Our Unofficial Pet

This is our neighbor's cat who Eryn claims as her pet. Officially, he/she is the neighbor's cat and we don't have one. Unofficially, I sneak it food and pet it. Eryn loves seeing it and gets so excited she squeals! So, in a round about sort of way... we have a cat.

September 11th Remembered

Like December 7th 1941, September 11th 2001 will also be a date that will live in infamy. I am certain that Americans will never forget where they were, what they were doing, and who really meant something to them that frightful day. I pray that there are no more days like that for our country.

I realized the other day that on that terrible morning I grew up. Granted I was in college all ready, but that really was an important turning point for me. My concerns changed totally. Like many Americans, I turned toward God. I knew that my life wasn't what I wanted it to be. If I had been taken that day I would not have been ready to go. Life became more meaningful and every interaction with my friends and family became more memorable.

I am not a person who is very open with emotions. Yet, I cried today remembering what happened to all of those people who just got up to start another day at the office or hop on a plane. Life shouldn't be lived with fear of death, but it should also be lived with love for life. -VAL

Tagged, again?

The Rules:Link the Person who Tagged you.
Mention rules on your blog.
Tell about 6 quirks of yours.
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.

Valerie's Ansers:

1. I really like cake. Probably more than normal people should. I especially like cake from bakeries and the Costco white cake with the butter cream filling and vanilla frosting is my favorite in the entire world!

2. Groups of women scare me to death! They are so judgemental of everything that it gives me the creeps.

3. I lust after the big freakin' huge cameras that the guys carry around at sporting events. Especially the ESPN guys who sit on the floor at Jazz games. Just for one day... Oh yeah!

4. I hate feet. I don't like seeing them, smelling them, or especially them touching me! I worked in a shoe store too long and saw way too many nasty feet for one person to handle. Oddly enough, my feet are very well maintained and are what I consider some of the best lookin' feet around! (Which is easy in this family- Hobbit feet! Haha! You know who you are.)

5. I respond to questioning in my sleep. My subconscious kicks in and I will tell you anything you want to know 100% honestly.

6. I am a nail bitter. Not that biting nails is such a unique thing, but I have broke the habit many times in my life and inevitably I revert back to it at the first sign of stress.

I now tag: Bobbie, Chelsea, Melissa, Zach, Becky, and Andwoo! (Sorry, I think that it might be interesting to see what you all have to say! Muhahahaha!)

Fire Balls for Dinner

While trying to cook dinner tonight I ran into some problems. It was raining outside, but I was bound and determined to cook the steaks outside. I turned the gas on the grill and it wouldn’t light. I thought that the gas had finally run out, but it still smelled like gas a little. I closed the lid on the grill and told Mike to bring me the lighter (that we light candles with).

I opened up the lid just a little and as soon as I clicked the lighter everything went in slow motion! This huge flame ball came right up into my face!!!!!! I thought I was on fire and going to die! Mike knew that I was going to be ok and couldn’t help but chuckle a little. I singed off all of the hair on my arm, in my nose, and my eye lashes are much shorter than before. Some of my hair was singed a little, but thankfully I wear a pony tail nearly 100% of the time.

I wish that this had happened to someone else so that I could have a really good laugh about it! My fingers still hurt. We did cook the meat out on the grill, so my sacrifice was not in vain, and had a nice dinner. When Mike said the blessing on the food he included that he was, “thankful for the pain and suffering that went into preparing the food.” I had to finally laugh and give up. It really was funny!

A Bit High Too Maintenance?

There are times that I wonder if Eryn is a bit too high maintenance. My Mom sent her a purse toy that has keys, a cell phone, a comb, and a lipstick in it. Her favorite thing in it? The comb and the lipstick! I am pretty sure that she spent about a half an hour getting her self ready this morning. It was just too adorable, so I took pictures!





There was a slight hint of her actually being my daughter when she did the eye brow lift!

I Broke Even!

As most of you who read this probably know, I have been trying to make money with my talent as a photographer. Well, it's happened! I had my first official clients! I took their pictures, let them choose pictures, made pictures, delivered pictures, hung pictures on the wall, and then... (drum roll please)... GOT PAID!
After buying some stools for them to sit on and making the prints I broke even. So, I guess that I didn't really make much money, but I think that it has helped to boost my confidence more than my checkbook. That's ok with me. Even the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, right?
The pictures did turn out very nicely and I am very proud to say that my work is now hanging in someone else's house and not just my relatives houses!

Tagged, oh I have caved in...

1. Where is your cell phone? Downstairs, it's not working right anyways...

2. Your hair? Light brown

3. Your significant other? He's at work. Oh, Mikey!

4. Your mother? Marie

5. Your father? Also at work, and David

6. Your favorite thing? Taking pictures of flowers. (sappy, huh?)

7. Your dream last night? I went after this one lady with a knife, but the Bishop stopped me just in time!

8. Your favorite drink? Coke!

9. Your dream/goal? I'd like to sit on the floor at a Pistons game with the hugest camera that they make and take pictures worthy of SI.

10. The room you're in? The Computer Room.

11. Your child(ren)? Eryn Marie

12. Your fear? Spiders!

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? In a different city.

14. Where were you last night? Right here.

15. What you're not? Excessively tall.

16. Muffins, blueberry or poppy? Blueberry, but I really prefer cinnamon rolls.

17. One of your wish list items? A hand held micro planner for zesting citrus.

18. Where you grew up? Flint Town!

19. What you read last? My America by Hugh Downs

20. What are you wearing? Jeans and a white T-Shirt

21. Your TV? Is not one for once!

22. Your pets? We admire the neighbors' dogs and cats, but have none of our own.

23. Your computer? It busy right now... it'll have to answer later.

24. Your life? Is predictable.

25. Your mood? Blah.

26. Missing someone? My little brother Sam who is off at Boot Camp and ready to save the world for God and Country.

27. Your car? White with a sexy BYU sticker on the back!

28. Something you're not wearing? Sweater, shoes, hat, thermal underwear, snow pants, etc.

29. Favorite Store? JCPenney or Target.

30. Your summer? Not as productive as I had planned.

31. Like someone? I love Mike.

32. Your favorite color? Blue or Purple.

33. Last time you laughed? Just now. Eryn is doing her floor exercises to the radio.

34. Last time you cried? Awhile ago.


I now tag... Sarah, Bobbie, and Ryan McCorristin!