Collecting Collective Soul

Collective Soul is my new-ish obsession. It started a little while ago but they put out a new CD this week.....so my co-worker Carrie, who I spend 8 hours a day sitting next to (poor thing! she has to deal w/me AND Jaron!) and I combed the valley for their CD--which they only released in Target and through iTunes. But when it comes to obesssions, I gotta have the real thing, not the e-version. But alas, we were unsuccessful.....so I've been calling for 3 days, to no avail.....and now not only did I buy 3 of their other CDs, but every Target worker totally hates me!

And then.....something good happened.....have you ever heard of "The Secret." Yeah of course you have--thanks to Oprah.....well I put out to the universe that i neeeeeeeded that CD. :) And at about 5:00 today, my angel of a coworker Kevin Lunt put it in my hands!!! (ok so Shiloh was the main link here--but still--I put it out there!) And now I'm listening to it. :)

Anyway here they are:

So.....do you think they are worthy of obsession? I think at least one of them could possibly fill the void that Kevin R left behind:

This is Dean. Enough said, right? With a killer sound and dreamy voice to boot (not Dean, but his big bro Ed. But hey it all runs in the family....).

So here's my question--what music did you not notice for a decade (or more or less), and then all of the sudden just LOVE? Shiloh and I were talking about this tonight and her list was long so hopefully yours will be too.....

p.s. if you click on the link for their web site above, you can listen to several of their new songs!

He's here!

Hill had her baby today--and at first look to me--he was so obviously Chaz Rose. :) However, they still haven't decided on a name for sure (but i think it will end up Chaz). Everything went really well! I took the day off, slept over at Hill & Lance's last night so I could take Zane & Zoey to the hospital in Nephi this morning. Chaz has tons of dark hair and purrs all the time--so cute! Zoey and I spent about 12 hours at the hospital today! We are exhausted!! :) haha Here he is---during the maul-fest. Zoey sat for hours and just held him.

In general, I think the amount of love that this baby is going to receive in his lifetime makes him one of the luckiest babies to ever be born. I've never seen adoration that matches what Chaz is getting from his big brother and sister. We are all so excited to have him here. Plus his mother went to hell and back to get him here and so we are ALL glad that is over. ;)

Yay for blogger now having video capabilities---did I plan that perfectly or what? Let's see if it works.....

Carpet Skates!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JARON! (yesterday). My co-worker: Jaron Lawrence Winder, is one of the funnest people I've ever known. And I'm the lucky person who gets to sit next to him every day!! Every single day is a new and exciting adventure!!

Derek, our manager, gave Jaron the birthday boy a pair of carpet skates!! This moment is high on the fun Jaron moments....there was no rehearsal for this performance--this was the real spontaneous deal!
Thanks for all the fabulous times, Jaron. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

3 CDs and a Desert Island

At lunch today Shiloh asked us if we were stuck on a desert island for the rest of our lives, what 3 CDs would we want to have with us? After my initial shock of comtemplating a lifetime trapped in my own personal hell (hot + sand + no escape), I decided my three would be:

1. Backstreet Boys: Chapter One
2. Sarah McLachlan: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
3. Madonna: Immaculate Collection

And as with all games, I like to change the rules, so my runner-up would be:

4. Erasure: Cowboy

What I REALLY want to know is what each of you would choose!!!! Sooooo.....please leave a comment and tell me! This doesn't have to be your top 3 of all time--it can just be those three that are most important to you today. Or as my mom said tonight when I asked her the same question, the 3 CDs that feel like home (yes she really did say that).

Fabulous Weekend!

Christy and I have had the greatest weekend which included

• Shopping, Buca and Stardust w/Hill
• Delicious BBQ w/Caroline
• Saturday morning Einsteins
• Zane's first football game (with Hill, Jeff and several other Roses)
• The Invasion of the body snatchers which might've been unenjoyable if it weren't for Daniel Craig
• Christy losing 8 inches off her hair
• Dinner w/the Allen's and the DeLuca's and Bryan Banker
• Fantasizing about our next trip
• An evening w/the Wests--which included the oldest 3 sweeties running around topless, motorcycle rides and Mikey injuring his foot. :(
• Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies....mmmmm

It's time to retire now....so sad when visits come to an end. :(

Happy Birthday Caroline!

It's BIRTHDAY time for someone special!!! Happy happy birthday Caro dear! This is my friend Caroline Antonia Marriott (with me and my brother). Caro is another friend that I met in DC. Here are my top 3 moments w/her (but they will probably change tomorrow b/c there are so many that I couldn't possibly really decide for all of time what our top 3 moments are....but these three will always rank extremely high):

1. NASCAR in Vegas (March 2006)
2. Mediterranean Cruise (Nov 2005)
3. Hearing "Drowning" for the first time (BSB concert in Boston; Sept 8, 2001)

In other news, I had to say goodbye to Lauren tonight--she got eliminated from So You Think You Can Dance. sooooooooooooooooooo sad!!!! Seriously she was so amazing!!

Christy

This is me with my friend Christina Elizabeth Banker. She told me tonight that I need to be more detailed in my posts. I guess I think that since I know all ya'll, all ya'll know each other too. So I will at least commit to sometimes being more detailed.

Christy was my roomie for 2 years in VA. I can give her most of the credit for making me not only a football fan, but also a reader because for years she gave me books--even though I wouldn't read them. But now I am and I do. We are going to write a book together someday b/c we decided that chick lit heroines don't have to be clumsy and airheaded to be interesting. Together we are funny enough to make a best seller!!! I'm sure she will think of some amazingly witty comment for this post so you can see what I am talking about. Oh plus, she likes pop culuture. Hmmm, that sentence was so matter-of-fact and unexplnatory---but there's really not room to properly explain so I'll just have to do so over time....

Anyway yesterday we had a baby party (really, why do they call them showers?) for Hill. So here is a pic of the little girls (photos by Zoey). You can see that they are no longer getting bigger, but instead are now getting smaller. Ally on Left, Pop on right. If you are wondering why there aren't any pics of Hill, it's b/c she threatened me if I even took one of her. So I'll have to get her up here after she has the baby (Aug 31--and yes he will probably be Chaz).

However, here is our newer set of the little girls: Zoey and Carmindy. HONESTLY!!! They are not sisters, but rather cousins (like that wasn't obvious since (a) they look nothing alike and (b) one is twins w/Zane and one is twins w/Mikey---next week I'll have to try to snap some photos of the boys but they don't like posing for hours like we girls do). As part of my effort to explain further, Zoey is also Delilah is also my Shadow. What does she do to deserve 3 names? How long do you have? Here's one reason--this picture included no coaching whatsoever!!! :)

I also saw Jill tonight--but as usual it was a huge party at her house w/all sorts of people around so I simply forgot to snap a photo!!! Maybe I will get to see her again before she leaves--she's been working on the mine story in Emery County. I really miss her and it was more than great to see her! Can't wait for my visit to DC in Sept!!!

3 reasons why....

.....it is absolutely critical to carry your passport with you at all times:

1. Just in case you can't find your driver's license

2. So Ukranian police don't throw you in jail

and....

3. So you're prepared if Matt Damon appears and wants to whisk you away to Morocco at a moment's notice. :)

Saw the Bourne Ultimatum tonight with Angie & Shiloh. My traveling self LOVED it!! I'm already plotting trips to London, Morocco, NYC and even Rome (which wasn't in the movie!). It was unexpected and soooo good!

Pop is boxing up all her stuff right now--tomorrow is moving day. Even though she doesn't believe me, I am really sad she is leaving. Who's going to watch trashy TV with me now? And cut my hair? And let me borrow their clothes w/out asking? And restock the fridge with the dark bubblie? Clearly I need to go convince her to stay.....

Putting the party back.....

Tonight I had a workshop and I re-realized that I looooooove being a demonstrator!! I don't know why but I never never ever get sick of stamping!! And I love so many of our new stamps!! Vanessa was here last night and we made 35 of these shower invites for Jody. Thanks for your help,Vanessa! :)

Just 5 Reasons...

Even though there are many more, here are 5 reasons why working at Stampin' Up! is a wonderful thing:

1. Karah Chronister

2. Linda Hansen

3. Shiloh Wilsted

4. Lori Olaveson

5. Jill Kocherhans

Brace yourself....

....the newest Backstreet Boys single has been "leaked" and is available all over YouTube. (Can we have a moment of silence for how amazing YouTube is!) Anyway it's "Inconsolable"--go listen!

Seriously who am I kidding thinking it won't be the same since Kevin left? Love the song, of course!!! Even love the Nick parts!! However, I can't understand why they always start off w/a ballad? Major flaw in the BSB formula if you ask me. MAJA! (Just as Posh would say).

Inconsolable release: August 26
Album release: October 30
Promotional Tour: October 30
Overseas tour: First of 2008
Big tour: Summer 2008

In other news, tonight when I was tucking Delilah in, she informed me that "I can't sleep w/out my eye mask so i HAVE to run get it downstairs!" :) Isn't she perfect?

P.S. Supahero moved out tonight. :( Now I am going to have to find some other sort of entertainment at home since I am losing him and my little sis. :( so sad!

On a whim...

I'm sure it has nothing to do w/watching Bret Michaels--Rock of Love, but tonight I decided that my hair is getting way too WT. So....Pop and I cut 5 inches of it off. Just a typical night at home together: Cafe Rio, makeovers, Y&R, What Not to Wear, Diet Coke.....I can only imagine what my hair would look like post-cut if she wasn't my roommate right now!!

We both got a new look tonight--she's Finola Hughes (because "Everybody uses everybody, don't they!") and I am um.....well good heavens I can't think of one person with hair like mine. :) Maybe a modern version of Tawny Kitaen! hahaha It doesn't even look that different--I think I need to cut a bit more off.....

P.S. Thanks for the comment Jaron--but, um, how many hours into the work day did I finally have to tell you I cut my hair? :)

Me & My Shadow

Yay I am finally home! :) And tonight, my Shadow is sleeping over. Lance started calling Zoey this just after she learned to walk b/c she would follow me everywhere.

Tonight, we tried something that Carrie taught about at Convention: coloring your hair w/markers!!! Zane got Brilliant Blue and Zoey Delilah got Tempting Turquoise. No, she's not like me at all, is she. :) I just have one thing to say: WHY DO THEY HAVE TO GROW UP???

Exhaustion.

I can't remember the last time I felt like this....and that is saying a lot coming from someone who is tired 90% of the time anyway. It's 3pm and I am dragging around Leti's....sleep sleep sleep.....that's all I can think about. (sigh) We are going to dinner and a movie tonight though so I probably SHOULD take a nap so I can stay awake through the whole movie. :) ok then goodbye...

Reporting from the hotel lobby.....

Emma, Emma#2 (Amanda) and I are sitting in the ghetto lobby...except this part of the lobby is semi-ghetto-fabulous. Weird, eh? (said w/a NZ accent, of course). We just got back from a bar and we still have heaps and heaps of stuff to discuss. But right now they are analyzing and....once again we are solving the world's problems. However this time it is the proper time of night for such discussions (2:30 am).

Today was so totally amazing!!!! So bittersweet to be over. Awards night was fab---Ryan Shupe and his Rubber Band performed again and were just as good as they were on Saturday. Once again they showed the cards that they made under my tutelage--in my class last Sat. :) (Go ME!!!! I am an awesome teacher)

Everybody goes home tomorrow morning, except me and Emma. We are spending the day around here then Leti is picking me up tomorrow afternoon. YAY!!!! I'm excited to spend the weekend w/her......so for now, I'll go to sleep thinking about my favorite Convention yet. Here's my convention top ten:

10. Somebody fancies me.


9. TITANIC (on land).....which now that it is the next day, this didn't happen, so instead I am changing it to good friends, old friends and new friends.....


8. My hot hair (can you tell my blog has been hijacked)



7. Snifters -- Emma brought me 22 bags!


6. Free nights!


5. Diet Coke at my disposal


4. Teaching

3. Awards nights & entertainment
2. Prize Patrol!!!





1. Otto & EMMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had one of those moments tonight.....where everything stopped and the world was perfect...right there in that moment. It really was amazing!!!

One more day....

Reporting again from Shiloh's room.....Angie Mc and Jaron are here too. SYTYCD was on tonight and we are all completely split on who should go home.....I personally think it should be Sabra, Lacey, Danny & Neil in the top 4. And I want Sabra to win it all and I just think she might!!

We've had an hour and a half now to get caught up on the day.....and it's late again....but only one more day left!!! Today was soooooooooooo long!!! I swear I don't remember being this tired---even on Sunday I was less tired than I was today. It was almost as if I was in migraine hangover or somsing.

Jaron's quote of the day: I call this "The Shiloh."

Shiloh's quote of the day: My car, my business!

I've been kicked out....goodnight!