posse

Sometimes I envision a posse of past pets (dogs) roaming around Heaven. Maybe not crazy Jiggs or nutty Ben... but Albert and Breta would be the best of friends... The top dogs of all the pets we've had. Ted's iguanas and geckos might be tagging along when they're not "too cool for school." And if Jiggs has learned to quit barking up in Heaven, the head honchos might let him play. That dog could be so annoying, but it was nice to finally have a dog I could put on my lap!

I might be off my rocker, but yesterday I had this image of my sister's dog Charlie jumping and licking and playing with the rest of the crew up there. His hair would still be in his eyes, and he would be as lovable and hugable as ever.

My sister once told me that getting Chuckie was the best decision of her single life. He adjusted well to her marriage and loved her kids... and they all loved him. As hard as it is to say goodbye to a sweet member of the family, I wonder how enriched my life would be if I could come home to an unconditionally loving pup. But saying goodbye is hard, really hard. And when it came to saying goodbye to our past dogs, I had a hard time remembering "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." (Oh Dr. Seuss, so wise)

As far as becoming a pet owner, I haven't decided yet. But one thing I do know is that all dogs DO go to Heaven.

when bad things happen to good people...

...who procrastinate.

Due to some bad business practices of my "former" bank surrounding my past potential mortgage with them, I decided to switch banks once I actually bought my home with a new lender. I pulled out most of my money and left just a little bit to cover the last automatic withdrawals that would happen before I could switch it all over. That was several months ago. I kept thinking I should close the account but it wasn't on my priority list, and hey, I do procrastinate. So, I was going through my secondary email accounts that I don't check every day when I saw an alert that I was in overdraft with my former bank. What the heck?! Having never been in overdraft I was mortified and confused as to how that could happen.

Turns out that a year ago I authorized my AAA account to use automatic withdrawal. Well, that yearly payment from my OLD bank account put me in to overdraft. Awesome. To top it off, I continued to get a daily charge for each day I was in the red. And because I don't often check that one email account, I've been in debt for three days. So I decided to deposit a cheque tonight to clear it all up and to once again feel like a financially responsible person... until I remembered that my debit card from that bank had expired. I shredded the new card last month because I was closing the account. Are you all following me here? So, now I get another daily charge until I can go in to the bank and deposit the necessary money. Then can you guess what I'm going to do? Yup, close that damn account... which I should have done months ago.

Lesson learned.

Oh, and I still hate that bank. Yes, I hate you WELLS FARGO.

late nights

I have this bad habit that I stay up late when my schedule changes. Since I'm going camping with my work girls tomorrow I suddenly think I'm on vacation. I'm forgetting that I'm going to be camping with them for three day and will be "working" 24 hours a day rather than my usual 8-9. I'm thinking this night owl routine is going to kick me in the butt tomorrow at about 3 p.m. Either that or the girls. Ha ha.

Wish me luck!

i'm the king of the world...

You know it's a good vacation when it involves Titanic re-enactments. I went to Vancouver Island earlier this month to spend some quality time with my folks, sister and her two adorable kids. It was what a vacation should be.

We rode a ferry (and saw Orca's on the way back)

Went to Sooke and went on some cool ziplines

Enjoyed the scenery in Sooke

Checked out Victoria Harbour

Sailed!

And rode some rides in Seattle.

This picture really epitomizes how fun the trip was.

Other non-pictured highlights...
-Watching Parker catch rain with her mouth which resulted in a soaking top
-Finally getting ice cream at the Big Moo
-Running by the ocean
-Being told by the Sushi man that I have a "nice shape and beautiful."
-Retelling family sailing stories, especially those involving my little brother
-Having my sister catch me from gossiping about a stranger that happened to be on the same bus as us

timp

Timpanogos at sunrise... need I say more?

Well, I will... For those of you that don't know Timpanogos is the looming peak just up Provo Canyon. I have wanted to hike this mountain for years and this summer WAS the year. We started our hike at 2 a.m. with our headlamps, toques, and snacks. We reached the summit just as the sun came up and it was spectacular... and cold! We decided to go down the glacier but at 7 a.m. the snow was more ice than snow which made for a dangerous trek down (Chris's back is living proof).

Great company and great views. I loved it!

biking aftermath!

Pictures don't quite do justice to this spectacular bruise! I'm kind of proud of it. My own badge of honour.

And to give you a size perspective:

mountain falling

Yesterday Aaron took me on my first mountain biking adventure at Sundance. While my road biking skills helped me know how to clip in to my pedals, that's about all it helped me with! I found it harder to clip out of my pedals, which resulted in some spectacular crashes. We started out by riding the lift and then biking down. After the first ride down the trail I was ready to quit! I had managed to hit a tree, scratch up my hip, arm and ego!

Aaron took a different approach and took me up a trail first, coaching me to "pedal, pedal, pedal." The second trail was beautiful but scary. There were several parts where I had to avoid looking to the left as there was nothing to stop me from falling down a steep ledge if I wiped out (which wasn't too difficult a task for me).


I gained a bit more confidence and the view was definitely worth the work.


Aaron did "force" me to practice going over a tree root. I did it, but looking at the picture reminds me that I clearly have some biking form to work on.


My last spill put me out of commission. I was able to stand up and laugh it off but my elbow wasn't laughing. Today I have some pretty impressive bruises and scratches. It was definitely an experience. I'm not sure I'm a convert yet, but I'm glad I finally tried it out. It will take a lot more practice to feel like I can conquer it... but maybe... maybe I'll go again...

ridin' low

Another reason to pull your pants up to a proper fit (this one's for you J-Bug)!

surprise!

I really wasn't going to come home... but I knew I couldn't resist if everyone else was there. So just over a week before the Bostonians were coming, I booked a flight with my points. With my sister as my accomplice I decided to surprise the family. There were some double takes, a punch in the arm, and maybe a few tears (crier will remain anonymous). The surprises were fun... but not as fun as the whole week.

Highlights:
1. The stampede with the kids. Smiles, holding hands, screams on the rides, allergies in the barns.

2. The stampede with the adults. Chuck wagons, rides, brother screaming like a girl on rides, sister laughing so hard she was crying on the ride, caramel apples x 2.
3. Mocha mud pies, laughing so hard on the way home, kid wearing my glasses with a fake smile.

4. Sunday afternoon drive, Kananaskis country, renewed love of my homeland.
5. Games, laughs, brain scars, more laughs.

Lowlights:
1. Feeling sick from so much junk food.
2. Two days of pouring rain, no beach days, nasty tan lines still in force.
3. Running out of time.
4. Saying goodbye to everyone for another year.

The time always goes so quickly. I always have intentions to see others or do something different but in the end I want to absorb as much of the family as possible. The kids are so funny and always changing... and I want to be a part of that as much as possible. I love every one of them.

uh oh

Bad Idea:

The AC is out in my car. It's pushing 90F/32C outside. I am driving home and talking on the phone with the windows rolled up so my friend doesn't feel like he is in a wind tunnel. I'm sweating profusely but I need to finish this conversation. It lasts about 20 minutes. I get home and am a hot, sticky mess.

Result:
My keypad is no longer working properly. Too much moisture. Maybe it will work tomorrow. Some users on the internet said it might.

Probably my Result:
I'll have to get a new phone.

But hey, at least I wasn't texting!

when in rome...

Do you have to do as the Romans?

I have been solicited three times to donate to my local scouting troop. For $35 I will have the American flag placed on my lawn each holiday. I want to support the scouts but I don't really have a desire to have the flag. While I know I am living in the USA, I'm Canadian... so I am not really patriotic to the country or the flag. Don't get me wrong, I have amazing friends, love my job, love many things about where I'm living. I just don't really have warm feelings when I hear the anthem or see the flag.

So tonight when a man came by yet again, I said "Well, I'll think about it but I'm not American... so..." And his response?

"When in Rome, do as the Romans."

Sorry man, that's not a selling point. In fact it reiterated why I don't want it. When in Rome, I can love the history, the food, the people, the weather and that I'm a Canadian hanging out in Rome.

busy body

I will admit that I was "technically" breaking Utah's new law of texting and driving. However, sitting at a stoplight does not "technically" mean you are driving. So, I took advantage of a very long red light and started texting a friend back. An old bird, with a dyed black coif, in a huge white SUV with a Utes sticker plastered on her door honks her horn at me. I look over and she's shaking her head and finger and me. Not one to be told what to do, especially from strangers, I roll my eyes at her, shake me head back and go back to texting.

As the light turns green, she is straining her neck to try and read my license plate. When it dawns on her that I don't have a front plate, she slows down to 15 mph. I laugh and slow down too. Not only is she a bossy, busy body but she thinks I'm stupid enough to pass her. Realizing that her tactics are greatly slowing traffic she speeds up a bit. At the part when it is clear we will be going different directions she tries to slow down again. No luck lady, I'm on to you.

I guess I should have let her get my plate just for kicks. Maybe her vigilante tactics would have helped her feel better about herself. The cops couldn't do anything about it if she did call... and I'm sure they have more important things to deal with... like forcing people to water their lawns.

Oh busy bodies. Life would be so much better without them.

read...

If you have a moment, click on the "I read Nie Nie" icon on the side of my blog. I usually tear up when I read her posts, but today especially. Her life puts my own in to perspective. I would only hope to have her faith and optimism if I were to experience a near death tragedy that left me burned that badly.

I try to explain to my girls at work that life will be full of ups and downs. The least of their struggles will be in a residential treatment centre... but I know full well that they rarely believe this. For most up to this point, this is the biggest challenge they have faced. They can't fathom that life after 18 does not magically erase any hardship or obstacle. Some will live life with goodness and hope, while some will sadly continue their destructive path to a sad and tragic life.

It's about choice and what we do with the one thing we have control over. Even my fortune cookie had it right today!

"Your choices at the moment will be good ones. Trust yourself"

4:28:04

I may not be the fastest, but I'm not the slowest. On May 16th, 2009 I completed my first marathon. That's 26.2 miles (42km) of running. 

And for a former lazy, excuse making asthmatic that was an accomplishment. Three years ago I couldn't run more than a mile without huffing and puffing. I thought about that as I ran the beautiful Ogden course. The sun was out, there was a slight breeze and I felt strong. About mile 17 the song on my iPod came on "Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough..." and all I could do was smile. I knew I would finish the race. I knew I still had energy to burn.

Kristina joined me about mile 20 and it was awesome to see a familiar face. She kept me sane for the last two miles and cheered me on as I ran to the finish. My quads were on fire but all I could think of was "I am finishing a freaking marathon. I did it. I could do it. I AM doing it." I came in under 4 hours 30 minutes, which was my goal. And I even felt good enough to know this wasn't going to be my last marathon. Now I have a time to beat.

There are a few life moments that make me feel pretty damn proud. My master's, my new house... and finishing a marathon. Because there really is no mountain high enough.

only something i could do

Have I mentioned that I'm clumsy? Probably every other month.

Tonight?

I was going to sit down with a glass of water to meet my marathon hydration needs (t-4 days) when I hit the cup on the couch. The glass flew out of my hand and right in to my purse. GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL! 

Water quickly spilled to the bottom. I pulled out my wallet, keys, phone, gum, receipts, gas bill etc etc. ALL WET.  The purse is now inside out drying on the counter. The other things are almost dry. I'm pretty suave. I know. 

family

Today I have been feeling rather sentimental and not just because it's Mother's Day. I've had one of those weeks where my preference is to hang by myself, stew in my thoughts and curl up in bed with a good book or my laptop. Today as I browsed old photos I thought back to all sorts of childhood memories. The biggest fights I had with my siblings back then was not being included to play or being told I had to stay on my half of the room. The eldest sister just plain out ignored most of us (I think my one brother was occasionally included in a conversation). I don't remember fighting much with my older brothers until probably the teenage years. And little brother, he was just the thorn in my side who took my spot as the youngest child. Talk about a blow to my little four year old self. That took 15 years to get over.

Now we're all grown and they all have families of their own. Sometimes it's hard to believe that they also go by Mom and Dad. We've all become different people, relationships have changed but we're still connected because of our Mom and Dad. That family bond can't really break, regardless of the grown up problems that do exist. I still marvel at my parents raising six of us. Babysitting more than two kids can make me feel insane. I can't even image having one of my very own running around, screaming, yelling, laughing, telling me no. But my parents did that SIX times over. They have six times the stress and six times the joy that I have. I'm not sad that I'm not a mother, I'm not even jealous. Sometimes I am actually relieved that I don't have kids. But I do wonder what it feels like to be so in love and so responsible for another person. It must be worth it because people don't usually stop at one.

The bottom line is that I am happy to have such a functionally dysfunctional family. Grown ups that will compete in Indian leg wrestles or jump rope competitions. Siblings that still get heated over forgotten mashed potatoes or no pumpkin pie. Parents that will send me a house warming card. A SIL that sets me up on a random date because she wants me to move closer to them. Nieces and nephews that put on "talent" shows.

We're our kind of crazy, which fits me just just right. 

lowbrow

I can't help it, but after spending 20 minutes on failblog.org, this one made me laugh the hardest and the loudest. Just thinking about it cracks me up.


see more pwn and owned pictures

sometimes a sister knows

This week has been hectic with all the deadlines and unknowns. As I sat in my office feeling rather deflated my sister sent a link that brightened my day...

WOW

If you take a few minutes it might brighten your day too. I know that Boston will for sure brighten my week. Until then, I will just watch this on repeat. Enjoy!

flexibility is the name of the game

Early in March, the Smiths decided to take a bunch of newbies on a rappelling trip to St. George. Problem was... snow. While we waited for Chris and his sidekick to check out the road conditions, Mike built a fire in the middle of the road. Jennie showed it off beautifully even if she was a wee bit mad that she was in the photo. Too bad we didn't have marshmallows.

The boys came back and thought the road might be a bit too sketchy (well, if they were without the first-timers they would have braved on) so we turned back and decided to hike Angel's Landing.

After this point Penny decided to wait while the rest of us trucked on. We made it to the top alive with just a bit of tingly hands and feet.



Then we ate a little lunch with Penny, headed back to the condo, and then crossed State lines for a little entertainment. It was one of those places where there is a lot of smoke, things called "chips" and all sorts of games. I met an "interesting" man from Canada who lived in an RV. He wanted to dance and I didn't. He wanted to give me his business card and I didn't want it (thank goodness he didn't have one on him). There are some Canadians I don't care to hang out with. We had a lot of laughs and even though we only did one rappel, I hope I get invited again.

Thanks for a great weekend Smiths!

march is madness

I can't believe it's April, partly because we've had more snow the last few weeks than most of January or February. And well, life has been hectic. When I move in to my house, I can actually unpack the box that has my camera cord. With that handy little device I can charge my dead camera battery and upload photos from my trip to St. George and Moab... and my completed house. There have been hikes, baby rappels, and a half marathon. My house is done, long story but I'm not in in yet. Hopefully a week or two more.

Until then, you can all enjoy a fabulous sign my friend HRH spied at Venice Beach way back in the day (November 2008 seems eons ago). 

The idea of men's bikinis is almost as frightening as the grammar. You think the sign company would have told the owner that they were puffing on the ganja a bit too much and make the necessary correction.

And even when you live in the USA, there is always a little taste of home kicking around.