Happy Birthday To MEEEEE!!!

Finally all the waiting is over!!!

• I got to sleep in til 11:00.
  
• I got SEVENTEEN birthday wishes from all of my closest "friends" on Facebook.


• I talked to my kids (they're with their dad) and Avery sang Happy Birthday to me. And then she kazoo'd it to me. And then she kazoo'd It's a Small World to me. And then her dad yanked the kazoo out of her mouth.


• Hayden sang "Happy birthday to you. (UTAH UTES!) Happy birthday to you! (UTAH UTES!) Happy birthday dead mama, (UTAH UTES!) Happy birthday to you!!! (UTAH UTES!)" So freakin' funny!


• I had SEVEN texts waiting for me when I woke up.


• Tavis got me a way sweet card. (I'm going with Niki to Sego Lily next week to get a massage and pampered and then to lunch. That's what I asked him for.)
• I got THIRTEEN more texts throughout the day. Plus a "Happy Birthday Eve" text from Kim last night.
• I got THREE phone calls. My sister Kim, my dad, and Tav's mom. (OK, technically she's his step-mom but being a step-mom, myself, I don't like the word "step".)
• The Steelers WON!!!
• My mom and my brother and sister-in-law and their kids and Chance and Niki and Hunter all came over and we celebrated and watched the game. They were all going for Arizona...SUCKERS!!! (Although, have you all heard that story about Kurt Warner and his wife and how they met? So awesome! What a great guy!)
• That half-time show was cool, huh? My brothers are HUGE Bruce Springsteen fans. (I have a nephew named after him.)
• Tavis helped my get the house so clean! I should have company more often!
• The Office is on!!!

Seriously, it was such a GREAT birthday! Twenty-two days til the big one-zero for Hayden!

This One's For Her...

This picture was taken two years ago on our birthday. Funny thing...my hair is dark now and hers is light!

My birthday's tomorrow! My birthday's tomorrow! My birthday's tomorrow! Yay me!!!

You know who else has a birthday tomorrow? My bestest bestie, Niki. What are the odds of that? You meet someone who you just KNOW was destined to be in your life forever and she ends up with your same birthday.

It was April, 2004. I was working as the receptionist in the x-ray department at the hospital in Tooele. I had been there for a couple weeks when one morning there was this cute little red VW Bug in the parking lot. When I went inside I saw this new face. She was (is) beautiful! Tall and thin. Taller than me, in fact! I learned her name was Niki and that she only worked in Tooele every other Tuesday because she had another job at Salt Lake Regional Hospital. She was an x-ray tech as well as a CT tech. I already knew I liked her. It was like we'd known each other our whole lives. I remember telling her, "I wish you worked here all the time. You're the coolest person I've met so far." You know what she said? "I know. I totally am." I knew then we were going to get along jusssssst fine.

The thing that impressed me about Niki the most was that she never, ever, not one time spoke negatively about her husband of four years (at the time). She always had nice things to say about him. Talked about how great he was. I get so sick of women constantly bad-mouthing their husbands. And it seems like that's what so many of them do! If they were such morons why did these women marry them? To me, the women who marry these "idiot husbands" look more idiotic. Anyway, Niki just had good things to say about hers. That was so refreshing.

We spent every other Tuesday "working our milkshake" while walking down the hall at the hospital. I showed her a picture of the guy I was dating (the 22 year older than me guy) and she said, "you're way too cute for him". She never minces words. She'll tell you exactly what she thinks. She was right about him. We spent our Tuesday evenings watching Sex and the City on TBS in the surgery waiting room (my kids were with their dad and she worked til 9:00).

It wasn't til a few months after we met that I discovered we had the same birthday. She's rude, though. She's 2 years younger than I am. When I was going to be turning 30 she didn't want me to do it alone so I waited til she turned 30 last year and we could be 30 together. No girl should have to face that without her best friend.

A year after we met she told me about a guy her husband went to high school with. He was cute. He owned an excavation company and he was digging the basement of the house they were building. Her husband thought this guy would be good for me. He'd been raised in same church as I was but wasn't really into it at the time. (Just like me) He'd been divorced the same amount of time as I had been. He had two step kids that he still was really close to. He just sounded really great! When I went out to see their "hole" he was supposed to be there but wasn't anymore. Chance (Niki's husband) called him and handed me the phone!!! I didn't want to talk to him but I did. I joked about him standing me up, told him this was a good lookin' hole, etc. I was still kinda hung up on another guy (not the old man) and wasn't really ready to date anyone. Then in July of that year I had finally had enough of the crap guys I'd been going out with. Niki and I had been out one night and I just said, "hey! Let's text Tavis!" (did you already figure out that it was Tavis?) So I did. And then I left. And I left my phone at Niki's. After I realized this I turned around and came back for it. Niki was so excited because Tavis had replied! We texted for a while and I went home. So excited. A month later I met him for our most perfect first date. And nine months after that, we got married.

I have Chance and Niki to thank for finding me the love of my life. How do you repay a person for that? Niki had her first baby in January of '06. The year I was supposed to turn 30. I had Harley the year she turned 30. Niki is the most amazing person ever. She's so much like Tavis. She's ambitious. She's successful. She's super smart. She's (brutally) honest. She's a hard worker. She's such an awesome example of a loving wife and mother. In my husband, I've found the male version of my best friend. In her best friend, she found the female version of her husband. He's mellow. Easy-going. Stay-at-home dad. (Although he actually works from home.)

Niki and I get along so well because our personalities are so different. She's high-maintenance (just ask her, she'll tell you). I'm laid back. She's ambitious. I'm lazy, lol.

So, even though it's my birthday tomorrow, it's also the day I get to celebrate the bestest friend a person could EVER ask for. There's no one I'd rather share my birthday with.

I love you, Niki. Thanks so much for feeding my texting fetish. (Those 100+ texts I burn through in a day? All Niki.) For listening to me vent about my life and for NEVER judging me. For introducing me to my "Prince Charming". For loving my baby so much! For getting me hooked on chai tea from Starbucks. For vowing to spend every birthday together for as long as we both shall live. For just being my best friend. Happy birthday to us!

My Three Most Favorite Little People

Birthday in T minus 2 days...

OK, since I have three kids I guess I should do a post for them. (Sheesh! It's supposed to be all about MEEEE!!!) So here are three little facts about each of my kids:

Hayden:

1. His left index finger is bent because he has sucked it since he was a newborn. He doesn't do it on purpose now but he wakes up most mornings with it in his mouth.
   
2. He can put both legs behind his head. He calls this trick "The Human Pretzel".


3. He knows everything there is to know about Star Wars. Which is WAAAAAY more than I EVER wanted to know.
   

Avery:

1. She is the most friendly, outgoing child I've ever known. She'll make a friend everywhere she goes. Even if it's in line at Wal-Mart and they'll only be friend for exactly 13 seconds.


2. She can't say her "R's".


3. She LOVES to eat deer meat with Tavis. Ew.
4. (OK, I know it's supposed to be just three but last night after I posted this I remembered something and since it's my blog, I figured I could do whatever I want!) When she was 5 she broke her arm (both bones) and two weeks after she got her cast off she broke her leg. It was brutal. For me.
   

Harley:

1. He has four teeth!


2. He says "mamamamama" whenever he sees me. (*swoon*)


3. His most favorite thing to play with is power cords.

33 Things You Never Knew You Wanted to Know About ME

Birthday in T minus 3 days...

OK, here we go. Here are 33 random things about me. Are you on the edge of your seat? Are you??? I'm excited, too.

1. I'm the youngest in my family.
2. I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers, the opposite number of siblings-in-law, 15 nephews, 5 nieces, 2 sons and 1 daughter. (This is just my side of the family.)
3. I know every single one of the above mentioned's birthdays and anniversaries. Including the year.
4. I'm a two-time cancer survivor. Hodgkin's. Once when I was 17 and again when I was 19. I finished chemotherapy a month before I turned 20 which means I've been cancer free for 13 years. GO ME!
5. I'm the only child in my family with blue eyes. (Thanks dad!)
6. I was born with both of my collar bones broken. I was a footling breech and it was before the days of automatically doing a c-section (and epidurals) so the doctor REACHED IN and, since my arms were above my head as well, pulled my arms down and pulled me out. Breaking my collar bones in the process. Can I just say...OWIE!!! Just the thought of someone reaching in without me being numb makes me hurt! (Thanks mom!)
7. Because of #6 I had to be wrapped up tight and held 24 hours a day for six solid weeks. (Sorry, mom!)
8. I've been married twice.
9. Of course I love my husband, but I also really, really like him.
10. I have two dogs that I don't like very much but I'd feel bad if they died.
11. I've seen Steel Magnolias over 200 times. I have the entire thing memorized and can recite every word.
12. When I was married to my first husband I moved 8 times in 6 years.
13. I love trivia games.
14. I'm a pretty good speller.
15. I know how to cook but I hate doing it.
16. I'd rather have a root canal than do laundry.
17. I've never been stung by a bee.
18. I broke my leg when I was 3. (My mom will say I was defective from the word "go".)
19. My favorite group is AB(backward B)A. We'd listen to them in the car when I was growing up.
20. I was born on a Sunday.
21. My favorite holiday is Halloween.
22. My bestest bestie has the same birthday as I do. (More on her in another post.)
23. I used to hate to snuggle and now it seems like I can't get close enough to my husband. I joke about wishing he had a zipper so I could unzip him and climb inside.
24. I wish I didn't love Wal-Mart but I do. I like to go and wander around. Same with Costco.
25. If I had to make a choice between air and Diet Pepsi, I'm pretty sure I'd go with Diet Pepsi.
26. I had sh*t ton of wax removed from my ears today. And it felt sooooo good!
27. I dated a guy for over a year that was (still is, I suppose) 22 years older than me. And another guy that graduated from high school the year I was born. I don't know what the hell was wrong with me. I have a good relationship with my dad so I know it wasn't anything like that.
28. When I was a junior in high school I was on the dance team and I got the "longest legs" award.
29. At 5' 9" I'm the tallest of the girls in my family. My oldest brother is taller than I am and my other brother is the same height as me.
30. Twenty-nine was the hardest age for me to turn.
31. I can't watch infomercials because every single one was made especially for me and I MUST have what ever it is they're selling. And HOW have I lived this long without this product?
32. I burn through about 100 texts a day.
33. I keep my finger nails short except for one pointer finger that I use to get boogs out of Harley's nose. And I LOVE to pick his nose.

Whew! That was brutal! Turns out I'm not quite as interesting as I thought I was. That sucks.

Wordless Wednesday (Even though it's Tuesday Night)

Birthday in T minus 4 days...

OK, I know it's supposed to be "wordless" but I'm mostly just using that as an excuse to post cute pictures.

This one is called "bottle independence!!!"

This is Avery in our backyard after we got dumped on.

This is Hayden after he shoveled the 18" of snow off the trampoline. Ya, we got a bumload of snow.

Three of my Most Favorite People: My Sisters

I'm in the middle. Kim is on my right and our cute mom is on my left. DeNae is in the front on the left and next to her is Jill.

I'm the youngest of 6 kids. (My mom actually had 7 kids (yes, we're Mormon) but the middle child, a boy, died when he was four days old.) I have 3 sisters and 2 brothers. I love my brothers and I love their wives. I really do consider my sisters-in-law to be my sisters, too. My sister-in-law, Alison, is one of my best friends. But this post is dedicated to my blood sisters.

DeNae:

She's the oldest in our family. (Should I have said "eldest"? I never know when that word is appropriate.) I was barely 9 when DeNae got married and moved out. I literally only have 2 memories of her before she got married. And of them is when she told me she'd gotten engaged the night before. I remember going in her room that was next to mine and Kim's and her showing me her ring.

I stood in her reception line in that mauve, satin dress with the puffy sleeves that EVERYONE who walked past me had to pat down because I was at the end of said line for THREE HOURS. I sat down once. When I went to the restroom. Apparently, her wedding cake was in the back of the family car and I smashed it on the way home. Oops. I really don't remember that.

She and I had once described ourselves as "bookends" to our family. We have a lot in common. We're both funny. What? We are! We're witty. We're smart. (No question she's smarter than I am, but still.) We're outspoken. We're out-going. We both love music. (I didn't make a career out of it like she did. She scarred me. lol) She taught me to play the piano. (Hence the scarring) Her son, David, was the first person in my life that was younger than me. I loved him instantly. And he loved me! I learned a lot about motherhood from her, through David. And sometimes, when I'm feeling especially "little sister-ish" I like to remind her that I'm closer in age to David than I am to her. Hee Hee.

I really wish I would have heeded her...um...we'll call it advice (although it was more like commands) to go to college. She always told me I was so smart. I should get an education "just in case". Just in case what? Just in case I ended up divorced and forced to go to work? Oh. That. Ya, that would have been helpful.



Jill:

We sisters are all four years apart from the one just older than us. Jill is the coolest of all the sisters. No question. She's always been the pretty one. She's so much fun. She's the secret keeper of our family. We all confide in Jill. She's spicy. She's the smallest of our family but she's definitely not one you'd want to tangle with. Do you remember that one girl that everyone wanted to be friends with? The one that completed any group activity? The one you always wanted to have around? That's Jill.

Jill and I are a lot alike, too. Mostly because I've always wanted to be just like Jill. We both have a thirst for fun. We crave it.

Jill taught me so much about boys. About dating. About eyebrow plucking and make-up application. If ever I needed a "make over" Jill was the one to give it to me. She took good care of me. DeNae was gone before I knew it and Kim and I were too close in age for her to want to nurture me. I was so sad the day she moved to St. George to go to college. I cried and cried. I remember one time when she came home from school I ran out of my room so fast I scraped my back on the door frame. I had a huge bruise but I couldn't help it. I was so excited to see her! I still get so excited to see Jill.



Kim:

Kim is four years younger than Jill (exactly, actually) and four years older than me. Most of my childhood memories include Kim. We shared a room and a bed for the first part of my life. I think it was when she turned 12 that we got our own beds. But not our own rooms. We became "pinkie sisters" because of those separate beds. We'd try to hold pinkies all night long. (She'd last about 14 seconds and then say she was bored of that and roll over and go to sleep.) She LOVED to torture me. Jill? Nurture. Kim? Torture. One night before we got our own beds she told me there was a man under our bed with a knife. He kept sticking it up through the mattress but would somehow pull in back down before I had a chance to see it. I kept telling her that I was going to go get dad but she insisted that the man would grab my legs and pull me under. It never occurred to me that her "scream" was not a scream at all. Rather, someone who was pretending to scream. As not to wake their parents.

One time she burned my leg with her curling iron. On purpose. And when I threatened to go tell dad (I was the little sister. I was required to tell on her.) she burned her own leg. On purpose.

In spite of all this, Kim and I are very, very close. Thank goodness for time!

Kim's the one in our family that gets along with everyone. She's so mellow and easy going. We have this in common. We're "come-with-guys". We'll do whatever, whenever. It's so relaxing to be with Kim. She's a great hostess. She makes you feel so welcome in her home. I love being at her house. Well, except for the fact that I HATE my house when I get back from a weekend at Kim's.

Kim got married at 17 and moved out (and to California!) when she was 18. I missed her so much. I feel like I got ripped off from my big-sister-time. I still needed her! Kim's the one who taught me about...um...that special time in a girl's life. Our mom was in the hospital having a hysterectomy, ironically enough.



Well, this post passed the point of "to make a long story short" about twelve paragraphs ago. Thanks for reading to the end. Even if the only ones left are DeNae, Jill and Kim. I sure do love you guys! Thanks for all you taught me. I can't imagine my life without any of you.

It's All About ME This Week...

...as opposed to all the other weeks when it's been all about...um...me.

Oh hi! How's it goin'? So I'm guessing you've got all the 4th grade tales memorized by now? OK, good. Moving on.

My birthday is coming this week and I'll be 33. So the posts this week will be all about the 3's. Three things about me. Three pictures that you're going to fall in love with on Wordless Wednesday. And so on and so forth.

So, without further ado...I give you "Just Three Things".

My friend, Amanda sent me this email so I'm going to do it here.

1. Three things I could eat the whole bag of: Doritos, if raspberry filled powdered donuts came in a bag I could eat all of them (as it is, they come 6 to a box and I could eat them all), Wint o Green Life Savers.

2. Three songs that make me happy no matter what: Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Mamma Mia, Summer Time (Kid Rock)

3. Three of my favorite TV show characters: Seinfeld, Elaine, GeorgeandKramer (I had to combine those last two in order to keep it to 3)

4. Three websites I get on every day: My blog, my sister's blog, everyone else's blog that I spend way too much time reading. (You, too can become addicted to my faves. They're over there on the left.)

5. Three perfumes I canʼt get enough of: I don't wear perfume, but I like coconut body spray from Bath and Body Works. I mostly just like to smell like summer.

6. Three things I could not live without: My DVR, my hugging pillow, see #1.

7. Three ways I pamper/treat myself: Massage, tanning, see #1.

8. Three colors I love to wear: Red, pink, black

9. Three movies I watch over and over: I go in spurts...right now it's Mamma Mia, The Women, and Pirates of the Caribbean has been on a lot lately.

10. Three TV shows I watch over and over: Seinfeld, King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond.

So there you go. I'll be better at blogging this week. I'm sure you've all been waiting with bated breath. Well, go ahead and get some sleep now. I'm back.