Enjoying Now...

I'm moving...

2009-06-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

MY BLOG!

I did a little research and decided to make a little change

{from blogspot to wordpress that is}

Everything is not perfectly in place on my new blog

(I plan on getting a new header and changing the layout)

but such is life, right?

I don't wanna lose you so please come and visit!

Enjoying Now

and link up

http://www.enjoyingnow.wordpress.com/

Theoretical Bargain Hunting

2009-06-08T05:00:00.000-06:00

I'm not a regular at Pier One {Target is usually my store of choice. Can I get an Amen?} but last weekend I was lured to the store by the giant 60% Off signs hanging in their window.

Who can pass up a sale? NOT ME {or my friend Cassie}!

I sauntered into the store...and found the a small little shelf with 60% off items that were clearly from last season {as if I truly know when last season ended and this season began, nevertheless...}.

So much for the big sale I was hoping for but I could still wander around the store for good decorating tips {a lie that I wholeheartedly believed} . I told myself that their advertising tactics would not work on this intelligent woman!

I almost made it out of there until I laid my eyes upon this:

Then it was over.

Pier One had another customer.

And if you have to know, my purchase was not 60% off.

See how great it looks...

They are after me...

2009-06-06T10:30:00.000-06:00

Ever since moving to Parker, I have felt as if the animal population here are trying to "get me." Let me explain...

It all started with a little piece of doggy poop on our patio furniture. We currently rent a condo on the bottom floor as we try to find a house up here. So there is a porch directly above ours. Well that owner has decided to allow her dog to relieve himself outside, on her porch. Do you see where this is going? Yes, the poop, from the little wiener dog, falls through the cracks in the wood onto my porch.

Then there was the time that I went out to my newly cleaned car to find not one but two large deposits of bird poop on my windshield.

These two incidents didn't put me on my guard because hey, things like that happen to all of us right? And they don't know that pooping on other people's things is rude.

What really got me thinking was the day I was running along the sidewalk by this abandoned piece of property. Lots of ground hogs {or whatever they are called} live out their days in comfort here digging holes and moving dirt. Well as I am running I trip on some barbed wire in the middle of the side walk...I am sure that I could almost hear those little guys high-fiving and laughing as I picked myself off the ground. Their little booby trap had worked.

Then they must have radioed down the path to the EXTREMELY large snake to scare the life out of me (see this post for that story).

Last week it was the deer population that was after me. I hit a deer with my car. Actually, more appropriately, the deer ran into my car. Yes, I like that way of thinking better. And for all you people feeling sorry for the deer, don't. He walked {trotted} away from the event only having large bruise on his right hip. He {or she} got off easy compared to his/her dead relative that had been mangled by a car just moments before.

See here is a picture of him that I got right after the accident.

My car on the other hand...

...has enough damage to "notice" but not enough damage for the insurance company to pay me more than I will pay to have it fixed.

I don't know what it is with the animals in this town but seriously, I am a nice person!

I DON'T wear fur,

I am NOT a friend of Michael Vick

and I have never been hunting.

But I have been known to, on occasion, kill any and ever spider that ever comes across my path.

Do you think that is it?

My little fam

2009-05-28T13:44:00.005-06:00

The assignment this week: family

~~~~~~

Well not much photography action this week. I was too busy running, hanging out with friends and working. But a few weeks ago, I decided to break out the tripod (since I am new to the photog world) and try my hand a a family portrait.

Here is my favorite:

See how smart Turbo is. He knew it was in his best interest to look at the camera on the first try... Now that is a miracle!

Who's that?

2009-05-25T17:25:00.005-06:00

702 is yours truly

and

701 is none other than my

super-star husband!

This year he ran the Bolder Boulder 10k with me just because he loves me.

And you better believe that is the only reason he woke up at 530 am to run 6.25 miles on his day off!

Little does he know that I plan to make this not only my yearly tradition but our yearly tradition. :)

Here are a few pictures of us after the race:

Adventures in Running

2009-05-23T01:04:00.003-06:00

So last week, I was officially TRAUMATIZED while running on the {concrete!} trail by my house.

I love {d} this trail so much because it is close to our house, each mile is marked off, there are bathrooms along the way, great scenery and lots of people (which makes me feel safe).

So there I was on mile numero 4, jammin to SugarLand on my Ipod and thinking about the wonderful fruit smoothie I was going to make after I was finished when....

I step on THIS!

Yes, I screamed.
Yes, I screamed like a girl.
Yes, I screamed like a girl and started jumping up and down.

I also forgot to mention that it was the 3rd snake I had seen that day (the other two were friendly and much smaller gardener snakes).

So needless to say I have yet to do any running on this wonderful {demon possessed} trail. Tomorrow I am going to give it a go again and hopefully God will protect me from those devils.

Sweet

2009-05-22T10:26:00.002-06:00

This weeks "You Capture" Challenge: sweet

~~~~~~~~~~

Everytime I stop and stare at this little guy, I smile

He is the sweetest pup. Ever.

I enjoy trying to caputre his essence with my camera.

Most times, he is a little tricky to photograph but the other day,

he was all about posing.

See, doesn't he look sweet?

101 Posts...

2009-05-16T09:07:00.000-06:00

means it is time to do the infamous blogging post {drum roll please}...

101 things about moi!

I have a propensity to use ketchup for a dipping sauce
I love to know about a need and have the resources to fulfill that need (call me a fix-it girl)
When someone is hurting, I tend to feel their pain internally
I love a clean and organized house
My car also likes to be clean and organized
I love to give blood
My husband and I have the same blood type which obviously means we were meant for each other. Except I am not sure if I met someone else who had my blood type that I would feel the same about them
My whole life I wanted to be a elementary school teacher
I am a nurse
All of my patients have non-survivable injuries and some are already brain dead
But they save countless lives (through organ donation)
I named my first dog after my elementary school (Lewis-Palmer)
His name was Lewis and then my sister got a dog and named it Palmer
I now have a dog named Turbo
He is 5lbs and will always look like a puppy
No, I did not name him after my school
My mom and dad met at 7-11 (if you don't have those in your state they are a convenience stores/gas stations)
Interestingly enough my dad was born on 7/11
I always like going to 7-11 because I went there a lot with my dad when I was little. Many of my lunches were 7-11 hot dogs and a Slurpee.
My dad died when I was 11 and I still get sad about it to this day
One of my favorite things is when my mom says "Your dad would always say..." or "You know what your dad do in this situation..." It makes me feel like I can still know him
My mom is one of the strongest people I know
She has "lived" her faith
When my world was turned upside down (when I was 11), my family landed firm in the arms of Christ
He has never let me down
I had an eating disorder for 6 years
It was the most HORRIBLE thing I ever went through
People ask me how I got over it...
no one thing, but the common thread through it all? CHRIST!
No single diet, or therapist, or exercise or prayer or fast did it, it was a process
I always hope that someday I can help other girls with eating disorders
I never kissed anyone until I got engaged (the first time)
I bought my wedding dress then
and didn't wear it until 3 years later when I married the aforementioned man with the same blood type as me
I kissed him before we got engaged (and 4 other people...so much for virgin lips!)
We used Mountain Dew for the toast at our wedding
and the guestbook was a football for people to sign
I met my best friend and my husband at the same restaurant
I had never dyed my hair until I was 24
when I found 3 gray hairs
I have been to 6 different countries
Hawaii is my favorite place to travel
I don't like long plane rides overseas
which probably stems from the fact that I threw up the entire way home from Rome (12 hour flight!)
I use to think flying in commercial planes was scary
until I had to fly, on a regular basis, in a prop plane {over the Rocky Mountains, in a thunderstorm)
I don't like roller coasters
I do like the mountains
I love to hike
I have hiked *8* 14,000 ft mountains in Colorado
Hiking Pikes Peak was my least favorite
There is a parking lot at the top and a donut shop which is very anti-climactic after a 14 mile hike
Skiing is fun
My husband fell off a ski lift once so he doesn't ski
I have a sister who is 12 years older than me (she used to ski)
She has 4 kids--2 born in America and 2 born in China
I am closer in age to her two oldest than I am to her
I got lucky when I married David because I now have 2 more sisters
They are my age...
If you know any single, Godly, available , handsome men...lets set them up!
One of my favorite job's was being a camp counselor at the camp I went to when I was little
I can't wait to be a mom
We already have the first and middle names picked out for our first boy and girl
and our next dog...
no we won't name it after my school
I have a boy middle name--"Michael"
David has a girl middle name--"Lindsey"
Just another reason we were meant for each other
Did I also mention we were both born in October?
I sometimes think I want to be a doctor
Then remember the amount of school it takes and what I wrote on number 62
I played soccer when I was younger
Now I run
I have run a 1/2 Marathon
and will run another 1/2 in June
Does running two 1/2 marathons, allow me to say I have run a full marathon?
I am 5'5" and born on October 25th and 5 is my favorite number
People ask me why I have a favorite number...I don't know, I just do
If I ever pick a number between 1-10, guess what I pick?
5!
Blogging is a fun hobby of mine
I especially love when people leave comments
Words of affirmation is my love language
I just bought a Nikon D-60 in Nov
I want to become a better photographer
so I take 1,000's of pictures of Turbo
He is so DARN cute
Tulips are my favorite flower
I love to decorate my house
Target is my favorite store generally speaking
My biggest flaw is comparing myself to others
I use to be defined by my good grades and the fact that I was a "good girl"
Being on time is not something I am good at unless there are consequences for being late
When the Lord speaks to me I am at peace
I love my life (especially when I am not doing number 91)
I hope to someday own a horse
I want to own a house with a front porch where I can sit on a swing or rocking chair, drink iced tea and watch my children play in the yard
I think my eyes are my best feature
I love my husbands silly nature
I wish I were more spontaneous
I love having life-long friendships

We never discussed this in pre-marital counseling...

2009-05-15T08:12:00.000-06:00

My husband has a "fun" little personality trait...

He {apparently} dislikes throwing things away

and will {at all costs}

avoid throwing things away by simply leaving small amounts left in boxes/bags,

milk jugs,

(please note that the new milk is already used)

or toliet paper rolls.

These are just a few of the examples I found when I woke up today, went to eat cereal and found the box

Almost...

EMPTY!

Flowers!

2009-05-14T07:45:00.004-06:00

This week's You Capture assignment: Colors

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love Spring and I love flowers...

and I love to take pictures of flowers in the Spring...

I also love when my husband brings me flowers {in the Spring} for no reason at all...

Random Ramblings pt 2

2009-05-13T12:11:00.006-06:00

So today is my first day off in 16 days and blogging has obviously been taking a backseat to work lately. I am trying to find the balance in life {aren't we all?} and not doing such a good job due to the aforementioned work schedule. And guess what? Tomorrow I am back on-call and working 5 more days. I know work is necessary and I do love what I do but the hours and the schedule, hmmm are they worth it? I rarely see friends, am constantly cancelling on people, getting involved at church is pretty non-existent and running, well it's like two steps forward and one step back. Thankfully David understands and my relationship with him {and Turbo} has not suffered. Somehow I seem to be able to make time for him and he for me. Yep, I married one of those "good ones."

Can dogs get fevers? If so, how would one treat it? Tylenol is probably not the best even if it is the liquid kind. The reason that I ask is Turbo seems a little "hot" to me. When I pet him, he seems warm and when he gives me my daily dose of kisses, his tongue seems really warm. Not sure what to do about it.

I am ADDICTED to Inta Juice. It's this smoothie place in Parker and I love it SO. The pomegranate smoothie is my new best friend {since I don't really have time for my other friends} and I get it after every case. yum, yum!

I love summer. I love flowers. I love my mom {who I get to see today!!}. The end.

Oh and here is a picture of Turbo..isn't he just adorable {please bare with me, I don't have kids}!!!!

Race for the Roses

2009-05-01T11:51:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby--the first race in the infamous Triple Crown Challenge of horse racing.

When I was younger, I may have done a little barrel racing and goat tying which led to my complete adoration of horses. After my dad died and I had to stop riding, I would spend most of my time riding my bike {pretending it was a horse}. But, friends, that is a story for a different day...

My mom loved horses too. Before I was born, she even owned one of her very own {what I wouldn't give to have been born 12 years earlier!}.

And like never having owned a horse, I have yet to see a Triple Crown won in my lifetime.

Some horses have won the first two races only to completely BLOW IT in the third. Maybe it will be this year...

Well the last few years I have attempted to watch the races with people who think that is OK to chat during the pre-race show and the races themselves.

"Excuse me but if you want to watch this sporting event with me there will be a few rules:

1) no talking or breathing at an audible level during the program

2) DO not talk at any time except during commercials

Thank you."

Seems simple {controlling} doesn't it? I don't know why/how I got this way but I love listening to every detail about the horses and listening to the stories about the trainers/owners.

So this year I am having my mom over for the race. She "gets it" and we always have a great time watching the shows {in silence}. She is actually the person that introduced me to the Triple Crown.

I thought it would be fun to make the food they make in Kentucky on Derby weekend until I looked at the recipes and didn't think any of them sounded all that good.

So we will be having our own Derby dinner:

Turkey Pesto Sandwiches
Steamed Zucchini and Squash
Blueberry Smoothies
Angel Food Cake and Strawberries for Desert

Here's to hoping that this is year for a Triple Crown Winner!

2009-04-26T16:16:00.007-06:00

Some people gamble,

Some people do drugs,

Some people lie on their taxes,

Some people eat too much...

~I buy new bedding~

Ever since I was little, I loved getting a new comforter for my bed. My mom will probably shout "amen" when she reads this since she paid for countless when I was growing up. I don't know what it is about a new comforter that makes me ready to take on the world. Maybe it is the new smell or that the room gets an instant face-lift...who knows?! The only things I love more are, well, Jesus and David, of course! ;)

We bought a new bedding when we got married {2.5 years ago people!} so I have been scouring the stores trying to find a new duvet that both David and I like. He is not so into the flowery patterns and solids are not my first choice.

Well, we had a deal that when we moved to Parker I could buy a new duvet... and this is where the story takes an un-expected turn. When we got here I couldn't find any duvets that were {worthy of my adoration} better than what I already had. So, I made peace with my addiction, received prayer and decided to stay with what I had ...until this weekend when I sauntered into Pottery Barn {1st mistake}. I wanted to look for some decorating ideas {lie: I really wanted to check out the bedding}. David obliged and we went in... and came out 36 minutes later with a new duvet {which was actually on sale, which is important to note because if you have ever been into Potter Barn then you know that everything is fifty times as much as a person anyone should pay for it!}. While I was there, I was also introduced to the fabulous Euro-style pillow {by the sales lady that is most certainly paid on commission}. Confession: I bought two of those as well.

So here is my new bedding in all it's glory...

What's your favorite thing to splurge on?

New Birth

2009-04-24T18:48:00.006-06:00

Today my heart is full for two reasons:

1.) My friend Amber had her baby this week and... "it's a boy!" All of my friends having babies lately have been having girls so it is nice change it up a little bit.

Isn't Caleb Matthew handsome? :)

2.) One of the guys that is on David's Golf Committe for his tournament this June gave his life to Christ last week!!!! David was so excited that when he called me he must have been talking a mile a minute {I adore my husband}.

It is the first time that we have seen the fruit of our labor here in Parker and let me tell you, it makes everything worth it..everything! I know the Lord is doing many things here that I have yet to even see.

Lord you are SO good.

You know you live in Colorado when,

2009-04-21T08:42:00.003-06:00

the sun is shinning, the sprinklers are on and there is still snow on the ground

Working, working, and a trip to Vail

2009-04-20T09:23:00.002-06:00

But don't be fooled, going to Vail was for work as well.

So really the post should be titled:

"working working and even more working in Vail"

Mother Nature decided to DUMP a TON of snow on Colorado last week as I was en route to Vail, CO for an organ donation case. Subsequently, many of the roads were closed and my colleagues and I got all-expense paid trip to the Vail Valley Hospital

For all you Bachelor fans out there...
yes, that is where Ryan and Trista Sutter are from (the only "Bachelor couple to ever make it)
yes, I asked the nurses there if they knew them
yes, they rolled their eyes
yes, they gave me the low down on each of them :)

So here I was in Vail trapped at the hospital, trying to find a way for the surgeon (in Denver) to get all the way up I-70 (which was closed) to recover organs. The State Patrol was too busy with all the accidents and snow problems to help but they did recommend this a guy that does critical care transport for them in these situations. We called up the Good Samaritan and he volunteered to drive our surgeon from Denver to Vail (typically a 90 min drive) and back in the middle of the night in his Hummer, the Beast.

And yes, that is the name he gave his car...which truly is a beast because 3 1/2 hours later they arrived at the hospital safe and sound. The roads had to be bad though because even the Beast went off the road, into a ditch full of snow, on the way up the mountain. But the difference between the Beast and the other cars on the road was that "the Beast is able to get herself out of the ditches."

Thankfully, we were able to recover the liver and kidneys to save three people's lives. The surgeon and the Good Samaritan made it back to Denver safely and I got to stay in a SWEET hotel room in Vail. There was a fireplace in my room, a full view of the slopes and deliciously- overpriced room service. Too bad, I was only in the room from 2 am to 9 am but nevertheless I enjoyed the bed.

Sometimes I get tired of working but honestly, I do have a great job.
On most occasions, I know that no matter how long and hard I work that people's lives are saved.

And sometimes, I get paid to go on fun little adventures.

Twitter (Blog-style)

2009-04-11T14:56:00.004-06:00

Right now I am...

Sitting here on the computer catching up on all your blogs--what fun people you are!
Warm because Turbo is snoozing on my lap
Scouring the Internet looking for a simply devine homemade chocolate cake recipe to take to our friends house for dinner
Anxiously watching my blackberry and sending it subliminal messages: "don't you buzz or ring or do anything for the next two days...do you understand me??? It is Easter and you better make sure I don't get called out!"
Trying to figure out why Tiger Woods isn't kicking butt in the Master's because he truly is the best golfer EVER!
Hoping that someone will buy our old desk and bookcase so I can finish decorating the office already.
Thinking about how much my bathroom needs to be cleaned.
Wishing I could go to Express and buy a new outfit that would only cost me $25, ha!

But most of all..I am thankful that Christ died for me and that He purchased my freedom (at such a high price) so that I could hear His voice and spend eternity safe in His love.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Sold

2009-04-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

On March 24th it was official, the sale of our house that is. It was rather, what shall I say, anti-climactic. I was never quite convinced that it was going to happen and didn't even believe it until the money was in our checking account. I kept thinking something would go wrong.

We put our house up FOR SALE in September (as most of you know) and had been begging the Lord for months and months to sell it in the "terrible" market. David and I were both commuting to Denver (since January) and it was putting somewhat of a strain on our marriage. I needed to be in Denver to do my job and he needed to be in Denver to be able to minister effectively. We essentially felt trapped and unable to go forward in the new calling He had placed on our lives.

Truthfully there were times when I felt like the Lord was mocking us because it all didn't make sense. Especially when our next door neighbor put her house up for sale, when there were houses identical to ours in worse condition that sold for more money, when foreclosures went on the market for SO CHEAP! Then there were all the weekends we spent looking for houses up in Denver to buy so that when ours sold we would have somewhere to move and each house that we were even remotely interested in sold (yes, in this market).

We kept pleading with God to show us what to do and then a miracle happened that allowed us to rent up here in Denver while our house was still on the market within our budget. So we found a great condo in Parker and moved on Valentine's Day.

Then, the next week a lady put an offer on our town home! Not even kidding...the next week!

Of course at that point, I was moved, already unpacked and had accepted that we were going to be renting. I had made peace with the fact that the Lord would take care of us (He already had). I had let go and trusted without stress, without fear, without worry and that is when it happened.

Now I don't think that is the "formula" for getting God to do what I wanted but I must say that I did learn a lot through the 6 months. The biggest lesson I learned was that what I treasured most wasn't that God sold the house but that He stayed by me through the trial and He taught me valuable truths about Himself and my relationship with him. Now, I have a greater understanding of how He communicates with me and my relationship with Him is better for that experience as hard as it was for me at times.

That is the short story about the "house" and what happened. I thought I would need a house to make a home...I thought "that" was the next step for us. But truthfully, I am content in our condo--I like the location, I like the layout, I like the people we rent from and most importantly, David and I can do what the Lord has called us to do.

Thank you to everyone who stood with us during this time and offered up prayers and encouragement on our behalf. You were all such a blessing!

I am waiting for the walls in our condo to be painted to post pictures of our new place...more to come soon.

Another Little One

2009-04-05T08:00:00.000-06:00

She was just so perfect that I could stop holding her...

Welcome to the world,

~Sarah Elizabeth~

Excuse me while I pick myself off the floor...

2009-04-03T22:14:00.003-06:00

Today I came face-to-face with the realization that I am apparently not as "in shape" as I thought I was.

I love all the different classes that 24 hour fitness offers and have been trying to go whenever I am NOT on a case. It is nice to do a something different from running and have a motivating instructor tell you what to do and how long to do it.

Spinning classes are one of my favorites but the only caveat is that you have to show up to the gym an hour early just to sign up. Sometimes, I only have the hour free to work out, not two hours to sit and wait to work out. If you haven't tried a Spinning class yet, you should. Nothing can make you sweat faster!

Turbo-kickboxing was a lot of fun even though I didn't get all the choreography down right away. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hang but I did and hopefully my upper cut will look better next time I can go. After that class I still had the energy to run 3 miles and felt pretty good.

Today I decided to try 24-hour's version of boot camp. {"Self, what were you thinking!?"}

Just before going to the gym I sent David a text, "going to try boot camp and probably do Pilate's afterwards." Ha! Little did I know...

Have you ever watched the Biggest Loser?

Yes, well then you know Jillian.

Today I met the Colorado version of Jillian and she was my "boot camp" instructor.

I did enjoy the variety that she included in the workout but I was definitely not able to keep up with all the exercises {pushup's for 2 minutes, ha!}. Apparently being able to run 6 miles on a treadmill under 60 minutes and training for a 1/2 marathon doesn't really mean you are "in shape" because I could barely keep up with the lunges, the push ups, the frog leaps, the mountain climbers...

Let's just say I didn't make it to Pilate's afterwards and I had to do a pretty darn good job of convincing myself to shower. You can be sure I rewarded myself with ice cream tonight!

Here's to hoping I make it out of bed in the morning!

:)

Daylight Savings...

2009-03-31T20:00:00.000-06:00

The other day I am on my way home from work and decided to stop by the bank to deposit some checks.

I pull in to the drive through {thinking, no lines...sweet!} and they weren't open. hmmm???

I started to wonder if here in Parker the banks close on Fridays or if I had missed some national holiday or if they closed on account of the 12 inches of snow we got the previous day.

and then I looked at the clock, it was 7 pm!

But you wouldn't have known that by the amount of sun that was still shinning.

Daylight savings you are messing with my mind

---but I still LOVE YOU!

Pick a Number!

2009-03-30T14:00:00.001-06:00

Okay, lets play a little blog game...

Pick a number between 1 and 3

Picked yet????

Now please go to the corresponding number on the list below and if you have time, please say a prayer for that person/family. I have changed the names of those that the Lord has placed on my heart so that they can remain anonymous. However, the Lord knows whom I have in mind.

I wholeheartedly believe in the power of prayer. I know that the more people that approach the throne of God on behalf of another, the more it power of the Holy Spirit is activated. In turn, I promise to pray for you if you would like to send me a prayer request at dafarmer06@aol.com.

**The List***

1. The "biggest family ever" has lost their home to mold this past October. They have 9 children total and had to leave all their belongings in the house and move to a different state to receive treatment for all the diseases that they acquired as a result of the mold. Please pray for their health, their finances and that their family would become closer in this time of trial

2. A lady "Ann" that I know has just been advised by the police to get a divorce from her abusive husband of 10 years and to file a restraining order. Ann is true follower of Christ and has never felt peace about this decision until now. Please pray for her safety and the direction of the Lord during this process. Divorce is never something that she wanted and she now struggles will feelings of failure.

3. My dear friend "Heidi" is going for a doctor's appointment this week to see if she may have breast cancer. She is only in her early 30's but her family has a history of cancer. She is such a giving person that always puts others before herself. Please pray for peace in her heart, that she would feel the Lord standing next to her as she walks through this week. Pray also for healing in her body.

A grenade in orange juice?!

2009-03-29T18:36:00.008-06:00

So work was a tad bit challenging today...

The short story goes something like this: my colleague and I had to take an organ donor to the OR emergently, the surgeons refused to recover due a personal opinion, it was 3 am, we hadn't slept in almost 24 hours and we HAD to find a solution to the problem. Sound fun???

Not so much.

I am pretty sure that about 3 different doctors showed me how skilled they are at using as many 4 letter words as possible in one sentence and then they would hang up the phone before I can get a word in. Good thing I told them all my name was "Phyllis".

I had to get in contact with the neurosurgeon on the case, who had missed his wife's birthday party the day before and had the worst day ever in the ICU, to rewrite a brain death note. Let's just say he that he didn't jump at the opportunity to become lifelong friends.

The amusing part of the night was that he ended his phone conversation (on speaker phone) with me like this:

me: "thank you sir and I apologize for having to bother you so much tonight and appreciate your willingness to help...yada yada yada..."

him: "Good night and will you please be sure to put a hand grenade in the transplant surgeon's orange juice?"

me: "Sure!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here I am now, after 4 hours of sleep, needing some therapy...

R-E-T-A-I-L therapy!

Can you guess where I am headed?

Babies everywhere!

2009-03-26T19:05:00.006-06:00

In the last 2 weeks, two of my friends have given birth to their first child:

Meet

-- Miss Chloe--

Sweet Avery

Two more of my friends are due in the next month...it is definitely the season for babies and I love it! :)

wanna save a life?

2009-03-22T19:53:00.019-06:00

Tonight I was watching Extreme Home Makeover {and crying}. That show always gets me right when they "move that bus!" and the family starts jumping up and down and crying. The tears start rolling down my face and I turn to David saying, "that is just soooo sweet! " It's that emotional release that keeps me coming back each week. Man, ABC is so good at what they do!

The little girl on tonight's episode is dependent on blood transfusions to survive. Don't worry, I will graciously spare you all the nurse-y details about her disease process and instead, climb onto my soap-box about how great it is to donate blood. Ahem...

As a nurse I have given a total of 14 units of blood in one 12 hour shift to save someones life. That means 14 people that had to donate to save that one person. We all like to talk of changing the world and making a difference and this is one simple way that we are sure to SAVE a life. The little girl on Extreme Home Makeover made me conscious of the importance of this again tonight.

I grew up with giving blood as a part of my life. My parents both did it on a regular basis and I have done it since I was able to. When you go the worst part is of course the needle. But that part lasts about a 1/2 of a second {promise!}. The blood bank staff at the hospital always makes up for that brief pain by treating you like royalty. They will get you a warm blanket, your choice of juice {get cranberry, it's the best!} and some really delicious cookies {or fruit for those of you that are health conscious but remember that when you give blood you also burn calories}. Then you get a very stylish band aid and smiley-face sticker that says "Be Nice to Me, I Donated Blood Today" and don't forget the good feeling that you will have for the rest of the day knowing that you helped to save a life.

So who's in? :)

A Rollercoaster???

2009-03-20T11:43:00.009-06:00

My job often requires that I travel throughout the states of Colorado and Wyoming to different hospitals. Most times we drive but since Grand Junction is about 4-5 hours from Denver and time is of the essence in organ donation, we have to fly.

Sound's glamorous doesn't it?

Not when you {loathe, hate, detest} dislike flying...

You see, something happened to me between the age of 20-25. Not only did I get married, graduated from college, start my career, and become a {dog} mom but I developed a very {rational} embarrassing fear of flying. I don't know when or how I developed this new quality but David is quite aware as I always have a death grip on his hand as we fly to various destinations. Even the slightest jolt sends me into convulsions because I am certain that the plane is about to plunge nose first into the ground.

When I think about it rationally, I know the statistics of me dying in a car crash is much higher than in a plane but it doesn't seem to help when I am actually up in the air.

Nevertheless, I must fly for my job and I must keep it all together. This week I experienced my first and second fly-out. Here is a picture of us me and my co-workers before the flight...

Obviously I survived since I am writing this post but it was not without a few pesky anxiety attacks. Before take-off I warned them all that I could, at any moment, feel the need to grab their hand with my notorious death-grip. They were very understanding as we took off in the little tin can with wings. Most of the flight was spent convincing me of what each bump and alarm noise meant as I did Lamaze breathing. hee, hee, whoooo, hee, hee, whooo...

24 hours later I was on my way home and the cab driver from the hospital to the airport told me to "pretend it's a roller coaster" during all the drops. I am sorry Mr. Cab-driver but there are a few differences between planes suspended thousands of feet up in the sky and roller coasters that are on tracks, bolted to the ground and inspected daily.

And between me and you, I also HATE roller coasters so his advice really didn't give me the warm fuzzies.

Like I said earlier, this week was not only my first fly-out but my second. What did I learn from these experiences? My fears may be a little bit unhealthy. The Lord is obviously trying to help understand that this is an area in which I haven't trusted Him. God is good that way, He is always teaching us. This may sound cliche but I realized I am afraid of is dying in a plane crash.

I don't want to die... and often times I feel more in control when have the illusion of control. When I am driving the car, I feel like I can prevent the crash. When I am running, I can prevent disease. But really, when it is my day to meet him, it will be my day. Whether I am in sky or sitting here writing this blog.

Hopefully this new realization will help me enjoy the next flight a little more. :)

Wedding Present

2009-03-16T08:00:00.003-06:00

let's see, David and I have been married for about 2 1/2 years...

and I just opened the most wonderful wedding present ever {besides my hubby himself}!

Aunt Shannon and Uncle Greg gave us a Kitchen-Aid Mixer for a wedding gift and I hadn't ever broken it out of the box until a few weeks ago when we moved. That should be some kind of deadly sin...let me know if you find it in scripture. :)

Having never really made much from scratch I decided to give homemade pizza dough a try now that I had the {most wonderful} necessary equipment.

Here is the finished product...

The crust was a little thick but still yummy. Does anyone have a homemade cinnamon roll recipe they would like to share? That will be my next project.

{did you catch my sly mention about moving...yes, I have some good news to share soon!}

Oh how I love thee...

2009-03-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

my Babe sure knows how to get on my good side....

the other night he came home with these

and these...

Ever tried the Sweet Tart jelly beans???

Can you tell I am not a chocolate-girl?

Give me candy any day!

Widsom

2009-03-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

When we signed up for

we also bought a membership for

The two compliment eachother so nicely!

Turbo the "not-so-great"

2009-03-08T19:45:00.010-06:00

Today we went over to our friends house and they suggested we bring Turbo along for a play-date of sorts...

You see, us couples that have yet to make babies of our very own seem to view our pets as children from time to time.

Like the time I was on the airplane sitting next to a very large man {extraneous information but necessary for effect} that was taking up most of my seat and smelled of onions. Well he talked to me the whole flight {when I didn't have my ipod blaring}. Towards the end of the flight, we got on the subject of pets {can you see where this is going?} and I offered to show him a picture of my Turbo. Now mind you, this is the first time that I had shared information about myself. Well he {rudely} politely tells me that he could care less about seeing any pictures of my {child} dog. Needless to say, I didn't ask to see any pictures of his children!

Anyway back to the play-date...

So we went over to Michelle and Eric's to hangout and they have two dogs and a cat {who thinks he is a dog}. All the pets are around 5-10 lbs {turbo size} so we thought our little guy would have a great time.

Friends, let me tell you that my happy, vibrant, playful Turbo was a complete scaredy cat {dog}. He tried to escape back to the car several times when we first arrived and firmly planted himself on the couch next to my purse {practically in my purse and yes, he could fit} for much of the afternoon. Even the promise of a "good boy treat" would not make him flinch.

How embarrassing!

My dog is shy, scared and is in no way living up to his name!

We would have done better to name him "Turd" as in a turd that lies in the grass.

I kept making excuses like any mom would:

"Last summer he was traumatized by a huge black lab that tried to eat him."

"He didn't sleep well last night."

"He hasn't been himself since the move."

"He must be coming down with the flu."

"He's not like this at home..."

He eventually warmed up to the idea of getting off the couch but spent the rest of the afternoon by our feet.

What are we going to do with our little guy?

He is in need of some socialization with {kids} dogs his age.

Any {moms} pet-owners free for a play-date?

Happiness

2009-03-02T18:00:00.001-07:00

Today I drove by a billboard that said,

"Happiness is having an organized closet."

Amen to that you clever billboard-makers!

However, I must personalize and make the slight adjustment to change the word closet to house or maybe even life...

But then again, that may be a little too much to ask.

:)

The Journey Begins

2009-03-01T20:08:00.011-07:00

Tomorrow, I am officially going to begin my half-marathon training. I use a program on Runner's World that takes your most recent race time, the distance that you are training for and your desired intensity, puts it in a mathematical formula and poof! out comes a special program designed for s-u-c-c-e-s-s!

Last year I ran a half marathon in Steamboat (in 2 hrs 7 minutes) and this year I am going to run the Rock n' Roll in Seattle (I think I beginning to repeat myself in these posts...).

Well our life has been a little crazy {actually the new version of normal} and my running has not been up to par so I am starting a bit early on the training this time. I am also planning on doing some cross training along with the running this time so I look a little less exhausted at the end of the race. I am also going figure out what food {anti-diarrheals} my stomach most tolerates during running so that I don't spend so much personal time in the less than pleasant {disgusting} port-a-potty, ugh!

Honestly, I am a bit nervous about being able to stay consistent with the training. Since my new job is a bit difficult to plan around, I am afraid I won't be able to stay on schedule. And if you know me, you know I am a planner that loves to stick to what's been planned {some call it anal}.

In case you didn't catch it, that was the {un}official warning that my blog may take some form of a running diary for the next four months...

Wish me luck!

another VaCaTiOn

2009-02-18T08:00:00.002-07:00

On June 24th we will be off to SEATTLE!!!!

You may secretly wonder why we can afford so many vacations...
Let me explain..

--No we aren't rich--

Just smart (and a little prideful) but mostly blessed. :)

When we got married we signed up for a Frontier Credit Card (gasp!)

--Not to buy many frivolous trinkets that we cannot afford--

You see we get miles for every dollar we spend so we buy everything with our card and use it like a debit card.

Now back to our trip...

2 round trip tickets: $10
Lodging: free (thanks to Aunt Shannon)
Rental Car: TBD (but splitting it with David's sister who will be joining us)
1/2 Marathon: $80 ($10 off for a coupon code I found online and $25 off for signing up early)

I am thankful to have another vacation to look forward to during these months of training (24/7) at my new job. :)

Monday Night Ritual

2009-02-16T10:43:00.006-07:00

I don't know why I continue to watch the Bachelor/Bachelorette every season when the love never seems to last.

And this year Jillian was my pick from the beginning. I sure hope that Jason doesn't disappoint and that in 6 months I am watching their fabulous-ly, stylish wedding on ABC.

Deanna better not mess anything up tonight.

Anyone else out there addicted?

Just because I am curious...

2009-02-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

What do you order when you go to Starbucks?

The reason I ask is because sometimes I feel like my order is a little, too long.

Here's what I order when I go to Starbucks:

**Inhale**

I will have a TALL, non-fat, EXTRA HOT, one pump sugar-free vanilla, NO WATER...

*Inhale again*

...CHAI

Now please tell me I am not the only one with such a specific request. :)

Finding the one...

2009-02-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

I know many of you ladies are out there still trying to find the "one."
Oh how I sympathize.

While I have already found my man, I too am looking still looking for the "one."
And by the one, I am referring to the person that eventually will buy our townhome.

Let me explain:

You: wait for potential suiters to pursue you
I: wait for potential buyers to schedule showings

You: buy a new outfit, do your hair just right, paint your nails, and pray that it will be your last, first date
I: paint the walls, shampoo the carpet, dust, mop and pray that this will be the last, first showing

You: go out to the movies or a nice resturaunt or a concert or to Starbucks
I: grab Turbo and stratigically park my car behind a tree down the street. Then I lower my seat low enough not to be seen but high enough to spy on the prospective buyer

You: return home and process the good and the bad from the date
I: return home and check all my booby traps to see if they looked behind the shower curtain or in the laundry room or in the dishwasher (all clues to see if they were interested)

You: (assuming you like the guy) wait by the phone for him to call
I: wait by the phone for an offer

He: may not have felt the same, or already have a girlfriend, or just want to be friends, or....
They: may want the parking space a little closer, or the laundry room a little bigger, or the price a little lower, or one less stair, or one more bathroom, or....

Then my friends, we must start the cycle all over again.
Just to find THE ONE

Have faith girls...

Someday your prince and my buyer WILL come!

Our "New Life"

2009-02-08T18:30:00.003-07:00

Well today was our last "offical" Sunday at our Colorado Springs church.

New Life Church (maybe you have heard of it on Oprah, or Larry King, or maybe HBO?)

Ahem!

I remember the first time I knew that it was the place that God wanted me to attend. Will you join me for a walk down memory lane...

The year was 2001 and I had just graduated high school. I had been to the youth group at New Life a few times before (not experiences that I would like to re-live so we will continue on...). This particular Sundy, it clicked. I was hungry for the presence of God and loved worship... New Life excelled at both of these. The messages challenged me, the worship ushered me into His presence, the community was rich...I was home.

Over the past 8 years, I walked through the church doors in many different states--I can remember low points and high points. I have wept, laughed, prayed, worshipped, made friends, met my husband, lost friends... There have been times that I contemplated leaving but never felt the Lord allow me to go. There were times I could not have imagined a better church.

Over the last few months, I have felt the ties being cut. Or maybe it was just David and I chosing to pull back. If I sit and dwell on leaving this church, tears fill my eyes. So much invested, so many memories...it has been a pleasure to be counted with this congregation through all our trials.

Goodbye my sweet church.

and on a happier note,

Hello Denver United!
How appropriate that New Life would plant a church in Denver during the very season that God has called us to serve there. :)

That is why today is not so sad.

Shhhh

2009-01-28T17:42:00.002-07:00

I am one of those people that has a hard time keeping surprises.

I get so excited that I just NEED to tell someone, anyone.

Sometimes I beg David to let me give him his presents early just so I can get it over with. But, he won't have any of it--he actually likes waiting (I guess opposites do attract)!

Well, I am planning a surprise for Valentine's Day.
I can't tell you what it is (David might read this)
But I am so excited!

David always does big surprises for me so I felt like it was my turn to keep the flame burning.
I am working on it tonight so hopefully my creative juices are flowing.

Are you a person who enjoys waiting for surprises?

a top 10 of sorts

2009-01-25T08:00:00.002-07:00

Some of my favorite things about our Caribbean Cruise:

10. Movies Under the Stars--imagine watching a movie on a lounge chair with free popcorn, a cozy blanket and your favorite person underneath a sky full of stars and a full moon. One word: bliss!

9. No responsibility--blackberry wouldn't work, no laundry, no cooking, no budget balancing, nada!

8. Twice-a-day maid service--I never made my bed or hung up a towel the entire time

7. Seeing the ocean every, single day!

6. Learning how to play Canasta on our balcony

5. Ordering 3 different flavors of ice cream at dinner --just so I could see which one I liked best

4. Getting to be with David all the time

3. Spinning Class--my first time ever and running has never made me sweat quite like that

2. Being rocked to sleep every night--I totally understand why babies like that so much

1.Doing what we wanted, when ever we wanted and never being bored--a perfect vacation!

He Suffered

2009-01-20T16:54:00.003-07:00

"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." Hebrews 2:18

What power, what truth there is in those words.
Today I read that verse and saw something new, something I hadn't registered before.

"He suffered"

It wasn't like it was easy for Jesus to say "no!" to temptation.
The sin pulled at him, trying to make him captive.

It wasn't some magical gene mutation that only the Son of God had.
He had a choice.

It wasn't as if He did it to show us He was better.
He endured so He could help.

Even then back then God knew that I depend on it.

We're Back!

2009-01-18T20:02:00.011-07:00

We have been so blessed this past month to have lots of time to rest and visit new places. After I took a few personal days off around Christmas, David and I left for Pasadena on December 29th on the trip that I won at work. We went to help with the building of the Donate Life Float for the Rose Parade. It was such a great experience to see the entire production and meet all the families that had given so much to others through organ donation.

Learning how to properly cut and prepare flowers to be place on the float:

Float in progress:

Our Group at the Stars of Life Gala
(don't we all look dressed for a funeral in our black outfits, ha!)

The night before the parade...people sleep on the streets and all the stores are boarded up. Quite the experience!

The Finished Product:

The float was named Stars of Life. It honored those individuals and families that chose to donate in the midst of unthinkable tragedy.

We even found an In-N-Out while we were there...yum!

After the parade we went to the Rose Bowl. David and I both love football so it wasn't hard to scrounge up the funds and justify why we should get tickets. We decided to be Penn State fans (David has always liked Joe Paterno)and then ended up sitting in a sea of people cheering for USC. We were lucky we made it out alive.

We came back to Colorado for 4 short days before we were off to Flordia to embark on our Caribbean Cruise! I will post pictures of that vacation soon...I have to go finish laundry.

Oops..

2009-01-04T20:41:00.003-07:00

I was on vacation for a couple weeks and thought I would be blog-savvy and schedule some posts to publish while I was gone...

Well I did it wrong...it must be the blonde highlights!
If you have time or desire to read some "old" posts, see below! :)

We're the Farmer's, Part 4

2008-12-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Remember my post about going here

Well, David and I checked today to see what time we are leaving from DIA.
I knew it was early in the morning on January 9th and my best guess was around 6 or 7 am.

Well I was WAY off...0130 in the MORNING!!!!!!!!

What????
Who booked that flight???
Mom? David? Turbo?

nope...it WAS me

What was I thinking?
Was I sleep-walking and booked our flight?
Was I hoping for some quality sleep in a window seat on a dirty airplane?
Did someone hijack my Travelocity account?

Oh wait, I remember...we couldn't use our frequent flyer miles on our flight to Ft. Lauderdale because Frontier doesn't let you use them for that destination (yes, I am working through my bitterness!).

I wanted the cheapest flight and I guess flying at 130 in the morning is cheaper.
In David's words, "it will be an adventure!"

Here's to hoping I get an airplane pillow for Christmas,

"The Granddaddy of them ALL..."

2008-12-27T07:00:00.002-07:00

I am pretty sure I am going to get the "wife of the year" award for 2008 and 2009 from David.

Why am I so blatantly confidant, you ask?

Let me explain my hubby ...
HE LOVES SPORTS!!!!
More importantly, HE LOVES FOOTBALL!!!

And I (the Lord really) managed to get him tickets to the ROSE BOWL when we are in Cali for this.

Getting the tickets should cover all the times I have cried, begged for back rubs, made gross dinners and nagged him about folding laundry for 2008.

and....

Going should cover all the times I will cry, beg and nag in 2009

So don't you see, I am pretty much guaranteed the award!

MeRrY cHrIsTmAs!

2008-12-24T07:00:00.002-07:00

For those of you whose address I don't have...

or

If my sweet hubby accidentally wrote your address wrong and the Christmas card we sent was returned...

Here is the picture we used for our Christmas Card this year:

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

mmm, mmm, good!

2008-12-20T19:12:00.003-07:00

One may think that my new craving for Chinese food and oranges is a result of me being with child...

Don't jump up and down just yet,
I am NOT preggo.

For some reason when I am sick, I start to crave certain things.

Last time it was Lemon Berry Slushes!
Now, it is Asian food and Oranges (Cuties to be exact!)

Last night David and I went to Pei Wei... I ordered the most spicy, delicious tasting Kung Pao. Today I ate the left overs for breakfast and lunch.

Not to mention, I have eaten almost a whole crate of the cuties that I bought on Tuesday..oh my!

All I can think about right now is convincing David to take me to Pei Wei again tomorrow after church...any suggestions?

Now, let me be truthful...I anticipate my new love of Asian cuisine to quickly fall by the way. This will happen when head is no longer congested and my brain can hear common sense yelling louder than my taste buds,"Eating Pei Wei every day is NOT healthy!!"

Until then, where are my chop sticks???

Honest sCrap???

2008-12-19T13:25:00.008-07:00

Oh the joy, Oh the bliss...I have been nominated for my very first blog award by Vanity. If you haven't read her blog, go check it out...she has great stories! :)

Here are the rules for the Honest Scrap recipients:

♥ list 10 honest things about yourself. Come on, don't be shy...

1. I love Ketchup...on just about anything...and my friends know that and even give it to me for my birthday

2. Sometimes I hide my dog in my bed at night so he can sleep with me (completely against the rules, sorry babe!)

3. I can spend hours reading about other people's lives (whom I do not know) on their blogs (do you think this is the effects of being a practically only child??)

4. I loooooove shopping and spending money even though I try to come across thrify.

5. I wish I had been more social in college because I think I missed out on some great friendships.

6. Sarah Palin seemed like a great choice to me!

7. I like attention (so please comment on my blog)

8. I still miss my dad and frequently think about other people in my life dying

9. Sometimes I am too critical of others

10. I was engaged once before I met my wonderful, handsome, sweet hubby.

♥ pass the award onto 7 blogs that you find brilliant in their content or design

Cassie--she is one of my favorite friends
Whittaker Woman--always has something good to say
Audrey Hannah--best photographer, I could look at her pictures for hours
here's how--talk about honest...
Jen--her and her hubby have such a full life, I love it!
Joanna--Her blog is always fun to read...check out her cute kids
Ashley--heart of gold, love her!

♥ link to the blogger who gave you this prize
♥ link to the blogs receiving the prize
♥ notify the recipients

So Fun!

Christmas Traditions

2008-12-11T08:00:00.002-07:00

David and I both agree that it is important to have "family traditions" around the holidays. It keeps everything fun and produces great memories.

One of our Christmas traditions is to build a gingerbread house around Christmas time. This is the 3rd year that we have done it and this time our gingerbread house has progressed to a gingerbread train.

Last year:

This year:

What is a holiday tradition that you have?

Public Service Announcement

2008-12-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Want free food?

Go to Chick-fil-A on December 13th and save your receipt...

Then take that same receipt (in January or February 2009) back to Chick-fil-A.

They will give you all that you bought on Dec 13th for FREE!

Enjoy,

In one month...

2008-12-07T12:07:00.005-07:00

We will be boarding this...

Going somewhere that hopefully looks like this...

And I will not be touching this...

I can't wait!

We are not usually "fair" weather fans!

2008-12-04T08:00:00.004-07:00

Here in the Farmer household, being a Bronco Fan is next to godliness. Not really but David's sisters better not marry Raiders fans or we might have to go on Dr. Phil to sort out the problems that will arise from that union. Ever heard someone say that is is not good to be unequally yoked? Well that counts for football teams as well!

Last month we were able to go to a Bronco game for David's Birthday. It was a lot of fun even though the Bronco's lost to the Miami Dolphins (how embarrassing!).

I think it was the first game I have ever been to where there was no precipitation falling from the sky and I wasn't freeeeezing to death. Ahh, the good things in life. :)

All Done!

2008-11-30T14:33:00.006-07:00

I am all done with Christmas shopping minus a few things I need to pick up for David. We started shopping the weekend before Christmas and finished on Black Friday.

Here are all the presents:

I know the brown wrapping paper is kind of boring but I wanted them that way. Next week my friend Cassie and I are going to make some sweet-looking gift tags at Archivers.

How much Christmas shopping do you have left?

Trotting like Turkeys...or something like that

2008-11-30T13:41:00.007-07:00

Here are some pics from our 2nd Annual Farmer Thanksgiving Tradition:

--Before the race--
I am a little excited, David is a little sleepy

--Our group--
(Kim's Mom, Me, David, Kim's Dad, Kim)

Thankfully it wasn't as cold as last year and we both improved on our times. :)

"Jennifer"

2008-11-25T08:54:00.004-07:00

is a name that I will NEVER consider for my future daughter! No offense to those of you named Jennifer...there are just too many people with that name in my world.

Jennifer P. -my boss
Jennifer L. -my co-worker
Jennifer M. -my co-worker
Jennifer K. -my co-worker
Jennifer W. -my co-worker
Jennifer T. -my co-worker
Jennifer F. -my friend
Jennifer G. -my friend
Jennifer V. -my best friend from Elementary school
Jennifer H. -my sister's mother-in-law

Is there a name that you will never use for your children and/or pets? :)

I WAS hopeful, but...

2008-11-24T11:16:00.005-07:00

Here in Colorado (as most of you know), it has been unseasonably warm for November. Yipeee!

Therefore, I got it in my mind that there was a small glimmer of hope that it may just be a little warmer on Thanksgiving this year. Why do I care??

You see it is a Farmer Family Tradition (aka David and Ali's family tradition) to run the Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving.

Last year it was SOOOO cold that I thought I was going to cry because every appendage of my body was FrOzEn! This year, I thought I might even get away with running in shorts since I have been doing that the last few weeks.

Well today I saw the 5-day forcast projection for Thursday:
rain/snow showers, high 40, low 30

ugh! It will be chilly and hopefully we won't freeze to death!

Movie Recommendation

2008-11-11T15:11:00.001-07:00

Just saw this movie and loved it!

Where will you be on New Years Day?

2008-11-10T15:16:00.008-07:00

David and I will be on an all-expensed paid trip to sunny California to watch the Rose Bowl Parade!

No we didn't win the lottery or rob a bank to pay for such an excursion....I won the "creative challenge" at my work!

Yes me, the left-brained, numbers girl, won a right-brained contest...nothing short of a miracle, I know

Let me explain...

Each year the Rose Bowl Parade has a float that honors organ and tissue donation across the country. Each year my work sends a donor/recipient family to walk with the float and two employeese to help with the final touches on the float. One of the employees is chosen by a drawing. The other employee must submit a creative work that communicates what donation means to him/her. I chose to compete and spent many hours in prayer trying to come up with something meaningful.

I used a lot of pictures to communicate what donation means to me and I don't have a release to post the picture mosiac that I made on the internet so you will have to ask me to email it to you if you want to see my work of art! :) Nevertheless, the panel selected my picture as the best and that is why we have been blessed with a free trip to Pasadena.

Thank you Lord!

House Shopping

2008-11-04T09:40:00.005-07:00

Last Saturday we went shopping for our new house! We still need our townhome to sell but we wanted to check out some houses in Denver so we would know what we wanted. It was quite the experience seeing how some people choose to live and show their houses. Trash everywhere, beat up walls, crazy colors and then they want you to pay 270,000! No way!

Here are two of our favorite houses. The first one is my FAVORITE! I am such a porch girl--love them, need them! Just imagine white rocking chairs, hot chai tea, a blanket (depending where you live) and a great book ...perfect! The garage is in the back of the house (which I love) and it is brand new (fun!). The second one is in a better part of town, has a good layout, and is very clean (even though it has been lived in it). We don't really need a three car garage but it is the same price as the other house so we won't complain. Both houses have 3 bedrooms so there will be plenty of room for our friends to visit (hint! hint!).

1.)Porch House

2.) Great-Area House

I know you can't judge a book by it's cover but which one is your favorite? Would you like either of them?

Tagged (by Jen)

2008-10-29T22:08:00.002-06:00

I think I did a post like this a few weeks ago but who can resist talking about themselves on a blog? Not Me! Jen tagged me in her blog a last week and I am just now making the time to fulfill my blogging duties.

6 things about me (different from the last post!)

1. I love the feeling after a run. I am completely hooked on endorphins. The actual process of getting through the run isn't always fun but I never, ever regret it once I am finished.

2. I had virgin hair until this past May. I had always prided myself on being true to my natural hair color but all I needed was a couple gray hairs to push me to the other side! I was 24 when I found the first 3 gray hairs and you better believe that I am in no way ready for the "silver" look!

3. I like Ketchup (enough said)

4. I have had two implants...ha! Not the kind you are thinking...tooth implants. That isn't really that interesting but I thought I would trick you for a second. *wink*

5. When I was in fifth grade I had my teacher, parents and friends start calling me "Ali" instead of "Alison" after I saw a beautiful (photo-shopped) model named Ali on the cover of Seventeen magazine. Oh how vain I was...

5. My favorite thing about God is how He never changes. Meaning, no matter what may happen to me in my life, no matter where I may find myself or what trials may come nothing can EVER seperate me from His love. Oh what peace that gives me!

We're the Farmers...part 3

2008-10-26T09:45:00.001-06:00

He Speaks

2008-10-21T08:00:00.002-06:00

During the recent months, I have truly wanted to hear the Lord speak to me that this is truly His will about us believing for Him to sell our house. He has already done many miracles in this new season (my job for one) yet I still need Him to reassure me. So I did what any child would do, I asked Him to give me a word.

Now I was a bit unsure how He would speak to me but I knew that He would. I always fear that I will read the Bible looking for Him to say something and that my mind will create a message from the Lord from my own understanding. So I just began to pray and ask Him to speak very clearly...HE DID!

On Monday, I was at one of my hospitals speaking to some staff about organ donation. While I was on the elevator, around floor 8 or 9, an older looking man (probably in the range of 50-70 years old) got on the elevator.

I smiled.

He smiled and said hello.

Then he said "do you take gifts from strangers?"

"Only if it isn't candy." (me trying to be funny of course)

He said "well here, keep this if you like it."

It was fake coin with a verse from Matthew 28:20

Jesus said, " I am with you always..."

"I would like to keep it, thank you!"

The messenger gets off the elevator

It was MY message from the Lord telling me that He is with us through this process.

Oh how it comforted me.

If you are needing a word from the Lord in some area of your life.

Don't hesitate to ask.

He will answer.

Then you will have peace.

We're the Farmers...part 2

2008-10-19T11:22:00.001-06:00

I ordered this salad at a VERY NICE RESTURAUNT in Keystone.

Pretty don't you think?

Well when waiter placed it infront of me David exclaimed (not in his inside voice),

"Wow! That's cooool!"

I guess us Farmers don't get out much because no one else got that excited about their salads!

Our FCA family

2008-10-18T14:55:00.007-06:00

Last weekend we had the pleasure of going on a all-expense paid retreat to Keystone. Not only was it beautiful up there but it was a great time of rest, relaxation, and relationship building. We ate great food, played lots of games, had massages (the girls) and played golf (the boys).

--Our FCA Family--

--Lee and Julie--

(David's boss)

--Rex and Vicki--

--Eric and Michelle--

--David and Ali--

Sundays = Bronco Apparel :)

Drained

2008-10-10T09:45:00.006-06:00

Two Families this week both suffered much in the last few days
Two Families had the opportunity to have their loved one save lives
Both families said no.
I am sad...

You see organ donation (like most things in life) is not cut and dry. There are so many variables and different circumstances with each potential donor. Everything must somehow align for it to even be an option for families--its truly a miracle.

The circumstances are always horrible. There is much tragedy and I get thrown into the mix of it all. I do everything in my power to make sure that the opportunity to donate, to save lives is preserved. When it comes time to speak with the family, the naivety in me always hopes that it will be the easy part in the whole process. If I were approaching myself, then that would be true; however, I am not.

I am drained today because two times this week I poured myself into the mission of Donor Alliance. Two times I prayed fervently that the Lord would make it possible for 18 of the people who die every day to live. Two times I tried my best and it didn't make a difference. I keep running all the events around in my head and thinking about what I could have done better. But truly, it just wasn't meant to be.

I may never understand how people say no to saving a life
I may never understand unless I myself am experiencing tragedy

For all those on the waiting list...I will keep trying because I want you to have more life, I want you to know Jesus if you don't and if you do, then I want others to know Him because of you.

Little Miracles

2008-09-30T08:38:00.005-06:00

I want to share a story with you-- one of the many God-stories that have been happening lately in our lives. David is now working with FCA in the South Denver area. I am proud of my man that he has such a heart for the lost and the faith to believe that God can move mountains.

FCA relies on many different types of partnerships to reach the lost. Well David (loving Chick-Fil-A) and knowing how generous they are with helping non-profit organizations was praying for the Lord to help him find a connection with the owner of a Chick-fil-A in the South Denver area. Well this Sunday the Lord gave him that connection.

Each Sunday David meets with high school kids to disciple them. This Sunday only one guy came to the Bible Study. He is a swimmer and has a desire to improve his relationship with God. At the end of the night, David and him began talking about their lives. Oddly enough this kid's dad is the owner of the Chick-Fil-A in the South Denver area!!!!! Tomorrow morning David has a meeting with him and God is even blessing him with a free breakfast. :)

I hope that this is can be as encouraging for you as it is for me. When you believe and ask, the Lord answers. If He has called you somewhere or called you to do something, be specific about your requests. He will open doors for you to answer your calling.

2008-09-29T14:47:00.001-06:00

Jaimie Lynn Photography

I Should Be Folding Laundry

Beth Moore

About Me

2008-09-29T14:41:00.000-06:00

I named this blog "ENJOYING NOW" as a reminder to myself to enjoy where my life is right NOW instead of always hoping to be at the next stage and therefore, end up missing out on all the pleasures of today.

~~~

Almost 3 years ago (on August 31st, 2006) I married the man of my dreams. We live in Parker, CO where he is a sports minister and I am a nurse. He works for Fellowship of Christian Athletes ("work" is a term I useloosely since we have to raise our own support) which is a ministry that teaches high school athletes how to have a personal relationship with Christ and disciple others. You could say we both save lives: I work for the temporary and he works for the eternal. I always wanted to be a teacher and when nursing gets tough, I often wish I was a 3rd grade teacher with the summers and holiday's off. Our lives have the expected ups and downs but we are MORE than blessed with a great family and some really good friends.

Christ is the thread that keeps us together and makes us valuable, without Him we would be nothing.

Turbo is our 5lb little ~~boy~~ dog. While we are trying to start our family, he doubles as our pseudo-child. Don't worry though, I don't dress him up in dog clothes or push him in a stroller!

I never quite know what to put here about myself so check out my 101 things post to learn a little more.

Thanks for checking out my blog :)

Random Ramblings

2008-09-28T16:58:00.005-06:00

Today we had our second official showing of the house (in the week that it has been on the market). God is so faithful! The first guy didn't like the laundry room location which happens to be next to the bathroom. I wish I could correct him because it is more of a laundry closet than room. However, I can understand and this is the kind of market where you can be picky... I plan to be picky myself. :)

I am really enjoying the fact that the house must be "show ready" at any time. This is the type of environment where my perfectionist tendencies are truly able to shine! Therefore my husband must also go along with it (all in the name of a quick sale of course...) and allow me to complain about any crumb he drops on the kitchen floor. I know, I should enjoy it while it lasts.

My friend Heather is interviewing for a job at Donor Alliance (where I work) and I am SO excited. She is such a sweet, genuine person. I love her heart for others and look forward to spending more time around her.

I have several names for my dog: Turbo (his actual name), Turbinator (his superhero name), Turb (don't mistake this one for TURD...), Turby (given to him by my sister-in-law Lori), poochy-poo (in a baby voice, of course).

I absolutely love this new Crystal Light that we got yesterday. I tried it at my friend Cassie's house and I practically drank the whole pitcher. I got some at Wal-mart (yes I shop there, I am a woman on a budget!) and I am addicted. You should know that my addictions come in phases. I absolutely love something, then consume it whenever and wherever possible until I never want to see it again. We shall see how long this love with Crystal Light Strawberry-Orange-Banana lasts!

I am going to go do my wifely duties now...laundry, emptying the dishwasher, taking a nap with Turbo (shh, don't tell David) and playing some Mario Cart (another addiction I can't seem to shake. Maybe I should read a book instead of shooting flying turtles at Luigi and Mario...na!)

We're the Farmers...part I

2008-09-23T08:00:00.001-06:00

So remember me telling you about the Brown Palace?

Well this is how the Farmer's do the Brown Palace...

D: "Let's watch cable on the sweet plasma TV since we have neither at our house"

A: "Ooohhh Sleepless in Seattle is on! Can we please watch it????"

D: "I am going to need some popcorn to get through this one. Let's order from room service!"

($8 for the popcorn, $2 to deliver it, and a 21% tip on top of that)

A: "No way that is too expensive. The movie theater is just a block away, lets go get some from there and bring it back"

D: "That's why I married you...you are so practical!"

And there it is...our $7.50 popcorn

Oh and I forgot to mention that it was pouring down rain when we went outside the hotel to go get it.

Palm

2008-09-20T18:34:00.004-06:00

"35 Percent Of BlackBerry And PDA Users Would Choose Their Device Over Their Spouse"

I am guilty...

I would never consciously choose the phone over David

But, just ask him how he feels...

He calls my phone "palm" and says that I love "palm" more than him.

I say I need it for work but then it wheezels it's way into my life even when I am not on call.

I confess, I am addicted to the email, to the texting, to the web...I can't stop!

2 years and counting

2008-09-18T18:34:00.017-06:00

August 31st was our 2nd Anniversary!!!

I know I am a little late posting but we have been working non-stop on something (I'll tell you about it a little later...)

The weekend of our anniversary we went camping with two of our good friends, Jeff and Dawn. We had a blast but unfortunately I did not plan ahead enough (aka I forgot to bring more batteries for our camera = NO PICTURES!).

So visualize this: two great looking tents (one from REI and one from Target); Two fearless dogs (one a black lab and the other a small Maltese who is deathly afraid of the big black lab); Smores (3 marshmallows toasted golden and one burnt, mine); no indoor plumbing for miles (ask David about that).

Now onto our actual anniversary day...

If you don't know David, the man likes to celebrate! :)

David surprised me by taking me for a romantic dinner at the...

(here we are with the Mona herself)

(for some reason he couldn't keep his eyes open for the picture and it wasn't because he had too much wine!)

It was a great night talking about our marriage, remembering the wedding, and eating great food.

For our "planned" celebration, David had gotten one of his friends (who conveniently works at the Brown Palace) to give us the employee rate for 2 nights (that is $65 a night instead of over $200 a night). So last weekend was our trip to Denver and it was great to just get away, even if it was only 60 miles away.

The hotel was built over 100 years ago

The bed was just divine!

Babe I adore you even more than I did the day we were married. I never could have fathomed all that we have done or where the Lord is taking us. You are an amazing leader and great friend with such a kind heart. There is no one else in the world I would rather wake up to every day or tickle me till I can't breathe.

I love you forever!

Our BIG news...

2008-09-18T18:34:00.016-06:00

WE ARE MOVING!

Today our house officially went on the market and now the waiting begins and praying continues.

It feels like we have arrived since much of the last month has centered on getting the house sell-ready. We have been interviewing realtors, fixing our bathtub, cleaning the carpet, painting, cleaning, painting, going to Home Depot, painting, going back to Home Depot, getting cracks fixed, painting, PRAYING and cleaning. David and I are ready to get back into the rhythm of life but we know that this is just the beginning of the moving process. :)

About 6 months ago, the Lord starting moving in David's heart about joining FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) full time. Translation: he would retire from teaching (hey now, he taught for 4 years...that's a loooooog time people, ha!) and go into their school of sports ministry (really an internship) for 1 year then to be hired on staff. The great part about this is that he needed to complete a 3 month internship this past summer and FCA worked perfectly for this. Well, to make a long story short, David and I truly felt the Lord's leading about all of this and he applied.

FCA is pretty saturated down here in the Springs and there is a great need in South Denver. You guessed it...that's where we are headed. It has been a leap of faith but with each leap I feel the arms of a strong Savior holding us up. The great thing about FCA is that it is full-time ministry. Therefore, we call upon those that we know, those that have been called to be Kings to support ministry and in turn make it financially possible for us to live this life. So many of you have supported us, again, a testimony to the faithfulness of the Lord. Thank you!

One other blessing has been my job. Donor Alliance is based out of Denver (coincidence, I think not) and they were amazingly wonderful in making a position for me up there. When our house sells, I will be able to transition to an Organ Recovery Coordinator, which is a very nice promotion for a nurse like me. I give all the credit to the Lord because David and I have been believing for a miracle like this for months. David told me countless times to keep believing for the Lord to open the door and He did.

Now I have more faith to believe for the sale of our home. There are 3 others for sale just like ours in our complex and we all know about the economy. However, God has told us to move, He has opened doors, and I look forward to the post I will write when He sells our home.

Patiently waiting....on day 1.

It's pouring down rain...

2008-09-12T08:19:00.002-06:00

I am in my bed...

I am diligently catching up on work emails...

Turbo is keeping me warm...

My house is very dark and quiet...

I love mornings like this!

My Husband is...

2008-09-07T20:45:00.000-06:00

goofy and that is one of the MANY reason's I love him!

Today I broke down...

2008-09-05T06:13:00.000-06:00

and turned on the heat.

I know it sounds ridiculous to some of you. Why in the WORLD would I need the heat on in the beginning of September???

Well, it's Colorado....and I am a bit of a softy when it comes to being cold.

It's been somewhat gray and chilly here since the calendar flipped to September.

Fall is obviously coming (or already here) and a girl's gotta keep warm.

Just don't tell my husband ;)

My "gold" Friend

2008-09-03T20:14:00.000-06:00

Have you ever heard that song that goes, "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold..?" I used to sing that song at camp when I was younger and for some reason still remember part of it.

This past weekend I got to see one of my long time friends , Vanessa. She is what you could call a "gold" friend. We met each other in 8th grade..ugh, the memories of middle school!

We are both married now and live in different cities (her in Fort Collins and me in Colorado Springs). It's just far enough that our visits with one another are few and far between. We keep in touch through email and blogging but nothing compares to spending some face-to-face time with her.

Here we are on Labor Day at her parent's pool

(if only they had that when we were in high school!)

I am so thankful that Vanessa and I are still friends after all these years. She is so solid in her faith and her relationships. She is very intelligent and I enjoy having medical/scientific conversations with her. I love how when we haven't seen each other in months that we pick up right where we left off. I love that she has known me through so many seasons of life and that we still have so much in common.

Thanks Vanessa for being such a wonderful "old" friend!

Dentist Nightmare!

2008-09-02T15:07:00.000-06:00

I had a dentist appointment today for a "routine" cleaning. I haven't been in over a year.

I know that makes me a horrible person, especially because I am a nurse but hey, we all have shortcomings right?

Anyway, I went a new dentist turn over a new leaf per se (actually because we have new insurance) and was sadly disappointed.

It's not what you are thinking...I had absolutely no pain whatsoever. No pain, no drilling, no scraping, now water squirting on my face, no gross toothpaste, no hygienist with bad breath or dentist with hair growing out of his nose. Let me explain...

I arrived at the dentist 15 min early to fill out the "new person" paperwork and was called back for my appointment just on time. Everyone seemed very friendly, thinking when I had last been to the dentist (ugh, embarrassing) and what kind of x-rays I had at my last dentist. That is where it all went down hill...

The x-rays were a B-I-G deal to this place and they wanted me to remember if I had 8 or 18 at my last dental appointment. Now usually I can remember odd things but since it has been awhile, the whole 8-18 thing was throwing me for a loop. It didn't seem like a big deal to me but then they started saying that if I didn't know then they would not be able to clean my teeth. Seriously????

Then they came back and said that they could do x-rays on me there and would clean my teeth.

After a brief exam, I was told that I have two teeth on the top that have a lot of build-up and are effecting my gums. The hygienist told me that I needed to have a special cleaning procedure (costing $200) on those two teeth to clean under the gum line. I asked her why this had never been brought to my attention before and she then went straight to the flossing issue.

Hygienist: "Do you floss daily?"

Me: "Not daily but on a regular basis."

H: "Oh that's why you have this problem"

Me: "Well I have never flossed daily and all my other dentists said that I did a great job"

H: "Well as you get older...How old are you?"

Me: "24"

H: "When you are in your twenties you can start to see changes in your teeth because you are aging and that is why you need this special procedure."

Me: (in my head...since when was OLD 24?) "Well since I have never been told anything like this before, I would just like to get my teeth cleaned today."

H: "Well every one's assessment is different and this is what I see. I am not going to be able to clean your teeth unless you agree to this procedure."

Me: (in my head again...WHAT!!! You won't even do the preventive cleaning that I haven't had in over a year because I won't agree to pay $200 for a problem that I have never heard of before and I just met you and you can't even say my name correctly...she said my name "Ali" like Mohammad Ali...excuse me but do I look like I am from the Middle East and a boy????...) Let me call and check with my husband about this.

After talking to hubby and agreeing to get a second opinion...

Me: "I hope I am understanding you correctly that I cannot get my teeth cleaned unless I agree to do the procedure."

H: "Yes"

Me: "We'll I have been here for over an hour and need to get back to work. All I wanted to do today was get my teeth cleaned so I will have to go."

H:"You are leaving?"

Me: "Yes, thank you."

I went to the dentist (good), got there on time (good), was honest about flossing (good) and practically begged to have my teeth cleaned (very good) and was denied. How weird!!!!

My Two Reasons

2008-08-25T21:25:00.000-06:00

Today I read the adoption story of Losiah and was prompted to share my heart on adoption. I have two reason's for believing in adoption...

1.)

2.)

In 2003, my sister and her husband adopted Lily and in 2005, they adopted Matthew from Chine. My sister was the first person to have the passion for adoption and I have now caught the bug. When I am around Lily and Matthew, I can't imagine them not having a family, not knowing the Lord, not knowing what a home feels like. I can't imagine them not apart of our family and they are such opposites. Lily is delicate, proper, quiet, sensitive and smart. Matthew is rough, expressive, witty and a daredevil. They both fit so well into our family (my sister also has two other children).

When I was in college I remember I having a very vivid dream where I was holding a baby, my daughter, but she was not mine by natural birth. At that time I felt as if this were the Lord telling me that one day I would adopt. I am not certain that is the case...time will tell. However, David and I did talk about it before we were married. We both agree that if the time were right and the calling of the Lord completely sure, we wouldn't hesitate for a moment.

I know this, I am very thankful for my Savior that chose to adopt me when I couldn't do anything to help myself...why wouldn't I do the same for another?

David's Graduation Party

2008-08-25T21:02:00.001-06:00

A week ago I threw David a graduation party to celebrate him completing his Masters in Sports Administration!!! I couldn't be prouder as I am a huge proponent of higher education. I now will have to live with the fact that our future children will see him as smarter than me since I only have a bachelors. Oh well, I guess I am ok with that! :)

Here are some pics from the party at out town-home clubhouse. A lot of our friends and even more of our family showed up to celebrate David.

Thank you everyone for coming!

The theme for the party was "David's Favorites!"

We had Louis Pizza, chocolate chip cookies, sweet tea from Chic-Fil-A, peaches, snickers, peanut butter filled pretzels, peanut m&m's, 7-layer dip, and some veggies to make it healthy. All things that David loves to eat (minus the veggies)

I love you babe and I am so proud of you!

Fun with the Todd's, Harding's, and Farmer's

2008-08-06T09:03:00.000-06:00

Every summer my niece, Kayla (14), and I take a day and spend it together doing something fun. We have been doing this for about 4 years now and we always have a blast. We use to go to Elitches (much like Six Flags) and ended up spending most of the day at the water park. Elitches is pretty expensive (40 something per person to get in and 15 for parking) so we decided to give Water World a try last year. We were hooked

This year we decided it would be fun to invite David (hubby) and my nephew, Andrew (almost 13). Then we ended up inviting the Todd's (Kim and Eric) along as well. It was a blast. I wanted to bring my camera for blogging purposes but didn't want anyone to steal it so the web pictures will have to do.

Above is my FAVORITE ride. It is called "revolution" but I prefer to call it the "toilet bowl." 3 people ride in a raft down a steep slide. Then you are spit out into this bowl looking thing and revolve around until you reach the center. Then it is straight down...just like the toilet!

Second fvorite, called Turbo Racer. Everyone in the group raced against each other (each lane is timed). Eric took first (which is very typical)...David took 2nd, Me 3rd, Kim 4th, Kayla 5th and Andrew last. That ride is well worth the long line!

A Great Workout!

2008-08-01T14:33:00.000-06:00

Lately I have been running less and hiking the incline more. You could say I am semi-addicted to it. I love it because it doesn't take much thought to get my heart rate going, it makes me sweat, I love being in the mountains, I love being around other people and I know it is a challenge each and every time. My personal best time is 35:41 and my goal is to hike it in 35 minutes or less. Lately, no matter how hard I try, I keep getting in the 39-40 minute range. I will post a picture when I finally reach my goal! :)

(Here is the view from the bottom up...)

(Here is the view from the top down...)

If you haven't ever hiked it before you definiately should put that on your "to-do" list!

Check out this website for more pictures and information: http://www.stevegarufi.com/manitouincline.htm

6 Weird/Random Things About Me

2008-07-29T10:19:00.000-06:00

I am copying my friend Joanna with this blog...

1.) I swallow my gum--since I was very young I have never had a problem swallowing my gum and I don't ever remember my mom reprimanding me for it. I have tried several times to stop but it is almost like an innate reflex. I am swallowing before I realize that I was trying not to, ugh! Then I get frustrated and give up on my resolution. If gum lasts in your stomach for 7 years, then I should never be hungry. :)

2.) I love to read other people's blogs...yes, it is a true confession here. I love to see pictures, read about recent happenings and glean bits of truth. I even read blogs of people I don't know--very stalker-ish!

3.)I enjoy going swimming by myself--David cannot understand why that would be fun for me but it is true. Often after a long run, I will go for a dip in the pool, alone. I think it satisfies the inner child in me. I see if I can go the whole length of the pool while holding my breath, practice my handstands, float and see how long I can tread water.

4.) I have watched You've Got Mail a MILLION times--and I still LOVE it! I don't know what it is about that movie but anytime I am bored, tired, sad or not feeling well I can pop it in and enjoy myself. What's your favorite movie?

5.)I will not sit on a public toilet seat--and if I absolutely have to, I place multiple layers of toilet paper on the seat. I think they are the most disgusting things in the whole world and I am not sure how I am going to do when I someday have to potty train my kids!

6.)I love new comforters--just ask my mom. When I was younger, I always wanted to buy a new comforter for my bed and she often let me. Even now (only 2 years into marriage) I am already looking forward to the day when David and I buy a house so I have a reason to get a new duvet. 2 years is a long time people...I am dying here. :)

2008-07-28T17:55:00.001-06:00

I was tagged well kind of!

My friend tagged me on her blog. I love her blog - it is so fun and funny and creative. I'm not sure how this works but I think this is what you're supposed to do...

First, the rules.

1. link back to the person who tagged you. (did it, above)

2. post these rules on your blog.

3. share six unimportant things about yourself.

4. tag people at the end of your entry.

My 6 facts:

1. I can blink my eyes really fast. Really really fast. I started doing it when I was little to freak people out. Now it just freaks my husband out.

2. I was on the Price Is Right when I was 18. I have the video but don't ask to see it because it's ultra-embarrassing. I won a couch, and a little scooter thing. The couch is in our basement and I have rescued it many times from Robby trying to get rid of it.

3. I love to read. When I get into a good book, the world around me just falls away and I get immersed in it. This is not good when you have kids. Must find a balance.

4. I don't eat fry butts. You know, that little piece at the end of the french fry that you hold on to when you dip it. I just think it's kinda gross to eat the part that's been smushed in your fingers the whole time so I throw it back. My fry container at the end is a whole bunch of fry butts.

5. I am fluent in Jibberish. When I am thinking something that I don't want everyone around me to hear, but I do want to tell one or two people, my mind automatically flips into this language called "Jibberish" that my friends and I used to speak in high school. We used it to talk about people in front of their faces without them knowing (I know, I was so nice in high school), and we even wrote notes in the language. Somehow it stuck and now I often find myself thinking in Jibberish.

6. I keep earrings in the door of the car in case I need them. I did not think this was unusual, but I just asked Robby for a weird fact about myself and this is what he told me. So apparently, it's weird.

OK, on to the tagging...um...there are so so many people I want to know 6 random facts about that my list would be forever long, so if you are reading this, YOU'RE TAGGED!
HA! I got everyone! Now GO!

How I save money

2008-07-25T11:05:00.000-06:00

-Looking a little Shaggy....-

-Look how much hair I cut...-

-Bath Time!--

Finished Product!

Time Spent: 1 hour

Money Saved: $30

Stimulating the Economy

2008-07-23T17:07:00.000-06:00

We were in desperate need of new appliances. We had the almond collored ones that were popular in the 1980's, ugh! The refrigerator made weird noises, the over burners only worked some of the time and the dishwasher shook the house. Therefore, David and I decided that buying new appliances was a good way to "stimulate" the economy.

Here are our new goods:

Well, first off, my mom was very generous and gave us her old white refrigerator (not really old at all) for FREE!

**A special thanks to my father-in-law for teaching David how to install the dishwasher**

**A special thanks to Ben (and Cassie) for coming over on a Monday night to help us install the microwave. Ben gave us a lesson on electricity while he was here. I am most appreciative to him for getting my microwave out of my dining room!**

Now I am curious, how did you stimulate the economy?

My Suprise!

2008-07-18T15:11:00.000-06:00

As I was driving home from work yesterday, I thought I heard the Lord tell me that when I got home I would have a surpise waiting for me (Weird, I know!). I quickly wrote it off as wishful thinking after a long day instead of hearing the voice of God. Has that ever happened to you? You think you hear God saying something but then question whether it was just your mind...

When I got home I opened the door (having forgotten all about my "word") and there was my handsome husband with dinner almost ready and this sitting on the counter:

(the card was in an envelope)

A dozen pink roses!!!! I was so thankful.

It wasn't till after dinner that I remembered what had happened on the way home. I love that the Lord speaks to us to remind us that He is with always there (even in the simple things of life).

I appreciate David's thoughtfulness and the fact that I did in fact hear the Lord.

I will listen a little more closely now. :)

Happy Birthday 7-11

2008-07-11T22:14:00.000-06:00

Today is free Slurpee day at 7-11!

Did you know that I have a special fondness

for 7-11 for more than the free Slurpee's...

weird isn't it???

Let me tell you a few stories.

My mom and dad, oddly enough, met at 7-11. My dad was working there as a manager while trying to get a job after college. My mom lived just down the street and would stop their for odds and ends. They quickly became friends. Eventually as time passed, my dad asked my mom on a date. She refused because she wasn't attracted to him. He had those thick ugly glasses from 30 years ago. Well they continued to be friends and then one day my dad got contact lenses. All of a sudden my mom found herself attracted to him. So one day she decided to sit across the street from 7-11 in her car and to watch my dad work. She noticed how nice he was to the customers and how hard of a worker he was (so true). She was hooked and asked him out on a date (which was good since he had vowed not to do so ever again...yes a little stubborn). They were married for 23 years!

When I was little, I use to love doing everything with my dad. We went to the hardware store, to the grocery store, I helped him in the yard, hung out with him at work, and you guessed it, went to 7-11 with him. You see he loved drinking diet coke and back then you could get a Big Gulp for pretty cheap. There was a 7-11 close to his work so we would often go there for lunch. We would both get hot dogs. To drink, he got a Big Gulp and I was a big fan of the Slurpee. Now my mom would only let me get the small one, but sometimes my dad would let me get the next size up as a treat. I would have to drink it before my mom ever saw and hide it in the trash can so she wouldn't know. I remember it as a special secret between the both of us but I am sure my mom knew.

You see not only is it fun for me to get a free Slurpee today but it is sort of a day of remembrance.

It was my dad's birthday (July 11th)
It is the place where my parents fell in love
It allows me to stop and remember the days when I had him by my side

After 13 years, I still miss him.

A taste of what's to come...

2008-06-30T08:00:00.001-06:00

No kids yet or any time soon but I am starting to grasp what life with children will be like thanks to Turbo.

I bought a basket for all his toys. I put them all in there when he isn't playing with them and seconds later...

...this is what the living room looks like. I put them back in the basket and he does it again.

We have gone on with this for several minutes until I just give up.

Knowing he has won, he goes off to lay down and not play with the toys.
Silly dog!

Flowers no more...:(

2008-06-29T10:21:00.000-06:00

I came home from work on Friday and look what happened?!?!?!

A deer ate all my flowers and then he had the nerve to lay on the grass in front of our house chewing his last bite! Oh I was mad..

I can't commit!

2008-06-26T08:22:00.000-06:00

I am so frustrated at myself. I should have gotten up this morning to go running, to train for the marathon that I am "thinking" about doing in September. When I decided to run the half marathon sometime last March it was easy for me to stay on schedule; I never missed a day. But this time, I am having a really hard time comitting. I suppose there is a part of me that thinks I am pushing it too soon or that I don't have what it takes to run that far. I need to keep praying about what to do but right now I am just frustrated. :(

Thanks for listening.

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers

2008-06-22T11:05:00.000-06:00

Since we live in a town home, we are not allowed to plant any flowers, trees, bushes or shrubs. The HOA has complete control of the outside. This is great since we never have to mow the grass, water, or worry about the roof.

However, this year I have been very interested in flowers and wanting to plant some of my own. Since I am not allowed, pots will have to do. Yesterday I went to Home Depot and picked out some of my favorites while talking on the cell phone with my mom (for moral and gardening support). I have never been good at watering plants so hopefully all these beautiful flowers will survive.

--Loving the pink and orange--

--Hydrangeas are my favorite!--

--I need another flower in the middle--

Any Suggestions?

--Now all our porch needs is a cozy little bench--

The Ingrams

2008-06-21T17:06:00.000-06:00

We had Jeff and Amber over for dinner last week. We always enjoy hanging out with them and appreciate how easy they are to be around. Here are some pictures from us competeing in the Wii Olympics:

--Our Wii Characters--

(Amber, David, Ali, Jeff)

--Jeff and David "Running" the 100 Meter Dash!--

--Look at Jeff's Perfect Form--

--Look at my Horrible Form--

(never played baseball as a kid!)

--I think Turbo is in love with Amber--

On the corner of Crooked Tree Lane and Four Winds Way...

2008-06-16T08:58:00.000-06:00

is where I met Amanda when I was 3 years old. We had just moved to Monument and I was riding my bike down the street. We were instant friends but funny enough, began fighting that very day. Throughout childhood we rode bikes, played house, went to the dog track (and played with funny money, her grandparents owned the track), watched movies, had sleepovers, tortured her brother, rode horses, went to Camp Shady Brook every summer and still fought almost every other day. We must have been too much alike!

I can't remember the exact year that she moved to Montana but I think I was in 5th or 6th grade. We kind of lost touch through the years but I would always try to send her a birthday card or write from time to time. Oddly enough after high school we have gotten better about keeping in touch. She even came out for my wedding in 2006 when I didn't even expect her to come (I sent an invitation for nostalgia sake). We keep in touch mostly through Facebook or Myspace now (gotta love em') and through the occasional card in the mail. Last Saturday we were even able to meet for breakfast here in CO. She was out from D.C. for a wedding and we made sure that we were able to see each other. I must say how thankful I am for friendships like ours. We have known on another through all the seasons of life. I appreciate the way that we can connect even after we have led such different lives.

Thank you, Amanda, for being my friend for 22 years.

The Joy of Achievement

2008-06-03T19:58:00.000-06:00

This past week I have run two races:

the Bolder, Boulder 10K (on Memorial Day)

the Steamboat 1/2 Marathon (on June 1st)

This was my second year running the Bolder Boulder (over 54,000 ran this year!). It was my goal to run it faster than last year. The weather was absolutely wonderful. It had rained earlier that morning and it was still cloudy. There was a slight breeze the entire time. I was able to start in an earlier wave which is a great advantage. The faster your time, the earlier the wave, the less people there are running. Less people means, less walkers, and it is much easier navigating through people to go faster. It was hard a times to push myself to keep running fast but all I could think of was David telling me to run under 55 minutes and to honor the Lord with trying my hardest. You see, I wasn't always able to run like I do now. A few years ago the Lord healed me of asthma so running is truly a gift.

My time last year: 55:46

This year: 53:36

My goal since January this year was to run a 1/2 marathon. When I discovered the Steamboat 1/2, I thought it sounded perfect. I started training at the end of March (if you need a good training program go to: http://www.runnersworld.com). I had never run more than 10 miles in all of my life and I put all my trust in this program. Sometimes I felt good running 8 miles and other times I felt like I could barely pick up my legs. All this to say that when race day came, I was COMPLETELY nervous about how things would go. My mom and niece made the trip to Steamboat with David and me (with Turbo of course). We rented a cozy condo for pretty cheap and made a small vacation out of it. The race was so beautiful. We ran along side of a river, cows and horses in their pasture, beautiful green fields. I even saw an old friend from nursing school. When 11 miles came along I couldn't believe how well I was doing. Even though I felt like I was going pretty slow, I was still able to move my legs. Then 12, 13 and the finish line. It was over, I had done it.

It was amazing all the little boosts of encouragement that I got along the way. The man at the aid station that called out my number and said "way to go 1394." My friend Elizabeth who ran with me for a bit (she did awesome). The lady in teal at the port-a-potty experiencing the same curse as I was (ask me later). All the bikers that helped keep us on track and offered words of encouragement along with running tips. The lady in red who ran by the end of the race, looked at me and said "you can do it, keep pushing hard." Then the most precious, my family who stood at the finish line for 2 hours waiting for me to finish. They rang their cow bells, screamed my name, took pictures, and hugged me.

It feels so good after such hard work to feel the joy of achievement. However, it isn't lasting joy...it usually fades over weeks and months and new, better goals arise. There is always a longer race or a faster time that I can achieve. Some people live for the high of running. I could say that do in some aspect because it is why I train and why I keep going even when my legs keep screaming "STOP!!!!" But, if that is the only joy I knew, it wouldn't satisfy me. Even now, just a few days after completing the race I can sense the emptiness. I need something else to train for, I need another goal.

Yet, I do know another joy--an everlasting joy.

Jesus.

It sounds so simple, so much like 1st grade Sunday School. That is why it is so true. Without the Lord, nothing would EVER fill me. Nothing would ever satisfy. Not my college degree, not my marriage, not my job, not my family, not my cute clothes :), not running a race, not...well you get it. When what I have done fades, all my good intentions and all my hard work, the only thing that remains is HIM. Everything else is a feeling but He is the source. He is the only one I can count on. He is the only one that I can run to. He is the only one to give me true joy.

Sunday Picnic at the Park

2008-05-20T08:02:00.000-06:00

The weather was GORGEOUS on Saturday so we decided that we should take Turbo and our Sunday Chipolte (yes we have it every week!) to the park down the street.

Turbo loves to run and play in the grass; we love to eat Chipolte, anywhere!

More pics of Turbo!

(tasting sour cream and falling down the slide)

It was fun!

Crazy Man's Castle

2008-05-13T08:44:00.000-06:00

Bishop's Castle

A crazy man, building a castle all by himself!

Located in San Isabel Forest

My family has been visiting this castle since I was at least 9 years old and watching the slow but impressive progress.

On Mother's Day, we took a trip to see how the old man is doing.

I brought some candy for the road trip and didn't

realize that the sucker would be TOO BIG for Lily's mouth...Ha!

Lily-- 6 years old (she is beautiful!)

Matthew--4 years old

(it took forever to get a "happy" pose from him)

Another view of the castle.

The dragons mouth is the chimney

My mom and Lily on the "shady" rod iron balcony

Me and Kayla

About to climb the staircase to the castle

Can you believe, she is only 14...she looks older than me!

My sister (Lisa) and her Hubby (David) laughing

They didn't know I was taking their pic

Andrew (12) and Lease

Don't ask...it wasn't safe!

My mom talking to Mr. Bishop

Notice how big his personal bubble is!

If you ever want to visit, check out these websites!

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2047

http://sangre-de-cristo.com/westcliffe/visitors_guide/Bishops_Castle.htm

Amazing husband and wonderful father-in-law

2008-05-04T15:35:00.000-06:00

The latest thing in the Farmer household to break is the garbage disposal.

David and I tried everything to get it to work, even sticking our hands in the dreaded hole with squishy, semi-ground food to see if something was caught in it (UCK!). So today David and his dad replaced it.

Here are some pictures from the event:

Um, David, that is not used to make your head smaller...

David, your dad can't breathe when you squeeze his neck like that!

Trying to work out all the kinks....

The finished product!

Way to go guys!

disclaimer: I took the pictures and was the lovely cheerleader :)

Phew, I am tired!

My Husband---"the drill master"

2008-04-26T20:09:00.000-06:00

Today we were supposed to have my brother-in-law come over to teach David and I the "secret" of putting handles and knobs on drawers (aka the way to put them on straight). We were very nervous about drilling holes into our new vanity and wanted him there for technical and moral support! However, he had to cancel at the last moment.

So we were left with two choices:

1)Wait for him to reschedule with us on a day that we weren't busy and he wasn't busy (probably two months away!)

2) Dare to drill the holes ourselves.

Well, we decided to brave the task alone.
10 drilled holes and one trip to Home Depot later...

Here is the finished product:

How do you think it looks?

a GOOD run vs a BAD run

2008-04-23T20:23:00.000-06:00

Running has many variables: the weather, the course, your clothing, your hydration level, and of course, the mental component. All of these variables can determine if a run is good or bad.

GOOD: when I have a good run, I rarely have the desire to quit. I run and may get tired at some point but the overwhelming desire to keep going and to get a good workout in keeps me trucking along. My lungs are resilient. Getting to the top of the hill is feasible and on the way down, I am invigorated. I love the challenge, I love breathing hard and then catching my breath, I love the miles, and hit my stride somewhere after mile 3. Those are the days when running a marathon seems possible and I say to myself "running is my favorite!"

BAD: Speaking of bad runs, today was one of those days. I had to do some speed-work for my half marathon and it was painful. I couldn't get in a groove. It was hot and my legs got tired at mile 2! Then I had a mental block...I had to run 3 miles faster than I have ever run before. I couldn't keep it together and had to stop and walk a couple times. It wasn't fun. I felt worse about my abilities after that run than I did before. Ugh...

If today had been my first day running, I might never return. However, I know that I will always have good runs and bad runs. Life is much like this concept; good days and bad days we all have. Some days you feel close to the Lord, purpose in what you do, have lots of friends, your family is at peace and your dog is potty trained. Other days, you may look in the mirror and see nothing but failure, feel distant from the Lord, have no one to talk to and your dog pees on your bed.

With running, it is not merely one day of training that determines if you will succeed on race day or not. It is the culmination of the miles ran that enable you to finish. Likewise, it's a good thing that the Lord doesn't pick a random day to judge our whole lives. And when we are faced with death, we will not remember only a day but culmination of years upon years of running the race.

Good or bad, the key is to keep going and to never give up!

Spring Break Fun

2008-04-16T19:08:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my sister-in-law, Kristi, we had a wonderful spring break/Easter in warm, green, sunny California. She was gracious enough to allow us to stay with her and her three roomates for 4 days. We got to live life with her: take her to work, attend her church, eat Phoo, shop for spree jelly beans at 11:00 at night, go to the fruitman, drive on Figueroa a million times, met Jonder, go to her favorite beach and take a ton of pictures. We miss her now that we are home and secretly want her to move to back to Colorado.

Here are some of my favorite pics from the trip:

**Easter at Kristi's Church**

**Sea World**

**We bought the same flip-flops at Quiksilver**

**Romantic Picture**

**Kristi and David at Clippers Game**

**The Farmer's at the Beach**