Holy Colee!

Yes, I stole this one too...

A- Attached or Single: attached

B- Best Friend: my mom

C-Cake or Pie: cake

D- Day of Choice: Saturday

E- Essential Item: watch

F- Favorite Color: Purple

G- Gummy bears or worms: chocolate covered bears

H- Hometown: Dingle, Id

I- Indulgence: brownies

J- January or July: July

K-Kids: someday

L- Life is incomplete without: The gospel - it gives me strength and happiness

M- Marriage Date: TBD

N- Number of Siblings: 1 brother, 4 sisters

O- Oranges or Apples: both have a place – Oranges in December, Apples in peanut butter

P- Phobias or Fears: Driving off the side of the canyon in a semi truck…

Q- Quote: Don’t tell God how big your problem is. Tell your problem how big your God is.

R- Ring Size: 6 1/2

S- Season: Spring

T- Tag 3 Friends: John, Kym, Amy

U-Unknown Fact About Me: I’m a pretty open book

V- Very Favorite Store: Shop-ko - yes, really

W- Worst Habit: slothfulness

X- X-ray or Ultra sound: whatever they use to find kidney stones - CT scan

Y- Your Favorite Food: Popcorn :)

Z- Zodiac: Leo

I stole this from Dominoe :)
Basically, you copy and paste the list, and then bold things that you have done. Feel free to join me!

200 Have and Have nots!

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a professional sports game
17. Been to the top of the Sears Tower
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone snorkling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Sung on a CD
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Seen the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to see someone you love in hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play on Broadway
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn't need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo's David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone's life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to sew
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had chicken pox
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter's Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik's cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Gotten a professional massage

I am not proud to admit that I fell victim to the advertisements...I broke down and tried the prime rib burger at Carl's Jr.... If you like horseradish, it's a winner. If not, I'd probably steer clear.

Sorry, life is pretty quiet right now. I've started making wedding plans, but it's hard to do with out a date chosen. But at least I have more ideas than I ever have before??

Ps - I still need your address (unless you're Matt).

I've started my guest list and come to the realization.... If you want an invitation, I need your address :) If you don't want to leave it here, you can email me. If you don't have my email address, I have to doubt that you really know me... but leave a comment and I'll respond ;)

Friday night we actually did join the kids at the campground. The coolest part is that we got to watch fireflies. Most people will tell you that there are no fireflies east of the mississippi, but that is not 100% true... they are just much harder to find. I had seen them once before, but it was last year at the end of the season. This year they were out in force... SUPER cool.
Camping was pretty fun in general. There were more people than I was expecting, but that is a good thing.
This week has been pretty quiet... nothing extraordinary to report...

But Kym, no, there is no date yet. We are still waiting for immigration services.

On Father's Day, I went out to visit and ended up going fishing with the kids. I have fished my whole life, but caught a fish like, oh, 1 time. I used to love going up the canyon with my grandma Golda who enjoyed going fishing. My grandma Claire is also a master fisherwoman (my grandpa says when he takes her, he doesn't even have to turn the fishfinder on. She can feel them).... I obviously am not. However - I caught 2 fishes!!!! So maybe they weren't the largest fish ever pulled from a stream, but 2!! :D Between the whole of us we ended up with 7. Alice made them up for a lovely fish dinner. It was super tasty. And, I found out, about half the kids won't eat fish. All the more for me, I say. I never met a trout I didn't like ;)

The rest of the week has been pretty quiet. Monday we cleaned up the lawn, Tuesday we cleaned up the house. Oh, and mom got her summer highlights done - They look super hot, so if you see her, tell her :) Yesterday we drove to Logan and did a little service. Good times!

Today the kids and Kelly are out setting up the campground. We'll join them after work. Tomorrow night I might even end up sleeping over... one never can tell.

Oh yeah, I am actually starting to you know, PLAN a wedding... pick decorations, a theme, flowers... stuff... so, if you have any fabulous ideas - send em over :D

It's been a a good week. First of all, the weather finally decided to be summerish, even in Dingle. It was a well timed change, for we had a yardsale this weekend. I am putting it in writing that having a yardsale is FAR more work than it is worth. Sure I made a few bucks, but it wasn't worth 2 days of my time. I also managed to get a pretty decent sunburn out of the deal. I was trying to tan, so it's my own fault. I am a big girl and should know that 6 hours in the sun is a little more than tan timing. On the good side, I did manage to burn all the way up my arm - so at least there won't be a farmer tan line ;)

Friday night I got invited to go to the hot pots with my brother and sisters. I haven't been there since I was in middle school... which is sad I guess, as they are only like 40 minutes away. I fancy myself a lover of a good hot bath. It is the answer for many of life's questions. So big pools of hot water should be like my ultimate happy place. Dude, those pools are HOT. It's kind of funny because really, no one sits in them or is out in the middle. It's just a bunch of people sitting around the edge about legs deep. There are a few kids who are not swayed and are out in the center, but very few of those even. I'm thinking the next time I go back, it will be winter... snow on top, hot on bottom - it's all about balance :)

Today my mom gets to speak in church :) After church Cannon and I will head out to Georgetown to hang out with our fathers :) Happy Father's Day!

If anyone needs a good breakup/recovery song, I would like to make a suggestion. Alanis Morrisette has a new album out this week. There is a song called "Not as We" I like Alanis anyway, but check it out. It's worth a listen.

You know when you see gas at $3.89 and you think, I had better fill up! That is a sad sad day. I did have a really good weekend though. I spent Saturday with my grandparents (Happy Birthday, Grandpa!). Sunday evening I was invited to a fireside with Sheri Dew. I must admit I was a little skeptical as sometimes it seems like she only has one topic, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was actually the most hope I’ve felt in a while.

Today I move on to the task of trying to get my dryer fixed… again.

Hey – we’re having a yard sale this weekend – if you’re in Dingle, you should totally stop by and see us :D

I can't decide if they have too much time on their hands, or if I am jealous of what they can do with it... check out the pics...

http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com/

My garden is sprouting!!! It's been raining everyday since I planted it, but somehow it has managed to grow :)

Grow little sprouts! Grow!

Oh yeah, it was a totally rainy icky day, so Monica and I celebrated her belated birthday by spending our entire Monday inside the movie theater. We saw Indiana Jones, Prince Caspian, and Iron Man. Talk about a range of emotions to have compressed into less than 7 hours. I probably could have done with out the aliens, but other than that, I really enjoyed all 3 shows.

I learned 2 things from this experience. 1-standing in lines before movies is pointless. We got there right as the movies were starting and we had perfect seats for all of them, even though the theaters were packed when we got in. 2- Order the super nachos. They are the only food item I have found in a theater that actually felt like I got my money's worth. $5.75 and there were so many of them I couldn't finish. Trust me, for as much as I love nachos - THAT is a feat.

This evening I went up to visit Monica while she was dog sitting. The house she is at has PS3 and a Wii... Yeah, I am a Karaoke superstar :) OK, so I was really good at the 80s stuff, but the current Pop... not so much.
As far as the Wii goes, it's only my 3rd time ever playing. The first time was at a party with way too many people all needing to take turns, I am not a very good sharer. The middle time was when Matt brought his over. That was much more fun. I learned how to drive knitted cows into scarecrows AND found out I like to box.
This time we were not really sure at all how to play the games they had, so we spent a little time realizing my video driving skills are not improving - yay mariokart- and then we played a game that taught you all kinds of poses with the controller. Since I am far from being considered a "Natural" it was probably super useful.

Ok, so the dog she is sitting is called a Doodle, yes, really. It's a retreiver/poodle mix. It's like the biggest poodle you'll ever see. Big black dog with floppy ears and curly hair. Slightly creepy, very good natured, but I think I will go for something a little smaller, should my future hold dog ownership.

Round 1

David Cook – U2 will always be king, but that was AMAZING

David Archuleta – Ok, so I never really noticed how he does close his eyes a lot…I hate that song, it’s not his fault.

Round 2

DC – It felt like an 80s rock song, that’s a good thing. I think Simon got irritated by being accused of being a Cook fan… He’s swung the other way very fast

DA – He reminds me a lot of Reuben. He is GREAT at his thing, in this case Ballads, but when he gets out of his chosen genre he becomes extremely ordinary. But hey, lots of people get by with one genre… I mean, check out Frank Sinatra

Ps – May 13th has been declared Frank Sinatra day :) Now is the time to buy your sport coat and hair gel.

Round 3

DC – Have I mentioned I am a fan?

DA – I could listen to him for a long time, but I can’t really watch him. Hey, that reminds me, did anyone else see Justin Guarini in the audience a while back? Is he still around??


I am pretty sure I am going to be kicked out of the state, but I am voting Cook.

I’m trying to decide on the judges… do you think they are just trying to throw those Vegas odd makers off? Or maybe trying to help Cook lose so that he makes more money?

So that's what we'll do...
He never said how big it had to be :) I planted a bucket garden last night. I planted 2 tomato plants, kholorobi, radishes, spinach, a jalepeno, and green onions :D Cross your fingers... I've never had my own garden before. If it grows you're invited over for salad and salsa :) If it doesn't you can still come over, I'll just have to go to the store first.

Last week was an awesome week. First of all, I got to go home. I spent Mother's day with my mother, funny how that works. We actually went up to my aunt and uncle's home for a fabulous dutch oven dinner. Monday was Cannon's birthday... I am still not sure how he is 9, but that's what he keeps telling me. Alice made him a cake shaped like a cowboy hat. It was uber tasty.
Wednesday I took the day off to make lunch for the quilting ladies. It reminded me of one of the reasons I love Dingle so much. Things go full circle. The ladies that quilt range in age from my mom's younger sister, all the way up to the ladies that are the age of my grandma. At least a 40 year span if not more. These same awesome women that were my mom's mom's friends are also my mom's friends and for that matter, they are my friends. Make that a 60 year span. There is a lot to be said for having social circles of people your own age, but I really have learned so much from watching these women, not just that day, but my whole life. They have gone through so many different things, heartaches,joys, births, deaths, love and loss. It is great just spending time with them to see the women they are today and learn about the things that have made them that way. Don't get me wrong, some of them are a little crazy ;) but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thursday I took the day off, to sleep. That got ruined by a work call, oh, and making sure Cannon got on the bus with his lunch for his field trip, but that was fun, so I'll blame the 7 am work call. I also got to mow the lawn. In the afternoon Mom and I went to the chiropractor, which I loved and Mom hated. We took the scenic route home from Soda through Nounan. It was really pretty. I don't think I have ever been all the way on that road before so it was neat.

Friday I really just took the day off... I took Mom's bike and Heather and I went for a bit of a bike ride around the village. I got some much needed sun. I am SUCH a pasty white girl. My legs never turn, but at least my arms and face can tan ;) I also went for a ride around the village with Kelly, but we drove. In the evening Mom and I did a little more yard work... very very productive day:)

Saturday was Scrapbook Day! at the library. They have scrapbook day twice a year. I had missed it in Novemeber because of the Turkey Shoot, so I was glad I got to go this time. It took all day (9-6 with a lunch) and I finished 3 layouts... I am the slowest scrapbooker ever, but they are super cute. Now I just need to, you know, put some pictures on them. I even won a prize :) yay:)

Sunday we got to go to church in our pretty new remodeled building. It's not perfect, but it's ours and it's beautiful. It will make a lovely place for a wedding and open house...

OK, so that's the deal, that's where I've been all week.... now you know

David C – it was unmemorable that by the end of the song, I had already forgotten what it was he sang… bad sign, especially because I like him.

Syesha –how can she not think it was a Tina Turner impression when she wore the same dress?? Tamyra did a better job when she was on Mad about You a couple of years ago. Also, is it just me or does she have the most versatile hair ever?

Jason – I still want him to cut his hair. He actually changed the song a little, imagine that.

David A – So far the only song that showed off any range tonight.

Davis C – weird song, well done.

Syesha – the tears were a bit much.

Jason – I know I am probably communist, but Bob Dylan is kind of hit or miss for me. And Jason forgetting the lyrics, was not so cool, but I still actually liked this one better.

David A – A classic, different enough to say it was, but true enough to know why it is a classic.

Desi and Berns


My girls :)


Butch - as the baby Jesus, an uncanny resemblance I think ;)


The Squid

The next 3 are the view out of my window at the hotel...

In no particular order


The view from my room at the Bellevue


The view from my room at the Pen


The soldier's cemetery


Monument - outside


Monument - inside


Alabang Town Center - at night


Alabang FL team :)


Pia - and my fabulous yellow vest


My girls


The FL team with Noreen and Pia

Ok, the next ones aren't from Alabang, but they are worth having on here :)


Kevin :)


Jason

I will be home tonight. I won't lie. I am fairly excited about it. I've had a fabulous couple of weeks, but I hate living out of a suitcase and eating at restaurants every meal.
When I got off the plane in Japan, it was just after noon, Sunday. When I got off the plane in Minneapolis, it was just after noon, Sunday. Um, yeah... talk about confusing. One thing I know is that tonight, I will sleep well.

The business lounge here is very lovely. I scored a great seat to wait my 5 hour layover... yeah, really... Ugh. Anyway.. that's where I am, and where I am headed.

Happy Sunday.