It's Christmas Time!

Well, it's almost Christmas! December has been a rocky month, but I'm looking forward to Christmas this year. As I've gotten older, Christmas has taken on new meaning. Despite that, the excitement and Christmas Spirit has stayed the same. I love the feeling in the air - the giving spirit and overall sense of peace.

As I've mentioned before, 2008 has been a very hard year. We lost my sweet Grandma Boulter in April, and it has been hard not having her around. It's been even harder with the loss of our Superman, Sean. He was the best person this world has known, and Christmas won't be the same without him. We are all still getting used to the fact that he's not around, and it's been rough. As a tribute to him, since Scottie and I bought his truck, we got custom license plates. We got them in the mail last week. We're considering the plates to be Sean's Christmas present - because it's something that will be a constant reminder of just how much he touched our lives.



K79 was his officer number, and SMS are his initials - Sean Michael Sivertsen

As some of you may know, we have a tradition every Christmas - on Christmas Eve our festivities center around a different country. We eat the food, wear the attire (if applicable), and participate in that country's Christmas traditions. It's always really interesting to learn about the country we have chosen for that year, and it definitely keeps things exciting! Last year was Greece, and we had gyros and lemon rice and all kinds of Greek goodies, decorated with white and blue and wore Greeky attire! We had a cake that was supposed to say Merry Greekmas but ended up saying Merry Geekmas, due to the baker's error. We thought that was pretty fitting, so we ate it anyway!

This year we are having a French Christmas, complete with Chicken Cordon Bleu, baguettes, croissants, French onion soup, etc etc etc. We'll all be donning French berets (and possibly turtlenecks?) and learning about French Christmas customs. I'm excited because I've always wanted to visit Paris, and this will be a teeny taste of what it would be like! At least around Christmas time. I'm also excited this year because my aunt and uncle from California are coming to join in the celebration - they've never been to our Christmas celebration before! It's going to be fun to see them.

It will be strange not going to my Grandma's this year, but it does mean we'll be able to spend more time with Scott's family on Christmas Day. This year we'll be in Springville to celebrate with his aunt and Grandpa. I'm looking forward to it. Last night we spent time with Scott's mom and dad and brother and sisters. We made all kinds of Christmas treats (rice krispie treats, chex mix, muddy buddies, etc). We watched Mr. Krueger's Christmas (which ALWAYS makes me cry) and The Nativity. We also watched It's a Wonderful Life and The Polar Express. It was really nice and we all felt the Christmas spirit so much!

Tomorrow is the 23rd, which means it is Scottie's and my Christmas! We celebrate on the 23rd because it is our 6 month anniversary - and since we're with my family on Christmas Eve and his on Christmas Day, we spend the 23rd together exchanging presents and having our Christmas Dinner and just being together with our pathetic little tree. I love that we have our own little traditions already. On Christmas Eve morning we go out to breakfast together before going up to Heber. We go to Village Inn and have their skillets that are so yummy!

Well this is kind of a random post, but I wanted to end it by wishing all of you a WONDERFUL Christmas!! And never forget the reason for the season!!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Molly Smiles

I've been neglecting my blog lately, and since the last one was such a downer, I decided to do the one I saw on Heather's blog because it made me laugh! So - enjoy!

1. Put your music listening device on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it makes you look. (For me, some of these were actually pretty appropriate, while others made absolutely no sense.)
4. Title this post what the answer to your last question is.


*If someone says 'Is this Okay?' you say:
Adam's Song - Blink 182 (guess it's not ok...)

*What do you like in a guy/girl?
Every You Every Me - Placebo

*How do you feel today?
Who Knew - Pink (sounds about right)

*What is your life's purpose?
Crucify - Tori Amos (Ummmm......)

*What do your friends think of you?
Add It Up - Violent Femmes

*What do your parents think of you?
I have a dream -ABBA

*What do you often think about?
Liar - Taking Back Sunday

*What do you think of the person you love?
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen (haha yes...)

*What is your life story?
Walking Disaster - Sum 41 (lately, this is very true!)

*What do you want to be when you grow up?
In The Garage - Weezer

*What do you think when you see the person you love?
Eternal Flame - The Bangles (awwwww!)

*What will they play at your funeral?
Don't Write Me Off Just Yet - Hugh Grant (Music and Lyrics Soundtrack)

*What is your biggest fear?
Angel - Aerosmith

*What is your biggest secret?
You Are Not Alone - Michael Jackson (How the HECK did I get this song on my computer??)

*What do you think of your friends?
Beezleboss: The Final Showdown - Tenacious D (Uhhh... haha)

*What are you going to name this post?
Molly Smiles -Jesse Spencer

When life gives you lemons...

THROW THEM AGAINST A BRICK WALL.

Trust me. It will make you feel better.

And the post I'm about to write will make you feel SO much better about your own life.

THE TOP FIVE REASONS I CANNOT WAIT FOR 2008 TO BE OVER!!!!!!!!

Starting with the most recent.

5. I lost my job today. That's right. Fired. For NO apparent reason. Oh yeah, except that my boss said "You're heart just isn't in it." Anyone who knows me can argue that point. I don't think my boss knew how many nights I lay awake wondering what I could do better. Wondering what more I could do to help my clients. No, instead she fires me, after implementing a new service plan tracking system that I invented. That's right. Thanks for the new form you made up. Now give me your badge. But...this IS the state. And for the first year of employment, your boss can technically fire you just because they feel like it. But is that ethical? You can BET that I'm working with HR to get my answers. This girl does not go down without a fight, as bruised and broken as she may end up. It will be worth it just to have some closure.

4. I lost so many special people in my life. Most of all my amazing brother in law Sean. I miss him SO much. It breaks my heart every day to know that he isn't going to be at the next family function. That Thanksgiving and Christmas this year will be missing one of the most special members of this family. Christmas definitely won't be the same. Not only that but my sweet Grandma Boulter died this year too. I miss her terribly, also. She was such a special lady, much too good for this world.

3. The economy SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do I need to expound on this? Or are we all in agreement that something is horribly wrong?!?!?!? Ok yeah. I know that it's not going to magically get better over night on December 31, but a girl can dream, right?

2. When it's 2009, I will only be 2 years away from my Masters. Not 2 1/2. Yeah, that's a stretch. But it's something I am VERY excited about! That will just make me that much closer to being a school counselor!! Yay!

1. My other sister will finally be marrying her fiance in 2009. Finally. Stop living in sin and get married already! Sheesh! Although because of my job loss, Scott and I won't be able to attend the wedding IN CANCUN, so 2009 is going to suck a little bit too....maybe I should have just left this one off.

Okay so I have a LOT more than five reasons. This originally started as a top ten list, but I shortened it for anyone who might actually read it. I really never thought I would know heart ache like I have felt this year. And so many different kinds - from the sorrow of losing a loved one, to the pain of being let go from a job and put back into financial crisis, to the anguish of seeing everyone you know have babies of their own and knowing that it won't be a likely possibility for me.

Despite all the negativity, though, I can't help but make mention of my lifelines - my incredible husband, who always makes me his number one priority and lifts my spirits when I am crushed into pieces, and my amazing family - my sister Amy, who is by FAR the world's best sister. She has made me feel so much better about my life on so many different occasions, all the while losing her amazing husband and having to raise her son on her own. She's one outstanding human being. My parents are pretty freaking awesome also. They always know the right things to say and just when to say them.

Life is full of crap. We wade through it, usually barefoot, for most of our lives. We're handed more lemons than we can hold. Which is why I say screw lemonade - throw those lemons as hard as you can against that brick wall. Watch them smash into pieces. You WILL feel better. Life is tough. But who ever said learning was easy?

Nature: The World's Cure for Bad Moods!

Last weekend, Scottie and I went up to Midway to spend some time with my sister, my nephew and my parents. That morning before we left, everything that could go wrong did, and I was in the WORST mood. Then we got to Midway where I had a meeting for school that went, well, okay. But I was already frustrated. And it just got worse. Everything was just making me mad. I hate being mad. So when Amy suggested that we all go out to the golf course and feed the ducks, I decided that things could only get better. And they did.

First we went to the golf course, where there is a HUGE pond filled with ducks. And one goose. We fed them some old hot dog buns and laughed at them as they fought over the bread. It really started to make me feel better.

The ducks!

Next we decided to go to the hot springs, because we haven't been there for years, and Scottie and our nephew had never seen them. We luckily remembered where they were, and we hiked down the muddy hill to nature's hot tub! I used to love going to the hot springs when I was in high school, and I was so happy to hear that the city had cleaned them up and made them a nicer place to visit! We didn't get in, of course, because we didn't have swimming suits or anything, but Amy put her feet in and we put our hands in.

This picture makes me laugh. We were both looking at the camera but as I pushed the button, we turned, and this is what was captured!


So steamy!!

On the way back to Amy's house, she decided to take a drive up Memorial Hill. A couple years ago, they totally redid Memorial Hill and made it a beautiful tribute to the soldiers from Wasatch County that have fought for our country in the various wars. They've installed wonderful plaques and a Final Salute statue. It's really a very special place.


The flags on top of the monument


One of the MANY lists of soldiers from Wasatch County that have fought in the wars

Flags!

The main plaque

Final Salute

My attempt at taking a panoramic picture of the views from Memorial Hill

After visiting these wonderful places, I couldn't be in a bad mood anymore. We finished the night by playing Apples to Apples and having brownies and ice cream! I started to wonder why I hadn't spent more time visiting these places while I lived in Midway, but I'm glad I live close enough to visit them again soon!

Lucky Seven

Heather tagged me. So here it is: the Lucky Seven post!!

Seven things I can do:
1. I can sing, and I LOVE to. I miss the days when I used to sing all the time for people - whether in choir or church- now I only sing for my husband and myself...the steering wheel is my biggest fan!
2. I can BS my way through any class. Except math. I am really good at writing an A paper in a couple hours - for example I have a 5 page paper due tomorrow before 6 that I haven't started!!
3. I can sit and listen to people talk about their issues for hours. It's not the easiest thing to do, but I don't mind it so much.
4. I can move my ears, flare my nostrils, make my tongue into a clover, and move each of my eyebrows one at a time! My face is kinda freaky...
5. I can play the piano by ear - I'm not so great at reading notes. It's a lot easier for me to learn a song by hearing it rather than reading the sheet music. Yesterday I learned to play Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park and Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade. But I rarely play in front of anyone but my family.
6. I can pop my right shoulder in and out of the socket at any given moment, thanks to a track injury when I was 14!
7. I can discuss my religion with just about anyone! I have studied the LDS religion so in depth, and I am more than happy to answer even the most outrageous of questions!

Seven things I cannot do:
1. I can't stick with any diet I try. I've never been able to. If I want to lose weight, I have to exercise longer than the day is long. The only time I've ever lost a lot of weight is when I rode a bike for 20 miles a day in the Wisconsin heat.
2. I can't run. Literally. I can't.
3. I can't remember a lot of things. I have a horrible memory. People get frustrated when they try to reminisce with me, because most of the time I just sit there with a blank stare until I say, "Yeah, I don't remember that. Are you sure I was there?"
4. I can't stand to have my fingernails or toenails painted. Drives me insane
5. I can't chew gum without getting sick.
6. Speaking of getting sick, I can't handle Novocain. I ALWAYS throw up on my dentist. He hates me.
7. I can't sew. If you could see my slacks that I'm wearing, it would be painfully obvious. From the hem sewn with white thread (yeah, the pants are black), to the seam in the back that is totally crooked, it's just sad. I know, I should just buy new ones....

Seven things that attracted me to my husband:
1. How ridiculously funny he is. I can never stay mad at him, because he always finds a way to make me laugh.
2. His beautiful, red, spiky hair. I always said I'd never date a redhead, but now I can't imagine it being any other way. His hair is awesome.
3. His work ethic. He has worked so hard for our little family. He will work long hours at a hard job and then work overtime just to make sure we'll make it. It's such an admirable quality.
4. His spirituality. He has the most amazing testimony of the gospel. He has such a love and admiration for Jesus Christ, and he is always reminding me to write the tithing check. He can quote any given scripture on demand, and when he sings the hymns at church, his sweet little voice singing his praises just makes me smile and tear up. He is SO amazing.
5. He is the most sincere person I have ever met. Every day he tells me I'm beautiful, and he means it. I still don't think he knows just how much that means to me.
6. He honors his mother. I don't share this with a lot of people, but I always knew I'd recognize the man I was supposed to marry from the way he treats his mother. The day I met his family for the first time, I knew I'd marry him. He has such a respect and love for his family - he'd drop everything he was doing if one of them needed his help.
7. The way we think so much alike! We have very similar ways of thinking, and from the beginning of our relationship we could always tell what the other is thinking from just a look. And we also have similar senses of humor - on our honeymoon we began talking in an accent just outside of Vegas and didn't stop until we reached Provo - and we thought it was SO funny. Anyone listening to any of our conversations would just think we were totally insane, but we just "get" each other, if you know what I mean.

Seven things I most often say:
1. "Dillweed" Anyone who does something really dumb or lame is an automatic dillweed in my book.
2. "Are you freaking kidding me??" It's my phrase of choice when I'm mad.
3. "Check this out -it's highlarious!" I tend to come across a lot of funny stuff...and if something is really funny, it's not just hilarious. it's HIGHlarious. I'm pretty sure I picked that one up in college.
4. "True dat" I don't know how or why, but it just happened.
5. "I love you" I say it every day to my husband and my mama
6. "Seriously." I say it all the time. Seriously.
7. "Ridiculous." Ridiculous = stupid. I don't really like the word stupid. So ridiculous took it's place.

Seven celebrity admirations:
1. Jennifer Aniston. I know as a person she's kinda lame, but I love her on Friends. And I think she's absolutely gorgeous.
2. Tom Hanks. He's such a genius. And he's so family friendly! And SO versatile!
3. Ewan McGregor. Because he can sing and he's HOT! haha
4. Rivers Cuomo - he puts on an awesome show and I've never heard a Weezer song I didn't like.
5. William Peterson. Okay it's really Gil Grissom that I find amazing. But William Peterson plays him. So he makes the list.
6. Rachel McAdams. Because I want to be her.
7. Stephenie Meyer. Cliche, I know. But I really think she's very talented.

Seven favorite foods:
1. Cheeseburgers
2. Cheesecake
3. Salad with Blue Cheese
4. Smarties (not really food, but ya know).
5. French Toast
6. Turkey Bacon sandwich from Gourmandise Bakery
7. Brats!!

Seven people I tag:
1. April (which means you HAVE TO DO IT!!! )
2. Allison
3. Celena
4. Schuyler
5. Trisha
6. Allie
7. Nancy

More Halloween Fun!

Since Scottie had to work a double shift of Halloween, I was asked to go to Park City with my sister, her fiance and some of her friends. My main reason for going was to be the designated driver, but really I didn't have much else to do and I thought it might be kind of fun. So I dressed up as a punk rock chick (ya know, my alter ego), and off we went to Park City!

We first went to a bar called the Side Car. There was a live band playing that really wasn't very good, and there weren't very many people there. So we went across the street to The Spur, where the band The Clumsy Lovers were playing. They call their music "Raging Celtic Bluegrass Rock" and that seems to be pretty fitting. They played high energy music, covers of popular rock songs, and added fiddles and other bluegrass instruments to the mix. All in all they were pretty good. You can check out their website at http://www.clumsylovers.com/ to hear some of their music.

We danced, laughed, and everyone (except me and my other sister) drank enough to make themselves very entertaining to those of us not inebriated. Anne was dressed as a bug, Amy was a fairy, Chad and his brother Scott were Motorcross racers from Jamaica, and everyone else was dressed for the occasion. It really was fun. I wished that Scottie had been there with me, because he always makes everything more fun.

Now I am recovering from all the dancing and laughing, and resting my sore muscles. I think next year I'll dress up a little better and make a better night of it. And I'll make sure Scottie can come, too.

Here are some photos for your entertainment.

The Spur - located on Main Street in Park City

The Clumsy Lovers

Of course Bella and Margarite dressed up for the occasion!

Anne, Kirsten, Michelle and Celeste (at least I think those are their names...)

Scott E., Anne, Chad

Before the makeup

And after...

Halloween Fun!!

This weekend we celebrated Halloween since Scottie will be working on the 31st. We had a ton of fun!

Scottie makes a fabulous Hillary Clinton!

On Saturday morning I baked some Halloween cookies! They were fantastic! Then we went over to his parents' house where we had lunch and carved pumpkins! I love carving pumpkins! It's one of my favorite things about Fall! My pumpkin is pictured below. Scottie didn't do one this year, which surprises me, but he was more interested in painting his two year old cousin's face like a lion. That story would have to be it's own blog. I might just post the videos of that, because it was SO funny!

Michael kept rubbing his face, but I thought Scottie did a good job considering the subject - a squirmy 2 year old!

After the pumpkin carving, we went to a party at one of my mother-in-law's friend's house. We had homemade chili, popcorn balls, and more candy than should ever be consumed by any human being. Then it was off to the theater to see Saw V!

I know what you're thinking - only seriously twisted people like to watch the Saw movies. But it just happened to turn into a Halloween tradition for us when the third Saw came out. They're not as bad as people might think - a little creepy and definitely a little gory, but we don't mind it. After the movie a bunch of people came over to our house and we just hung out and chatted and played some games till about 1 am! I can't remember the last time we stayed up that late just hanging out! It was definitely a good time.

Today, Sunday, we went over to Scott's parents' house again for a fantastic dinner of steak and baked potatoes and salad. We watched a little Steelers vs Giants (Scottie is a diehard Steelers fan) and then came over to Scott's sister Becca and her husband Alik's apartment for some more scary movies! We watched Halloween (the new version made by Rob Zombie) which I gotta say, was a LOT scarier than the original 800 Halloween movies!! Then we watched The Glass House, which is really more intense than scary.

Fun times were had by all! Yay!

Looking back on my life, I realize that I really didn't enjoy Halloween that much as a kid. I mean, of course I enjoyed dressing up and going trick or treating, but something always happened - I'd get separated from my friends, I'd lose part of my costume, I'd get lost on my way home, etc etc etc. I've noticed that I enjoy Halloween a lot more now that I'm married. And I know I'm really going to have fun when the kids come along, although the scary movies will have to be put on hold!

Anyway, here's wishing everyone a safe and happy Halloween!!

I was tagged!

I was tagged on a friend's blog, so I thought I'd do this one! It's the blog o' 8.
And if you are reading this right now, I tag YOU to do it. whahahahhah!

8 Favorite TV Shows

1. CSI (the original one, not NY or Miami)
2. Friends
3. Secret Life of the American Teenager
4. Ghost Hunters
5. Snapped
6. American Idol
7. Full House
8. One Tree Hill

8 Favorite 'Restaurants'

1. TGI Fridays
2. Apollo Burgers
3. Olive Garden
4. Texas Roadhouse
5. Wendy's
6. PF Changs
7. Gourmandise Bakery
8. Su Casa

8 Things that Happened Yesterday

1. Drove to work
2. Went to court
3. Addressed the court because my attorney wasn't there
4. Drove a lot
5. Discussed politics with a co-worker
6. Went to Astro Burgers for dinner with Scottie
7. Watched The Hulk
8. Went to bed late

8 Things to look forward to

1. Owning a home
2. Moving out of this hole I call an apartment
3. Losing weight
4. Being a mama
5. Having a better TV
6. Having new couches
7. Christmas!
8. Scottie coming home from work

8 Things I love about Fall

1. The perfect weather
2. Beautiful leaves
3. The feeling in the air
4. Crispy mornings, perfect afternoons, and cold nights
5. The best holidays come right after fall
6. Pumpkin pie
7. Carving pumpkins!
8. Daylight savings time - getting that extra hour of sleep is amazing.

The McAli's SEMwich!

I told you I'd post pictures, and now it's time to deliver!
Here is the McAli's SEMwich in it's beginning form and as the finish product!
Enjoy!

Hindsight is 20/20

If you didn't read my last post, the don't. If you did, then you'll be happy to know that I was SERIOUSLY over-reacting. I mean, I actually thought that someone didn't like ME! haha

Okay yeah. I had a nice lil chat with the person, and it was all kind of a big misunderstanding, mostly on my part. Although she was a little upset with me, but it was because I did something really stupid, and didn't realize it. She was very good to sit down with me and talk things out.

And now I have learned a lesson.

The lesson is this: Don't do stupid things. And when you do, rectify the situation as soon as possible. And if you did the stupid thing and don't realize it, then ASK someone if you're unsure.

Whew. So. I over-reacted. Big deal. I do that all the time. If anyone knows me really well, they'll know just how much like Monica from Friends I really am. And it's kind of embarassing. But funny at the same time.

Well, I'm settling into a new week, and school starts up again tomorrow for the next 6 week block. I'm kind of excited (to get it overwith) and not so excited for the homework and reading I'll have to be doing. But I desperately need a masters degree if I don't want to work for DCFS the rest of my life.

I've been getting up really early for work lately, and I gotta say, I absolutely LOVE coming in to work at 7 am - there's not many people here, it's quiet, the morning sun is so gorgeous, the roads are clear, and I get to go home earlier! I am making this a new tradition. I've been coming into work at 7 (when I don't need to come in till 9) and I've felt so good the past week!!

And while I'm on the subject of feeling good, I'd like to share my new favorite breakfast with you. It's healthy, quick to make, and easy to take on the go. Here it is. I'll call it McAli's S.e.m.wich. (Sausage Egg Muffin)

Here's what you need:
1 Wheat English Muffin
2 Eggs (or the eggbeaters if you prefer)
1 Morningstar Vegetarian Sausage Patty
1 slice of cheese (optional, but it DOES keep it all together)
and a microwavable bowl.

Here's what you do:
Heat the sausage patty for a minute. Take out and let cool on the counter.
Put the muffin in the toaster, toast to your preference
Crack the two eggs into the bowl, mix with salt and pepper and then cook in the micro for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Place the sausage on the bottom of the muffin, then the eggs (which will be in a perfect little circle), put the cheese on top of the eggs, and put the top on. Then wrap in a paper towel and cook in the micro for 15 seconds. This melts the cheese which holds the whole sandwich together.

Now you're good to go!

It tastes SO much better than the McDonald's egg muffins, are MUCH healthier, and you can be proud because you made it yourself! If I remember to tomorrow morning, I'll take a picture of the one I make and I'll post it. Because we all know that a picture makes a recipe SO much better.

And by the way, Morningstar makes all kinds of amazing vegetarian meat products (that don't taste any different than the real thing). I like the sausage, the chicken patties, hamburgers and corndogs.
It almost makes it easy to eat less meat!

Okay that is all.

Oh the Random Ramblings of Alison

Have you ever gotten the feeling that someone just doesn't like you? Have you ever spent hours trying to impress this person, trying to get the to like you and you just CAN NOT succeed no matter how hard you try?

I've always thought of myself as easy to get along with, laid back, chill, personable and friendly. I've had a couple people in my life that I've clashed with, as most people experience (that reminds me of a Seinfield episode...you may know that one - George can't STAND that Jerry's girlfriend doesn't like him, etc etc etc). But I usually dismiss it, because they usually weren't people that made a significant difference in my life.

But what if this person held your future in their hands? And without warning, they could SQUASH you. Like a little bug that feels at home in your living room but is downright annoying and definitely not welcome. And what if this person disliked you more and more with every effort you made?

I know I'm blowing this WAY out of proportion. But there is a person in my life that I am getting this vibe from. And she's quite an important person in my life. I'm not going to go into detail about who she is and why I feel this way, because that's not the issue. The issue is the mere fact that I feel so stupid and totally don't know what to do.

I feel like all I do is annoy this person. I feel like no matter what, every time I talk to her, or see her, or even walk by her - she's annoyed. I've gone out of my way SO much this week - to the point of losing much needed sleep (while battling a cold), and going the extra mile when it wasn't necessary at all just to prove to this person that I am good enough. But why should it have to be that way? Ugh. I just don't get it.

Maybe as I've gotten older I've developed annoying habits or personality traits. Or maybe as I am a professional, I'm judged for my appearance. Or maybe, just MAYBE, I was wrong to ever assume that this person liked me in the first place. The fact remains that I am struggling with it.

Or it could be that she is having something else going on in her life. Which if that's the case, I wish I could understand it and help her out rather than feel shunned. Know what I mean? Gosh I'm such a baby.

Other than this minor issue...*sigh*...things are going quite well in Warnerland.

I've been doing well on my diet, except for a setback today when I had like 44395943 ounces of Dr Pepper. I went almost 2 weeks without it, and today that was all I wanted. But I've been good about only eating half of what I normally would - which has been awesome. I'm going to keep working on the whole eating right part of my life, and then when that's perfected, I'm going to move on to the exercise routine. I'm looking into buying a used exercise bike to put in front of the TV where I will have no excuse not to get on and pedal away whilst I watch CSI.

Financially things have gotten better. EVERYTHING is caught up, which rocks. We can finally start putting some into savings for our house fund. I am SO relieved about that. That 6 months of me working 1 night a week at a sleep lab totally screwed us over. Grrrrr money.

School is going well, and I'm excited to have met some of the awesomely cool people (like my BFF...you know who you are) and I'm SO excited to be going through this program with my sister. It's such an awesome experience to share with her. I'm so lucky to have such a fantastic sister.

I'm also excited that I've made some cool new friends at work. Who'da thought that social workers could be so...social??? With having Fridays off, we've been able to get together for some rockband playin, and game nights and fun stuff like that. This year has been a good one - bringing much needed people into my life!

I feel like I could ramble on forever. I have so much floating around in my lil wee brain, but it is something like 2 am and I really should sleep, so I can get through the last leg of this cold. I hope this was my cold for the season - I usually get only one per winter. If this wasn't it, then heads are gonna roll. For real.

Lastly, I just need to say that I am SO lucky to be married to Scott. He is such an amazing husband. He cooks, he cleans, he does laundry, he gives me massages, he scratches my back every night before I fall asleep, he works super hard - he's been picking up overtime so we can have the extra cash we've been needing. He does all his homework on time and goes to all his classes, he makes me laugh, he tells me I'm beautiful when he doesn't know I need to hear it the most, he keeps me warm at night, and he always keeps his promises.

I don't know where I'd be without him.

ALRIGHTY THEN.

If you read this far, then you're a diligent soul.
Thanks for stopping by!

What a Fabulous Week!!!

This was a wonderful week! So many great things happened and I feel so much less stressed (WAY less than when I wrote my last post!). Let me start with the weekend. Saturday was an interesting day. We got up, cleaned the house, and watched the morning session of General Conference. And then we got a phone call - someone wanted to buy our Sunfire!! We were so excited - because the sale of the Sunfire meant we would be able to buy the Toyota pickup from my sister - the Toyota that belonged to my brother-in-law. The truck that Scott would have given anything to own, rather than see it go back to the bank.

So we sold the car. We took it over that night! We then stopped by a church so Scott could see one of his favorite people from this mission - Scott Taylor. Scottie was SO excited to see him! After that, we drove to Heber to spend the night at my parent's house and watch General Conference.

I have always loved General Conference. No matter what, I ALWAYS feel like there is a message written just for me. And that rang true once again. I loved Jeffrey R. Holland's talk, and I absolutely LOVE Joseph B. Wirthlin. I also love the spirit that I feel when President Thomas S. Monson speaks. He's always such a compelling speaker - and as the Prophet, that spirit is just magnified SO much! It was another really great experience for me.

That night Scottie brought his new truck home!

Last night, Scottie and I went to see Weezer in concert! I had seen them before in 2002, but Scottie hadn't seen them yet, and Weezer has always been one of Scott's favorite bands. He was truly giddy when I got home from work. I had promised him this past Spring that we would go see Weezer if they ever came in concert. We ended up getting a great deal on tickets and we had pretty decent seats! And Scottie got to see another friend from the mission - Mark Taylor and his wife! I love that Scottie and I know the same people from the mission! It was so great to see the Taylors.



It was hard to get any good pics at the concert because our camera is being fixed, so we just had my phone!


Weezer put on an amazing show, as usual! Angels and Airwaves opened for them, and they're a great band as well. We had a blast, and I was glad we could take some time together and just do something fun! It feels like it's been way too long since we just spent some extra money and just plain had fun. Of course the concert went way too late and neither of us got much sleep last night!! But it was well worth it.

Yay for good weeks!!!

STRESSED OUT.

I don't know if it's just today, but I am ridiculously stressed out!!! I've been trying out new and improved ways of coping with stress, but so far nothing has really worked. The stress of these new coping methods not working is adding to my stress level, and I feel like I'm just going to EXPLODE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So here's why I'm stressed.

Since I started working for DCFS, my life has changed drastically. I used to spend all day at home, being able to keep the house clean and organized, cook dinner, have the laundry all done, etc etc etc. Then I would go to work a couple nights a week at the sleep lab. I got to see Scottie a lot, since he worked at nights also, and we'd have all day to be together. I also had no homework, no stress of school, and although our financial worries were still present, they weren't overbearing.

But NOW - I work four 10 hour days - from 8 am to 6 pm Mon - Thurs. I get home Monday nights at 7, just in time to scrounge something for dinner and try to tidy up what I can before going to bed at 10. Tuesdays I get off work at 5:30 and go straight to U of P where I'm in class till 10:00 at night. Wednesdays I get off work and go spend time with my Grandmother till 8 or 9 at night (which is usually the highlight of my week because my Grandmother is an amazing person) and then Thursdays I usually end up staying late at work to prepare for things on Monday. Fridays are my one day to get things done. Laundry, cleaning, shopping, and the random things that ALWAYS seem to come up. Not to mention homework.

Scottie goes to school Mon, Wed and Fri from 9 am to 3 pm and then goes straight to work till 11. I'm usually in bed when he gets home. He works Tue and Thur from 7 am - 3 pm and then goes to school till 6 pm. I feel like I never get to see him. We do get Thursday nights together for a couple hours, and then Sat and Sun, but we're always going somewhere doing something every weekend. The house seems to always be a mess. There's always dishes or laundry to do. And for some reason, now that I'm making more money, things seem to be more expensive. There's always a random new bill that just shows up. Or there's an ER visit when someone sprains their ankle playing Rockband on the Wii (I wonder who did THAT?!?!!) *cough* SCOTT *cough*

On top of that, my job is incredibly stressful. Not only am I stressed about the things going on in my own personal life, but I have 16 kids to worry about - 16 kids whose parents just don't seem to be gettin it. 16 kids that depend on me to keep them safe and help them with everything they need. 16 kids that only want to be loved. And I don't get why their parents can't do it!!!! Granted, they provide me with job security, so that's the silver lining in the world of DCFS, as sad as that is.

Whew. Okay. Venting session now over.

Now that you probably think I'm absolutely crazy, I was hoping for some stress relief advice. I know I'm not the only one that feels this way - all of you have lives that are just as busy, and more - because most of you have kids!! I can't imagine how you do it - the thought of being a mom right now is ridiculously overwhelming, and I admire each one of you superwomen moms!!!

So what do you do to relax? What gets your mind off the stresses of everyday life? I would love to know your secrets! So do tell!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

The Soundtrack of My Life!

I've done these before, when I've seen bulletins on myspace or whatnot, and I came across another one, but it got the best/funniest results yet! This one is definitely being made into a CD!!

So here's what you do. Open your iTunes, or whatever media player you have, set it to shuffle, and as the songs play, you create the soundtrack of your life! NO SKIPPING!!! You have to take what plays! That's what makes it so fun! So have at it!

Here's mine:

Opening credits.................BEVERLY HILLS - WEEZER
Waking up.........................WHY DON'T YOU GET A JOB - THE OFFSPRING
Average day.......................I HAVE A DREAM - ABBA (MAMMA MIA! SOUNDTRACK)
First date...........................YOUNG BLOOD - BRUCE WILLIS
First kiss............................THE ADVENTURE FINAL - ANGELS AND AIRWAVES
Falling in love....................GOODBYE EARL - DIXIE CHICKS
Love scene..........................WALK ON WATER - AEROSMITH
Fight scene.........................MY HERO - PARAMOUR (FOO FIGHTERS REMAKE)
Breaking up........................MAYBE MISERY - QUIET DRIVE
Getting back together........THE QUIET THINGS THAT NO ONE EVER KNOWS - BRAND NEW
Life's okay..........................THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD - THE BEATLES
Mental breakdown............SHORT SKIRT LONG JACKET - CAKE
Driving...............................WHEN I GET OLD - DESCENDENTS
Learning a lesson..............USED TO - DAUGHTRY
Deep thought.....................7 MINUTES IN HEAVEN - FALLOUT BOY
Flashback..........................GET OVER IT - OK GO
Partying.............................LIVIN ON A PRAYER - BON JOVI
Regret................................THE NIGHT I FELL IN LOVE - PET SHOP BOYS
Long night alone...............LEAVING ON A JET PLANE - BLINK 182 (JOHN DENVER REMAKE)
Death scene.......................LONGER - DAVID ARCHULETA
Closing credits..................SEE THE WORLD - GOMEZ

High School Memories....

I read this on Heather's blog, and I thought it would be fun to think back to high school. It was a pretty interesting experience for me, and it's kind of fun (sometimes) to think back...even though my memory is horrible. But I'll give these questions my best shot!


My Junior Year Picture

1. Did you date someone from your High School?
Well, yeah my first boyfriend was Ryan, when I was 16. We were set up on a blind date on my 16th birthday and we dated for about 3 months. After that I didn't really have a steady boyfriend. I dated a little bit but mostly just hung out with groups of friends. Seemed easier that way!

Ryan and I at a school dance

2. What kind of car did you drive?
On occasion I would drive my mom's Pathfinder or my dad's Grand Prix when I had to work or something. I didn't have a car of my own until my second year of college, when I got Steve, the Pontiac Sunfire. I miss him sometimes.

Steve in his prime!

3. What was the most embarrassing moment of High School for you?
Oh gosh. I don't even know. I did a lot of stupid things but I didn't really get that embarassed. Although, there was one time that Heather and I were riding around town and I was driving my mom's Pathfinder. We were singing to the new Britney Spears cd at the top of our lungs, and as we got close to my house, I noticed a set of flashing red and blue lights. Then another. Then another. I pulled over thinking they needed to pass. Nope. They were there for me. Apparently, they had been following us for the past 2 or so miles, and we hadn't even noticed. The officer let me off with a warning...and it makes for a good story now! Not really embarassing, but no doubt the officer figured he was dealing with another underage blonde.

4. Were you a party animal?
Animal...not so much. But I did like to go to parties on occasion. I loved hanging out with friends and rarely did a weekend pass by where I wasn't out somewhere, much to my parents' dismay!

A group of Friends at a stomp

5. Were you considered a flirt?
You could say that. I didn't realize it at the time, but I did get called a flirt quite a bit. I just thought I was being friendly! haha *shrugs*

6. Were you in Band, Orchestra, or Choir?
I was in Advanced Ladies choir my sophomore year, and then Show Choir (or Madrigals, whatever it was called) my Junior and most of my Senior year. Singing was a big part of my life then, and it still kind of is, but not nearly as much. Now it mostly consists of me singing at the top of my lungs in the car or the shower!

My friends Angie and Sarah and some random guy during a choir competition

7. Were you a nerd?
You know, it's funny. Those that know me best wouldn't consider me a nerd. But one time I went to a blood drive to make up some unexcused absences, and some of the "rebel guys" were there. When they asked why I was there, they were all shocked, and said, "But you're like a nerd - why would you have unexcused absences?" It makes you wonder how people really perceive you!

8. Were you on any Varsity teams?
Varsity...no. But I was on the track team my freshman year. And I was the Varsity girls basketball camera man, which was kinda cool.

9. Did you ever get suspended/expelled?
No. But I did spend quite a few days after school making up the days I decided I had better things to do with my friends then go to class (like road trips to Cedar City....) ha ha

10. Can you still sing the fight song?
Let's see....Team fight for dear old Wasatch, our dear high school...fight for our honor always is the rule...da da da da...ummmm ok I guess the answer would be no. ha

11. Who were your favorite teachers?
Would it be sad if I didn't have any??? If I had to choose, I would probably say Mrs Turnblom (I think that's how it's spelled) because she was a total spaz. Oh yeah and Ms Kutsulis was a total spazzy Spanish teacher and it made it kinda fun. But there really isn't one teacher that stands out. The one that does is actually an 8th grade Science teacher I had...Mrs Conlin. She was amazing.

12. Where did you sit during lunch?
Depends on who I had lunch with. Most of the time we went out - sometimes we ate in the Senior hall, sometimes in the commons area, I don't really know. Just wherever.


At a Halloween Dance - four of us were the Pink Ladies. This is really a horrible picture! ha

13. What was your school's full name?
Wasatch High School

14. School mascot?
Wasp. Blah. Lame.


15. Did you go to Homecoming?
Homecoming...no. But I did go to a few other dances, like Prom, Senior Ball and Preference.

Prefence Senior Year - with Robby


Prefence Junior Year - with Brent

16. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
Absolutely not.

17. What do you remember most about graduation?
It was super hot in the gym. Totally packed, and I was annoyed by the girl that spoke. And I remember I kind of wanted to cry when we sang with the Show Choir but then I remembered that I couldn't wait to get out of high school and move on!

Heather and I after finally escaping the sauna that was graduation.

18. Where did you go Senior Skip Day?
Lagoon! With Heather and Valerie and Emmy. I got sunburned that day. It was so much fun!

19. Were you in any clubs?
Yes - Spirit club, FBLA - I LOVED going to the competitions. I won first place in public speaking and word processing a few times each! It was a lot of fun! And my Senior year I was in Journalism, which was fun too. Let's see...I know I was in a couple more but I really don't remember! I was involved in the drama stuff I guess, because I was in a couple of plays - Lil Abner and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Lil Abner

How To Succeed

20. Have you gained some weight since then?
Definitely. Quite a bit actually. Ugh. But I'm working on losing it!!


In Hawaii with my parents and grandparents.

21. Who was your Prom Date?
One year it was Ryan, and the other year...well, I don't remember his name. How terrible is THAT? I think it was like Devon or something. He was really tall, as you can see.


22. 10 year Reunion? Are you planning on going?
Definitely not.

23. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself?
Save all your money, work harder at getting better grades for scholarships, get in better study habits, and develop a love for exercising!


Okay - if you just read this, now it's your turn to blog it!! Yay! I'll be checking.....so DO IT!

It's Time For Another....LIFE UPDATE!

It's been a hectic summer. And things keep on changing...

So here's what's new in the Warner home. First of all, about 3 weeks ago we found a new home for our cats, Jag and Jawz. It was just too hard to keep them, with how little time we spend at home these days. A woman who had a big huge house, 7 kids and 3 cats decided she wanted our boys for her...collection I guess. ha ha She provided each cat with it's own bed, litter box and food bowl as well as a child's lap to cuddle in. I was happy to see them go to such a great family. I miss them a lot, but Scottie promised me that when we buy our house, we'll get a cat to go with it.

Scott no longer works his part time security job so I get to have him home at night now! I am happy about that. He works full time at the Juvenile Detention Center. He is so good at his job and I am so proud of him! He is one of the few staff members there that can really get through to the kids and get them to do what they're supposed to. It could be because they are afraid to mess with him (and I don't blame them), but he is the kind of guy you can't help but respect and like. He's just amazing like that.

Scottie started school yesterday. He is going to Salt Lake Community College for his Bachelors. We're both excited to have him back in school, although we have to pay for it out of pocket since the government decided we made $1000 too much last year. Pfffffffft. You do what you have to do I suppose.

I start school on Tuesday. I'm attending the University of Phoenix for a Masters in School Counseling. I am actually going through the program with my sister Amy, so I am really excited that we get to do that together. So in two years I'll officially be able to be a school counselor! I am so thrilled about it! I'm getting closer to my ideal career!

We've still slowly been working on the adoption papers, but we are having a hard time with it now that we're both back in school. We're considering waiting for a little while longer before filing them. It just isn't feeling right at the moment. I want to be a mother so badly, but I also want to make sure that it feels right and that things are working out as they should. I know it's not something we should put off for long, heck, I'll be 27 in 5 months. I just know that I will know when the time is right.

My job with DCFS has gotten a teeny tiny bit easier. I sort of have an idea what I'm doing. And with my caseload growing bigger and bigger, I'm learning a lot FAST. I love my office, my coworkers are fantastic people, and I really do enjoy this job so much! I am really lucky to have it. And with this new schedule of having Fridays off, I get one whole day to myself to just get my house looking decent, laundry done, bills paid and then spend the "real" weekend with Scott without having to worry about chores! It's great. Of course the 10 hour days are still taking some getting used to - especially on days like Tuesday when 7 of my 10 hours are spend in court trials. Ugh.

Finally, we're actually losing weight! Scott and I have been very diligent on our "diet" (it's not really a diet per se, it's more of an eating-right-not-eating-out-anymore kind of deal). We have fresh fruit and vegetables every day, wheats and grains every day, as much dairy as we can handle (being lactose intolerant makes that one hard but dairy helps with weight loss), and we eat sugar pretty sparingly. It's made a huge difference in my day to day activities - I have so much more energy and I feel like I get so much more done. And my clothes are fitting better! I don't have an actual amount in pounds of how much I've lost so far, because I am not so concerned about that. I'm concerned about how I feel and about how my clothes fit, and how I see myself when I look in the mirror. I still have a WAYS to go, but I've done this before, I can do it again.

It's funny how each of us are handed our own little struggles to deal with in our lives. My big struggle my whole life has always been my weight. When I was a missionary, I was finally at my ideal weight after having lost 70 lbs. Coming home and getting married was detrimental on my waist line, and I gained it all back. My goal for now is to lose 50 of it before next June. My sister Anne is getting married in Mexico, and it's going to be fabulous. But I want to feel and look good then! It makes things a little easier when I have a goal to shoot for. So wish me luck!

That's about all that's really changed. It's been awfully strange without Sean around, and we're still trying to get used to that. He's been gone a month now, but it will take many years before our hearts are fully healed. You can't have a person like him in your life and easily recover from losing him.

Anyway, thanks for reading! I really do need to find a way to make my blog entries a LOT shorter....

Sean Sivertsen: Our Superman

Bagpipes beautifully played Amazing Grace as 8 teary eyed young men carried the mahogony casket to the gravesite through two long lines of saluting police officers. Tears streamed down every cheek as hundreds gathered near to say goodbye to one of the best men this world has EVER known.

Sean Sivertsen was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 20. When most young men are going off to college or serving missions, Sean was beginning an honorable battle with something no one wants to face. In 2004, he met Amy Boulter, a young single mother that took his breath away and instantly stole his heart. They fell in love quickly - seeing in each other something amazing, something very special, something most people will never see in someone else. True love in it's most perfect form. As they dated that first year, people watched with envy as Sean treated Amy with the utmost respect, even through disagreements. They watched as Amy selflessly served Sean during times of illness. And they watched as they fell into a love that only a fraction of the world will ever experience.

In December of 2005, on a beautiful snowy evening on Temple Square, Sean asked Amy to marry him. She didn't hesitate for a second. Afterall, they were the closest thing to soul mates that ever existed. Over the next year, they eagerly planned their wedding. We all looked forward to watching these two amazing people be sealed together in the temple for eternity. They deserved nothing less.

In November of 2006, a month before the wedding, Sean fell ill once again, as more tumors appeared. The doctors and nurses at the Huntsman Cancer Institute worked with what can only be explained as divine intervention. The tumors just seemed to disappear. Three weeks later, Amy and Sean entered the Salt Lake City temple, and were sealed together as a family. It was a ceremony that will never be forgotten. So much love filled that room. The spirit filled it as well, and tears of joy adorned the cheeks of those who were lucky enough to be there. The newly married couple were off to a gorgeous honeymoon in the Caribbean. After that, as a family of three, Sean and Amy took their son Jasen to Disneyland for the first time. The little family was already so close, and spending time together at the most magical place on earth only strengthened that!

In 2007, Sean signed on to start the Police Academy, with the Summit County Department of Corrections. He was to start in November, and nothing made him more excited! He wanted two things in life - to be a father, and a police officer. He had become an exceptional father, and now his dream of becoming a police officer was about to be realized. But he was about to face another battle: more tumors. This time they were on his brain. He needed to have surgery to remove the largest tumor, and would undergo pinpoint radiation treatments for the remaining. The academy would have to be delayed, for who knew how long.

The brain surgery went amazingly well, and the doctors were very pleased with the progress. That afternoon, Sean was up and was literally dancing down the halls of the hospital, with nurses and doctors watching in amazement. Sean had been training so hard, running miles and miles every day and exercising tirelessly to prepare himself for the academy. This, doctors said, had made his body so strong, that he made brain surgery look like a walk in the park. He was released shortly after that, and was able to start the academy at the beginning of 2008.

Sean was one of the most diligent human beings on earth. While undergoing radiation treatments and suffering chronic headaches and pain due to the remaining tumors on his brain, he finished the academy with flying colors in May 2008. At his graduation, he beamed with pride as an honorable officer of the law. His lieutenant couldn't help but express to his family just how proud he was of Sean and how incredible a person he knew he was. Of course no one knew that better than his wife and son.

Near the end of June, Sean's health began to decline rapidly. Tumors started to appear on the spine, and more on his brain. The doctors began a new treatment, one that wasn't guaranteed to work, but had a good possibility. However, when asked if this would ever go away, the attending doctor gave a sobering answer, which had already been known. It wouldn't.

In July, after much thought, prayer, and discussion with Amy, Sean knew he couldn't fight it much longer. The cancer was too strong, and his body, as strong as it was, just wasn't enough to fight. He had already been fighting for 9 years. God was calling him home, and he knew he needed to go. On July 23, 2008 at 1:05 pm, Sean slipped quietly from this mortal life, from the painful body that was holding him here, and returned home to his Father in Heaven. He was surrounded by his loved ones, most importantly his wife, whom he loved with all his heart.

Sean was our superman for SO many reasons. So many that if they were all to be listed here, it would take days to read. He would never let on to anyone just how sick he was, or how much pain he was in. The scars on his head and body were mere symbols of what he had been through and what he was currently facing. Not only did he continue to push himself to be the best he could be, he encouraged others to do the same, without even saying a word. Just being around Sean made someone want to be a better person. From his work with the Special Olympics to his selfless service as a police officer and father, Sean touched thousands of lives in a very short time. Sean never uttered an unkind thing to or about another person. Sean never raised his voice in anger. Sean taught his son special and important life lessons in a loving and spiritual way.

There's no question why God called him home early - there are hundreds of thousands of souls in need of a leader, a strong, amazing spiritual giant, and Sean is that man. That superman, who's powers exceed any one of Clark Kent's. The power of true love, the power of charity, the power of selflessness, the power to withstand the most excruciating mortal pain and bear it like a saint, the power to change his life and others for the better, without even meaning to. Knowing Sean was a blessing. Looking forward to seeing him again someday is a privelage. And his presence in this world is something that can never be replaced. The world is a better place for having him here, and we are better for knowing him.

Sean will NEVER be forgotten. Not by a single person who ever had the honor of knowing him. And he will live on through the memories created during his short time on this earth.

Until we meet again, Superman!

Trying my hand at something new...

My sister Anne has always been a very talented scrapbooker. I, on the other hand, have been quite the opposite. I have made two scrapbooks in my life (if you can even call them scrapbooks) and they have both been pretty terrible.

I'm very good at putting pictures in photo albums, and even writing on the little tabs who or what is in the picture. But I've just never been good at being creative and making cute pages out of pictures. Earlier today Anne called and asked if I would like to come scrapbook with her. I've had a bunch of scrapbooking supplies that my mother-in-law had given me before Scott and I got married. So I figured, I might as well give it a shot, and she said she'd be there to help me out.

Two hours later, I had produced my first official scrapbook pages (that didn't look like a collage made by a 4 year old). I decided that enjoyed it enough to make it a weekly tradition! So here are my pages for your viewing pleasure! I know I have a LOT to work on, and it's obvious I'm a beginner, but I am proud of them for being as inexperienced as I am! The first one is of our wedding invitation, and the second one was of our first dance as husband and wife!

Enjoy!

Our wedding invitation


Our first dance



My sister Anne hard at work!


One of Anne's many scrapbook pages


A very cute page of Anne's from when Jasen was a baby