FAREWELL, KRIS!

One of my very favorite people, who happens to be a co-worker, is leaving the salon. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. For selfish reasons I'm very BUMMED to say the least. I've absolutely LOVED working with Kris. I've worked right next to her for over 6 years so I've had the pleasure of getting to know her quite well. We have become very close. I also have gotten to know her "ladies," and will miss MOST of them, too. But I am excited for her & the new endeavors and opportunities that await her at the "HAIR GARDEN." She's wanted to go there for a while... i don't know why!
The salon had a "farewell" dinner for Kris at the Cheesecake Factory.

Karen, Sherrie & Kris and Jimmy and Kathy- the sibs.

Me & my date, Candice! and Matt & Christeena

Good thing Candice and I brought our other halves.



Who doesn't love a good photo shoot? The sad thing is, none of it was staged.

Kris, we'll all miss you! You added so much fun to ZADA! It won't be the same without you!!

THANKS TODD!!

I didn't think I relied so much on my computer, until I didn't have one. It was BUSTED for about a week and it SUCKED! I felt totally lost. Aside from feeling totally out of the loop with not being able to blog (pathetic), I couldn't do my convenient on-line banking, check my email or on-line shop (or browse) as I pleased. I did use my parent's comp. and Kristen's, too, here and there. But seriously, I'm attached to this thing. Thanks to our WONDERFUL and TALENTED neighbor, Todd, for being such a genius and fixing it for us. All I had to do was go to Best Buy and buy a few parts (that was an adventure in of itself... what the heck is RAM?), and VOILA, here I am on my not-so-new, IMPROVED computer! Thanks again, Todd!

BATGIRL

Addison dressed up in Collin's Batman costume and LOVED it!

She was struting her stuff around the house thinking she was pretty cool.

Soooo UNlike her brother... He did (suprisingly) put the costume on. But the second I pulled out the camera, he ripped it off and ran into the other room. He hates any sort of that kind of attention. Whatever.

I just had to throw this pic in cause I thought it was so cute. Love ya, Addi!

I Got Tagged - High School
Am I really subjecting myself to this? Owell, it'll be pretty hilarious to me and anyone of you readers who knew me in High School. Here we go...
1. Did you date someone from your school? Yes, I dated Greg Lovato at the end of my Soph. year through my Jr. year and on and off during Sr. year.
2. What kind of car did you drive? If I wasn't hauling all my friends around in my Mom's mini-van, I drove an AWESOME '84 Ford Tempo AKA "The Ambulance." It was 2 shades of nasty red with a white trunk. The best part was, whenever you made a left-hand turn, the passenger door swung open. Thanks Adam Jack!
3. What was the most embarrassing moment of high school? Easy... so at the Homecoming Assembly, Dance Co. performed in front of the entire school out on the football field. I was in a unitard (yes, I was) that I hadn't danced in yet. Let's just say it didn't fit too well. So I was completely oblivious to the fact that the top slid down completely under my boobs. Did I have a sports bra on? No. Just a normal white bra. So I did the entire dance being exposed to the entire student body. When I realized what had happened, I was horrified!
4. Were you a party animal? ABSOLUTELY!!!- with no drugs or alcohol- just tang.
5. Were you considered a flirt? ABSOLUTELY.
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? No, but I think choir would have been fun.
7. Were you a nerd? No. "We are the popular girls."
8. Were you on any varsity teams? I was in Student Government and Dance Company. No varsity rankings, though.
9. Did you get suspended/expelled? I'm tempted to plead the 5th, but yes, I was suspended. I can't go into details for some "close-to-home" reasons. But Val will appreciate this: "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP, I"M TURNING UP THE HEAT!!!!"
10. Can you still sing the fight song?Proudly, yes!
11. Who were your favorite teachers? I loved the V.P. Mr. Woods (Woody) even though he wasn't an actual teacher. I should say Mr. Archibald (my Junior Math teacher), since that's where Dave and I met. I don't think I went to class enough to really get to know any of my other teachers. jk!
12. Where did you sit during lunch? At the same table every day and once we finished eating, we moved to the stairs to chat. That is, if I was there for lunch.
13. What was your school's full name? West Jordan High School
14. School mascot? "Home of the Jags" Jamal the Jaguar
15. Did you go to Homecoming and who with? Sophomore Year - Abrahm Mehl, Junior & Senior Years - Greg Lovato
16. If you could go back and do it again, would you? Highschool, NO. 9th grade... maybe! Don't get me wrong, I liked HS... but I'm trying to erase some of the memories from my mind.
17. What do you remember most about graduation? Back to the popular conversation. We were given a white sash to wear over our grad gown, and all of our friends decided to tie it around our neck as a scarf instead. We called it the "popularity sash". We thought we were so funny. I also remember driving from the graduation ceremony to dinner with Kristen and freaking out over my diploma, saying that I not only graduated from High school, but I graduated from a certain someone. I'm a jerk.
18. Where did you go senior skip day? I didn't need a special day...
19. Were you in any clubs? DECA- and I have no idea what that stands for. BUT, if you look in my senoir yearbook, I was in mostly all the clubs. I somehow landed in all the club pictures.??
20. Have you gained some weight since then? Is this some sort of a trick question?
21. Who was your prom date? Junior - Greg Lovato, Senior - Greg Winder.
22. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion? I already went to the 10 year, and I PLANNED the 10 year. It was great to see everyone that came.
23. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself? I would have taken school more seriously. My studies were never my focal point. It was all about the social aspect! Although, I did graduate with flying colors. I also would have spent more time (mainly my Junior year) with my girlies. I was all about the fellas. LAME!
Hope you all enjoyed my High School experience! Please don't judge me...
I tag 5 people: Ben, Rachael B., Alicia C., Julie Greenburg and Danny

Auntie Jess

My sis, Jessica, moved out of the house (we thought it'd never happen... haha!) a couple weeks ago. Now that she is all settled, she invited us up to see her super cute new place. We also went to Liberty Park to have a picnic & play in the "7 Canyons." Unfortunately, when we were done with our greasy (and yummy) KFC, they started draining the water in the 7 canyons. Lame! So we rode the GHETTO rides instead.

Tol was too embarrassed to ride the cars. I don't blame him. So Addi went solo.

"Merry-Go-Round"

My kids insisted on riding on the bench. Seriously?

We are so BLESSED to have Jess in our lives. She is the SWEETEST, KINDEST and most EASY-GOING person you'll ever meet.

We have been lucky to have her as the kids' nanny. She has watched them for about 2 years a couple days a week while I work.

I couldn't have asked for anyone better. My kids LOVE their Auntie Jess so much! She does so many fun things with them everyday and I NEVER worry when she's with them.

Jessica's love for children (especially mine) is AMAZING! She loves and cares for them like they're her own. She has endless patience and energy.

This is her last week of watching my kids :( She is buckling down and finishing school.

It is bitter-sweet. We are very proud of her and her dedication to school. It is what she needs to do and we support her 100%. BUT, we will miss having the BEST nanny in the entire world!

Thanks, Jess, for all the ways you have helped us over the years. We TRULY couldn't have asked for a better situation. We love you so much and wish you the BEST of luck in school!

Dave and I doubled with Nils and his new girl, Natalie, up to Park City.
It was basically a repeat of our last venture to PC a few weeks ago:
we rode the Alpine Slide and the Alpine Coaster then went to Loco Lizard for dinner.

It was the first time Dave and I met Natalie and I made a great first impression. Let's just say my exit stradegy from the chair lift was anything but smooth. I went DOWN! That's right... I somehow got knocked practically on my face. Of course I yell, "SHIT!" Poor Nils, I think he was more embarrassed than I was. He was trying so hard to impress his "RM" date, and not only do I make a total fool of myself, but I finish it off with a choice word. Owell, better that she knows me for who I really am, right?

It was so much fun doubling with Nils. Since there are 8 years between us, we haven't done that before. Hopefully it was the first of many.

Oh, and I should mention, Nils got his first "post-mish" smooch that night. What a STUD!!!

double date night

After a romantic meal at Carl's Jr.,

Kristen and I went on a double date with the Carters to the James Taylor concert.

Okay, so that's not exactly how it went, but pretty close.

It was such a great concert! There's not many things better than chillin' outside on the lawn (in nice, cool evening weather) listening to James.

I don't know if Kristen was really that into it, but she was nice enough to go with me since Dave was up to his ears in homework. Thanks Kris!

We actually ran into Blaine and Alicia there, so we ended up sitting with them. Thanks for letting us crash your date, guys!

We also saw the Burt's. They were too cool to sit with us. Whatever.

So I have to comment: Alicia is due in like 3 weeks with her first. Doesn't she look GREAT?!

CURRENT OBSESSIONS

Dave: Rootbeer Floats; Music (from library then downloading on his iPod); cooking and everything to do with it (ie: cooking shows, cookbooks, cooking utensils, grocery shopping, etc.); Boulder, UT

Jami: Cinnamon Life Cereal; Red Mango (original yogurt w/ strawberries and mochi... yum!); BLOGGING (i know...); my colon cleanse (that's right!); Big Brother 10

Tolman: Music "with drums"; Keys & Cars (and mostly anything to do with either); "Sugary snacks"; Watering the flowers (and getting he and Addi soaked in the process)

Addison: Toothbrushes ("bwush"); binki's; Dora the Explorer (and anything with Dora's picture on it); shoes and socks (you can usually find Addi wearing mismatched shoes and socks at any given time of day); Twinkle*Twinkle*Little*Star