IF - tiny word - big meaning

If is such a tiny little word, but so much meaning behind it.  If I do this then...well you fill in the blanks.  Life is full of choices, and they seem to get harder as I go.

Time has once again flown by...I am so glad I have another day attached to my weekend to make it a 3-day'er.  My stamping group did ok yesterday.  I think my cards were a bit too complex for some of them.  I feel bad.  I get tired of doing simple and cute and these had many steps to them.  The card that actually took them the longest, came together rather quickly for me.  You never really know.  When the sun comes out tomorrow I will take pictures and post them.
Ralph stayed home from church today - still not feeling well.  He finally let me get him some meds from the pharmacist.  You know - the ones that have all the ingredients to make meth so you have to wait in line at the pharmacy counter and sign all your privacy away just so you can feel better.  Anyway - he has finally been able to sleep.  I made a yummy potato and leek soup yesterday.  We had that and some great sourdough bread.  Not as good as Gary's, but in a pinch it worked great.  Ralph wasn't real hip on the soup idea, but once he ate it, he realized it was what he had been wanting.  Warm and comforting. (note to Ralph - should listen to wife more often)

It was a harder day at church than I thought it was going to be.  I have tried to convince myself that we can slip out the back door and nobody will really miss us or notice that we are gone.  The bishop asked me how and I was, and I thought I was fine until I had to answer the question.  He had me in tears as well as a very good friend of mine.  I am being ripped from everything that is now comfortable.  To be honest - as much as it hurts and scares me - I really feel like the Lord has other plans for us

Well - I need to drag Riley around a few blocks for both of our sanities.  (He won't leave me alone)
Ta Ta for now

Another day has come and gone

Oh my goodness - I made it through the day and I still have my sanity.  We put on our skit at work and it was a complete success.  We had the whole audience laughing.  That makes it almost worth the time and stress you put into putting it all together. 

Last night, I was so wound up about the skit and everything else going on that I couldn't get to sleep.  It took a little bit of Classical guitar and a warm soft doggy to finally doze off around 2:00a.m.  I seriously need to learn how to not stress too much.  It doesn't help or solve the problem.

Ralph has come down with a cold.  Yuck.  I keep him on the living room couch until he can breath properly and is no longer contageous.  I can't afford to get a cold now.  Colds are no fun!

I found an ice cream to add to my favorites list.  Dreyers loaded butterfinger ice cream.  Wow - I like butterfinger candy bars, so I thought we would try some.  Especially since Ralph suggested that a little bit of ice cream would feel good on his throat.  You don't have to tell me twice to pick out some ice cream.  It has got swirls of peanut butter and chunks of butterfinger.  It is totally yummy.  If you like butterfingers - you should try this ice cream.

Well, I am off to do some paper creation.
Ta Ta for Now!

Help I Can't Breathe

Salt Lake City has the worst air quality in the whole country.  Ugh!  I look out the 19th floor window at work and can see the thick air that we have to breathe everyday.  Oh, it looks gross.  I pray for wind or a good storm to come through and get rid of it.  We are supposed to have rain tomorrow night - lets just hope it is enough to clear the air.
We have found a place to live.  I once again am so thankful my Heavenly Father is taking care of me.  We saw this great place on the classified ads and went to take a look at it.  It was excited about it and then we came home.  All I could think about was all my friends I would be leaving from my ward and how this house was so not Mar friendly.  I didn't feel good about it.  Ralph and I spent a lot of time on our knees trying to get answers.  You see, good houses to rent fly off the market as fast as they are listed.  We know we have a little time to play with, but we just weren't sure we were going to find a better deal.  We talked to the owner and met him on Sunday.  At the start of our visit he told  us he does a criminal background check and a credit check on each renter.  By the end of the visit he was offerring us a two year lease without either check.  We filled out the application and told him we wanted to think about it a little longer.  He gave us 24 hours.  Long story short.  We sorted through the real reasons for conern and decided to go with it.  Mar - I am sorry you were the only con to renting this home!  Will Gary still let you come see me?

We are putting on a skit at work for a 2 hour meeting we have this week.  Hopefully, it will break up a very mundane meeting.  We made it through skit practice today.  I dont' ususally like to embarrass myself, but this is going to be a whopper.  I will be so glad when this is over. 

I finished another book today - Mortal Friends by Jane Hitchcock.  Not a bad mystery.  I thought I had it completely figured out, but I was way off.  Language - not too bad.  The plot didn't stay real close the the original murder mystery, but it had a lot of social intrigue.  A "girl" mystery book.  I call in chic brain candy.  I would recommend it for anyone needing a break from real life.

Well, I am off to practice lines and then take Riley for a walk.  He lives for his walks.  Doesn't matter what time of day - he LOVES to go.  It is a great payoff for me too.  It gets rid of the gas and it helps work "things" out.

Ta Ta for now!

A better outlook

I had such a hard time getting to sleep last night... just could not shut my brain off. I was so excited to take a look at this house Ralph found and to be done with the house hunting thing. I also stressed about making sure I would be prepared to teach about the prophet Abraham on Sunday.(Anyone who claims to completely understand that part of the PofGP is lying!) and wondering how I was going to fit in everything today. Usually I can turn it off, but for some reason last night I couldn't. The last time I looked at the clock was 2:30a.m. So when I finally woke up this morning it was 9:50 a.m.  My morning was shot!

After breakfast (grape juice and a few pretzels) we drove to the house.  It was a definite fixer upper and after calling the agent on the for sale sign we learned the rental notice we saw on the internet was a huge phishing scam.  Thank goodness Ralph has his head on straight and didn't send any personal info.  We looked at another one that sounded like a great place to rent.  When we pulled into the driveway we noticed that there were gang markings on the garage and garbage cans.  It wasn't as big as I had imagined and looked pretty run down.  So those two options being veto'd we were back to square one.   We spent the next hour driving around certain neighborhoods we wouldn't mind living in.  We found one that we can call on - not crazy about it.  I have been on the internet looking this afternoon and found one that is a lot closer to the area we would like to live in and a much better option.  It is at the top of our price range, but I feel that if it is right for us Heavenly Father will help us find a way to make ends meet.  We have an appointment to look at it later this evening or tomorrow - what ever can be arranged by the owner.   The madness continues!

I have been hashing a few ideas out for card sqamples for Saturday.  I have some pretty good ideas.  My problem is narrowing it down to 3 relativley easy projects. Fun times.

Well - I hope you have a great Saturday evening
Ta Ta for now!

Overwhelmed

I have too much to do this weekend.  I was talking to a friend at work and he asked me what we would be doing this weekend.  I proceeded to tell him my list (i love lists - don't you?)

1. look for a place to live
2. prepare a Sunday School lesson
3. memorize lines for a skit (work thing - long story)
4. prepare for a stampin class for next weekend
5. clean house -
6. find boxes to start packing
7. grocery shopping

My friend asked me if I was going to get any sleep this weekend - I said - oh yes...I am going to sleep in on Saturday.  I love snuggling under the layers of covers and dozing until I really feel like getting up.  I just call it another weekend in the life and times of the Curtis'

I had bookgroup last night.  We have such a good time together just talking and comparing notes on "family" and activities.  What I love most is that we actually discuss books.  This month we read The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  It has been on the best sellers list for quite some time.  Although it is an ok read - I don't necessarily know why it is on the best seller list.  I guess the best seller list has more to do with marketing than whether a book is that good.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the read.  The author had a tendency to build up to a "moment" and then nothing would happen.  There were a couple of chapters I wondered why they were there.  If she would have followed up with the incident it would have made a lot more sense.  It was those build ups that kept me reading to find out what was going to happen.  But I had to create my own resolutions to some of story lines.  The characters were redeemed and ended on a good note.  I love happy endings..period.  Would I recommend it...sure.  But I wouldn't set high expectations - you will probably enjoy it more.

Well - I need to go round up something for dinner.  What sounds good to you?  I can always eat a burger, but that isn't on the menu, so I am off to find something healthier.

Ta Ta for now

Resolutions

Do you make resolutions?  I don't necessarily use January as a goal setting month.  I try to set goals for myself  throughout the whole year.  One thing January brings that is frustrating to me is the attendence at the gym doubles for about 2 to 3 months and then it tapers off.  So unless I go at odd hours or show up way early in the morning, I have to wait for an exercise machine. 

Here is a top ten list I found on the internet (seriously you can find anything on the internet!)
Most Popular New Year's Resolutions of 2010
110,623 people have made 253,162 resolutions. Here are the most popular:

1.lose weight 2616 people
2.be happy 1698 people
3.Fall in love 1314 people
4.get a job 1298 people
5.travel 923 people
6.Quit Smoking 745 people
7.get married 613 people
8.love 580 people
9.find love 554 people
10.lose my virginity 529 people

Not really surprising, but not very original. I would place bets that Lose weight is the top item every year.

This year I have started a list of things I would like to do during my lifetime.  Not a bucket list, but a dream list.  I have to admit that I had a hard time starting my list.  Our resources have been so limited that my current goals have been to get through to the next month.  This list has been kind of fun to think about.  I also have listed some things I need to apply more of my time doing.  Some of the things I have listed I probably won't ever get accomplished, but it is fun to think I might.  Here are a few...

I think it would be fun to perform in a concert playing Handel's Messiah singing or fluting. 
I would love to go on a week long backpacking trip in the wilderness. 
I want to go back to Great Britain - spend some more time touring the country and getting to know my extended family. 
I want to own my own home with a fabulous kitchen. 
I want to learn how to speak Italian fluently. 
I want to be a Mom! 
Go on a mission for the LDS Church
See a play on Broadway
Complete my college education
Have a moment so romantic - it brings tears to my eyes
Fly first class
Learn to figure skate (ha ha ha)
Win a Stampin Up contest
Spend a few nights in a hotel's Penthouse Suite
Learn to Hula - beautifully
Go to a Utah Bowl Game
Test drive a Ferrari or Lamborghini
Hike the Nepali coast

And so on....

I hope as you think about what you would like to accomplish in this 2010 year, that everyone tries to be a little nicer, and each of us try to make each day a little better than the day before.
Ta Ta for now.

A new year of changes

Life never seems to be dull.  We had a great holiday season.  We drove to Idaho and spent time with my family.  I got some reading done and some relaxation in.  We did get quite a bit of snow while we were there.  The bulk of the snow cam on New Years Eve/Day  I took a couple of pictures from the front door and looking into the front entrance of my moms home the day we left.  Some of the snow you see is from roof of the house.

It is always nice to take a trip away, but it is always nice to come home.

While we were away we received an email from our neighbor who rents the other side of the duplex we live in.  They informed us that the house had been sold and that the new owner probably would move in to our side of the duplex.  With that happening - means we have to move.  So we have until the end of February to find a place, come up with the funds for a deposit and move.  Happy new year to us!

Actually, we knew the place we were living was not going to be long term.  When we had to move from our apartment we looked for a place - any place that would work.  I contacted a friend of mine who had a house they were trying to decide about whether they wanted to sell it or rent it out.  We told them we needed a place we could rent - at least until Ralph finished his bishop calling.  They let us have it.  After about a year- 2008 fall - the house had been put up for sale and listed with a high price.  No bites - took the for sale sign down.  2009 fall - house went back up for sale, Ralph was released from the bishopric in November and the house was under contract the end of Nov.  They closed right before Christmas and now we are looking for somewhere to live.  I really feel like God directed us to the home we currently live in.  As we look for a new place to live, I think we will be guided to where we need to be and where we will be happy.

Work - is crazy.  I need to catch up from being gone.  It was only a few days, but the work will feel like 2 weeks.  I also have to write a silly skit for a presentation we are doing next week.  I want to make some good impressions - not doing so great. 

To be honest - I really have missed my papercrafting.   I can't wait to dive back in and prepare for my next class.  Don't know what I am doing yet, but I think I better get it done early so that I can pack and prepare for an upcoming move.

Well - enough for today.
Ta Ta for now!