Dancing King

I already wrote a little while ago and said I didn't have anything to say, then proceeded to talk about germs and the flu. Well, since then, I have thought of something to write about!
I have a radio on my desk at work and it plays quietly all day long. I enjoy the variety of music and listen to a station that is work friendly, but stills plays current songs. Well, there is this one song that has been on for a while that I love. It's called..."Say Hey (I love you)" by Michael Franti and Spearhead. The song has a reggae beat to it and I love it. I find myself swaying and yes, even sometimes rolling my head, shaking my shoulders and even doing a bit of dancing in my chair. Now, my boss is in the next office and there is a door that separates us so he can't see me. I know one day I'm going to be caught in the full act of dancing! I can't help it, the beat is so great and I just can't seem to stop my body from moving. I've always been this way. I love music and love to dance. I'm not much into formal dancing but love to just move rapidly and with no inhibitions. While I was in college I took a ballroom dance class for one semester. I wasn't too thrilled with it. The moves were explicit and you had to hold your body tightly sometimes and the whole thing was rather stuffy to me. I enjoy dancing but that was not my particular forte. The next semester, wanting to continue experimenting, I signed up for a jazz dance class. I had found my niche! I loved it. I had so much fun learning the many moves and expression that go along with dancing like that. I had always wanted to be on Broadway and these were many of the moves I imagined were in the productions of "Cats", "A Chorus Line" and many others. It was exactly up my alley. Well, my instructor also owned a private dance studio in Orem and she was putting together a company to work on a cruise ship the upcoming Summer. Believe it or not, I tried out and made it. I think I made it because they needed men, but it was thrilled to me nonetheless. I rehearsed with them for several weeks and we were getting rather good but then I decided to "chicken" out and quit. I think I was afraid of not having or making enough money and there were a lot of individual costs that went into it. That has always been my biggest shortcoming - fear. I have always "feared" things - I think that's why I've never done anything with my life, but I digress.
Dancing was so much fun for me. The next Fall, the music theater program at school was auditioning for "Oklahoma". I had been taking vocal lessons along with my dance lessons and figured this might be a good chance to try my hand at musical theater. I made it to the final and was cut. To this day I think I was cut because I was blonde. Believe it or not, I had my hair frosted a week or two before the auditions and I was blonde - I mean Billy Idol blonde. It looked good but I think it made me stand out too much and I was going for the chorus. You have to blend in to be in the chorus. I was really disappointed after making it so far in the audition process. One of the directors warned us that we could be cut for something as minute as hair color, height or presence because they had a good cast to choose from. I was also preparing at that time to audition for the Young Ambassadors - that is a singing and dancing group from BYU. They were traveling to Europe for their yearly tour and I wanted to be a part of that so badly. I didn't make that either. What a time in my life. I was auditioning, singing and dancing right and left. No pun intended! I wanted to make sure I took advantage of what college had to offer so I would be a well-rounded actor/dancer/singer. I grew up watching old movies where it seemed that everyone sang and danced as well as acted. It seemed important to me to be, at the very least, acquainted with these various skills.
To look at me today you would never think I used to do all of those things but I was in rather good shape back then and did many other things to keep myself in shape. Aerobics was big with me, too. I loved moving around to the music in that work out genre. It was basically dancing to get in shape. BYU used to have these massive aerobics classes in the evenings in the Smith Fieldhouse. There had to be hundreds of people there moving to the music. I had so much fun doing those things. I think I should have just gone to an artists school rather than a four year college sometimes. ha.
So, dancing has been a big part of my life. Sometimes to this day I just cut loose and will dance to whatever is playing - Christmas music, rock, country - you name it. If it has a good beat, I'm there...'see that boy, watch that scene, dig in the dancing king!'

Rainy, wet and cold...

Cherie asked me to write something on our blog because she's tired of the one that is currently showing. So, here I am. It is a rainy Friday morning and I'm at work slaving away. Yeah, right! I'm not really sure what to "blog" about but I heard this morning that a young girl in our church has come down with the H1N1 Flu. Scary. It's hitting closer and closer to home. I don't know what is wrong with calling it "swine" flu? It was much easier to say and write. Do you ever wonder why we have to be so 'politically correct' all the time? Was or is it political correctness that switched the name? I'm not really sure, but it just seems so much more technical sounding. Maybe it's considered progression to use these types of names for things now? I'm not sure.
That really isn't what I wanted to write about but it was what was on my mind. We printed up a bunch of flyers to leave for families to pick up at church that list the various symptons of this flu. It also lists things to help prevent it. Basically, wash your hands! I do have to say that Cherie and I both are good hand washers. We are careful with a lot of things in our home because when you deal with someone with Alzheimer's who doesn't always, well, let's just say, isn't the most hygenic you begin to learn to be more careful. I have to say that one of my biggest issues is having sticky or dirty hands. I'm not sure where it comes from but anything on my hands that I can feel shouldn't be there bugs me. Growing up, our dad used Lysol on EVERYTHING! I mean EVERYTHING! I cannot stand the smell of the original Lysol spray. I'm not even sure they make it with that scent now? I'm glad. It was almost insulting the way he would spray the couch after someone had come for a visit. It was like they were filthy or germ-filled. I felt badly for them even though they had no idea. I don't think he's that way with it now, but I'm not sure.
The fact of the matter is, we live on this planet with lots and lots of germs. Some of them we need for our health or well-being and others like this virus can literally kill us. It's an amazing thing our planet and its defense systems. So, that's it. My blog today is about germs and the flu. Boy, wasn't that fun!

HAVING A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok , this will be short, once again, because I am just not liking sitting here in front of the computer. I have had a loss in my life, not being able to have children. It has been the sadness which will not go away...however, in the last week, I believe I have gotten a taste of the pain I may have had with childbirth. It started on Monday and through Friday morning I have had about 50 hours of labor pains...not really...but some kind of pain...the doctors and nurses and I (and others) believe it is gall bladder problems. I have had pain in my life...I mean, I fell down and messed my ankles up all the time as a child and young adult...broke my leg, had many other painful illnesses and incidences...this is HORRENDOUS!!!! I can' t believe I have lived through it...I know I sound overly dramatic... and I also know anyone who has had the pain and not known what it is or when it will stop completely understands me. I don't want to have a baby. I have had my childbirth for a lifetime. I have had test after test and now have to wait until Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My doctor is off on Friday...hopefully, I will get the results and I can't believe I saying this...but hopefully I will get to have surgery and "GET THIS THE HELL OUT OF ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It is horrible.
Now on a good note, because you all know me...I try and see the positive. I have lost some weight because I have had nothing but crackers and a little broth since Tuesday...hahaha.
Well, today I am trying rice with chicken boullion...wish me luck!
I just want to say to all my friends out there who have had a baby. I am so sorry. If I have had anywhere near the pain you have had to have a baby, again, I am so sorry! I love you and empathize with you more than you can know.

Boredom, Blues and Bifocals

Summer has always been my least favorite season. I'm sure there are a few gasps out there and you're thinking...how can someone not like the warm summer season. Well, I don't. Never have. I think a lot of it has to do with growing up in a trailer where using any form of air cooler was not allowed. Yes, it is true, we were not even allowed to use fans in our house. Living in a metal box was bad enough but add to that the usual humid weather of West Virginia and the stifling heat without any movement and you have a recipe for disaster. I won't go into the dysfunctional aspects of why we were not allowed to use a fan because that is part of my weekly therapy! Honestly, though, it was horrible. Add to that mowing a yard that was nothing but hills with a push mower and there you have my summers growing up. Grooming our yard growing up was something out of a torture 101 book. Lonnie and I were basically tortured for a complete day - from morning until nightfall. It began with mowing, which was my job, being the oldest. Next came trimming (with hand held trimmers) and raking - Lonnie's job. I love my brother, but back then, he was slower than molasses in January at raking. I know he hated it as much as I did but I'm pretty sure he did it on purpose because neither of us could quit until the whole yard was done. Of course there was inspection time, too. I hated trimming. I would be on my hands and knees for what seemed like hours trimming around every single tree, rock, fence line, porch, etc. All the while, Lonnie would be making hundreds of piles of grass throughout the yard. After he was done raking then he had to use the wheelbarrow to pick up those piles and take them to an area on either end of our huge yard and pile them up in the areas on the hill that we let go wild. Of course there were the occasional times when we would pile the wheelbarrow too high and it would come falling out while we were traversing one of the many hills. I hated this job more than anything else. Let me paint an even brighter picture for you (note the sarcasm). I am of Irish and Scottish descent. I have light hair (blondish/red when I was younger) and am pale. I mean the kind of pale that doesn't tan. I burn, peel and then turn bright white again. There are parts of my body (legs and stomach) that will not tan at all - or even burn much. They literally reflect the sun back! With that information, you can imagine how well I handled the hot, summer sun beating down on me. Not well! Did I mention that even though the rest of me would be mostly white the back of my neck would burn like dry leaves in a forest fire! It was painful. I don't sweat heavily either - never have. I glisten! ha. Really, I do. So, I would get sick. I mean really sick. There would be nausea, dizziness and in some cases fainting. Looking back I'm sure I suffered from heat stroke. Of course having a father who would not let us in the house because he was convinced that I was faking it didn't help. I honestly think he just wanted us away from him. It was awful. Are you getting the picture now?
Well, my summers over the years haven't improved much. I don't hate them as much because as I went out on my own I made sure I found better ways to keep myself cool. I cannot sleep in hot weather. If I'm hot, I will just lay there and swelter. During my days in college I lived in an apartment complex that was supposed to have air conditioning but honestly, it hardly worked. I did have a good friend whose apartment was on the bottom floor and it seemed to be much better down there. I did have some nice summers with my friends out West.
Today, summer has become something of a difficult season. Without fail, the last several years has brought many trials during the summer months. So, there still isn't much of a reason to like summer. I'm always glad when I can begin to see September coming. Even though it is still technically summer through most of September, I consider it Fall/Autumn. I have to - that is how I get through August. September brings my birthday, too.
This brings me to the "blues" part of my title. I turn 44 in a few weeks. I love the number 44. I always have. I remember being four years old and having a sweatshirt with the number 44 on it. I have always liked the number 4 for some reason. It just looks like a nice number, doesn't it? Well, being 44 and liking the number are two completely different things. By this age I expected to have at least one Academy Award on my mantle and a slew of great movies or television shows behind me. I'm not even close. Never have been. My dream was washed out years ago. I guess I'm having a mid-life crisis along with everything else. Joy. Not! You do begin to access your life at certain points and boy do I fail miserably. People often want me to come to reunions or to family get togethers. I think...what for? I have nothing of interest to share in my life. I've done nothing. I really hate my job. I want to find something else really badly but it's a hard time for anyone to find work. I thought this job would be a beginning for me of better things. It hasn't. I think it's just me. See, the blues are not fun. When people sing the blues, they are singing because if they didn't, they would want to kill themselves! Feeling horrible about yourself is one thing but having the blues on top of it is really dangerous. Summer and the blues - what a combination. Hopefully Fall will bring with it some new things. I can only hope. I haven't really gone into great detail here and I won't because, well, to be honest, I don't want to. I've been accused of writing long posts anyway, and this one is already headed that way so I'll just say that I have the blues. For such a nice color, blue is a really awful emotion. I wanted to say something wise and meaningful in this post but my brain fails me. I guess the point is, life has its ups and downs. I'm ready for my ups.
To top it all off, this summer I've begun needing bifocals to read at work! Life is just full of surprises and crap!

Are we this boring or has it just been so busy the last nearly 4 months???

I am not sure if we are boring or busy...however, life keeps right on going whether we are ready or not.
We have enjoyed reading everyone's blog. Don't give up on us...there will be something to say soon. Love ya!
And keep smiling! I do...it certainly beats crying...

"Grey Gahdens"

Yesterday I watched a movie on HBO entitled "Grey Gardens". It starred Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange as the Bouvier-Beales. They were a mother and daughter who ended up living together for most of their lives at their family home called Grey Gardens - located in East Hampton, New York. "Big" Edie (Edith Bouvier Beales) was the paternal Aunt to Jackie Kennedy Onassis and "Little" Edie (Edith) was her first cousin. Jacqueline Onassis actually spent many childhood summers at this famous house with her aunt and cousins. "Big" Edie, as she was known, had two sons as well. Her sons went on to live without much contact with their mother and sister after their father's death. The Maysle Brothers made a documentary of these two women and their home in September and October 1973. You can go on Youtube and view some of the excerpts. They are so intriguing. The story has also been made into a Tony award winning Broadway musical with the fantastic Christine Ebersole winning Best Actress in a musical for her performance as "Little" Edie. She actually plays the mother in the beginning of the show, too.

I think the reason the story is so fascinating is that it depicts two people who basically had it all at one time and then resigned themselves to living a reclusive life by themselves in this vast house. Unfortunately the house and property grew into squalor and the house became infested with cats, racoons and fleas. The Beales fed the animals and made a life with all of them. Their exchanges in conversation are enjoyable and border on the psychophrenic. I do believe that both women suffered from some form of mental illness or mental handicap. However, they were happy in their own way with one another. They lived in the past. They talked incessisently about their desires for fame through singing and dancing. Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange did incredible jobs at showing these two women through time. You grow to love them without really knowing why. I think it's because they are all of us.

By that, I mean that at some point any of us could lapse into what they were like. Just stop cleaning a little - stop caring about running around - stop worrying about what other's think - stop caring about fashion or whatever is the latest thing. Remove yourself from friends and other family and you're there. It's not that far of a journey. It's scary, but there are very fine threads of life in these two people. They don't fully comprehend what they've become. To them, in some small way, they are still who they were. They just have more stuff.

I love this story. I can't explain it. It's not really a happy story and it left me feeling melancholy, which Cherie said I didn't need more of! However, it did make me think and I like that. It made me think of how easy it would be to just stop everything. Let the world move around you instead of you moving with it. It's just fascinating to me. These two women were privileged in every sense of the word at one time. They had the best connections, money and the ability to feed their own narcissism. Time caught up with them and life dealt them a harsh blow, but they kept on going. They made the best of their situations. They were not trained to do housework or keep up a garden or lawn. They had servants and when the money ran out, so did the care for those things. They survived on mostly ice cream, which was, for them, a celebration. I know to many this sounds bleak, but remember that they were happy or content with where they were. They still had some dreams - at least "Little" Edie did, but she knew she was supposed to be there with her mother. One quote from the documentary is..."She's a lot of fun...I hope mother doesn't die." They loved one another. They did argue and had disagreements, but through it all these two women loved each other. That's the underlying story here. If you get a chance, watch this movie or watch the clips on line from the documentary. Or, if you get the chance, see the musical - or even better do all three! I have been touched by these ladies. I somehow miss them without ever having known them. "Big" Edie died in 1977 and "Little" Edie in 2002. Little Edie sold the house after her mother's death with the clause that the house not be demolished. It has now been completely restored and you can also see that on Youtube. It's a beautiful old house that sits very close to the ocean.

I often feel like the world moves around me. There is always something new coming along that I don't know about. There is always some new technology that is created that I can't do. I don't text. I have a pay-as-you-go cell phone, which I hardly use. I do use the computer at work, but honestly am not what I would consider literate with all that there is to do with one. This day and age can make you feel like you're being left in the dust all the time. It can be frightening and intimidating. Sometimes it's nice to see that life can be slower. Even when the documentary was done in 1973, life was slower. It's so fast now. We are hustling and bustling here and there. Everyone has to keep up with the lastest fad or newest trend. I can't keep up. I just can't. It's tiring to me. Sometimes I wonder when it will all stop. For now, I enjoy things that remind me of those times when it was slower and things were simpler. Maybe it's age that does that to you? I'm not that old, but I miss some of those things.
Oh, the reason I spelled the name of this post "gahdens" is because the Beales had a very Northeaster accent where they dropped their "r's". I thought it appropriate.

Sun?

Today is Sunday. The beginning of another week. It is the last day of the weekend. It has been warm. The leaves are out on even the bigger trees now. We have a tree that is just in front of our patio. It is so lonely when it has no leaves. It is beautiful with new leaves coming and shades the patio just perfectly in the late Spring, Summer and Fall. I love our apartment. I miss home sometimes...however, I keep remembering all the memories. They have come with us. I miss the people tho. I lived around some of the neighbors for all but about 11 years of my life. It is sad. There isn't even time in the day to visit anymore.
I have been doing geneology. I have found alot of information. It is exciting to me. There have been many notes and comments about the visiting and singing. I miss that with my dad, mom and sisters. I miss the times we had with my grandpa and grandma Frey. We always had somewhere to go on holidays and felt needed. It was great. I love my family.
Mom comes home today. We went to Kirtland for 2 and half days for Jeff's job so mom stayed with Denise. Kirtland was very nice. We saw the sights and enjoyed the evenings together. He learned things and I felt at peace in the hotel and around Mentor and Kirtland Ohio. It was a nice couple of days. I don't have a camera. I didn't get any pictures. If you want to see how it looked...it was amazing...it looked just like it looked in all of the pictures I had always seen. The temple, however, looked a bit bigger than I was expecting. It really was a pretty good size for their first endeavor. So if you can't go then look online for the information on Kirtland...it is the next best thing to being there...:)
Anyway, Mom is coming home. She has been a stinker at Denise's. I am so sad. Jeff had a dream that she went kicking and screaming, swearing and saying all kinds of hateful things, when being put into a nursing home. It is getting time. Isn't it odd how someone can be quite wonderful physically and their mind just leaves them? Alzheimer's has left my mom a completely different person. There is no understanding this disease...just patience and acceptance. I am still working on both of those!
Well, all is well. The kitties made it through the little vacation from us with flying colors. We were all so excited to be back together.
Hallelujah to ya!!!!! Cindy used to say that all the time when she was happy or excited about something.
I saw some sandels on sale in the advertisements this weekend. They were quite a good price. I wanted to call all of my nieces and nephews and get sizes and buy them some! I wish we could do more. We sure love them.

Our lives are swirling away...

When we ask each other how we are doing do we really want to know? I ask myself that sometimes when someone really tells me. I REALLY do care about how people are doing...sometimes it is just impossible for me to make any difference. I feel at a loss. Part of who I am is dealing with and solving problems...my life is so overwhelming now I really have no way of knowing how to help anyone else. You know the saying "You can't lift anyone up higher than you are". Believe me you do NOT want to be where we are.

We had an instance this week that has hit me pretty hard. Jeff felt the sting as well. There is a great family we have felt close to that has just had a baby. We are THRILLED for them. It is a wonderful thing to bring a new family member into the family. We have been so involved in the whirlpool of our lives we didn't even know our friend was going to have a baby. She was expecting for 9 months and had the baby without us even knowing...it has been a horrible realization for me. I am sorry to our wonderful friends out there...and don't forget our family. I have neglected you all. We still love you, think about you and want to continue our relationships. Sometimes it just seems to much of a mess to even contact anyone...we don't have anything to share. Our lives seem to be have been filled to the rim with sickness and death, lost dreams and it just seems to keep happening. We haven't forgotten you tho...please know we still love you.

Times will be better in the future. I mean, don't you have to keep hoping? In the meantime, we hope you won't forget us and will be there when the good times begin to roll again.

Hugs to all.

Spring??

Is it to good to be true? Is spring here? Jeff thinks we will have one more snow...I don't mind if it isn't bad. I LOVE THE WEATHER!!! It was wonderful yesterday and today is as well. These are the types of days that make you wake up after the long winter hybernation. I LOVE IT!!!
The crisis from last week has been overted forever we hope. Justin is feeling better. Hopefully, his healing will be short and permanent! We all love him so much.
Our kitties were sure glad to see us when we got home. They weren't even mad because we had been gone. They just came to us and loved us. I love animals. They are so forgiving. They are a good example of how we should be.
Jeff is back at work. He hasn't had a bad day today.
Timi is off school from IU in Bloomington and trying to get things ready for IPFW in the fall. It will be nice to have her closer to us. She is really a great kid, although, sometimes she is a stinker! ( That was for you, Timi)
Mom is back home and doing well. She gets mixed up going from here to Denise's. She will be fine tho.
All is well at the Murphy household. THANK THE GOOD LORD!!!!

Justin is in ICU!!!

Our brother, Justin, is in the hospital in Martinsburg, West Virginia. We are SOOO worried. If you can just put a few prayers up to Heavenly Father for him we would appreciate it. He is a good guy...and we want him to pull through this illness with flying colors. Hopefully, we will know something more soon. We found out he was taken to the ER this morning at 10 am. We found out he was alive at noon. Little progresses at a time...
Thanks.

Mini Vacation

Ok, here goes. We are contemplating doing something. ANYTHING! We need to get away a bit. We don't have tons of money...however...we want to do something with ourselves, for ourselves. Any suggestions??? We need as many ideas as we can get. Have any of you gone somewhere that is fun...maybe different...remote...or splashy...or wherever!!! PLEASE...we need some ideas. We would love to add your ideas to our own and have a chance to do something new. We are definitely in a rut.
We have thought of Frankenmuth, Michigan. If you haven't ever gone...go. It is a nice weekend visit for anyone...you can make it more than that if you want to. Also, Mackinaw Island is wonderful...we haven't actually been there but have heard wonderful things about it.
Of course, Washington DC is awesome.
We went to Virginia Beach on our honeymoon in October and it was BEAUTIFUL. It was to chilly to lay on the beach but boy was the view wonderful...we went to Busch Gardens and had a great time.
We will let you know what we decide to do.
Thanks for anything.

I got bored.....
1. Real name → Cheryl
2. Nickname(s) → Cherie
3. Status → married
4. Sign → Auquarius
5. Male or female→ female
6. Elementary → Fairfield
7. Middle School → Ashley Junior High
8. High School → Dekalb High School
9. Colleges-- Wayne University of Cosmotology, Brigham Young University
10. Hair color → brown
11. Long or short → short
12. Loud or Quiet→ quiet or loud depending on the situation
13. Sweats or Jeans → jeans
14. Phone or Camera → phone
15. Health freak → no
16. Do you have a crush on someone? → yes
17. Eat or Drink → drink
18. Piercings → two holes each ear...one in each ear closed
19. Tattoos → No
20. Water or Fire → water
21. Love of your life or 4 Billion Dollars → alrady have love so I would like the 4 billion now...I would have to have both


FIRSTS:
22. First fear → mom leaving
23. First best friend(s) → cousins
24. First award → ???
25. First crush → I can't remember back that far...haha
26. First pet → Laddie
27. First big vacation → Missouri to the caves
28. First big birthday → #1


CURRENTLY:
Eating → nothing
Drinking → wnothing
I'm about to → The Wrath of Ezra
Listening to → Will and Grace
Plans for today→ rest
Waiting for → making the bed
Thinking of → Timi
Want to → see a movie with Jeffrey


YOUR FUTURE:
Want kids?→ yes
Want to get married? → am
What careers do you have in mind?→ therapist
College? → hopefully somewhere to get a masters
House? → nice cute one with lots of character
Car? → anything nice that runs well
World Traveling? → Europe to start
What do you think it'll be like? → GREAT!!!


WHICH IS BETTER WITH GIRL/BOY? (I chose boy)
Eye color → grayish green
Sporty/sidelines --> sidelines.
Lips or eyes → lips
Shorter or taller? → taller
Romantic or spontaneous → romantic
Nice stomach or nice arms → nice
Sensitive or loud → sensitive.
Trouble maker or hesitant → middle ground?


HAVE YOU EVER:
Lost glasses/contacts → yes
Ran away from home → yes, my older sister and I went down to the woods west of our house and ate the sandwiches we made and came back.
Hold a gun/knife for self defense → no
Killed somebody → no
Heartbroken → yes
Been arrested → no
Cried when someone died → sure all the time when someone dies


DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
Yourself → most of the time
Miracles → yes
Love at first sight → yes
Heaven → yes
Santa Claus → yes
Sex on the first date → NO!
Kiss on the first date → uh...depends on how the kiss is...and how long you have known the person...


ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
Is there one person you want to be with right now → yes
Are you seriously happy with where you are in life → no
Do you believe in God → yes
Are you glad it's the end? ah...I am ok with answering these.


Nine things about myself.
1. I love movies
2. I really like Coldplay
3. I love my kitties like kids
4. Jeff is my very best friend
5. I am so grateful for my family
6. I miss my dad and sister
7. I want to lose weight
8. My mom worries me
9. I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.


Eight ways to win my heart.
1. Take an interest
2. Be loyal
3. Have a good sense of humor
4. Be good to my family
5. Be honest
6. Show compassion
7. Be willing to compromise
8. Love me


Seven things that cross my mind a lot
1. How is Jeff?
2. Why isn't Timi talking to me?
3. What should I do about mom??
4. What can I make for lunch/dinner?
5. I need to clean this/laundry that/wash this/throw that
6. Prayers
7. I am telling you!!


Six things I do before I fall asleep.
1. Go potty
2. Kiss Jeff
3. set alarm
4. take medicine
5. shut off light
6. pray


Five people who mean a lot.
1. Jeff
2. Jesus
3. Family
4. Ancestors
5. Filoso's


Four things you're wearing right now.
1. unders
2. wedding ring
3. my glasses.
4. socks


Three songs that you listen to often.
1. Coldplay anything
2. Il Divo anything
3. Theme from Footloose...hahaha


Two things you want to do before you die.
1. Be healthier
2. Be a therapist


One confession.
1. I really really really love my husband!!!


Rules: It's harder than it looks! Copy to your own note, erase my answers, enter yours. Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real ... nothing made up! If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.
1. What is your name? Cherie
2. A four-letter word: cart
3. A boy's name: Chad
4. A girl's name: Carol
5. An occupation: car dealer
6. A color: chartreuce
7. Something you wear: cap
8. A food: celery
9. Something found in the bathroom: comb
10. A place: China
11. A reason for being late: car died
12. Something you shout: Come On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13. A movie title: Candyman
14. Something you drink: cranberry juice
15. A musical group: coldplay
16. An animal: jack crane
17. A street name: chicago
18. A type of car: century
19. A song title: Come on In
20. A verb: can

There ya go Timi...did you learn anything new about your Auntie???
Did anyone else learn anything new? This was hard to come up with answers on the spot...Please no one get offended if you think you should have been somewhere in this...you are all in my heart!!!

Happy, Happy Birthday!

Today is Cherie's birthday! It's her 50th (shhhhhhhhhhhhh) She's not really that happy about it, but I am happy that she's here in my life. She's the most wonderful thing in my life. I truly mean that, too. I know I could really go crazy with all the accolades to her, but I really do love her. She's my best friend. It is amazing to have someone who loves you unconditionally. She deserves the very best that life has to offer. We've had our share of ups and downs over the past several years, but we're still here. I'm so glad to have this day to celebrate her. If you get a chance, leave her a wonderful birthday wish. I love you my favorite. Moochies and loves. Me.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

That question is and has been a hard one for me to answer. I think it's my one hang up in all my life. I have so many interests that it has been hard for me to ever precisely answer that question. This morning on the radio station that I listen to they were talking about how things have influenced your career choices in life. They were asking if we have had video games around long enough to really help children decide that they want to be something particular. The one dj mentioned that his son plays the wii guitar hero and now wants to take real guitar lessons. They were also talking about tv shows that might have had an influence. I remember watching the tv show "Quincy". For those of you not familiar with this show, think of a 70's version of "CSI" without the special affects. Quincy was a criminal pathologist. I remember loving that show and wanting to be able to figure out all of these crimes based on science. Quincy was a middle-aged man who had had various relationships in his life and lived on a boat in Los Angeles, California. He had good friends and hung out at one his friend's restaurant a lot. He was quirky and was a pioneer in his field. I was maybe 12 or 13 when this show was on television and I remember telling many people that is what I wanted to be.
Unfortunately, I remember a lot of people poo-poohing my idea. They reminded me that it was television and not real life. They reminded me that it would take a lot of schooling and money to do something like that. I remember feeling really dashed that no one really thought I could do it. As I look back on my life, I see that there really wasn't a lot of support for me in any career choice. My dad wanted me to join the military to get my education. I, however, felt that I had already been in the military just by growing up with him! ha. The military was not for me. I was not of that mind-set. I didn't even enjoy Boy Scouts for heaven's sake! What I really loved was music and marching band and drama and all the entertaining you could provide. I was even discouraged from those, however, because I was told I would never make any money.
So, here I am, sadly, many years later and I'm not making much money and doing something any joe-blow on the street could do. OK, I'm not "blaming" any of those in my past for my choices, they were mine, but I also know that what adults think when you are a young person really does matter. You can either make or break someone. Unfortunately, I was broken and I listened. What frustrates me the most about it all is that I am usually the one who does not listen to those voices, yet in this case I did. I enjoyed college and loved being exposed to all the many things that it offered. I never could settle for one course. I was like a kid in a candy store at college. There were all of these interesting things to learn and I wanted to know it all. Finally I had to graduate and move on with my life, so I settled for a degree in Communications. A very generic degree, yes.
So, what's my point? My point is, that every time I have an opportunity to talk to a young person about what they want to do when they grow up, I suggest they do what they have a passion for doing. Forget the notion that you won't make enough money. My belief is that you will be happy and that constitutes success. So, you may not be a millionaire, but you'll be happy and will more than likely be able to provide nicely for yourself and your family. I remember running into a friend of ours who had teenagers at the time. Her son came over as we were chatting. In the course of our conversation he mentioned that he loved art and wanted to be an artist. His mother immediately jumped on him and said he would never make money at that. My instincts rose up in me and I told him to do what made him happy. There was more to being an artist than living in poverty in a rundown apartment in Paris. There were many ways to be an artist. So, what is this young man doing now? Well, he never went to college or any sort of school after high school and he has jumped from one low paying job to another - none of which have had anything to do with art. He has worked at Wal-mart and various factories. So, whether or not his mother's discouragement really aided in his choices, it certainly didn't help. Too many people have the idea that they want their children to be "better" than they are or were and in some ways that is a nice idea, however, give them a chance to grow into what they want to be. Expose them to all sorts of things in their young lives. Give them choices and they will eventually find their niche. I have a neice who is very artistic and she loves to draw and color. She's not very old, but those talents can become anything as she grows. Sometimes we just need someone to believe in us and offer encouragement.
So, what did I become when I grew up? I'll get back to you on that one - when I grow up!

Glory Hallelujah

I am so excited that we have our new President of the United States. I am so hopeful and filled with the desire to be a better person. I know these things may sound sappy, cliche and even syrupy-honey sweet, but it's true. This particular inauguration has really inspired many people. Before I go any further, I should state that there has been a lot of controversy in my own personal life as I have shared my own political views with a lot of family and friends this year. I guess because of my religion it has been assumed that I lean a certain way politically. I guess through this blog and conversation I have shocked some. It has been a reawakening for me. I have felt free and yet, I have also felt saddened by some responses. By merely stating that I believe a certain way some have started viewing me with various degrees of caution. One particular person in my life has really surprised me. I won't mention who, but it's been a strange and unusual position to find myself.
So, here's my "confession" of sorts...Yes, I voted for Hillary Clinton during the Primary Elections. I voted for Hillary because one, I really thought at the time that she would do a great job. Secondly, I knew that Barrack Obama was going to win the nomination and that I would vote for him during the general election. I wanted to be able to say that I voted for two historic figures in politics. Maybe that's a little self-serving, but it was of some importance to me. I have always liked Hillary Clinton - even during her unpopular years in the White House as First Lady. I also believe that Barrack Obama will be a great President of the United States.
That leads me to this reflection...on Tuesday, January 20th I was home sick. Yes, I was really sick. I had not been feeling well all weekend long so I took the day off. I had Monday off due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Because of this, I was able to spend the day watching all of the inaugural proceedings. It was great! I watched history in the making. Part of me wished I could have been there, but then looking at those crowds, I was glad I was home, safe in my bedroom. Those who know me, know that I have to comment on Michelle Obama's clothing. She looked fantastic! I was a bit more impressed with the inaugural outfit than I was with the evening gown, but both were beautiful. She does have style. President Obama (we can call him that now) also looked sharp in his tuxedo that evening. They make a striking couple. Their daughters were adorable, too. Melia and Sasha are just too cute for words. For some reason I feel that they would be friendly to each and every one of us. I realize that does not necessarily make a good president, but it's a great start in my book.
Politics aside, the day was an inspirational day for our whole country. Our very first African-American President. As the old slogan goes..."we've come a long way baby!" Watching the different faces in the crowds who were so excited was like watching a version of "It's a Small World" at Disneyland. It made me proud to be an American. I guess everyone has their own versions of how they felt. I had all of these great annecdotes that I was going to share in this blog but they all fail me now. I guess the title I chose says it all for me.

Tag your it???

Well, Shawna Gale got us!!! She has tagged us and we have to answer these questions and tag someone else. We shall see what trouble we get into with the answers to these...hahaha. Love ya Shawna! :)

5 Things Jeff & Cherie were doing 10 years ago:
*Living in Auburn in our apartment
*Jeff was at the Cable Office/Cherie at Roy Jones Dog Shows
*Jeff was playing piano for everything at church/Cherie taught seminary
*Our babies (kitties) were born in the garage at the house)
*Caring for mom and dad's house and driving them to everywhere...running ragged!!

5 Things on our to do list for today:
*Cook and eat dinner
*Visiting teaching
*Make the bed
*Clean cat box
*Clean up kitchen and run the wonderful dishwasher

5 Snacks Cherie loves:
*Always #1 POPCORN
*Nuts
*Potato Chips (I like to use cottage cheese as a dip)
*Cheese and crackers
*ice cream

5 Snacks Jeff loves:
*chips and salsa
*popcorn
*cookies
*ice cream
*cake

5 things we would do if we were a billionaire...
* Pay off debts
* Trust fund for nieces and nephews(for college etc)
* Home for us (dream homes in city, ocean, country and don't forget Europe!!!) and our family
* Cars...for us and family
* Breathe a sigh of relief and gratitude while at a VERY wonderful (and kind to us fat farm)...:)
I don't believe I can comprehend what a billion dollars is...I would find so many ways to help our families, friends and the world!!!!!


Tag your it...Antimony, Sarah Skinner and Liza Hunt. Please answer these questions on your blog and tag someone else...will you play tag with us???

Loving Icicles

Icicles! I remember being a kid and loving it when an icicle would hang down from the roof...or somewhere. We would break them off and suck on them holding them in our gloves or mittens. Well, these past few days...I know what it is like being an icicle. I am sure when that warm tongue touched the icicle it felt wonderful and said thank you human for picking me to warm up! hahahaha.
To make a long blog short...it has been cold and I love having somewhere warm to be. Jeff said yesterday to me..."You know I am so glad we have these walls to protect us from the cold outside." We had just come home from being out. I guess we learn appreciation for things in many ways. I am done appreciating being warm...but...Thanks Heavenly Father for warmth. And PLEASE keep everyone warm especially during this horrible cold spell.
It really wouldn't take long to freeze outside so stay inside will ya?

Sing, sing a song

Yes, I know, it's been a while. Cherie just wrote a wonderful entry about our kitty babies. Yes, they are babies to me and Cherie. They are great. I was sitting here at work, though, and listening to the radio. Snow is coming down and so they are announcing accidents on the roads and to be careful when you go out. What a day! I do love snow - just not the mess. Anywho, as I was listening a song came on that holds some memories for me. It's the song by Shania Twain, "From This Moment On". Well, I was asked to sing at a wedding several years ago. Before teh job I am at now, I worked at a cable company in Auburn, IN. I loved my co-workers and we had a great time with each other. I guess I bragged a bit too much about my singing and so I was asked by my boss' daughter to sing at her wedding - that song. I bought the instrumental soundtrack to it so it would sound more professional. Everyone I worked with was coming. Now, I have to say that I have sung quite a bit over the years - I've sung at church, in California on my mission, at BYU - and even tried out for several things there, including the Young Ambassadors (which I did not make, by the way). So, I was pretty confident about this. WRONG! You always hear how someone has one of those times when something they are pretty good at goes wrong? Well, this was mine. I had practiced quite a bit for me, which is unusual, because I'm usually ok off the cuff, but I dont' usually sing to pre-recorded background music. So, at the rehearsal, it got to the point where I was supposed to do my part. They handed me a microphone and nothing would come out. I am not kidding! I was just off key and could not get the right notes. It was so embarrassing and it really threw me off badly. I mean here I am, the only musical number and I'm also singing while they go up and light a unity candle! This is supposed to be a beautiful moment. I was also playing the organ for the ceremony. The organ this church had was a keyboard - quite elaborate, too. It could do anything. It was one of those where you just stand and play, too - kind of like Laurie Partridge on the "Partridge Family". So, I was a bit out of my element there, too. Plus, I couldn't get the organ to sound the right way for me. I was a nervous wreck. I never did make it through my song that night. The next day was the wedding and I was sure I'd do better. Bad rehearsals usually have meant a good performance in the past for me. Not this time. I did manage to get the right starting note, but my voice was shaky and I missed several notes that were higher. In my opinion, it was awful. We had the guy who made our commercials locally doing the video-taping, too, so I'm sure there somewhere on Becky's wedding video is the worst version of "From This Moment On". Don't ask me why I chose to re-live this, but everytime I hear that song part of me cringes. It was by far the worse performance I've ever had. I have wondered since then was it because I was intimidated by the people I worked with and so I wanted desperately to make a good impression? Was it the music itself? I had remembered Greg, our video guy, saying that when he taped local pageants that a lot of the contestants who used pre-recorded music sounded awful. Maybe that did it. Plus, I knew how they had razed those who had done so poorly in pageants and things. I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be talked about. How wrong I was. I have never been so glad to have a wedding be done. I even messed up the organ music while they exited. I mean I was shaking. My hands, my voice. I could have just sat down in front and cried, but there I was like Laurie Partridge, standing there playing that dumb keyboard and trying to look cool and composed. Wow, what a day. Eight years later and it still haunts me. I love to sing and I love music, but that was one day that could be easily forgotten. Just thought you'd like to know.

2009 is here...it is January

Boy oh boy...we don't write on here very often do we? Is our life that boring? Actually, we aren't really exciting, however, things do happen but it is hard to decide what you would want to read about. Our lives the last couple of years have been the same ol same ol. Mom, the new apartment, Jeff's job and all the stress...that is why I don't share a whole lot.
Our kitties are wonderful!!! We don't have kids but we have kits...they are our pride and joy. We are struggling with diabetes in Penelope. She is such a sweet girl kitty. She takes insulin shots twice a day and seems to be doing a bit better. The vet would like to have her stay at the office for observation to check her sugars...but...I can't imagine her staying away from home all by herself. I know...some would say...she is a cat...but you know what? She is my cat...she is my daughter...the only one I will have...I can't bear to have her fret. She is our little worrier anyway. I have thought about asking if I could stay there with her...however, they probably wouldn't let me. Maybe if I took her in early in the morning and then stayed there with her all day and they took blood and such and I could bring her back home at night? At least I could be there with her since she would be in a strange place. Well, that is our Penelope. Our little sweetie girl kitty.
Our boy kitty, Marmalade, is more outgoing. He is resting right now on the bed. He is so tired from running around after his mom, grandma, sister and Papi, and from running and jumping window to window checking all the comings and goings in our neighborhood and, of course, cleaning himself. He has to rest alot! Timi took this picture of them eating their Christmas dinner. They have a can of tuna for special meals. They got a tuna dinner for New Years as well. They LOVE tuna!!!
I feel like a shut in! I am scared to death to try and walk on ice and we have had so much of it since before Christmas. I seem to get out maybe once a week. OK, I am a chicken. I have been chicken ever since I fell about 4 years or so ago. I broke my leg...Chris Filoso, Dave Patterson and Jeff will never forget it. They were the "crane" that had to pick me up!!!! I don't want to fall again! Breaking a bone hurts and my pride is tender, as well. Ha.