So grateful...

It's always humbling to just sit for a few and take in the world around you. I just woke up not too long ago (yes it's 10:42, so what?!) and am sitting on my couch, still in my pjs. As I was perusing my facebook updates, I realized there is a lot of struggle going on, but a lot of beauty as well. A friend and her family are going through an incredibly difficult situation right now (I love you Beth and Pritts family!!!) and it got me thinking about what I should be grateful for in my life.

I finally have my health, I have a wonderful, patient, kind husband, 2 great dogs, a home that is not just a house, great family and friends, and the security of knowing I have employment. In this tough time for our country, it seems as though people are banding together and will not let this defeat them (I actually saw an ice cream flavor yesterday called "Recession Proof Red, White and Blue...very clever.) I am so blessed with people in my life that make every day worth living! Just yesterday I had lunch with two great friends from work, and tried out a new Rachael Ray recipe on two more great friends for dinner. I also laid around and watched TV with my hubby and 2 dogs, and ate sherbert! How blessed am I?

As I was watering the lawn and putting up Old Glory for the day, I stopped to admire her simplicity and beauty and what she stands for. Just this past few weeks I have reconnected with many people from my life and was thrilled to discover they served our country in one of the branches of the military. To them I just want to say thank you for fighting for our country, our beliefs and the freedom to have blogs and share our random, yet heartfelt, thoughts with anyone who takes the time to read them.

Have a happy day!

Working at the carwash...

This is what my car should look like!!! :)

So today I decided to take our new car to the carwash. This was an adventure in itself...

We have a nice new car wash not too far from home- it's one of those "do it yourselfers" which I thought couldn't be too hard considering I do have a brain...there were several problems with this however!

1. The new car is significantly larger than any car we've previously owned. Trying to reach all of it proved to be a trying task.

2. I had limited cash and coin supply- I had to plan a strategy to best use my time I could afford.

3. Why the heck are there so many options? What happened to soap and rinse? I was terribly confused- bug soak, conditioner, brush, pre rinse before the rinse, sealer, shiner, purified rinse....the list goes on and on!!!

4. The pressure of a clock! Once I got on a setting I think was right, the time started to quickly dissapate. I was running around inside the car wash bay quickly trying to get the car clean, realizing I was running out of time! I had to scramble inside my purse trying to find any more money (which by the way when it was all said and done this turned out to be one costly carwash!)

5. Too many hoses/brushes/guns to choose from...ok there were only 3 but depending on the setting you were on would determine which device to use. And they were all spread out which is just one way they make you waste your time in there! I kept tangling the hoses up and ended up spraying myself several times.

However one benefit was that the soap, waxes and whatnot were all rainbow colored foam (my car at one point looked like that new Baskin Robbins commericial where the kids all throw paintballs at the icecream truck) and it smelled like cotton candy! That was delightful.

OK I know you're probably wondering why you've wasted your time reading about a carwash gone bad. The really sucky part was that the car doesn't even seem that clean!!! I tried, I really did, but only if I had a few more quarters...

Which brings me to my final point: I finally have the car of my dreams (really...ask my friends!) and I wasted a good 30 minutes and $10.00 washing it, when really shouldn't be out adventuring in it? I have the quintessential Colorado lifestyle- why doesn't my car reflect that? With that being said, my goal is to forgo washing my car, and instead opt for the mud covered look...

So now I guess I need to take her off road- anyone wanna come? :)

An Oldie but a Goodie...

So this was one of my first blog postings on myspace, and I decided to copy it here. After the reunion this weekend, some asked about my heart surgery so I thought this was the best way to explain it...enjoy! :)

Wednesday, December 26, 2007
I SURVIVED! Current mood: cooky/wacky Category: Life

Hello all--
First let me start off with the ubiquitous "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" Now that that's out of the way, let's get on to the good stuff! :)

Charlie and I had a wonderful holiday with family near and far. It is the true spirit of the season when you can sit back for a minute and recognize the value in just relaxing, eating, drinking, and sharing dreams and aspirations for the new year. I'm pretty sure I (and most of you) were convinced we would be driving flying cars by 2008 but I am totally happy in my nearly decade old Civic! :)

I am sitting here right now watching Charlie play Mario Galaxy on the Wii...it's certainly a far cry from the Mario of the NES days-- but there are still Koopas, Goombas and of course that crazy lady Peach who still can't protect herself from being kidnapped by the evil King Koopa. Don't you just love it?
Actually the real reason I am sitting here right now is that I just got done with my heart surgery and I am in "recovery." Modern medicine is truly amazing-- just this morning I was in a drug induced stupor spread out crucifixion style, hands and feet tied down, oxygen flowing, monitors beeping and lights a flashing while my heart was sent into a drug induced arrythmia so my cardiologist could see what was causing my heart problem. I drifted in and out of consciousness as I watched a monitor showing the 6 cathedars that had been thredded up my femoral arteries (in my groin, with all my business hanging out)-which by the way was complemented? when the doctor went to shave me and said "I was going to do this but you took care of it for me...thanks!" Charlie reminded me the average age for people getting this surgery is 60+, and as he said quote "they let their geriatric trees grow down there". These cathedars were used to eventually shock and coterize (sp?) the abnormal pathway in my heart causing my arrythmias which in turn felt like the worst heart burn (literally) I have ever had in my life...it was nuts. Two and a half hours later I was wheeled back into the recovery room, fed a dry, unseasoned turkey sandwich and told I couldn't move WHATSOEVER for the next 4 hours. For those of you that know me, you know that is a near impossible task, but with the right cocktail of drugs and pain killers, I was flying high! My dear hubby and two moms stood by my side, and kindly left the room when I had to first hand discover the horrors of using a bed pan (I had to have my bum wiped by 2 young nurses-- awesome!) Had I been a dude or a lesbian, this could have been the start to a great porno (minus the whole "oh my god you filled the whole bed pan" comment, and the precise placement of the rubber sheet in case I had to go later!!

With that being said, modern science is amazing! The pain that has bothered me for 10+ years is now gone, and I am back at home chilling with my man and my dogs, my groin in pain, covered with iodine and sutured up, but I feel great! I want to thank those of you who have sent the messages, thoughts and prayers...here's to all you of you and a healthy 2008! I am already in the best shape I have ever been in! :)
XOXO
A

10 Years...what a trip!

So this past weekend was the somewhat daunting, but turned out to be the freaking fun, 10 year high school reunion...

Now...for those of you that know me, you know that my experiences at good old LHS ranged from the fantastic (oh those nights...) to the miserable (oh and those nights too...). I will be the first to admit that I was a bit apprehensive about going- yes 3 of my formidable years were spent as a Lancer, but alas I couldn't stick it out to graduate from there. I was afraid I'd be denied admission at the door since I am not technically a graduate, but thankfully this wasn't the case...and I'm pretty sure that lovely rumor mill that is high school had spit out some quite amusing, yet totally false, stories about why I didn't finish at LHS (I died, I killed someone, I should be dead...) and I wasn't sure I was ready to face some of those who made me miserable, yet I was hungry to see those that were important in my life.

Walking through the doors was a surreal experience- faces from the past, some instantly recognizable and others a bit hazy (and NO I wasn't drunk...I am just very energetic!) My very patient hubby and some of the other hubbies quickly found the bar, then the pool tables and tucked themselves away for the night. For us Lancers, we bravely made the rounds, and it seemed almost instantaneous that we were back in the groove. It was fantastic to catch up with everyone, to see what they're doing, learning about their families, wishes and dreams...

While the reunion just ended yesterday, in some ways it seems like it didn't even happen- in other ways the laughs, tears and smiles of over a decade came flooding back and I've been smiling ever since.

My life, ten years after some of the best and worst times of my life, is my life! I have a wonderful life, a great husband, 2 dogs, and a house (sans picket fence, but I'm working on it...) I hope to be adding to my family soon, I have the best career I could pick, and I'm finally healthy (pesky heart surgery!!! glad that's over with)! Without the high school experiences, good, bad, wild, unforgettable, firsts, lasts, and shouldn't haves, my life wouldn't be what it is today.

Thank you to everyone that was there- some of us were mere acquantainces, others were like brothers and sisters, and others were, well you know... all of you had, and still have, a special place in the book that is my life. Some of you I might not see ever again, and others I hope to see much more than every 10 years.

Whoever and wherever you are, may the next ten years be better than the last, and may we never forget those starry nights, Friday night lights, hockey games, EXCEL, Chick Fil-A at 10:00am, homecoming, prom, dances in the commons, first kisses, raging hormones! locker decorations, school pride, cheerleaders (hehehe), and everything that was, and is, the Lancer Class of 99.

Oh. My. Aching. Muscles...and Sunburn.

Well needless to say I have had a very busy, yet fun, past few days. Last Thursday I tricked myself into thinking I had big enough cojones to go ride with the **AMAZING** Jess Conner and the rest of the WMBA of COS (a rad local group of women mountain bikers...) As I showed up in the parking lot of the meeting place that fateful evening, I immediately felt like a goof. Here I am in a dingy t-shirt, my big puffy riding shorts and uncombed hair (that last part is a usual staple, but I usually do dress cuter...) Anywho I am surrounded by gorgeous women, all rocking skin tight spandex riding jerseys and shorts looking fabulous, ferocious and fearless. As we start the ride, I immediately realize I am totally and udderly NOT in this class of athleticism- for crying out loud I was out of breath riding throught the flat park on the way to the actual trail. Once we reached the trail, I looked ahead and started to cry for my mom and wishing I had brought clean undies with me. It was greuling. Hard. Painful. Scary. You name it... many L O N G and S T E E P climbs later, we finally got to go dowhill. But no, these weren't just big rolling downhill trails...NO! These were equally long and steep single tracks, full of roots, boulders, rocks, holes, mud, old tire tracks, and my awareness for my own health and well being. I did biff it once- but unfortunately I have no cool scrapes or bruises to show for it. However through this whole ordeal, all of the women I was with were nothing but encouraging, supportive and amazing. They all shared their tips for how not to die, what to wear and how they were worse than me when they started (that part's totally a fib, but it did make me feel better. :) ) At the end of the nearly 8 mile, 2 hour long trip to my almost impending death, we ended back up in the parking lot...again. Except this time it was for a delicious beer at the awesome Trinity Brewing Company (shameless plug- if you're in the Springs and haven't been there yet...go!!!) It was a great way to cap off what could have been a terrible evening- instead I left feeling energized, supported, encouraged and ready to tackle another ride! Thanks again Jess and the WMBA of COS-- I can't wait till next time...but I'm still not wearing spandex. :)

In order to repair my body from the ordeal that was, I rewarded myself with a day of lounging, canned beer and US Weekly on the very sweet bow of the nicest boat I have been on in the Pueblo Reservoir...this time I sat back and watched others get punished while wakeboarding, while I just kept reapplying sunscreen (but I still did burn...ouch) and talking it up with some great new friends. Here's to a fun summer of not dying and not frying.

As a Kirk...

Just got back from the new "Star Trek" movie... as a Kirk and closet Trekkie, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Growing up I was always told to respect the Kirk name, and my mom always had Star Trek references in her classroom (my personal favorite was the quote "Beam me up Scotty" cleverly placed right over her work desk). I suppose that in my heart of hearts, I always hoped that there really was a James Tiberius Kirk and that he was somehow related to me...<>

The movie was really good, except I do have one bone to pick...

SPOILER ALERT-- do not read on if you haven't seen the movie (or read on because you want to...)

In the film Spock's love interest is the quite sassy and beautiful Uhura and they share several kisses...that's all fine and dandy except in the series, Kirk and Uhura share this kiss...wanna know why that's important? Because in 1968 it was still quite taboo and a "no no" for interracial couples, especially white and African American to be an item. This kiss was widely accepted as a huge milestone in the Civil Rights movement and human equality overall... With that being said, and probably way too much scrutiny of it, I still think the film was quite good.

I give it 2 Spock Finger Spread Greeting/Goodbye Hand Gestures Up. Take that Siskel and Roper...

Really?

So I am on summer vacation and I thought that was supposed to entail sticky sunscreen, bug bites and bad tan lines. Tell me why it is almost 11:00am and it is a brisk 47 degrees! And must I point out it is June? Seriously there was warmer weather in February! Don't get me wrong "we need the moisture" (If you live in Colorado you really understand that comment) but I fricken wanna go play outside! Oh well, not like I was totally ready to be wearing shorts either (my sticks are white)...

Someone please do a "can't we have sun all day and then it can rain all night" dance...

Don't I feel sheepish

So after reading some of the blogs my friends have, I realize that mine is extrodinarily immature and ridiculous! Of the blogs I have perused, they all feature beautiful children and smiling families and mine is poorly Photoshopped heads on others bodies. So in an attempt to prove that I am not just some freaky chick who shouldn't be trusted with teaching the future, I have decided to post some of my family...

Aren't they adorable?

"Working 9 to 5..."

What a great summary of that wild weekend in the Smoky Mountains...DOLLYWOOD OR BUST! These 8 ladies have known each other since 1st grade...go Wolford Squirrels!!!

It's pictures like this that make you realize all the good that is in the world...these are true friends who can go months without talking, but once they're together, it's like there's been no distance at all! I love my BFBs...can't wait to see you all again soon!

XOXOXO

Welcome to my world

Alright ladies and germs...here it is...my first foray into blogdom.

I am currently taking a class on Photoshop and this is what I have created today (see left).

I'm pretty cool, yes I know.