the one about 100

I feel like I seldom have a minute to sit and blog anymore, and then when I do, I don't have anything interesting to say. But I saw this "100 Things About Me" thing on Kandice's blog, and decided I would give it a try. It might be boring for you to read, but I thought it would be fun for me to look back at in a year or so. But I also wanted to tell this fun thing that happened to Brett and I last night. Well a couple of weeks ago, I got a call from the Young Women's president in our ward. She asked if Brett and I would be willing to be on a panel of newlywed couples and answer questions that the Young Men and Young Women might have about marriage. I told her that we would be glad to, but that I didn't think nearly 10 years of marriage considered us newlywed's anymore! Anyway, we went and had so much fun! There were two other couples. The Bishop and his wife and the Meier's. It was a fun group and the kids were fun. They asked us some great questions and we had a great time. It was cool to see the different couples react to different situations. We had a great time. But, back to my 100 things. I want to just type "Quayd" 100 times because I love him more than ANYTHING and he is my whole life, but I also want to play along, so these are things 101-200....

101. I love the smell of Pine Sol.
102. I love the smell of markers.
103. I love the feeling of a fresh pedicure.
104. When I get a bloody nose, I tip my head back and let it run down my throat. (and I sorta like it!)
105. I love to hear kids and babies laugh.
106. I am super scared of electricity. I am afraid I will get electricuted even when I change a light bulb.
107. I love getting a new haircut.
108. I can't carry a tune, but I love to sing.
109. I love to scrapbook.
110. I love Diet Pepsi.
111. I want to be swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, RIGHT NOW!
112. I love the snow.
113. I love seafood.
114. I love smimming.
115. I go to Curves and exercise.
116. I don't really like flannel sheets.
117. I could eat popcorn for every single meal.
118. I love to make bread and rolls.
119. I love my Nephews. Brayden, Brennen, Beau'D, Kelby and Branson.
120. I love to read.
121. I don't have sisters, but I like to think that Brynn and Talia are mine.
122. I love Kandice's evil laugh. (it's true, there is a little bit of evil in there!)
123. I am a SLOW driver.
124. I have stinky feet.
125. When I come home, the first thing I remove is my bra.
126. I love chick-flicks.
127. I love getting my nails done.
128. I love camping, as long as I can shower every day.
129. I don't care to drive. I would rather be a passenger.
130. But I get carsick, so I need to ride shotgun.
131. I am a Libra, and although I don't really base my life around horoscopes, I definatley have the personality traits of a true Libra.
132. I like for others to be happy.
133. I HATE confrontation.
134. I hate socks and shoes, but...
135. I love flip-flops.
136. I want to go on another cruise SOSOSOSOSOSO bad.
137. I have a crush on Hugh Grant. I was watching the movie Notting Hill last night before bed, and I can't stop thinking about it. Such a good show!!!
138. I kinda have a crush on Julia Roberts too. (you gotta see Notting Hill, I'm telling you, it's so good!!!)
139. I love reality T.V.
140. I'M ADDICTED TO BIG BROTHER!!
141. I love being a girl.
142. I don't love my period.
143. I want a scooter so bad that my teeth hurt.
144. Speaking of teeth hurting, I don't really like the dentist.
145. I have a momma's boy, and I think it is amazing!
146. I have awesome grandparents, and so does Brett. We are crazy lucky in that department.
147. I am alittle OCD with numbers and letters.
148. I need to be a little bit more OCD with cleaning my house.
149. But I really love to organize, even though I suck at it.
150. I hate clutter!
151. I like working. My new job is awesome.
152. I like feeling needed.
153. I love to nurture.
154. I love children.
155. I love to cook!
156. I love to try new foods.
157. I love change. Isn't that weird? Most people hate it, but I really don't. I look forward to new things.
158. I have a lot to learn, and I think I could take lessons from my cool friends.
159. I wish I was cleaner and more organized, like Kandice.
160. I wish I was a better homemaker, like Holly.
161. I wish I loved to exercise more, like Janice.
162. I wish I were more laid back, like Gibler.
163. I wish I could stand up for myself, like Brett.
164. I wish I was a little tougher and didn't put up with crap, like Jamie.
165. I wish I had more Faith, love, trust and knowledge o fhte Gospel, like Hope.
166. I have terrible self-esteem.
167. I learned to be independent from my mommy.
168. I love Dove soap.
169. I also love Mary Kay products, but I don't want to sell it, so don't ask.
170. I love being married.
171. I love to blog.
172. I am definately a cat person.
173. My feet are a size 10.
174. My ring size is bigger than Brett's.
175. I needed to wear a bra since 4th grade, but I was in denial, so I didn't start wearing one until 5th. Looking back, I wish my mom would have forced the issue a little bit more. YUCK!
176. I saw a VW Toureg the other day, and I fell in love.
177. My favorite late night talk show host is Conan O'Brien.
178. I wish I would have taken piano lessons as a child.
179. I hate that my car is black. NEVER AGAIN!
180. I love starchy foods.
181. I also love ice cream,
182. and canned spinach!
183. I loved being pregnant.
184. I loved giving birth by C-section.
185. I am lazy, and I don't always buckle up.
186. I don't like to hunt, but Brett does. Fortunately, he isn't very lucky so I shouldn't have any trouble with number 187.
187. I hope I never have a stuffed animal head hanging on my wall.
188. I love purple stuff.
189. I have 3 tattoos(two of them are purple).
190. I think Quayd has the cutest little bottom in the whole world and I love to pinch it.
191. I suddenly love thin crust pizza.
192. I love oatmeal.
193. I love when we go camping with the Deets and I can eat Kathy's Cream of Wheat for breakfast. She makes the BEST Cream of Wheat EVER!
194. I love my "MIKA" CD. He is poplar now, but liked him before he was popular. I guess you could say I was "country before country was cool."
195. I love the musical "Wicked."
196. I hate to be startled.
197. I HATE spiders! I actually had a dream about black widows last night and I get the heebie-jeebies ust thinking about it.
198. I sorta have a crush on Donny Osmond.
199. I have the cutest little boy ever.
200. I am the luckiest woman in the world because I have a great husband, amazing son, cool family, wonderful in-law's, good friends, cute car and a house that is paid for.

the one about Christmas; finally over

I sound like such a total scrooge. But I don't care. I am super glad Christmas is over. I love love love it. Don't get me wrong, but by the time you buy all of the gifts, go to all of the parties, get all of the groceries and build yourself up for this great grand gala affair, it's over. Just over. Done. It is so hard not to get wrapped up in all of the "Christmas Crap." I just get overwhelmed and stressed out. I worry that I got this person to big of a gift and not a good enough gift for that one. It just gets to be too much, so I am so thankful it is over. I tried super hard this year to think about Mary. And I sure did. It made my Christmas a little bit more special, I think. I thought about it so much, infact, that whenever I look at my nativity and see her holding her precious baby boy, I kinda get a little tearey eyed. I will be forever grateful for those feelings I have enjoyed this season.

On Christmas day night, I stayed up late and took down all of my Christmas decorations. Except for one. My beautiful nativity set. I couldn't stand to part with it for a whole year. So this is how it looks in my living room right now. It is on the back of my piano. And that is my spoiled rotten cat, Skeet, sleeping in his favorite spot. Infact, I think on my Christmas Eve picture of Quayd's stuff, he is laying right there too. Anyway, I left a little bit of garland and a few white lights. It is as beautiful as ever. The other decoartions I have right now is my winter stuff. I have a bunch of blue, white, silver, snowflakes and snowmen. My brother and his wife gave me this cute decoration for Christmas. It is big letters that say WINTER. This is the top of my TV right now.

I got some gifts this year that really made my heart swell with joy! I got the KitchenAid mixer that I have coveted for YEARS!!! It is the Artisan Stand Mixer and it is red. It was also on Oprah's favorite things list for 2007. I think it made Mandy's list too! I am so excited. i also got some cute clothes, my fun WINTER letters, an oil difuser that makes my home smell like a dream, and a super cute Christmas thing Quayd made for me at school. I already packed it away though so I can't post a picture. I suck. I should leave it up all year because it is darling, but it is Christmas-ey and I couldn't handle Christmas stuff anymore. It is without a doubt my favorite gift this year. Well, I guess it is my 2nd favorite. (don't tell Quayd!) But can you blame me? I mean, look at this thing!!!

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is our annual trip to SLC with all of the Galley's to see a Utah Jazz game. The tickets are our gift from Grandma and Grandpa Galley each year. Our game is Saturday night and Quayd and I are riding with Gleneita and heading out tomorrow. (Friday.) Brett has been taking a fire inspector class and his test is Saturday, so he can't make it this year. The only other time he can take his test is in March and it will be right in the middle of the EMT class he is taking. He is sad to miss it, and I am sad too, but oh well. I love to go and just because he isn't going, doesn't mean I am going to miss out! I am so excited to relax, read a book, hang with my boy, catch a sweet game, and spend some great quality time with a bunch of my favorite people in the whole world. Don't worry, I will take lots of pictures and blog all about it.

I have one last picture and story to share. Brett's little brother, Cory, and his wife had a sweet baby boy in June of this year. Branson. He was born with cleft lip and pallate. He just had his first of MANY surgeries about a week before Christmas. Here are a few pictures of him at Christmas. I just can't believe how amazing he looks. He is the SWEETEST baby you have ever met. He is just so mellow and never makes much of a fuss. I just love him, and look at those big beautiful blue eyes! Is he cute, or what?
This is him before. Still so sinking cute!
And here are my sweet little nephews on the Lane side at Gleneita's on Christmas morning. Quayd, holding Branson, Beau'D and Kelby.

the one about me

Let's talk about me...

I am a Mother, I am a wife, I am a friend, I am a daughter, a daughter-in-law, a grand-daughter, I am a Mormon, a crafter, a quilter, a cook and lots of other things, but those are probably the most important to me.

I like to scrapbook, sew, make cards, organize and take care of everyone around me. I consider myself a nurturer. I love children. I love the innocence of a child and I know that they are the closest thing to perfect that we will ever know. I love the show friends and most of my daily vocabulary comes from that show. I love playing Volleyball. As strange as it sounds, I like planning big parties and events and I don't freak out over public speaking. Everyone accuses me of biting of more than I can chew.. but you know what? I can always chew it just fine. I am constantly busy and I always have a full plate. But I love it! Life is too short to be bored.

I am a total dork! I'm cooky, I am random and I can find humor in any situation, but at the drop of a hat I can burst into tears over nothing. I am over-sensitive, emotional and I am a little OCD over lots of strange things. But I don't care. Because I am me and, most days, I like me.

As a little girl, I was pretty happy, I think. I don't think I gave my parents too much trouble. I was a spoiled brat, but I was the only girl and the baby. What do you expect? I have one older Brother, Brandon. I look up to him a lot. I don't want him to know that though, so don't tell him! ;) He is married and has 2 awesome boys... Brayden 11, and Brennen 6.

My parents divorced when I was 12. My mom still lives close by. How close you ask? 2 doors down! And brother is next door and the greatest grandparents ever are my other next door neighbors. I love it! My husband might disagree, but I love it. My two little nephews are the greatest and I love that they are so close to me. I love for them to come hang with me. Brayd used to come over lots, but he just getting to old and cool for his nerdy Aunt Mandy anymore. My Dad and his wife live in Tulsa, OK. I don't get to see him as much as I would like, but we try our best to stay in touch.

I married my high school sweetheart, Brett, September 19, 1998. We got married right here in our hometown where we still live today. We have a great relationship. We argue like every other couple does, but you know... I just love him so much. I really do. We communicate well, we laught a lot, and when I am with him, I just want to be my very best. I try everyday to pamper him because I want him to know that I realize how lucky I am to be married to such a good guy. He drives me crazy. But I love him.

We were married for 4 years by the time we had our only child, Quayd. It was not easy getting him here, so he is our one and only. I will have to tell that big scary story in another blog.

Brett has 2 Brothers and 1 Sister. Brandon and his wife (my dear friend) Brynn have one son, Beau'D. He is adorable, and so funny. He is gonna keep him mommy and daddy on their toes! Cory has 1 daughter, Shaelynn, and 2 sons, Kelby and Branson. Kelby is a total daddy's boy and Branson is precious. Stright from Heaven. And the baby Talia... What can I say about the girl who is wise beyond her years, who is one of my best friends, who I can trust with ANYTHING and she is 11 years younger than me. I have never met anyone like her and I love her to death.

My mother-in-law, Gleneita, is another one of my very best friends. We are strangely close. It is not your typical mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship. She rocks. She is the strongest woman i know and I want to be just like her when I grow up. We recently lost my dear father-in-law, Mike. We too were very close. He filled a huge void in my life and I will forever treasure my time with him.

Well, that is all I have to say about me. I am sure there will be lots more in the future. Stay tuned...