I'm Dreaming of a GREEN Summer

I woke up this morning to THIS! I agree it is pretty but people it is April for crying out loud. I had big plans to do some yard work this weekend, take the dogs swimming in the river, plant some flowers. Nope. Instead I will be inside, wrapped up in a blanket, drinking hot cocoa. I need a tropical vacation NOW!!

All About Idol (American that Is)

So I was thinking that I would start to post my opinions about American Idol each week on Wednesday. I know we all watch it and then we all talk about it so I thought I would just save the phone call (and the cell phone minutes...your welcome Bill) First of all I was wondering what one will say when they read these posts in my journal in years to come. "The Idol section" Since I have been teaching the Old Testament in seminary this year I have a little guilt writing about "idols." ;)

After last week with Ramiele leaving the show (finally) I made the comment that from here on out I think it's any ones game. I think the results are going to depend solely on what each person does that week. Here are my thoughts for this weeks performances.

Michael Johns- okay seriously why the screeching at the end of the song. Was it really necessary? I think he could be in the bottom 3 this week.

Sayesha- I actually liked her this week. I am not to fond of the song and I really didn't like it when Fantasia sang it either. I thought Sayesha did great.

Jason Castro- Loved the song, love the dreads, loved the false setto. I think he is just cool. I like this song.

Carly- Please send a memo to Carly to stop the Queen songs. I hated this performance. Also please wear sleeves. Never have I agreed more with the churches modest dress standards than after watching her come out all tattooed on one arm. At least do both arms to make it even. Seriously I can't even get past the arm to listen to the song. I think they should have a special Idol money- a- thon to help buy that girl some shirts with long sleeves. Say hello to the bottom three.

David Cook- I can some it up with one question. What in the heck was that? I have no idea what song that was or anything. Seriously it was so painful that I had to fast forward through it and watch the commercials to get over the hurt. That could earn him a bottom three spot but he should get some points for finally cutting his weird bangs, know what I'm saying.

Kristie Lee Cook- This was the first night that I actually could even sit through one of Kristie's songs. I thought her performance was okay last night. I did enjoy the fact that she chose that song with the lyrics "sing it anyway"

David Archuleta- Really who cares what song he sings. He has a great voice. I would like to hear him do something faster however. He will definitely be parking it on the couch. (you should check out his You Tube videos.

Brooke White- I like Brooke. I think her voice is cool. I am so sick of Carly Simon though. Please choose another artist to sing. Since you like the 70's let me help you with a list. Captain and Tennile, Barry Manilow, Barbara Streisand, anything please just let Carly Simon rest. She will be here another week.

Maile- This is for you!!

Heidi says that you tagged me, but I can't read your blog. She will give you my email.

Living on the Edge

This weeks TTA is about living dangerously. What would you do if you could just once if there was no risk.

Okay so again I had to rack my brain trying to think of something that I would do that would be dangerous. (People I sell insurance for a living, obviously I tend to cling to a boring lifestyle) But here goes...

From my last post you can tell that I am an animal lover. So two of my dangerous wishes are geared around them. First of all I would love be able to work with big cats. Lions, Tigers and Bears oh my? I would love to be able to get in the cage with them and play with them and get to cuddle and pet them. The other thing that I would love to do is be able to work with dolphins. When Bill and I went on a cruise to the Caribbean in 2005 we stopped on an island near Aruba called Curacao. They have a place called Dolphin Academy that we visited where we were able to swim with two dolphins. It was hands down the most exciting experience of my life. So where does the danger fit in? Well I want to be able to do the Sea World flip thing with a dolphin. You know where the trainer swims under the water and the dolphin comes up underneath and pushes the trainer up in the air. That is what I want to do.

So the other thing I would love to do might not sound that risky but it is to me because it would be so different. I would love to live in New York City. In an old brownstone, and have a great career where I walked to work and stopped by on the way to buy the paper and a croissant for breakfast. Where I would stop at the market and buy my food for that nights dinner that I would cook on the top of my building where my roof top patio was. I think it would be so crazy to live in such a big city where it is busy all the time. And of course I wouldn't have to worry about money to pay my rent for my building, or for my many market trips, or for the restaurant meals because remember we said this would be "no risk".

Don't Mess With Sadie's Schedule

I love my dogs. I cannot believe the life they bring to our home. I love them both, but I am especially attached to Sadie because we got her first at 6 weeks old. She is my baby. We got Polly our other dog, her sister, when she was 9 months old. The family that had originally adopted her decided that she was too big for their kids and they were neglecting her because of it. When they had decided that they were going to take Polly to the pound we told them that we would gladly take her. I laugh at that family who really missed out on a gentle loving dog. Polly is the friendliest loving animal I have ever known. She has also made a great buddy for Sadie. It is funny how these two dogs, both born in the same litter, have such different personalities. Polly is our couch potato. If she had a voice we think she would talk like Eyore from Winnie the Pooh. She is slow and all she wants is to eat and cuddle. Sadie on the other hand is complete opposite. She is very smart and very active and very loyal. And she has a schedule and she is not going to be swayed away from the schedule. Each morning at 5:45 when my alarm clock goes off Sadie comes to the side of my bed. She rests her head on the bed and waits for me to pull the covers back. As soon as I sit up Sadie walks to the doorway of my room and waits for me to walk to the back door so she can go out. (Polly comes to but not until I call her to come.) When she is finished outside she will go to the door and wait for me to let her back in. If I take too long she will bark to let me know she is waiting. When they come back in Polly goes back into the room or wherever and goes back to sleep. Sadie follows me to the bathroom and sits on the bath mat while I shower. After my shower she follows me to the bedroom to get dressed and asks permission to get on the bed by sitting next to it and placing her paw on the bed. There she waits while I get dressed. Once I am dressed I go into Ashlee's bathroom to do my hair and makeup. (We share everything so it is just easier) Sadie follows me in there and says good morning to Ashlee the same way everyday, by squeezing through her legs. When I am ready Sadie follows me to the door where I have to apologize for leaving her for seminary and tell her I will be home soon for ball. As I walk out she runs to the window where she watches me leave and waits for my return. We have very low windows in our house and Sadie can lay on the floor next to them and rest her head on the window sill. This is where she waits each day for our return. We have a friend in our ward who works for a medical delivery company and each day he delivers in our neighborhood. He says that Sadie is there with her head resting on the window sill everyday. When I return home I pull half way into the driveway. Sadie will look up at me and then when I wave she runs to the back of the house and waits for me to pull into the garage and come in. When I walk in she sits down and wants to hold hands. Then she will ask permission to play ball by staring at me until I pay attention to her. I will ask her what she wants and she will circle a few times. Then I ask her to show me and she will run to the hall closet where her ball is. SHE LOVES BALL!! and will play until she is so tired that she can't run anymore. At night she sits next to my chair when I prepare my seminary lesson. She is such a great dog. I read an article the other day that claimed that dogs don't understand words, they only understand voice tone. Well I am here to tell you that is false. Sadie understands so many words that we have to spell in our house. So that she doesn't get excited. We are not allowed to say Go, Letter, Ball, Swimming, Park, Car, or Outside unless we are planning to include her. She also knows exactly who "The Girl" (Ashlee) is and when we don't want to have to get up to get her something or take her to play ball we tell her to go ask "The Girl" and she will run into Ashlee's room and ask. I love Sadie so much that I tease Ashlee and have told her that if our house burns down she better find a way out cuz I'm saving the Dog. :)

Something Hand Made

This week's Tuesday Tell All idea was to talk about things in your house that are special because they are hand made. They suggested maybe a quilt or something like that. Okay so this blog will now unveil the reasons why I do not fit in with the "RS Crowd". First of all I thought all weekend about what I have in my house that is hand made. I even enlisted the help of my Sister and Mom for ideas. They suggested my scrapbooks, which yes, are hand made, but I have since gone to digital scrapbooking (Mom don't have a heart attack) because it is easier than getting all the mess out. So that idea was out. Then I went through the house to try to find something that was hand made and this is all I could come up with.

One of the things that I like to do is make something out of something else. So my problem was Ashlee's collections of things being out in the open. (We discussed that I think) The solution was a set of school lockers repainted with shelves put in them to house it all while keeping it out of sight. The project... these new lockers. I did these while Ashlee was out of town this last weekend. When she came home her room was re-organized and the lockers were in there. ( I also painted her bathroom). She loves the new lockers but I think her favorite part is slamming them like the kids do at school. I have heard nothing but slamming metal for the past 3 days. (At least I know they are getting used huh?)

Okay so I found something else :) I didn't want to have to share this one but I think it is hilarious. You can see the pics on the scrapbook page but here is the journaling in case you can't read it.

"I got a sewing machine for Christmas of 2006 from Mom and Dad. I had wanted to learn to sew for a long time. This was my first project... except it wasn't supposed to be a bonnet and it wasn't supposed to be for the dogs. I wanted it to be a cute apron but things didn't quite work out that way. Ashlee and Bill died laughing when I was finished. Too bad Sadie and Polly didn't think it was funny. Unfortunately they became the victims of the the sewing project. They were good sports though. "Is that a hint of a smile I see Polly?" Guess Not."

Now you see why I don't do Hand Made!

General Young Womens Conference

Ashlee had a wonderful opportunity to attend the General YW Conference this past weekend at the Conference Center in Salt Lake. She didn't want to go at first because she didn't want to have to drive in the car for 6 hours with a whole bunch of people (she is an only child remember). Then I told her that President Monson would be at the conference and she quickly changed her mind. Our wards YW went on left here last Friday 3/28/08 and spent the day touring the BYU campus. On Saturday they did baptisms for the dead at the Jordan River Temple in the morning and then ended the day with the conference session.

Ashlee had an amazing time but I think the thing that hit her the most was went President Monson entered the conference center. She said that before the conference started all the YM were just talking and that the room was kinda loud. Then she said the entire room got dead silent and President Monson walked in. She said there was an amazing spirit there. She also said that the music really touched her. The closing song was "How Firm a Foundation" and the choir and the congregation sang the last verse together. She said that it was so powerful and that she was really touched. The next day the girls attended a ward in Utah somewhere and Ashlee said that she bore her testimony in sacrament meeting. I am sad that I was not there to hear it but at the same time I am grateful that she has that desire to do so on her own.

I am grateful for Ashlee's desire to choose the right. I am grateful for the opportunity that she had to be in the same room with the Prophet of the Lord and to feel of his spirit. I know that she will remember this for year to come and it will help to strengthen her testimony.