So many good-byes and hellos within the past couple of weeks I don't know wear to start.
Good-bye newborn Samuel - hello crawling-absolutely-curious-about-my-world-growing-up-too-fast Samuel. 7 months old and ready to conquer the world, I will have to post pictures later.
Good-bye Stillwater - hello Norman. I will miss the honest simplicity of Stillwater and most of all I will miss the people. So many good friends and my family. I'm excited to find what Norman will hold for our little family. We have only been here 5 days and so far we have experienced more adventures than I have time to write about - maybe a later post.
Good-bye 2008 - Hello 2009. So many exciting things happened in 2008, I can only imagine what 2009 will hold.
On Friday it will be:
Good-bye Oklahoma - Hello Orlando, Florida. My first time to Disneyworld! I'm so excited.
We had a great Christmas filled with family and food. Now it is time to cuddle with my hubby as we bring in the New Year together.
Happy New Year.
December 31, 2008
December 16, 2008
Graduation
"Every you'll find us, loyal and true, to our alma-mater...
...O...S...U!
Happy Graduation to my wonderful husband. He worked so hard to get his degree and I am so proud of him. He is incredible, dedicated, and intelligent.
...O...S...U!
Happy Graduation to my wonderful husband. He worked so hard to get his degree and I am so proud of him. He is incredible, dedicated, and intelligent.
I Love you, Carlin!
December 9, 2008
Books v. Movies
I thought I would combine two hobbies of mine and do a comparison of books-to-movies.
Book/Movie: Princess Bride
Love this movie - it's witty, funny, and has a lot of my favorite one-liners. The book is a bit long-winded, but most of the dialogue from the movie comes directly from the book. If you love reading then I would recommend the book, otherwise just stick with the movie.
Winner: Movie
Book/Movie: Ella Enchanted
Loved the book so much I bought it for my little sister. It's a retelling of Cinderella. Sadly, the movie falls very short. After watching an interview with Anne Hathaway (who plays Ella), I knew the movie wasn't going to follow the book. I was still sorely disappointed. Disney took a perfectly good story and warped it into a shallow, pre-teen targeted movie. Skip the two hour movie and just spend a few hours reading a great story. Better yet - make it a family affair and read it to your kids, they'll love it.
Winner: Book
Book/Movie: Twilight
Loved the book, liked the movie. The movie isn't the book by any means and you might be a little lost if you haven't read the book before watching the movie, but it's still good. Stephenie Meyer has a style of writing that I absolutely love which is why I like the book so much. Remember that the book and movie are targeted to teenage girls who are romantics.
Winner: Book
Book/Movie: The Devil Wears Prada
Loved both the book and the movie - for different reasons. I feel they did a good job adapting this book to the screen. They managed to capture the essence of the book without completely ruining the story. It does have a bit of Hollywood ending while the book is a bit more realistic.
Winner: Both
Book/Movie: Nanny Diaries
Loved this book, but was a little disappointed in the movie. Overall I liked the movie but I didn't like the relationship between Nanny and her mother in the movie. In the book she has a great relationship with both of her parents. The other strike against the movie is the Hollywood ending that the Nanny's words had an effect on her employer, Mrs. X. If you are in the mood for a humorous character-study read the book. However, if you do not read at all, the movie will be a satisfactory substitute.
Winner: Book
Book/Movie: Memoirs of a Geisha
The book is an interesting look at the Japanese culture, the movie a beautiful portrait (even though the actors are Chinese). The book has better character development, but then again, how much character development can you do in a 2 hour movie?
Winner: Book
Book/Movie: About a Boy
All. Time. Favorite. Movie. Enough said. The book is a bit depressing (yes, even more so than the movie) and one of the rare occasions where I liked the movie more than the book. Don't get me wrong, the book was wonderful... I just really like the movie.
Winner: Movie
Overall I prefer the books to the movies. I love the character development, the style of writing an author uses, and the ability to imagine things the way I want instead of the way the director saw it.
Book/Movie: Princess Bride
Love this movie - it's witty, funny, and has a lot of my favorite one-liners. The book is a bit long-winded, but most of the dialogue from the movie comes directly from the book. If you love reading then I would recommend the book, otherwise just stick with the movie.
Winner: Movie
Book/Movie: Ella Enchanted
Loved the book so much I bought it for my little sister. It's a retelling of Cinderella. Sadly, the movie falls very short. After watching an interview with Anne Hathaway (who plays Ella), I knew the movie wasn't going to follow the book. I was still sorely disappointed. Disney took a perfectly good story and warped it into a shallow, pre-teen targeted movie. Skip the two hour movie and just spend a few hours reading a great story. Better yet - make it a family affair and read it to your kids, they'll love it.
Winner: Book
Book/Movie: Twilight
Loved the book, liked the movie. The movie isn't the book by any means and you might be a little lost if you haven't read the book before watching the movie, but it's still good. Stephenie Meyer has a style of writing that I absolutely love which is why I like the book so much. Remember that the book and movie are targeted to teenage girls who are romantics.
Winner: Book
Book/Movie: The Devil Wears Prada
Loved both the book and the movie - for different reasons. I feel they did a good job adapting this book to the screen. They managed to capture the essence of the book without completely ruining the story. It does have a bit of Hollywood ending while the book is a bit more realistic.
Winner: Both
Book/Movie: Nanny Diaries
Loved this book, but was a little disappointed in the movie. Overall I liked the movie but I didn't like the relationship between Nanny and her mother in the movie. In the book she has a great relationship with both of her parents. The other strike against the movie is the Hollywood ending that the Nanny's words had an effect on her employer, Mrs. X. If you are in the mood for a humorous character-study read the book. However, if you do not read at all, the movie will be a satisfactory substitute.
Winner: Book
Book/Movie: Memoirs of a Geisha
The book is an interesting look at the Japanese culture, the movie a beautiful portrait (even though the actors are Chinese). The book has better character development, but then again, how much character development can you do in a 2 hour movie?
Winner: Book
Book/Movie: About a Boy
All. Time. Favorite. Movie. Enough said. The book is a bit depressing (yes, even more so than the movie) and one of the rare occasions where I liked the movie more than the book. Don't get me wrong, the book was wonderful... I just really like the movie.
Winner: Movie
Overall I prefer the books to the movies. I love the character development, the style of writing an author uses, and the ability to imagine things the way I want instead of the way the director saw it.
November 30, 2008
My week in pictures
Thanksgiving with my Mom's family...
...Our Thanksgiving Dinner - just kidding.
Mom and her brothers Eddie and David with Samuel and David's granddaughter Cassie.
The whole clan (minus spouses) Cousin Sarah, Cassie, Grandma, Uncle David, Cousin Jake, Grandpa, Mom, Uncle Eddie, Me, and KeLei
Grandma and Grandpa with their great-grandchildren. (Samuel was content to hang out with Grandpa while a bunch of crazy people tried to get him to smile for a picture).
Me and Samuel at ESPN Gameday. This was so much fun even thought it was freezing! My favorite sign said "Our QB is hotter than yours" - which is so true. We lost but I am still proud of our Cowboys and the fight they put up against the Sooners. Maybe next season - Go Pokes!
Samuel tries carrots for the first time. Hahahaha.
And last but not least, our Christmas Tree! I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Since we are moving right after Christmas we aren't decorating as much as usual. We have what you see in the picture and a nativity. Enough to feel festive. We had a busy, fun week with Thanksgiving, family and lots of food.
...Our Thanksgiving Dinner - just kidding.
Mom and her brothers Eddie and David with Samuel and David's granddaughter Cassie.
The whole clan (minus spouses) Cousin Sarah, Cassie, Grandma, Uncle David, Cousin Jake, Grandpa, Mom, Uncle Eddie, Me, and KeLei
Grandma and Grandpa with their great-grandchildren. (Samuel was content to hang out with Grandpa while a bunch of crazy people tried to get him to smile for a picture).
Me and Samuel at ESPN Gameday. This was so much fun even thought it was freezing! My favorite sign said "Our QB is hotter than yours" - which is so true. We lost but I am still proud of our Cowboys and the fight they put up against the Sooners. Maybe next season - Go Pokes!
Samuel tries carrots for the first time. Hahahaha.
And last but not least, our Christmas Tree! I absolutely LOVE this time of year. Since we are moving right after Christmas we aren't decorating as much as usual. We have what you see in the picture and a nativity. Enough to feel festive. We had a busy, fun week with Thanksgiving, family and lots of food.
November 20, 2008
The Things I am Thankful for...
1. My Family..................Mom - who taught me to laugh at myself
..................Dad - who gave me the confidence to succeed
..................KeLei - who showed me it's okay to cry and to love the little things
..................Dallin - who showed me what sheer determination can accomplish
2. My Beliefs - the foundation on which I live my life
3. My Country - its diversity and breathtaking beauty
4. Smiles
5. Bubble Baths
6. Best Friends - who hear me out, never judge, and love me with all their heart
7. A home8. A job
9. Hot Chocolate and Cookies
10. My husband and my son - who are my everything
November 11, 2008
Veterans Day
It is Veteran's Day. A day that is often overlooked and many times forgotten. I would feel ungrateful if I didn't take a moment today to honor those who have served for our country. The men and women who fight and have fought in our armed services are some of the most selfless people I know. Literally giving their lives for the future of their families. I come from a long line of those who have served their country. Today I would like to honor my hero and mentor - my Grandpa Helton. My Grandpa served in the army from 1955 - 1976. He retired from the army to continue to serve his country through education, teaching 6th-8th graders. He is honest, hard-working, and patriotic. He has always encouraged and supported me in everything I've done. Through him I learned to love science, history, the army, my country, and chess. He has taught me to never be afraid to stand-up for what I believe in... To never be afraid to fight for those that I love... To always question and always respect those around me. It is because of men like my Grandpa that we are able to enjoy the freedoms we have today. Thank you.
If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace. ~Hamilton Fish
If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace. ~Hamilton Fish
November 3, 2008
Good Grief, Charlie Brown!
Don't you just love this time of year? Autumn leaves and Halloween costumes. I realize I haven't posted about day-to-day stuff in a while. For starters, we went to the pumpkin patch. It was great fun picking out our own pumpkins and much cheaper than the Wal-Mart option. Carlin and I have decided we must make this our new family tradition.
We ended up with 4 big pumpkins and one small pumpkin for Samuel. Unfortunately we decided not to carve the pumpkins this year, however, they were used in our Trunk-or-Treat decorations. For Halloween we made it a family affair. I will let the pictures explain...
Yep, that's right - we were Peanuts characters. In this picture we have Sally, Linus, Charlie Brown and Snoopy and the Pumpkin Patch. 
Here is a better look at our trunk. We had fun taking Samuel trick-or-treating for his first Halloween and even more fun eating his candy.
For other events - Samuel has started eating solids and sits in his own high-chair. Yesterday he sat up on his own without leaning on one of us for support. I have a feeling he will start crawling soon. He sure is trying his hardest. And a Happy Birthday shout-out to my brother-in-law Ben! Yesterday was his birthday. We had dinner and birthday pie. Happy Birthday, Ben!
Last but not least - remember to VOTE tomorrow, November 4th!
We ended up with 4 big pumpkins and one small pumpkin for Samuel. Unfortunately we decided not to carve the pumpkins this year, however, they were used in our Trunk-or-Treat decorations. For Halloween we made it a family affair. I will let the pictures explain...
Yep, that's right - we were Peanuts characters. In this picture we have Sally, Linus, Charlie Brown and Snoopy and the Pumpkin Patch. 
Here is a better look at our trunk. We had fun taking Samuel trick-or-treating for his first Halloween and even more fun eating his candy. For other events - Samuel has started eating solids and sits in his own high-chair. Yesterday he sat up on his own without leaning on one of us for support. I have a feeling he will start crawling soon. He sure is trying his hardest. And a Happy Birthday shout-out to my brother-in-law Ben! Yesterday was his birthday. We had dinner and birthday pie. Happy Birthday, Ben!
Last but not least - remember to VOTE tomorrow, November 4th!
October 27, 2008
And the winner is...
Johnson Controls in Norman! That's right folks... Carlin got a job and we are moving to the Norman area at the end of December. We are SO excited. I am sure all of you can relate to the anxiety that comes with finding a job - especially finding a job as a new college graduate, in a recession, and with a family to support. You can probably imagine the relief that we feel now that we have a job.
I don't even mind moving to Norman - sure it is OU territory, but we will wear our Orange loud and proud. It is still a change from Stillwater, but close enough that our parents can enjoy their grandchild and all future grandchildren. The best part is Carlin is excited about this job. As we were searching for a job I told him to find a job that he would be happy with, because a grumpy husband is a no-fun husband. He did and we are excited to see what the future holds for our little family.
Oh - and a funny story. When Carlin came home from the interview he said they had Googled his name. They looked at everything, including his blog... which led them to my blog! Yep, that's right, his future employers read my blog before they even interviewed him. Obviously there wasn't anything too incriminating on here because they hired him. ;) So, beware all you bloggers - a future employer just might be looking at your blog.
I don't even mind moving to Norman - sure it is OU territory, but we will wear our Orange loud and proud. It is still a change from Stillwater, but close enough that our parents can enjoy their grandchild and all future grandchildren. The best part is Carlin is excited about this job. As we were searching for a job I told him to find a job that he would be happy with, because a grumpy husband is a no-fun husband. He did and we are excited to see what the future holds for our little family.
Oh - and a funny story. When Carlin came home from the interview he said they had Googled his name. They looked at everything, including his blog... which led them to my blog! Yep, that's right, his future employers read my blog before they even interviewed him. Obviously there wasn't anything too incriminating on here because they hired him. ;) So, beware all you bloggers - a future employer just might be looking at your blog.
October 21, 2008
Dancing with the Stars and Politics...
What - might you ask - do these two have in common? I'm glad you asked. Read on and I will explain.
I happen to be a huge fan of Dancing with the Stars - I've watched it since its first season. It's one of two shows that I watch on a regular basis. This year, there is an 82 year-old, Broadway legend, can't-dance-to-save-her-life woman named Cloris Cleachman. She was funny the first couple of weeks, but now that we are halfway through the competition she is annoying. The competition is getting tougher and this crazy woman is still on there! Why? Because half of the votes come from the viewers and people keep voting her back. I can only come to two conclusions: 1. she has a huge fan-base, especially among the "baby boomers" and they keep voting her back, and 2. she is so crazy that people think she is funny and keep voting her back. Maybe it's both. Either way, week after week I watch in shock as other contestants (who can dance) get voted off while she survives to compete once again.
I am also a Patriot. I love this country, and show my love by casting my vote. I believe everyone should vote and get quite annoyed with those who don't vote but complain about the government. This year we have John McCain and Barack Obama running against each other. This post will remain politically neutral - I just have one point. Let's make sure the man who ends up President this year does so by the true popular vote. I don't want to see John McCain as President because the baby-boomers who watch Dancing with the Stars and keep voting Crazy Cloris back are the only ones who show up to the polls. Nor do I want to see Barack Obama President because the people who think Crazy Cloris is funny are the only ones who show up to the polls. I want to see a man who was voted in by the true popular vote as President. So, I am talking to my age group - the group who stastically does not show up to the polls. Get out there and vote! It only takes a few minutes. Get off your blogs, turn off the TV, squeeze some time in between classes and vote. NOVEMBER 4!
One last thing - since most of my readers are LDS, remember that you would not like a potential investigator to find out about the church by reading anti-LDS literature. The same applies to politics. If you want to know what someone stands for, go directly to the source. Here are some websites to help you out:
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
http://www.johnmccain.com/
http://vote411.org/
I happen to be a huge fan of Dancing with the Stars - I've watched it since its first season. It's one of two shows that I watch on a regular basis. This year, there is an 82 year-old, Broadway legend, can't-dance-to-save-her-life woman named Cloris Cleachman. She was funny the first couple of weeks, but now that we are halfway through the competition she is annoying. The competition is getting tougher and this crazy woman is still on there! Why? Because half of the votes come from the viewers and people keep voting her back. I can only come to two conclusions: 1. she has a huge fan-base, especially among the "baby boomers" and they keep voting her back, and 2. she is so crazy that people think she is funny and keep voting her back. Maybe it's both. Either way, week after week I watch in shock as other contestants (who can dance) get voted off while she survives to compete once again.
I am also a Patriot. I love this country, and show my love by casting my vote. I believe everyone should vote and get quite annoyed with those who don't vote but complain about the government. This year we have John McCain and Barack Obama running against each other. This post will remain politically neutral - I just have one point. Let's make sure the man who ends up President this year does so by the true popular vote. I don't want to see John McCain as President because the baby-boomers who watch Dancing with the Stars and keep voting Crazy Cloris back are the only ones who show up to the polls. Nor do I want to see Barack Obama President because the people who think Crazy Cloris is funny are the only ones who show up to the polls. I want to see a man who was voted in by the true popular vote as President. So, I am talking to my age group - the group who stastically does not show up to the polls. Get out there and vote! It only takes a few minutes. Get off your blogs, turn off the TV, squeeze some time in between classes and vote. NOVEMBER 4!
One last thing - since most of my readers are LDS, remember that you would not like a potential investigator to find out about the church by reading anti-LDS literature. The same applies to politics. If you want to know what someone stands for, go directly to the source. Here are some websites to help you out:
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
http://www.johnmccain.com/
http://vote411.org/
October 17, 2008
Finance Friday
I am almost too embarrassed to write this... Nevertheless, I have learned from my mistakes and hope others will learn from it as well.
Yesterday afternoon a young man came knocking on my door selling magazines for some kind of contest. He said he was from Maine and talked too fast and with too much of an accent for me to understand half of what he said. In my defense I was caught way off guard. First of all, I have a tendency to scare most of the door-to-door sales people away. For example, a few days ago a couple of young ladies came by selling the exact same thing for the exact same reason and I didn't even have to say no before they got the hint I wasn't interested. After they gave the initial spill they said "You aren't interested are you?" I said, "No." This guy didn't pick up on my intimidating nature. Also, Samuel was crying because he was ready to eat and I had my sister over. The young man was smooth, funny, and the next thing I know he is sitting on my couch filling out a receipt. He said he just wanted to "write my name down so he could say he had talked to me and get points for talking to me."
Sadly to say, I was swindled into buying $63 worth of magazines. It was so frustrating and afterward I felt sick to my stomach with dread (I had been saving my money for a gift for Carlin). I just felt like I couldn't get rid of him unless I handed him a check. So, what lessons can be learned? First, NEVER let them into your house! You're doomed the second you let them in. Second, say no firmly and stick to your decision - this guy wouldn't take no for an answer and I eventually caved. Third, these type of things are NEVER good deals - I was very well aware of this when I handed the check over and it was quite depressing. Fourth, always read the fine print. The fine print on the receipt said I was subject to fees if I canceled my check.
So, how does this story end? Well, on the back of the receipt it said I can cancel my order within 3 business days with no penalty. Needless to say, that is what I did. I will also put a stop-order on my check just to be sure. I feel kind of bad because this young man said he was number 2 in the contest and by canceling my order I have also revoked any points he would have gained from my order. However, there is no doubt in my mind that he will win - he was just so, very persistent.
Yesterday afternoon a young man came knocking on my door selling magazines for some kind of contest. He said he was from Maine and talked too fast and with too much of an accent for me to understand half of what he said. In my defense I was caught way off guard. First of all, I have a tendency to scare most of the door-to-door sales people away. For example, a few days ago a couple of young ladies came by selling the exact same thing for the exact same reason and I didn't even have to say no before they got the hint I wasn't interested. After they gave the initial spill they said "You aren't interested are you?" I said, "No." This guy didn't pick up on my intimidating nature. Also, Samuel was crying because he was ready to eat and I had my sister over. The young man was smooth, funny, and the next thing I know he is sitting on my couch filling out a receipt. He said he just wanted to "write my name down so he could say he had talked to me and get points for talking to me."
Sadly to say, I was swindled into buying $63 worth of magazines. It was so frustrating and afterward I felt sick to my stomach with dread (I had been saving my money for a gift for Carlin). I just felt like I couldn't get rid of him unless I handed him a check. So, what lessons can be learned? First, NEVER let them into your house! You're doomed the second you let them in. Second, say no firmly and stick to your decision - this guy wouldn't take no for an answer and I eventually caved. Third, these type of things are NEVER good deals - I was very well aware of this when I handed the check over and it was quite depressing. Fourth, always read the fine print. The fine print on the receipt said I was subject to fees if I canceled my check.
So, how does this story end? Well, on the back of the receipt it said I can cancel my order within 3 business days with no penalty. Needless to say, that is what I did. I will also put a stop-order on my check just to be sure. I feel kind of bad because this young man said he was number 2 in the contest and by canceling my order I have also revoked any points he would have gained from my order. However, there is no doubt in my mind that he will win - he was just so, very persistent.
October 13, 2008
Free Handbags!!
Yep, that's right. Free purses. I thought I would share with everyone since I know most of you love free stuff and love purses... so it's double the excitement. Plus, by sharing I increase my chances of winning... or at least seeing one of my friends win. I mean really, one of us has to win. So sign up and let me know if you win!
http://www.handbagplanet.com/
http://www.handbagplanet.com/
October 6, 2008
Am I Not Pretty Enough?
I am not the prettiest girl in the world - I am well aware of this fact. I try not to remember certain days from teenage years for a reason... Let's just say I have been told to my face that I was ugly. I didn't really take this young man's opinion to heart but it did leave a bruise on my self-esteem. However, Saturday night really topped the charts. This story illustrates several examples of ignorance.
Carlin gave me his ticket to the football game Saturday night since he was going to Conference. The ticket says "Valid OSU Student ID Required." I borrowed his ID since I couldn't find my own and I am no longer a student. I met up with a few girls from the single's ward and we all headed to the game. We got there late and so did not have to fight any lines. We went up to the gate and I had my ticket and ID ready. 3 people (2 of which were cute girls) cut in front of me and explain that they had already been in and left to get something from somewhere and left their tickets inside but could they go ahead and go in? The young man let them through. Now it was my turn. I handed him my ticket and he asks for the ID - sure, here it is. "This is a guy" the young man says. "So?" I say. Apparently he can't let me through since it is not my own ID. I decide to go with honesty - it's my husbands ID and ticket, I explained. Still can't let you in, you can "upgrade" it for $45. Angry Aubrey started to show through, the young man said I could see his supervisor if I wanted - I told him I did. I had quite the attitude going. He gives me my ticket back and says I can wait while he finishes helping the people behind me. One of the girls in our group doesn't have her ID - she goes up and talks to the young man and... he lets her in! Seriously?! That's right. He doesn't let me in, who has a valid ID and valid ticket, but he does let 3 people in with no ticket and one cute girl in with no ID.
I can only conclude that he didn't let me in because a.) I wasn't cute enough, or b.) he was secretly jealous that I was married and decided to be difficult. I would like to think it was the latter, but I am no fool. Afterwards, I realized I should have acted offended that he was calling me a guy and explained that my Freshman year was quite difficult. That would at least have been amusing. Later that evening I asked my husband - "Am I beautiful?" "Aubrey, you are beautiful and perfect." He said.
Don't worry, I went to the next gate over and they let me in no problems. I screamed all my frustrations out on the opposing team.
Carlin gave me his ticket to the football game Saturday night since he was going to Conference. The ticket says "Valid OSU Student ID Required." I borrowed his ID since I couldn't find my own and I am no longer a student. I met up with a few girls from the single's ward and we all headed to the game. We got there late and so did not have to fight any lines. We went up to the gate and I had my ticket and ID ready. 3 people (2 of which were cute girls) cut in front of me and explain that they had already been in and left to get something from somewhere and left their tickets inside but could they go ahead and go in? The young man let them through. Now it was my turn. I handed him my ticket and he asks for the ID - sure, here it is. "This is a guy" the young man says. "So?" I say. Apparently he can't let me through since it is not my own ID. I decide to go with honesty - it's my husbands ID and ticket, I explained. Still can't let you in, you can "upgrade" it for $45. Angry Aubrey started to show through, the young man said I could see his supervisor if I wanted - I told him I did. I had quite the attitude going. He gives me my ticket back and says I can wait while he finishes helping the people behind me. One of the girls in our group doesn't have her ID - she goes up and talks to the young man and... he lets her in! Seriously?! That's right. He doesn't let me in, who has a valid ID and valid ticket, but he does let 3 people in with no ticket and one cute girl in with no ID.
I can only conclude that he didn't let me in because a.) I wasn't cute enough, or b.) he was secretly jealous that I was married and decided to be difficult. I would like to think it was the latter, but I am no fool. Afterwards, I realized I should have acted offended that he was calling me a guy and explained that my Freshman year was quite difficult. That would at least have been amusing. Later that evening I asked my husband - "Am I beautiful?" "Aubrey, you are beautiful and perfect." He said.
Don't worry, I went to the next gate over and they let me in no problems. I screamed all my frustrations out on the opposing team.
October 3, 2008
My Bragging post.
I just had a couple of things I wanted to brag about...hope that's okay.
First is this fabulous Sour Cream Chocolate Fudge cake that I made completely from scratch. cake, frosting, all of it. This was my first time to make a cake from scratch and I was super pleased with how it turned out. It was for my mother-in-law's birthday. Happy Birthday, Val!
Second thing is my beautiful Samuel. He rolls over (the other day he rolled half-way across the living room), smiles, coos, and laughs. Here is a video that would warm even the coldest of hearts. (p.s. make sure your sound is on for this one!)
First is this fabulous Sour Cream Chocolate Fudge cake that I made completely from scratch. cake, frosting, all of it. This was my first time to make a cake from scratch and I was super pleased with how it turned out. It was for my mother-in-law's birthday. Happy Birthday, Val!
Second thing is my beautiful Samuel. He rolls over (the other day he rolled half-way across the living room), smiles, coos, and laughs. Here is a video that would warm even the coldest of hearts. (p.s. make sure your sound is on for this one!)
September 25, 2008
I am Woman
I was lazily surfing through the channels on TV tonight when I came across the season premiere of Ugly Betty. I've never seen this show and I only watched the first few minutes of it, but the first few minutes got me thinking. Apparently at the end of last season Ugly Betty received two proposals - one was to go to Rome with a young man, the other was an actual wedding proposal from a different young man. In the end she chooses neither of the young men and the show picks up with her "talking" to her mother (her mother is dead and so she is just sitting at the grave site talking). She says she chose neither young man because she needs to find out who she is and where she wants to go in life - that she needs to think about her career and other such stuff. Well, this sparked a series of thoughts that have been tumbling in my head for quite a while and I thought I would write it all down.
I will readily admit that I was scared to become a mother. There was a lot I was giving up - a way of life that was, to put it bluntly, selfish. I spent time with my fabulous husband. We did whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. We stayed up late, slept in on the weekends, took vacations, went to school, worked, and overall enjoyed being young college students in love. Then we had a child and I suddenly realized that I hadn't "had it all" but in fact had been missing everything.
I never thought twice about getting married - and I married my first boyfriend. I had many fears about motherhood but those were all swept away when Samuel came into my life. I've only been a Mom for 4 months - today! I've had many sleepless nights (especially this week since Samuel has had a head cold), many poopy diapers, emotional breakdowns, and frustrations. But never once have I wanted to go back to the way things were, never once have I regretted my decision. I never knew I could enjoy something so passionately. I love being a Mom and Wife. As I embrace those titles I find I enjoy life more. A simple smile lights up my day, a little cry breaks my heart. A husband. A son. And me. Complete.
To all women who think they need to "find who they are" whether they are the working woman or the mother who is second guessing herself: the best way to find yourself is through selfless service, otherwise known as a family.
I will readily admit that I was scared to become a mother. There was a lot I was giving up - a way of life that was, to put it bluntly, selfish. I spent time with my fabulous husband. We did whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. We stayed up late, slept in on the weekends, took vacations, went to school, worked, and overall enjoyed being young college students in love. Then we had a child and I suddenly realized that I hadn't "had it all" but in fact had been missing everything.
I never thought twice about getting married - and I married my first boyfriend. I had many fears about motherhood but those were all swept away when Samuel came into my life. I've only been a Mom for 4 months - today! I've had many sleepless nights (especially this week since Samuel has had a head cold), many poopy diapers, emotional breakdowns, and frustrations. But never once have I wanted to go back to the way things were, never once have I regretted my decision. I never knew I could enjoy something so passionately. I love being a Mom and Wife. As I embrace those titles I find I enjoy life more. A simple smile lights up my day, a little cry breaks my heart. A husband. A son. And me. Complete.
To all women who think they need to "find who they are" whether they are the working woman or the mother who is second guessing herself: the best way to find yourself is through selfless service, otherwise known as a family.
September 19, 2008
Finance Fridays
This week in review: Lehman Brothers claims bankruptcy, - their stock which was at $60 at the beginning of the year was at $1 Monday morning - AIG receives an $85 billion bailout by the government, the Dow Jones sees its biggest drop since September 11, 2001. What does this mean? Should we push the panic button and pull all of our money out of the stock market and banks and hide it under the mattress? As discussed in a previous post - hiding money under the mattress doesn't do anyone any good.
A history lesson: October 29, 1929 the stock market "crashes" leading to a 10 year economic depression which would come to be known as the Great Depression. What happened? The U.S. had just come out of the roaring 20's. It was a time of great wealth and the stock market was reflecting this. A recession hit in October of 1929 and stocks started to decline. The market was still above average - but because of the wealth seen earlier that decade the decline was felt a little sharper. October 29 people hit the panic button.
Conclusion: Do NOT hit the panic button. If you have money in retirement funds, mutual funds, or index funds - leave it. You signed up for recessions like this when you decided to invest long-term. These funds are built to withstand recessions and will turn around when the economy starts to turn around - you would lose money if you pulled out now. If you have money in a single stock and that stock has dropped more than 7% then you should think about pulling out. Do not let your pride make you lose all of your money. If you do not have any investments do not think about investing right now. I have a feeling we aren't through with this recession yet and it may get a little worse before it gets better. My philosophy: invest high, sale even higher. Watch the stocks and see which ones handle this recession the best - those will probably be good buys a year from now.
Work hard to pay off any debt you may have, save your money, and when the market starts to swing back up prepare yourself for the next recession. Yes, the laws of physics apply to the stock market: Everything that goes up, must come down.
A history lesson: October 29, 1929 the stock market "crashes" leading to a 10 year economic depression which would come to be known as the Great Depression. What happened? The U.S. had just come out of the roaring 20's. It was a time of great wealth and the stock market was reflecting this. A recession hit in October of 1929 and stocks started to decline. The market was still above average - but because of the wealth seen earlier that decade the decline was felt a little sharper. October 29 people hit the panic button.
Conclusion: Do NOT hit the panic button. If you have money in retirement funds, mutual funds, or index funds - leave it. You signed up for recessions like this when you decided to invest long-term. These funds are built to withstand recessions and will turn around when the economy starts to turn around - you would lose money if you pulled out now. If you have money in a single stock and that stock has dropped more than 7% then you should think about pulling out. Do not let your pride make you lose all of your money. If you do not have any investments do not think about investing right now. I have a feeling we aren't through with this recession yet and it may get a little worse before it gets better. My philosophy: invest high, sale even higher. Watch the stocks and see which ones handle this recession the best - those will probably be good buys a year from now.
Work hard to pay off any debt you may have, save your money, and when the market starts to swing back up prepare yourself for the next recession. Yes, the laws of physics apply to the stock market: Everything that goes up, must come down.
September 11, 2008
Samuel and Pretzels
I realized recently that I haven't posted pictures with Samuel in quite a while. So, I thought I would take a few minutes to brag about my son as well as a few other things.
Samuel is about 3.5 months old (15 weeks). He loves talking, laughing and playing. And I love talking, laughing, and playing with him. He is quite the long, skinny baby. Everyone loves his beautiful blue eyes - and they are quite the deep blue. He also loves his grandparents and aunts and uncles. I think Grandpa Hillock is one of his favorite people right now... seriously, sometimes it feels like Samuel loves his Grandpa more than he loves us, his parents. Samuel loves to talk his Grandpa's ear off (he's either telling him how mean his Mom is or how Grandpa did such a great job raising the best Mom ever - I like to think it's the latter). He also got to spend the whole day with Grandma Walser a couple of weeks ago and saw horses and petted Micao, the dog. He then spent the rest of the day telling me all about it. So, here are a few pictures of my beautiful boy:
My new favorite picture...
Thanks Stephanie for showing me how to carry Samuel in my sling... he really loves it. (Please ignore the lopsided shoulder look).
And here is a picture from this afternoon. You can kind of see his blue eyes in the picture. Every time I look into his face I am surprised by the amount of love and trust I see look back at me. Whoever knew that a 3 month old could love so much?
On a lighter note... I made homemade pretzels the other day. While they didn't turn out looking like pretzels they tasted like pretzels. In fact they were so good, Carlin says I should try selling them...
What do you think? Would you want to eat these?
Samuel is about 3.5 months old (15 weeks). He loves talking, laughing and playing. And I love talking, laughing, and playing with him. He is quite the long, skinny baby. Everyone loves his beautiful blue eyes - and they are quite the deep blue. He also loves his grandparents and aunts and uncles. I think Grandpa Hillock is one of his favorite people right now... seriously, sometimes it feels like Samuel loves his Grandpa more than he loves us, his parents. Samuel loves to talk his Grandpa's ear off (he's either telling him how mean his Mom is or how Grandpa did such a great job raising the best Mom ever - I like to think it's the latter). He also got to spend the whole day with Grandma Walser a couple of weeks ago and saw horses and petted Micao, the dog. He then spent the rest of the day telling me all about it. So, here are a few pictures of my beautiful boy:
My new favorite picture...
Thanks Stephanie for showing me how to carry Samuel in my sling... he really loves it. (Please ignore the lopsided shoulder look).
And here is a picture from this afternoon. You can kind of see his blue eyes in the picture. Every time I look into his face I am surprised by the amount of love and trust I see look back at me. Whoever knew that a 3 month old could love so much?On a lighter note... I made homemade pretzels the other day. While they didn't turn out looking like pretzels they tasted like pretzels. In fact they were so good, Carlin says I should try selling them...
What do you think? Would you want to eat these?
September 5, 2008
Finance Fridays
I'm trying to do my Finance Fridays every other week but since I've posted a lot this week I'm going to keep this one relatively short.
Watch Fun with Dick and Jane (the movie). If you have already seen it re-watch it paying attention to the financial side of the movie. Let me know what you think!
Watch Fun with Dick and Jane (the movie). If you have already seen it re-watch it paying attention to the financial side of the movie. Let me know what you think!
September 4, 2008
Quirks
I just got tagged in my first tag ever! This makes me so happy... so here goes:
THE RULES:
1. link the person who tagged you
2. post the rules
3. tell 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
4. tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them- I have to have my alarm clock set at a quarter hour interval - e.g. 7:00, 7:15, etc. The other day Carlin set the alarm at 7:04 and it drove me bonkers.
- I hate belly buttons. I don't want to see your belly button, I don't want to see my belly button, I don't want to see other people touch their belly buttons and no one, including Carlin, is allowed to touch my belly button. My biggest fear when I got pregnant was that my belly button was going to pop out, luckily it did not. I could go on... but I think you get the point.
- I am a routine person. I have a routine for everything. For getting up in the morning, going to bed at night, cleaning, etc. I do not like my routine to be interrupted. I even, unintentionally, put my son on a routine because I'm so routine-driven.
- Everything is in alphabetical order. My movies, my CDs (if they were out right now), sometimes even my spices and canned foods in my pantry.
- My closet is color coordinated by type of clothing. For example, my long-sleeve-button-up shirts are in order from lightest to darkest...
- I hate artificial grape flavoring. I like grapes and grape juice and, the one exception, grape skittles. I don't like grape suckers, grape pop, grape candy. This even includes grape smelling lotions and shampoos - yuck.
Ok, so I tag... Coty, Hailey, Dina, Nichole, Shawnee, Whitney (sorry if anyone has already done this, you can just ignore it)
September 3, 2008
In case you were wondering...
Last Friday was my last day of work which means I am officially a stay-home Mom. This couldn't have come at a better time because my poor little boy seems to be fighting a mild, allergy form of pink eye and a growing spurt. His right eye is glassy and goopy and sometimes a little pink and irritated. He is not running a fever and it doesn't seem to be bothering him much, but I have to constantly clean it out with a warm washcloth.
Samuel has also decided not to spoil me anymore by sleeping through the night. He now wakes up at least 3 times during the night convinced he is starving. I, unfortunately, do not seem to be able to produce enough milk to satiate his new appetite. I am now considering buying a soy-based formula to see if that helps curb his appetite. Hopefully this is a growth spurt and he will calm down soon.
Speaking of eating - I have really become creative with my no-dairy diet. I have also found it to be healthier and better on my budget since I no longer go out for ice cream. An example of creativity happened just this afternoon when I made myself lunch. It is a cool, rainy day and I wanted a grilled cheese sandwich - however, cheese really hurts Samuel's stomach. So, instead I made a grilled ham and tomato sandwich - yummy.
One last thing... for those who are wondering what ever happened to Carlin's iphone birthday present. Well, the monthly phone plan was too expensive right now so we didn't get it. With all of the changes happening in our lives right now I haven't been able to make up for it - but I have big plans that I cannot divulge since my husband reads this blog. Just stay tuned...
Samuel has also decided not to spoil me anymore by sleeping through the night. He now wakes up at least 3 times during the night convinced he is starving. I, unfortunately, do not seem to be able to produce enough milk to satiate his new appetite. I am now considering buying a soy-based formula to see if that helps curb his appetite. Hopefully this is a growth spurt and he will calm down soon.
Speaking of eating - I have really become creative with my no-dairy diet. I have also found it to be healthier and better on my budget since I no longer go out for ice cream. An example of creativity happened just this afternoon when I made myself lunch. It is a cool, rainy day and I wanted a grilled cheese sandwich - however, cheese really hurts Samuel's stomach. So, instead I made a grilled ham and tomato sandwich - yummy.
One last thing... for those who are wondering what ever happened to Carlin's iphone birthday present. Well, the monthly phone plan was too expensive right now so we didn't get it. With all of the changes happening in our lives right now I haven't been able to make up for it - but I have big plans that I cannot divulge since my husband reads this blog. Just stay tuned...
August 28, 2008
My Spice
You Are Garlic |
 Of all the spice types, you are the most universally loved. You get long with pretty much everyone, and you leave a lasting impression. You adapt yourself well to situations. You can fit in or stand out, depending on what you're called on to do. |
August 22, 2008
Finance Fridays
Last time I spoke of debt. I would now like to talk about savings. A good savings account will give you about 3% return in interest. This meets the average inflation rate. In order to understand the importance of interest rates we must first discuss present and future values of money. Gone are the days when one could hide their money under the mattress and consider it their savings account. If you do this your money depreciates over time. The spending power of $1 today is greater than the spending power of $1 in the future - unless you invest it. For example, you have $100 that you invest in a mutual fund that makes 10% in one year. At the end of that year you have $110. This can quickly add up. If you had not invested the $100 then at the end of one year you would have the purchasing power of $100 minus inflation. For a better and more in-depth explanation of the time value of money click here.
It is important that your savings accounts earn money, otherwise you are practically throwing away your money. Even savings accounts that you take money out of regularly should be making interest. You should also have several types of savings accounts. Your first savings account is your emergency fund. It is suggested in this emergency fund you have the equivalent of 3-6 months of rent and bills saved in this account. This account should be easily accessible, a regular savings account at your bank should do. Once you have this account established you can venture out into other savings accounts. You can have accounts for you and your spouse's retirements, your children's college/mission funds, your vacation money, etc. Depending on the time frame, risk, and return you desire out of these accounts there are multiple choices. Everything from CDs to Roth IRAs.
I will go into a deeper discussion of those later. For now I must go attend to my son. Hope you enjoyed this discussion.
It is important that your savings accounts earn money, otherwise you are practically throwing away your money. Even savings accounts that you take money out of regularly should be making interest. You should also have several types of savings accounts. Your first savings account is your emergency fund. It is suggested in this emergency fund you have the equivalent of 3-6 months of rent and bills saved in this account. This account should be easily accessible, a regular savings account at your bank should do. Once you have this account established you can venture out into other savings accounts. You can have accounts for you and your spouse's retirements, your children's college/mission funds, your vacation money, etc. Depending on the time frame, risk, and return you desire out of these accounts there are multiple choices. Everything from CDs to Roth IRAs.
I will go into a deeper discussion of those later. For now I must go attend to my son. Hope you enjoyed this discussion.
August 7, 2008
Weddings, Twilight, and Frontier City!
This week has really flown by on me which is why I have been a total slacker. Last Friday one of my best friends and former roommates got married. Shawnee and James Scifres were sealed for time and all eternity in the Oklahoma City Temple. I was so excited for her and so grateful that she invited me to everything. She looked absolutely gorgeous and James is one lucky guy (and from the little I know of James - Shawnee is one lucky girl).
Nichole, Shawnee, Karri, and I
On Monday, my brother, Dallin, took Carlin and I, and his girlfriend Lezlee, to Frontier City on his military discount. All four of us got in for a grand total of $2. Sweet! We had great fun riding every roller coaster in the park and stuffing ourselves with greasy hamburgers and overpriced funnel cakes. Later that evening, Carlin and I realized we just aren't getting any younger...sigh...but we at least enjoyed ourselves even if we weren't up to doing all the rides a second time.
Dallin and Lezlee
After the reception and later that night a group of us went to the midnight release party of Breaking Dawn - the fourth book in the Twilight series. Here's everyone who came:
Me, Jesse (who humored two old married women and took them to the midnight release party), and Whitney
Karri, Christine, and Me!
Brandielle and her sister Wendy
Cassie!!!
I had a blast but, unfortunately I was too tired to start the book right away... I guess that just comes with the territory of being a mother. It was by far my most favorite book out of the series and I LOVED it. I won't say anything more for those of you who are fans and haven't read the fourth book yet. Now I just need to get the first 3 books...hahaha.
Brandielle and her sister Wendy
Cassie!!!I had a blast but, unfortunately I was too tired to start the book right away... I guess that just comes with the territory of being a mother. It was by far my most favorite book out of the series and I LOVED it. I won't say anything more for those of you who are fans and haven't read the fourth book yet. Now I just need to get the first 3 books...hahaha.
On Monday, my brother, Dallin, took Carlin and I, and his girlfriend Lezlee, to Frontier City on his military discount. All four of us got in for a grand total of $2. Sweet! We had great fun riding every roller coaster in the park and stuffing ourselves with greasy hamburgers and overpriced funnel cakes. Later that evening, Carlin and I realized we just aren't getting any younger...sigh...but we at least enjoyed ourselves even if we weren't up to doing all the rides a second time.
Dallin and Lezlee
July 31, 2008
Finance Fridays
Ok - I know today is not Friday but I am busy tomorrow and wanted to start on my new idea. Finance Fridays are my days to exercise some of the knowledge I have recently collected in my years in college. This is purely for my benefit. I do not want to forget the things I have learned and I love talking about finances. Today we will start with the basics. My opinion on how to get out of debt. Disclaimer: I am by no means a professional, these are just my thoughts.
Steps to get out of debt:
1. First come up with a budget. The key to a budget is to spend less than you earn. This will help you itemize your expenses and debt.
2. Start with the smallest bill. Put all of your energy to this bill - if minimum payments need to be made to other larger bills then make those payments but any extra money should go to the smallest bill.
3. Once the smallest bill is paid for you take that money and apply it to the next smallest bill. For example if you were paying $50 on bill 1 and $50 on bill 2 then once bill 1 is paid for you are now applying $100 to bill 2. Continue to do this until all of your debt is paid.
4. Put money into savings. It doesn't have to be a huge amount, just set aside money every month or every paycheck. Whichever you prefer.
That's it. Pretty simple, hunh? You want to feel like you are progressing. A lot of times we see huge bills and we think - it's impossible! So, we just tack on more debt to our already large account because we think "what's the point in trying to pay this off?" That's why we start with the smallest bill. Once you get that bill paid off you think to yourself, "Hey, I just got an entire bill paid! Woohoo. And now I can take that money and pay for the next bill and it will get that bill out of here even faster." This psychology works - I've tried it myself. If you dive headfirst into your largest bill then you feel overwhelmed and you feel like you aren't making a dent.
The last step is probably the most important. If you are spending all of your money on debt then you start to get depressed. There is no motivation to get the debt paid off or to avoid more debt. Putting money into savings is your reward. At the end of the month when you look over your accounts you will be surprised how happy you get over that little bit of money in savings.
At this time I must give David Austin credit. He has been my mentor in debt management and budgeting and is one of the strongest reasons why I chose the degree I did. A lot of my debt/budgeting philosophy comes from him. Thank you David!
July 23, 2008
My opinion...take it or leave it.
Anyone who has lived in Stillwater knows the name and anyone who puts gas in their cars should recognize the name - T. Boone Pickens. The man has billions of dollars and is a classic example of rags-to-riches. He makes his money off the oil business and started doing so in the 1950's. Stillwater citizens do not particularly like him because of the $170 million he put into athletics. This money led to the destruction of 412 homes north of campus and the construction of T. Boone Pickens Stadium (and therefore closure of Hall of Fame Ave), which when completed will hold about 60,000 screaming Cowboy fans.
Lately, his name has been popping up on news reports, newspapers, magazines, and anything to do with oil and the economy. Even though he was pretty much directly responsible for the annihilation of my very first apartment ever - I find myself defending the man and often arguing with the TV. I must admit that if it had not been for an Energy Finance course I took this past spring semester, I would stand with the 90% of America who would readily blame Boone Pickens (and by doing so the oil industry) for the economic problems that are facing our nation and many other nations in the world today. Let's get one thing straight - Boone Pickens is NOT responsible for rising gas prices or for the economic recession. I guess it is not enough to blame an entire industry (aka: oil) for our problems; we must put a face to the name and that face is Mr. Pickens. Pickens is an extremely shrewd businessman... and extremely intelligent. If he says oil prices are going up - oil prices go up. Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy or does he just know the industry really well after being in it for 50+ years? I will let you decide.
There are a few things I would like to point out. Despite popular belief, men like Mr. Pickens are not out to scrape up your feeble savings to make their pockets deeper. They have money. They have money because they maximize shareholder wealth, watch the markets, study their respective industries, and are forward thinking. Yes, our country has hit a crisis. Oil prices are higher than they have ever been and we, the middle-class Americans, are feeling it in our pocketbooks everytime we fill up at the gas station. However, the hurt wouldn't be so bad if Americans weren't already in so much credit card debt that they are drowning. What's happening to the economy is not the result of one man or one industry. It is the result of greed, pride and covetousness. Inflation is rising, debt is rising, and the market is declining. Americans need to learn money management.
Instead of blaming Boone Pickens for our problems why don't we listen to the man? Last year Mr. Pickens predicted that oil prices would reach $150 per barrel of oil. If you had listened and decided to invest some money in oil you would have more than doubled your investment. Now he is looking to wind energy. Am I saying you should invest in wind? No. I am saying to stop blaming other people for your problems and stop being bitter towards those making money and do something about it. Take control of your finances and listen to the changes taking place in the energy industry. Be a forward thinker like the many millionaires out there and invest in alternative energy. Do your research. Last fall I followed the stock price of First Solar - in three months the stock jumped from $99 to $250 per share. Once again, despite popular belief which says no one is doing anything about the oil crisis and we are running low on crude oil (which we aren't by the way) and the industry is just trying to steal all of our money so they can live in comfort when the economy busts - what is really happening is that there is a change for alternative energy happening right now. Wake up and take a look around you. Be a forward thinker - take control of your future. That is what Boone Pickens did many years ago.
Lately, his name has been popping up on news reports, newspapers, magazines, and anything to do with oil and the economy. Even though he was pretty much directly responsible for the annihilation of my very first apartment ever - I find myself defending the man and often arguing with the TV. I must admit that if it had not been for an Energy Finance course I took this past spring semester, I would stand with the 90% of America who would readily blame Boone Pickens (and by doing so the oil industry) for the economic problems that are facing our nation and many other nations in the world today. Let's get one thing straight - Boone Pickens is NOT responsible for rising gas prices or for the economic recession. I guess it is not enough to blame an entire industry (aka: oil) for our problems; we must put a face to the name and that face is Mr. Pickens. Pickens is an extremely shrewd businessman... and extremely intelligent. If he says oil prices are going up - oil prices go up. Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy or does he just know the industry really well after being in it for 50+ years? I will let you decide.
There are a few things I would like to point out. Despite popular belief, men like Mr. Pickens are not out to scrape up your feeble savings to make their pockets deeper. They have money. They have money because they maximize shareholder wealth, watch the markets, study their respective industries, and are forward thinking. Yes, our country has hit a crisis. Oil prices are higher than they have ever been and we, the middle-class Americans, are feeling it in our pocketbooks everytime we fill up at the gas station. However, the hurt wouldn't be so bad if Americans weren't already in so much credit card debt that they are drowning. What's happening to the economy is not the result of one man or one industry. It is the result of greed, pride and covetousness. Inflation is rising, debt is rising, and the market is declining. Americans need to learn money management.
Instead of blaming Boone Pickens for our problems why don't we listen to the man? Last year Mr. Pickens predicted that oil prices would reach $150 per barrel of oil. If you had listened and decided to invest some money in oil you would have more than doubled your investment. Now he is looking to wind energy. Am I saying you should invest in wind? No. I am saying to stop blaming other people for your problems and stop being bitter towards those making money and do something about it. Take control of your finances and listen to the changes taking place in the energy industry. Be a forward thinker like the many millionaires out there and invest in alternative energy. Do your research. Last fall I followed the stock price of First Solar - in three months the stock jumped from $99 to $250 per share. Once again, despite popular belief which says no one is doing anything about the oil crisis and we are running low on crude oil (which we aren't by the way) and the industry is just trying to steal all of our money so they can live in comfort when the economy busts - what is really happening is that there is a change for alternative energy happening right now. Wake up and take a look around you. Be a forward thinker - take control of your future. That is what Boone Pickens did many years ago.
July 22, 2008
Decisions
So, I did it. I told my supervisor that I was quitting. We have agreed that I will stay with them through August to help them get through the first couple of weeks of the semester and then I am gone. I went back and forth on this a lot and it was not an easy decision. It was hard for me to adjust to motherhood. I went from working full-time and going to school part-time to being home all the time with an infant. As the weeks have progressed I have found myself enjoying the little things that motherhood brings to your life. When I went back to work last week I found that I also enjoyed getting out of the house for a few hours a day. However, I realized rather quickly that I did not want to leave my beautiful baby boy everyday.
I made the decision to stay home with my son and I felt like a heavy load was lifted off my shoulders. I can now focus on being the best mother possible for my child and future children.
I made the decision to stay home with my son and I felt like a heavy load was lifted off my shoulders. I can now focus on being the best mother possible for my child and future children.
July 20, 2008
Cute background and stuff
Yay - I finally joined the uber-cute blog background group! So, do you like my cute background? I thought it was summer-y.
Just to keep everyone updated - I've gone back to work part-time (I will write more later), Samuel is getting so big and has slept through the whole night a few times. Carlin has two more weeks left of his internship and then it is on to his last semester of school! Woohoo!
Just to keep everyone updated - I've gone back to work part-time (I will write more later), Samuel is getting so big and has slept through the whole night a few times. Carlin has two more weeks left of his internship and then it is on to his last semester of school! Woohoo!
July 9, 2008
What a morning...
Samuel had basically been awake off and on since 5am this morning when he had finally woken up for good around 7:20. I heard him exercising his lungs from his bedroom and obediently dragged myself out of bed on this rainy morning to take care of the little tyke. I noticed his pajamas were a little wet which naturally leads to an extremely wet diaper. I, of course, had a moment of guilt, realizing I probably should have changed his diaper at 5am, but in my defense the only way I could keep my eyes open long enough to feed him was to blink them rapidly. I naturally wasn't thinking all that straight that early in the morning and when he had fallen back to sleep while eating I gratefully put him back in his crib and sought the warmth of my bed. So, it was now 7:20 and he had wet pajamas and a rather full diaper. I positioned him on the changing table and prepared the clean diaper and wipes. Then it happened.
If I had paid attention to the desperate look on his face I may have paused a moment, saving myself from the disaster that was about to follow. Unfortunately, I dived right in undoing the diaper. It was a messy diaper to say the least. I lifted his legs and began to remove the dirty diaper when an explosion, I imagine close to a nuclear bomb, came flying from his bottom. I didn't stand a chance. I desperately tried to replace the diaper to catch the majority of the contents now flying haphazardly through the air. This only smeared said contents all over him and the changing table. When the rumbling finally stopped, (and I swear it felt like an eternity although this all happened in a matter of seconds) I timidly started to remove the ineffective diaper. The damage was quite extensive and there was only one solution - a bath.
Fortunately Samuel has really started to enjoy his baths and smiled up at me very content and warm as I scrubbed him from head to foot. I wrapped him tightly in his towel and took him back to the battle ground. The changing table was a complete disaster and now useless so I placed him in his crib. So, here he is, warm and wrapped in his towel, lying in his crib with a smile on his face when I turn around to grab a clean diaper. In the half second it takes for me to do the half turn to grab a diaper and turn back to the crib, Samuel had kicked the towel from his body and decided to entertain Mom with a water show. Yes, that's right, we now have a fountain of pee shooting all over the crib and the fresh-out-of-the-bath Samuel. I wipe him down with a washcloth and finally get a clean diaper on him.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I set him in his swing in clean clothes with a warm blanket and went back to the room to start the process of clean-up. The damage was more extensive than I had first noticed. The contents of the explosion had splattered the wall and floor surrounding the changing table. I had to stand on my tip-toes to clean the walls and use a carpet-stain remover to clean the floors. All linens and water-proof liners were quickly removed and put in the laundry. The whole process took me almost 20 minutes, all of which Samuel screamed and cried from his swing because I was somehow neglecting him!
At 7:50am it was all done. I picked up the screaming Samuel and fed him and cuddled him. The little stinker quickly fell asleep... after all, he had had a rough morning.
If I had paid attention to the desperate look on his face I may have paused a moment, saving myself from the disaster that was about to follow. Unfortunately, I dived right in undoing the diaper. It was a messy diaper to say the least. I lifted his legs and began to remove the dirty diaper when an explosion, I imagine close to a nuclear bomb, came flying from his bottom. I didn't stand a chance. I desperately tried to replace the diaper to catch the majority of the contents now flying haphazardly through the air. This only smeared said contents all over him and the changing table. When the rumbling finally stopped, (and I swear it felt like an eternity although this all happened in a matter of seconds) I timidly started to remove the ineffective diaper. The damage was quite extensive and there was only one solution - a bath.
Fortunately Samuel has really started to enjoy his baths and smiled up at me very content and warm as I scrubbed him from head to foot. I wrapped him tightly in his towel and took him back to the battle ground. The changing table was a complete disaster and now useless so I placed him in his crib. So, here he is, warm and wrapped in his towel, lying in his crib with a smile on his face when I turn around to grab a clean diaper. In the half second it takes for me to do the half turn to grab a diaper and turn back to the crib, Samuel had kicked the towel from his body and decided to entertain Mom with a water show. Yes, that's right, we now have a fountain of pee shooting all over the crib and the fresh-out-of-the-bath Samuel. I wipe him down with a washcloth and finally get a clean diaper on him.
I breathed a sigh of relief as I set him in his swing in clean clothes with a warm blanket and went back to the room to start the process of clean-up. The damage was more extensive than I had first noticed. The contents of the explosion had splattered the wall and floor surrounding the changing table. I had to stand on my tip-toes to clean the walls and use a carpet-stain remover to clean the floors. All linens and water-proof liners were quickly removed and put in the laundry. The whole process took me almost 20 minutes, all of which Samuel screamed and cried from his swing because I was somehow neglecting him!
At 7:50am it was all done. I picked up the screaming Samuel and fed him and cuddled him. The little stinker quickly fell asleep... after all, he had had a rough morning.
July 3, 2008
Happy 4th of July!
I love America. Which is probably why I love this Holiday so much - we get to celebrate America. The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. A beautiful country with so much diversity. I remarked to Carlin once that I could spend my whole life exploring what America has to offer let alone what the world has to offer.
Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley in his book Stand for Something said what I feel but could not put into words. He said, "I love America for its great and brawny strength, the products of its vital factories, and the science of its laboratories. I love it for the great intellectual capacity of its people, for their generous hearts and helping hands. I love America's tremendous spiritual heritage and strengths."
Happy Independence Day!
"We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Consituttion for the United States of America."
Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley in his book Stand for Something said what I feel but could not put into words. He said, "I love America for its great and brawny strength, the products of its vital factories, and the science of its laboratories. I love it for the great intellectual capacity of its people, for their generous hearts and helping hands. I love America's tremendous spiritual heritage and strengths."
Happy Independence Day!
"We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Consituttion for the United States of America."
June 30, 2008
No Dairy...
We have recently discovered that dairy does not settle well with Samuel. This was confirmed after going on a no-dairy diet for about a week and then accidentally eating eating some cheese fries with ranch dressing. The following day gave one fussy kid and a very tired, stressed mother. Yes, this means I am not eating dairy. This includes such favorites as ice cream (and Sonic just had to start their 99 cent shakes promo), cheese, ranch dressing, and anything with cream such as Alfredo. Sigh. It is all worth it if it means that Samuel sleeps better and is a happier baby overall.
Every cloud has a silver lining. For instance, I get to indulge myself in as many sno-cones as I want. Not only are they cheap, but there is a sno-cone place right next to Sonic - so Carlin can get a shake and I can get a sno-cone. I also got a sno-cone maker for my birthday and can make sno-cones for myself for free. Another thing I recently discovered while hanging out with a couple of my friends is that Hastings offers a soy milk option for my oh so favorite Frozen Hot Chocolates! MMM-mmmmm. I can still have my favorite drink just substitute soy milk for regular milk. Woohoo!
I am also hoping that this diet will mean weight-loss for me!
Every cloud has a silver lining. For instance, I get to indulge myself in as many sno-cones as I want. Not only are they cheap, but there is a sno-cone place right next to Sonic - so Carlin can get a shake and I can get a sno-cone. I also got a sno-cone maker for my birthday and can make sno-cones for myself for free. Another thing I recently discovered while hanging out with a couple of my friends is that Hastings offers a soy milk option for my oh so favorite Frozen Hot Chocolates! MMM-mmmmm. I can still have my favorite drink just substitute soy milk for regular milk. Woohoo!
I am also hoping that this diet will mean weight-loss for me!
June 25, 2008
1 Month Old
Samuel is 1 month old today! He is getting so big. He is the cutest little boy ever (yes, I might be a little biased) and so much fun. We blessed him this past Sunday in church and he thankfully did not cry. He slept through the entire thing content as a bug in a rug. Now if he would only sleep through the night!
Here are some pics:
Carlin, Samuel and I outside the new Stake center
Walser Family
For some reason we don't have any pictures of my family on our camera...
Here are some pics:
Carlin, Samuel and I outside the new Stake center
Walser FamilyFor some reason we don't have any pictures of my family on our camera...
June 17, 2008
Happy Birthday Carlin
Carlin's birthday was Saturday, June 14. We celebrated by going to his parent's house for the day. I made him a strawberry pie which - if I might take a minute to brag - turned out freakin' fabulous! I was nervous at first but he loved it and that's all that matters. He received Transformers, money, and the new iphone. Yes that's right, I'm getting Carlin a new iphone when it is released July 11. I know I spoil him. But he really does deserve it.
Here is a picture of Carlin and Samuel. Before anyone freaks out we don't let Samuel sleep with us. I just had put him in the bed that morning while I went to take care of a few things and when I came back into the bedroom the two of them were cuddled together.
Here is a picture of Carlin and Samuel. Before anyone freaks out we don't let Samuel sleep with us. I just had put him in the bed that morning while I went to take care of a few things and when I came back into the bedroom the two of them were cuddled together.
June 12, 2008
The Sacred Girl's Night
Last night I had a lovely, refreshing evening with my bestest friend Whitney. Thanks gorgeous for the girl time. I came home happy and full of energy - and just in time, for Samuel had started to get hungry and Carlin was desperately pacing the floor trying to keep him quiet. However, it got me thinking. Why is life almost impossible without our girlfriends? I am an introvert. I like spending time by myself or with family and a few close friends. But even I need that girl time. Here are some of my ideas:
1. Only women really understand the joys and sorrows of motherhood.
2. Every girl understands that shoes never reject you while boys and pants do...
3. Everything is game to talk about from sex to our feelings to the movies and books we've recently acquired.
4. Girls understand chick flicks and we still love to watch them even if we have found our knights in shining armor.
I love my husband he is understanding, caring and patient - and most importantly he knows how much my girl time means to me and readily encourages my outings. So here is to all of my girlfriends - if you have any other reasons for girl time please do share!
1. Only women really understand the joys and sorrows of motherhood.
2. Every girl understands that shoes never reject you while boys and pants do...
3. Everything is game to talk about from sex to our feelings to the movies and books we've recently acquired.
4. Girls understand chick flicks and we still love to watch them even if we have found our knights in shining armor.
I love my husband he is understanding, caring and patient - and most importantly he knows how much my girl time means to me and readily encourages my outings. So here is to all of my girlfriends - if you have any other reasons for girl time please do share!
June 11, 2008
This and That
Just thought I would write to write. Samuel is 17 days old and becoming quite the handsome little boy. He loves to cuddle and is currently sleeping on my chest while I try to type around him. Besides the dirty diapers and the spit-up, parenthood is great. I love seeing his facial expressions. He is absolutely adorable when he sleeps and even cuter when he is awake. I'm getting lots of rest and recovering quite well from the c-section. I can't wait until I get the okay to go swimming and take bubble baths.
We recently moved into our new apartment - in fact we are still moving stuff over from our old apartment. We decided to take it easy and moved all big stuff over with the necessities on Saturday and are slowly moving over the rest of the stuff (as well as cleaning out the junk). Our apartment is so nice and big. 2 bedrooms! I'm so excited and closets - yes that's right, I officially have closet space for my vacuum. We also get to enjoy a lot of amenities - we have free golf membership, a nice swimming pool and hot tub, a gym (yay - I can work off this baby fat!), and tanning beds. I don't really do tanning beds but they are there if any of my friends want to use them!
Carlin works most of the day - including traveling time he is gone 11 hours of the day. That's kind of hard to adjust to when we used to have lunches together and see each other periodically throughout the day - but that's okay. We still have our evenings and weekends.
Well, that's it for my ramblings today. Stay tune for more!
We recently moved into our new apartment - in fact we are still moving stuff over from our old apartment. We decided to take it easy and moved all big stuff over with the necessities on Saturday and are slowly moving over the rest of the stuff (as well as cleaning out the junk). Our apartment is so nice and big. 2 bedrooms! I'm so excited and closets - yes that's right, I officially have closet space for my vacuum. We also get to enjoy a lot of amenities - we have free golf membership, a nice swimming pool and hot tub, a gym (yay - I can work off this baby fat!), and tanning beds. I don't really do tanning beds but they are there if any of my friends want to use them!
Carlin works most of the day - including traveling time he is gone 11 hours of the day. That's kind of hard to adjust to when we used to have lunches together and see each other periodically throughout the day - but that's okay. We still have our evenings and weekends.
Well, that's it for my ramblings today. Stay tune for more!
May 29, 2008
Samuel Hillock Walser
So I'm finally getting around to updating my blog. A lot of things have happened over the past few weeks but the most important was the birth of our son! He came after 28 hours of labor and an unexpected C-section. Sunday, May 25 Samuel Walser was born. A beautiful, healthy baby boy. He is absolutely gorgeous and Carlin and I are so excited to have him here with us. We are adjusting the joys and frustrations of parenthood. Everytime I look into Samuel's little face I catch my breath. I can't believe that we made this little person. Here are some pictures from a very
proud mother. Hope everyone enjoys!
proud mother. Hope everyone enjoys!
May 14, 2008
Our Anniversary
Carlin and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary a few weeks early. We had to celebrate early due to the baby's due date being on our actual anniversary. Yes, May 27, 2006 Carlin and I were married and on May 27, 2008 this baby may (or may not) come. We decided to treat ourselves to a little getaway to Tulsa. It was so much fun and relaxing. I promised to be a "winger" and let Carlin do all the planning. We went to the best restaurant I have ever been to - the Polo Grill. The food was fabulous, everything was fresh and cooked to perfection. We then stayed at The Renaissance where they bumped us up to a suite free of charge for our anniversary! The next day we went to the mall, the Riverwalk, and the Oklahoma Aquarium.
Like I said - I became a "winger" instead of a "planner" and it was one of the best trips ever. Instead of worrying about getting to places or where we were going to eat I got to enjoy the company of my husband. This was especially nice since we have been so busy with school and a baby on the way. We know life only gets more hectic after the baby gets here and it was a very much needed and appreciated trip. Thank you love! Here are some pictures from our trip:
Carlin and I at the Riverwalk in Tulsa
Carlin petting a shark!
Like I said - I became a "winger" instead of a "planner" and it was one of the best trips ever. Instead of worrying about getting to places or where we were going to eat I got to enjoy the company of my husband. This was especially nice since we have been so busy with school and a baby on the way. We know life only gets more hectic after the baby gets here and it was a very much needed and appreciated trip. Thank you love! Here are some pictures from our trip:
Carlin and I at the Riverwalk in Tulsa
Carlin petting a shark!
May 4, 2008
Graduation Day
I didn't go to the actual commencement - but I did go my College's reception and took pictures. We then all went out to eat at Joseppi's and had dessert at my parent's house. Here are some pictures from the day:
KeLei and I
Carlin and I
Mom, KeLei, Me and Dad
At Joseppi's - Spencer, Ezra, Whitney, Georgia, and Me
April 30, 2008
The End and The Beginning
I finished my last final today. I turned in the exam, the scantron, the formula sheet, the take home portion of the exam, and the extra credit paper and quietly left the classroom. Funny how the last five years of my life is summed up by the completion of my last final. As I walked back to work I started to feel a certain nostalgia - my college days are done. Of course I know there is always Graduate school, but for now I have completed a personal goal. I will soon receive a diploma for a Bachelor of Science in Finance.
WOOHOO!!!!
What now? Now I move onto the next stage of my life. I am excited for the future and what it holds. I am excited to know that I have a degree and the ability to succeed. As I close my college days with a sigh and a smile, I open the door to the rest of my life.
WOOHOO!!!!
What now? Now I move onto the next stage of my life. I am excited for the future and what it holds. I am excited to know that I have a degree and the ability to succeed. As I close my college days with a sigh and a smile, I open the door to the rest of my life.
April 22, 2008
5 Things...
I've wanted to post a new entry but haven't had anything real interesting to tell. So, I thought I would take this idea from a very old post of Whitney's (hope that's okay). Hope everyone enjoys!
Five things I was doing ten years ago...
1.) Trying my best to be invisible... ughh, I hated middle school!
2.) Looking forward to summer camps - I went to 3 that year!
3.) Going to the library everyday and reading loads and loads of books.
4.) Geesh I really hated 13 - I have blocked out a lot of it...
5.) .... yep still drawing blanks...
Five things on my to-do list today...
1.) Read Goose Girl by Shannon Hale... so far I love it!
2.) Celebrate Mom's birthday (a little late).
3.) Go to "Women's night out" at the Fairgrounds with Mom.
4.) Relax and breathe a little before I start studying for finals.
5.) Eat Carlin's oatmeal cookies. :)
Five snacks I enjoy...
1.) Carlin's oatmeal cookies...
2.) Crackers w/cheese and meats (and sometimes pickles)
3.) Cottage cheese and pineapple
4.) Sno-Cones
5.) Cookies -mmmmm
Five things I would do if I were a billionaire...
1.) Pay off student loans and medical bills.
2.) Buy a house/new car with cash
3.) Help family out with any needs and give back.
4.) Take a dream vacation with Carlin.
5.) Invest the rest.
Three of my bad habits...
1.) Biting my nails.
2.) Impatience...
3.) Yelling at people in the car - dumb drivers really annoy me!
Five places I have lived...
1.) Stillwater, OK
2.) Berkeley, CA - I know it was only 2 months, but I count it anyway.
3.) Ft. Collins, CO
4.) Houston, TX
5.) Sandy, UT
Five jobs I've had...
1.) Braum's employee (fast food)
2.) Lab Technician at Vet Med (I washed dishes)
3.) Student worker at Independent & Correspondence study
4.) Classroom Scheduling/Outreach person at Registrar's Office
5.) Currently - "Computer Technician" with Institutional Research and Information Management
Five things people probably don't know about me...
1.) I don't like sharing hymn books - I just hate holding the book...I don't mind so much if someone else is holding the book.
2.) I've never been farther east than Nauvoo, Illinois.
3.) I kiss with my eyes open. :) (which kind of creeps Carlin out!)
4.) I like Seinfeld - I think the show is freakin' hilarious.
5.) I hum to myself when I am happy. Life really should have theme music...
Five things I was doing ten years ago...
1.) Trying my best to be invisible... ughh, I hated middle school!
2.) Looking forward to summer camps - I went to 3 that year!
3.) Going to the library everyday and reading loads and loads of books.
4.) Geesh I really hated 13 - I have blocked out a lot of it...
5.) .... yep still drawing blanks...
Five things on my to-do list today...
1.) Read Goose Girl by Shannon Hale... so far I love it!
2.) Celebrate Mom's birthday (a little late).
3.) Go to "Women's night out" at the Fairgrounds with Mom.
4.) Relax and breathe a little before I start studying for finals.
5.) Eat Carlin's oatmeal cookies. :)
Five snacks I enjoy...
1.) Carlin's oatmeal cookies...
2.) Crackers w/cheese and meats (and sometimes pickles)
3.) Cottage cheese and pineapple
4.) Sno-Cones
5.) Cookies -mmmmm
Five things I would do if I were a billionaire...
1.) Pay off student loans and medical bills.
2.) Buy a house/new car with cash
3.) Help family out with any needs and give back.
4.) Take a dream vacation with Carlin.
5.) Invest the rest.
Three of my bad habits...
1.) Biting my nails.
2.) Impatience...
3.) Yelling at people in the car - dumb drivers really annoy me!
Five places I have lived...
1.) Stillwater, OK
2.) Berkeley, CA - I know it was only 2 months, but I count it anyway.
3.) Ft. Collins, CO
4.) Houston, TX
5.) Sandy, UT
Five jobs I've had...
1.) Braum's employee (fast food)
2.) Lab Technician at Vet Med (I washed dishes)
3.) Student worker at Independent & Correspondence study
4.) Classroom Scheduling/Outreach person at Registrar's Office
5.) Currently - "Computer Technician" with Institutional Research and Information Management
Five things people probably don't know about me...
1.) I don't like sharing hymn books - I just hate holding the book...I don't mind so much if someone else is holding the book.
2.) I've never been farther east than Nauvoo, Illinois.
3.) I kiss with my eyes open. :) (which kind of creeps Carlin out!)
4.) I like Seinfeld - I think the show is freakin' hilarious.
5.) I hum to myself when I am happy. Life really should have theme music...
April 10, 2008
April Shower bring...May babies?
So, I am finally getting around to posting about my baby showers. My first shower was the "big" shower that Whitney hosted on March 29. She did a lovely job and everyone raved (and still raves) about the food. My only disappointment is that I never got a picutre with the hostess herself! All of the presents were greatly appreciated and I went from feeling quite ill-prepared and inadequate in bringing the baby home to at least having clothes and diapers to put him in! Our little boy now has cute clothes, beautiful blankets, first aid kits, diapers, wipes, a stroller, carseat, and a cradle as well as some toys and books. We also have a crib and changing table but no room in our tiny one bedroom apartment! We have such a great support system here in Stillwater. That's what you get when you pretty much grew up here.
My department at work also hosted a little shower/luncheon today! Everyone pitched in and got us a really nice high chair for when he is older and my supervisor made us a beautiful knitted quilt. We also received some more clothes and a giant bottle filled with odds and ends that we will need as he gets older. Once again Carlin and I have been "showered" by the love of friends and family. I am so happy to know I am bringing this child into such a wonderful world with such wonderful people.
My department at work also hosted a little shower/luncheon today! Everyone pitched in and got us a really nice high chair for when he is older and my supervisor made us a beautiful knitted quilt. We also received some more clothes and a giant bottle filled with odds and ends that we will need as he gets older. Once again Carlin and I have been "showered" by the love of friends and family. I am so happy to know I am bringing this child into such a wonderful world with such wonderful people.
Here are some pictures from the shower Whitney hosted:
Baby blanket that Mom and Grandma Helton made.
Picture of the food table and me and Beth.
Some of my guests enjoying themselves. Thanks everyone for coming!
All photos courtesy Josh Moles. More photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/WalserBabyShower2008
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