2010 out with a bang

I was going to do a year in review, but honestly I can't remember much of the year, getting old I guess ;). We did get to go to NY for 3 weeks, fantastic! We are all a year older. Um...we are taller? ok, so the kids are, hehe.

I have to say that I have sure learned a lot about myself this year, I now know that I am a whole lot stronger than I ever thought I could be. I have made some bad decisions but I know that I can move on and be a better person for it. And I have also made some great decisions.

My resolutions for 2011? Well, I don't know, I think I'd like to start running again, maybe another marathon or at least a half. I will graduate from college, finally. I will have a high schooler, gulp. And I vow to act and not react.

Love you all, here's to a wonderful new year and a woohoo we made it through the old year.

Missing part of me

A lot has happened recently and this fits pretty well.

Happy Thanksgiving

Tonight I am grateful for a happy family. We have had some challenges this year and I'm happy to say that it's bringing us closer together as a family and we will end the year even stronger for making it through.

I'm also grateful (I think) for the new game the boys taught their dad today. It's called "Stab" they pretend to stab each other, so I hear "stab" "stab" giggle giggle "stab" run run run laugh laugh "stab" over and over today, they are burning that extra energy and having fun doing it.

And a photo for fun :)

Yeah, M made me a skirt, aren't you jealous? ;)

Inspiration

I want to be this Grandma, just starting now as a mom instead :)

ps, I'm throwing this out there so I have to follow through. I'm ready to start running again and tomorrow is the day.

What a difference a few hours makes.

So today I interpreted for the first time in front of an audience, an audience of my peers no less. Anyway, I have many excuses that pop up when thinking about how I didn't do as well as I had hoped, after thinking about it for a few hours, my perspective has changed. I had a migraine, yet I was able to do a pretty good job. The person I interpreted for is not a native signer and it was a tough topic, I still did a pretty good job. The presenter also played a movie that I have never seen and it was DARK so I couldn't really see what was being signed, but you know what!? I still did a pretty good job!

Overall, I'm satisfied, I've learned that I have great support in my profession, at least overall. My team today was top notch, plus we had the awesome back up of the interpreter coordinator for the conference today.

Good day, good experience, good times. Awesome field, awesome students and faculty at UVU, awesome migraine medication that makes it so I can function at least somewhat :).

Go Deaf Studies!

Interpreter blahs

I'm not a fashionista in any stretch of the imagination, but I did find one way to get over the blahs of boring black and brown that many interpreters wear. See, pretty plain and blah after awhile.
With my hidden secret, haha. I've seen many interpreters with fabulous shoes, jewelery, scarves, different things like that to spice up the black and brown or other dark colors in their wardrobes. Me...I love me some crazy socks, they make me happy.


ps, that's L's room in the background, though sadly it's much cleaner than mine at the moment :)

It's about time...

that I post pics from New York. Up first, our flight out left at midnight, poor kids were exhausted before we even got going.

L had to sit across the isle from us, but she got her own TV so it was tolerable.

The boys were zoned, pretty normal for them when it comes to TV ha.
At about 2 am, LittleMan finally fell asleep. If you'll notice in the above photo, he is not right next to me, but that is my arm reaching across M to try and keep his little head from bobbing up and down as he falls asleep. Poor kid.
And possibly my favorite pic from the trip...

He slept almost our entire 4 hour layover just like that. I gathered up jackets and blankies to make him more comfortable, at least to my view since he didn't seem to care :). He has no real recollection of the layover, hehe. So that first night he got maybe 6 hours of sleep, M got maybe 2 hours, L got about 1.5 hours and I was awake for about 38 hours. Good times :)

Perspective

I have been dealing with allergies, colds, a random fever, for the last few weeks. Laying there in bed I have had time to think about life in general. One thing I've come to realize, is that my perspective on life has changed in the last 18 months or so.

I think we all should go through changes in perspective, but we need to be aware that we are changing, we are looking at things differently. Do we want to keep that view or keep changing it? I haven't been content with things in a long time. I am normally a very optimistic person but I haven't been happy. That is something I need to change, not anyone around me.

So I'm changing my perspective again, I'm going to look at the world in my positive way. I have a loving husband that supports me more than I ever could have imagined. I have a teenage daughter *gasp* that is also changing her perspective on life and I'm liking the change. It's awesome seeing her come into her own, though scary thinking she'll actually be on her own sooner than I can fathom. I have two sons, both with such hugely different personalities, M is always on the move, he's so creative and always looking for something to make. LittleMan is such a softy, still has his stuffed animal babies, but is getting more daring and crazy like his brother.

I'm going to graduate in the spring, I'll be certified as an interpreter -my dream job- soon, I'm already working part-time. I have many wonderful, supportive friends surrounding me. My extended family is eclectic and always here for me too. Awesome.

Life is good, I'm a happy woman and a very lucky one too.

Hello Friends :)

I took a month off from the internet, unless it was school related. I know you all didn't notice since I don't blog often, hehe.

It was a lot easier than I expected.
I missed easy updates from friends and family.
I play way too many silly games on facebook, as evidence from all the emails I got updating me on peoples visits to said games and sending me "gifts".
I enjoy winding down from the day reading blogs and status updates on facebook.
I will definitely keep my computer time a lot shorter than it was before.
I had over 400 blog posts to read on my google reader this morning, still have 372 to go....just a little behind.

I have lots of blog posts lined up in my head, lets see if I actually type them out.

Later.

Touch

I'm in New York!!! It has been so great, many new sites, friends, routines, and experiences. I've loved the trip thus far, today marks day 8. Anyway, I was contemplating why I'm missing Utah. My Hunny, of course, but I speak to him daily and we've started using the webcam to chat too, that helps immensely.

But really, I think it's touching him that I miss. Not only sex ;) but just a hand on the knee or shoulder, a hug (I LOVE hugs!) our knees touching while we sit at the table to eat. Little things like that I miss.

I'm going to be attached to Stu for the first few days home, I think. Sorry kids, I get to hug him first :).

Food

I have an odd relationship with food, most of the time I don't get hungry, I eat because I'm supposed to. I do crave things from time to time, but not always. This week I decided it's time to start working out again and in order to push myself as hard as I like to, I need proper fuel.

Last month I gave up caffeine, I drank way too much and with the summer heat, I knew water was more important. This week I decided that fast food was next up on the chopping block. So far, 8 days of no fast food of any kind. I haven't really defined what fast food is yet, Subway seems to be free from that terminology for me, for now.

Also, every day this week I have eaten 3 meals and taken my vitamins, go me!

What a difference a year makes

Kids grow way too fast!

L and Me last year, February 2009

And now July 2010


please ignore how unkind gravity has been to my butt :)

Hmm...

I already mentioned it in a previous post, but I'm trying to decide if I want to start another blog, one dedicated to ASL and Interpreting. I can use it to talk about lessons I've learned, maybe conferences and workshops I go to as well. What do you think? Any interest in that?

Also, Happy Independence day, I'm so grateful to live in a free country. For immigrants brave enough to step into the unknown to find a better place to live, whether they be past or present immigrants.

achoo

I have seasonal allergies and they usually hit in August but a year or two ago my body decided that it wanted more attention from the Kleenex makers. I am now allergic to some trees or something too. Also, I seem to want attention from the Kleenex makers too because we adopted two kitties a couple of years ago and I'm allergic to them as well, so spring sucks for my sinuses is what I'm saying.

I just got in from mowing the lawn, well to be honest, M mowed while I picked up the million little twigs, garbage, rocks, toys, and the like from all over the yard. Sad thing is, only half of our yard has what could resemble grass (the weeds are taking over and the grass hasn't recovered from me trying to induce a drought last year), so when we finally get the rest of the yard seeded (this fall I hope!!) maybe I wont be sneezing my eyes out and walking around with a river flowing out of my nose.

Hmm...maybe you all wont be happy that I started blogging again, if this is what my posts are going to consist of ;)

Yummy dinner

M wanted a special dinner and I told him that maybe I'd make it, I wasn't sure since it's not my fave. I walk into the kitchen later and this is what I find.

It says "Eat me please" and he put out plates and forks too, so I would have less work and he would get his way.
What was his special dinner?

hehehe.

Such a slacker

I have so many blog posts floating around my head, but I just haven't gotten around to posting them. I think I'm a perfectionist when it comes to blogging, I have this list of things I have to do or I don't post. I'm going to try and just blog what comes to mind when I have a few minutes, rather than waiting for that perfect moment to write that perfect post.

Summer has been good to me so far, for the most part.

First summer block is finished. Second block has begun.
Kids are alive and happy.
Hubby is home, a lot, which is awesome for me just not for the finances :)
Taking my big test tomorrow.
LittleMan turned 8 and was baptized.
L finished her first year of jr high
M is growing his hair out to look like Wolverine, umm...yay?!?
We have water leaks that I get to learn to fix, kind of excited to try out my hand at plumbing.
My yard is ugly and dying, so we'll be trying to resurrect it soon.
We are going to NY for 3 weeks! 3 weeks!!

See....lots to say, I'll get around to it, I promise.

What a morning

I went to a workout group this morning with a friend and some of her neighbors, so fun! Anyway, coming home I notice a Suburban driving toward me with their tire bent underneath it, sort of like this....

only the tire was bent the other way so it was completely under the suburban. I couldn't figure out how the driver didn't know that something was wrong. The front bumper was all messed up too and it was leaning to the right. No one was following it, so no police chase. Weird. I called Stu because I thought it was so weird and then farther up the road I saw some police lights off to the side and traffic was stopped. I sat there for a little while, not moving, when one of the police cars pulled out and took off the same direction as the Suburban.

I eventually get going and pass a car that looks like this...

So I'm thinking the Suburban left the scene of the accident, not smart at all. Really not smart when your car is pretty much disabled and you wont get far, especially without witnesses to tell where you went ;)

We were are a part of the city where Ambulances and Police cars aren't close by, a mile or so later an Ambulance, Fire truck, and two Police cars went screaming by, hopefully they caught the person and the other car occupants were ok.

Migraines, my philosophy

Migraines suck, that's easy, I don't know if there is anyone that enjoys them. My philosophy? As long as I get the pain meds ASAP, the pain is manageable for the most part. The next 30 hours or so suck almost worse than the pain, why? Because of all the other effects that come with a migraine, I haven't found any meds that help with those so if you have some let me know! The sound/light sensitivity, the upset stomach, the emotional state, unable to sleep. It all just sucks. Pardon my rambling, I hate the migraine hangover.

On a positive note, this week is huge international Deaf Studies Today conference and I'm beyond excited for it!! It is going to be amazing.

also, I know I haven't added finished photos of my kitchen, I will.....at some point :)ran

Painting

I love to paint and I decided for Spring Break that I would paint the kitchen, the only room left in my house that i haven't painted. (though I have to redo all 3 bedrooms, ugh). Here is a before and tomorrow I will post an after :)

This is me right now....

Let's hope that spring break helps me get some relaxation in, caught up on homework, housework, life, and then maybe I can paint the kitchen for fun :)

choices

I am a knitter but I am also a signer, both use pretty much that same forearm muscles. I have tendinitis due to my job as a transcriptionist for eight months. Anyhoo, I've been signing a lot more this semester and sometimes my arms get sore and tight, other times they are fine. I usually choose to knit on those times that my arms are happy, I'm wondering if that makes it so my arms aren't getting over the tendinitis. I'm also wondering if I should go see someone about the tendinitis, I think I will as soon as we have insurance again.

So after this seemingly endless rambling...a summary, my arms are slightly sore, I have to choose between a favorite hobby and a career that I am loving immensely (though it's all volunteer work right now, still it's work ;) )

*edit to fix grammatical and spelling errors, sorry.

pitty party

I'm having a pitty party today. I need to take two more math classes in order to get my associates degree (well and Bachelors too, of course) so I can take the performance part of my interpreter certification test. I want to take my performance test this summer, assuming I'm ready by then, at the moment I'm not quite there. Anyway, I have a really hard time with math, like "don't panic or it will make it worse" hard time ;).

This semester I'm determined to pass math, this is the 4th time taking the class, though 2 I didn't give any real effort after the midterm failure. So I spent 3 hours in the math lab getting help and then many hours on homework and studying. Took the test, couldn't even guess at some of the questions. So...another failure for me :(.

I am going to keep trying, I must pass this class this semester or graduating on time will be iffy. I'm just going to sit here and feel like a loser for a little bit longer before I try, try again.

Pictures

I have pictures on my new computer, yay!

We love Guitar Hero at our house, Stu was signing so the boys could each play guitar and drums, he just happened to look like he was rocking out, so I snapped a photo....



Being the silly guy that he is, he had to pose for a better rocking out photo...


One of the many reasons I love him, his oddness :)

What in the heck?

L is 13 and since she was about 9 months old, she has always woken up at 6:30 in the morning, complete torture if you ask me. We made adjustments and when I was pregnant with M, she was about 3.5. I would fill a cup with dry cereal and put it on the table, then fill a sippy cup of milk and put it in the fridge, finally before bed I would set the TV to PBS. At 6:3o L would get up, go upstairs turn the TV on and watch cartoons for about an hour before I got up.

Along came the boys, both boys would do the same, wake up at 6:3o, 7:00 at the latest. Didn't matter if it was winter, summer, Saturday, vacation, nothing. Until this winter break, now they sleep until 8:15 or so every morning, heaven! They've been doing that for weeks. That is until yesterday morning, awake at 7 am again, yawn.

Yes, they are old enough to get their own breakfast, but those darn early birds have so much energy when they get up. I wish I could bottle it and then send them back to bed! ;)

Snowman

I seem to be on this LittleMan kick lately, I'll post about the other kids as soon as they do something cute. I'm kidding, sheesh! ;)

LittleMan was so proud of himself, he made this snowman after our last big storm, 2ish weeks ago? I'm glad he likes playing in the snow, I hate being cold so I refuse, I know I'm a loser mom.

Anyway, the real reason you come here, pictures....

ha, jokes on me, I got a new laptop and haven't transferred pictures over yet, ahem. We'll say this is a placeholder and I'll add pics at some point :)

Classy

In 13 years of marriage, we have been lucky enough to have hand-me-downs for appliances, that latest is an electric dryer we have had for 3ish years now. It decided that it was time to give up the ghost, but before we gave up on it we took extra special care to make it work well and be pretty.....


Lots 'o duct tape and ended up having to force the whole roll under the knob to get it to stay. Now that is classy :)

new dryer to arrive Wednesday, woohoo!! I had to control myself in the store after purchasing the dryer, I wanted desperately to do my happy dance and I would have had Stu not been with me :)

LittleMan adventures

LittleMan is awesome, he is such a character and I love him. I decided to share this story because I'm still giggling over it about a week later.

One day LittleMan came to me with a very serious look on his face. "Mom, the teachers and kids in Primary have been calling me a very mean name lately."

Now I'm thinking of his teachers and the Primary Presidency and I know they wouldn't do that, but I'm concerned nonetheless. "Ok, Buddy, what name have they been calling you?"

LM "Red head!"

Me "remember how I told you that people with orange hair and red hair are called red heads? It's not to be mean, it's just a way to talk about your awesome hair."

LM "But my hair is orange, not red."

Me "I know, but that's just the way it goes."

LM "but MOM, it's my hair that is orange, not my head!!"

Me "I know and that's what they mean."

LM "Ok."

And a picture of my poor redhead ;)


* and yeah, I know I still haven't blogged about our gingerbread house fun.