My favorite cookie...with mustard on it!

Today is my dad's 60th birthday. I would like to share with the world why I love him so dang much.

• He is the hardest working man I know. 
• He has the BEST sense of humor and loves to laugh.
• He instilled in me my love for reading. I remember my entire family laying on my parents bed while my father would read to us.  I still hear his voice when I read  In Search of Steenie Bergman.
• He has ALWAYS ended every phone call, letter, email, text or conversation with I love you, or with our family favorite 8.
• When I was a little girl he would take me on "Daddy Daughter Dates".  He would usually send me a bouquet of daises with a little note asking me to dinner. My mom would buy me a new outfit usually, a blouse and skirt with sandals (because "Mom, Ladies wear skirts and blouses with sandals"). My mom would fix my hair and I would get to wear lip gloss.  He would ring the doorbell and would whisk me away to the fanciest restaurant around, my choice...McDonald's.
• He has always given me the best advice when I have had to make the tough decisions. We sat and talked for hours when I was trying to make the decision to serve a mission and again when I was trying to decide if I should get married.  He has never once forced his opinions on me. He always let me know where he stood on an issue, but he has let me make the decision. Succeed or fail has been there jumping for joy or crying along with me.
• He cries...a lot. He cries at movies, songs, books, the successes and failures his children have. He isn't ashamed. He has taught me that real men cry.
• He loves my mom and has been married to her for 32 years. It was important to both of my parents that they were married in the Temple setting that example to my brothers, sister and I.  Like all married couples they have had ups and downs, but they have made a decision to stay together and work things out. Showing us to never give up.
• He has AMAZING taste in jewelry!
• He honors his Priesthood.  He has always been willing and worthy to give me a fathers blessing.  He has said to his children, "If you need a blessing no matter where you are I will come to you."  In whatever calling he has had in church be it Bishop, Elders Quorum President, Sunday School teacher, or Primary Teacher he listens to the Spirit and magnifies that calling.
• He prays. I have seen him when he didn't know I was watching.  I know that he has prayed countless hours to our Father in Heaven for me and for my family.
• He and my mother have given me a voice. I am a very stubborn and independent person. I have never been afraid to tell my parents of the "injustices they have put me through" I have cried, screamed, yelled and stomped my feet. I have said horrible things, and they still love me.  I am not afraid to stand up to myself today (I don't stomp my feet or scream obscenities anymore)
• He can fix anything!
• He instilled in me a love for good music. I grew up listening to Billy Joel, Heart, The Eagles and other wonderful artists. 
• He has the most beautiful voice. I remember sitting around the living room listening to my dad play his guitar.  I find myself singing the song he wrote for me when I was born.

I could go on and on about how special my dad is and what he means to me, but those of you who know him already know. Those that don't, well I don't want to make you jealous.  He is loved my many and I know he has changed countless lives.  He is known to others as Jerry, friend, brother, husband,and grandpa, but he will always and forever be my favorite cookie with mustard on it.
8

"Today I am HUGE!"

April 11th,2010

Meggie sent me this pic Sunday. She also sent me a true belly, no shirt, awesome picture....I doubt she will let me post it, but if she does it is on! The caption to this picture is "Today I am huge"

THE GREATEST NEWS STORY EVER WRITTEN....EVER!

Tree branch, even the ‘last tree in the universe,' not legal tender at Oklahoma County jail


The Oklahoma County sheriff's department arrested an Oklahoma City man who broke out a window at the county jail after being told he couldn't use a stick to pay for charges to be dropped, a department spokesman said.

Spokesman Mark Myers said Rondell Bailey, 37, was doing donuts with his truck in a parking lot near the Oklahoma City Civic Center when he hit a trash can, making the truck go high center and get stuck. Bailey then walked to the Oklahoma County jail, where he walked in with a tree branch he claimed was the last tree in the universe and tried to use the stick to pay for charges to be dropped.

A reserve deputy told Bailey the county didn't accept trees as payment and Bailey walked outside, picked up a landscaping brick and broke a window on the east side of the jail lobby.

Bailey went across the street to the U.S. Marshals office, then back to his truck where he was arrested, Myers said. Deputies found a baggie containing a white, powdery substance believed to be methamphetamines.

Bailey was taken in on complaints of destruction of property and possession of a controlled and dangerous substance inside a penal institution.

Read more: http://newsok.com/tree-branch-even-the-last-tree-in-the-universe-not-legal-tender-at-oklahoma-county-jail/article/3444999#ixzz0iz7LmBJb

The most handsome fetus I have ever seen

He is absolutely ADORABLE!

Megan had her 3D ultrasound today.  Isn't he just amazing?

I'm a pregnant cheerleader and other pics...

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Sunday, March 14, 2010

El Chupacabra

I went to the dentist this week. I HATE going to the dentist! I am afraid of needles, pain, my teeth falling out, drilling, the smells, the noises, the gritty toothpaste they use when they clean your teeth, and now the Chupacabra. Yes you did read that right THE CHUPACABRA. My knowledge of this mythical creature is soley based on theThe X-Files epsiode, El Mundo Gira. I have done a little more research on the subject this week after my dental visit. Below is a little information on  the Chupacabra.

The Chupacabra or Chupacabras (pronunciation: /tʃupa'kabɾa/, from the Spanish words chupar, meaning "to suck", and cabra, meaning "goat"; literally "goat sucker"), also called El Chupacabras in Spanish, is a legendary cryptid rumored to inhabit parts of the Americas. It is associated more recently with sightings of an allegedly unknown animal in Puerto Rico (where these sightings were first reported), Mexico, and the United States, especially in the latter's Latin American communities.[1] The name comes from the animal's reported habit of attacking and drinking the blood of livestock, especially goats. Physical descriptions of the creature vary. Eyewitness sightings have been claimed as early as 1990 in Puerto Rico, and have since been reported as far north as Maine, and as far south as Chile. It is supposedly a heavy creature, the size of a small bear, with a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail. Biologists and wildlife management officials view the Chupacabra as a contemporary legend

I am sure you are asking why my recent dental visit instilled in me a fear of El Chupacabra. While I was laying back in the chair, hooked up to the gas the dental assistant TEMP decided to make small talk with the Dr and I. Lately she has really gotten into TV show's like I Should't Be Alive, and I Survived. She also is a fan of the Animal Planet and their show Lost Tapes: Paranormal Creatures. She told me of a segment they did on the Chupacabra and how she believes it exists. She told me of it's eating habits and how it punctures your jugular and sucks you dry. Your body is left untouched and fine other than the three puncture wounds. While she was telling me this (multiple times) she would take her three fingers and jab, jab, jab at my neck. She also told me another story of The Oklahoma Octopus and how a group of students went camping and only two made it out alive, but all the deaths are caught on tape....blah blah blah. She FINALLY left after I asked her how many Faces of Death dvd's she owns. FYI...she claims none, but I'm sure that's a lie. All I could do was lay there thinking if the dentist doesn't kill me the Chupacabra or Oklahoma Octopus will. In the future I plan on asking them not to put me with her (if she ever temps there again). I made it through the dentist with flying colors thanks to a wonderful dentist, LOTS of gas, my ipod, prayer and did I mention the gas? I go back next week for one last filling. Pretty much I have an amazing life....I couldn't make this stuff up folks.

The Oklahoma Octopus....cause I know you want to know.

A FRESHWATER MONSTER? The Oklahoma Octopus is a mysterious creature generally said to inhabit three lakes in Oklahoma (Lake Thunderbird, Lake Oolagah and Lake Tenkiller) where it attacks and kills unsuspecting swimmers. According to legend and rumor, this freshwater demon measures the size of a horse and resembles an octopus, with long tentacles and leathery, reddish-brown skin. Skeptics question how an octopus — an ocean creature — could survive in freshwater lakes, but it is easy to believe that such a creature would be a fearsome predator. The Giant Pacific Octopus, for example, has tentacles that each boast the strength of a 200-pound man and a powerful beak that it uses to kill prey. EVIDENCE OF AN OCTOPUS? Although no physical evidence exists in the case of the Oklahoma Octopus, many point to the high mortality rate and large number of unexplained drownings in the Oklahoma lakes as a clear sign of its presence. There have also been numerous reported sightings. Cryptozoologists have pointed out that species of jellyfish have been able to adapt from saltwater to freshwater conditions, and the same adaptation may have been possible for a giant cephalopod trapped in an inland lake when coastal waters receded.

Book of Mormon Stories...

I have had the most amazing two weeks. I still have the same crazy people who come into work, I'm still a horrible driver, still crazy tired all the time, and pretty much the same person living the same life day by day...except I started to read the Book of Mormon again. Being a Returned Missionary, and life long member of the Church, I know the power that little blue book carries. I just seem to forget sometimes. I work nights and there are days where I have a lot of downtime. I decided to put that time to good use. I began reading, A LOT. While on my mission one of my companions was told about a cool idea. It is based on 1st Nephi: 22-23

22 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, (1)that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.

23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that (2)I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for (3)I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.

The first time you read it through take a black ink pen, or pencil and underline all the information that pertains to daily life. For example: money, housing, animals, description of the cities and so on. It's so neat to look at the differences and similarities between then and now. People act the same way today in many cases as they did then. They had a legal system with judges and lawyers. They loved and hated their brothers. They had good and bad people. They had homes and families. There were millions of people who lived. I have always had the hardest time wrapping my mind around "how big" it all was. I always see them as the first few people who left Jerusalem and not the bigger picture. Learning how people lived, what they ate and the number of cities and people puts it into a whole different light that I have not been able see the other times I have read it. I also think reading it like a book from beginning to end in a week has a lot to do with that.

The second time you read it take a blue ink pen or pencil, and underline all the wars and fights. I have also been keeping a record of the pride cycles the people go through. It's amazing how fast one can go from being so evil to a person called of God to preach the Gospel. It's also pretty interesting to see the opposite. Someone who was raised knowing the truth believing in Christ and then actively hunting down and killing people who are members of the Church.

The third time you read it take a red ink pen or pencil, and underline all the times where it mentions Christ and the Atonement. For most of the book the people practice the Law of Moses, It is so neat to see how everything testifies of Christ. Just like then we are waiting for the Savior to come, only we are waiting for Him to come again... We believe He has been here, and that He died for our sins. We like the Nephites have had and continue to have Prophets testify of this. We just as those who came before us have been mocked and persecuted for our beliefs. I am sure that many wonder when and if He will come. The Book of Mormon testifies that He has and just as important that He will again.

I have had the most amazing experience reading the Book of Mormon this way. I believe it is so important to ponder and study the scriptures, but I also think that reading like this is pretty amazing. So far it has taken me a week give or take a day to read it in each specific color. I am almost finished reading it the second time and I honestly can't wait to start it again. Each time I read it I learn new and amazing things that I missed the time before. I know that many don't have hours to spend reading the scriptures like I do, and that a week is not possible for most, but try reading it through in a month. I promise you will be amazed what you will learn and how you will feel about people who lived thousands of years ago. My testimony of the scriptures, and in Christ has grown so much in two weeks. I didn't think it was possible to "grow" like this outside of my mission. I am thankful for this opportunity I have to devour the Book of Mormon. I am blessed, I am loved, I am thankful.