Things that make me go.... ewww. *twitch*

Have you ever just looked at some things and wondered WHY somebody ever thought of those things? Like doilies. What is the purpose? They scare me. They remind me of funeral homes. Why does anybody need a doily? If you want to set something on a glass table, use a coaster. And those finger-less gloves. Isn't the purpose of the gloves to keep your fingers warm?

I found some things that evoked that same reaction. We found this fish, full of balls, in our hotel room. Why? WHY would you want this fish full of balls? I understand you want to keep all your shiny balls together, but why in a fish?

And the best of all things creepy, I found this creepy grandma fairy. She was in a Christmas store, staring at me with her evil eyes behind those evil spectacles. I think she might represent Satan, really. Why would ANYONE ever need a creepy grandma fairy.... with a fan? If she's so HOT, then maybe she should take that thing off her neck.

I know I'm not always the brightest person, but I don't get it.

November - smooching, babies, jig

I LOVE the fall. I love sweaters, falling leaves, jackets, hot chocolate, fireplaces, turkey, spandex, pudding, and squishy things. (These are all fall things, of course). This fall has FLOWN by, and November especially was FABULOUS.

I was reminded of so many things to be grateful for this month. I am BLESSED in so many things and need to remind myself of this more often.

I am blessed in love. I am married to the most wonderful, dimpled, drooly, stinky, handsome, quirky, intelligent man for me that has ever existed. I don't know how I suckered him into picking me (I think it involved a baseball bat and Valium), but I am so lucky. I was reminded of all these TENDER PRECIOUS feelings when one of my best friends in this world, Kisty, was married to the love of her life this month. We had the privilege of being present in the Salt Lake Temple to witness their wonderful sealing. They were so happy and so perfect for each other, and it's good to be reminded of these things once in awhile. I got to catch up with a few friends I haven't seen in awhile, like Carrie, Kristen, and Emily. LOVE!!

Kristen & I waited outside of the temple after the wedding in the freezing cold so that we could embarrass Kisty with some inappropriate question about the wedding night right when she came out. What are friends for?

I am also so blessed with my friends. I'm so grateful to all of you for putting up with my fat cheeks and farting noises and rampages about teenagers. Here below you see beautiful Kristen, Kisty, and retard. (I was half involved in an Irish jig).

Get a room!!!The very next day, my good friend from high school Angela is so wonderful and put together a baby shower for our friend Afton. It was a lot of fun! I got to see a few other friends I hadn't seen since that time too and it's always fun to catch up.
Afton is having a little girl and I can't think of anyone else that would make a greater mother. She mothered me all through high school when it was much needed! She always helped me get back in line and wiped my snotty nose!
Jake's sister Chantel is also having a baby boy in January and we threw a shower for her. It was also full of good things like food, poo talk, and belly rubbing. I am very grateful to see so many people I love being blessed with their own little families. My time will come, I know!!

I'm seriously so blessed (snicker, snicker..... foul noise).. No, really, I am!! Even with bad, sad, lonely, angry, and smelly days, I am making the effort to whine a little less and appreciate more!

Don't tell me my biz-ness, debil woman!

I often lament about my aging. I can’t help it – I am an ornery old cat lady and was always MEANT to be one. I am recently encountering the worst thing about aging yet – the curse of devil sugar.
I have always, ALWAYS been such a sweet tooth. I always prided myself as well when I was younger of eating more than ten men and seven gorillas. Then this whole aging thing hits, where instead of all those extra calories magically disappearing, they somehow get stuck in lumps on your body. What’s the deal, seriously?
My curse seems to be of the cheeks. I don’t gain weight anywhere as much as my CHEEKS. (Well, the bum ones AND the head ones). To this, I say …. No. I figure I better stop the cheek gaining before it turns into my body looking like a lump of cottage cheese inside a garbage bag. I have been exercising regularly (including jazzercising) and TRY to eat so well. I JUST CANNOT WITHSTAND THE EVIL TEMPTATIONS!! How do you stay strong when everyone around you all day is eating mountains of fabulous sugar? How can I get my head, with the fat cheeks and all, to say no to my very conniving tummy? And WHY is it that some people, my hot husband included, can EAT this satan-derived goodness and STILL not look so … cheeky??

Rodent be gone

OK, I'm insane, and I know it. Things are getting better here after this whole life-change thing, but it doesn't make me any less crazy. We are starting to meet some awesome new people, work is getting really interesting as they are training me to start diagnostical drug/alcohol assessments on kids, and we're facing the ever-important life changing decisions: grad school, babies, babies, babies, fat rolls, and puppies.
I just think I am going through my first mid-life crisis. I can't really get a tattoo, I don't need hair implants, and I already have enough metal in me and don't need piercings. I had other crazy ideas, like starting a cat breeding business in the wilderness, but I don't like cats and dirt makes me cough. So I gave in and took the majority vote on what to do when you're in a funk: I chopped my hair.

Ev: 'I look like a wet rat with this hair. Fix it.'
Hair lady: 'I'm afraid of rats.'
I haven't really been this dark before, but I LIKE IT!! I'm so sassy I think I can pass gas in public and get away with it!

Does it still look like a chipmunk died on my head? Part of going through mid-life crises is reinforcement!

Hey Satan

It's Election Day. I have pretty strong political views.... and I could create a very patriotic, intelligent post concerning the aforementioned views. It seems all everyone around me is consumed with. So today I just want to post about Satan.

Ev: "Hey Satan."

Jake: "I have awesome horns."

Last weekend we had the chance to carpool with Jake's sis down to Utah to see the family. We forgot to bring Halloween costumes for the annual party, so we decided to just be evil. See above.

Jake also thought he would be a double-dresser-upper and he decided to be a rapstar with my daddy. Here we have 'The Real Slim Jakey' and 'Papa Smurf......Masta P". Wiki Wiki. Dad's sunglasses are girl's glasses, by the way. I think we ruined him.....

We split the time in between Jake's family and my family. I also decided to add to my self-depracating sense of humor and post yet another embarrassing thing.... this picture. This has got to be the most attractive one I have ever taken. I am imagining Jake thinking...."I'm so lucky to have married a woman who looks like a transvestite that has awesome fish lips".

That night we had the annual Baird Halloween party. It was a bittersweet time. It was the first year since our dear Candace has passed and she always loved this party especially. We still had fun. I mean, how can you not smile a little when Richard Simmons is in your midst?

I'm also very proud of this last picture. This is the first girls picture where my butt is NOT sticking out in front of everybody. Yeah for going all conservative, Ev!!

I wish everybody a Happy Election Day. Try to watch out for Satan!

You're not Cool unless you Drool

I have discovered an awesome, AMAZING new talent. One that will leave you shaking in your seat out of jealousy. (Please, try to control yourselves). I've always known I'm a drooler. I awaken each morning to the pleasant sensation of moisture on my pillow. I will fall asleep cuddling with my boy, and wake up to drool all up his chest. It's a pretty attractive thing.

At my new job, I have a lot more down-time in between clients and projects. It's something I'm not really used to. Add on top of that that most nights I don't sleep more than 4 hours.... I get a little drowsy and woozy. I was sitting here at work today, staring at the computer, and I found myself drooling. Drooling, completely awake and sitting up, so bad that it hit the desk. I always knew it took talent to drool in your sleep, but doing so AWAKE, and SITTING UP, now THAT is pretty amazing!!!

Smacking and crying

I am being a big old baby, I think. I have been so excited for this exciting move to Boise and all the needed changes it is bringing to our lives. Jake and I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it was meant to be and we need to be here. But I can't help the feeling over the last couple of weeks that my life has been turned all flippity and I just am so.... homesick!! Honestly, I love the area up here, our new house, and our new jobs. It's just that I've hit this patch of... I don't know, weirdness.
It is pathetic that this is the first big move for me. After high school I moved all the way from Tremonton to Logan. One big old fat half-hour.
I was lucky to be able to experience many things, to travel all over the country and the world, but I never stayed for longer than 6 weeks. Now here I am, in the middle of Idaho (not the scariest place), and I am SKEERED (that's white trash talk for scared). Jake's sister is up here and we are very blessed to have her, because without her I think we would be utterly lost. We have only been up here to go to our new ward once, and it is so huge, I think three people noticed we were new. Our neighborhood is all new construction and so there aren't many people we have met. Work is awesome, and I have so many people who are so nice here, but we still feel so...alone? Bwah.
Here are a few things I miss. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss my old job. Not really the job, but a lot of the familiarity and the people. I really miss my friend Jamy because she was my sanity. This picture explains it - here she is eating a magic pickle.
We still keep in touch but it's not the same!! I miss going on treat runs every day, and to making fun of everyone we see, and to being able to vent. I totally miss having my own office. At my new job in the Court up here, we're in the transition of moving to another building so they set me up front by the receptionist. She is fabulous and funny, but all I hear all day is her smacking her gum. I think I'm going crazy. I was spoiled to be able to shut the door and only listen to MYSELF smacking, to being able to smell only myself, and to doing the macarena if I so wished.
Here are Mandy, Jamy, and I at a conference in St. George. Miss those too.

I miss my fam-damily. Even the Becca thing. I miss not being able to pick up and drive home when a sister is having an emergency or being able to meet my mom in Logan. Bwah.
I miss my old neighborhood terribly. We were so blessed to have such an amazing ward with so many friends and neighbors. I miss my young women. They are so cute and keep me updated through emails about everything. Here is Nichelle on her FIRST DATE!!
I missed it and I wasn't able to be there to embarrass her and try to make her date go running!!

I'm sure I will start to feel comfortable up here with time, but it's hard getting there. I've hit this identity crisis thing where nothing is familiar to me, especially not myself. I dont' know if I am making sense, and probably it's more of this in-coherent rambling that you all shake your head sympathetically and say 'Dumb, crazy old cat lady Ev' under your breath at me, but I am just having a.... weird time. I just want to know... has anyone been here? What can I do to feel better? My coping mechanisms include a robe, avocados, vaseline, and sticky notes.... so they're not very great. I'm looking for any help I can get! Bwah!!!

Oh No you did-unt!!!

Jakey found this picture on a website. I have not been able to stop laughing for oh, say, three days straight. I need to wear plastic underpants.

To chop.... or not to chop.... (*dying sounds*)

So, there are many occasions where I hate being a girl. Don't get excited - I am not looking to be a BOY with all their friggidy-diggidyness, but some things aren't at ALL fair to us glorious women creatures. AM I RIGHT, LADIES? The whole carrying-a-baby, pushing-a-watermelon-out-a-hole-the-size-of-a-chapstick-tube, monthly happy hour thing..... not so crazy about.

One of the things on my hate-the-drama-girl list is the problem of hair. If I had it my way, we would all be bald, beautiful, shiny people. Boys can live in that world. They never have to worry about these things, and they just get to play with mud.

I try to be pretty un-dramatic, anti-girl (oh wait....) but HAIR is one thing I will never get a handle on. I have never liked my hair since the day after I got married. Never worried or hardly cared about it too much before that. But then the hair got old the minute I hurtled myself over the altar. I have had many wonderful friends and family, especially Julie and April, who have cut and helped with the hair. I always love the haircut- for like 2 weeks, or right after THEY style it and do it. And then it's back to the same old I-wanna-break-the-mirror-everytime-I-look-in-it crap. What is the deal? Is it just crazy diddly me or am I yet to find the right haircut for my big old face?

So I find myself in a freak-out-being-a-girl moment. I almost went and hacked all the hair off on my lunch break. The person I see in the mirror is definitely some lunatic that I don't know anything about. I have been growing my hair out over the last 9 months. The longer it gets, the more I hate it. It's in the stupid in-between stage of dumbness, and I keep thinking the longer it gets, the more I'll like it. Or will I hate it more and regret it?? I'm not so good at doing the hair and so is it worse to go short?
I am very lucky to be married to a wonderful, playing-in-the-mud-kind-of-boy, that always tells me he loves me and I'm beautiful to him no matter what. But he's a liar too. He will never help me with the hair question.

So I am pleading, begging, on my knees, tears in my eyes, and with GIRL drama, to ask for your input. To chop.... or not to chop.... that is the question!! And-I-promise-not-to-put-so-many-dashes-in-my-future-sentences too!

6 Quirks!!!!!!

Di, my good friend, is fabulous but sometimes evil. Those who know me know I can't be dared or told to do something and NOT do it. So she dared to tag me, and I will dare to do it.
**Side note**I feel bad about delaying the posting for so long but life has been like a big bag of vomit and a hurricane. It's been SO crazy!! I am trying to get the house put together so there will be no pictures until I can get out of boxes. (Ah, the shame). But we're alive and happy!!

Quirk #1 - I have the most freaky feet ever known to exist. My left one is a huge size 9 1/2. My right one is a size 8. Not a lie. I would show a picture, but I'd hate for anyone to get sick or die. This makes shoe shopping the very most miserable thing in the ENTIRE world. I usually end up with the shoes the BIG foot sizes and I 'stuff' the other foot... kind of like I stuff my bra. I guess it's for this reason that I hate everybody else's feet. If you want to make me mad, show me your foot.

Quirk #2 - Jake and I make up our own words. It's shameful to say that I started this whole madness. This happens on many random occasions - usually when we're out driving. Our favorite words to date are 'Cheebers' and 'Heejos'. We use these words in about every conversation with each other. Example: "How are you today Jake?" -Ev
"I am feeling rather cheebers and pretty heejos. How are you Ev?" - Jake
"I am gassy." - Ev
If you can't understand us, please don't feel bad. We know.

Quirk #3 - I have an obsession with clean laundry, and especially with clean towels. Clean, laundry smelling towels make me feel classy. I LOVE to do laundry. If I am having a bad day, I will tear clothes off the rack that I haven't worn in awhile just so they can smell fresh. One of the most exciting things about moving into my new house is all the linen closets I can fill with clean towels for guests. (Please, come be my guest!) In heaven, I imagine I will be surrounded in fresh towels that I can roll around on and say 'Cheebers!'

Quirk #4 - I am both-handed. Smart people use the word ambi-dextrous, but I'm not one of those people. I mostly write with my left hand but switch hands for pretty much everything else. This came in handy when the right side of my body was all paralyzed. Yeah, it's pretty much the coolest thing ever to be able to spill food with BOTH hands.

Quirk #5 - I have dreams in Spanish. Most of you should know I am fluent in Spanish - grew up speaking it. And my job has made me use it daily, just to yell and make fun of people. I will wake myself up all the time screaming at the devil in Spanish. I wonder what this really means......

Quirk #6 - I can ride a bike with no handlebars.

Because I am such a sucker for getting 'tagged' I will just tag EVERYBODY.

Quirk #6 -

Homeless bum and slave labor

Wow, so I know I've gone absentee for awhile.... life again hit me in the face like spandex on a biker's bum.... AAHHH.

I have been slave labor for the past three weeks straight. I thought quitting would give me time to play and sleep in... not so much. We basically had to put six months of work into two weeks to finish our house in Franklin in time to list it. It was many sleepless nights, headaches, and owies that we finally got it ready, without a minute to spare. It was officially listed two days ago. Already some interest .... so we'll just wait, pray, and see!! Here are a few pictures I got from the MLS. They're not the greatest and hopefully I can post them later when I unpack our camera....

Here's the front. I wish I had one from the other angle. Jake built a 3-car detached garage as well as a deck and patio off the side.

This is our re-done bathroom. It previously had a lavendar cast iron tub, lavendar sink, and matching lavendar toilet. Needless to say this is an improvement.

And our Master..... there is puke, guts, and glory all rolled up into this room.

So we are officially in Boise. Without a home, yes.... but complete bums, not so much. Our car is loaded full of stuff but with nowhere to put it. We were supposed to close on our brand new house last week... but day after day, little things have come up with the lender. He needs another paper, he filed the wrong one, etc. So Sunday night, we were both scheduled to start jobs but with nowhere to go. So our temporary place of residence is in the fabulous Oxford Suites in downtown Boise.

Job for me, you might ask. (Well, you're probably not asking that but I am going to tell you anyway). I wasn't actually planning on working once the move came. I wanted some time to settle in, get ready for grad school....and stuff.... But as I started looking at some jobs up here, I thought I should apply anyway. I ended up getting accepted for a position in PSR (psychosocial rehabilitation). You work with youth and adults with severe mental issues and disabilities to teach them social skills. So Monday I went to my first day and had this AWFUL feeling. The job had sounded too good to be true, and it turns out.... it was. Dirty, nast building. Dirty, nasty co-workers. It just felt so wrong.

But here's another testament to the answering of prayers. Another door was opened. I had decided on a whim to take another interview at the Juvenile Court up here. My last position had me pretty burned out, but this position was working with their clinical department in program coordination... basically, not having to deal with snot-faced parents or their piggy headed kids in person. They called me Monday, right in the middle of my other job, and begged me to start the position. I was going to tell them no because it's full time, but after much prayer and deliberation... I KNOW it's where I need to be.

It hopefully will help the transition a little more.... as I'm up here, not knowing where to go or anybody, and being a bum. Ah, a bum, my life's calling.

Memory Tag!!!

Ok, I wasn't going to do this post because I have the biggest fear.... no one remembers anything about me. If anything, Becca might post about her concussion, so I thought it was worth a shot. It has been so fun to do this on other's blogs:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Splat.

The other day I went grocery shopping. As I was walking back out to my car, I found it surrounded by two little kids and their mother.
"Mommy, why isn't that bird moving?"
"He's just resting."
"Why is he resting upside down?"
"Get in the car. Our ice cream will melt."
I walked up to the car to see the resting bird. There it was - somehow attached to the front of the light. It was so brigh t I thought it was a stuffed animal at first.I didn't dare just kick it off, right in front of the little boys, so I just pretended I hadn't noticed and drove off.
The poor dang bird survived the trip home. AND a trip to Jake's parents. AND a trip out to Tremonton at my parents. 3 days, this dead guy hung on. It's little leg was stuck under the light. And I didn't feel right about just ripping him off.
And then the head fell off. I'll spare you those pictures.
Just remember this when you have a bad day.

Birf-day, Shout HOORAY!!

I know it was two weeks ago, but I really need to blog about my birthday. I have to be honest... I am not fond of getting old. Last year 25 was hard for me. Jake was out of the country and I turned half of fifty. But the thing about 26 is even worse..... the UPPER twenties. A scary place I've never been.But now that I have survived a few weeks in the 26's.... I am loving it. I had the best birthday EVER.
To help make up for last year, we had a week-long celebration. Girl's Camp was planned right in the middle of my birthday so Jake surprised me the Saturday morning before and went together with a bunch of friends and family to get me an X-Box. WAAHHH!!!! I did pee a little again.
He was so cute all that day. I got thoroughly spoiled and he even cooked ALL THREE meals. And would you believe it.... they were edible too.

I will be honest. I had mixed feelings about spending my birthday at Girl's Camp. But it turned out to be such a blessing. I love my girls and my ward. We had a blast and they taught me to feel young again :) They woke me up with a cake made out of ding-dongs, as they call me their favorite Ding Dong. The girls even wrote the following message with pine-cones.

Seriously, I LOVE THEM!!! Sniff!
That night when I returned home the birthday got even better. That was when got the news about the job!!
But the party doesn't end there. The next weekend Jake surprised me yet again. He invited some friends and family over for a par-tay. I never had them in high school or even in college. I was always afraid no one would show up. That's a different blog. But at the party I got even more surprised.... I got Guitar Hero. And Di came! Sniff again!! I can't believe all the work Jake went to. And I loved seeing everybody together. We had so much fun. I even got more granny-panties but Jake won't let me post those pictures.
Jennica looks JUST like a plastic surgery gone wrong in this picture, and Andrea's a little high, but you gotta love my fam! (Yeah, Dad still thinks he's a dinosaur....)

Here is everybody showing me how Guitar Hero is done. I was not good to start with, but after having it for two weeks..... my other day job is a rock star.


And once again, I have to profess my love for my Jakey. He always goes out of his way to make me feel loved and special, especially during the stressful times. I am one gol-darn lucky old lady!! I seriously too am so blessed to have all my friends and family! :) And especially to those of you that read my blog!!! (even if I force you!)

WHOOSH!!!

Yeah, yeah, another month has gone by. And I don't even have pictures this time. BUT, it has been a whoosh of a month. That is the sound of happiness, stress, sadness, scariness, and farting. But for us it is a good thing.
We have had so many ups and downs this year, with work, the house, health, family, deaths, etc. A few months ago we kept having the feeling that things just didn't feel right anymore.... that we needed to get out and maybe look elsewhere. Those who know me realize that my current job has just about done me in. I have become a basketcase. When I see teenagers I literally start to convulse. We sat down right before Jake graduated and made the scary plans to look for jobs... far, far, far away. Just to see.
Well, we got one. Jake applied for a web designer position in Boise where his sister lives. We knew it was a long shot - it was an awesome position. One that would allow me to take time off to either work part time or go back and get my Master's. Too good to be true. Well, WE GOT IT!! Jake just went up yesterday and passed the polygraph portion of the hiring process. We just need to wait for the background check to go through and IT IS OURS. Since Jake doesn't have a fondness of murdering or drugs, I think we'll be OK.
It is such a mix of emotions. We really hate to leave the house and ward that we love. We have worked so hard on it, just to put it up for sale when it is done. We are sad to leave the wonderful friends and family here, and I will even miss certain parts about work. But it just FEELS SO RIGHT. We know that it is where we are supposed to go. Still Idaho, still potatoes, but so right.

So right now it is a mess. We are trying to get the house here ready and on the market while at the same time trying to buy a house up there. Moving is a scary, scary thing. And I can't even put in my two weeks yet... there's the stupid money and insurance factor. So it's about to be a start of a new life. Good thing?? Yeah, as long as it involves potatoes, I think so. Whoosh.

Fear Factor Ev Style

I have determined that I have been quite the sap in recent postings. I really try to pretend after seeing other's blogs that I'm all cute and normal and exciting. Not the true story. I know, shocker. The fact is, I still wear a helmet to bed. I also have determined I like to take pictures with my nose up and my mouth open. See above.
But, I also like to take pictures with the head down, the double chin out, and the freakiness on. I thought I'd let everyone know that I may be getting really old, as I'm reminded by kids on a daily basis, but I can still throw down yo!! Below you will see me eating an octopus. We went to an Italian dinner with our friends in Little Italy. It was such a traumatic experience that it has taken me awhile to post about. I also have determined that I blog a lot about being old, and it doesn't help that I will enter the UPPER twenties this month. But as for the octopus and all it's danger, eat THAT, old people!!!

Yeah, Yo, this is awesome. I ate an octopus. How is that for a blog story?? Yes, I still need help!!!

I hate alarm clocks

When the alarm goes off in the morning, I fight the urge to murder. It's a thing I hate. But with so much negativity around me, I thought I would take time today to write on a few more of my loves.
I love sleeping in, for one. It was a three-day weekend full of beautiful, beautiful things. And I love that.

I love my friends. I don't get to see them nearly as much as I want to but I love each one of them. I'm so grateful for all of you and for the changes you have made in my life. I can't believe that you put up with me!! I love the chance to blog and catch up with so many. I love that I get to be myself and not everyone will run away screaming.
A few months ago I went up to Kisty's cabin with a bunch of us and never posted. Poo on me!! But that's still a thing I love!!


And totally more sappy, I love my family. I love my way too insane but beautiful sisters. Becca, you're a favorite too. But I don't know about your neck. We try to keep her big neck a secret but it's pretty hard because she runs out of scarves. :)

And yes, I love Carrie even though she is going into hooker-ing. Or maybe cross-dresser-ing. (OK, it was a colorguard competition last month but I did see plenty of spandex so it made me wonder....)


Right now, I love that Jake is graduated. I love that when I come home, HE'S HOME TOO. I love the excitement that this new job search is bringing and the endless possibilities in front of us. Yes, I'm scared to death and peeing in my pants a little, but I love it. (not the peeing part though). The rumor is out - there's a good possibility we will have to leave this beautiful home we love and our wonderful friends and neighbors here, but it makes room for new experiences and friends and fun and.... . ok, that's too sappy, even for me.
I also love to torture people in many fun ways. I love to win wars with Jake in licking each other's faces. And he will admit, he cries himself to sleep at night because he's so gooey and wimpy that he can't fight back. I have so many loves and blessings in my life that I am overwhelmed. I was recently talking to a friend that gave me inspiration - to write at the end of each day the hand of the Lord in my life. It has started to go beyond squishy things, forts, and blankees for me. I'm in love with life and though it can really stink at times and has felt pretty dang hard recently, there is too much to love to stay focused on that!!!!!

He's a BIG boy now!!!

I need to post and say how proud I am of my Jakey. He graduated with his BFA in Graphic Design from Utah State on May 4th (maybe more pictures later). It only took him a short 8 years (with a mission in between) and he made it.
In my life, I used to think I found a few true loves - pudding, forts, squishy things... until I met Jake. He put pudding to shame. I can honestly say he is my one and only true love!! I don't think there would ever be anyone quite so insane yet so perfect. I love this man.
I love him for his dimples, his patience, his ability to make the best out of the worst situations, the way he will clean up my bean-burrito puke without puking himself and even hold my hair back. I love him for his strong testimony and his ability to set the perfect example for me in the hardest of situations. I love him for his hyena laugh, his muscular dancing legs, and his bad-a Harley jacket, (even though he rides a Yamaha). I love the fact that we fell in love and he first kissed me when I was in a wheelchair --- (he knew I couldn't fight back). I love him for his ability for everyone around him to love him too, and to have 3 year old neighbor kids who think he's their best friend.
I truly feel that I am the luckiest woman in this WHOLE world. Sappy but oh so true. I truly am so grateful for Jake and the fact that I can be with him for forever. A lot has happened in this last month that has deepened my understanding of what this means and how truly blessed I am. I hope everyone can pull their loved ones aside and let them know what they mean too.

I heart New York!!!

I swear, most days I feel like Jake needs to check me into a nursing home. Despite all numbers, I am senile.

I think the computer is upset and lonely .... I have been trying to upload photos for the BIG NYC trip and it is sure being fussy. Fussy old computer. So I am ending up uploading them one at a time and have lost all patience. So here are a few highlights!!


Like I mentioned before, we went with Jake's art history class from USU. It was the only way to ever afford a cheap enough trip to NYC. And despite the odds of all cheapness, we felt OH SO CLASSY the entire time!!


It was awesome. Jake's professor was a pretty cool guy and spent the entire time wasted (started at 11 a.m. on the plane, folks) so we pretty much got to do our own thing.


The night we flew in a group of us went to the Empire State building. Coming out, a guy in our group flagged down a limo driver and talked him into taking all 10 of us all around town at night for like ten bucks.


This is our CLASSY limo picture. I have never ridden in a limo!! It had pimp lights.





By the way, notice by beautiful, glowing orange hands. Needless to say I will not be re-visiting self tanner anytime in the near future.



We checked into our hotel which was beyond ghetto. We had a teensy little bathroom to share between eight rooms. The rest of the trip was like none other I've ever had to New York. (My mommy is from New Jersey so I've had a few trips in my life). We did hit the touristy stuff like Times Square, Staten Island, WTC, etc. but a lot of it was the true New Yo-ok (*that's how you have to say it to be classy like me) experience. Our hotel was in Greenwich village and so we lived the true villager life. Look at me contemplating on the deeper meanings of hot chocolate here.

One of the favorite things for me was getting to see two Broadway shows. We went to Hairspray one night and then Monty Python's Spamalot the next. I will forever, forever cherish the in-explicable experience of getting to see Clay Aiken in tights.

And yes, I had to stop and pick up my paycheck at the sight below.


A good rest of the portion of the trip was spent in Museums. The Met was so awesome. We also took the Subway to the top of the island and went toa place called the Cloisters which is one of the coolest things ever!!

And a few other picture-less highlights: we saw a real pimp, I got robbed (if you count leaving a bag of souvenirs on the ground and returning to find it gone), I rode the pole on the subway, had Pinkberry frozen yogurt and big fat pizza.... it was heaven.

Good place to visit but I still like my potato-driven life.

I confuse myself

OK I seriously know I have mental issues. I'm insane. And I love it.... really, besides the drooling.

First thing first - Jake and I just got back from a trip (hey, he got credit for school so it's not TOTALLY a vacation) to NYC. That will be the next post, but I have some explaining to do in this one. The above photo is my favorite one from all of New York. This bull is well known and in the financial district. Jake and I decided to be obsene. There was even a group of cops standing right next to us, apalled that instead of grabbing this bull by the place where most people do, I got a litle creative. I don't care, I'm insane. And this describes how I feel most days when I got home from work!! Anyways....

I posted on the last blog that I had been to a training that made me become worried about my blog. The training was all about the dangers and advantages of technology and the internet. So basically I got all freaked out that I could get a blog stalker, logging in to see my full name, the small town I live in, that would show up at my door and want to cook me alive and make human meat pie. Besides, I work in a job where a lot of people are not happy and could want revenge. But then I started thinking... if they're really crazy to want that kind of pie, they could find me anyways. And I thought about the benefits of having an open blog. It's easier to re-connect and find people that I haven't talked to in way too long. That is starting to outweigh my fear. So I really appreciate you sending me your email addresses. I am saving them. I will try staying public for awhile and if I get all freaked out and insane again, about my stalker craving human meat pie, I will go private....

I will also leave with this promise!! I'm no longer going to be a blogging bum. I will update oh so much now. Well..... I guess I better not make promises that I can't keep. I don't even have time to explain why life is all flipside down right now.

Remember... I'm insane.

And I'm BACK

It has been FOREVER. Life has really turned itself upside down and then over again, and a little bit sideways.
I have lots of pictures and stories, but I recently attending a securities training on some of potential dangers of blogs. I'm sure you've all heard the shhpealll (how in the heck do you spell that?) So I will be going private. I should have chosen that a long time ago, especially considering my stinkin profession, but it takes me awhile to catch on to some things.
There are a bunch of your blogs I love but don't have all your email addresses. Please send me a post if you want to be invited or hit me with an email : evster2000@hotmail.com
I hope you want to keep in touch!! Just gotta keep this booty under wraps, yo!! :)

We all need a Vacation!

I've been sitting like an old lady in a rocker lately and reflecting on the things that make me happy in life. There are SO many and I too often forget my blessings.
I realized this week one thing that I will always live for is a VACATION. I love travelling - I love vacations - I love everything about it!! I like staying in all kinds of hotel rooms, from the Hilton to some scary super 8 where I know dead bodies hide. I love meeting the strange people and eating weird food and I love the long airpline rides or car trips. Jake and I have been so blessed in the three years we've been together to have some unforgettable vacations.

One of the most fun ones was pretty close to home when about 9 months ago we decided to just get away. We drove up past Boise and stayed at this little Victorian hotel and went water-rafting and hiking. Check me out in my hot wet suit. Rarrrr.

Yeah, I don't know that all albinos went out in the sun like me :)
This is in front of the hotel. This weird fish was sitting in the middle of the road. I think this made us laugh for several hours. The thing about Jake and I is that it doesn't take a lot to get entertained..
I know it looks like I'm pooping but I think I was just .... squatting?? (What's WRONG with me?)

Also this year we were fortunate enough to be asked to 'chaperone' Dad's choir trip to Southern California. I think Dad thought I would use my Probation officer skills to do some beating. No, it was a vacation and we weren't much of what you'd consider 'chaperones.' Jake got the kids cited in riots and even had a sugar-packet eating contest. I also tried to pimp out my little sister Carrie and embarrass her as often as I could. It was an awesome trip. We went through Vegas, Sea World, San Diego, and even stayed in the Embassy Suites. I hope he'll ask us to 'chaperone' again but the riots might have been a bad idea...

Me with Carrie. so cute!!! And date-able. She's 16!!

And of course I've already posted this but my favorite vacation of them all this year has been to Switzerland. It was so neat to spend a week in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. I just want to say I'm grateful for America - for the food, the toilets, the non-spitting language.

We have a few more vacations planned for this year that I can't wait for. In March Jake and I will be heading to New York City for a week. We are going with USU with an art history class. I decided after spending three weeks alone last summer, I'm not letting Jake take any more trips without me :) We also are hoping to join Jake's family on a church history tour this summer and then take an Oregon Coast trip of our own in the fall.

I live for this!! And if anybody else out there likes a vacation, I urge you to consider Franklin Idaho and come see us. We have some of the biggest potatoes. And trees. There's some dirt too. :)