Deep Thoughts by Holly

To celebrate the randomness of this post, I have included a picture of this bikini potato.

I like potatoes.

• Food is important to me right now. It feels like an Armageddon of sorts because I know the end is near so I keep stuffing my face because I know me. And I know that as soon as I have this baby, I will collapse in a fit of body loathing. What's the difference, you may say? Why not eat healthy now? Uh, because I can't. Because, like I said.. food is just too important to me.
  
• What do people do with all their paper trails that come in their house? People must have some sort of 'system' that I don't have. My system is this: Sometimes throw things away, file things and be right on top of it. Sometimes make piles all over the house and then put all those piles into one big pile to go through later. Never go through the pile. Get sick of the big mounting pile in the computer room and angrily go through everything and invariably throw something important away that's been sitting there for a month but you only decided you needed the day you actually threw it away.


• Faith's obsession with chocolate milk or 'chockies' as she likes to call it has got to stop. In all fairness, it isn't as bad as it once was. It's half water, half milk, a squirt of chocolate syrup. She still eats food so I know it could be worse. Even though I only give it to her a couple times a day, she asks for it ALL. DAY. LONG. And I now hate the word 'chockies'. Hate.
  


• In order for me to cross my legs, I have to lean to the side and heave one leg over the other. I'm not sure it's worth it.
  
• I haven't been good at reading lately. I'm not sure if it's the book or not, but every time I lie down to read I fall asleep instead.
  


• I've tried really hard not to be mad at this Utah weather, but this year is just ridiculous. I can't think of a year like it in...well... years.
  


• A couple weeks ago, I made a gourmet meal of dino chicken nuggets for my entire family. I served it on paper plates... with ranch dressing. I looked at John and asked if he liked it and he replied, "Sure. I love eating rubber bands." When I think about it, I still laugh hysterically.
  
• Peeing 8 times a night can really mess with your sleep. Good thing I get those 'bedrest' naps.
  


• Sometimes I want a cat so so badly. But then I remember the hair and litter boxes and I change my mind. But I do love cats. And I still want one.
  


• Cereal doesn't taste as good to me as it used to. Cheerios stink. Honeybunches of Oats gets too soggy. Wheaties too.
  


• I long for a basement and a playroom like no one's business. One day. One day.
  


• Why is getting ready for the day one of those things you put off (this happened before I was pregnant too, just so you know) for way too long and then when you finally do it you wonder what your problem was and why you didn't do it earlier?
  


• I like listening to music. A lot. Sometimes I forget how much until I turn it on, sing really loud and I'm instantly in a good mood.
  


• There is never EVER a working pen around when I need one. Or a notepad, for that matter. I bought some notepads and new pens not too long ago. I have no idea what happened to them. Every time I look for either one of them, I get mad all over again. I guess it's time to buy some new pens and paper.

• Putting the Hungry Hippos game together is really hard. Those game makers should make things like that easier.

• These bullets look completely fine in blogger and retarded when they are posted. You'd think with how many people have blogs that blogger would fix stupid, irritating issues like that.

That is all.

My Beef With Customer Service These Days

I have issues with bad customer service. Especially these days.
Let me explain a bit further:

Back in the day during my sophomore and junior years of high school, I slaved away at Dairy Queen. And it wasn't just any Dairy Queen. No, Sir. It was the one at the MALL. Can you say, 'Day after Thanksgiving sales'? To this day, I think it was definitely one of my harder jobs. There must have been 500 buttons on that till. Totally different from today where everything is exclusively electronic. Back then people actually wrote checks. Or worse, I had to use that manual credit card swipe-y gadget. It was the 'Dark Ages', man.

But I digress. It was no easy job. People got really particular with their Blizzards, let me tell ya. And I'm proud to say I was happy to oblige to the customer's demands. I even had customers ask for me specifically to make their blizzard. Yeah. I know. You're sitting there at your computer, wishing you knew me then. Wishing there would have been someone who could get your oreo/heath/reeces concoction RIGHT! Wishing for my 'mad skillz' .
This perfect DQ cone and its signature curl at the top may as well have been made by yours truly.


I think what's most frustrating to me about customer service these days is the laziness factor. Just today I asked someone at Target for help finding one of those awesome gigantic water bottles that help you get in your water totals for the day. Wanna know what he said?
'Um, I think there over there, but I'm not sure'. And he literally pointed like a million feet away.

LAZY!!!!

And don't get me started on the Clinique counter at the mall. (ironic how I went to both of these places today. Hmmmmm....). Right now it's Clinique Bonus Time. We all know that the gift is rotten crap 90% of the time. And yet, I usually ONLY go if there's a free gift... rotten or not.

"Why, yes, I would like that sickening grape colored lipstick, thank-you very much. It will look so lovely smeared all over my 20 month old's face after she digs it up from the grave of my cosmetic drawer. Such a lovely shade of purple puke I never did see!"

I waited for help by the counter for an eternity while the cutesy girls waited on other customers and took an eternity doing mini-makeovers. I asked one girl behind the counter if she was busy. Her reply? "Um. yeah." And she walked away. Seriously. When I finally got waited on, I asked for help choosing an eye shadow (because of course the one I love has been discontinued. OF COURSE!!!). Finally, we decide on one. It's perfect. I get those little excited butterflies in my stomach over trying something new. I say, "Yes! I'll take that one!" Her reply? "Um, yeah... this one is actually out of stock right now though. Sorry." After I held myself back from pulling her over-streaked hair out, I asked if I could get a rain check. "NO, sorry. We don't offer those." Me: "Even though you're out of the product and it's not my fault?" "Mmm hmm".

Gee. Thanks.

So then I gave in and took the kids to McDonald's. There's a really nice, new one down the street from me. Newer=fewer germs. John was gone, the kids were bored. Bingo. McDonald's was my answer from above.
Now, I don't think any of us expect fantastic customer service at McDonald's. We expect the worst. We're used to it. It's worth those hot, golden fries. Service, Smervice. Am I right?

But today?

Today something strange happened. I walked in to McDonald's and was greeted by two people upon entering the door. I'm talkin' immediately, people. I placed my order. I asked what the southwestern chicken salad had in it. The girl immediately left to get one for me to see. I was then told about the ingredients. So, I placed my order. And here's where it gets weird.

Please pat me on the back for choosing the salad over the two cheeseburger meal supersized. I deserve it.


The girl behind the counter got all my food together on its tray for me, carried it out to the play place, and found me a seat. I sat down. By this time I thought I was sick or hallucinating or something. But then? And here's the kicker... she took my empty drink cups and asked what I'd like in them. And then she actually filled them and brought them back to me.

I KNOW!!!!

And later when I was done eating, she cleared my table for me. It was as if I was having an 'out of body' experience.

The only thing that brought me to reality was the fact that the nice Mickey D's girl kept calling me 'Ma'am'. Yeah. I'll take 'Ma'am' any day if it means all of the above happens.

So... here's to you, Mickey D's chick. Here's to YOU!!! There really is good customer service out there if you look hard enough.
(and as long as you're willing to overlook being called 'ma'am').

Like I said, I'm Greedy

Wanna see yet another great giveaway?

CLICK HERE

I love Mariel and I love cute stuff. 'Nuff said.

Deep Thoughts by Hollyween

1. I'm starting to freak out a little bit about summer time and the boredom that will definitely encompass my children. Summer makes me both a fun mom and a more paranoid mom. Fun because with the kids outside, I don't trust them to be out alone thus forcing myself to be outside with them all the while wanting and needing to do things INSIDE. Paranoid mom for the exact same reason.

2. Feeling annoyed that I can't ever seem to get a great organization system for incoming paper. School papers, mail, ads I think I'm going to look through and don't, magazines I might flip through but never get to until it's outdated.

3. Thinking that instead of updating my blog right now I should really organize my filing cabinet which still has loads of stuff in it I don't need. Ya know what I need? Fabulous tab printouts so I don't have to make my own and with those printouts, someone else's way of organizing things. Like, say... do I create a folder every year of my child's age? Or do I do one folder with all their stuff in it which makes it so I have to scramble all through it when I want to find something? Seriously, if you have a system, send it to me.

4. Realizing that I'm extra obsessed with TV this season. 'Lost', 'The Biggest Loser', 'American Idol', 'Gray's Anatomy', '24', and 'Private Practice', and 'The Bachelor' all make me exceptionally giddy when they come on. Does this mean I need to get a life?

5. I keep thinking about Joelle from 'The Biggest Loser' and how annoying she is and how glad I am that she's gone and sad for Carla all at the same time.

6. My stairwell needs to be painted and it has vaulted ceilings and the walls of the stairwell all connect to other walls and the whole thing gives me a headache and I don't know what color to paint it and this is the biggest run-on sentence ever.

7. Why do smoke detectors always chirp for a new battery in the middle of the night?

8. I'm in love with the gym right now and what it's doing for me physically and emotionally. I especially love it when I stand in front of the skinny mirrors in step class and not the fat mirrors. But I'm really NOT in love with the one girl who works in the daycare on Thursdays who sits on the floor a lot.

9. Thinking about putting off the first choir practice I'm in charge of as choir director until next week because I don't feel ready.

10. I keep seeing cute things people get on Etsy and yet when I go to their site to look around, I get all overwhelmed because there's just too much stuff and so decide I don't want to look around after all.

11. I have Spring Fever to the max and keep turning on songs that make me think of sunshine and warmth and swimming.

12. And speaking of swimming, I keep deciding that I'm going to take swimming lessons and learn how to be a great swimmer like Michael Phelps (minus the bong) and then I change my mind because the lady who would teach me is probably a Nazi swim instructor and she'd make fun of the way I doggy paddle. And what if I don't pass? And what about chlorine hair? And what if I got a swim cap but refused to wear it because it cut off the circulation in my head and made me feel stupid?

13. I ate a Cinnibon today and I'm feeling guilty, but it was really REALLY good so I don't know HOW guilty I really feel.

14. Thinking of not publishing this post because it's really lame.

15. Wondering why that stupid bikini girl on American Idol bothered me so much and why Simon's reactions to her bothered me even more. Feeling sooo glad that she's gone and I don't have to watch her weird neck movement when she sings anymore.

The Most Dramatic Rose Ceremony EVER!

Okay. I admit it. I'm watching 'The Bachelor' this season. Now, in my defense, I haven't watched The Bachelor for three years. Ever since that stupid Jen Scheft girl didn't pick any of the guys. I had HAD it.

But now?

I've resigned myself to the fact that yes, this show IS pointless. Yes, there is a 99.999% chance that this relationship will not work out. But guess what? I'm watching anyway. It is pure ENTERTAINMENT at its finest. It's the TV promos that got me!! Every time they advertised the show this season, they played sappy music with The Bachelor's little boy (he's a single Dad) running up to him in slow motion. I mean, the commercials alone had me in tears.

I had to watch it. I simply couldn't help myself.



The show is two freaking hours. It's a commitment (thank goodness for DVR). Between that, The Biggest Loser (which I have yet to watch one episode, but they are ALL recorded), Lost, '24' and American Idol, I have no time on my hands. I mean, life is just hard right now. I barely have time to blog.

I'm kidding. Of course. You know that, right?

Moving on...

(SPOILER ALERT)

I'm obsessed with this season. Between Shannon's annoying breakdowns and the way she says 'Jay-son' all weepy-like and Megan's witchiness, I can't get enough. I was almost sad when he eliminated those two girls this week simply because the drama they brought to the show made me laugh my head off. And what was up with Lauren telling him what to do? One of my favorite parts was where Natalie said in the limo 'I don't mean to sound conceited, but I am super, super attractive'. And was it just me or was that girl orange? She seriously needed to tone down her fake tanner.

So here's my thoughts:

• I'm sad that Nikki is gone, but she was just too serious. I did like her though. If only she would have lightened up.
• I like Molly. She seems to have the most physical connection with Jason, but I don't know about the rest of the package. She likes herself. That's for sure. Was the tent experience really necessary?
• I REALLY, REALLY like Stephanie. She's so sweet and that moment with her daughter on the beach made me bawl. Sadly, there's not enough spark between those two.
• I also really like Melissa and Jillian.
• My bet for who winds up with him is probably between Melissa and Naomi though.
• I like Naomi the best. She's less catty than a lot of the girls and she is totally gorgeous.

Don't hate me because I watch this show. I promise you that if you watched just ONE episode, you would be hooked like me. Let's call it 'Bachelor crack'. Or.... perhaps not. That brings up mental images. But perhaps that's not a bad thing?

Please, please share your thoughts with me on my latest obsession.

I'm waiting...

Because I'm Greedy and I like to Win things

Lisa-Marie is doing a giveaway.


Click here to see what it is


I love a good giveaway.

Two Tags in One Because I CAN and I WILL

Both Denae AND Bridget did tags and so I figure if those two cool blogging chicks did some tags, then so can I. Not that tags aren't cool. They are. I just usually don't do them and sometimes I hate them. But seriously, you're cool if you do them. I promise. Ah, forget it. I already put my foot in my mouth (and is that the weirdest saying EVER? It sounds extra weird tonight. Almost like it's not really a saying. Is it?)

I've been out of the 'blogging mood' as of late. The Christmas hype has already begun and so has the Christmas music for me. I'm crazy like that. I'm one of those people who actually listen to the early Christmas music on the radio. Feel free to run far away when you see me. I love listening to Elvis sing 'Here Comes Santa Claus' as many times as possible. I don't care what you think. Are you following? And when I ask 'are you following', what I mean is, are you following in the sense of the cute little button thingy on the left side of my blog? It pleases me to see your cute faces there. You KNOW you want to add yourself to increase my self esteem. You know it. It inspires me to update more frequently. It's the little things.

So here goes the tags. Please don't hate me when I post my Halloween pics at Christmas time and my Applesauce making at Thanksgiving. It's bad blog etiquette, but you'll forgive me right? And is there really such a thing as bad blog etiquette?
1st Tag:

10 Things I can do:
1. Pick at my face mindlessly in the mirror. Bad habit!
2. Make awesome Chicken Noodle Soup.
3. Type so fast that the clicking annoys my husband.
4. Eat until I'm physically ill.
5. Waste time at the computer.
6. Help Levi with his homework (Even patiently!)
7. Wrap a newborn perfectly just like the nurses.
8. Go two *cough* or three days without washing my sick hair.
9. Fold fitted sheets. It's a talent. Martha taught me how.
10. Do a mad cardio class at the gym and sometimes trip on the step and fall on my face.

10 Things I Cannot do:
1. Swim
2. Say 'no' to treats when they're in front of me.
3. Ignore annoying people that are sitting too close or behind me at the movies.
4. Listen to music in the car without signing along. Yes. I'm one of those people. Remember Gayle on Oprah's road trip? That's ME.
5. Ice skate. My feet really don't work. One drags while the other does tiny feet pushing moves.
6. Watch a movie without asking someone what's going on.
7. Make crock pot chicken without calling Joyce up and asking for the directions... AGAIN.
8. Get my incoming mail organized on a permanent basis.
9. Listen to that annoying 'Christmas Shoes' song on the radio. Kill me NOW!
10. Get a cat because John won't let me. And part of me doesn't want one anyway. New carpet and all.
11. And one more for good measure? Delete e-mails. I have a problem.

I love these easy, brainless tags. I guess I'm lazy that way. Bold ones you've done. You know the drill.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (Does Spanish Class in H.S. count?)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (Does driving by it count?)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

This, That and The Other

Since I'm on a blogging roll, I might as well keep going, right?

The last nine days, I did the Isagenix Cleanse. The last time I did the 9 day cleanse was when Levi was a few months old and I wanted to lose the last of the baby weight.

Same reason this time. Remember how I hoped that last ten pounds would come off magically once I was done nursing? Turns out it didn't happen. At least, not fast enough for me. I lost 5 pounds in 9 days. Not bad. I hope I can keep it off. I'm only 10 pounds away from my goal. Okay...15 total, but let's be realistic, shall we? I don't know if I'll ever see that number again. So let's just say '10'. It sounds a lot more doable that way. I'm pretty happy I made it all the way through. I had a couple of friends that did it with me and it made it a lot more bearable. We cheered each other on. And we made it! It's a hard cleanse, but it's amazing how good you feel when you're done. And you can EAT 5 of the 9 days so it ain't bad.

Okay. I'm not gonna lie. It's bad. But it could be a lot worse.

In other news, I joined the gym. I've been working out at home on my elliptical or running outside, but I really miss the gym. Before we moved here, I was going 4 times a week to the local 'Gold's'. But once we moved here, driving 25 minutes in the diesel truck to Gold's gym didn't seem quite worth it anymore so we bought the elliptical. I've missed the gym ever since though I've been grateful to be able to work out at home. Now I can do both. It's a Lady Fitness and it's not even a half a mile from my house. I decided the only way I could justify my membership and the cost of it (which isn't too shabby) is to quit something else. Weight Watchers. I know what you're thinking! But I had to choose and I've been plateaued for a LONG TIME at WW. And I know how to work out at the gym. I've done it before. And I KNOW how to do WW. And the gym is half the price. So... there's my decision for you ALL to know.

Moving on....

There's something TOTALLY WRONG with my toe, or 'toes'. I can't figure it out.

See this picture? See how I have my finger in between my second and third toes? That's because I can't figure out which toe is giving me the problem.

Oh, and just so you know... I'm WELL AWARE of my grown out pedicure grossness, okay? I don't need anyone telling me how disgusting my feet are and how in need they are of another pedicure. I get it.

I thought I might have hammer toe. But then I read what it was and realized that I don't have it. It does sound sort of cool though. I wanted to say to people, "Hey, guess what? I have hammer toe. Sick, huh?"

Too bad I can't say that.

So I felt all skinny today at church since I just finished the dreaded 'cleanse' and instead of walking around all confidently, I was limping. Not attractive. Not attractive at all. It sort of feels like my toe needs to pop. But it won't. I kept taking off my sandals at church and tried bending it on the carpet. Then I begged John to pop them once we got home. He won't admit it, but he's not a 'feet' person. He didn't look too thrilled to be touching my sick feet. Thanks for trying, hon. Thanks for trying.

So, what is it? What's wrong with my stupid toes? And no, I didn't hurt it on anything. I just woke up with it.

The End.

Just so you know...

I couldn't have said it better myself!

CLICK HERE!!!

Stat Counter and Misc.

This picture has nothing to do with my post, but every time I look at it it makes me laugh.

I'm experiencing technical difficulties with my stat counter. Does anyone else have this problem? I type in the address and NOTHING comes up. Nada. This is a problem because now I can't obsess about who's looking at my blog. I really wish that statcounter told me people's names too because the city just isn't enough detail for me!

Baby Faith is teething. It's been a rough few days at our house. She looks TERRIBLE! Ya know how when you haven't gotten very much sleep and you get those unsightly purple bags under your eyes? That's Faith. And she has chappy Rosy cheeks. It's sad.

Some good news is that it seems spellcheck is now working again. Yay! Now my sisters won't call me and tell me what words I misspelled. Thanks sista's.

Also, I have the show "Lost" on the brain. I'm now more confused than EVER and I'm dreaming about it (and Jack and Sawyer) at night.

This is a rambling DUMB post about nothing. But if you have thoughts anyway, please feel free to share. I have "Mom Brain". I'm sure most of you can relate.

Instructions For Baby

I just knew there was a book of instructions for baby!!

This must be it...

(Thanks to my sister Joyce for the FUNNY)

Olan Mills

My friend Jennie sent me the most hilarious e-mail. I laughed so hard I nearly peed my pants. I just had to share it with the rest of you. Thanks Jennie.

It's called a leisure suit, ladies and germs, and if you didn't have one in the early 70s, you were a big fat loser. Mine was teal. I wore it with a silk floral shirt and a long necklace with a football player pendant that we all got at that year's team banquet. I was THE MAN.
I got a 20 that says he drives a Camaro.
Just a typical afternoon down on the plantation. In a business suit.

A pose like this will get you kicked right out of the Convention.At the Southern Baptist Convention again?
B-52's, the early years.

I'd hide my face, too, little girl
You'd think Pearle Vision would throw in another two pairs for free.
Patrick broke ranks and chose drag over the bow tie
Nothing says 1973 quite like denim and helmet hair
Olan Mills backdrop #4: Bucolic Meadow with Split Rail Fence. Is that an animal carcass behind her?

Bobbi isn't the first waitress to fall for her manager, but she and Dale both got fired from Shoney's.
Thoughtful Lance. Mirthful Lance. Two sides of a delightful coin.
Grapefruit smuggling isn't a crime, but posing it in profile should be.
Dawn and her recently exhumed sister, Gorgotha, pose with Scraps.

Someone spent money on this.

This photo isn't discolored. The 70s really were that Orange.
No Comment.
Drake won Bitchin'est Senior Mullet by a landslide.
Olan Mills Backdrop #11: The Library, one of their most popular themes, as seen in this photo of the young Unabomber and his wife.

Talk about a third wheel...
She's looking for the speaker that's piping in "Muskrat Love" so she can blast it with her laser eyes.
Kenneth and his prom date
And don't miss the First Presbyterian Players as they perform "Godspell" next Wednesday night in the Fellowship Hall. Childcare will be provided. Please bring a covered dish.
The Purvis family made several stops along the Oregon Trail to document their six-month journey. This photo was taken just two weeks before the dysentery took Momma to Jesus.

The Library might be more believable if the shelves weren't sloping downhill
II wanted a shot like this for my wedding. The Mrs. said no.
Those glasses came free with a purchase of Brut cologne
That dude wore a tie for nothing.

Okay. Tell me you didn't enjoy that!!