So, I guess I'm tagged!

Rachael had this brilliant idea to 'TAG' me... so I'm going to have to figure out eight random things about myself that not too many people know...
I'll start thinking about these things...
1. I have my clothes in my closet color coordinated: white, yellow, orange/peachy, pinks/reds/maroons, purple, blue, green, grays, browns, and then blacks.
2. When I get excited, I rub my hands together and make a squealing noise!
3. I haven't made my bed more than 3 times in the last 6 months!
4. I have to be honest here... I'm a closet perfectionist. I could have dishes in the sink and on the counters, but have all the cabinets organized. Or have all my underwear garments folded in the dresser, but have the sock drawer completely disastrous! (in fact, I don't really have a sock drawer, they're just all mixed in with other stuff).
But when I have to clean, I clean good. I don't just use cleaning products, but I have to organize all the drawers, storage bins, cabinets, closets, etc.
5. I alphabetize all my DVDs (about 200 or so of them too!).
6. I am an aggressive, yet extremely safe driver. Someone was going 30 mph in a 50 mph hour last night and made me so angry! Although when I was actually able to pass them, I never went over the speed limit! I also hate those who leave their blinkers on, or slow down every time there's a place to turn...

In reply to my two comments at this time... I told y'all that I'd be thinking about them! So, I guess I have the last two now...
7. I'm have an addictive, yet ADD personality... (don't worry, I'll explain...) Basically, I got into scrap booking, then got distracted... I got into reading books back to back, then got distracted... I got into decorating with Americana colors, then went to reds and neutrals (cream and brown)... I got into not drinking soda, then changed my mind... I used to play Solitaire every night before bed, but now I just watch Law and Order reruns... etc. (I'll update this post when I think of more). (Oh, yeah, I also watch Matlock almost every lunch break I come home for lunch! I haven't gotten ADD on Andy Griffith!)
8. Jason helped me with this one... I like ketchup with my grilled cheese. I didn't think this was ever weird until I met Jason, who now calls me a "hillbilly" because of this... then I started asking around. My friends, colleagues, and even some random people, and believe it or not, most people don't eat ketchup with their grilled cheese sandwiches!! Crazy!

So, there's the big eight for ya!
I'm sure if I think of more, I'll add more later, so keep checking it, okay?

05.25.2007
I've been thinking more about this and thought of another one...
9. I hate food that gets stuck in my teeth (but sometimes eat it anyway). Corn on the cob, popcorn, coconut, nuts, celery, etc.
10. Like Rachael, in reference to if I were in a coma..., when my eye lids open up, they cover my makeup, so, if I were in a coma, make sure that I have nice looking eye shadow on my lids...

05.31.2007
Lori thought of another one for me...
11. I can't order anything straight of the menu. This happens once a year or so...
It's usually something like, "I'd like the La Majer with the bean burrito, no meat, no cheese on top with extra red sauce and guacamole on the side." Or, "I'd like the pasta with marinara, but I don't want spaghetti noodles, I want penne" (because I don't like how the spaghetti slips and splashes on my face and clothes) "and I also want half with marinara and the other half with Alfredo sauce..."

Driver at 3? A walk in the park...

Ben and his tractor/truck Gator thing...

He's actually a pretty good driver! Jason and I had some fun with him and the kids a couple of weeks ago and went to the park.

Kristen and Jack had fun swinging and showing me how high they can get.

And here's Kristen... Is this the only time her hair isn't in her face? Ha-ha!

Pictures = Memories

I've got one of the cutest pictures of Jason and his dad, Ron (aka: Captain Ron: he sails in Florida sometimes...) They are sitting on a dock, fishing together, and there's just something about that picture that makes me happy!
But when I think back, its pictures that help me remember special moments, or any moments for that matter, back in time.
Like the picture of me and my friend, Jessica Davis, in high school, singing "Man, I feel like a blue whale" into 'whale' microphones! (part of our advanced biology project as seniors!)
Or Natalie and I at Grandma and Grandpa B's house in N. Dakota. Which reminds me of when I (or one of us kids) lost a flip flop in one of the huge haystacks and a clear memory of when Natalie shot me in the butt with a BB gun, because I didn't want to play with her!
Today, I assisted Rachael with Katya and Kristen while they got their professional pictures and they turned out super cute! Something didn't quite sink in until Rachael mentioned that this is probably the first time Katya has gotten professional pictures!
Who thought of pictures? I'm not sure, but I do know that there can't be too many!
Seeing those two sisters, cheek to cheek, and arms around each other, smiling just big enough to see every single tooth in their mouth, makes me smile! I'm so happy for them both! From experience, I know that my sisters are my friends, my support, my advice givers, my critics, my everything!
I love you all (even to those who think this post has become a bit cheesier than expected...) (but I did warn everyone that this blog would be pretty random, didn't I?)
Thanks mom for having us!
And thanks, Rachael, Shannon, Lori, and Natalie! (Can't wait for your comments on this one!)

Mani/Pedi

Most of you out there have gotten a manicure/pedicure, right? I was planning on going today, and told my friend, Missy, who decided to join me... then on the way, she called her sister-in-law, Mona, to join us too. I signed us all in at 4:10 p.m. and we picked out our colors and waited... after a bit, we were seated in manicure chairs waiting for the pedi chairs. Mona got hers first, then Missy, then me. Mona got started, then Missy, and I waited. Mona then moved on to her mani, Missy's toes were almost done, and I still waited... at around 6 p.m. I got my feet in the water.
Missy and Mona left to play golf and I finally got my toes done around 7 p.m. almost to tears because I had to wait so long!
Needless to say, I did not get my mani and I left so sad.
I was so angry, too! But it wasn't the fault of the pedicurist! But I'm going to be calling the manager tomorrow.
I'm not the kind of person to create drama or a scene, and I'm not sure if that's cowardess or not, but I know I don't like being in a place when someone else does it...
What do you guys think? Should I have? Am I too nice?
What would you do?

Laser's?

Yesterday was my first experience in laser hair removal... My armpits. I wasn't sure if I had to shave before or not, but thank goodness I got a hold of Rachael so she could tell me that I did need to...
It only took about 3 minutes, but it kinda hurt! I guess that if I hadn't shaved, then it would've burned my hair, whereas, with a clean shaven armpit, it burned down to the root. It felt like something was reaching inside and grabbing each individual hair out... I'm a baby, I guess.
What I didn't know what that it's permanent! My colleague asked me how long it lasted and I told her that I didn't know, but probably for about 3 or 4 months or so...
Wow, this is cool! Just a few more treatments and I'll never have to shave my armpits again! Why wouldn't I do this everywhere???

What's your cake?

Growing up, I always remember Ryan's birthday with the Cherry Crunch Cake, a jar of cherries covered with a yellow cake mix, butter, and pecans sprinkled on top. I love that cake! (minus the nuts)! Natalie's birthday's almost always came with an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen! I still love that fudgy-chocolate layer in the middle! And for me? For about five or so years in a row, Bob always made me a Blackberry Cobbler (fresh-picked at the Redwood Camp meeting) along with home-made ice cream and Mom would add a pineapple upside-down cake! I'll take one of each, please!
Well, I have gone beyond figuring out what Jason's cake is... On his dad's birthday in February, Jason told me to make German Chocolate Cake because it was Ron's favorite... then in March, he wanted me to bring a German Chocolate Cake to his mom's birthday gathering because it too was her favorite... mmm...
Last Sunday, May 6, 2007 was Jason's 27th birthday and because the last two b-day's in his family included GCC, I decided to change it up a little bit (I don't even like it because it has a coconut and nut frosting on top) and so I made him a Rachael Ray "Strawberries and Cream Cake" with three layers of cake, whipped cream with marscopone cheese and fresh cut strawberries and fresh strawberry glaze.

It was so beautiful and one of the best cakes I've ever eaten! I was so happy to make this for him! He, too, was very thankful and ate most of it, although I did notice that something just wasn't right...
Today, we went to his mom's house for Mother's Day dinner and there it was... a German Chocolate Cake! Well, I think it's official. I guess I'm going to have to get used to the coconut and nuts getting stuck in my teeth for a while...
Update: While Jason and I were at his mom's today, we were going through old pictures of Jason as a little boy, and what did we find? Yep, a picture of him when he was about 5 or 6 years old with his dad and brother, in front of... yes, a German Chocolate Cake!

PROOF! I just added this picture to show proof of this whole German Chocolate Cake Craze! Jason, is the cute little boy on the right, his dad is the tall one, and the cake, well, it's in the middle...
So, my dear readers (few and far between, I know) What is your cake?

Putt-Putt

Jason and I had the opportunity to play a game, or two, of Putt-Putt the other day. I haven't played for about two years, but thought it would be a nice random change to our everyday activities...
Everything started out just fine until I made a few hole-in-ones and he made a few 7 to 10 over pars...
We are both pretty competitive, especially Jason, so I knew we had to make a wager. The loser had to take the winner on a dinner & movie date.
As Jason's says... "I was a man without finesse" and putt-putt is not a talent of his, in any way, shape, or form...
I just wanted to laugh at how mad he kept getting that I was just kicking his butt over and over again!!
Apparently, he'll never play putt-putt again... shocking!
We took a short break after the first game of mini-golf and went inside to play a few games. He chose to race against me in a car-racing game... so, we were off!
I had a purple hummer and he had a yellow one. I used my gear shifting abilities and was tailing him until about 30 seconds to the end, then I hit his car and got in front of him... we raced till the bitter end, talking smack the whole time too! And as usual, I won!! Ha-ha! I just wanted to rub in it his face, but as the loving girlfriend, I chose to take the attention away and playing another game. Jason said, while I've been writing this post, to make sure I tell you all that I only won by .2 seconds and he lost because he wasn't able to change his racing vehicle! (Please note: we both had the same car, just different colors!) Overall, I'm the best driver!
We then were able to play that ball game (like at Show-Biz Pizza, Major Magic's, or Chucky Cheeses, take your pick!) where you roll the balls up this ramp and then it falls into a hole/slot. I love that game!
After we cashed in our 202 tickets for sugar candy, Jason was ready to take Putt-Putt and the hole-in-one queen on, just one more time!
He played as carefully as he could and actually did pretty good, but I still won! By two points, this time, but I still one! I love it!
So, any ideas on where should I make him take me to eat?

Correction: as I was reading this to Jason, he corrected the time on the car race, my bad, I actually only won the race by .02 seconds not .2 as I had previously mentioned! I'm so sorry! But as I told my DMV instructor the second time I drove in order to get my driver's liscense in California, when he told me that while I still made mistakes, I still passed! In this case, I still won!

So, what's next?

Life continues to race by, although putting all this in perspective... Natalie gets married in less than one month. I have to practice and sing a song for her wedding. I have to also plan a bachlorette party. I have to also help my best friend, Betsy, coordinate her wedding, which is the first day of summer, June 21, just over a month away! Not ruling out the busiest season at work!
Last week, I had a chemical peel on my face from LeeAnn at Rachael's office, and she asked me how everything was going with Katya... I told her that while there's always something going on for Rachael... she is the best person for the job. Rachael has the most perfect combination of personality, character, and multitasking abilities that I've ever seen in another person and if delivering babies and conducting surgeries, just to come home to cook dinner, take Kristen to piano/guitar lessons, get the kids to bed, watch Grey's and American Idol, (and a ton more other tasks to do) and then start all over the next day, and adding a few more unexpected moments here and there... then she's ready for even more!
Will some of those talents rub off on me? I sure hope so!

Natalie's Bridal Shower

So, I've been a bit stressed and busy lately, with work mainly, but last week was Natalie's Bridal Shower and it was absolutely beautiful! With the help of Lori, Julie, Rachael, Sarah, and others, we had the best shower I've ever been to!
Have any of you been to a shower that was boring, super slow, cheesy, and just gave you that feeling that doing laundry is extremely important!
It all started with the... okay, well, it actually started quite a long time before last Sunday at 5 p.m., so, okay, the BRIDAL SHOWER event started with an array of colorful, yummy bite-sized goodies to eat on the pink and green decorated tables with flowers, cake, cookie-wedding-cakes, presents, and close friends and family all there to celebrate this huge life-changing step for Natalie!
The room was absolutely beautiful! We ate as much food as we could (although most of us had just been to El Rodeo about an hour before...)! Then we transitioned into a questionnaire trivia game with questions like, "How much was the most expensive wedding?" which was somewhere around $40 million or so. Prizes were passed out and we then led to the activity...
With coordinated paper and embellishments, we had each guest complete an 8 by 8 scrapbook page for Natalie. With a Polaroid camera, and copies of pictures of Natalie and Adam, each person was able to design and create a perfect page for Natalie to be able to look at and remember a specific moment and person. Many brought their own pictures, but with the combination of taking a fresh new picture with the guest and Nat and pictures from the past really created a special book with each person's hand-written wishes... and I'm so happy that Natalie will have this memory forever!
Presents were opened and guests left and it was over...
A perfect event!
Can we rewind and do it again?!

This picture is one that Natalie gave to me, and I made a copy for a scrapbook page...

Mother's Day

Lately, there's been a commercial for Dairy Queen where this lady is on her way to deliver her baby and she says something like, "I'm not a mother yet, but I will be soon, so I grabbed an icecream cake..." or something...
But, she is a mother! Just like my sister, Lori. She's a mother! She will be having her baby in December; therefore, she is a mother!
I know it's sort of random to mention this, but I've seen that commercial so many times lately and I just couldn't figure out why it bothered me so much!
With all the politics now... I guess it seems much more clear to me...
I feel so blessed in my life to know so many mother's and great examples (and proof of their success in their children) mother's like mine, like Rachael, Bonnie, Shannon, Brenda, and even Lori! Lori was able to utilize motherly skills as 'mother-hen' in a condo with two females needing direction (and possibly discipline too...)!
I'm so happy for Lori! While I have no advice for her, because I don't have experience in that field, I still hope she knows she is loved, prayed for, and has my support... (don't ask me to babysit, yet, though!) Ha-Ha!!
So, for all those Mom's out there, Happy Mother's Day and see your reflection in your children!