Day 16 of Blogging

Day 16
A picture of yourself.

Okay - here goes!

Day 15 of Blogging

Day 15

Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play.

Since I missed a post yesterday, you get a two'fer today!

Love Song for a Savior - Jars of Clay

Ships with Holes Will Sink - These Four Walls

Age of Reason - The Rippingtons

Yeah Yeah Yeah La La La - Calvin Harris

Never Give Up on a Good Thing - George Benson

Navajo Stars - Craig Chaquico

Letter from the Sky - Civil Twilight

Howlin' For You - The Black Keys

Magic - B.o.B.

I Found a Whistle - MGMT

So I only know three of these songs.. I think I mentioned already in another post how totally 'in to' music I am though and how for fun I'll shuffle my music and see if I can find some really great new artist on there that I've never heard of. :)

I've bolded the songs/artist I've actually heard of (and like!).

Do you recognize any of the other songs listed? Are they any good?

Day 14 of Blogging

Day 14

A picture of you and your family.

Okay, so the most recent picture of us looks a little freaky and possessed. But at least this way I know no one will be stealing my family pictures and using them as their own somewhere on the web! This picture was at Jack Stack in Kansas. We all had full bellies - even the boys! (Austin was full of bbq and Ethan, grilled cheese, of course!)

Oops, I missed a few days!

Okay, so I skipped a few days in my 'daily blogging', but I'll just pick up where I left off. The break in blogging was well worth it though! My little brothers wedding in Kansas to his lovely bride was absolutely beautiful and oh, so fun! Austin didn't make it down the isle in the white wagon and ringing a bell, but Ethan picked up the slack and rang the bell AND carried the ring pillow.


Here was E keeping himself occupied while patiently waiting for 'show time'.



Aside from the wedding, here's some of the other highlights of our trip.

We got to have some excellent BBQ while there - Jack Stack and, surprisingly, probably the best, in my opinion, was Arther Bryant's. Arther Bryant's was in the 'ghetto' on Kansas on Brooklyn Street. We saw the projects, and even a billboard for WIC. The place was packed though and about half the diners looked like tourists too. I felt a little weird walking in with our group of 5 adults and 3 kids - there wasn't a single other child there! Luckily, one of the workers set us up a table in the overflow dining room (and didn't let anyone else in!). This place was lunch-counter style. You go to the counter, grab a plate, and tell the big guy behind the glass window was you want. They plop a big pile of meat on top of a couple slices of bread and off you go to add your sides and to pay. They've got 3 different sauces at the tables and they are GOOD!

Unfortunately, we also got a tour of the local 'urgent care' and got to meet a Kansas doctor to get an antibiotic for E's ear infection.

Saw the biggest church EVER. United Methodist Church of the Resurrection was probably as big as a mall!

We discovered a way to get marker off vinyl seats... in the rental car.....

I spoke AND danced. In public. And I didn't blush.

All in all, it was a pretty great trip!

Day 13 of Blogging

Day 13

Your 5 favorite books and why.

These are in no particular order and I know I'll forget some that I loved too, but here are the ones I can think of right now.

1. Earth's Children series by Jean M. Auel

I love the time period of these books and reading about how people lived so long ago. From their natural remedies, to their discoveries that we have since expanded on, it's all so interesting to me.

2. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder and all 5 books that follow

I just got lost in these books! Reviews on Amazon weren't very good, but in my opinion, these books were amazing! There was a perfect balance of real world and fiction, with action and love story.

3. The Hunger Game by Suzanne Collins and the 2 books that follow

Wow, if you haven't read these books, you should. I was so sad when I finished this series, but I'm excited that a movie is in the works. The author has constructed a world I never would have imagined and it's exciting and kept me hooked through all the books!

4. The Heretic Queen, and Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

I have always been interested in Ancient Egypt and these books gave me a glimpse into this historic time. The author did a lot of research when writing these books so they would be as close to accurate as possible.

5. The Bible.

This book is timeless. However, I admit that I don't read it as much as I should. I still remember the awe I felt when I started digging into it a couple years ago though - starting at the beginning. I couldn't believe how action-packed it was and how interesting and I remember thinking how sad I was that I had left this book to sit and collect dust for so many years and had been missing out on some amazing stories and history and wisdom. There were parts that I would have to re-read aloud to Bill because it was so interesting. During that time, I also discovered a translation that I totally love - The Message. It's written in everyday language that is perfectly understandable. I like my parallel Bible that includes The Message and also NIV. This way I can get some further insight and explanation on passages by reading both translations.

If you're reading this, tell me what some of your favorite books are. Also, if you're a Bible-reading, what are some of your favorite passages, books, or chapters?

Day 12 of Blogging

Day 12

Write a poem to someone you love.

My little boys, my Ethan and Austin

I'll love you forever

Hug and kiss you quite often

Even when you're grown

When you're sweet or some rotten

You'll still be my boys

and my love will wrap you like cotton.

Day 11 of Blogging

Day 11

Write a bucket list of things you want to do before you die.

If you know me, you know I can be impatient and if I want something or want to do something I will usually find a way to do it. I'm not much of a daredevil either so you're not going to see thinks like skydiving on this list. However, here's the start of a list.

1. Go on a true and fantastic vacation somewhere beautiful, such as a peaceful island that is devoid of tourists and is just me and my little family.

2. Run a marathon, or at least a half marathon. (This isn't going to happen though if I don't find some motivation! I can't seem to fine the time and energy to get out there lately, even though will all the junk I've eaten the two weeks, I desperately need to!)

3. Learn how to unrestrain myself - to just let out the excitement and happiness that I feel inside when I feel it. I tend to inhibit myself, especially when I'm surrounded by people I don't know well. Inside I might be jumping up and down, but outside, I'm reserved and wishing I felt comfortable enough to allow people to see what a goofball I am.

Well, there's not much on this list as I haven't really thought much about it, but it's something!

Day 10 of Blogging

Day 10

Songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad.

Honestly, music is really not a big part of my life. I prefer peace and quite and stillness. Sometimes music just feels like a distraction in my brain and makes my train of thought go completely wild and off the track. So, here's my best shot at this post despite this.

Happy - Beat It by Michael Jackson

Sad - Fill My Cup by Paul Colman Trio

Bored - Just shuffle the iPod in hopes of finding some new and amazing music. I don't even know half the artists in it!

Hyped - Honky Tonk Badonkadonk by Trace Adkins

Mad - Depending on what I'm mad about, I might not want to listen to anything when I'm upset. It drowns out my anger! Grrr!

Day 9 of Blogging

Day 9

Something you're proud of in the last few days.

I danced into a room full of people and spoke in public (using a microphone) and I didn't blush! (This really goes to show how much I love my brother and his new wife!) I guess it helped that the room was mostly full of people I'll likely never see again too.. :)



Apparently, I made some interesting facial expressions too...

Day 8 of Blogging

Day 8

Short term goals for this month and why.

I have 3 immediate goals.

1. The month is mostly over, but I really want to start running more consistently. I enjoy it and I feel good when I do it. I like being able to look down at my legs while I'm running and see muscle tone and feel the strength in them that makes it possible for me to keep putting one leg in front of the other. I really want to be able to go the distance and do so with ease. Plus, I enjoy a challenge where the results are clear. But since this month is so hectic, I'm okay with getting a head start now and going full force in July.

2. My next goal is to not kill my garden. I have never grown anything and I really want to see my vegetable plants get big and voluptuous. I'll be absolutely in awe when I see things start to really grow big and strong. I was relieved to see that after being gone almost a whole week, it's not completely dead out there, so that's good!! My tomatoes are looking good, as in the zucchini, and my strawberries and cucumbers are looking a little heartier too. The watermelons and other melons... eh.. not so much.

3. And my last goal is to find a home church where I really feel welcome and a part of. I've attempted this in the past, but it didn't quite work out as I hoped it would. Perhaps that was just God's way of teaching me that it's not my agenda that He's on and I can't MAKE things happen just because it's my plan. It's not about me. I'm not sure I'm ready for that lesson though.. I really long for a church family that will be there to encourage me and help me to grow in Christ. I just can't do it on my own. Maybe that's why God created churches and fellowship so that we wouldn't have to do it alone though. As one person told me recently, 'iron sharpens iron'. Fellowship with others is also important in our walk with Jesus.

Day 7 of Blogging

Day 7

A picture of someone or something that has had the biggest impact on you.

Oh boy, I can choose only one? This is going to be a tough one.. I think I'll have to write a little blurb about a few people or things.

My family - all three of my boys, really! Because they all rely on me to feed them, I'm encouraged to make healthy meals and be creative at times hiding vegetables in dishes or renaming things so they'll sound appealing (superhero balls aka brussel sprouts, alien eyes aka sliced carrots, dinner fruits aka any kind of veggie by itself).

My brother. If it weren't for Adam (and sibling competition), I wouldn't have gone back to college and at least accomplished getting my Associates Degree (which is a big acheivement when you work full time and it's taken you almost 5 years to get that far!). He took the time to explain things to me and stir of my interest in doing this. Academically, he won. Dr. Adam... :)

David Crowder Band. I love this music. It just has a way of always bringing my thoughts back to God.

Day 6 of Blogging

Day 6

Favorite superhero and why.

She-ra, Princess of Power! I only like her because I think she's pretty. She kind of looks like a mom in a way too. Not because she has stretch marks to prove it, but because she has a face like that of a 1950's stay at home mom/housewife that you might see on a poster, so she seems mature and wise.

Another thought about superheros.. And this is a little random and off the mark of the subject today, but it's my blog and I can write what I want! :)

We briefly had a discussion in Sunday School yesterday about what we thought 'power' meant. Some answers I thought of were leadership and wealth. It was brought up that if we were to ask a child what 'power' was, they would all give us a superhero name as an answer - Batman, Spider-man, Iron Man, etc. Really though, the most powerful superhero of all, one who is an ultimate leader and an abundance of wealth (rich in love, not necessarily money) is God. Everything belongs to Him. The heavens, the earth, even our lives, jobs, and talents. We are only a mere steward of our life and we should be living it in a way that is pleasing to Him. Thinking of things this way, I question my own choices and pray I'll make decisions that glorify Him. It also serves as a reminder that some of the things I concern myself with and worry about are really not a big deal at all. Two particular things that have been bothering me lately and getting me down are really insignificant in the whole picture of things. God doesn't care about what I consider my physical shortcomings, and He made my other situation as it is probably so that I will learn and grow from it. I just have to learn to trust Him in all of this and remember that I am loved just the way I am. God made me this way, after all, and He doesn't make mistakes!

Day 5 of Blogging

Day 5

A picture of somewhere you've been.

Corpus Christi, Texas

The first and most recent REAL vacation Bill and I went on was to Corpus Christi, Texas in May of 2005. This was a pretty crazy month for us. Not only were we going on a 'big' vacation, but we celebrated our 4th anniversary and we were also buying our first house. In fact, we found the house and were in the middle of going through the buying process. While all the real estate paperwork was being readied, we were out of town. When we got back home, we signed the closing papers and moved!

This is also my favorite and most memorable trip. We absolutely loved it in Texas. The people were friendly (people in Walmart would SMILE at you! Not like here, where you're more likely to get a scowl from people you don't know), the weather was nice, and it was near water. We also had our fun going to a Sonic Drive-thru and asking for fry sauce. We were really looking forward to the beach, but sadly, it was covered in seaweed! (You can see some of it on the beach in the first picture.) We also rented bikes while we were there and explored this way too.

Day 4 of Blogging

Day 4
A habit that you wish you didn't have.

Okay, this is going to be a hard one. It's not because I think I'm perfect or anything, but I really can't think of a consistent habit that I have. I asked Bill if he knew of any habits I have, but he wasn't much help. He could only say that I have a habit of pestering him! (Haha! If he would just read my mind then I wouldn't have to ask for something a gazillion times, and therefore, I wouldn't be pestering! Now is that too much to ask? :) )

However, there are some habits I wish I did have. I wish I was more consistent with running and I wish I could consistently turn down Oreos when they look at me with their big brown eyes. I also would like to have a habit of reading the Bible everyday, praying often, and making it to church regularly.

I think all these desirable habits are attainable though, so no one is keeping them from me but myself.

Day 3 of Blogging

Day 3

A picture of you as a child.

Day 2 of Blogging

Day 2
The meaning behind your blog name.

Upsidedown Headstands is standing upright, of course! It couldn’t be ‘Upsidedown Handstands’, because then it would be standing with your hands in the air and that would just be weird (unless maybe you're in church and praising God or just really excited and you're jumping too). There’s nothing really too special about standing upright though – it’s just a regular thing to do. I didn’t expect my blog to be anything super special either because I didn’t know how much I’d use it and I don’t feel comfortable sharing a WHOLE lot of personal things here since I have no clue who is reading it. So, if you’re reading this, feel free to say hello and let me know you’re out there! Maybe one day I’ll surprise you all by writing about something really deep or really fantastic.

30 Days of Blogging - Day 1

I've been seeing a few people doing this 30 Days of Blogging and I've really enjoyed reading their posts so I decided I'd jump on the bandwagon too. There might be some lag between posts, but I'll do my best to eventually get 30 blog posts done. It just might not be done in 30 days time...

Day 1

A recent picture of you and ten interesting facts about yourself.

I can't guarantee that these facts will be interesting, but they'll be facts!

1. I love to read. Seriously. I go from one book to another. I have to read at least a little bit before bed each night to help be settle down and fall asleep. Right now I'm reading The Shelter of Stone by Jean M. Auel.

2. On days I work in the office, I have to drink flavored milk in the mornings on the ride there. Chocolate, strawberry, root beer, vanilly - whatever. I just don't like drinking it plain.

3. I secretly like taking my 4-year old grocery shopping with me. We always have a good time together. When he was 3 years old, he wouldn't ride in the cart. But come 4 years, he'll ride in the cart! Watch out though because we go 'fast like a race car'!

4. I'm attempting to train for a 10K run I signed up for in July. I've yet to run 10K at all, only done about 3 or 4K at a time. Mostly this is because I don't have much time to get out and do it and a lot of the time I'm pushing a stroller too which makes things a bit more difficult. I'm really excited for this challenge though and I've really been enjoying running like I never have before.

5. I'm growing a {huge!} garden this summer and caring for flowers in my flower bed too. I'm also extremely afraid of bugs and other creepy crawlies... Luckily, I have been very brave so far this year and have learned that as long as I don't examine the dirt too closely I'm okay! I'm growing strawberries, pumpkins, watermelons, green beans, onions, garlic, cauliflower, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, basil, and melons.

6. I love boba berries on my frozen yogurt at Orange Leaf.

7. I've only slept a whole entire night only one or two times in the last year and a half. It's a good thing God equipped mother's with the ability to still function on little or interrupted sleep!

8. I blush on demand. I hope that by posting this people won't use it against me! I'm such an easy blusher though and I hate it. I really, honestly do. It happened REALLY bad while I was pregnant, but I blamed it on having 30% more blood in my body, but it's STILL happening! I wish there was a cure for it though because it's so embarrassing. Good thing my brother is a Pharmacist so maybe there's hope for me yet!

9. I like to have my bed made. No matter how clean the rest of the house is, if my bed is a shuffled-up mess, the whole house feels like it's in disorder too!

10. I love my house and my neighborhood, but if I could pick up my family, my friends, and our workplaces, I'd consider moving somewhere else. I might not even be that picky about where as long as it was safe and has a season of warmth, just somewhere outside of Utah (not that there's anything wrong with Utah!).