooth over the rough times and leave them in the past...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJP3OVng3jNPne00fJB_Dd62HnrnGKiXZgZ2Vj2LKkNrozJYTWQ9eo9KGV6kPMNXDkci7SI6W0zYpdCc-6Mi8PTI_7d1ljqTso_2asVs8B9G5vXLqXVv24tZy3x1OKODNS8pHfR7vjbjs/s1600-h/DSC01138.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJP3OVng3jNPne00fJB_Dd62HnrnGKiXZgZ2Vj2LKkNrozJYTWQ9eo9KGV6kPMNXDkci7SI6W0zYpdCc-6Mi8PTI_7d1ljqTso_2asVs8B9G5vXLqXVv24tZy3x1OKODNS8pHfR7vjbjs/s320/DSC01138.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378045103971017858" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well guys, thanks for reading. I appreciate any and all comments because it keeps me writing, so if you enjoyed this post, please let me know!<br /><br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-33377655385815466032009-08-30T09:39:00.010-06:002009-09-13T17:20:33.013-06:00Mariners VS. YankeesSo in addition to Cindy's kindness, she and her husband, Kelley, were thoughtful enough to buy us tickets to the Mariners vs. Yankees game on Sunday at Safeco field! We were so excited! Seattle is known for it's horrendous traffic, especially on game days, so I was glad to take the bus to Downtown Seattle where the stadium was.<br /><br />It was a perfect day for a baseball game: sunny skies with a slight breeze. Our seats were very high up, but we had an awesome view of the field and were luckily in the shade. It was so relaxing to be there while eating our hotdogs and sipping on our beer (6% beer is like drinking a breath of fresh air... compared to Utah's lame 3.2%!).<br /><br />Being from New England, I have always grown up being a Yankee fan. My dad is the biggest fan of all. Since the Yankees had beat the Mariners twice already, my dad told me to "bring out the broom!" Every time A-Rod came out to bat there was a booming uproar of hostile boo's coming from the crowd. I quickly decided not to root for the Yankees since I probably would have been tortured with belittling remarks and flying hot dogs.<br /><br />To my surprise the Mariners ended up kicking major Yankee a$$! Yankees were in the lead starting out, but in the 4th inning Ken Griffey Jr. hit a single to center, starting a 2-out ralley that gave the Mariners 5 runs, leading 9-3. Yanks just lost their focus after that and were at a stand still. I believe the final score was 11-3!<br /><br />It was lots of fun to spend a Sunday afternoon watching baseball with Cindy and her family. I was already having such a good time and looked forward to more enjoyment throughout the rest of the week.<br /><br />Here are some of our pictures we took from the game:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZvHJvAmW5FkFrGiktIG-L1G0V5OMg-o2n28Esh1132phObjh00lELUyWM_9_LIuAegNOed5yxznK6WIU07nKnXuxgkk3Z9Vf_Hx8nrZhj3Srb1vUhQbKdJB8iVsEPr1m9Y_SX33DQ4c/s1600-h/DSC01045.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 370px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZvHJvAmW5FkFrGiktIG-L1G0V5OMg-o2n28Esh1132phObjh00lELUyWM_9_LIuAegNOed5yxznK6WIU07nKnXuxgkk3Z9Vf_Hx8nrZhj3Srb1vUhQbKdJB8iVsEPr1m9Y_SX33DQ4c/s320/DSC01045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375782423891943634" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EzU06dRoZ6pCX2YAXh1TLSmbmdRvMQbKZQ2Rvco1XhBFewHH5Q3v_QGJAOmcHGTKiwUuCbal8uwbZ59tYLrkmXcYhZwsrG7O0Kp3I56aoV1y1MSNEXRinIcseHusmvsC9DPWQc0Yq9Q/s1600-h/DSC01043.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EzU06dRoZ6pCX2YAXh1TLSmbmdRvMQbKZQ2Rvco1XhBFewHH5Q3v_QGJAOmcHGTKiwUuCbal8uwbZ59tYLrkmXcYhZwsrG7O0Kp3I56aoV1y1MSNEXRinIcseHusmvsC9DPWQc0Yq9Q/s320/DSC01043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375782432245974338" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Jd-HstG9EQyjOT9fiMi9dOM9eWwyPwQ3HhfAOOnI37YeVucpMEDEEgWv40qazK3X31dnFixnEM2BgOOt7JrajayxMfmLHPpHajxUmyAYAuFEAN5q77iqgi2XFErb6hANmLQPA_X2H2U/s1600-h/DSC01049.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Jd-HstG9EQyjOT9fiMi9dOM9eWwyPwQ3HhfAOOnI37YeVucpMEDEEgWv40qazK3X31dnFixnEM2BgOOt7JrajayxMfmLHPpHajxUmyAYAuFEAN5q77iqgi2XFErb6hANmLQPA_X2H2U/s320/DSC01049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375782438015883218" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB3Slw3evopAfmX_XKcUxiMkKwetBgWYXCWUkqr2aQTk5LKMFTHJOBDmwlLcNjOQ0TXZPMraPB3o7enTwKD5LxC0WBU4D2VVizSsZhV8wcUX8Kuub8QXtQ4w0TA35jzBe-XizKJ4Qr08/s1600-h/DSC01050.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB3Slw3evopAfmX_XKcUxiMkKwetBgWYXCWUkqr2aQTk5LKMFTHJOBDmwlLcNjOQ0TXZPMraPB3o7enTwKD5LxC0WBU4D2VVizSsZhV8wcUX8Kuub8QXtQ4w0TA35jzBe-XizKJ4Qr08/s320/DSC01050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375783113256824802" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAJl4nirZBZekjDDV6gWHWhrTbGlEYBQfZgjUqctSam57sJIHHVftJDIDzGkXyljDUvw1Z7F2HyWXmtGwAGMSxmsIjfZUJzVjxDtdwc2Gk0HSnQaSDU-x8WWEISiHDPpHLXg8cak8Ldw/s1600-h/DSC01051.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAJl4nirZBZekjDDV6gWHWhrTbGlEYBQfZgjUqctSam57sJIHHVftJDIDzGkXyljDUvw1Z7F2HyWXmtGwAGMSxmsIjfZUJzVjxDtdwc2Gk0HSnQaSDU-x8WWEISiHDPpHLXg8cak8Ldw/s320/DSC01051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375782648415267154" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIf_sxfbvfERMeX3xzvLWpzqMIJ20YpK90rnQjIejMcuI-FzFEBRkooevz3DpNZ6m_P7zehZihDnhxfd_zxT9zI9v98NSk0ZVBOlkrJhZWV4AARpXMV7afQnBQybteb8ITnpKZHBLjedM/s1600-h/DSC01064.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIf_sxfbvfERMeX3xzvLWpzqMIJ20YpK90rnQjIejMcuI-FzFEBRkooevz3DpNZ6m_P7zehZihDnhxfd_zxT9zI9v98NSk0ZVBOlkrJhZWV4AARpXMV7afQnBQybteb8ITnpKZHBLjedM/s320/DSC01064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375782643805966546" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepz8YNYhuT0-xnfrGU2L5DSouMQD-es4TS_QerEezWRwZdIhcHBIbkNFvdkJRVZsguubzuEzVPaTYD9e4CgUXDNfaeJ1faf44_2_ldRAcPAI-XNiIG-AhkDE3gn_3yl4Jw2x-WzRQi1Y/s1600-h/DSC01066.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepz8YNYhuT0-xnfrGU2L5DSouMQD-es4TS_QerEezWRwZdIhcHBIbkNFvdkJRVZsguubzuEzVPaTYD9e4CgUXDNfaeJ1faf44_2_ldRAcPAI-XNiIG-AhkDE3gn_3yl4Jw2x-WzRQi1Y/s320/DSC01066.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375782657081329506" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjoPkgeSdD9R-TQ5au-c1x1GRr8OF4_o1eRWNSPk531XP0ZsLJ1usGBvJIUgshaytqJ4Zuw-Udv8ns3ETSZdRmkbNmENWHmZeRXGjzxG_QHSf9DSkawQcPKwzHjVI57pl1U4JRUM7RMI/s1600-h/DSC01059.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 392px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjoPkgeSdD9R-TQ5au-c1x1GRr8OF4_o1eRWNSPk531XP0ZsLJ1usGBvJIUgshaytqJ4Zuw-Udv8ns3ETSZdRmkbNmENWHmZeRXGjzxG_QHSf9DSkawQcPKwzHjVI57pl1U4JRUM7RMI/s320/DSC01059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375782456403131714" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-77487674095972694292009-08-29T09:58:00.011-06:002009-09-13T17:20:43.157-06:00Roberts Family ReunionFirst of all, I apologize for not blogging literally all month! We have been anticipating our Seattle trip and after sadly returning back to Utah, I am now in the mood to reflect and think out loud once again :)<br /><br />This trip was very meaningful for many reasons, so it is necessary I explain how and why we decided to go...<br /><br />Josh and I had recently gotten in touch with his Aunt Cindy (his dad's sister) through Facebook. Josh never really knew the Roberts side beyond his dad's immediate family. He had lost touch after his mom and dad separated when he was 9 and grew up mostly knowing his mom's side. Thankfully through Cindy he was able to fill in some gaps, like what his real grandfather's name was and the difficult struggles his dad had to go through in his childhood. Not only did it help Josh understand his father more, but it also made him curious as to what blood relatives he had that he never got the chance to know. Cindy told us we should go to the annual Roberts Family Reunion in August. We considered it, and realized that the reunion was close to our 3 year anniversary and decided to plan a vacation around it. Cindy then told Josh's great Uncle Jack and he was overjoyed with the news that we were going to be there.<br /><br />So we did it! We took the time off work, packed up our little black Honda, and started our drive over 800 miles through Idaho's endless farms and haybales, to Oregon's gorgeous blue rivers and canyons, and into Washington towards Cindy's home in Lynnwood, about 10-15 miles outside of Seattle. Once we passed through Washington's eastern desert area we saw the beautiful vineyards, and then traveled through the mountains with everlasting trees. Ah... trees :) They were so green and so beautiful you could not see through the thick forests if you tried. We rolled down the windows and felt the humid air on our skin. The feeling of freedom and anticipation made me smile and awe over how great this was... how great it was to be away and with the ones I love most.<br /><br />Cindy was more than generous with her hospitality. I was so overwhelmed with how welcome we felt and how she was so willing to help with anything that we needed. She let us bring our dogs and stay in her RV, which was so great because we had our own separate space and privacy throughout the week.<br /><br />We arrived late on Friday got our rest for we knew that Saturday was the reunion. While little nervous feelings ran through our veins, they were surpassed by excitement and openness to meeting new people. Not just people... actual family. Would they be nice? Welcoming? Rude? Strange? We didn't know! We only hoped we would fit in somewhere.<br /><br />We arrived and approached a large gathering of complete strangers. Shortly after we met Uncle Jack... a very unique and charming individual. He appeared to be in his late 70's yet had the spirit of a 20 something. He made a big announcement to everyone and introduced us to the whole family.<br /><br />I'll be honest... I felt a little out of place. After all, I was not a blood related Roberts, just an in-law with less knowledge of the family than anyone else there. I struggled with names, but surprisingly I was able to carry on conversations. Josh was chatting it up with everyone, meeting cousins, uncles, aunts, and everyone in between. I felt so happy for him but had a hard time shaking my discomfort. But then I thought... isn't that how everyone feels at reunions? Uncomfortable because you onyl catch up once a year if that? I realized that everyone was playing catch up, re-introducing themselves, and reminding each other of their names. I decided to let my nervousness go and put a smile on my face, because really... what was the worst that could happen?<br /><br />As I outstretched my hand to greet people, they hugged me instead. It seemed as though everyone was welcoming us into the family and we felt so loved, as though we had never lived apart. It was easy because there was a familiarity to each Roberts. They shared struggles while showing their quirky Roberts idiosyncrasies such as their ability to talk and talk (and talk.. and talk...) and their nonjudgemental qualities, accepting everyone for what they were. I swore a little bit, they would swear back. Josh and I went to go smoke a cigarette, and someone would join us. We fit in!<br /><br />I enjoy being around older people and listening to their stories. The elderly are amazing individuals. I look into their eyes and see wisdom. If you listen to them and really hear what they are saying, you begin to see that they have this understood comfort with themselves and their stories are written in their aged faces. They speak with sweetness and charm. I was starting to really love these people.<br /><br />We ate cheeseburgers and hotdogs, played a friendly baseball game (Josh caught the last ball, winning the game!), participated in the water balloon toss, and a listened to live acoustic hour. I would never guess The Roberts were so musical because Josh is totally tone def! His Uncle Jack used to promote concerts back in the day booking famous Western Country performers such as Johnny Cash! Uncle Jack and his nephews have even performed and recorded albums in times past. They get together every reunion and play their guitars and sing together. It was so amazing to watch. I actually teared up a few times as they played their versions of the classics.<br /><br />As we said our goodbyes, hugged everyone, and exchanged phone numbers and emails, Josh and I felt whole, forever engraved with their kind words and hearts.<br /><br />Here a just a few of the photos we took:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwU6uq9-QR_SCEM4x0h6J1mdSRW-YS-L3xQNSpL4RQKnSUPJ5EIq79JUJVCFPSIoqz4hGzVUPD7TE35DxNjnHJk8dn4lFCdnEiQjgrWPTA8t-IRuBrben8qrfPePbcb-D3zA1BQFvGqr0/s1600-h/DSC01011.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 349px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwU6uq9-QR_SCEM4x0h6J1mdSRW-YS-L3xQNSpL4RQKnSUPJ5EIq79JUJVCFPSIoqz4hGzVUPD7TE35DxNjnHJk8dn4lFCdnEiQjgrWPTA8t-IRuBrben8qrfPePbcb-D3zA1BQFvGqr0/s320/DSC01011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375434117964209058" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8q7CFj6he9CkIjNvabPJ1wnDvkbCtYBOVS0Kyeuf6ynXlRByH6cj0a94alFtOlaz2wMgMgIv3NsraDUIu0wNvyt_2KJm77hJTIozkSBwTcgqc1-Q8QPZFYZY8xrkN5xKI7_qPJC9Lxnw/s1600-h/DSC01013.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; 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width: 272px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEujq8lOWzjrv1Tu-q9iHQnmZc0paxYM-NgcHV1_tOK9INcbeu7dthgH5SED8CxVs0L31ZxPLimtXjnBlkQWIAXf3qQc1U9lSgUPrNLdvybWLOjwaTdSNz18FIzku99y2iapxkysFIqo/s320/DSC01027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375435401025129570" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Wy2eSKyzmBTsrs3S6kiUQajHRRGeroy-wf0FhS72MZwNtLW9SXR8Cs6V1rllbt7825gpGG9-2hrDnRYMRGLwKbYq6CJI8ZwpDqdPADkYkdPidK3IQc0-YXSrIbmDjNqcsvO_xVBs0LQ/s1600-h/DSC01021.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Wy2eSKyzmBTsrs3S6kiUQajHRRGeroy-wf0FhS72MZwNtLW9SXR8Cs6V1rllbt7825gpGG9-2hrDnRYMRGLwKbYq6CJI8ZwpDqdPADkYkdPidK3IQc0-YXSrIbmDjNqcsvO_xVBs0LQ/s320/DSC01021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375435391600944306" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx2JydUeP6Oj9LCVE9NSoOZgrAXE8JpwGNzZM9VELwetVTQvr-dz0XItTQ3xzUy4bG2WYHpFJMGL7490nEk18os0YmSbF_FSqCvltK7BGlLfZbEUZ37uqhGwc0I1U8hzZqAoOSp4HnN8/s1600-h/DSC01001.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx2JydUeP6Oj9LCVE9NSoOZgrAXE8JpwGNzZM9VELwetVTQvr-dz0XItTQ3xzUy4bG2WYHpFJMGL7490nEk18os0YmSbF_FSqCvltK7BGlLfZbEUZ37uqhGwc0I1U8hzZqAoOSp4HnN8/s320/DSC01001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375434100428240946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMSbx_ddpodNmn6eDsxunNGrZ4qJ1KghNrJ-6z2AP2wqSZQslzAW2lJF0q6ViSVziDp43BuOWWYc9BoZsp91egeY5ztzHZ7YM2QHRwef4Q4-S6p5sujokkaC7NH0lQ1fYuJOPMCv0SuY/s1600-h/DSC00990.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMSbx_ddpodNmn6eDsxunNGrZ4qJ1KghNrJ-6z2AP2wqSZQslzAW2lJF0q6ViSVziDp43BuOWWYc9BoZsp91egeY5ztzHZ7YM2QHRwef4Q4-S6p5sujokkaC7NH0lQ1fYuJOPMCv0SuY/s320/DSC00990.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375434089775672066" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5h2e7gsNJeddWlSqgOhnE035GkJ79eTuBL60uEa0lZKdvhxtUZv2B9bdvb-poKVdlUe_i0BYnZB931vMfFFM-nMUcd9m4QRj8pwoCODKk6MS4ktn45vfkc84pNR6AV3uhV_OVtbZUmE/s1600-h/DSC00989.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5h2e7gsNJeddWlSqgOhnE035GkJ79eTuBL60uEa0lZKdvhxtUZv2B9bdvb-poKVdlUe_i0BYnZB931vMfFFM-nMUcd9m4QRj8pwoCODKk6MS4ktn45vfkc84pNR6AV3uhV_OVtbZUmE/s320/DSC00989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375435388950241682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FGABzOPxRB2yO_bYJUbbAiAWEI5Ep9aokmPQrviRoWSEiXpoK1J0stJqSWRXj0u_bi5w3kRZbbMWVMwpiFSXgeJ9KQCyHK-ZNH_dp6PadL_LPlhYQrUk5qZB9UyGnI7sT1NyEAbOhX8/s1600-h/DSC01038.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FGABzOPxRB2yO_bYJUbbAiAWEI5Ep9aokmPQrviRoWSEiXpoK1J0stJqSWRXj0u_bi5w3kRZbbMWVMwpiFSXgeJ9KQCyHK-ZNH_dp6PadL_LPlhYQrUk5qZB9UyGnI7sT1NyEAbOhX8/s320/DSC01038.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375435407682700626" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">This was just the first day of our Seattle trip.<br />Check back to read about more stories of our adventures in Seattle :)</div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-80020006297862455962009-07-25T09:37:00.006-06:002009-09-13T17:19:24.956-06:00Missing Connecticut<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdsQuJeMSltd1Hy3LfNjAWb3aLc8Q2CY9wRK9jRwR_ERBg1mjTLnIMP6h_Dp34UTPXBfi-tR3QoaNWkw1CzapXlkk863XQ2lXJByJU0iTHFjX-whk8k97nGGfe8AjzHE_hQWMAI53vQM/s1600-h/connecticut.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 430px; height: 337px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJdsQuJeMSltd1Hy3LfNjAWb3aLc8Q2CY9wRK9jRwR_ERBg1mjTLnIMP6h_Dp34UTPXBfi-tR3QoaNWkw1CzapXlkk863XQ2lXJByJU0iTHFjX-whk8k97nGGfe8AjzHE_hQWMAI53vQM/s320/connecticut.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362423407248237986" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6vP8ZefBL6ZpSnT1ioz11cLWXEpDwVUir7DPNYrR8MSGjnODVkJP_2B2-vQC0_M0axfMzypgK_asyitQELeA1A_BeveYQvQlI81QYoluwWtANqcWLI5OQx-n97sC-fww32CDZplt0gM/s1600-h/800px-Hartford_Connecticut_Skyline.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6vP8ZefBL6ZpSnT1ioz11cLWXEpDwVUir7DPNYrR8MSGjnODVkJP_2B2-vQC0_M0axfMzypgK_asyitQELeA1A_BeveYQvQlI81QYoluwWtANqcWLI5OQx-n97sC-fww32CDZplt0gM/s320/800px-Hartford_Connecticut_Skyline.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362423390441093378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdBCTFjdoB-9uA93T5B3nNN0Mp-kAQd3l9lXfuhPoaD0w1CjvuarzBTckiX4EF-vdFVigcW4ggjmSAdZONQqFx33wcweyG-DNb9P7qxfGsoioc10sVMmuCKy2ir5e9dtm1sEsKQDExt0/s1600-h/Connecticut+State+House.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdBCTFjdoB-9uA93T5B3nNN0Mp-kAQd3l9lXfuhPoaD0w1CjvuarzBTckiX4EF-vdFVigcW4ggjmSAdZONQqFx33wcweyG-DNb9P7qxfGsoioc10sVMmuCKy2ir5e9dtm1sEsKQDExt0/s320/Connecticut+State+House.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362429591899027122" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4LEIhK2AX4HiZpIs-Lgs9DecyjZx6vSsVUlntPROImmtwwf-iWk8wHwSii1GtExUiQnlwlBwy3UX8reWywTGj8IvgGygP9lB7BXr7aN75CkwovHZaSpxsd_3y8QS-YpAA3NfHUG-ieM/s1600-h/3188124529_bc46fdf7bc.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4LEIhK2AX4HiZpIs-Lgs9DecyjZx6vSsVUlntPROImmtwwf-iWk8wHwSii1GtExUiQnlwlBwy3UX8reWywTGj8IvgGygP9lB7BXr7aN75CkwovHZaSpxsd_3y8QS-YpAA3NfHUG-ieM/s320/3188124529_bc46fdf7bc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362426418108312354" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtOPicu-DdMMayh4iuFh1L4LG4IgGtO-H2fOTtz6xjfF5nBOIsEznCG78ZeiVm_Bs8J0VhO5KoiGri_xjPVP64SqGiW9Z_hSft06GuNAN3OR92rCY5TEM2ms4vkjXhSgcow7jFCcbFfo/s1600-h/370899501quQfFh_fs.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtOPicu-DdMMayh4iuFh1L4LG4IgGtO-H2fOTtz6xjfF5nBOIsEznCG78ZeiVm_Bs8J0VhO5KoiGri_xjPVP64SqGiW9Z_hSft06GuNAN3OR92rCY5TEM2ms4vkjXhSgcow7jFCcbFfo/s320/370899501quQfFh_fs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362426422827925442" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />With my mom & dad being in town this last month, I've been missing my hometown more than ever.<br /><br />Here are a few things I miss about living in Connecticut:<br /><br />The endless rolling hills full of trees or what I called "broccoli fields" when I was little<br />The fact that Connecticut was one of the 13 colonies and has such historic attributes<br />How you can drive 45 minutes and be out of the state<br />Having 4 consistent seasons, none of which are more extreme than the other<br />Curvy and narrow roads we liked to call "roller coaster roads"<br />Cape & Colonial style homes that were built as early as the 1700's<br />Friendly's Fries and Dunkin Donuts Coffee<br />Family owned businesses & restaurants that have been around for years<br />Having beach, country and city closeby<br />The fact that only 2% of the state is LDS<br />Being a democratic state<br />Fireflies, hot air balloons, light houses & covered bridges.<br /><br />But most of all, I miss having my family & friends right around the corner.<br /><br />Who knows, one of these days I might be able to convince Josh to move back east! Doubtful... but possible :)Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-73740028761886007322009-07-25T09:31:00.005-06:002009-07-25T09:36:35.733-06:00I just can't get enough...of this SONG!! I'm obsessed.<br /><br /><object width="500" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wTjgKLRg5p4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wTjgKLRg5p4&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="315"></embed></object><br /><br />Wish I had the actual video but they disabled the embedding... isn't it great though?? I also loved it because my favorite dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance" did such a powerful jazz routine to this song.Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-12279693333933250592009-07-21T20:09:00.005-06:002009-07-25T09:39:30.629-06:00All tucked in...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiyxOUkIhfcN35BxqZrUi0kukVvUzqOzFnlB-3IjOCz07_gp_lAMEwbRaXq8WK0TTKxP2lLBctsPeNB-V-n1GAt1ybnbUqs1WZAy09EBqQITtxZc92YoPvJhz8q8GbBspWG5Nasv0TSQ/s1600-h/012.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiyxOUkIhfcN35BxqZrUi0kukVvUzqOzFnlB-3IjOCz07_gp_lAMEwbRaXq8WK0TTKxP2lLBctsPeNB-V-n1GAt1ybnbUqs1WZAy09EBqQITtxZc92YoPvJhz8q8GbBspWG5Nasv0TSQ/s320/012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361102225300268242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcrTijdtuTbwzke26brwrgg76bMsoXUGYwqLho2JssbJfX1H-67N5MOWZfQzI8ew_AkoEqiW8DMFhn5v781zfHFytGh55GMmCfLlUJX4CK0wu0QFTSKRp7-LOH7uhF7JUqto31Kpg8Bg/s1600-h/016.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcrTijdtuTbwzke26brwrgg76bMsoXUGYwqLho2JssbJfX1H-67N5MOWZfQzI8ew_AkoEqiW8DMFhn5v781zfHFytGh55GMmCfLlUJX4CK0wu0QFTSKRp7-LOH7uhF7JUqto31Kpg8Bg/s320/016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361102211018469106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituQMyY8_uZ4Qcwpjfj_Zy9ig-Fjz0VHF1qcXlN31txPZMqJL7xxdpVG0_OEFgHklu7zqusPCUl25LK-oLdAcTFyLlUyGtArNuPfv6aYk1G9kruD73-T5l-gdt9PleIUutCsLq3EUjvbo/s1600-h/015.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituQMyY8_uZ4Qcwpjfj_Zy9ig-Fjz0VHF1qcXlN31txPZMqJL7xxdpVG0_OEFgHklu7zqusPCUl25LK-oLdAcTFyLlUyGtArNuPfv6aYk1G9kruD73-T5l-gdt9PleIUutCsLq3EUjvbo/s320/015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361102208467074482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JWwa3wAJJvhGFTFICIq-5aNcxIa7a4eV-hssu5tC8OQjmWwT3h3oijO8627TF-dQVMZ8NLwdiEqr4jNtjlFg7meEYHepUUJS0hoOsPkJdw_lFdr8bDX1sg-3-dgxWsKg4jjfH1m-oJY/s1600-h/010.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JWwa3wAJJvhGFTFICIq-5aNcxIa7a4eV-hssu5tC8OQjmWwT3h3oijO8627TF-dQVMZ8NLwdiEqr4jNtjlFg7meEYHepUUJS0hoOsPkJdw_lFdr8bDX1sg-3-dgxWsKg4jjfH1m-oJY/s320/010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361102214805566706" border="0" /></a>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-45281178358196027702009-07-21T20:05:00.002-06:002009-07-25T09:40:06.581-06:00CHOPPED!Yes, it's true.<br /><br />I chopped my hair off AGAIN and this time I went a little bit shorter in the back.<br /><br />Check it out!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsvgZzrF1x8shtrQs8dO9vPJqio-efhLUgKYVsmjXu8hvs2V8U87vFN1OGW-IRffdxftdGJiYYhRr40mlSyUmzsf9KeNBIL2uNEU235IMZK92PeFse71LUHgxVySJTJS9Zcnx5V_UTNI/s1600-h/010.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsvgZzrF1x8shtrQs8dO9vPJqio-efhLUgKYVsmjXu8hvs2V8U87vFN1OGW-IRffdxftdGJiYYhRr40mlSyUmzsf9KeNBIL2uNEU235IMZK92PeFse71LUHgxVySJTJS9Zcnx5V_UTNI/s320/010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361100494357149330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzKlft5L7LUME_1VXqfmW-kNtJqM5B8x5KdWadcota-AyPSPlJEYp6q-TMdpmaVX93McxKktpL72JZ9SosCX7G4CYmGCcXC09URM3h4lxrHhjLk7ayTe1TalsDy3DmpwVlvvsYDXq4VI/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzKlft5L7LUME_1VXqfmW-kNtJqM5B8x5KdWadcota-AyPSPlJEYp6q-TMdpmaVX93McxKktpL72JZ9SosCX7G4CYmGCcXC09URM3h4lxrHhjLk7ayTe1TalsDy3DmpwVlvvsYDXq4VI/s320/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361100502085236370" border="0" /></a>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-48395225805371825312009-07-07T10:57:00.005-06:002009-07-07T14:25:33.873-06:00Good Reads: "The Beach House" by Jane Green<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxDC4ZM-lPD_nUodQmwnvwHNHUC9bE8yF7-5lfutsZCCElE3HtWzmttNaHQZQIAA3pRMgK3ApKq9r7K-swhQzXg2cGEtQSjV5i1xF75BAedOQJb3zVTChyFeOv53kcGeumsKE578bISw/s1600-h/n248442.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 361px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxDC4ZM-lPD_nUodQmwnvwHNHUC9bE8yF7-5lfutsZCCElE3HtWzmttNaHQZQIAA3pRMgK3ApKq9r7K-swhQzXg2cGEtQSjV5i1xF75BAedOQJb3zVTChyFeOv53kcGeumsKE578bISw/s400/n248442.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355763751087032146" border="0" /></a><br />"Known in Nantucket as the crazy woman who lives in the rambling house atop the bluff, Nan doesn’t care what people think. At sixty-five-years old, her husband died twenty years ago, her beauty has faded, and her family has flown. If her neighbors are away, why shouldn’t she skinny dip in their swimming pools and help herself to their flowers? But when she discovers the money she thought would last forever is dwindling and she could lose her beloved house, Nan knows she has to make drastic changes. <p>So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. Slowly, people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, with laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside-down."</p>(courtesy of <a href="http://www.janegreen.com/index.php/books/the-beach-house/">Jane Green's website</a>)<br /><br /><br /><br />I loooooooooved this story!! I literally could not put it down. I completed it within 2 weeks- I think that's a record for me! Something about the Nantucket location (Josh and I visited Nantucket on our honeymoon) and the quirky characters made me feel like I was home with family again.<br /><br />The characters were all very different from one another and I enjoyed reading from each of their perspectives. They all had their own challenges to face in their personal lives which lead them to renting a room from Nan's home. Together they discover their true selves through dealing with their past and celebrating new beginnings.<br /><br />To me this book was about facing harsh realities, growing from your mistakes and being comfortable with a new you. It exposes issues from death to divorce, to raising children and having an affair. Whether it's the character or the issue, you are sure to relate somehow and grow from reading this!Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-43829613035747760172009-06-16T19:59:00.010-06:002009-06-16T21:07:07.223-06:00St. George Trip!!!<div style="text-align: center;">I was so excited to head down to St. George for a fun and relaxing girls weekend with my friend Hailey! We made a pact to forget all of our worries and leave them at home. We were ready to have ourselves a kick ass time!!<br /><br />Driving down was long but so beautiful! With the help of Hailey's iPod we were singing along to Biggie, Salt'n'Peppa, and Bonnie Raitt!!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ6HPvSy8dCzrQ0UNSxmlWau0rj9wB3UFRtIhTHEWfem6eXq-WHTyGIaelX_RALQbCfTWtYnY7wZ7kJW-ecOlI7EYerYc6ZK6UAhSh0DBdXzYZAoBvsAlOPEUX58EBESE6Cn_I7AB1sw/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6xIsfI6svdZtnNF0giYbeVlc4pqJreVccSOrAdDvkkhgkd5d0AsgsFRe9loRhaybwTmqpw4D3boLhft2wgXxYMHD0QKQvyPWbZ71ab4w5pPxl7NqGoBGInod9GgnbrQ51Rb-JrXYlHk/s400/ST+GEORGE+008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348110980563396162" border="0" /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQ6HPvSy8dCzrQ0UNSxmlWau0rj9wB3UFRtIhTHEWfem6eXq-WHTyGIaelX_RALQbCfTWtYnY7wZ7kJW-ecOlI7EYerYc6ZK6UAhSh0DBdXzYZAoBvsAlOPEUX58EBESE6Cn_I7AB1sw/s400/ST+GEORGE+007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348110973931786754" border="0" /></a>We were going to be staying at Hailey's sister Ashley's house<br />(or "Ashwipe" as we like to call her :) These two aren't as innocent as they look!!<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAFuObGIq52WRXQ3fG83WMGEiWMQDVmkb52mXrriUfvo8KDbNAKY8CRrneyCez0ox1ww2Vm_FsYRTrgz2aRrxZhLABXU3MhdR0C0L2qivVd2l8I9tf6jlk1CuSrkCGefIOiDtmt0Zlpk/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAFuObGIq52WRXQ3fG83WMGEiWMQDVmkb52mXrriUfvo8KDbNAKY8CRrneyCez0ox1ww2Vm_FsYRTrgz2aRrxZhLABXU3MhdR0C0L2qivVd2l8I9tf6jlk1CuSrkCGefIOiDtmt0Zlpk/s400/ST+GEORGE+018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111226508026738" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:180%;" >*COCKTAILS</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:180%;" >!!</span><span style="font-size:180%;">*</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivDAvEIjxSw47eMRx9CefNIC6mdmPhK5FW20E9Z3qF616XbZfczdr-D5VIUse2smkv1Ut8gAvdMjWZOJjIFyVajBr38-k4qYNlYXEo1fW89jYYzIrvnXupejbFyFRjK5lTjZdCMz_XdU/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+014.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 347px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivDAvEIjxSw47eMRx9CefNIC6mdmPhK5FW20E9Z3qF616XbZfczdr-D5VIUse2smkv1Ut8gAvdMjWZOJjIFyVajBr38-k4qYNlYXEo1fW89jYYzIrvnXupejbFyFRjK5lTjZdCMz_XdU/s400/ST+GEORGE+014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348110964293037986" border="0" /></a>We didn't waste anytime!! Rum & Cokes + Tequila shots were the start to one CRAZY night!! My good ol' friend Macy came over later- it was so good to see her face again! As we shared our stories we all were laughing so hard my cheek muscles started to hurt! I honestly couldn't remember the last time I have laughed so hard... it felt great.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Here are some of my favorite pics we took that night:<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAUEpafiEu81tPTOQbZU4FMJ8ZDQ1PvVIcaqVA1ZXVXEwytpaVkfHlSMVLLWimkb9sEtsVD4x1QGJQZIKSczLJm49gDKeXLW0oYPWe1TZPIK49O8da8eM8mun1SfaAAZ_xSfjjpUMo9w/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+023.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 358px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoY3_yT-tQL5rNgH0xVzMqpQXqJhGHgYzbJO7eet12cgAaXUjODTriJad9kPHVqlDzgny0G4Lx9KeBqqEz1vJBwFO87kQnoNJpD0p2SE-Hwu0FinFg8Rkt8zkeNj9-1xC540DLH6m4ob0/s400/ST+GEORGE+024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111217114741586" border="0" /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAUEpafiEu81tPTOQbZU4FMJ8ZDQ1PvVIcaqVA1ZXVXEwytpaVkfHlSMVLLWimkb9sEtsVD4x1QGJQZIKSczLJm49gDKeXLW0oYPWe1TZPIK49O8da8eM8mun1SfaAAZ_xSfjjpUMo9w/s400/ST+GEORGE+023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111225408441762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTrhPKYo5FVFTshwdaUlTh_RKNFe9WyK3rOY0waIHUGMYAmt_MILW5etCxr_bIAMRo0X37Yi73xj6IFyNKCT1KuKHMaakiFwXiNY0ShpAzNnQzSnJKTuH87i9PFpw66eed4lrf04TYHk/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 366px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPTrhPKYo5FVFTshwdaUlTh_RKNFe9WyK3rOY0waIHUGMYAmt_MILW5etCxr_bIAMRo0X37Yi73xj6IFyNKCT1KuKHMaakiFwXiNY0ShpAzNnQzSnJKTuH87i9PFpw66eed4lrf04TYHk/s400/ST+GEORGE+021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348110961251508306" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1QJJISVirf-NK5RzJD_a72-eZxruv58WXElkt645ttHWN9bAJUtHk9xezj_2hq4-HB9R2XNx2p1aVhamTPGrz0KZvO2HGLvzBn2x9kWXkmH4_l-OcdLH1RhTnV3V6Txb6eFuK6LGNxw/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+029.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1QJJISVirf-NK5RzJD_a72-eZxruv58WXElkt645ttHWN9bAJUtHk9xezj_2hq4-HB9R2XNx2p1aVhamTPGrz0KZvO2HGLvzBn2x9kWXkmH4_l-OcdLH1RhTnV3V6Txb6eFuK6LGNxw/s400/ST+GEORGE+029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111213639951506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>The next day we laid by the pool in the afternoon and later went down to visit Hailey & Ash's Dad and Stepmom. They cooked us these amazing cheeseburgers and made us ice cream sundaes complete with a cherry on top. I felt so special :)<br /><br />Afterward we headed to the Outlet stores for some shopping and decided to take the scenic route. It was so gorgeous in person- these pictures do not do it justice!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWt3zXV2QNX7ynZesp6m9hfioTrq0TfN7uxwx0K1VxHMFz1IRgTRkRLgJaShpQdLp1rc68tpd_H-08iV8TDLLxPXRfEczIzV-_-U03QEqRCP_ohLhAF34S0Vs97vjYkYP8v0a9dSO25w/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWt3zXV2QNX7ynZesp6m9hfioTrq0TfN7uxwx0K1VxHMFz1IRgTRkRLgJaShpQdLp1rc68tpd_H-08iV8TDLLxPXRfEczIzV-_-U03QEqRCP_ohLhAF34S0Vs97vjYkYP8v0a9dSO25w/s400/ST+GEORGE+031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111647092010322" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pLhJaUjFOjs3XPeUpJX8rILnMKQBb60H2M70fG_4nJNQUZwRI1xxuf-exMVtLLiimX2GHGNwXMyeCB4Jq8XGKNUBHb8XlPori5UNr8RPaxZ-Ed9dLeb45PHbksbX5m-Cn26sCBtf8wM/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+036.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pLhJaUjFOjs3XPeUpJX8rILnMKQBb60H2M70fG_4nJNQUZwRI1xxuf-exMVtLLiimX2GHGNwXMyeCB4Jq8XGKNUBHb8XlPori5UNr8RPaxZ-Ed9dLeb45PHbksbX5m-Cn26sCBtf8wM/s400/ST+GEORGE+036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111650736245122" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAkvyNm2TdLhyo2YIn_7wfBQXTrz7rNy7vnypyd0nuHdgAW_EwVcgU6Si58bJQM3Mg63Cl5ADI0vNM-PweSpIgCpG0kEhD82H0l02qHAzx9p0-r4vYmz1Qq18nVoThxLinBl31_ZvLjY/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+035.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAkvyNm2TdLhyo2YIn_7wfBQXTrz7rNy7vnypyd0nuHdgAW_EwVcgU6Si58bJQM3Mg63Cl5ADI0vNM-PweSpIgCpG0kEhD82H0l02qHAzx9p0-r4vYmz1Qq18nVoThxLinBl31_ZvLjY/s400/ST+GEORGE+035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111641021758658" border="0" /></a>After shopping for some new clothes we got all dressed up to go out to Mesquite for a little drinkin' and gamblin'!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkpg1ZIsHQX7zNmfGnx9RL6zIhyr6PdmG5Vgp2XdIobP1FQTBU-IncDgnHeRlL1GoUHM0jNewzWmK06u0pjxCBoTWCQS-Ql-rp6M2FEL0_I8JCiQSvBQL4ze7dXKF4PCXJ3ZWybsDGRI/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+046.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvkpg1ZIsHQX7zNmfGnx9RL6zIhyr6PdmG5Vgp2XdIobP1FQTBU-IncDgnHeRlL1GoUHM0jNewzWmK06u0pjxCBoTWCQS-Ql-rp6M2FEL0_I8JCiQSvBQL4ze7dXKF4PCXJ3ZWybsDGRI/s400/ST+GEORGE+046.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111634966407586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAok7jIo69whGHc42foLPco_cUdxki3LWmRxTMj0-NknITkCmOVxMl1wq0fnD5pa6J5up6rhLZv14WqAPpwJzAGRUAD3FBBml4f6oaN_xfEH4fnbsgI7odDbmH_75AdM_k54O1XdxoNI/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+041.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAok7jIo69whGHc42foLPco_cUdxki3LWmRxTMj0-NknITkCmOVxMl1wq0fnD5pa6J5up6rhLZv14WqAPpwJzAGRUAD3FBBml4f6oaN_xfEH4fnbsgI7odDbmH_75AdM_k54O1XdxoNI/s400/ST+GEORGE+041.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111640860368098" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFvJ4tZyU7dzyP-iA8OTlLvCyQukKr9pcvtXSih1MZE856FeCy93Kv7MPK034ycVPjg3qqj699A655BNXspVfwfzLWmqloCEd3CLMVdmjWfOzWlhjfmKxFgWmOvkymAeZMPfUq0TLehA/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFvJ4tZyU7dzyP-iA8OTlLvCyQukKr9pcvtXSih1MZE856FeCy93Kv7MPK034ycVPjg3qqj699A655BNXspVfwfzLWmqloCEd3CLMVdmjWfOzWlhjfmKxFgWmOvkymAeZMPfUq0TLehA/s400/ST+GEORGE+049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111838561202930" border="0" /></a>I learned that penny slots are where it's at!! Hailey's fav is Betti the Yetti. I swear those slot machines love her- she won so much money!! I was cheering for myself when I won 40 cents- meanwhile Hailey is winning $3 and $5 at a time with no problem. Lucky Beyotch. After several watered down drinks and zero buzz, we thought our money would be better spent at home with a bottle from the liquor store. Good call!<br /><br />The next day we did some more lounging and shopping. We knew we would have to be leaving soon, so for the last hour we laid out by Ashley's community pool which sits on top of a hill with amazing views of the St. George valley- red rocks everywhere. I was in heaven with that sun shining down on us and did not want to leave!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYpaeKKQeCCk4QAiM9daw6BZAr9zkr-whZuvuONTnDJRd5G-XXXDNOwj9085pLjjPqUoLR4uV-8qSeiOTKA27AdW6zg9nuLGETeFXjHqzVkovbTultY1_IljMoL8HNnSOUB8DBufzd6s/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+055.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYpaeKKQeCCk4QAiM9daw6BZAr9zkr-whZuvuONTnDJRd5G-XXXDNOwj9085pLjjPqUoLR4uV-8qSeiOTKA27AdW6zg9nuLGETeFXjHqzVkovbTultY1_IljMoL8HNnSOUB8DBufzd6s/s400/ST+GEORGE+055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111833538033506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrDL-DOYeAKRIvjnTzecdesbmJh40Nr8XMsJ19chOnvI2UFEle21rfdqUKV9bs34uOW1HUX3CtLdh88o21pnyI7GW0ndkKSGO_91rXHk2qIuyjoMnoXMy6FkS3V73f2aPGORxUtJRRkA/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrDL-DOYeAKRIvjnTzecdesbmJh40Nr8XMsJ19chOnvI2UFEle21rfdqUKV9bs34uOW1HUX3CtLdh88o21pnyI7GW0ndkKSGO_91rXHk2qIuyjoMnoXMy6FkS3V73f2aPGORxUtJRRkA/s400/ST+GEORGE+051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111836606422818" border="0" /></a>We took a few last pictures together and slowly got our butts moving dreading the fact that we were about to go back to reality. Who would want to go back to work after a trip like this! I seriously could have stayed there all day.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">On the way back despite the fact that Hailey's iPod had died, her CD's got left at Ashley's, and all that was on the radio was Jesus tunes, we saw this beautiful rainbow! It was the perfect way to end the weekend.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIvG42ex77jhSW47rnlCObtOg1tkPn5ca03vB-kEvGE2jTiQslLTj5imL3VPWEwQuxhIvjgvo_ASz1Db9H1aJVPngs9y8NM9qdYo5hChcFw0PT6P93tXAL0sR2MsMYDhnTSU30gnPp38/s1600-h/ST+GEORGE+057.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIvG42ex77jhSW47rnlCObtOg1tkPn5ca03vB-kEvGE2jTiQslLTj5imL3VPWEwQuxhIvjgvo_ASz1Db9H1aJVPngs9y8NM9qdYo5hChcFw0PT6P93tXAL0sR2MsMYDhnTSU30gnPp38/s400/ST+GEORGE+057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348111840017852306" border="0" /></a>As we drove back into more rainclouds and stormy skies, I smiled as I looked through the pictures on my camera. Life is all about making memories and being with the people you love. We didn't have a care in the world and I know I will look back and smile every time. Even though I knew tomorrow was going to be back to stress and the every day hustle, I held on to being in that carefree state of mind as long as I could.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I thought of when Hailey, Macy & I all stopped in the middle of our drunken giggles that Friday night and sang along to Bob Marley:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" > "Don't worry about a thing,<br />cuz every little thing is gonna be alright." </span><br /><br />Well said Bob, well said. :)<br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-89816563521944252692009-06-12T08:44:00.009-06:002009-06-12T11:16:21.872-06:00Movie Review: "The Young Victoria"<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9opJf-yoSpsfGJlb1p5tYcxaCkZ-ehVzBcC9f_9tG4nUW4kQ-fDtHsYcvggXRw_iECWgnFI9m0aYpdf3oQEAI3hpILKW_lbPcxXeQ_ttPzbygBFDdMOLNHahscpdWuWW6SO6RW4NBD0/s1600-h/The+Young+Victoria.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9opJf-yoSpsfGJlb1p5tYcxaCkZ-ehVzBcC9f_9tG4nUW4kQ-fDtHsYcvggXRw_iECWgnFI9m0aYpdf3oQEAI3hpILKW_lbPcxXeQ_ttPzbygBFDdMOLNHahscpdWuWW6SO6RW4NBD0/s400/The+Young+Victoria.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346452275668085490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"> "A dramatization of the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria's rule, and her enduring romance with Prince Albert."<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I almost died when I saw that this movie was available to view online! Most of you know that I was named after Queen Victoria, hence the blog title, so I feel a tiny connection to her, but I've never really known her story. After watching this film and seeing some of the historic events she went through, I felt even more special to be named after such a powerful woman. I learned that her real first name is Alexandrina so we actually share the same middle name! She is also a Gemini born on May 24, 1819. She grew up an only child, her father dying when she was only 8 months old, with a domineering mother whom she refused guidance from after she becam</span><span style="font-size:100%;">e Queen of Great Britain and Ireland just a short month after her 18th birthday.<br /><br />This film showed who the real Victoria was, a free spirited and strong willed woman who cared for people that were less than her royalty status. She was treated like a child, even after she was Queen, and many tried to influence her decision making, including her Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne whom she was rumored to have a relationship with. The movie shows the perspectives of Lord Melbourne and her cousin Prince Albert, who both are seeking Victoria's heart. She follows her heart which leads to Prince Albert, and they get married in February of 1840. They were very happy together and ended up having 9 children.<br /><br />She reigned for 64 years until her death in 1901, the longest ruling Queen to this date.<br /><br />(Learn more about the biography of Queen Victoria by clicking <a href="http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRvictoria.htm">here</a>.)<br /></span></div></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4txSen7x7pxPRsumTFM6v8mYlrIxvzPMXOB6F10hPkRpswkY5CilgWfcVl7eWWhMrk754u7-cfnHPAFkNcqX7KKF2VL8yYskH8twGYPl2rkiXvORWhMJyEOhXS8V8W01tiaAAgRvPp10/s1600-h/Victoria+and+Albert+in+bed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4txSen7x7pxPRsumTFM6v8mYlrIxvzPMXOB6F10hPkRpswkY5CilgWfcVl7eWWhMrk754u7-cfnHPAFkNcqX7KKF2VL8yYskH8twGYPl2rkiXvORWhMJyEOhXS8V8W01tiaAAgRvPp10/s400/Victoria+and+Albert+in+bed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346452278802786642" border="0" /></a><br />I just loved this romantic drama, I thought it would have been boring but it really captured my interest the entire time. Historic movies always show me that although it was a long time ago and their speech and the way they dress are different, underneath it all the emotions and drama are real and comparable to today's generation. The costumes were AMAZINGLY gorgeous. Although it may not have been perfectly depicted to its true history, I thought it was very well done as a whole. Emily Blunt is an amazing actress. I loved her in "The Devil Wears Prada" and was glad she got this role. I heard this movie was rated #3 for the best movies in 2009. Hopefully Emily will win herself an Oscar!</span>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-59160655968465640062009-06-11T09:09:00.004-06:002009-06-11T09:31:07.069-06:00Rain. . Rain. . GO AWAY!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiTIYFMk2m0rj2UNqfDBXMqf0qZvoK_oTK9eEtVaVUNRu0BKwnnvP17zPO0kXddi-OpcVZqRwB1S2yR2nyiXxRb2Tfhl0wlbFJPOusKuPNPXwLg9CfPyhCDEifII9H650aSnjmRjrq6s/s1600-h/playing_with_the_rain.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiTIYFMk2m0rj2UNqfDBXMqf0qZvoK_oTK9eEtVaVUNRu0BKwnnvP17zPO0kXddi-OpcVZqRwB1S2yR2nyiXxRb2Tfhl0wlbFJPOusKuPNPXwLg9CfPyhCDEifII9H650aSnjmRjrq6s/s400/playing_with_the_rain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346092444523889602" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Dear Mother Nature,<br /><br />I'd like to ask you a small favor. First, let me explain. . .<br /><br />There is a serene and calming energy around when Rain comes to town. I love seeing the artistic little beads of water he leaves on the windows, watching his drops splash in the puddles, the peaceful sound of thudding on the roof, the way he clears the air and makes it smell fresh again. He really is quite enjoyable for the most part.<br /><br />But, come on Mother Nature. Rain has been here for almost 2 weeks straight. ENOUGH ALREADY! It's been nice enjoying Rain's company, but I'm tired of those gloomy and gray clouds he brings with him, I'm sick of him causing there to be wet doggy trails through my house, and I am through with carrying an umbrella when it is clearly the middle of June!<br /><br />So please, Mother Nature, if you have a heart, ask Sun to please come back and shine those rays upon us once again. We sure do miss her around here :-(<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Kristen<br /><br />P.S. Please tell Rain we hope there are no hard feelings :-/Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-10888666863911881452009-06-05T11:33:00.002-06:002009-06-08T14:25:11.939-06:00"Wisdom Tooth Tale" featuring Brian Regan<object height="385" width="480">So last weekend I had the lovely experience of getting my wisdom teeth removed. . .<br /><br />To say the least I had a lot of built up anxiety about it. I had never been under any anesthesia in my life and the thought of a doctor prying my mouth open and ripping 4 huge teeth out of my mouth really just freaked me out more than anything. I was glad I was going to be sleeping the whole time.<br /><br />I decided to have it done on a Friday morning so I would have the weekend to heal and be able to return to work the following Monday, hoping I wouldn't resemble a chipmunk. I went in that morning and they took me into a back room. They gave me an IV and I became really relaxed. The last thing I remember was the dental assistant saying I was very pretty. . . I woke up an hour later crying hysterically feeling my mouth full of gauze. I guess the crying is a common side effect of the anesthesia, LOL.<br /><br />It was a rough weekend, in the sense that my mouth hurt like a B, but percocets became my new best friend and I ate lots of pudding and mashed potatoes. I'm healed up a lot better right now, still a little annoying but hopefully in a week the discomfort will be gone.<br /><br />Anyway, I tell this "Wisdom Tooth Tale" because I came across a YouTube video of Brian Regan doing part of his Improv stand up comic act. In it he tells a joke about wisdom teeth, along with some other hilarious stories. If you have never heard of Brian Regan, you should get to know him. His voices, his stories, and his unique non-cussing makes him one of the best comedians I know today. Enjoy this video. . . it made my day!<br /><br /><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ruBUSZ2ctyw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ruBUSZ2ctyw&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-88168739800930293152009-06-03T16:02:00.003-06:002009-06-03T16:19:41.255-06:00Movie Review: "Changeling"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4vvVZfODyxm2Hp99NDL8xLEn0_o9wfAwxihw_WZc1Cpn_40OavzEWP0UFgKkVHtUSkYf1EV8cGT8Xl1Kwbax6uwka-QDAN1FxDG217PKDeEia2LoHT6FlX4pvSNa484iJNM4R-SL0q0/s1600-h/changeling-movie-poster_384x487.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 315px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4vvVZfODyxm2Hp99NDL8xLEn0_o9wfAwxihw_WZc1Cpn_40OavzEWP0UFgKkVHtUSkYf1EV8cGT8Xl1Kwbax6uwka-QDAN1FxDG217PKDeEia2LoHT6FlX4pvSNa484iJNM4R-SL0q0/s400/changeling-movie-poster_384x487.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343229514072290978" border="0" /></a><br />"Los Angeles, 1928. A single mother returns from work to find her nine-year-old son gone. She calls the LAPD to initiate a search. Five months later, a boy is found in Illinois who fits the description; he says he's her son. To fanfare and photos, the LAPD reunite mother and son, but she insists he's not her boy. The cops dismiss her as either a liar or hysterical. When she joins a minister in his public criticism of the police, they in turn use government power to silence and intimidate her. Meanwhile, a cop goes to a dilapidated ranch to find a Canadian lad who's without legal status; the youth tells a grisly tale. There's redress for murder; is there redress for abuse of power?" (courtesy of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824747/plotsummary">IMBD.com</a>)<br /><br />WOW is all I have to say after viewing this film! In my opinion it was very well done and held onto my interest the entire time. I'm not a huge fan of Angelina, but I really applaud her performance in this drama/thriller in addition to all of the other stellar performances. The true story exposed the LAPD for what they were in the 1920's... corrupt. It was unbelievable to me what citizens had to go through to get justice in those days. This film will make your mouth drop, maybe make you cry and cringe, but I promise you will remember this woman's story forever. I give it 5 stars. . . definitely worth renting.Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-69594605266184715162009-05-19T17:41:00.007-06:002009-05-20T15:08:20.689-06:00Book Review: "Baby Proof" by Emily Giffin<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb-0sLLTF07WdzoFxME4Ht-2C8cqr4eOO1VT28qYBiAwZMlfudLfvkfaSNuVdel5-NWJLNoXLQM5TOPnVC9GG32CYoSqzgmyXhy_o0un20CGCwto3h-i4KsdEMbAKoX7StVFCbx3V2SI/s1600-h/1593978979.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 361px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSb-0sLLTF07WdzoFxME4Ht-2C8cqr4eOO1VT28qYBiAwZMlfudLfvkfaSNuVdel5-NWJLNoXLQM5TOPnVC9GG32CYoSqzgmyXhy_o0un20CGCwto3h-i4KsdEMbAKoX7StVFCbx3V2SI/s400/1593978979.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337685028869197410" border="0" /></a>"First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes . . . a baby carriage? Isn’t that what all women want?<br />Not so for Claudia Parr. And just as she gives up on finding a man who feels the same way, she meets warm, wonderful Ben. Things seem too good to be true when they fall in love and agree to buck tradition with a satisfying, child-free marriage. Then the unexpected occurs: one of them has a change of heart. One of them wants children after all.<br />This is the witty, heartfelt story about what happens to the perfect couple when they suddenly want different things. It’s about feeling that your life is set and then realizing that nothing is as you thought it was---and that there is no possible compromise. It’s about deciding what is most important in life, and taking chances to get it. But most of all, it’s about the things we will do---and won’t do---for love." (conveniently provided by <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=6oKX4C0l66kC&dq=baby+proof+emily+giffin&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0">Google Book Search</a>)<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: right;">This is one of those rare books that made me feel very close to the main character. Every rambling thought, every decision she made, even her family members, reminded me of myself and my life. I think I have fallen in love with this author. I especially felt close to the big dilemma about deciding whether to have kids or not, so it was a serious page turner for me.<br /><br />It's a great story, about life and how it can change your plans and ultimately change your heart. Its about compromise and sacrifice- which is exactly what marriage is all about. Its romantic, utterly truthful, sometimes sad, a little spicy, and just a great read overall. I highly recommend it for any girl wanting to indulge on some serious girl talk.<br /></div></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-54103395378296906692009-05-10T09:42:00.016-06:002009-05-10T11:28:45.610-06:00Little girls bring such delight with hearts so warm and smiles so bright! -- Author UnknownSo last weekend Josh and I had the pleasure of seeing his sister Sara and 3 kids, Taylor (5), Bella (3) and JJ (2). We don't see them very much anymore since they moved to Texas almost 2 years ago. I was very excited to see them, but also nervous because I hoped they would like me, let alone remember me. We started out by going down to his aunt's house in Lehi, the house of the backyard we got married at, and had lunch with everyone. It was fun to see how much they had grown!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Below is JJ, the 2 year old stud muffin. He is just learning how to talk, he's very adventurous and a bit of a dare devil. He will do this big jump and then land flat on his butt on the hard ground, and just laughs. Crazy kids... but isn't he adorable? I'm loving the mo-hawk.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zM1tU_yGb0R8dHu4egEOEv1DOXOR-x90zcwm3B56njx2eLzmvWnmfCy5G5XU6REhjZHesDhsDCeAP-F0FStQan58KO-mW4s4krIrbjrIO5DRD4aaNK5DupjnMyg7R8JK3qhHx8FpDeg/s1600-h/022.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0zM1tU_yGb0R8dHu4egEOEv1DOXOR-x90zcwm3B56njx2eLzmvWnmfCy5G5XU6REhjZHesDhsDCeAP-F0FStQan58KO-mW4s4krIrbjrIO5DRD4aaNK5DupjnMyg7R8JK3qhHx8FpDeg/s400/022.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334222093517227298" border="0" /></a>And this is my niece Taylor, the oldest of the bunch. She loves to be the center of attention, she's a little crazy but she is so sweet and I can't believe she is already 5! It's hard to believe that Josh and I started dating when she was just 6 months old.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgvbmk1ctrKFG3qsOyr92EMHG0L69sudPgSt3QsJUTnfm_L7IDZ5LIHcf2N4KXVbl1tNqVy_g_2yrPcw9AzNkgFL9qM0j_i2XqmnXKnVp0bGOdlSyC7c5hrRdqwV0V1ucyLqvV1cc8Iw/s1600-h/020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgvbmk1ctrKFG3qsOyr92EMHG0L69sudPgSt3QsJUTnfm_L7IDZ5LIHcf2N4KXVbl1tNqVy_g_2yrPcw9AzNkgFL9qM0j_i2XqmnXKnVp0bGOdlSyC7c5hrRdqwV0V1ucyLqvV1cc8Iw/s400/020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334222087419976178" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And this is Isabella, or Bella for short, enjoying her root beer float. She is such a sweetheart, the kind that when she talks it just makes your heart melt. She's got these little freckles on her nose and it's just the cutest thing. She is a spitting image of her mom and wants to be just like her sister Taylor.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7m7ho0UMhrd2jOtQJBGPK9-ba6PWsaeb5ajiZQFM8tbVtfxxRLsKJeBLilblR-Fxa6AJw6Wyxs3n1qrPkH6hpXdHX2otAQkwiNJayLphqsdTqcB51yof1qlI_Xa4Dn70YpDe00ldZ0s/s1600-h/021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7m7ho0UMhrd2jOtQJBGPK9-ba6PWsaeb5ajiZQFM8tbVtfxxRLsKJeBLilblR-Fxa6AJw6Wyxs3n1qrPkH6hpXdHX2otAQkwiNJayLphqsdTqcB51yof1qlI_Xa4Dn70YpDe00ldZ0s/s400/021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334222086664984466" border="0" /></a>And this is the whole Smith family, minus Jason who had to stay in Texas to work. Sara and Josh got mistaken for twins in high school. It's crazy how much they look alike!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FfQj_lFgCz5SUbASUGH5yUqziYvMpYn-7DJRGmndNx-aqDhk972iazybUbL-jHjUGDSBKCJaagISAaJ_TL6vRi1ZKXgrAS_V4eTux5euwq1o7NoB7wvscNBhIsN_9JmUXXev1OMSe9U/s1600-h/027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FfQj_lFgCz5SUbASUGH5yUqziYvMpYn-7DJRGmndNx-aqDhk972iazybUbL-jHjUGDSBKCJaagISAaJ_TL6vRi1ZKXgrAS_V4eTux5euwq1o7NoB7wvscNBhIsN_9JmUXXev1OMSe9U/s400/027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334221683467961042" border="0" /></a>His Aunt Susan snapped this pic of us, and I must say it's probably my favorite picture yet! We look happy, and we really are. That's what being around family does to you I guess :)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRqbTsqOfWLK1pKdXivvtjm6BQ-j9nNoHnyr2Hso8_nsE4-aAAMZNmdRodgH5sjEf73kHpAUd7RdaizKZgDPBwuDwvPRn0647AHOOdWTErVP6UD_nkXVyH_oP5gk_-kxB1gifFcTo51A/s1600-h/026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRqbTsqOfWLK1pKdXivvtjm6BQ-j9nNoHnyr2Hso8_nsE4-aAAMZNmdRodgH5sjEf73kHpAUd7RdaizKZgDPBwuDwvPRn0647AHOOdWTErVP6UD_nkXVyH_oP5gk_-kxB1gifFcTo51A/s400/026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334222084184224754" border="0" /></a>So Sara thought it would be a great idea for Josh and I to take the 2 girls for the day and have them sleepover for the night. Upon hearing this suggestion, I got wildly nervous about taking care of 2 little girls for an entire 24 hours. What would we do? Will they like it at my house? Will they scream and cry for their mom?? I hadn't babysat in a long time, I haven't even babysat my niece Addyson let alone 2 little girls. I didn't know what to expect, but Josh said they are just kids, and I shouldn't be so nervous about impressing them. And he was right... again.<br /><br />We planned on taking them to see Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D and then spend the rest of the night hanging out at the house. They had all their clothes packed, and 2 bags full of entertainment to keep them busy- coloring books, polly pockets, snacks and more. I took a deep breath... we could do this!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzVZVvGSVtabZjRT9Kf74DBEYZe28nZIqc7XA0jlxE5koIGo6ynq81WgRg7gGn6xEFsBPGIwL3o7t5SDAZXhT0SouaCNLoOziA771gqNc8YG_1uyQqBDWOP8AESIIqzeRLl7vhhreMe8/s1600-h/031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzVZVvGSVtabZjRT9Kf74DBEYZe28nZIqc7XA0jlxE5koIGo6ynq81WgRg7gGn6xEFsBPGIwL3o7t5SDAZXhT0SouaCNLoOziA771gqNc8YG_1uyQqBDWOP8AESIIqzeRLl7vhhreMe8/s400/031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334221675464181970" border="0" /></a>So we get home and I forgot that my dogs would be providing most of the entertainment. Taylor wanted to hold Nelly like a little baby literally the entire time! I had to explain that Nelly is a dog, not a baby, and that she wanted to run and play with Sam. She would set her down for maybe a couple minutes, and then decided that Nelly wanted to be held again. Josh and I just laughed to ourselves, and surprisingly Nelly didn't put up much of a fight. It was hard to get them going to see the movie because they didn't want to leave the pups! Silly girls...<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5G1hlIInYNEObIADm3aA4kq_HLTkfqug1JbKAxJapcwVvM-WdPOsCy1Q6xTLrgsGR-skNmTSF0mYFqU7Ls2Gbk9JzLq9kPNiiA5sNaGpUhA4uvXT5xElnMKHrnrbqqiZfjZebtRiIwQU/s1600-h/032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5G1hlIInYNEObIADm3aA4kq_HLTkfqug1JbKAxJapcwVvM-WdPOsCy1Q6xTLrgsGR-skNmTSF0mYFqU7Ls2Gbk9JzLq9kPNiiA5sNaGpUhA4uvXT5xElnMKHrnrbqqiZfjZebtRiIwQU/s400/032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334221670917226130" border="0" /></a>"See how I'm holding her now? She loves me so much."<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggunXmwARkNxnu7jyjMowUKabxrMP_iJJyTY4ardcdNHgqZ2T2Rz62FA45Zrx5DMG_UAhQJcHgeWmglE20ZAPsxDV5XUqe5mY1Iv2yGU5UPQc0pqXad3D-QQecsNtxr1Pof0pYU29-ueM/s1600-h/033.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggunXmwARkNxnu7jyjMowUKabxrMP_iJJyTY4ardcdNHgqZ2T2Rz62FA45Zrx5DMG_UAhQJcHgeWmglE20ZAPsxDV5XUqe5mY1Iv2yGU5UPQc0pqXad3D-QQecsNtxr1Pof0pYU29-ueM/s400/033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334222093189658066" border="0" /></a>It quickly became a photography session with the doggies. Bella got her turn, taking pictures of Taylor and I. She would go, "1...2...3... CHEEESE!"<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0U2wYShQsKstKY0fQTLvOMdMaypWcHOmEfI-o7MSXp1Z00NFwcmc3VhHuoiK3wdA9v7k_-k-kqTW1-plOG8EJn1CukPP7Ouhw3qexM-6cghcoVdxVMVFvIb04gbvUrk5apI4K8JNOCk/s1600-h/037.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi0U2wYShQsKstKY0fQTLvOMdMaypWcHOmEfI-o7MSXp1Z00NFwcmc3VhHuoiK3wdA9v7k_-k-kqTW1-plOG8EJn1CukPP7Ouhw3qexM-6cghcoVdxVMVFvIb04gbvUrk5apI4K8JNOCk/s400/037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334221670049363650" border="0" /></a>Then of course Taylor had to get her turn too. We took at least 50 pictures of the same pose. LOL. I just had to laugh, I was really having so much fun with these two.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDCYQZ77GceAphhVdvSWmXYUNi6a43KZbikKnfWAFaebGdwQdBig5sX-RoZOKD9FyDD_EHRi3uIMxn5qhJrwdCNOPaKOfKfI0ZEyA3PECV3M9CBLum597ttqqTUepOTzih0HGCMV58ls/s1600-h/039.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDCYQZ77GceAphhVdvSWmXYUNi6a43KZbikKnfWAFaebGdwQdBig5sX-RoZOKD9FyDD_EHRi3uIMxn5qhJrwdCNOPaKOfKfI0ZEyA3PECV3M9CBLum597ttqqTUepOTzih0HGCMV58ls/s400/039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334221669710763762" border="0" /></a>I taught Bella how to take a picture of yourself with one hand, see above photo. She tried to do the same, but I forgot how little their arms are, so this is how they turned out....<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_b1kXbgr2mRpnrWwG9kPHrClgr0mQcefG_KjMwjcxjeQdU-iQT206Kc5CHJIs7OlPVcaNY_5WpGQJWyHAyOiJW-LoGWwT-U3iqqL7A9qukxEueTFni8nT7s7SdsCAWnJmEmGEMw5iaI/s1600-h/043.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_b1kXbgr2mRpnrWwG9kPHrClgr0mQcefG_KjMwjcxjeQdU-iQT206Kc5CHJIs7OlPVcaNY_5WpGQJWyHAyOiJW-LoGWwT-U3iqqL7A9qukxEueTFni8nT7s7SdsCAWnJmEmGEMw5iaI/s400/043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334229428771683746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLixoY4pGjjS_5uuHFuc8kGYnIw3gWjVWDWyah-47KFt4iQI8ZfA0smq64tCNLmD-dgRO0tPcdA-iCNFbpN03AkvICrDbSsuK3Iw5wtdt3_6jTJ9nisdDd4qzuA1NIkuHvSJgVBGiMSJE/s1600-h/040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLixoY4pGjjS_5uuHFuc8kGYnIw3gWjVWDWyah-47KFt4iQI8ZfA0smq64tCNLmD-dgRO0tPcdA-iCNFbpN03AkvICrDbSsuK3Iw5wtdt3_6jTJ9nisdDd4qzuA1NIkuHvSJgVBGiMSJE/s400/040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334229426038528274" border="0" /></a>We finally went to see the movie, which they loved. When we got home I made up some Mac & Cheese, practicing my mothering skills, "Two more bites and you can have ice cream for dessert!" We made a bed for them out of our couch cushions and lots of blankets. We colored and played, and lectured when they quarreled. We stayed with them until they got sleepy and silently snuck away to get some rest, knowing that the morning would be a whole nother adventure!<br /><br />I realized during our time together that they weren't the ones making me nervous, it was my own self, doubting that I would be good enough to be a mother someday. Doubting that Josh and I could handle such a thing. But these girls taught me that taking good care of them doesn't require years of pratice, parenting skills, or knowledge. It came easily because I love them. Love took care of everything. It made me want to play with them, to teach them new things, to cuddle while watching movies, to kiss them goodnight, to wake up to sleepy eyes and invite them to snuggle in bed with us, to go out of our way to get Hannah Montana cereal, to make sure their hair is done and teeth are brushed in the morning, to sing along to Kids Bop in the car, to give them hugs and kisses when we dropped them off.<br /><br />This experience taught me that while Josh and I aren't quite ready for a baby, it made me feel secure in knowing that someday we <span style="font-style: italic;">will</span> be great parents. Just seeing Josh in our backyard with Bella, blowing dead dandelions, or seeing him hold Taylor in the movie theater when she got scared of the villain, lets me know that he will be an amazing father. I never could quite envision it before, but now it's clear to me that one day it will happen and one day we will be ready for it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4PP2-yTL0EDoBt3Hy7tIlVhgLbOKlhxemWOjJDHx46THxQpngWgUseuxnc6oZ5wbKiF5QhfooC0BiEky9P-a_LH6O6cCjOk4TCambC3egfwZy7ZnargytDZZzQIjV_QvbTzi7nuNu0E/s1600-h/dandelion_seeds_being_blown.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4PP2-yTL0EDoBt3Hy7tIlVhgLbOKlhxemWOjJDHx46THxQpngWgUseuxnc6oZ5wbKiF5QhfooC0BiEky9P-a_LH6O6cCjOk4TCambC3egfwZy7ZnargytDZZzQIjV_QvbTzi7nuNu0E/s400/dandelion_seeds_being_blown.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334236579581607202" border="0" /></a>Little girls dance their way into your heart, whirling on the tips of angel wings, scattering gold dust & kisses in our paths.<br />-- Author Unknown<br /><br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-62317823108461477332009-05-05T19:22:00.006-06:002009-05-05T20:02:50.849-06:00Rut no more!<div style="text-align: center;">So after my last post I realized my in-laws coming into town would be the perfect motivation to start on my re-decorating project! I always get nervous before family visits and it's my natural instinct to want to impress, so I got started right away with a little (ok... A LOT) of help from my handy husband. I got excited and forgot to take "before" pictures, but I figure the after ones are the only ones that matter, right? So take a look and let me know how you think it turned out!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLuGUbGuc0xV-xjq9Te2KXfiABGA13JYIdFF6cbX16JrjiaETwOSiM2lsXmuHj_MQjtBh3d44xhf9YvG8hOSBUEXMHVT40QoYx1nBZC_rjOmZhF1XNNwLdomsM7hj5aqzLo7RddPH-XU/s1600-h/048.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLuGUbGuc0xV-xjq9Te2KXfiABGA13JYIdFF6cbX16JrjiaETwOSiM2lsXmuHj_MQjtBh3d44xhf9YvG8hOSBUEXMHVT40QoYx1nBZC_rjOmZhF1XNNwLdomsM7hj5aqzLo7RddPH-XU/s400/048.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332516315475146498" border="0" /></a>New blue/green curtains (favorite color) and new coat of "Soft Suede" paint.<br /><br />(If you are noticing those small bright white marks on the ceiling, that is the result of Josh trying to touch up with bright white ceiling paint that we later realized didn't quite match the existing paint. . . it's a small detail so I'm sure we will get around to painting the whole ceiling another time. I'm done painting for QUITE a while!)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigT10UoNffracfM1qgSftGGrsrWwHz5PYRjUbZKHvZaTRsUZcdj4OE1xw8djM1dITFIfnQkcjkxw23b4GPXxoea1HCXhRlyTQeOJIOUBL3nBRUnydovULJNOW7KxWuMlMxwY5ftwGxls/s1600-h/050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigT10UoNffracfM1qgSftGGrsrWwHz5PYRjUbZKHvZaTRsUZcdj4OE1xw8djM1dITFIfnQkcjkxw23b4GPXxoea1HCXhRlyTQeOJIOUBL3nBRUnydovULJNOW7KxWuMlMxwY5ftwGxls/s400/050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332516311780378354" border="0" /></a>My sister-in-law, Sara, gave me the framed letters of our last name for Christmas. It originally was done in a font I wasn't a big fan of, so I tracked down a vinyl lettering pro and got some new ones more to my liking and picked out ribbon to match. Those are new (and also FABULOUS) blue silk pillows to match the curtains thanks to Target, $19.99 each.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghen6U6dlj0c5utLeIUP2nTisK29mWc74b306NWprlqUhSIZ15ntzHG-i5AZKPGxvK4IlAF-J1upoZmiHEPmoSln3XxE86DYfR2cL2a6OnH64-sm5o4yAn92213uxBWznlcuJ9YieER24/s1600-h/051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghen6U6dlj0c5utLeIUP2nTisK29mWc74b306NWprlqUhSIZ15ntzHG-i5AZKPGxvK4IlAF-J1upoZmiHEPmoSln3XxE86DYfR2cL2a6OnH64-sm5o4yAn92213uxBWznlcuJ9YieER24/s400/051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332516312908051298" border="0" /></a>Isn't this adorable?? This is my favorite detail of the room. I got to pick out the lettering myself!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnjl3ZDwptafu9RvPexHv4mGzVL2u9s8LPj5I1Su1eMiYSUeP_bUkQ0Vcwkw1h6IXEKx2Zubce1wHRZa-2B6qH7P0FNQhMSoNkicuLw3Mk0zQevRUU60Y4u1y2cOrFbtDX1DHS_XYtlM/s1600-h/055.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnjl3ZDwptafu9RvPexHv4mGzVL2u9s8LPj5I1Su1eMiYSUeP_bUkQ0Vcwkw1h6IXEKx2Zubce1wHRZa-2B6qH7P0FNQhMSoNkicuLw3Mk0zQevRUU60Y4u1y2cOrFbtDX1DHS_XYtlM/s400/055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332516307932204162" border="0" /></a>I re-vamped the entry way with stuff I already had and hung up my old framed art pieces I got at Shopko for $8 each. And of course the doggies are comfortable in their new environment, how could they not be?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwoBd5Sdd7jv1ZRTOqCQ1mXe7TRGZyRG2gbi2ds_EWBKAOIhdkv9ljqzfc-MM9HUFbWWCaZ7-1nJt7rczJ9Tf7l1-QhxDxXWaxSZyuySqr3OseHKEDcpXqYtdNK6vesx5mjYm0iwmgF0/s1600-h/053.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwoBd5Sdd7jv1ZRTOqCQ1mXe7TRGZyRG2gbi2ds_EWBKAOIhdkv9ljqzfc-MM9HUFbWWCaZ7-1nJt7rczJ9Tf7l1-QhxDxXWaxSZyuySqr3OseHKEDcpXqYtdNK6vesx5mjYm0iwmgF0/s400/053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332518152282535794" border="0" /></a>In our Home Depot adventure we decided it would be cheap and easy to make these box shelves. The wood was $3 each (Home Depot cuts them for you) and with a $1 can of black spray paint you got yourself some functional & fine lookin wall decor.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJKmD1mb_flIk3LMSOOEiu9VZezen6Egqmp1VK0qM1xbQXv3MC4mRgYBY0xE4lwTR0D7bRLYxUflkpl4Z3TpkYPPO88FV0qda9sZv_2exxk8Rf3nBybjo4YnGM7PZRzO8y1sSAaCOXvU/s1600-h/056.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJKmD1mb_flIk3LMSOOEiu9VZezen6Egqmp1VK0qM1xbQXv3MC4mRgYBY0xE4lwTR0D7bRLYxUflkpl4Z3TpkYPPO88FV0qda9sZv_2exxk8Rf3nBybjo4YnGM7PZRzO8y1sSAaCOXvU/s400/056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332518147914858770" border="0" /></a>On to the kitchen. . . we re-painted the grass green wall to a more toned grayish green called "Moss" that matched the rug we already had and continued it on to the adjacent wall. We also finally got around to centering the chandelier which tremendously enhances the lighting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQy5h8iXmDpzScdIFC8jt5W7VxObXcOHbXatR7JpkCQ2tCkqxzMr_0it1KUl9LtONEV_Uzp8xwBPLXIFcAqJewpmQh1xeZrg4xKJkxh4kv-W0ydXDgG0JlchEQIVpMIisOaNe1U9szAc/s1600-h/057.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQy5h8iXmDpzScdIFC8jt5W7VxObXcOHbXatR7JpkCQ2tCkqxzMr_0it1KUl9LtONEV_Uzp8xwBPLXIFcAqJewpmQh1xeZrg4xKJkxh4kv-W0ydXDgG0JlchEQIVpMIisOaNe1U9szAc/s400/057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332518146856498450" border="0" /></a>I had this great idea to make some shelves to showcase my fine china that I got as a wedding present. They have been sitting in my cabinets the entire time and have never been used. Both pieces of wood added up to $3 and I spray painted them white. It helps break up that huge wall and gives you something to look at.<br /><br />So. . . how do you think I did for making this happen in less than 2 weeks?? I'm happy to say that when my mother-in-law came by she said she loved our place and the simple design, and mentioned that she needed to make her house decorated more like mine. What a compliment! Just hearing that made it all worthwhile. Not to mention that I am SO happy now when I come home and look around, I'm very pleased and comfortable.<br /><br />The only trouble with re-decorating is that once you reach your goals, there is always something else you want to do! I can't help but look around and think of other things I can do to fill in the blanks. Josh says it's a "work in progress" and I need to cool my jets. While that's true, I've already decided on my next project. . . creating a magnet board (like Nicki's) and painting it to match my kitchen. Oh yes. . . it's gonna happen- and soon!<br /><br /><br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-74015767771014683762009-04-19T08:22:00.004-06:002009-04-19T08:56:22.545-06:00Uninspired<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYV9M2ket-7VGbBGR_8ONbteOAfRS2MuJWnGjRftEGketn7_KFK3BpHDTb7dAVY75daQ-rEFAY_KwdxkuUs89krKEJw43iIhXYYb9pdoqKwH2MJOHpSUxAkhzSbVTqtS_ycYDwV82OVw/s1600-h/uninspired.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYV9M2ket-7VGbBGR_8ONbteOAfRS2MuJWnGjRftEGketn7_KFK3BpHDTb7dAVY75daQ-rEFAY_KwdxkuUs89krKEJw43iIhXYYb9pdoqKwH2MJOHpSUxAkhzSbVTqtS_ycYDwV82OVw/s400/uninspired.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326408019039304978" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This is me, uninspired, as this colorful world surrounds me.<br /><br />What is wrong with me!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As you can see I haven't blogged in over a month... *gasp* Honestly, I haven't been inspired to write about anything because I feel there is nothing really extraordinary going on in my life. I'm kind of in a rut. Josh and I have both worked ourselves silly to the point of being TIRED & UNINSPIRED!<br /><br />But today is a new day, right? It's actually Josh's birthday today! So here I am up early while he sleeps peacefully in bed. My plan was to start cleaning the house but after a huge cup of coffee I still haven't found the energy to start.<br /><br />I think part of the reason why I've been in a rut is because I've been missing my family terribly the last month. If I feel like going to my Mom's for a home cooked meal that can't really happen unless I shovel out $500 for a plane ticket across the country. I'm starting to wonder if I can live like this for much longer.<br /><br />When I first moved here I thought it wouldn't be so bad because I do have my sister up in Ogden, and at the time Josh's whole family lived close by. Well, things have changed. Everyone from Josh's family moved and scattered around the country to California, Texas, and Japan. So Josh and I both have 1 sister left in Utah, however, both of them still have all of their in-laws close by. So what happens when holidays come around? Everyone gets together with their families and me and Josh are left by ourselves. Sometimes it's nice to have it be just the two of us, but lately it feels like something is missing.<br /><br />It's a good thing that Josh's sister Sara with her 3 kids are coming out to visit at the end of the month, followed by his mom, all visiting for his other sister's birthday and Mother's Day. I'm really excited! I haven't seen my 2 nieces and nephew in at least a year if not more. I hope they remember me!<br /><br />I'm also looking forward to my mom and dad coming out to visit in July for a few weeks. It's always nice to see them. I wish they would just move out here already! I worry because they are both getting older and they tell me about all of these health problems they are going through and it scares the crap out of me... because I know if anything were to happen I couldn't be there right away to help :(<br /><br />Anyway, I need to start doing some projects soon to feel like myself again. I woke up yesterday and couldn't get back to sleep because I kept thinking about all of the things I want to do around the house. For instance, I want to paint! Pretty much every room needs it. I also want to DIY a headboard for our bed. Make it all cushioned with buttons. Also I need to clean out the 2nd bedroom and make it more of an office/bedroom instead of an office/storage room.<br /><br />Annnnnnnd Josh and I are planning a road trip to Seattle for Memorial Day weekend in May! We recently reconnected with his Aunt Cindy through Facebook who lives up there. What a perfect way to hang with family while exploring a new place!<br /><br />So yes, it's been a very long and dull month, but it's spring and that means it's time for new beginnings. Just like a spring flower, I'm bringing myself out of this dirty ground and showing off my true colors again!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5Nl7Bgl04RWDwzScvUFughqNJjpLACCuJzB0zzN6X7_sX516531lydKfDsPTCGr7cYcDJiXTJ0yp9hTagFyR15qCBYF6TUdd6TyNQ7e5Ss9TAcGr5ES1SgVxr2DJTf2axyVChHpR3l0/s1600-h/SummerSunflower1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5Nl7Bgl04RWDwzScvUFughqNJjpLACCuJzB0zzN6X7_sX516531lydKfDsPTCGr7cYcDJiXTJ0yp9hTagFyR15qCBYF6TUdd6TyNQ7e5Ss9TAcGr5ES1SgVxr2DJTf2axyVChHpR3l0/s400/SummerSunflower1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326416114435196978" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-1559719057456573682009-03-03T21:29:00.006-07:002009-05-08T11:54:43.003-06:00Meet our little Nelly<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs_BZuRcNOUGI9GSeoe1W620eyeyK-zKcXYAl4Ipd6JWNN9ftE3li7aFrB1S2eggSre5z1glRkzvPFrnQ9yDwTtUz__KrM5OAgtiQXp5p_RkSzQrGO8TvNKIC6S-AVUJhJ4S3ZFcY5ao/s1600-h/sam+and+nellie+2-23+001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs_BZuRcNOUGI9GSeoe1W620eyeyK-zKcXYAl4Ipd6JWNN9ftE3li7aFrB1S2eggSre5z1glRkzvPFrnQ9yDwTtUz__KrM5OAgtiQXp5p_RkSzQrGO8TvNKIC6S-AVUJhJ4S3ZFcY5ao/s400/sam+and+nellie+2-23+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309185275158963666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);">meet </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">nelly</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Or Nellers,</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Nelly Belly, Nala (that's Josh's).<br />Nicknames... they just come naturally!</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFVxhHdTpLrA6zXUy756TgxEcOsa0hyx-9G2uAG7YBIRK2gslH7wfYbe5x2YIriyebf8Vjp4jVj8pHDBhcVOEcQQ9nwhcMAQQXqLJGlDtKH7AEO_ICK2vKBLPrrImqgQDR4xeaRtg-xQ/s1600-h/2-23+doggie+006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFVxhHdTpLrA6zXUy756TgxEcOsa0hyx-9G2uAG7YBIRK2gslH7wfYbe5x2YIriyebf8Vjp4jVj8pHDBhcVOEcQQ9nwhcMAQQXqLJGlDtKH7AEO_ICK2vKBLPrrImqgQDR4xeaRtg-xQ/s400/2-23+doggie+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309185267326121346" border="0" /></a>We got Nell about a week ago in a spur of the moment type of decision. For the past couple months we were thinking a lot about getting Sam a companion, someone who could be his friend while me and Josh work all day. We checked out puppies on KSL.com and when we saw her cute picture with those little stink face eyebrows...<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />...we just couldn't resist! Normally when we search through the puppy ads I always find something I don't like (I'm really picky) but when I know... <span>I just</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> know! </span><br /><br />We made an appointment to see her 45 minutes after viewing the ad. I felt so scared and excited at the same time... scared to take on another huge responsibility and also scared for Sam, just hoping he will be happy with our choice.<br /><br />She was so shy and quiet when we first met her, I really didn't think she couldn't handle our hyper Sammy, but there was something special about her. We actually almost brought home her sister because she was a lot more playful. After an hour of arguing, contemplating, and asking my husband about a hundred times, "Well what do you think??" we finally made up our minds. We just couldn't leave this little girl behind! She literally stole our hearts.<br /></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Cs0dVUEbZNC-2DOLmDZYRQq7PAEmcWpz8CdR2Oc7aa7D6wsTKgQiuk_v7Lk73f7grYuPJAohhqGFteKM7dQ9Uv-q0m2K4ckb-3kJcL0R2j-Glw4vnSLooJ2GKxhqGBl95YFQfXD4um8/s1600-h/me+and+nellers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Cs0dVUEbZNC-2DOLmDZYRQq7PAEmcWpz8CdR2Oc7aa7D6wsTKgQiuk_v7Lk73f7grYuPJAohhqGFteKM7dQ9Uv-q0m2K4ckb-3kJcL0R2j-Glw4vnSLooJ2GKxhqGBl95YFQfXD4um8/s400/me+and+nellers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309193455470673506" border="0" /></a><br />Nelly was her original name and we thought it fit her perfectly so we kept it. She is a miniature dachshund (doxie), same as Sam but she's a wire haired which means she's got some wavy hair. She's black and tan with some cream spots, really cute markings. And now she is 10 weeks old. We took her to the vet last weekend and she weighed in at all of TWO pounds! Seriously like she's the length of my forearm.<br /><br />It took her a couple days to come out of her shell... but boy we had ourselves fun week! I'm telling you these puppies- all they do is eat, play, and poop. And then poop some more. The puppy phase is always a love/hate relationship for me.... hate them cuz they just pooed all over your sheets or woke you up at 2 in the morning to go potty, but love them because they are just too damn cute to stay mad at. And because you know the outcome is definitely worth all of the hard work and time you put into it.<br /><br />Sam has been adjusting well and enjoys having a playmate. We got him neutered last week shortly after we got her. So poor Sammy got a cone on his head for a couple days. He's a trooper and is healing very well. Nelly is really feisty with him when she plays, she gets all sassy and she barks and chases him. But she loves to cuddle too and will fall asleep in your arms like a little baby. She even snores... :)<br /><br />And can I just express my love for having another female in the house??<br /><br />I have always had Josh, my very, <span style="font-style: italic;">very</span> male minded husband, and we have always had male dogs. And now our family is complete and I finally have a woman on my side! I know I'm going to enjoy this:<br /><br />1) She can watch America's Next Top Model with me without whining (even though she will most likely sleep on my lap the whole time).<br /><br />2) She will let me read my Marie Claire without barking to throw a squeaky toy outside.<br /><br />3) She might even let me paint her toenails someday...<br /><br />4) ...and let me put a cute dress on her and maybe even LIKE it.<br /><br />Who knows, maybe I'm wishful thinking, but I have a feeling there's going to be some much needed girl bonding going on...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxrvYJmlqLn0EHPQ3YQlxEzsvNdKpgP-hWmiTcqOCUYIcbqye8XI2D6Am248mdUxlchKHwl_Ji4fSqqT6_YIpahBo5hl5ulBhP_ZYDBbHIDI6TvPPyYaRP3B2I9_DKHJv_i0DgTO-MMU/s1600-h/the+whole+gang.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGxrvYJmlqLn0EHPQ3YQlxEzsvNdKpgP-hWmiTcqOCUYIcbqye8XI2D6Am248mdUxlchKHwl_Ji4fSqqT6_YIpahBo5hl5ulBhP_ZYDBbHIDI6TvPPyYaRP3B2I9_DKHJv_i0DgTO-MMU/s400/the+whole+gang.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309193547998131586" border="0" /></a>But of course my Sam will always be my man. Nothing will ever replace that. I love them both the same and I like being a mommy to them. It's weird.. I really have no interest in having kids anytime soon so my motherly instincts go toward canines. I guess I will always be a sucker for pups and I'll accept that for now!<br /><br />For the time being my baby hunger will have to rely on my older and very pregnant sister! 15 weeks... and they <span style="font-style: italic;">think</span> it's a.......<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">*whispers*<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:180%;">BOY! </span></span><br /><br />... more details next time! :)<br /><br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-4355269505864331092009-02-21T13:42:00.004-07:002009-02-21T13:58:30.685-07:00One Flaw In Women<div style="text-align: center;">I got this forwarded email from my mom the other day and thought I would pass along the message to all of you wonderful, amazing, strong women out there :)<br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:'Lucida Handwriting';"></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-size:180%;" >One Flaw In Women</span><br /><br />By the time the Lord made woman,<br />He was into his sixth day of working overtime.<br />An angel appeared and said,<br />"Why are you spending so much time on this one?"<br />And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her?<br />She has to be completely washable, but not plastic,<br />have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable<br />and able to run on diet coke and leftovers,<br />have a lap that can hold four children at one time,<br />have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart<br />-and she will do everything<br />with only two hands."<br /><br />The angel was astounded at the requirements.<br />"Only two hands!? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's<br />too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."<br /><br />"But I won't," the Lord protested.<br />"I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart.<br />She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days."<br /><br />The angel moved closer and touched the woman.<br />"But you have made her so soft, Lord."<br /><br />"She is soft," the Lord agreed,<br />"but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or<br />accomplish."<br /><br />"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel. The Lord replied,<br />"Not only will she be able to think,<br />she will be able to reason and negotiate."<br /><br />The angel then noticed something,<br />and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek.<br />"Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model.<br />I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."<br /><br />"That's not a leak,"<br />the Lord corrected, "that's a tear!"<br />"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.<br /><br />The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy,<br />her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love,<br />her loneliness, her grief and her pride." The angel was impressed.<br />"You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly<br />amazing."<br /><br />And she is!<br /><br />Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry<br />burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.<br />They smile when they want to scream.. They sing when they want to cry.<br />They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight<br />for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take<br />"no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go<br />without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend..<br /><br />They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel<br />and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear<br />about a birth or a wedding.<br /><br />Their hearts break when a friend dies.<br />They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they<br />think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal<br />a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll<br />drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.<br />The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring<br />joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral<br />support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and<br />everything to give.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.</span><br /><br /><br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-21150370409578314712009-02-15T11:14:00.003-07:002009-05-08T11:54:43.004-06:00Making faces<div style="text-align: center;">I went shopping with my sister Amber and my niece Addy last weekend and I couldn't help but notice how much this little girl is growing up! She is such a ham, she will do anything for attention and loves when you laugh. Hence, these hilarious faces she was making...<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzouA_8qNYSFt6IjJxrhIkoC4aqGdz9mWCB-VOPfTWW0C9M_1wp7Kg5ZJBmgiwBjh5ZoJGcycjBSOLr9bD_04KzhmaSAbUWtdfKG3AnB7xHsreSxIiEITzRmFl5Q4pNAZiFJJBu2QSVys/s1600-h/FUN+WITH+ADDY+008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 356px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzouA_8qNYSFt6IjJxrhIkoC4aqGdz9mWCB-VOPfTWW0C9M_1wp7Kg5ZJBmgiwBjh5ZoJGcycjBSOLr9bD_04KzhmaSAbUWtdfKG3AnB7xHsreSxIiEITzRmFl5Q4pNAZiFJJBu2QSVys/s320/FUN+WITH+ADDY+008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303089512060468674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkiuHUQtduIGi13z7MtAOhssN7xESdX5EZM4BOqYr8U6Dh25cQlMZeRDV_Kzl28csNegRFW9ZffZ22DK8-3wha1vzqghxtMn-dCRTtDNUn3IAMJLiJ8_En3Fatfxg4ALcrRzCGmJueuY/s1600-h/FUN+WITH+ADDY+007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 352px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkiuHUQtduIGi13z7MtAOhssN7xESdX5EZM4BOqYr8U6Dh25cQlMZeRDV_Kzl28csNegRFW9ZffZ22DK8-3wha1vzqghxtMn-dCRTtDNUn3IAMJLiJ8_En3Fatfxg4ALcrRzCGmJueuY/s320/FUN+WITH+ADDY+007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303089503828192066" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEknO2XUfmYNXijEUEA4DmtVgmop-vXyZGL_Whmb-emWSYS_Wd0npg4H5CklvxeQ6NGHhlRNWlYTnLqVh1OX5mrsetcexImcomrERGAuk2_gHeGIqHi56EulrB31hc6ySp3_5l0-oDcc/s1600-h/FUN+WITH+ADDY+005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 341px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcEknO2XUfmYNXijEUEA4DmtVgmop-vXyZGL_Whmb-emWSYS_Wd0npg4H5CklvxeQ6NGHhlRNWlYTnLqVh1OX5mrsetcexImcomrERGAuk2_gHeGIqHi56EulrB31hc6ySp3_5l0-oDcc/s320/FUN+WITH+ADDY+005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303089504772904066" border="0" /></a>This one is my favorite because she stuck out her tongue at the last second!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqabsZUMv8dtQ9JFCUccqdXfQlG3AjLNpn3Oe7AJFScIA15tMoqU9FIj82C7iD-OMIuXk4ShXmggx28eMGVgRM-Xm47y8UxACbLQJCCkWycUq48SXgmTbX6pfYqwPT5dwUBR_8Twyx6U4/s1600-h/FUN+WITH+ADDY+009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqabsZUMv8dtQ9JFCUccqdXfQlG3AjLNpn3Oe7AJFScIA15tMoqU9FIj82C7iD-OMIuXk4ShXmggx28eMGVgRM-Xm47y8UxACbLQJCCkWycUq48SXgmTbX6pfYqwPT5dwUBR_8Twyx6U4/s320/FUN+WITH+ADDY+009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303089513303495074" border="0" /></a>We went to Jamba Juice and took some pictures. She likes taking pictures "cheek to cheek"<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxgV8-u4jst4opuCXq0wDXjEqbHkSTlL1HiZy4CA5QvB1ykBx-pPv801she42QAJAlHMZCVLwqPut4BiItvoTg7-o7RBYwzRqLH5MnNorX4McTCo2GBk05B9kdQLt6V89XNQcxSEiYqs/s1600-h/FUN+WITH+ADDY+011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxgV8-u4jst4opuCXq0wDXjEqbHkSTlL1HiZy4CA5QvB1ykBx-pPv801she42QAJAlHMZCVLwqPut4BiItvoTg7-o7RBYwzRqLH5MnNorX4McTCo2GBk05B9kdQLt6V89XNQcxSEiYqs/s320/FUN+WITH+ADDY+011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303089518439676514" border="0" /></a>She is so beautiful!<br /><br />I am loving watching her grow into her personality and learning from everything around her. And I can't believe my sister has another one on the way. Kids really are amazing creatures aren't they?<br /></div>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-75764168141602014112009-02-12T20:35:00.006-07:002009-02-12T21:17:08.272-07:00De-stress<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftr4YJQK2eI0FcXsPhJzApQNl51nFoUrwz-D8QRxsDzVY2cxFPbFn2L4glcthyphenhyphenXuh-tmMm6mRNQbrdrFegMT_UJDPil76OgNA9mbxJAEgbvDS6jNpfMoBJZ4uD0jdcvoZYmhfDkDaShI/s1600-h/plunge_pool8.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftr4YJQK2eI0FcXsPhJzApQNl51nFoUrwz-D8QRxsDzVY2cxFPbFn2L4glcthyphenhyphenXuh-tmMm6mRNQbrdrFegMT_UJDPil76OgNA9mbxJAEgbvDS6jNpfMoBJZ4uD0jdcvoZYmhfDkDaShI/s320/plunge_pool8.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302129690227185954" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">God I hate being stressed.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">It makes my whole body ache, mostly in my shoulders and in my head. When I'm stressed I hate the person I become. I start getting selfish, I have no energy when I come home, I put myself in this negative frame of mind and I pretty much starting hating on everyone. </span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">So I figured instead of being a grump throughout the week, I would research some ways to de-stress.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /><br />Below are a few ideas I scrounged up on a Google search. I hope you take a few of these ideas and apply them to your own lives to help you calm your nerves and get yourself back to that lovely person you are inside:</span> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Be aware of your body.</span> </strong><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">"Slumped shoulders and a bent spine can actually induce moodiness. Tensed stomach muscles can induce mental anxiety" </p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">So stop slouching at work when you are sitting in that chair for hours. Keep your shoulders back and maybe do a few head rolls through the day. Another way to de-stress at work is by laying on the floor with your legs straight up against a wall, and scoot your bum as close to the wall as possible. Then lay there, with your arms out, palms up, and just take 5 minutes to meditate. Hopefully your co-workers won't catch you..</span><br /></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Listen to music that makes you feel calm and peaceful.</span> </strong><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Since I don't have an iPod (and because I'm cheap and I don't want to pay a dollar for every song) I listen to </span><a style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);" href="http://www.pandora.com/">Pandora radio</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> and I get to choose a genre I would like to listen to that day. Then I steal songs from there and look them up on playlist.com and make special mixes for my different moods. When I'm feeling exceptionally stressed I will put on some classical music, piano, or Enya. It helps me from swearing at people at work :)</span><br /></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Take a warm bath.</span> </strong><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I love taking a bath after a long overworked day. It's so nice to feel the hot water release all of the tension in my body. Just listening to silence and focusing on myself really makes a difference. I swear someday I will have a nice jetted tub in my house just for me!</span><br /></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><strong style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Breathe.</strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);"> </span><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Deep breathing can reduce stress and increase relaxation. Try taking a deep breath, and then releasing it twice as slowly as you inhaled. If only I could stop smoking and just breathe... damn that nicotine!</span><br /></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Participate in activities that leave you with a sense of relaxation and peacefulness</span>. </strong><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">This is why I love yoga. The breathing and stretching helps me calm down and find peace. I also love to unwind by reading a good book with a cup of tea while relaxing on my couch. Any activity that helps you get your mind at ease will work.</span><br /></p> <p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><strong style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153);">Take a nap.</strong> </p><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Studies show that a quick 30 minute nap will help boost your energy. So if you're feeling really tired, lay down for a bit and close your eyes. Don't overdo it though or it will have a reverse effect.</p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 153); font-weight: bold;">Pray.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Even though I don't really go to church anymore I still like to pray every once in a while. Just telling someone about my fears and stress helps me get those negative feelings off my chest. Its kind of like having a personal shrink. Only the shrink is Jesus.</p><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">(ideas provided from <a href="http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-disorders/2005/08/fibromyalgia-easy-destress.htm">this awesome website</a>)</p><p style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"></p>Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926443379343647544.post-59260665727489571772009-02-08T08:39:00.004-07:002009-02-12T20:24:24.739-07:00Coraline<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqAobsg-CXh3dK4UPw03FUL-x48eBIIe9mFo0pXg5_E7L4yHM9b0WEM0MioaMe4q7G2bQlrjPNquhDGSPO-VwU5mBIEuR-IRael58M2vVkAWM-lUaVz7w9fPSYoQlTwxZim08L6rifgI/s1600-h/CoralinePoster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 398px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqAobsg-CXh3dK4UPw03FUL-x48eBIIe9mFo0pXg5_E7L4yHM9b0WEM0MioaMe4q7G2bQlrjPNquhDGSPO-VwU5mBIEuR-IRael58M2vVkAWM-lUaVz7w9fPSYoQlTwxZim08L6rifgI/s400/CoralinePoster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300451927371620482" border="0" /></a><br />"A young girl (Fanning) walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life – only much better. But when her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home – and save her family." (courtesy of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327597/">imbd.com</a>)<br /><br />Josh and I went to see this last night in 3-D! It was imaginative and dark, a little creepy yet still humorous... and watching it in 3-D was a totally different experience, making the movie even more exciting.<br /><br />I was positive this was a Tim Burton movie, which I now know is a common misunderstanding. Henry Selick directed (who also was the director for "The Nightmare Before Christmas," Tim Burton wrote and produced it) and Neil Gaiman wrote the childrens book it was based off of. Looks like they stepped out of Tim Burton's shadow for this one and I am certainly impressed! I love the creativity, like these adults somehow held on to their childhood wonders through the years and made it all come to life. Simply amazing.<br /><br />Josh and I loved it and I'm not gonna lie... we felt pretty cool rockin those 3-D glasses, hehe!<br />Go see it- you will not be disappointed!Kristen Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11923928320846486556noreply@blogger.com0