Happy Anniversary!

Today is my 26th Anniversary!

To honor this occasion, I will make a confession.

I was a bridezilla.

The entire week before my wedding I was so stressed out

and controlling

and mean

that my best friends and bridesmaids threatened to leave

my mother cried

and my sisters avoided me.

My fiancé finally offered to take me away for a day 

(to Disneyland)

and my mother said

"Please, Yes, take her away!"

I did not want to go.

I was so annoyed.

I needed to be there to oversee things and make sure they were PERFECT.

(We went. We had fun.  It was probably a very good idea to remove me from the scene)

The morning of the wedding

I was in a foul foul mood.

I snapped at people

I wanted to kill people who were trying to help me

and I threw a couple of hissy fits.

My mother finally grabbed me by the arm

shoved me into a little cubby area

and told me to shape up.

"This is supposed to be the happiest day of your life!"

She practically spat it at me.

I had to go into my head and literally say those words over and over

so that I could stop being nasty.

This is the happiest day of my life

Be happy

This is the happiest day of my life

Be happy

And then...

we were married.

And suddenly I was just calm and relaxed and happy as a lark.

All the details that I was worried about regarding the reception...

I didn't care.

My sister approached me with fear in her face to tell me that she thought some of the flowers were wrong.

And I said,"That's ok. These look pretty"

She almost keeled over in shock.

I wish I could do it over and be the relaxed and happy bride that I should have been.

But I can't.

Thankfully I married a guy who knows me well enough to know when to take me out of the situation.

And 26 years later we are still going strong.

And I'm a calmer person...

though I do occasionally still get all stressed out and take it out on those I love the most.

He takes it all in stride.

I try to tell myself

This is the happiest day of my life

I'm happy.

(I had planned to put wedding photos in here but I already packed the hard drive that they are on!)
And look at me being all calm about it...

A song stuck in my head

Carter has been listening to classical music lately.

As we were talking about it, I was reminded of some tapes that we used to listen to in the car when he was little.

One side had the classical music played by an orchestra

and the other side had the same music but with kid friendly lyrics being sung to the classical music.

The idea was to introduce classical music in a fun way for small children.

We all loved these tapes and listened to them often.

Carter couldn't quite remember them but he has that sort of fuzzy memory of them

that you get when you do something when you are really small.

But I had a favorite one.

We sang it all the time!

We played it over and over and over trying to sing all the words just right.

And as I was talking to Carter I couldn't quite pull those lyrics up into my brain.

I started googling.

Nothing.

I couldn't remember the exact name of the tapes so I was just googling

"kid friendly classical music"

"classical music with lyrics"

and even a few of the lyrics I actually remembered.

There are some things out there, but none of them were my tapes.

I went to bed last night and apparently in my sleep, my brain was working on this problem.

I woke up at about 1:30 with the words and music running through my head.

Not all of it, but a good portion.

I tried to sleep but couldn't.

The dang song was just running on repeat through my head!

So I got up and started writing it down.

I slept again.

I woke with more words.

I wrote them down.

By morning, I had remembered the entire song!

A few words might be wrong here or there

but I definitely have the gist of the song.

I still don't remember the name of the song

but it is sung to the tune of 

Johann Strauss' Radetzky-Marsch

I present to you

The Lyrics:

(feel free to sing along using the attached Youtube video)

Don't start singing until after the intro

Here's a tale I will tell if you listen well

of a boat thats afloat on a castle moat

and upon that boat

was a billy goat

in a grey overcoat

Did I mention

that the goat in the boat had a one page note

In the coat was a note that his mother wrote

and upon that note

she wrote

all the following that I will quote

What I bring to the king is a diamond ring

and the ring that I bring is for marrying

My son to your daughter

crossed over the water, long we have sought her

your lovely daughter

Oh king take this ring that we gladly bring

and all of the people will dance and they'll shout and they'll sing!

The King heard the goat in the overcoat
on a boat that's afloat in the castle moat
and the king cleared his throat...
...and he said...

 I'm afraid I must say that the goat can't stay

Then the king told the goat he must sail away

And the reason why

He did...

Little Billy Goat was just a KID!

Now you've heard every word

and my tales complete

every word that you heard

you must now repeat.

Hope you listened through, 'cause it's up to you

Do the very best that you can do!

The lyrics fit the first minute or so of the song

And I know there is something missing in the part about the King.

I guess I better sleep on it!

I had a fun time singing this with my kids all those years ago!

Where I randomly complain

Packing is not a fun thing.

I need to get things packed up!

But we are still using our stuff.

If I wait until we are about to move then I'll have too much to do with too little time.

What a conundrum.

_____

I am having a lot of trouble with pain.

joints

muscles

head

It's doing me in.
I had high hopes for a positive Lyme test
(yes, you read that right)
but nope.
Negative.
So why am I in pain?

_____

I still have a kidney stone just waiting to come out and hurt me.

I'm scared of it.

_____

My recently purchased fat jeans don't fit anymore.

What?

You'd think this would be enough to entice me to go to the gym

or stop eating

But, when I wake up in pain, all plans go out the window.

It's a lose/lose situation.

or gain...whatever.

You know what I mean.

_____

I'm starting the whole "posting things to craigslist" thing.

blerg
_____

I bought a dryer for my new house and the door opens sideways rather than up and down.
I really like that little table the door forms when it opens down...
easier to load the dryer.
That's what I get for buying online and long distance.
_____

I recently had my memory tested.
The results are:
I have a bad memory!
Wait, I knew that.
_____

Funny story (not really a complaint):

We had the Apple Blossom festival this weekend.  
Carter marched with the band as usual.  
I really wanted to get a picture since it will be his last one before we move so I got there early, camera in hand and was watching carefully.... and never saw him!  
How do I miss my own kid playing the drums?  
So I actually ran ahead and tried to look for him again.  
Nope.  
I went to the end of the parade and as they came around the corner, there he is with his drums.  
I could not figure out how I missed him.
He told me he was watching me run around and look for him and wondering why I was such a goof. 
(I don't think he used the word goof but I can't remember his actual word...
see previous item re: memory)
Then after more questioning he admitted that he switched with someone and was actually walking backwards in front of the drum line when I was looking for him. Not playing a drum! 
Ha! 
I’m not going crazy.  
And it turns out I got a picture of him, accidentally!  
There he is walking backwards. 
(He's the backwards one on the left of the picture) 
You can barely tell its him but I take what I can get.

_____

I am the QUEEN of little notebooks.

As I open drawers and pack random things I am finding little notebooks everywhere.

filled with lists, random thoughts, plans, goals, journal entries, diet logs

you name it, I have written it in a tiny notebook and then promptly put it in a drawer and forgotten about it.

_____

Ok I'm done.
for now

Favorite moment of the week

Carter and Frank are loading the dishwasher.

Carter grabs some things that frank has already put in and puts them in a different spot.

Frank is like "what are you doing?"

Carter says, "mom likes them in a certain way. She says it keeps the glasses from breaking or something."

Yay!

Why did that make me so happy?

Hahahaha

Winner's Circle 2014

Vacation Number 2: all in one big post

Frank was informed on April 1st that he had won a couple of awards at work.

One was called the President's award

and the other was a "Winner's Circle" award.

I didn't know what either one was at the time.

But way to go Frank!

It turns out that the Winner's Circle

is for the sales people who make or exceed their goals for the entire year.

And it is a trip to some wonderful location, all expenses paid.

Frank isn't usually even qualified to be in the running for this award because he is in Business Development, not directly "sales".

But they wanted to show him they were thankful for all his hard work and success this last year

so they made him a "special recognition" winner.

To quote his boss, describing the meeting where they decide the winners:

"We said who, regardless of job title, deserves to be here.  And we all said Frank Hill."

It was amazing.

First of all, wrap your head around all expenses paid.

They even paid the tips!

We literally didn't have to spend a dime.

That is so cool.

We stayed at the Gran Velas Resort which is located in the Riviera Maya area.

It is a five star resort and it was amazing.
Here is the entrance:
(photo stolen from the internet)

The rooms were fabulous and huge.

Big TV that swiveled toward the couch or bed 

(cool, but not that necessary when right by a beach)

private balcony with relaxing furniture and private pool

Super nice feather pillows

(I always find hotel pillows lacking in the comfort department, but not here!)

Internet version of room:

Our room:

(we always make a mess right away)

Every day we had the opportunity to do something fun 

Day1: big, gorgeous buffet on the beach with the other Winner's Circle folks

Day 2: choice of outings.  We chose to go to Rio Secreto, an underground river hike

It was really cool! We loved it.

That evening we all went to dinner together in Playa del Carmen and did a little shopping

Day 3: Everyone together went to Tulum (Mayan ruins) and then to another place (forgot the name) for zipline, swimming and lunch

Day 4: Another choice of outings.  We originally chose swimming with sea turtles but everyone was telling us how amazing the spa was so we changed to a spa day

The last night was an AMAZING dinner, live band, dancing and awards

Our view:

Upon arrival we got this beach bag with goodies inside:

Every night when they would turn down our bed (yes, with chocolates on the pillow)

We received a gift!

I can't find the picture of day 1

It was a variety of chocolate bars and a variety of vanillas

Day 2:

a special mayan liquor

cool glasses

and a tray to set them on

Day 3:

A book about Mayans.  

Very cool and beautiful book.

Here we are relaxing in hammocks after our hike in the underground river:

 Walking along the streets of Playa del Carmen:

The spa!

Oh wow, it was beautiful!

We each went through what is called the "Water Journey"

a very unusual and a neat experience...lots of different rooms alternating hot and cold water treatments

sauna, ice room, mud room, steam room etc

followed by these amazing pools that you see here with jets of different types

lastly a soak in the hot tub followed by a quick dip in the cold tub!

I loved it.

We also each got a one hour massage.

heaven

The massage room:

The last night's dinner was so gorgeous!

Here is the CEO of the company as he gives the awards.

They had a photographer there so I assume we'll get some good shots of the night in addition to my phone shots.

 Even though I was not super excited to go, since I felt like I'd been gone from home too much
I will admit it was an amazing amazing time.
I had a hard time leaving!

Meet Luigi

I have begun the process of packing and purging for the upcoming move to Utah.

It's really too soon to move again!

Didn't we just do this?

Yesterday hubby and I decided to empty the attic and go through the stuff that was up there to see what we really needed (?) to take with us.

Upon first inspection, my thoughts were basically this:

throw it all away!

Why do I need anything that only sits in an attic and I never look at it?

Then I started opening bins.

One of the bins included a bunch of stuff from my past.

High School yearbooks

old diaries

(I should probably burn those...)

and various keepsakes

Here is one of them:

Meet Luigi

He's a stuffed lion that I kept as a mascot of sorts when I was in High School.

We were the Manzano Monarchs 

(Mascot: Lion not butterfly)

I used to bring him to track and Cross Country meets for good luck.

He gathered a variety of pins as the years went by.

My Honor Society pin

The name tag from the fast food restaurant where I worked in High School.

No idea how I ended up with my friend Jennifer's tag, instead of my own.

There's probably a story there that I don't remember...

The pin from the Boy Scout Explorer troop

(not totally sure that's the right name of the type of troop that it was)

We flew a hot air balloon and joined in the chase crew.

I don't remember doing it a lot but I loved the idea of it.

and having the pin.

I wore this pin on my letter jacket in school.

I also had another pin that I wore that said

"I need someone really bad.

Are you really bad?"

haaaaa!

I did the needlepoint on this little heart and then made it into a pin.

It's my school colors (purple and white).

I think I made it in a class but wouldn't bet my life on it...

There's also a pin on his right hand that is two ribbons.

I have no idea what they were.

Some award that meant a lot to me and I wanted to keep it forever.

Obviously.

I loved Luigi and every time I've moved or looked through that old bin, I haven't been able to throw him away.

But I think now I am ready.

I took his picture.

I have now told his story.

The time has come.

NYC with Chelsie

I just got back from a quick two day trip to NYC with my niece.

Thanks to my husband and his hotel points, we were able to stay overnight in a Marriott Hotel.

So we could party for two whole days!

(Mormon version of "party", of course)

We talked about food (a lot) and all the delicious things we would eat

but in reality, we didn't eat much.

We were too busy walking to this and that

and seeing this and that

and since it was Chelsie's first time, I wanted her to eat what she wanted to eat

so she had to make decisions

which she doesn't like to do

so in the end...

we surprised ourselves with not eating that much.

Next time we'll do that differently I think.

Our hotel was a residence inn, so it was geared more towards the business traveler I think.

But all we really needed was a place to sleep, so it worked.

Good thing we weren't there for an amazing view

They did have a free breakfast buffet, so that was good!

Here's a list of the things we did:

*

Went to the 9/11 memorial.  Very moving and beautiful memorial.

The museum opens next week.  Sheesh! Bad timing.  Now I have to go back...
*

* 

Walked around Times Square
*

*

Walked around Battery Park and saw the Statue of Liberty, but didn't take the boat out.

next time...
*

*

Went to Laduree since we were told we had to try their Macarons

*

Rode in a bike taxi
*

*

Saw two plays on Broadway

The New Les Miserables

and

Once
*

They were both great!

I have seen Les Mis several times but this one has all new, different sets and is done a bit differently than the previous version.  

I never get tired of that show...the songs and voices are just amazing.

We had amazing seats, too.

*

Went to a variety of stores including FAO Schwartz

*

Went to Central Park
*

*
Walked through St Patricks Cathedral
(currently undergoing a massive preservation/reconstruction)
*

*

Visited the Manhattan LDS Temple
*

where I managed to offend the guy at the entrance

(what do I call him? a guard?)

He gave me a talking to.

We left briskly and only later on the bus was I able to think of some good responses that would have made him feel bad for being so mean to me.

haaa!

story of my life.

*
Rockefeller Center
*

We saw the sights!

Chelsie got this picture for her little brother.

Cute!

Chelsie got this picture for herself.

haaa!

We took the subway most places but did a lot of walking.

My lame left knee was cursing me badly.

And then, in a flash, it was over...time to go home.
I had a great time and hopefully Chelsie did too.

I'm ready to go back!