Our pre-Christmas Vacation...

Merry belated Christmas, everyone! We hope you all had a great holiday with your families & friends. I finally found time to post some pictures of our awesome trip to Disneyland to see the holiday lights & sights. Enjoy!

I loved the Minnie ears & had to have some. I wore them all week. Cute, huh?

Visited Grandma Watkin's grave on Sunday

Nice shot of Paradise Pier

Extra cheesy on King Triton's Carousel

Back shot of the castle

Round & round on the carousel

Christmas at Small World

Sleeping Beauty's Castle at night...gorgeous!

Brian & his family are notorious at the shooting gallery. He's quite the gunslinger.

Life-sized Buzz Lightyear. I totally kicked booty this year on Astroblasters. I found the secret....shhhh!

Walt & Mickey waving goodbye to us

Favorite moments:
1. Giving hi-five to Mr. Incredible after he spotted us in our matching Incredibles duds.
2. Conversing with Crush all by ourselves!
3. Seeing Captain EO in all it's glory.
4. Screaming like little girls on the Tower of Terror.
5. Eating lobster nachos from the Cove Bar. (Best deal in the park)
6. Watching the fireworks on Main Street then watching the snow fall.
7. Palm trees!
8. Pineapple whips & floats & waffle cones....yummy!
9. Brian wasn't motion sick at all this year. Yay!
10. Getting the ABCs of Disneyland done in 2 days.
11. Boiling ourselves in the hot tub.
12. Strolling along & enjoying the lights & atmosphere.

Note: It's never a good idea to go on California Screamin' in the rain. Been there, done that!

"I'm hitting the road. I'm off to see the world. I'm..."

(Gold stars for whomever can name the movie.)

So...we will be dropping off our Lily girl tonight at the Wyatts'. We know she will be well taken care of, but we hope she doesn't freak out too much. She will love playing with her friend, Zoey, though. Hopefully, she won't notice that we're gone.

Hooray for vacations! Cali should be 79 degrees on Saturday & 81 on Sunday (crazy, huh?). We will be resting, relaxing, eating, & loving every minute of it! I'm sure Mickey will be glad to see us, too! I promise to post pictures when we get home. Time to hit the road!

Coolest Gadget Ever!

Brian surprised me with an early gift to take with us on our vacation: a NookColor! It is so awesome! I'd wanted the Nook for a while now, but the NookColor is even better. I'm so lucky to have a great husband who indulges me. Thank you, babe! And since I'm off work today, I bet you can guess what I've been doing all day.

Running errands, actually. :)

After Lily & I get back from our walk, I'm getting back to reading. Hooray for fun toys!

Happy Christmas Party

We had our monthly meeting at work yesterday. Things are always crazy & due dates are always piling up. But we persevere & power through. Amidst all the projects, we were all pleasantly surprised with Christmas presents from fellow co-workers & our boss. Then we headed over to Chili's for our holiday luncheon (and really, you can't go wrong there!). I work in a great place! I'm very fortunate to love my job & co-workers. It's nice to see that people can be so kind & thoughtful.

FINALLY!!!

Our nine-year drought is over. Notre Dame beat USC on their field. And our heads are spinning with the bliss & joy of the victory over the Trojans. Notre Dame RULES!!!

Movie Review: "Tangled"

Brian and I ventured out to see the newest Disney animated movie (#50 for the studio). It was great! Magical, romantic, adventurous....stupendous! I had wanted to see it since the trailers came out. We were not disappointed. We loved it! We will definitely see this one again and own it a.s.a.p. Simply fabulous!

Are You A Believer?

If you aren't in the know, the Utah Jazz are FREAKING amazing right now. Yes, they come back from 20 points down, but man, they pull out HUGE wins. I say start paying attention to them. They could be surprise contenders this year. Yes, they still have to beat the dang Lakers in order to get some respect. But I like their chances. Our new team parts are working very well together, and they will continue to get better. D-Will is the perfect leader for this rag-tag group. And Sloan definitely knows what works. Give him the "Coach of the Year" already!

Hooray for an A!!!

Class is done and the final is OVER! Yay! Back to life...thanks to Brian & Lily for letting me be a study freak this last week. Now for some fun! (I'm totally hitting the library today.)


NOTE: Sad football weekend for my teams, but I loved that the Patriots & Cowboys lost. But really, how did Brett Farvelous pull out that win? Highly suspect...

In Memory...

Doris E. Blankenship, 102, Silver Lake, died Sunday October 31, 2010 at her home. She was born August 29, 1908 in Admire, KS to Samuel E. and Viva E. (Bates) Sloyer. She graduated from Eskridge High School in 1926, and married Hylas P. Blankenship on February 15, 1930 in Topeka. He preceded her in death in 1986. She was also preceded in death by her parents, and a son Gale, in 1996.Doris was a devoted wife and home maker. She was a member of the Silver Lake Senior Citizen Center. She is survived by a daughter, Roberta Freed (Raymond), Silver Lake; sons, Gerald Blankenship (Joy), Silver Lake, Carolyn Blankenship (Gale/deceased), Kansas City, KS, Paul Blankenship (Nancy), Topeka; 16 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; 27 great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November, 4, 2010 at First Baptist Church of Silver Lake, 301 E. Railroad, Silver Lake KS. Interment will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Topeka. Doris will lie in state after 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at Dove Cremation and Funeral Service, 4020 SW 6th Ave. Topeka, KS, where family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m.Memorial contributions may be made to the Silver Lake Senior Citizen Center, 404 E. Lake, Silver Lake, KS 66539.

Happy Halloween!

After last year's Halloween, we learned kids don't come to our condos for candy. So we headed over to our ward's trunk-or treat last night. I carved the pumpkin this year, and we all dressed up. Enjoy the pics from our awesome, new camera!

Mickey Mouse

Ms. Lily Pumpkin

Mr. Incredible & Elastigirl

So Prepared...

If you ever see this dog at 3AM with a pajama-clad owner in the snow, do not be alarmed. All is well. We are pros at this winter weather. Plus, we look so fashionable!

3 Wins = Happy Dances!

Football is king at our house. Great weekend with happy fans. Can't wait till next week!

Notre Dame wins big against Western Michigan, 44-20

The Utes Rush Against Wyoming, 30-6

Colts Gallop Away With A Win VS The Redskins, 27-24

Through the Fog...

The past month has been a doozy for me. I was frustrated, cranky, overwhelmed, & felt very alone. Things had piled up to the point of no return. I was lacking the faith that things would work out.

In General Conference, President Eyring gave a talk on trusting God. He said, "You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks. If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song, and prayer in this conference, you will find it. And if you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that He has come to trust you."

I am grateful for prayer and the ability to receive answers when I really listen. God wants us to succeed and be happy. I know there are many avenues to gain more faith and trust in God. I'm glad that I have wonderful family and friends in my life who are my angels and lift me up. I thank you all. Heavenly Father knows me & what I can be. Jesus Christ atoned for me and my shortcomings. With these truths, I am stronger.

Remind Me Again?

Why do I do these things? I'm back in school, sort of. (At our house, we are perpetual students. We LOVE school.) In order to continue with my job, I have to get certified which means taking a couple of classes then a big CTR (certified tumor registrar, not choose the right or red or whatever) certification exam. The bonuses are worth it: pay raise, credentials, never having to look for another job, flexible hours, awesome work environment. All good things. It's just that time is very precious, and I feel like there is never enough of it. There are always things I wish I could cram into a day, but alas, it's soon time for bed. Besides, one needs sleep for a 4AM-2PM schedule, right? (Yes, I chose it.)

July/August Update

Hello, everyone! We have been busy this summer with EVERYTHING, and so the blog is behind. I will take this time now to show you all some pictures. Hopefully, my wish will come true to get a digital camera before our vacation in December...can't wait! I hope Santa comes through. Enjoy!

GRADUATION: APRIL 2010

Don't we look happy/relieved? His diploma showed up a few weeks ago after some more hassles with Weber State. But he's now officially DONE! (Happy dances, everyone.) Thank you to all our family & friends who supported Brian through school. It was a LONG journey but will be worth the effort.

Paul, Marja, Violet, Elise, Mom & Dad, Brian

GIRL'S CAMP: JULY 2010
Now for Girl's Camp: I had so much fun with these young ladies. I only knew them for 3 days but loved them instantly. They are so cool! I'm glad I got to enjoy the great outdoors with this group. Brian called one night and asked how things were going. I told him I was having a blast. He said, "Oh, man! You're not going to want to come back!"

Morgan & Kaylee (sweethearts)

Urim (she thinks I'm hilarious...or just easily amused; has the best laugh)

Kelsey, Olivia, Bayley (the Beehives; they are really funny & full of energy; addicted to cheese puffs)

Diamond & Edna (Diamond came to hang out with her grandma, Edna, who was our fearless camp director; she busted her wrist & stuck it out with us)

Elaine (YW President; loves the girls & having fun; her sunglasses were dubbed her "makeup" for the week)

KayLee & Julie (knowledgeable & happy; made a million bracelets really quickly)

Emma (killer soprano; she and her dad were our music coordinators; they have a cool song called "Munchkin Halloween")

Kelly (YW advisor; she drew everyone a prom dress - they turned out awesome!)

KayLee & Nicole (they are easily amused also; Nicole & I bonded over "The Office")

I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. My favorite things were the sunrise hike & testimony meeting. There was such a great spirit out there in God's beautiful mountains. After camp was over, the girls voted that I could come back again. I also got a thank you card that they all signed for me. So nice!

JAN'S HOUSE: AUGUST 2010
My friend, Kim, and I decided it was time to take a trip up to Jan's house. Since she busted her ankle, she's been under house arrest & not able to get out. Now that she was doing so much better & out of a wheelchair, we took her out to Maddox. I tried the bison chicked fried steak w/mashed potatoes. So delish! The whole meal was fabulous. We visited one of the many produce stands afterward to stock up on yummy fruits/vegetables. Jan has a really cute condo in Willard, just east of the bay. Her dog, Willow, is a cute little poodle/cocker spaniel mix who loved me. It was great seeing Jan again & visiting with her.

Jan & Tammy

Enjoy Your Life...

In my Intermountain Stories at work today, there was a snippet about a patient who is fighting Stage 4 cancer. She worked at LDS Hospital when I was in mammography. I didn't know her, but after reading her blog and story, she seems like an awesome person. Check out her blog.

Life is so short and precious. Love the ones you love with your whole heart, and don't miss moments to show them how much you care. Knowing God watches over us all is sometimes the best comfort.

"Simple, generous goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. It lasts when fame and money fail, and is the only riches we can take out of this world with us." ~ Louisa May Alcott, "Little Men"

Have You Seen Me?

Yes, that's right. We are missing our doorstop. I went to take a nap yesterday and hoped that Lily would be mellow and lie down with me. I remember hearing her trying to get the doorstop out of the bottom of the door, but then I fell asleep. Much to my dismay, I woke up to find it gone. Immediately, I began searching the house EVERYWHERE! Under, over, around, through, etc. Nothing was unturned. I even looked in Lily's favorite place, the bathtub. NO LUCK! Then I had a sneaking, horrible thought, "Did Lily eat this thing or swallow it?" I think it would be too large to swallow, and there were no little scraps of plastic around either. So...maybe a ghost came and snatched it up. Unsolved mystery...

Catch the next post: The Real Adventures of All-Star Camp 2010...coming soon!

Movie Review: Toy Story 3

FOUR STARS, FOR SURE!!!

Pixar/Disney does it again. These people are geniuses. Amazing how a story about toys can leave you feeling emotional. Wonderful send off to Woody, Buzz, Jessie & the whole gang. Great way to end an incredible franchise. Wanna go see it again! Definitely adding to our collection. GO SEE IT NOW!!!

Watch Out for Rolling Things & Flying Food...

Brian broke out his roller blades yesterday to see if Lily would join him on a walk. It sounded like an okay idea, but that little pup HATED it! I gave her leash to Brian, and she freaked (barking, body shakes, etc.)! She managed to wriggle out of her harness and bolted down our driveway. At least, she came back. I think we'll try again in a week with me holding her leash & Brian rolling in front of us. Poor Lily!

To Brian: I'm sorry that I keep spilling food all over you. First, I spilled my milk all over the table & his jeans. Of course, it was spilled in spots that always look charming and make people wonder. Second, my mashed potatoes & gravy somehow jumped off my plate, onto the table, waiting for Brian's arm to glide through it. There was gravy all over his sleeve & side. Somehow I also was wearing the gravy. We looked awesome!

I think you might want to find a new neighbor to sit by at dinner.  =(

Sorely Lacking...

Patience is the hardest lesson to learn in life. The "tunnel" seems never-ending at times. Only through faith in God can one truly succeed at becoming stronger to endure life's challenges. Keep at it. And when the "faith well" is running low, trust in your loved ones to help hold you up. I did some research and found this article. Enjoy!

Robert C. Oaks, “The Power of Patience,” Liahona, Nov 2006, 15–17http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=9b8888f17feae010VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

"Elder Neal A. Maxwell linked patience and faith together when he taught: “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His” (“Patience,” Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28).

We can grow in faith only if we are willing to wait patiently for God’s purposes and patterns to unfold in our lives, on His timetable.

Since impatience is so natural, how do we develop the divine virtue of patience? How do we move our behavior from that of the natural man to that of our patient, perfect example, Jesus Christ?

First, we must understand that to do so is necessary, if we desire to fully enjoy the blessings of the restored gospel. Such an understanding might motivate us to:

1. Read each of the scriptures in the Topical Guide listed under the topic “patience” and then ponder Christ’s patient examples.

2. Evaluate ourselves to determine where we stand on the patience continuum. How much more patience do we need to become more Christlike? This self-assessment is difficult. We might ask our spouse or another family member to help us.

3. Become sensitive to the examples of patience and of impatience that occur around us every day. We should strive to emulate those individuals we consider to be patient.

4. Recommit each day to become more patient, and be certain to keep our selected family member involved in our patience project."

Watch This!

Clean House = Smiles!

When it's nasty & cloudy out, it's time to do chores! They aren't really my fave, but I always feel better when they are DONE. And really, who doesn't love to have a clean house where one is able to have a free space to relax/think/dance/play soccer with Lily/sing Kelly Clarkson songs/read a good book/make some new jewelry? That's the perfect Friday for me. 

So Awesome!

I am way excited for "World of Color" at California Adventure. I hope it will still be going when we take our vacation in December. Cool! Click the link below to get excited, too!

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/world-of-color-disne-7052/

Lily Moments...

Who would've known a dog could be a comedian? We get a kick out of her A LOT! She is so funny! We love when her mouth is full, and she hears something. Immediately, blah! Everything comes out: toys, food, whatever. She's gotta be heard!

The other day, Brian was trying to coax her to eat her breakfast (sometimes she's just not in the mood...definitely Brian's girl; I LOVE all breakfast any time!). Brian tells her that he'll give her a Milkbone after she eats it all gone. So Lily goes into the laundry room and stands next to her bowl for a minute. Brian is in the bedroom so he isn't watching. Lily comes back out, licking her chops as if she's eaten. Brian goes to inspect and low & behold...nothing is missing! What a little sneak! How does she get so smart and sneaky?

Old Friends & Baby Showers...

My friend, Crissy, had a baby shower on Friday night. I was so happy to hear from her & to help celebrate! Sara, Janelle & Jill showed up to laugh & reminisce together. I realized how important it is to stay in touch with your old friends. I had a good time. Good luck, Crissy! And thanks for an amusing & enjoyable evening, ladies!

Girl's Camp 2010...

So after much talk about LOVING girl's camp, I have now been called to actually go. Yay! Last night was camp kick-off at our stake center. The girls looked fun & excited. We only have 3 leaders, including me, for 16 girls in our ward. Yikes! They wanted me to attend since the other ladies in YW wouldn't be able to come up for the whole time this year. Plus, they want my enthusiasm to help make it a great camp. So...wish me luck! :) It should be a fun adventure...

Need a Phone Booth...

I don't need somewhere to change in order to fight crime anonymously. But it sure would be nice to have a private location to talk on my breaks. :( I love my job, but sitting in a cubicle does not make for very private conversations. I try to talk lower and quieter, which leads to repeating words or others' ears perking up to catch anything juicy. I sometimes go out in the hallway but feel on display to all the walkers along that route. Such a dilemma!

Mi Familia...

Since we have changed so much over the past year or so, it was time for a new family photo. Lily was included as well as skinny Tam. So...enjoy!

The Graduate...

This is a late post. But here's to Brian and finally graduating! I'm so proud of you, babe! You stuck to your guns and finished up strong. We had a nice day, even though it was rainy. Thanks to the Reynolds' and Paul, Marja, Elise, & Violet for coming to the graduation. We also appreciated everyone's attendance at the luncheon. Tucano's is Brian's favorite (pretty evident with how long we stayed eating and eating!). We are so grateful for all the family & friends' support over the years. You were all a part of helping Brian earn his degree. On to a great career!