New View

Ok, so I'm getting a little bit more familiar with how to blog and all the neat things I can do with it. I decided that the black background was a little plain. That's not me at all! But brown is one of my favorite colors. I like flowers too! So I've searched and this is what I found.

I also love pictures! I love very much our wedding pictures. Hence the nice spread at the top of my blog. I just wish I could figure out how to make just a plain slideshow that would work all the time on the right hand side of my layout! All in due time I suppose! Stress less right! All is well!

I leave you with another of my favorite pictures for your viewing pleasure ! ;-)

I'M ADDICTED!!!!

. . . .I forgot a large portion of "Operation D-Stress!" This more being in the number 1 slot. Listening to music that relaxes and soothes me! It's wonderful. I've enjoyed loading church music onto my i-pod and taking it to work. It's very relaxing. I must also admit that I took a Christmas CD and listened to that. It was wonderful. Roxy's parents are amazing pianists!!! They arrange music and even have a recording studio. They put together this album called Carols from the Christmas Cradle. It's based off of the Children's songbook. Wonderful I tell you!!

Also, speaking of i-pods. . . That's why I'm addicted! I love to buy music from I-Tunes!!! It's so darn easy! It has to be, I can do it. Well, I'm happy to say I have two new songs and the Enchanted soundtrack now! Love it!

Don't Feed The Animals!

I couldn't resist this! The city is adding onto the Justice Building where I work. They've taken away our parking lot and are making more room for the Police Department in it's spot. Right now it's a really big hole! There's a huge fence all around it! Monday after work, I noticed this sign posted on the fence. I happened to have my camera with me Tuesday morning and just had to take a picture. If you look closely, you will be able to see one of the animals crouched down in a welding position to the bottom right of the sign.

Colors from Heaven!

As part of Operation D-Stress here are a few things I though I would do for myself:

1: Go Tanning--now I know, it's cancer in a box. I'm not sold on this one yet. Feeling the sunlight does wonders to help a person feel better about themselves. Direct sunlight contains UV rays that are very bad for you, but a tanning bed pulls those out. But you do have to pay for tanning and in a sense, it really in cancer in a box. OH but the joy of just laying there for 10 minutes in a bed of rejuvenating light bringing you the base to a nice bronze look for the summer!! Dilemma, Dilemma.

2: Go to bed Early--It's the goal every night, but yeah right! Maybe I should take this one off. Nah, still a goal.

3: Get up on Time--Ditto to number 2!

4: Exercise--I like to go to Aerobics on Monday and Wednesday night. It really is fun and relaxing. The goal is to go twice a week, but if I can at least hit the gym once a week, that's better then what I have been doing!

5: Buy fresh flowers for my table--COLORS FROM HEAVEN arrived at work on Monday!! Roxy was such a sweetheart and had flowers delivered to me after I went though Operation D-Stress with her! What an amazing girl! She really didn't have to, but I love them! They're beautiful! Thanks again!!




6: Pedicure: I've just thought of this one while I was typing. Wouldn't it be nice to be pampered. We'll have to see what I can do.

"Operation D-Stress"

Once upon a time, there was a young lady named Susi. She thought she had life figured out. Then one day she woke up in a frazzle and didn't know what had gone wrong. (Really, life is still quite good)In between working full time, Relief Society Callings, House cleaning, Laundry, Extracurricular Activities and the desire to do everything just so (OCD) and everything at once (ADD) while maintaining a small level of sanity, it broke. Life if life. The laundry is clean, not folded. The house could use some dusting and shining. Work is a delightful necessity but takes time away from all the fun stuff to do. Anyway. . . Blah, Blah, Blah. I STRESS TOO MUCH!!

Last Thursday after having had a pretty rough week, Roxy (still in Belgium) and I WebMD'd some of my symptoms and diagnosed me as having emotional stress. GREAT DIAGNOSIS!! Beginning Friday, I took a new outlook. I may not be perfect. That's ok. Not a bit deal. I need to focus on taking care of me so I can take care of the other things in my life. We are calling this "Operation D-Stress!" I'm trying to focus more on taking things one day at a time. If I don't plan things so specifically, I won't stress about them not turning out right. It's been an amazing blessing!

I can only do the best I physically can. My calling in the Relief Society is wonderful. I've just decided that people won't always do what I think they should. And that's all right with me. There's usually more than one right way to do something. Work has been splendid so far this week. We had a LARGE criminal and traffic schedule for the last two days. I just let things roll. Yesterday I was done with the criminal arraignments early and didn't care when pre-trials went a little late. That's just the way it goes once in a while. We deal. It made the day Fantastic! Today, I was the clerk checking in people for traffic court. For the last three weeks they haven't gotten out of court till long after 6 pm. We were happily on our way out the door at 5. ;-) How nice it is to re-focus and be happy. I even got called an Angel by a defendant today! That makes one's day too. Everything else will just be ok. I have to put my faith in that.

I'm feeling much better and less stressed. Let's see how long I can do this for! I like this new positive me!

Snowmobiling March 1, 2008

We enjoyed a wonderful snowmobiling trip yesterday! We cruised up Logan Canyon to play around up Tony's Grove. It's a nice little place. The only time I've really heard about snowmobiling up there is when James would go rescue friends from being stuck and it seemed like it would be pretty hard terrain. Not so. The trail is a few miles long until you get to Tony Grove Lake. Then there are all kinds of open terrain and fun places to play. There are even steep hills to climb and test one's skills. I enjoyed myself speeding up the trail and then playing on the soft rolling hills. I tried to overcome some fears and climb a hill. There was a rock and tree up a steep hill that I wanted to get above. It took a few tries and then I almost made it. I got a little scared and realized I may have been heading straight for the tree instead of above it. I came so close. I was exhausted and decided I had made it to the tree and that was good enough. Here is a little slide show to enjoy. These are only pictures from yesterday. More may possibly come later.

Eight Great Days of Love!

Once upon a time, one single day for valentines was not enough! For James, I created eight days. I did some cheesy little things just to show him how much I love him. A few of them came with pictures.

Day 1: February 7
I made an amazing cupcake with a love note written in it. I frosted and sprinkled it with red sugar. In the middle of the frosting I left a heart shape white without sprinkles. I think I did a really good job. My James was afraid to eat it. He thought I was playing a trick on him. I convinced him that I was not and he scarfed it right down! Hence, there is no picture.

Day 2: February 8
This was movie night. I had so much fun! I got him some Mike & Ike's and the Bourne Supremacy. We already had the Bourne Identity and Bourne Ultimatum. I wrote him a little note that essentially told him "I was "Bourne" the day I met you. Thank you for bringing so much "fruit" to my life." He dug it! I took a picture, but believe I deleted it too quick. Sorry!

Day 3: February 9
This day will probably get a seperate posting! We went snowmobiling and just had a really good time. We came home and had a great steak dinner and went hot tubbing! Yeah!

Day 4: February 10
James enjoyed a fantastic back massage!

Day 5: February 11
This day was made possible by wonderful women who work at S & S Power with James. I prepared a "Sucker Vase" and took it to his work where the secretary Deanna would deliver it for me today! I think it turned out quite well.



Day 6: February 12
Papa Murphy's provided today's special delight. They make Heart-shaped pizzas during Valentine's week. I had them make a special inscription on it with sausage. It didn't quite turn out the way I imagined, but it still tasted good!


Day 7: February 13
THANK YOU TO MY GREAT FRIEND JENN! She was the planned delivery girl for this tasty treat. Today I got a nice sized fish bowl. It couldn't be little. James has fairly large hands. I filled it with goldfish! I tied a note around one of the goldfish and buried it amongst the others. The note read, "Of all the fishes in the sea, I'm so glad that you picked me!" It was fun. I must admit it was my favorite of the gifts. I was happy to see that when I picked James up from work, he had his fishbowl with him and it was about half eaten already!


Day 8: February 14 GRAND FINALE
Thursday's are my half days at work, so this worked quite nicely. After coming home and getting to talk to Roxy on Skype, I set to cleaning the house and putting together James' true gift. We are simple people really. Simple people who like to have a great time that is!!! My Sweetie Pie loves the simple things in life. One of his favorite foods is CORNDOGS!!! Each year we go to the fair, he plans to get a real fair corndog. But we get up to the little shanty and it costs too much! He just can't see spending $5 one one corndog! I can't either really. So, I did some research and found a recipe for them! I purchased for him a deep fryer and all the ingredients and necessities for making his own corndogs!

After he came home and received his Ultimate Gift, we went to the temple. There's no place I'd rather be with my sweetheart than the place were we began. It was so wonderful to be there and know how much love we share and that we are able to be together for ETERNITY!!!!
Then we came home, to a home full of friends! What James did not know is I was working with four other women who were also doing small things for their husbands and we planned a wonderful dinner date to go out with a bang. We enjoyed Caesar Salad, Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip, and a wonderful Grilled Chicken Alfredo on pasta with Italian Sodas! It was absolutely delightful! Here are some pictures of the decor:



We enjoyed dinner by candle light then played games. We finished off the night with a homemade cheesecake topped homemade caramel and fudge sauce. What a delight.

Oh, we must not forget, Sophie loves her daddy too. She was a good sport during the whole ordeal and was very fashionable in a red Valentine bow.