My Sis

My cute sister in law Allie graduated high school on Thursday! I can't believe the little 12 year old I met has now become a full fledged adult. What is that all about? She'll be going off to college soon to become a nurse and probably meet some hunk and get married and leave me to go have kids in some random state like North Dakota and I'll hardly ever see her. Sorry, just my fears escaping. She's still my little Allie Gwen for now so lets not get ahead of ourselves.

My first memory of Allie was in Aunt Wendy's kitchen. That was my first time meeting Kelly and Ted too. In was in late August and Allie had a bunch of new school clothes she was modeling for Wendy. She came up behind me and jumped on my back. Haha never met her before. She's bubbly and fun. She has diabetes like me. We both don't have sisters so we immediately bonded to each other. The rest is history. She has since started dating and having typical teenage experiences. She just told me this weekend that she has kissed 4 boys! My reaction went something like this- "ALLISON! Stop, I mean its ok, I want you to have love. If this, I mean any boy breaks your heart I'll kill him. After David gets to them if there is anything left to kill I'll do it. Is he nice to you? He better be nice to you! Oh you're not dating any guy in particular huh, well they ALL better be nice to you. Ok, ok you're right I'll calm down. You go ahead and date but I get final approval!" She makes me giggle and the best part is I know she'll always have my back like a sisters supposed to!

We're currently down at Kelly's house for the rest of memorial day weekend, so look forward to upcoming blogs about all our adventures. Having to move huge trees that have fallen in our path, taking pictures while not falling into the waterfall, and playing in the desert. So far it's been a great weekend and we still have 2 days left!

Also I chopped my hair. Total impulse. I'll go into more detail in my next blog but just off the pics in this one do you like it?

Vicki Cottrell

Today I'm feeling a little jipped. I feel jipped of time I could have spent with this lady. I miss her very much. Her name was Vicki Cottrell. She was my young womens leader for a couple years before she passed away. My friend Catherine and I used to go to her house to have "date nights". We'd make dinner. Homemade Mac and Cheese. Vicki was only allowed to grade cheese. Catherine and I did the rest. (She didn't mind that job at all because she got the opportunity to eat a lot of her graded cheese) We watched Elf one night and Vicki fell asleep during the movie. It made me love her even more. She let me control the radio in her car. The music I listened to was questionable but she never got mad at me. Everyone she met loved her. I've been having a hard time lately in life. I find myself entertaining old addictions in my head and missing the lifestyle I had when I was a teenager. I know I could go to her house and she would listen without judgement, find a positive in the situation, tell me a story in her life that related to my situation, give me advice, and tell me how amazing she thought I was. How strong I was. How much she loved me. I wish more then anything I could hear those things from her. She was special. She told me about how much she loved love and then passed away right before I met the love of my life. She LOVED working in her garden. I miss laying in her hammock while she worked in the garden. I miss her flower green slippers. I miss seeing her lay at the bottom of a big hill at the park she had just rolled down when she couldn't get back up because she was too nauseous. I miss her stories about her granddaughter that she loved more then anything. I miss her love of life and people. I miss her love for the mentally ill and the difference she made with her foundation NAMI. Its been 5 years since she passed away and there is a hole in my heart. I only hope I can remember everything I learned from her and maybe touch lives a fraction as much as she touched mine.

The big 1

My nephew Jack turns one next week! They are going to be in Vegas so we had his first birthday party today. I can't believe he's already a year old. Where has the time gone. He's close to walking, learning sign language, and is getting smarter each time I see him. I'm so lucky to be this little mans aunt! His laugh is adorable and totally contagious. Since his moms nickname for him is "bugs", it was a bug themed party. The cake was so cute. It was a caterpillar made up of little individual cakes. Jack got his own little one but he was not having it. Megan and Alec tried to show him you can stick your hands right in it. He didn't care. Alec stuck his binky in the frosting so he'd see how good it was and maybe want to eat more. Nope, he just wanted his binky back. He did however love his presents. He got a dump truck, a couple puzzles, a little lawn mower that blows bubbles, a kiddie pool, a basketball hoop, and a play kitchen. He tried pushing the lawn mower around but since he's not quite walking yet he was leaning on it pretty hard and it couldn't support his weight. Everyone was following him around trying to hold the front down so he wouldn't fall! He loves the little play phone that came with the play kitchen but when he saw David's phone he definitely loved that more! My camera battery was low and I didn't get all the pictures I wanted but here are a few cute ones! :] Happy Birthday Jack, I love you!

San Fran?

So David is still being super secretive about where we're going. His latest attempt to throw me off is hints about San Francisco. One day he was talking about if I hadn't been able to get off work how he'd be headed to San Francisco with Jacob. (his brother) I hadn't fully processed it before he said "I can't believe I just said where we're going". He was so upset at himself for a minute and then he goes "Maybe we aren't going there. Maybe we are..who knows??" Then I couldn't tell if he was lying about that being the place just to throw me off. But then I think he's not that great of a liar, or at least I think I know him well enough to know when he's lying. But I am not at all sure about this. He talked today about needing our passports while we're there. That leads me to believe its up higher on the West Coast like Seattle and we're going into Canada. But since we were originally going to drive I think he said it was somewhere we could drive in one day. Then he says "Maybe we're driving to where the cruise takes off from. Or from where I could get the cheapest flight from." I must say he's doing a great job at messing with my mind. I normally can figure things out and then I get upset because it would have been so much more fun if it was a complete surprise so I'm extremely excited that he's doing this. I'm pretty lucky :]

We're off to....?

I have a secret. In the 5 years of David and I being together we have been on ONE vacation together just the two of us. Our honeymoon. Kinda crazy if you think about it. We've been to Japan twice, the Grand Canyon, and Disneyland countless number of times but never by ourselves.
David just finished a very stressful semester and after finishing our basement we need a little break. David woke up one day and decided why not go a little crazy and go somewhere together. On a plane. To some other state. To relax. What is that all about? :] I was able to get off work (whew) and when people ask where we're going guess what I get to say! "I have no idea." David is planning the whole thing. I will not find out where we're headed to until we get to the airport and he can't keep it from me any longer. He keeps trying to throw me off. He talks about hiking all the time then he'll talk about my swim suit being vital. We were originally going to drive so I know it's somewhere we could drive to in one day. Any guesses??

Trouble with the Law

Thursday May 6, 2010

It was a great day to begin with because I got to work with Shelli, I didn't have anything to do after work, and I was just going to come home and relax. Then a little man in a uniform ruined my day. As many of you may know I have a lead foot. I like going fast. I like it when I'm in front of all the other cars. I normally don't speed too badly. 5 over is my usual. This day I was nearly home and I was stopped at a stop light. I had a motorcycle in front of me at the light. I don't love following right behind motorcycles because David has one and I know how nervous I get when cars get too close to him. This motorcycle man however shot off the line like a bat out of hell and I had no chance of even keeping up. Sometimes when I'm behind crazy people like this man I allow myself to go a little faster the my usual 5 over because I figure if someone is going to get caught it will be the guy in front of me. I was still speeding up when I saw a cop car's big fat nose sticking out of a street coming up. I let off the gas but again never thought I'd be pulled over considering the crazy man on the bike in front of me. I don't know if it's harder to get a radar reading on bikes or something or if the cop just thought I was prettier but I got pulled over. The road I was on is just 2 lanes with no shoulder. I started to just stop right when he got behind me but decided that was kinda dangerous/obnoxious for the other cars so I hit my gas again with my turn signal on so the officer knew I wasn't trying to flee or something. (That would totally happen to me, can you imagine) I pulled into a gas station like half a block away. He pulled in and blocked me. I had my licence out hoping with all my little heart he'd let me off with a warning. He came to my window and told me he pulled me over for doing 48 in a 35. If I was going that much over I can't even guess how fast that crazy motorcycle man was going. Come on. He took my licence and went back to his truck. I'm like "Ok Liz, oh well. You were speeding. You haven't had a ticket in like 2 years. You can go to traffic school. Its not that big of a deal. Stop bloody shaking. Life will go on." He comes back and says "Elizabeth" (yes that's my real name for those that couldn't guess. David's cousin Austin told me that it didn't make any sense, I was totally a Liz and nothing else so I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page. Elizabeth is the name on my license.) "Your license is pulling up as denied. Do you know why?" WHAT! I should totally be on a episode of cops. You're kidding right. I have diabetes. I have to get a form filled out at my drs office every year that says I'm in good enough control that I can operate a car. I never changed my address when we moved and they don't forward these forms. I was supposed to have it in in Feb so I've just been driving illegally since then, no big deal. I responded "Oh my gosh, I'm shocked! I have diabetes but I haven't gotten the form in the mail. Can you tell when it expired?" He told me he couldn't and that the court would work with me if I just took in the form signed by my dr. He only wrote the ticket for 5 over so I actually thanked this cop as he left my window. He told me to have a good day and drive safely.

I went into court today. I was in a room with several other law breakers so we bonded. The guy I sat in front of asked me why I was there. I told him for speeding. He told me I really needed to slow down, and then told me his ticket was for 48 in a 30. I instantly knew he was crazy. He asked me where I got my ticket and who the officer was. Apparently it was the same officer that pulled him over and he told me that his was right after mine so I'm the girl that pissed the officer off enough to write him a ticket. He then laughed hysterically. He asked me where I worked. I told him. He then saw my left hand. He goes "You're married. Oh." We ended our friendship right then and there. I'm not sad about it.

We had to meet with some prosecutor lady name Ana. I was nervous because they don't typically let you go to traffic school if you have more then one offence on your ticket. Right when I sat down she told me she understood the medical forms because she has asthma and never thinks about the form until she gets it in the mail either. Oh my gosh, what a relief! Besties. She dismissed that charge when I showed her the I can drive legally form I got signed. $150 dollars later I'm signed up for traffic school. I can't get another ticket for the next 6 months or I have to go in front of a judge. At the end of that 6 months I have to write a letter to the judge with my driving record and ask him to dismiss my charges. If I don't write my love note to the judge I have to go in and meet with him and then they put the points for your ticket on your licence. What a freaking ordeal. Trust me I will be driving the speed limit. This is not worth it.

The Last Song

I've fallen in love with another man. I still love David as much as I ever did (thats a lot, trust me) but someone new has stolen a little piece of my heart. His name? Nicholas Sparks. Yes, the author. I've only read 2 of his books but he's incredible. I read Dear John right before the movie came out. The book was, in my opinion, better then the movie. Isn't that the way it always is? The movies made from Nicholas Sparks books are pretty great though. The Notebook anyone??

Recently my friend Abby asked me to go to a movie with her. She asked if I wanted to see The Last Song. I didn't know much about it but I'm always down for a good chick flick. The movie was so cute. I actually like Miley Cyrus in it and lets be honest the boy that plays Will is not too bad to stare at for a couple hours. (Miley and the actor that plays Will are actually dating in real life now. Way to go Miley, I hope you guys live happily ever after just because of how cute you two are in the movie.) Anyways, Abby and I both cried our little eyes out during the movie. Abby's prego, whats my excuse? It was great. My friend Shelli's cute mom Pam asked if I wanted to borrow her book to read it. She heard I liked Dear John and thought I'd like this one too. It was a little backwards reading the book after I saw the movie but at least I didn't go into the movie with any expectations. I loved the movie but I LOVED the book. It was so well written. Nicholas Sparks has a way of grabbing my little face and gluing it to the book until I finish. I would have cried at the book too probably but I read the saddest part when I was at work and there are enough crying kids at my work already.

David and I have a vacation coming up (I'll blog about that soon) and I'm so tempted to buy another Nicholas Sparks book to take on the plane but I'm afraid that once I get into it I wont want to put it down and then I'd be a terrible travel buddy. Who flies to another state just to read a book? Anyways I recommend this book and any other Nicholas Sparks book to anyone with a heart.

I hit the Trifecta

Happy Mothers Day!

Sheryl

I have an incredible mom. (obviously right, since she raised me ;]) She has the ability to calm me down when I'm in my most erratic state. She's the most caring person I've ever met. I can talk to her about absolutely anything. She's non-judgemental and loving. She's the strongest person I've ever watched in action. I can only hope to be as great of a mom someday. I know that I can always call and go to her when I need support and the kind of love I don't get from anyone else. A lot of my favorite memories with my mom took place at Disneyland. She's ridiculously amazing at planning vacations. She has a good point when she says "Disneyland is cheaper then therapy." Thanks for passing on the Disney addiction. How did I get so lucky? Thanks mom for all you do for me. I love you more then anything!

Kelly and Wendy

I have an amazing mother in law. She's one of the funnest people to be around. Her laugh is so contagious. She is a great teacher and mentor. She raised pretty great kids, one of whom I got lucky enough to marry. I love her cooking, lessons about squatting in the desert, and long talks about anything and everything. I can only hope that people have as much fun around me someday as they do with Kelly around. I love you Kelly!

I hit the jackpot when I came into David's family because I got 2 mother-in-laws. I know a lot of people can barely handle 1 but I wouldn't trade my 2 for anything. David's aunt Wendy is absolutely wonderful. She teaches me something new every time I see her (which is almost every week). She is the most open and loving person to everyone she meets. Once she's touched your life there is no getting her out of your heart. I've learned so much about forgiveness and being Christ like from her. Wendy is an incredible mother to her kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, her kids friends, the neighbors friend from Arizona...it doesn't matter who you are she loves you and welcomes you into her home. I can only hope to have as big of a heart as Wendy has someday. I love you Wendy! (you're so pretty...only on trax though)

Left in the dust

So the other day I woke up at my usual 4:36 and discovered I was not feeling well that day and decided I should call into work. I really wasn't feeling great but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly was wrong. I was in a bad mood all day. David called around 11 or so to check on me and I wasted no time in telling him I was in the worst mood and felt terrible. He told me he may have some news to cheer me up. The conversation went something like this...

David-- "Liz, what do you love more then Christmas?"

Liz-- "The Playoffs, why?"

David-- "What if I told you I had tickets to tomorrows playoff game?"

Liz-- "You WHAT!!! Oh my gosh, I've never been to a playoff game before. This is incredible. You're lying aren't you, tell me the truth. Oh my hell I just peed a little."

David-- "Well you haven't even heard about where we're sitting yet"

Liz-- "Oh I so don't even care. I'll sit in the bloody rafters as long as I get to be there I really don't care."

David-- "Well you should care because what if I told you they were on Row 1."

Liz-- "WHAT, now I know you're lying. How on earth, what the, you've got to be joking. Oh my gosh I'm dying, I'm dying. I'm dead. I'm peeing a little bit. How on earth did you get those seats???"

David-- "My work gave them to me. Are you still having a bad day?"

Liz-- "No, no of course not. I'm having the best day ever!"

David-- "Ok well the dinner, parking, and everything is included so it'll be fun"

Liz-- "Fun is the biggest understatement I've ever heard. Ok see you later. love you bye."

So I layed on the couch in my pajamas head to toe with my 2 blankets and smiled to myself for like 2 hours. Then I got this phone call.

David-- "Liz, I have some really bad news"

Liz-- "What?"

David-- "Well when I was telling my boss about the tickets they gave us, he asked the other 2 guys if they wanted to go and when they said no he said it would just be me and him then. I thought he would give them to me and let me take you like they have in the past but he really wants to go with it being a playoff game and everything so I'm sorry babe I can't take you."

Liz--"You, he, what??" (insert crying liz babble here) (oh yes I said crying)

David-- "Babe I'm so so so sorry. You know what you take my ticket. You go with my boss, he wouldn't mind. I'm so sorry I got your hopes up for our fun date night. You go with my boss."

Liz-- "Why would I want to go with your boss. That sounds terrible. No you go. I'm not mad at you I'm just upset at my.....life." (more crying nonsense)

David--"I feel so bad. I never should have said anything. I'm sorry, I'm a terrible husband."

Liz-- "No you go and have fun. I'll just watch it at home by myself. I'm ok I swear."

Bless Abby's heart for going to a movie with me after work and bless Gentry's heart because she came over and kept me company that night. We saw David on TV of course because he was row 1 right behind the home sides basket. Look at this shot and tell me if you think he's sorry about leaving me in the dust...