One Year Down....

For our first anniversary, we stayed at Snowbird for a quick weekend getaway. It was so beautiful in the canyon, the leaf colors were at their peak. We stayed at the Lodge at Snowbird and did all of the activities that Snowbird offers. Plus, it was Octoberfest, so there was polka music playing and LOTS of beer! We had a great time. Here are some pictures we took (I forgot to grab to memory card to our brand new camera, so we could only take a few... Ooops).

This first picture we took at Mimi's Cafe. It was so good. We decided to eat out on Friday and cook dinner on Saturday.

Here we are going on the ski lift at Snowbird. It was so pretty and nice, just got a little chilly towards to top of the mountain. It was so nice and relaxing. I was freaked out that Adam would drop the camera from the ski lift (after our proposal experience has taught me not to trust his grip on important things :)) so I made him give me the camera to take the picture!

This is at the top of the mountain. It was pretty windy, and Adam was freezing in shorts. I told him to change, but he didn't listen! The view was fantastic.

At Snowbird, there is a tunnel that takes you through the mountain from the ski lift so you can ski on the back side of the mountain. Adam thought it was so cool, like a little boy :) It was freezing in there, but fun.

We went on the alpine slide. It reminded me of the night Adam proposed. That was the only other time I had gone on the alpine slide :) Adam was going so fast that by the time the camera took the picture, he was almost out of it!

Here's me on the zip line. Adam took this picture over his shoulder as he was going down too. I still can't believe he actually got me in the picture. He's got skills.

The tramp takes you to the peak of the mountain. Here we are at the top. Just behind our heads you could see Heber! What a view!

Now, this picture was an adventure. After we check out of our hotel on Sunday, we went for a drive up the canyon the rest of the way. Adam remembered a short hike to Cecret Lake (yes, that is how it's spelled) so we decided to hike it. It was really easy and only half a mile. It was perfect weather so we stopped at the lake to look for salamanders before heading back down. As I looked in the water, there was a flash in the water followed by the loudest BOOM. Adam said, "Did you see how close that was?!?" It started to sprinkle lightly, but we didn't want to leave yet because we had just gotten there. Two seconds later after another FLASH and BOOM, we decided it might be best to start hiking back down. As soon as we left the lake, the rain got heavier and turned into hail! I swear the temperture dropped 20 degrees in two mintues, and we started running down laughing, getting soaked by the rain and then pelted by the hail! It was freezing, our pants and shoes where soaked and muddy, and we got so wet. Rivers were created where they were dry on our way up. It hailed an inch, almost two, in some places. This picture was when the hail first started, so we are only slightly wet. By the time we got to the car, our shirts were soaked halfway down and my hair was dripping wet! It was an experience we will never forget!

I'm sorry what did you say??????

** Warning this a long rambling rant

Remember I said I would have a post about arrogance, well here it is.

So those of you who have followed my blog for a while will remember that I was in the process of getting approval to launch a new division of my company, that approval was granted and I have been busy ever since coming up with detailed planning documents and a ton of other stuff I won't bore you with.

So about 2 months ago someone got the bright idea to hire and actuary to help me build a portion of this business, I protested saying I didn't see the need as the work to be done was limited and after Jan. I would not have work to support a full time employee, no need in hiring someone just to fire them 6 months later. Hence I was working with a consultant instead of hiring a full time person. However the powers that be and someone who wants to be king of the kingdom, decided he wanted an new prince. Enter Sam (not his real name), I interviewed Sam for about 30 mins, what can you really tell in 30 mins? Nothing!!! Keep in mind he is not my direct hire and he was only going to be of value to me till Jan. hence the need for only 30 mins. So Sam is hired and started about 3 1/2 weeks ago. On the first day he was arrogant and or as some of us thought just socially inept. On day 4 he asked me for a prefered time to meet to discuss things since he was told I was the key player on most items he was to be working on. I said sure, anytime but Tuesday afternoons as I have a busy Tuesday mornings and I need the afternoons to catch up. Well, the very next day he scheduled a meeting for the very time I asked him not to. When I asked him if it was a mistake he replied "No." I then asked if he recalled our conversation about times to schedule the meeting and he replied "Yes, but I outrank you so I set it up when it was convenient for me."

Ladies (and men if you are reading) it took everything I had not to grab him by the balls tie his manhood in a knot and hurl him out the window. Who the hell did he think he was? While his title is AVP and mine is Director, we are not in the same reporting structure and as a matter of fact I am awaiting board approval for the same title, not that he has anyway of knowing that on day 5! I informed him I indeed would not be at his meeting and marched into the SrVP office and told him that I expected a full apologize and who the hell did he think he was telling me he outranked me! The Sr. VP assured me that he would smooth things over and not only speak to Sam but Sam's boss as well. The next day Sam begrudgingly apologized (if you can call it that) and rescheduled the meeting. Fast forward to last Friday, which I have determined is the day he likes to stir things up. Sam is speaking with my compliance officer (CO) and asked who is in charge of my division, CO replies, Stephanie is. Sam says "No, I mean who has the final say about that division", again CO says Stephanie. Sam says, "I really I don't see her as a peer." CO replies "Well if I were you I would show her some deference because she has final say on the division and she has no hesitation picking up the phone and calling the CEO to get what she needs done." Yahoo!!!! for CO, I think I owe him dinner.

Bottom line this guy is a pain in my ass and will try to undermine me at every turn. He clearly has a problem with women or is just super stuck on titles. I have 10 years to his 3 weeks and I am a hell of a lot more connected then he is, so I am trying to figure out how long he will last because I am not the only one he has shown his arrogant side to, he has pissed just about everyone he has come in contact off. So my over under on his tenure is 8 months. :)

Let me know your thoughts on how you would handle my new friend!

Boxtops for Education... and the cool ways to earn points for your school

You might be thinking to yourself why am I writing about the topic Box Tops for Educations. Well, I am our schools chairperson for Box Tops and I have seen firsthand what the Box Tops program can provide in the way of free money and or products to schools who collect Boxtops.

Recently I was asked if I had ever used the Marketplace to earn Box Top points for my school! I had seen it but never ventured out to use it. So off I went to check it out. I must say I am in love! I had no idea that there were some many participating retailers. Here are some of the ones I frequent on a regular basis

Leap Frog
Kohl's
Old Navy
Oriental Trading Co.
Chadwick's
Overstock
And many many more.

Here is how it works go to the Box Tops website and sign up, select your child's school to be sure the points are directed to the school of your choice. Then check out the market place and get to shopping! Retailers will give anywhere from .5% to 3.5% of your purchase to the school you select. This program is only online but based on gas prices and some of the $0 shipping deals,not to mention the time saved shopping on the computer vs. trudging out to the store, you can receive I think it is great because it is a huge time saver for me and I am helping my children's school in the process.

In addition to the market place you can also earn points with these programs.

Clipping Box Tops: Clip Box Tops from hundreds of participating products and send them to the school of your choice. The school’s Box Tops Coordinator will collect the Box Tops, send them in to General Mills, and then the school will receive a check twice a year, up to $20,000 annually. This a lot of fun to do with your kids my kids have the job of checking out everything we throw in the trash to see if it has a box top on it. It's like I spy for box tops.

Reading Room:Box Tops for Education and Barnes & Noble have teamed up to bring you the newest way to earn cash for your school!Through the Reading Room, your school will earn 6% on your online purchases of new books, including textbooks and magazines. All other purchases, including gift cards, will earn a 3% donation for your school.

So go check it out and let me know what you think!

Paul Newman dies at age 83

Paul Newman passed away at age 83. See Newman Haas Lanigan statement here.

What's up with retail stores pushing the season????

OK so the other day I am at Kohl's returning some stuff and I realize I am alone and I have a few precious moments to myself to shop ALONE, which is ultimate mom time for me. So I am strolling along founds some cute pants and a top then I stumble upon the picture frame and seasonal sections. I look up and straight ahead I see the Christmas section!!! Trees, ornaments Christmas cards, the whole nine yards, it is flipping September people!!! Of course this threw me into a high hover because I now have it in my mind that Christmas is just around the corner and I have nothing done. I am anal and I am a planner and so thanks to Kohl's I am now making freaking Christmas lists in September!

The kicker to this was that there was a Halloween display in the center aisle which only had about 2 shelves, I am a huge Halloween fan and to see only 2 shelves dedicated to one of my fav holiday's was quite the bummer too!

What's next are people going to set up Christmas tree stands in August! I hate that retail has done this to Christmas as I have always thought it is not about the gifts but instead the family and cheer!
Ba humbug

Selamat Hari Raya...Sayang...

raya tinggal 4 hari lg,so persediaan raya semua aku dh prepare... dri anak2 aku smpai lah aku semua aku dh sediakn!!! yup this year me and my family will raya kedah sbb nk jumpa tok yan!!huhu...lama btul aku x beraya style kampung,selalunye aku beraya kt kl je..

alahai,malasnye aku nk packing kain baju utk balik kedah,klu dok 2-3 hari bleh la pack baju sikit je tp ni stay smpai seminggu,dh la plak nk kena packing baju anak2 aku lg...LEtihnye(sigh)...

esok aku nk pegi ke kl beli baju utk stay kt kedah. ye larr maklumlah baju aku semuanye seksi2 xkn la aku nk stay in kedah nk pakai sexy gak,ishhh malu aku nnti!!!

kepada my sayang b... B MINTAK MAAF BYK2 sempena ari raya ni... b syang sgt kt awk!!!

again, i wanna wish SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI TO ALL...

Mt. Timp Temple Pics

Here you go Chantel. This is what I came up with. Let me know which one you like best so I can send it with Mom and Dad :) Oh, and the one on the bottom has a horrible lamp in it, but if you like that one better, I'll take the lamp out. It'll be way easy!

Crockpot Dessert Love!

I had the yummiest banana pudding last week. I am a huge fan of Steph's Crock pot blog that I must read it each week to get new ideas for dinner. The banana pudding she bloged about was out of this world and the kids are begging me to make it again. So if you like bananas and sweet desserts head on over and check it out!

I need new tunes!!!!!

Ok so as some of you know I am a runner and I am training for the Marine Corp 10k to be held here in DC in October; ok it's not the marathon but you have to start somewhere.

So I need your help! I am bored with my ipod tunage and I need to know what you listen to that gets you up and moving??? Hopefully enough of you will respond so I can have a new mix to run to. Don't be shy no song is to silly, I love all music types, so hook a girl up!

My favorite things swap...look what I got!!!!

My Swap partner was Steph! How cool, two Steph's swapping fav things! She sent me the sweetest email saying she was late and apologizing profusly, no worries I was so overwhlemed if she hadn't told me she was late I would have never known!

But look at the stuff she hooked me up with!!!!! I LOVE M&M's, the neo to go was very useful this weekend :) , Memo pad cause I always need paper to make lists on, smelly stuff for my bathroom, Pickled dressing which I can't wait to try, Jelly Belly's Yum, Lip gloss so I have kissable lips (my hubby thanks you) Halloween socks so cute, and a rocking CD that I have played 3 times already!

Is this cool or what?? Steph thanks for the goodies, I love them!

Wendi you rock thanks for hosting this I can't wait to do it again!

My life is a roller coaster.....but I don't think I would have it any other way!!!!

OK it seems as though some of you (who will remain nameless) get a little testy when I don't post! I love it, it means that some people are really reading my blog and liking it!!! But seriously I am fine, just a bit overwhelmed as a matter of fact I am typing this at my desk and yes the posted time is correct! Since the company sales conference I went to Friday thru Sunday I have not been able to catch my breath let along write a blog post. So I am fine I haven't dropped off the face of the earth and thanks for your concern. Now to the business meeting.

Riddle me this batman! ...How do you fly 50 people in after a full work week and have the following schedule!

Friday arrive and dinner at 6:30 PM till 10:30 PM
Saturday Breakfast at 8 meeting starts at 8:30 PM till 5 PM
Saturday night 5:45PM (yes I got a whopping half hour to get changed and cleaned up can you tell there were a bunch of men there?) bus leaves for the boat dock for a dinner cruise (trust me it wasn't all that and I hate being stuck somewhere) this excursion ended at 10:30 which got us back to the hotel at 11 PM
Sunday Breakfast at 7 am meeting starts at 7:30 AM till 1:30 PM
I have a 4 PM departure and arrived home at 7:30 PM

I was *&^king whipped! I worked from home yesterday in between doing laundry straighting the house up and various other motherly tasks, yet here I sit at 6:54 PM at my desk 36 miles away from home typing!

Comical observations from the conference:
A gentleman who is new to the company introduced himself to me and within 2 seconds of "Hi I am Scott nice to meet you" he said "and my wife has breast cancer but don't worry it is 98% curable." I was floored, what do you say! But then I overheard him with many others with the same line, just seemed very odd to me as it did to others I talked to.

One of the speakers a Sr. VP addressed the entire meeting with his fly down!

One of my sales people showed up at 7:50 am for our 7:30 am meeting looking as though he had just had a fight with a raccoon seems that drinking with the young sales people will 2:30 am then getting up and shaving at 7 am didn't work out to well for him. his entrance was looked as though it was right out of a sense from Seinfeld complete with sunglasses wild hair and toilet paper stuck to his bloodletting face.

So as you can see I have been busy the last few days!

I must tell you that Dan did a fabo job with the kids on Saturday everyone got to their games and pictures on time dressed and ready to go as a matter of fact one of the moms told me yesterday at soccer practice that he was rather impressive! Later in the week I will have a post about the things I learned at soccer practice!

So I am back behind on my blog reading that I thought I could do while I was away but I am sure I will catch up over the next few days.

I have great posts rattling around in my head so stay tuned!

Brynlee Elise Day

Now I'm an aunt to the third power! In this pic is my big niece McKayla holding her new baby sister, Brynlee. She came a little early, born on September 22 instead of the 26th. She's 7 lbs 12 ounces and 20 in long. Everyone is doing great and we're excited to have a new baby in the family, though they live in San Antonio.

Don't you love McKayla's auburn hair?!? How'd she get so lucky? She still looks beautiful when it's messy in her face :)

NotHinG SpeCiaL....

this is the beginning of my life...

i'm just a normal person,sweet heart and kind...hihi... i'm married and i have 2 beautiful kids... i'm a loving mother and wife...

my habit of course i like shopping but if i had money...huhu.. i like going jalan2 wit my kids and my sis... another thing yg paling aku hargai ialah bestfren aku,zyhan!!! dia la tmpat aku mengadu,menangis,melawak,bergosip,mengutuk, dan macm2 lagi.. she's da only person who understand me as her bestfwen... aku sayang dia... she's like my shoulder to cry on!!!!

that's all...

IndyCar offseason, what are you doing?

So, the season is over. Awards have been given. NASCAR is still going. What are we all supposed to do?

One thought that has been debated here on IndyCar Garage is whether or not A1GP is a good way to spend the off season of the IndyCar series for an open wheel racing fix. Our own member, Xorpheous, provided an excellent recap of the series (below)

A1GP is a bit of an experiment in motorsports. The formula for the equipment isn't too different; they're using a spec engine/chassis combo, Ferrari for both in their case, and running on a variety of purpose-built road courses. What is different about the series is how the teams are structured. Each team represents a home country so that competition and fan favoritism is played out based on nationalistic preferences rather than individual brand or driver preferences. Because of this similarity to soccer's World Cup, A1GP has taken to using the subtitle, "The World Cup of Motorsports." I must admit that the concept is compelling, but the series has struggled to make much headway worldwide.

This season may change some of that, though. Their new chassis is built by Ferrari and is based on the Ferrari F2005 Formula One chassis. Its a very sexy car, with a very sexy Ferrari engine. One smart thing that A1GP has done is to schedule their season during the off-season of most other major motorsports, excepting of course the Australian V8 Supercar series. This way, it won't conflict with the monstrous F1 machine, or lesser series such as ours, MotoGP, DTM, or NASCAR. Unfortunately, there's no one in the US that covers A1GP live, but you can stream the events live or procure the overseas broadcasts from the racing-underground.com. It really is an interesting series to watch, and a great way to get your open-wheel fix during the off-season.

The series itself is based on an interesting concept - "The World Cup of Motorsport" and is billing itself as an accessible, but glamorous, sport. The teams and drivers compete on a level playing field without financial or technical advantages.



I haven't found any broadcast station here in the US that carries the race (I'm not sure about SpeedTV, seems that they would be the only station that might) but it looks like the series streams the race live on their site. I've also seen a couple other forums where users mention other outlets like TVUPlayer that will stream the races.

The schedule has also seemed to be up in the air to some degree...the latest schedule I can find is below:

A1GP Zandvoort, Netherlands
05 October 2008

A1GP Chengdu, China

09 November 2008

A1GP Sepang, Malaysia

23 November 2008

A1GP Taupo, New Zealand

25 January 2009

A1GP Jakarta, Indonesia
08 February 2009

A1GP Gauteng, South Africa

22 February 2009

It's also worth noting that there has been some discussion of AGR joining the A1GP series as Team USA and running with Marco Andretti and Danica Patrick to provide some experience during the IndyCar offseason. Another former AOWR series driver, Robert Doornbos, will also compete in the 2008 season for Team Netherlands.

Feel free to join the discussion on the merits of the A1GP series on IndyCar Garage! While I don't plan to necessarily cover the series in this outlet, I think it's worth noting with all of the open wheel fans around these parts!

Softball

Here you go, Kev. This is for you!
Adam and Kev got forced to pose during the softball games so I could use my new camera. Thanks guys!

Tagged.....Again....

Great.....another tag....Thanks Brit!

8 things I am passionate about...
1. Adam :) He's my best friend!
2. My family (immediate and in-laws)
3. Food! Yum!
4. My Primary class. The cutest 15 kids I know.
5. The Church (I hope these aren't supposed to be in order...)
6. Church History
7. Building things with my honey
8. Kids

8 Words or phrases I use often..
1. Weirdy
2. Are you kidding me?
3. I love you
4. Babe, could you do this for me, please?
5. AVI?
6. Okie dokie
7. See ya
8. Where have you been all've my life?!?

8 things I have learned from my past...
1. The Lord prepares you for the future, whether you like it or not.
2. Don't stress the little things; they usually are easier to fix
3. Save money. It seems to disappear if you don't
4. Stay close to the ones you love
5. Always go with your instincts. They're usually right.
6. You want most what you can't have.
7. You really do learn from your trials
8. Know where you stand. In the moment of your temptation is not a good time to make those decisions.

8 places I would love to go or see...
1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. Ireland
4. London
5. Greece
6. Italy
7. Egypt
8. Israel

8 things I currently need or want...
1. A blonde hair, blue eyed little girl.... But I can wait :)
2. A house
3. A new refridgerator
4. A back massage
5. To get my hair cut
6. Chocolate ice cream
7. Money to go shopping!
8. No worries or stress

8 people I tag...
1. Angela and Paul
2. Katie
3. Brandon and Holley
4. Chantel and Phil
5. Mom
6. Tara
7. Jenn
8. Cristl

Comments

So, smart as I am.... I just realized people had commented on my posts! I guess I didn't think that anyone would LOOK at my blog, let alone comment! Thanks, though. Sorry if I never answered you :( Chantel, I'll work on that Mt. Timp picture for you. I'll send you the pics I come up with!

10 Questions with Milka Duno

IndyCar Garage’s Tyler Carmichael recently chatted with Dryer and Reinbold’s driver Milka Duno on a variety of topics. Read below to hear what she had to say.

Tell us about yourself, what do you enjoy outside of racing?

I really don’t have a lot of free time available outside of my racing responsibilities, but when I do, I love to visit the beach. I like to give back by visiting schools, Children’s hospitals; I often serve as a guest speaker and talk to young people.

What has been the biggest adjustment on and off the track you've had to make this season?

This year has been a challenge with adjusting to my new team. Everything was new and we are still a very small team. The year has gotten better as I have started to learn from Dryer & Reinbold racing. The condition of my team has continued to get better as the season went on.

What track on the IndyCar Series schedule do you enjoy racing the most?

Indianapolis is always a fun place to visit and my personal favorite. I have enjoyed making a lot of memories at Indy.

This has been a year of first's for you with your debut at The Glen and Kentucky Speedway. How was your first road course experience in an IndyCar at the Camping World Grand Prix at the Glen, then followed by Mid-Ohio? Do you prefer ovals to road courses, or vice versa?

The road courses have been a challenge because I am still adjusting to the track and we didn’t have a strong car. Practice was hard because I was still adjusting to the track. When you don’t know the track very well, it’s hard to adjust.

You have made 11 of 11 scheduled starts this year and have proven to be faster on the track. What has your success been attributed to and what does the future hold for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing next season?

My team has continued to work very hard throughout the year. Our idea is to continue racing Indy Cars and build on our team each year. Robbie Buhl has been a big help as a driver coach and friend. Our engineers work hard week in and week out. It’s great to have so much support.

You are the highest finishing female driver at the 24 hours of Daytona, what does it mean to you to hold a record like this at such a prestigious track?

It’s nice to have a record, but I want to win more races. I want to win a championship. I want to be a part of history.

Obviously, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Indianapolis 500 are two completely different races. You have competed in both, can you describe your experience racing at Daytona and how it compares to running at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

Daytona is so much different because you have to take care of the car for long period of time. Each driver drives the car differently so adjusting to the car after someone drives it is very tough.

Tell us about your first roll in a major motion picture as Kellie "Gearbox" in the Warner Bros. Speed Racer. Any chance for more acting in the off season?

It was great to be a part of something like Speed Racer. The opportunity presented itself and it was a great honor to be in a movie. I am open to all possibilities.

If you could spend a day at any track with any driver (past or present), what track and what driver would you choose?

Robbie Buhl has been working with me as a driver coach and any time that I am around him I learn something different. I would love to spend another day at Indianapolis with Robbie continue to learn more about the track and how special it is.

We had the pleasure of speaking with you briefly after the Kentucky race. It was apparent you were more than happy to visit with your fans and showed that by staying long after the race was over. We appreciated your time then and now by completing this interview. Do you have any last comments for the dedicated fans of Indycargarage.com?

Thank you for all your support and dedication. It’s very motivating to see all the fans and their support.

I need to get my fingers tapping.......

OK, ever have one of those weeks where you think of all these cool posts to write about but never ever seem to get the time to put fingers to keyboard to get them out of your head???? Well that has been my week, I have been meeting to death at work, I have had to put a new employee ( 7 days here and not my hire) in his place twice already this week! I have back to school night tomorrow and I have to pack and leave detailed instructions for the weekend since I will be on a business trip all weekend!

But trust me I have good posts coming here is a preview......

Box tops market place a cool way to earn your school some cash

Blog anniversary giveaway

My favorite things swap

Kid and family time giveaway

Arrogance in the first 7 days ...not a good idea

Me a soccer mom .......NOT!!!!!

Ok well the weekend got off to a splendid start why might you ask? well because I was able to carveour some precious girl time with my best friends Magin and have a little post birthday dinner! Between us we have 4 kids ranging in age from 6 to almost 4 months so it isn't always easy getting together. Thanks for Dinner Magin it was yummy and it was so great to spend some in person girl time with you! Mwah!

So the rest of the weekend HOT... I know some of you are saying "Well it is September Steph!" yeah you're right but normally here in DC that means we start to see the chilling sign of fall not the heat and humididty of mid July! Saturday I officially became a Soccer mom (please no Palin comments here :) )yes my 2 rug rats stated soccer for there we were at 9 am for Jackson's game and then at 11am for Lauren's. 3 hours on the field. It was clear I was a first time soccer mom why might you ask? Well I ran our of bottle water mid way through Lauren's game, the kids did not have cleats instead they had sneakers, no sunscreen and the worst no memory card in the &*^% camera when I went to snap those precious 1st soccer photos. Needless to say a stellar soccer mom I am not but Ia m working on it. Next weekend should be comical because I am away on business the kids both have picture and games and they are at different fields. Good Luck hubby, I'll be thinking of you!!! So check out miss thing in her uniform!
Then here they are hours later... if they soccer thing doesn't work out for them may be they have a shot at the rodeo!
*** See anything new on my page? Look over to your right, see that new button? Well Revka at RS Designs created that for me, isn't it cool? Feel free to take it and place it on your blog. I am going to start a page where I collect all the buttons of the blogs I stalk love!

Awards and the long over due thanks for them.

I owe folks some love since they sent me some love! Below are awards that I received well well over a month ago I have been moving a light speed with work school the kids social activites etc. and let's just say the posting to say thanks got away from me.

So to all of you my friends and faithful readers I give you these awards too! You inspire me to write about my day and fill me with friendship each and every day!

From Dawn and Lori

From Wendi

Good Mail ... I love it!

OK I have been a bad bad Good Mail friend, I have let my girls down, so this weekend I am going to get to some serious business. I hope to have some good mail put together so I can get of the bad good friends list. Is there such a thing??

Some great folks have sent me Good mail and I have neglected to give them a shout out so

To : Jen!

Your soaking ball with the bomb, at one of my long runs I used it to relax and unwind what a great thoughtful idea

To: Tina

I LOVE my Bookmaker it has come in handy for my book club books and I can't wait ti show it off at the next book club meeting.

To: Jody
Thank you for the belated birthday wishes your card put a smile on my face all day!

(sorry I don't have a picture)

If you are interested in being a part of Good mail contact Jody and let her know. you will love it!!!!!!

++bad dream++

semalam.aku mimpi buruk.agak la takut... :(

apa petanda nya ek?

mimpi tu buat aku tersedar pagi tadi.walaupun tak berpeluh2 (mcm yang selalu tayang dalam movie kat tv..lagi pun smlm hujan :p )

tp pada aku dah cukup buat aku gelisah hari ni.teringat2.arghhhhhh! tensen.

ya Allah...aku memohon pada mu.hilangkan kegelisahan ini.

ya Allah...tunjukkan aku pada jalan kebaikkan bukan kemudaratan.

amin.

My memories of 9/11

Growing up I remember adults around me talking about the assassination of President Kennedy, recalling where they were, who they were with, and the days that followed. In my late teens I remember thinking man I hope I never have an event like that happen in my life.

Fast forward to September 11th 2001, I was still a newlywed of sorts and we were expecting our first child. On that morning I remember having morning sickness (I was only 3 months along) and thinking I would go into work a little bit later. I am glad I didn't because I would been on the road about the same time that the plane went into the Pentagon and it is something I don't think I could have bared to witness. Instead I went to work at my regualr time and spoke to my husband who at the time was working day shift at the watch center of the Pentagon. This center houses all branches of military and monitors all events globally. I spoke to him just after the first plane hit the Towers, while on the phone with him the second hit and he quickly said "I love you but I have to go, this looks really bad and I may need to stay late." Typical of my devoted Army husband. I can't recall the amount of time that passed from that call to the call I received from my mom.

I was at my desk, reading CNN and other news web pages for information of the tragedy in NY when my phone rang, it was my mom. She said to me "I don't want to alarm you but I just saw a report that a plane has hit the pentagon." My heart sank, I felt ill and not due to morning sickness. I all but hung up with my mom and frantically dialed the Army watch desk at the Pentagon, the line was ringing busy, not that someone is on the phone busy, busy as in the phones were down. I tried his cell nothing, again I called the watch nothing. The knot in my stomach as growing by the minute. My phone at work started to ring off the hook with family and friends asking if Dan was alright and I was unable to to say yes or no. I quickly shooed them off to keep the line clear for him to call and tell me he was fine. I waited an hour and 27 minutes for that call. The call was brief, he said he was fine but going back into the Pentagon to do his job, saying things were bad and he had to help. He told me he was not sure when he would be home and that he would be in touch as soon as he could. I hung up the phone weeping, sick to my stomach but elated that he was OK.

I drove home from downtown DC and the image of passing the Pentagon from a distance with smoke billowing high into the sky and thousands of people walking home is still seared in my mind. I sat intently watching the news coverage witnessing the Towers fall over and over. It wasn't until 11pm that night Dan walked in the door smelling of smoke and diesel fuel, that smell is forever etched in my memory.

Dan and both knew people in DC and NY who were not able to make that call home to say they were fine. We were deeply effected as was every American that day. So while I never thought I would have an event in my life that would hold such vivid detail as the adults around me use to talk about, I do and I wish I didn't.

Please take a minute today to remember those who lost their lives and the families that have had to continue on. Also say a prayer for our troops, whether they are home or abroad they are fighting for us and our freedoms and doing their best to keep us safe.

.2-3 kali.

sehari 2-3 kali.

kenapa?

excited kot..

*gile*

di office.jam 1pm.mengadap mac.

menghabiskan editing.

kerja menimbun lagi.

mata rasa nak terpejam.

perut meminta di isi.

tak cukup ke dgn minuman bernutrisi semasa bersahur semalam?

haha.. :p

am i happy?

:) na'ah..dun noe.

happy kot.

terasa macam nak balik johor.

berbuka puasa di rumah dgn famili.

tak sama kan rasanya berbuka dgn kawan2 di sini?

tak tipu..

sangat rindu emak punya asam pedas.

rindu juga labu campur kacang panjang masak lemak.

rindu air teh.air kopi emak buat.

owh tak lupa..sambal tumis udang.. :)

*saya cuma anak kampung*

erm...duit belanja dah abis.on monday baru dapat payment.sempat kot.

*keRr, tolong la berjimat... :)*

jumaat ni pikor balik terengganu.sorang la nampak nya.

sabtu..ahad..buka puasa sorang2 ke?

tak sure... :(

.bisik kanan.bisik kiri.

yang kanan kata 'jangan!'
yang kiri kata 'lakukan...'

yang kanan rayu 'ingat...'
yang kiri paksa 'lupakan...'

yang kanan mencelah 'syurga'
yang kiri terus menarik 'ke neraka...'

subbahanallah...

keRr
12:47am
sri kenangan,w.m

ramadhan~

hello.. :) ini adalah blog pertama saya.penulisan yang pertama.percubaan yang pertama.

sebelum tu, saya nak mengucapkan selamat menyambut bulan ramadhan.selamat berpuasa.selamat bangun untuk bersahur.selamat melantak tak hengat di waktu berbuka.dan selamat segala2 nya.hihi.jadi, bercerita mengenai ramadhan tahun ini, tiada apa yang berubah.tetap sama seperti tahun2 sebelum nya...cuma tahun ini saya berpuasa sebagai seorang pekerja.alhamdulillah..akhirnya saya bekerja setelah tamat kuliah.

berpuasa sebagai pekerja tidak lah sedahaga berpuasa sebagai student.saya masih ingat lagi ketika bergelar student di uni dulu, pada bulan ramadhan setelah tamat kelas saya dan kawan2 akan pulang ke rumah dan tidur untuk melekakan diri daripada mengingati puasa.betul ke ayat tu? hahaha...maksud nya di situ adalah, hanya akan bangun jam 5 petang dan seterusnya ke pasar ramadhan dan shopping apa yang patut.kueh..mi goreng..kopok leko..kadang-kadang nasi lauk.huhu.sedap juga.memang sedap apatah lagi berbuka bersama teman2 serumah.teman2 sekelas.makan beramai2.makanan dihidang.bermula dengan bismillah dan diakhiri dgn burrrrpppp... :p lepas tu mengulor,ngantuk.haha.tp itu lah kenangan paling indah dalam hidup sepanjang bergelar pelajar.

so tahun ni, bila dah kerja...saya berbuka puasa pula bersama2 teman seoffice.happy juga.cuma yang jadi tak happy apabila ke pasar ramadhan, mata menjadi rambang melihat makanan2.beli itu dan ini.akhirnya membazir.kasihan kepada duit saya... :( tp tak pe, lepas ni saya akan lebih berhati2 ketika berbelanja dan saya akan pastikan saya tidak mengamalkan ajaran SETAN apabila bershopping di bazar,weeeee~~~~ :p

p/s: untuk first blog, ayat kena tersusun sket sebab nervous.hahahah~ psiko!!! :p
selamat berpuasa!!!

Wordless Wednesday...not so much!

So it has come to my attention that my son has a fascination with the word naked! You will recall that he asked me for a bagel naked the other day, well a couple of nights ago before his bath the phone rang and it was his Nana and Pop pop, he decided it was fine to cop a squat on the stairs and talk to them naked, he even told them what he was doing.

So we had to take a picture! Of course I had to censor it because the family jewels should not be seen in public and I don't want to pay for the additional years of therapy that I am sure he is headed for having us as parents. LOL!! So here he is in all his glory!

Too Cute!

TAG

Well, I've been tagged! So now it's my turn to fill this thing out. Here we go!

How long have you been together?
We started dating after our first date, May 28 2007. Been together ever since!

Who kissed who first?
Ah, the ultimate question. We both blame the other, but he went 90%, I went 10%. So to me, that means he went in for it and I relented :)

Who eats more?
That's not even a question if you know Adam. Seriously, on our cruise, after eating three entrees, he would stand up from the dinner table and ask "Who wants to hit the buffet?" Not even kidding!

Who is taller?
Luckily, Pete. He's 6'3 and I'm only 5'11

Who is smarter?
That depends. Both equally, but different. He is more street smart, but academics is my expertise.

Who is more sensitive?
He's more thoughtful, but since I got on the pill, I'm a ball baby.

Who does the laundry?
He usually washes and I fold and put away. Seems to work best that way :)

Who cooks?
Usually I do dinners and he's more of the breakfast guy. Biscuits and gravy anyone? But we both cook.

Who drives when you two are together?
Pete ALWAYS drives. It's an ego issue, I think.

Who is more stubborn?
He is definitely! Except when we get mad. He's usually the one to say sorry first, I just cry :)

Who has more siblings?
Tie. Three for each of us.

Who is more daring?
He for sure is. NEVER dare him unless you want him to do it. I like to stay on the safer side.

Extras about your Honey:
Pete is the hardest worker I know. He's always running around, keeping busy working, building projects, and doing side jobs. Anytime he sits still, he usually falls asleep cause he's always running around! He is sweet and always surprises me with flowers or doing the dishes before I get home so I won't have to, even brushes my wet hair when I just don't want to do it. He is always happy to help anyone, and is the sweetest person in the world. I love you babe!

UTAH vs UNLV

Kade and Tara Nichols invited Adam and I to go to the Ute game on Sept. 5. Being the MAJOR BYU fan that I am, I was hesitant, but relented when Adam looked so excited to go. We went to TGIF before and everything seemed to be fun and going well. We got to the game a few minutes late, but once we got to our seats, it was perfect. Until.... a freshman a few rows in front of us puked all of his overabundance of beer on the rows in front of him and a few unsuspecting people. For the next half an hour, our view of the game was first blocked by their mother trying to clean off her kids, then another mom using some baby wipes to wipe their benches off, followed (finally!) by some poor junitors who wiped it up as best as they could. It was nasty! The smell of beer, not to metion vomit, was so overwhelming, I thought I would be sick! The rest of the game was good, with occasional rude comments made towards the Cougars. So much for a great first experience as a "Ute" fan. I don't think I'll do it again any time soon :)

Still stewing over WTF friday post and First day of Preschool

Ok so I stewed all weekend about my Friday post, silly I know but that stuff gets to me. I hate the feeling of someone being mad at me or worse knowing that I have done something wrong. So I marched into my boss's off this morning while he was in the middle of telling one of my peers that he had to put me in my place, yes I walked up to his office and heard him. I apologized again and told him that his email really upset me because not only was I in the room when I was asked to make the meeting/email request so was another one of his direct reports. He acquiesced a bit... but not much. I feel like I am back in high school, which by the way I hated because I felt so insecure. Why would you tell one of my peers what you said to me in an email??? These people, all of them, are 50 plus years old to my baby (as I am reminded) age of 36 and I think I have more maturity over the whole thing then they do. Ok I have ranted enough, I think.....

So this weekend we had Hanna come to town she was welcome for about the first 3 hours, nothing like a good morning rain to keep you in bed a little longer, then I was over her. I tried to beat her, taking the kids to an indoor pool since the outdoor one was closed, going to dinner anything to not stay inside all day watching the rain fall. We had over 6 inches of rain here, can you say rain rain go away??

Sunday was my long run day to prepare for my 10 K in Oct, I did ok but man my legs hurt yesterday and today! The rest of the day was spent cooking up the fresh veggies hubby brought home from a farmers market, yum I love a fresh pot of green beans with potatoes.

Today was the Little Man's first day of Preschool, granted he was in daycare before but this seemed much different and he won't be there all day like daycare. We took the traditional first day of school shot, he was such a ham. I can't wait to hear all about his day.

Well, I need to get back to work I have goofed off quite enough I guess. I still have a Sh*t ton of blogs to catch up on so don't think I am ignoring any of you!

WTF????

First let me start off by saying my boss is letting me work form home today and I couldn't be more grateful!

OK on most days I can and do put up with territorial bullshit at work, but today I was taken aback when I received an email from my boss in a sense reprimanding me for sending out a meeting request on behalf of someone else to his staff without sending it to him first! The person for whom I made the request is not actually his boss but he is acting in that role. I did what the man asked me to do! At he top of the request it said sent on behalf of.......

Why oh why do people feel the need to be so freaking territorial? This is the gist of what I got "I'm not dead (or retired) yet…. please send any assignments to me instead of to my staff directly". I know it shouldn't burn me but it does. I really do love this man and this is the first time I have ever gotten so much of a cross eye from him maybe that is why it bothers me so. I was just doing what I was asked to do!!!

OK sorry for the rant, I know this is going to stick in my craw all day I can just feel it!

On to happy stuff my little man has preschool orientation today at 11:30, he seems excited which is great! So I will have first day dejavu all over again on Monday! Lauren was cute this morning she asked to bring in an apple for each of her teachers she looked so cute walking into school with her backpack holding her apple.

The weekend I think will be a bit blah we are more then likely going to get some unwanted weather from Hanna so that means rainy indoor time, I need to find some crafts to do!

Hope you have a great weekend, let me know what you are up to maybe you might inspire me!

Chicago Preview

History:
The Chicagoland Speedway was created by a very diverse group of entrepreneurs and motorsports businessmen including Tony George, Bill France, and Dale Coyne called the Motorsports Alliance. After plans to build the track outside of Plano, Ill fell afoul of Illinois' annexation laws, Dale Coyne, who owns the Route 66 Raceway, suggested that the group take a look at a site nearby his dirt track and drag strip facility. The location near Joliet, just southwest of Chicago, was perfect for the new speedway and operations began in 2001. That first IndyCar race in 2001 was won by Jacques Lazier, but it was the 2002 race that really caught everyone's attention. Sam Hornish, Jr. won by the closest margin ever in the IndyCar Series, finishing ahead of Al Unser, Jr. by only 0.0024 s. When watching the below video of the final laps, note Helio's huge block of Cheever on the backstretch. The more things change...




This racetrack not only produced numerous close finished for the IndyCar Series, but also for the Indy Lights series. Last year, Alex Lloyd lost to his teammate Logan Gomez by the closest margin ever in any motorsports event, 0.0005 s, that's half of a millisecond!




Last Year:
Coming into the Chicagoland race last year, Dario Franchitti led Scott Dixon in the series championship by a mere three points. The championship title fought for all year long by Scott and Dario came down to a single race. Whichever driver finished ahead of the other would be the champion. All race long, the two swapped the lead with Sam Hornish Jr. and Helio Castroneves, with Sam leading more often than not. In the final laps, though, it was all Scott and Dario with 3^rd place Sam Hornish a full lap down. Dario tried repeatedly to find a way to get around Dixon, but to no avail. Then in Turn 4 on the final lap, Dixon's car sputters and loses power. Dario, stunned and amazed, passes the equally stunned and amazed Dixon to claim not only the race win, but the series championship! I don't think I've ever seen as dramatic of a season finale than the 2007. Here's a view from the stands.



Was there other moments of exciting racing during last year's event? Sure there was, but it was all lost in the commotion of that final lap. As it turns out, Scott Dixon's car was about one "beer can's worth of gas" short, as Scott himself put it.

What to Watch:
This year, the championship again depends upon the result of the Chicago race. The margin isn't as close this year as it was last year, with Helio trailing Scott by 30 points. If Dixon finishes 8^th or better, the title is his regardless of what Helio does. 8^th place should not be any problem at all for Dixon who has absolutely demolished the competition on the 1.5-mile ovals this year. However, this year there will be 28 cars, not 22 cars on the track and two of those cars will be VERY hungry for a win.

This past Tuesday, Target Chip Ganassi Racing announced that in 2009 it was going to replace Dan Wheldon with Dixon's former rival Dario Franchitti. Wheldon will be moving to Panther Racing next year to drive the #4 car, which puts Vitor Meira out in the cold looking for a ride. Both Wheldon and Meira will really take the whip to their cars as they will be racing for a win and nothing else. Wheldon won't try to impede Dixon in any way, but I wouldn't look for him to go out of his way to help, either. Vitor, already an aggressive driver as he showed at Indy this year, will push his car even more this race. Whatever happens, its bound to be interesting.

As has become tradition, there will be a couple of new drivers to get a ride for the final race of the year. Driving the #41 of AJ Foyt Racing will be Frank Perera, winner of the Firestone Indy Lights race in Sonoma, and former driver of the #34 IndyCar Series car for Conquest Racing before being replaced by Jaime Camara because of sponsorship issues. The #36 car of Conquest Racing will feature Alex Tagliani with Enrique Bernoldi still on the sidelines with an injured thumb.

Returning to the racetrack this Sunday are the two part-time operations of Luzco Dragon Racing with Tomas Scheckter in the #12 Symantec car, and Sarah Fisher as owner/driver of the #67 Dollar General car for Sarah Fisher Racing. Both teams are hopeful of at least expanding their operations for next year if not running a full season. This is the last opportunity for them to make a positive impression at the track for their potential sponsors. A lot of people will be really hanging it out there on Sunday, so expect a very action packed race!

Ack my mojo is all off

My google reader currently says I have 169 blogs to read! That is after I plowed through about another 160 yesterday and a bit of today. I promise I will get better I just need to find rhythm with work school and blogging!
So don't abandoned me because I am a poor blog reader right now I promise I will be back bigger badder (so not good use of grammar but you get the meaning!) and stronger then ever.

First day of school, Check!

Well, I am happy to report the first day of school was a success! Although it was like pulling teeth at the dinner table last night trying to get answers about how the day was, if she had made friends etc.

My main concern was the Spanish portion of her day. We were lucky enough to be selected to participate in a Spanish language immersion class where half of the day is totally taught in Spanish. the program starts in Kindergarten but we were not accepted so most if not all of these children have a years head start. However in speaking with the administration and parents of children who entered at the same time Lauren has they all say not to worry and clearly I shouldn't since she didn't seem to be phased at all!

So now I am ready for round 2 of first days, my son Jackson will have his preschool orientation on Friday and then Monday will be his first day. He will attend preschool 5 days a week 3 hours a day.


Wow two kids school everyone said it would go by quick and it is!

So how were your first days? I know some of you have been in school for weeks!

The first day of school

Today was the first day of First Grade for Miss Lauren she was very excited and didn't even want me to walk her in! Here she is in her annual back to school photo that I take :) She is just growing up way to fast.

Ready to go!
Proud Mama
The boys getting into the act

Final Instructions :)