The States I've Visited

In Red are all the states I have visited... in Grey are those that I haven't made it to yet...


I was thinking I'd been to a lot more states than this...

I need to get traveling some more.

I want to someday visit EVERY state... :)

Anyone want to go on a road trip?

A time to be thankful...

I am thankful everyday for the things, people, and experiences I've had and continue to have in my life. This week however a few incidents occured that reminded me how blessed I am.

Last week I was pretty mad because my review did not come back as great as I'd hoped and really thought it would. Don't get me wrong, it came back very positive, and I got another 5% increase. But... I was expecting them to review and likely even change my title, and well they didn't. :( Oh-well, as my boss said, a title is just a title.

So reminders of what I am thankful for...

1. Today, I learned that after 40 years at the same job, my roomate's father was fired from his job. He had worked at the same job, worked his way to the top and everything since he was 18!

2. This morning I also learned that a close friend's husband was let go from him job. He is the bread winner in their family, works in the auto industry, which as everyone knows has been hit terribly, terribly hard in this economy. They have a 3 month old baby currently.

Both of these served as a reminder that perhaps I was being greedy wanting more than I'd gotten from my review.... and so, despite the hardship it created for them, I'm thankful for the realization it gave me.

I have a million reasons to be thankful for my job, and some of them include:

a) I have almost no stress
b) I am blogging at work, lest I say more?
c) I like my boss a lot, 95% of the time.
d) I am paid pretty well.
e) I have 3 weeks paid vacation.
f) ALL of my insurance (medical, dental, vision) cost me $40 a month (quite a benefit considering I paid $280 at my last job).
g) My school is paid for.
h) I get every other Friday off
I) I have unlimited sick pay, which I can use for Doctor's appointments
J) Really, if I think about it, there are probably a whole alphabet of reasons to be thankful.

I also realized this weekend how thankful I am for my boys. On Saturday, I drove to Loveland to help a friend (same one who's husband was just let go), prepare their house for sale. We worked out butts off in the yard and house all day. I took my boys with me, and they ran and ran and ran in the yard... they have a HUGE back yard, and there were other dogs there to play with too.

From the first night I brought them home, until February when I finally purchased a new vehicle, Mars has gotten sick in the car every time we got in. I don't know if it was the stress, the fear, just plain carsickness, or what, but every time we went somewhere the poor thing would get sick. I've worked with him over and over, and things got better (mostly just drool, and rare puking). Since I bought a new car (much higher seats) in February, Mars has never gotten sick again. The key though is that he needs to be able to put his face out the window and feel the wind. So, yes, I am the weirdo that drives down I-25 in the winter with my dog (and sometimes dogS) sticking his head out the window. Whatever it takes, to make him not get sick.

So this window open thing has become the norm.... so saturday...we drove to Loveland, window open. Made it there, played all day! :)

On the way home, I ran through Chick-Fil-A to get a Cherry Coke... I love Cherry Coke! Weaving my way out of the parking lot, I of course drove in front of Petsmart, Pier 1, Target, all of those stores in Centerra. About the time I got in front of Pier 1, this young couple with 2 little kids were about to cross the walkway, I slowed down, let them cross, and then took off again. Seconds after taking off I realized, Mars had just JUMPED out the freaking window!!!!! My freaking dog jumped out of a moving vehicle. Milo, the sweet innocent little thing... looked out the window at the ground, trying to figure out where his big brother had just gone!

I of course immediately put the car in park and jump out. I am mortified even when I am out, I can't see him... the first thing I think is... OMG did I hit him? My heart stopped beating for a second. And then immediately, I see Mars run to these sweet little kids that are just now entering Pier 1 with their parents. Thank you god for this mother, she smartly grabs his collar for me and holds it til I can get to her.

In the end he is fine, not a scratch on him. But... for that brief second I panicked, and it made me realize I really do love that little brat. Even though he is a TON of extra work (I swear he is more work than a mastiff would be), I love him so much. My life would not be the same without his crazy, silly antics.

So, the moral to all of these ramblings... this week... I am thankful. For my life, for my job, for my health, for my dogs, for my friends, for all of the experiences I've been able to have, and those yet to come.

My Long... weekend!

Its been really crappy weather, and I hate it!

I was fortunate enough to have a 4 day weekend (Friday-Monday) this last weekend. But unfortunately, it rained all 4 of those days! :(

Luckily, I was able to get a few things done on Friday night before the sky opened up. If you know me at all, you probably know that I'm not really a get dirty playing in the yard kind of girl... just not really my thing. I'm not afraid of some work, just don't typically like it to include dirt. LOL

But it needed to be done, so Friday, I mowed the lawn (which is actually pretty good sized), front and back, and even started the sprinklers on our two "dead" spots. The rain has definitely helped in those spots! :) I even pulled a bunch of weeds and got flowers for my planters and a few hangingin baskets. My yard is starting to look livable again.

By evening when my roomie returned home, I was spent, so we grilled out and sat on the patio having a beer... when the sky decided to let go! :P So the evening was spent inside.

Saturday morning it was pretty nice out again, so I got up and got a few errands done, then met my roomie at home for more lawn attacking. We managed to move a TON of rock around the backyard to try to make it more functional and a bit less muddy. We attacked a BUNCH more weeds, and even clipped a bunch of the bushes and got rid of some sticks and things. By the time we finished I was so sore and exhausted.

So... we grilled out again, had a beer, and low and behold, here came the rain again. :P

Saturday night, I convinced Amy to give me a pedicure. I've been dying for one, but with not having a toenail on my left foot, I've been to nervous to come somewhere to have it done. Besides Amy does it better! :) So she came over and hung out with me while watching the Nuggets lose pitifully. :( At midnight, I played the good roomate and went and picked up my drunky roomate and her siblings.

We had more people stay over that night (3) then I think our house has ever seen, lol!

Sunday morning I got up and it LOOKED like it was going to be nice out. So I read for a bit and then made Amy get up, lol. :) I convinced her to go with me to Dick's Sporting Goods to finally buy the bicycle I've been eyeing for like 3 weeks. And low and behold, I waited just long enough, because for Memorial day weekend, it was $50 off! :) Still more than I was hoping, but its really nice! Here's what it looks like:

So I convinced Amy to ride up to mom's with me and go for a bike ride. But... when we got up there we came to the realization that both of their bikes needed some "repairs." Really, they both just need A LOT of air in the tires. So I loaded theirs in my car, stopped at Target for an air gauge then headed to the gas station and aired up their tires. Came back, we went on a short ride just as it was starting to rain again, lol. Oh-well at least we got both of their bikes up and working again. Well actually I need to take Amy's in, as the gears aren't shifting right, but it operates on mid-level just fine so we were still able to get out for a short ride.

I LOVE bikeriding... have I told anyone that? Bike riding is kind of like therapy to me. If I am mad or upset or anything else, nothing beats riding and feeling the wind... seriously.

So now I'm pumped, I really want to get to the point where I CAN ride my bike to and from work, maybe not every day, but at least a few days a week would be SO GOOD for me and I think therapeutic too!

Anyhow, Monday came around, and of course it rained again, ALL DAY. So I spent the entire day inside. I was not feeling well at all, so I spent a good portion of the day in bed actually. By evening I was ready to shoot myself, I hate being confined. So, I took the boys on a walk, and then jumped on my bike and went for another short ride, just around the neighborhood and up a few hills (wholly cow am I out of shape!).

I'm really stoked to get back on, I just wish this weather would clear, its killing me!

After I got back... I watched "John and Kate Plus Eight" I don't care who hates that show, thinks its dumb, or that all this tabloid crap is ridiculous. I love the show. I think the kids are adorable, and for all the people that don't like Kate because she is "bitchy"... look at her life. Lets see you raise 8 kids under the age of 8 and be as successful as her. I happen to think her strict rules and schedules have benefited her family and children fairly well! I think the tabloid stuff is sad and horrible, but maybe I'm neive, I don't believe everything I see in those dumb things, and I think its up to them to figure out what to do with whatever the situation ends up being! So... for the record the premiere last night, though kinda sad, was really cute! :)

Then... it was time for the Nuggets to get back in the game! And boy did they! Last night's game was AWESOME. The Nuggets played so well, it was genuninely a fun game to watch! I want them to pull of the West so badly! :)

And... then it was 10 o'clock and time for bed. And I got into bed, but couldn't fall asleep. So I stayed up last night, til like 1 AM.... first watching TV, then playing on facebook and myspace on my phone. Then playing Ms. Pacman on my phone... which by the way is the coolest thing ever! :) Just had a lot on my mind and couldn't fall asleep....

Which means... I am tired today! :(

Crash!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

It officially crashed... oh my poor poor computer! :(

My laptop might have seen its last days. I'm so sad, although most stuff I have on there I have backed up somewhere else (facebook, myspace, CDs, etc.), I still don't like to feel like maybe there is something on there that I don't realize and I'm losing!

It has what is called the "BSOD" (Blue Screen of Death). So sad, it can't even open windows. If you know me, at all, you know that I am very attached to my computer (and my blackberry)!

So... my brother's friend whom lives in Iowa looks at it and says... oh I think we can save all your data AND fix it! Just get the original windows cd that came with the computer.

I think to myself... hmm... I think I know where thats at... Oh yeah I won't have to buy a new one, AGAIN.

.... I was wrong. I am going nuts. I lived in an apartment up until the end of January, and the entire time I lived in taht apartment, I could tell you EXACTLY where this little carboard box that contains all of the manuals/cds for my computer sat. Ironically now that I moved, I can't find it. I'm so irritated. I do not lose crap like this! I keep everythin, everything has a place in my life, and I know where that place is. So how did I lose something so important???

GRRR...

Oh well, after a bit more research, few phone calls, etc. I've discovered that for roughly $25 I can have Compaq (HP) send me new CDs, and HOPEFULLY then I will be able to recover everything and have a computer again! :)

Until then..... I guess I can only blog at work... shucks! LOL :)

And just because I can share them, and because I love my little Livi.... a few more pictures of her spending time at the park with her Daddy! :)

Pictures from April...

In April I visited my brother, his wife, and their beautiful baby (my goddaughter), Olivia. I didn't do a whole lot while on the trip, stayed close to home mostly, but I did get to spend alot of really good time with Olivia and I loved it!

Livi (as we call her) was born 9/10/08, which made her just over 6 months when I visited.

I love her and thought I'd share a few pics! :)

These first pictures were from my visit to Maryland, but after 6 days in Maryland, I actually brought Olivia and Kristyn (SIL), back home to Colorado with me! :) So, the pictures down further are from her trip here! :)

Family Picture:

Playing on the floor, giggling! :)

Playing with Daddy!

Aunt Amy and Mommy:

Grandpa and Livi!

Finally...

This semester is over!

This semester has kicked my butt!

I want my Bachelor's degree so badly, but seriously sometimes I wonder if it is really worth the hell I put myself through. I have a really good job, I make decent money, but still I feel like I need something "more." This seems fine cause I am 25 years old, and most people at 25 want more. But, anbody that knows me knows I have a lot... I am a very blessed person.

So... my fear is that I will work my butt off to get this because I want it, but then I'll just move on to wanting something else. I don't know what it will take to ever satisfy my, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to stop working for something, bigger and better in my life.

Which doesn't sound bad, but its exhausting to never be satisfied with where I am and what I have. Thats not to say that I am not appreciative, I am, far more than most people, I cherish every tangible and intangible thing I have in my life.

Ok done with that. On to more positive things.

The boys are getting better, they seem to be really calming down a lot lately. BUT... I did decide to go back to kenneling them. I hate kenneling them, but if I don't kennel them, they just don't get the potty training thing.

For those that don't know, I kenneled the boys every day up until about a month or 6 weeks ago. Then I started to leave them out for short periods of time, and eventually entire days. They did REALLY good at first, never pottied. But, since I went on vacation and returned, they've all but fallen back into old habits. :( So I'm back to kenneling them.

I've moved the kennel to the living room though, and Milo LOVES it. He honestly loves his kennel. As you can see when I am home they are out the entire time, but he will often go lay down in his kennel rather than in the comfy beds they have or on my couches. That makes me feel a bit better about kenneling them! :)

Mars is still naughty as ever but so freaking cute!

We went to obedience classes for 8 weeks, and though we got some good out of it, we didn't get quite as much as I'd hoped for. Both boys can sit, lay down, stay, "leave it" (put a treat in front of them and tell them to leave it and they will). In addition, Mars (whom is REALLY smart) will also shake and do High-Five. Currently I am working on getting them to turn in a circle on command. Mars is a LOT smarter and a lot easier to train, so he's almost got it already. Milo, is just a bit slower, and he has this thing with his feet leaving the ground (hence the reason he won't shake or do High-Five). But.... we're working on that too.

I love my boys! They are the sweetest, cutest, puppies ever! :)

Milo in his Kennel:


Boys sleeping while I write my last paper for the semester:

Boys got groomed this weekend, and they actually enjoy the car some now:

Why the pressure?

It really bothers me that my family feels that I need to be rushing to "start my life," "Marry," and "have babies."

What on gods green earth are they thinking?

First things first, I happen to find my opinion quite important in this decision. I'm not even completely certain if I want children in the future, and I sure as heck don't want them now. It isn't that I don't love children, I really do, but I don't know for sure if I'm the right person to be raising children. I'm not sure if I am too selfish or not to have children. Heck I can't get along with one person for long enough right now to even consider this... so back to my point.

My mother, for years, has wished that I would end up prego, how weird is that? Don't get me wrong, I understand why she wants that, I just don't know that she's looking at the right person.

My brother has now at least 2 times in the last 7 months prompted me on the same issue... and other family members have dropped hints as if my biological clock is ticking... HELLO... I am freaking 25... Do I have a sign on my back that says I am desperate to have children? Am I the only one missing this?

Again... I love children, I really do, and spending time with Olivia this week has reminded me of that....

But... that still doesn't mean I'm ready to give up my life... did anyone notice that I am working full time, going to school full time, single, and not even really looking for a serious relationship right now? Its not that I am against a committed relationship, it just hasn't happened yet... and even if it had, I'm certainly not going to get knocked up right away.... I'm not a moron. I have plans for my own life too you know guys? I want to travel, I want to see things, do things, go places that everyone else in my family will probably never see.

I have my whole life ahead of me, and maybe my plans will change one day, who knows, I'm not saying anything couldn't happen, just that I'm not in a rush to make something happen that would forever impact another beings life....

Right now, I am far too wrapped up in my own life to even consider thinking about someone else 24/7. So please for god's sake, lay off... or bug someone else....

Ok... done venting now...

On a much lighter note, I've throughly enjoyed watching, playing with, holding, Olivia this week. She's such a beautiful baby, and I LOVE HER. :)