While hiking The Narrows at Zions National Park
Mike decided to brave the deep and dangerous waters and forge ahead despite the obsticles:
In a fateful moment he lost his balance, and quickly tried to save himself from certain doom:
But the log proved to be too slippery, or his supplies or too heavy. No matter the reason, Mike just could not hold on any longer and plunged in to the icy, rushing, 
Knee deep waters?
Our house
In the middle of our street
If you want to see the inside you'll have to come visit us.
I thought our game nights were intense, but at least when we are sore losers we just go to another room and pout - nothing like this. Sheesh!
ksl.com - 2 men arrested following separate game incidents
Right now would be the appropriate time to post the obligitory travel report from our family vacation last week with my extended family.
But we were too busy doing these things
that I forgot to take pictures. Do I feel bad? Nope.
Over the 4th of July we took a little weekend trip to see Mike's family. Besides eating lots of good food, eating lots of junk food, playing indoor games, and playing outdoor games - we decided it would be fun to take the kids (Mike's brother, sister, and her family were also visiting) to the Crayola Crayon Factory.
Turns out you don't actually get to see the factory, but you see a demonstration of how crayons are made and then spend the rest of the time walking around trying out all of Crayola's different products.
The "kids" had a great time with all of the art projects they made!
A few weeks ago we had our niece and nephews for the evening and decided to take them to our city's little carnival. They had so many adventures!
Flying a spaceship:
4 wheeling through the desert:
Riding on the back of a green lady bug (the landing is the hardest part and obviously takes lots of concentration):
The little one had to stay in the same ride the whole time, but he provided lots of moral support to the others.
Aren't these kids the cutest? We couldn't like them more than if they were our own (ok maybe a little bit more if they were ours, but not much)!
In case any of you have been wondering why I haven't posted anything in the last month it's because we were busy working with my family and some friends on
Transforming this ...
into all of this...
(The show was Guys and Dolls)
And these pictures don't even show how all the moving doors, panels, and flaps worked together to make each new scene!
Needless to say there were hours upons hours of work (sometimes going until 3 or 4 in the morning) put into this. But, the show must go on! AND we got the stamp of approval from the toughest stage design critics in the state - Grandma and Grandpa Dodge.
We took a couple of weeks to catch up on sleep and spend some time with Mike's family back East (pitures to come soon) but ...
Planning/Construction on the next set starts Wednesday!
See you in September!
I only do these sort of posts if I think they are really cool, and this one is:
OK! So this is how this works...The first 3 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me, just for you. Of course there are some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! :)
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It will be done some time within the next year.
4. You have no clue what it will be.
5. I will send it anywhere! It doesn't matter where you live!
The catch? The catch is that you must re-post this on your own blog and offer the same to the first 3 people who do the same on their blog. The first 3 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did will win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!!
(I was the first to sign up on my friend's blog, so now I'm doing my part...)
If you don't have a blog you can still comment and just make three things for whoever you'd like instead of waiting for them to sign up.
Be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!
June 1st is an important day. To find out some reasons why go here:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do
and enter 6/1
Another reason it is an important day is because important people were born this day like the following:
Brigham Young
Marilyn Monroe
Morgan Freeman
Dr. Bill Burgoyne (my father-in-law)
and me
Now before you start judging me for selfishly blogging about my own birthday, just remember, if I hadn't been born you would have one less blog to waste your time reading. Just think about that.
I don’t mean to dwell on the unpleasant, but I was thinking last night that if something horrible ever happened to me or someone I love I would like the following team assigned to the case:
Dr. Brennan and the Smithsonian crew heading up the forensics
Agent Booth and Detectives Green and Lupo on the investigation
The Lightman Group handling all of the interrogations
District Attorney Jack McCoy prosecuting the suspects (with ADA Connie just for Mike)
After I had carefully thought all of that out I also thought this:
Maybe I should make tomorrow a “no tv” night...
Every summer growing up my mom would take my sisters and I to a craft or fabric store with the assignment to pick out a project that we would work on while we were out of school.
I picked a lot of projects, I started a lot projects, and now my mom has a box full of unfinished projects sitting her in basement.
This winter I decided it was time I finally saw a project through to the end - I made a baby blanket for one of my closest friends expecting a son in a few weeks.
There may be more than a few uneven stitches in it, and I spent a lot of time with the seam ripper, but hey - it's finished!
This morning driving to work I was patiently going 25 miles per hour (the posted and enforced speed limit) through the neighborhood when I white impala got behind me and impatiently rode my tail all the way to the main street.
I waited for traffic clear and found a moment of opportunity to safely turn left over the railroad tracks and onto the road. The impala did not wait but quickly screeched out into the road, giving the drivers in the oncoming lanes I'm sure a bit of a rush.
I approached the next intersection, which is a 4-way stop, at the regular speed limit preparing to turn right. The impala sped past me and as the driver also prepared to turn at the 4-way stop I noticed that he didn't even bother with a turn signal.
I thought "What a rude driver. Seriously." Then I pulled up behind him and noticed the license plate:
Government Vehicle - For Official Use Only
There has got be a good joke or analogy someone can make of this story.
I usually don't like to go shopping for myself, and I usually don't write mushy things about how wonderful Mike is on my blog.
But this weekend is an exception.
I thought I was going to a girls lunch out on Saturday. Really, that was just part of the plan to get me out of the house. As we were all leaving, I found out that Mike had arranged for the girls to "kidnap" me with specific instructions on how we were to spend our afternoon: shopping.
We all had envelopes of cash (provided by a work bonus, so not anything I was planning on) and had to spend our entire amount spoiling ourselves at the Park City outlets that day.
Mike had planned it well. There was no way I could get out of being practical with the money. My only option was to shut up and shop. So I did.
With a spending budget and a staff of personal fashion experts (my sisters) I actually had a great time shopping.
I love Mike for thinking of me and treating me to a worry-free self-indulgent day. He is such an awesome husband!
This week the girls of Alta 312 were reunited for a few hours (we missed you Sarah and Brittany)!
This week the guys of WQ 6 also all got together for a few hours.
It's great to have friends that you know will be some of your favorite people in the world for the rest if your life.
St.Patrick's Day is one of our favorite holidays and Mike has some Irish blood in him. So in honor of the day and our heritage, here are some Irish thoughts for all of you:
May those that love us, love us.
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if he doesn’t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we’ll know them by their limping.
If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the kind of people He gives it to!
May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
May you have food and raiment, a soft pillow for your head. May you be forty years in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead.
May you get all your wishes but one,
so that you will always have something to strive for!
Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor
when the pub was shut for the night.
Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse
and stood in the pale moonlight.
He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,
then back on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar,
'Bring on the cat!'
Mike and I took a short trip to the fabulous city of Las Vegas this weekend. While I am not ready to be regular bookie yet, I did learn a few things about numbers, chance, and luck while there.
2 for 1 - the deal we got on our hotel and all of our food since Mike was officially there on business.
10 to 6 - the ratio of advertisements for call girls and burlesque shows to advertisements for the Donny and Marie Osmond show. I never would have guessed I'd be seeing so much Donny and Marie in that city.
100 to 3 - people per square foot on "the strip" compared to "old downtown Vegas."
0 to 1 - the chance that we will ever buy the kind of car we rented, a Chevy HHR.
1,000 to 20 - the cash some people carelessly drop versus what we so tightly budgeted for as "fun" money.
1 to 3 - the chance of being asked to show ID when sitting down at any betting table.(or maybe we just look that old?)
1,000,000,000 to 1 - the odds of Mike convincing me to put all of our life savings on the roulette table.
So the other week at church I saw a sign up list for people to volunteer at some ESL classes that the community has organized helping people who are trying to learn English.
It has been a while since I have volunteered for anything so I thought it wouldn't hurt to put my name down. I could step in for an hour here or there when needed, sure.
Well, I misunderstood the information I read and found out later that in putting my name down I had committed myself to TEACH the class EVERY Tuesday for the next 12 WEEKS!
Talk about a communication problem.
On Sunday February 1st, 2009 Michael and Shaina celebrated an important milestone in their relationship and their future.
The couple chose to keep things simple, joined only by a few close friends and family:
They looked stunning in their formal wear:
The cake was as delicious as it was beautiful:
The traditional first slice:
In lieu of gifts, the couple kindly asks that all congratulations be sent in the form of cash donations.
Basement Apartment rented in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
2 bedrooms (yes, 2) 1 bath
washer/dryer not included - but owning your own is kinda nice
utilities included: Internet, Direct TV, and DVR
Huge pantry in the kitchen
secret staircase to nowhere behind bookshelf
1st month's rent includes leaky drain that will soak the carpet in the master bedroom, but deposit covers game night with the great family that lives upstairs.
Perfect for a nice, incredibly good-looking couple relocating from Draper. Close to freeway, shopping, movies, and restaurants. 12 minute commute to popular offices in Orem. 
I love the bathroom, weird I know but it's the only place where I am perfectly happy with the way it looks.
One more picture needs to be hung, but otherwise a comfortable and cozy home.
Pictures don't do it justice, this is one you must come see in person! Call immediately to make an appointment!
gone snowshoeing? Mike and I went this weekend with my cousin Rachel and Mike's brother Ben. Turns out, it's a lot of fun. If you get a chance, go.
I figured I would finally get around to putting up some pictures from Christmas (like finally getting around to taking down the decorations from Christmas). The thing is, I didn't take very many pictures. But I will tell you that we had a great time with Mike's mom in town and all of the fun things my family had planned, and Mike's birthday.
2 days after Christmas we took on the airport craziness and went to PA for 8 days to see Mike's dad Bill and stepmom Sally. That was a nice week of mostly relaxing in front of the fire and sleeping in.
We did get away to New York City for a day and saw the Christmas tree at Rockafeller, ate at a trendy NY restaurant, and ran into a celebrity (Keith Olberman). Of course we "caught a show" on Broadway (a comedy called Alfred Hitchcock's 39 Steps), and it was too cold to walk around the city so we took the subway, which was fast, but smelled bad.
The best part of the holidays though was having the Burgoyne men (Mike, Bill, and Grandpa) together in Pittsburgh
And playing with Bill's woodworking power tools 
Even I got into the fun (with adult supervision of course)
I saw this commercial on tv and about died laughing.
This is for all the girls out there who have ever teased their hair, tried to tease their hair (I admit, I had an unsuccessful tease stage in 6th grade), or made of fun of those who teased their hair.
I heard once that "big hair" was a trait of "utah mormons" but now everyone can enjoy it!
go to www.bighappyhair.com
P.S. I promise to catch up on the past 2 weeks, but this was too good to postpone.
Over Christmas we spent a lot of time in Provo at my sister-in-law's house. Over Christmas it also snowed a lot. Becca (the sister-in-law) has a driveway that sort of dips down to the sidewalk and then climbs up again to the street.
One night while we were leaving the house my car got stuck in the snow at the dip down part. Luckily, a nice BYU student was hurrying to get in time for curfew and stopped to give me a push out. He was my first Good Samaritan.
A few days later, after another storm, I helped shovel the driveway and made extra sure the dip down part was all clear of ice and snow. But, when I left to run an errand, my car got stuck in the snow at the climb up part and it took 2 nice BYU students and a young couple (yep total of 4 people) to push me out. They were Good Samaritans 2 through 5.
That same day, when returning from my errand, I thought I would be smart and park on the street instead of the driveway. I stopped the car and *thunk* it sunk into the extra deep gutter that was impossible to see from the snow in the street. That's when Good Samaritan 6 showed up with a huge SUV and a tow rope. I was out of the gutter in no time, despite my embarrasment.
So this winter, if you are out and about and see someone who might be in need, stop and help them. Pay it forward on my behalf.
Meanwhile, I might have to start taking the bus, or maybe sled dogs, to get around in the snow.
I like Christmas songs, really I do. But as I was listening to some today, I couldn't help but think that a few of them could be updated, made a little more realistic maybe. Here's what I've got so far:
Baby it's cold outside - I really can't stay - but baby it's cold outside - I've gotta go away - fine, but for the last time, it's cold outside will you shut the door already?
and
Last Christmas I gave you a sweater, but the very next day, you gave it away (for store credit). So this year, to save me from tears, I'll give you a gift card - that's special (special).
and
Oh the weather outside is frightful! But the bills don't pay themselves. So off to work I must go! I hate driving in the snow! driving in the snow! driving in the snow!
And my personal favorite:
I got a hippopotamus butt for Christmas. And hippopotamus thighs too. I didn't work out, I only ate junk. I gotta hippopotamus butt for Christmas.
Ok I know they are still a little rough around the edges, but I sense some big hits.
Any other suggestions to add to the album?
Imagine if you will that it's Saturday night - you and your spouse are out to do some Christmas shopping. You're on the freeway when suddenly the radio starts cutting out and the headlights start to dim. The battery light on the dash starts to flash. You move to the far right lane and count it as a small miracle that you're able to get off the road and into a gas station parking lot before the car completely gives out. Then you have to wait in the cold for the tow truck who of course is an hour late. He is able to take you and your car to a repair shop near your home, but has to charge for part of the ride since it's out of his 5 mile range, all the while you're thinking how much this repair is going to cost you and that this isn't exactly the most convenient time of year for an extra expense like this.
Sounds pretty miserable, right?
Now imagine that while you were waiting for the tow truck your car had just enough juice left in it to run the radio so you pop in the next CD of the Book on CD you've been listening to. It's the Fire of the Covenant by Gerald Lund, about the Willie and Martin handcart companies. You're listening to the part where they are crossing rivers in the snow and they know that they will be out of food days before any rescue party from Salt Lake can reach them.
Suddenly, your situation seems pretty peachy.
Things I was thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend:
- Paid time off so that we could afford to go out of town
- Portable DVD players, books on CD, and just regular books to pass the hours in the car
- The grass stains, scrapes, and sore muscles Mike got from playing football, something he loves to do and doesn't get a chance to often.
- pumpkin pie and BYU chocolate milk - mmm boy!
- Joann's fabric store at 6:00 am and the Twilight movie which are great for sister-in-law bonding.
- Dollar stores - they provided an excellent surprise 30th birthday party
- Cozy pants and tennis shoes for 5 whole days
- Caffeinated beverages that convinced me that it wasn't too late for one more game each night
- The combination of a church gym, a variety of balls and bats, and the Burgoyne's imagination
- The Internet,weather cameras, and cell phones so that our trip home was only delayed a few hours that we spent inside instead of a day or more stuck on the road during a snow storm.
- The little cold I started getting on the last day because I got it from hugging and holding our nieces and nephews.
- That beautiful feeling after days on vacation and hours on the road to crawl into your very own comfy bed.
The other day I was running some errands and you'll never guess who I ran into... the big man himself
He was wearing jeans and a red turtleneck, but I swear it was him. (I wanted to take a picture with my cell phone but couldn't figure out a way to do that without looking like a crazy stalker or something).
But I bet you'll never guess what store I saw him in...
I guess everyone is cutting back their shopping budget this year.
I don't know about anyone else, but I love FREE stuff. Even little FREE stuff like the samples you can get at walmart.com or when companies give you FREE pens or sticky notes. I don't even mind used FREE stuff like a skirt from my sister or a sweater from my aunt because they just don't want it anymore. But I especially like NICE FREE stuff.
Like last night when Mike's work sent him an email saying that the crowd was looking pretty small for dinner at this 2 day conference they've been putting on for some clients. So they said he could bring his wife to help fill in seats. Of course we went - FREE dinner. It was at the Snowbird Ski Resort and they served fancy stuff like "tomato bisque","seared salmon","roasted butternut squash", and my favorite, chocolate torte and cheesecake.We even got to stick around and watch the stand up comedian they had hired, Johnny Bee, for FREE. We found out that one of the guests had checked out a night early and Mike's work still had to pay for a room that no one was going to stay in. So guess what, we got to stay overnight at the resort for FREE and when we got to our room there was a FREE Box of chocolate truffles.
What's this "economic downturn" everyone is talking about?
Once again the Burgoynes celebrate All Hallows Eve with the annual Scary Dinner and Halloween party. This year it was really a red carpet event with all the big names that made an appearance. The food of the party is always the main feature, of course, and the menu included many gourmet dishes:
Over all the event was fabulous, and as tradition goes, each year out performs the previous. Anticipation for the 2009 gala is already building!
Dear Mark and Paul,
Thank you for the opportunity to work at The Insight Group. I have learned a lot during my time here and have truly enjoyed the experience.
However, the time has come for me to move on. This letter is to formally announce my resignation from The Insight Group starting today. I understand that this creates an extra work load for the office staff. Therefore, I am willing to stay at the Insight Group until the 23rd of December, providing time for a replacement to be hired and trained. I hope this will help in the transition process.
Again, I am grateful for all that I have gained during my time with The Insight Group. Please let me know what I can do to make my final time here a productive experience.
Best Regards,
Shaina Burgoyne
This is the formal letter I wrote to say I was quitting my job at the end of the year. (I thought it was extra generous of me to give them this much of a notice). I ended up not using the letter, but just saying all of it face-to-face with my bosses.
For as many times as I had daydreamed of that moment, I'm proud of myself for how nice I acted when it actually happened.
Maybe I can still save the big "lashing out and telling them what I really think of the way they run their business" speech for my last day. That gives me a few more months to perfect it.
P.S. Anyone out there hiring?
Did you seriously think I was not going to write about the Saturday Morning session of conference? C'mon.
It was exactly 5 years ago this week that I entered the MTC to go to Italy. So for exactly 5 years I have been praying for a temple in that country.
I was so surprised to have that answer finally come this weekend when President Monson announced that construction will soon begin on the Rome, Italy temple. I was shaking a little I was so happy. (A temple near Mike's hometown in Philadelphia was a very nice bonus. It couldn't have been better if Pres Monson had asked us to pick the next two ourselves. I feel like we won the temple lottery).
Anyway, I had heard rumors of how close Rome was to getting a temple since I had started taking Italian 101 classes back in 2001. The rumors got more exciting when I actually got to Italy. My sources (the Italian Relief Society Network) told me that back in the 1970's a bunch of members put up the money to buy a parcel of land right in the middle of Rome, just to be prepared. Also:
- that President Hinckley had said that he hoped to announce the construction of the Rome temple at conference before he died
- that Italy just needed 100 more priesthood holders for the church to be big enough (or 1 more stake or 2 more wards or some qualifying number like that, it changed sometimes)
- that it would be built soon but the church has to pay for the all the power lines in that part of the city to be rerouted underground so the steeple can be built
- and my favorite was that the design and location had already been approved and it just so happens that when the sun hits the temple in the middle of the day the steeple and the angel Moroni will cast a shadow that will cut right through the middle of the Vatican.
Ok, so I'm sure most of that was exaggerated versions of some tidbit of truth. But what is true is how this will bless the people of Italy and a lot of Europe too. The members I worked with had to take 20+ hour bus rides to get the temple. It cost a lot of money, and they usually only had 1 trip per year scheduled. Rome is only 6 hours away.
The faces of all the members I grew to love kept coming to memory during the rest of the day. I couldn't help but picture their joy as they sat in their small chapels or rented out rooms that make up a meeting house and listened to that announcement. I wish I was with them. Maybe I can save up enough to be with them at the dedication...
No, we're not talking McCain/Obama, that's for another day. This is a much more important issue.
On Saturday Mike and I went to the RSL vs Chivas game. It was great. The week before we went to the BYU vs UCLA game. Also great. This got me thinking, if I had to choose a favorite between Football and Futbol, which would I pick?
I worked out some possible arguments for both sides.
(F = Football, S = Soccer)
1. Game Day
F: With the pregame show, the tailgate party, 4 hours for the game itself and then the post game analysis, the excitement lasts literally all day long.
S: You go, you cheer, you have fun, you get on with the rest of your life.
2. The Game
F: Complicated rules with even more complicated plays displays a sense of intelligence just to understand the action. Yet it's still just big guys crashing into each other at full speed while playing keep away.
S: Simple rules (ball in net, no hands), simple plays. A lot of aggression but an element of finesse to make it happen.
3. The Players and their drama
F: Talking tough, playing rough, and showing their need for attention in end zone celebrations and sideline fights. But the real drama is their off the field lifestyles.
S: Real fouls that are never seen (unless they draw blood) and then the fake flops and falls to remind everyone that they are still there. Who knows what they do off the field. Who cares.
4. The "Big Game"
F: The Super Bowl brings in more money and attention than anything else on tv. But is it the game or the commercials?
S: The World Cup is a world wide event. But you have to wait 4 years until the next one. Still, that's 4 years of bragging rights (Italia 2006!).
5. Cultural Impact
F: Arguably America's most popular sport right now. Knowing a few things about the teams and the players can get you small talk with just about anyone and earn you respect with the guys at the office and your father-in-law. You just can't avoid the in-state college rivalry.
S: The world's most popular sport. In the States, popular among kids, and the fastest growing in popularity among adults. But locally, only the die-hard fans will know who's playing and what's happening. Not a general conversation topic yet.
So, time to vote! Which would you pick and why?
(Monday morning)
Coworker: Shaina, I have to tell you what happened this weekend.
Shaina: Oh really, what?
Coworker: Well my stake got reorganized, and since I'm a branch president in the stake I got to go to a special meeting with the General Authorities who were doing the reorganizing.
Shaina: Wow, that's great.
Coworker: So I walk into the room and it's Elder Nelson of the 12 and Elder LeGrand Curtis of the 70. They both stand up to shake my hand and smile as I meet them. Well, the instant Elder Curtis smiled at me, the first thing I thought was "wow, he reminds me so much of Mike Burgoyne." Wierd huh?
You're telling me. Should I be worried that a an old man reminds him of my husband? Or complimented that he thinks my husband has a GA smile?
Elder LeGrand Curtis, Jr. of the 5th Quorum of the Seventy
This summer I worked my way through a 4 course meal of literature. Some courses I liked better than others, but overall it was very satisfying. Here is what I read:
Journey to the Center of the Earth (Jules Verne): Supposed to be one of the great forerunners to Science Fiction. I liked the idea, but couldn't get through all the scientific jargon to make it even to the half way point. It was like eating bran cereal; too much fiber and not enough taste to make it worth my time.
The Twilight Series (Stephanie Meyers): Yep, I gave in to peer pressure and read all 4 of them. It was a great way to pass the 30+ hours I spent in the car during 2 road trips. They weren't brilliant works of literature, but I was entertained. It was like eating grocery store birthday cake - good for the moment, no real nutritional value, and sometimes you can't take in too much in one sitting without getting sick, but you know that if it's around you're going to want a piece. And it's much better when it's shared with others.
Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens): Unfortunately, I approached this one with a bias, I already love Dickens. This was good, but not great. Really good characters, intriguing moral themes and brilliant social satire, but way wordy and a little far fetched. It's like how the casseroles I cook turn out: I worry so much about getting it right that I over do it and it ends up just tasting weird.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Vol 2 (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle): This was by far my favorite. It was well written, entertaining, explored different aspects of human nature, and I felt smarter after reading it (especially when I could start putting the solution together before Holmes!) And each story was short but fulfilling so I could either nibble a little or chow down as I wanted. It was perfectly flavored and in perfect proportions. It won't be long before I go back for a second helping.
In my office when someone has a birthday we all take an hour break and sit around eating cake and talking. Also in my office, there is one person who enjoys doing most of the talking. He happens to the be the boss too.
Today was someone's birthday. I ordered a lemon raspberry cake with cream cheese frosting. The boss told a 25 minute story about the remodel he's doing on his house.
This was my experience:
Boss story:
My train of thought:
Mmmm cream cheese frosting.
Seriously, that's exactly what was like.
So I've been watching a lot of the Olympic Games. I mean many, many hours each day. Too much? Maybe, except that watching the athletes has kind of inspired me. So I decided today I was going to go all Michael Phelphs and swim laps in our apartment pool - just for the fun of it. (I even learned how to do the different strokes from the Internet. Yeah, I'm that bad).
I had previously checked that there was no one else around to watch me. I'm not ready for judges yet. So, I get all ready and head to the pool. When I get to the pool, however, I can't get in. It's locked for cleaning!
That's twice this summer that they closed the pool, but I didn't find out until I was already at the gate.
Don't these people know how much effort it takes for a woman to put on a swimsuit and go out in public wearing it? The mental strength! The emotional stability! The shaving!
I deserve a gold medal just for making it to the gate!
I might have some Gold Meadow Mint Chocolate in the freezer.... that's close enough for me!
You know that uneasy feeling you get in the pit of your stomach on Sunday nights when you realize the next morning you have to go to work again? Coming home from vacation is like that - only worse.
You know the headache you get when you've just finished making a huge batch of cookies and you see all the mess that activity has caused that now needs to be cleaned up? Unpacking from vacation is like that - only worse.
You know the dizziness you feel when you stare too long at one of those "hidden 3-D image" pictures and still can't see the jumping dolphins or whatever? Sorting out the budget after a vacation is like that - only worse.
So with the uneasy stomach, headache, and dizziness coming home has caused, maybe I should stay in bed just one more day....right?
I know many have been anticipating this... the results are finally in from the "big run" yesterday.
I was able to talk my brother and sister into running with me, which made it even more fun.
Here are the stats for the 5k:
Out of 219 runners...
Riley was 31st with a time of 23:48:8 (3rd out of 17 in his age group)
*Spa is only open on weekends when Mike is out of town and Shaina is left home alone on a Friday night and can only service one person (Shaina) per day.
Services include:
* scrumptious dinner of all salad and no meat
* complete facial with the exclusive exfoliating scrub with olive oil extractsfollowed by an avacado mud mask to purify and mosturize
* overnight hair repair treatment with a deep conditioner the next morning
* free showing of the best chic flics cable has to offer, ice cream optional (this week's movie of choice was Little Women)
* a luxurious queen size bed all to your self with no snoring or morning breath to bother you and no one else to steal the sheets
Also available: hot tub, pedicures/manicures and pilates classes (well, a DVD).
Total cost: $4.00 (for salad and ice cream) thanks to the free samples in the mail, newspapers, and grocery store.
I'd prefer to have Mike home with me every weekend, but when he does have to leave, at least I make the most of it!
*Some people are married to their jobs, we're just dating ours*
A couple is dating. One person decides that things aren’t really going as well they used to be and that they aren’t really as happy in that relationship as they thought they would be. The “maybe it’s time to break up” idea starts forming in the back of their mind. They have nearly reached a definite “I want out” when suddenly something happens: flowers for no reason, a real engaging conversation, or just a great doorstep scene, and the person starts to reconsider. They think “well, maybe things aren’t SO bad, I’ll stay in a little longer and see what happens.”
The “maybe, well maybe not” battle continues, sometimes for years, before any definite action is taken.
I thought I had left all of that behind when I got married. I was wrong. Apparently the mind games that go on in the dating world can also happen in the corporate world.
Lately more than ever, Mike and I have been thinking about how un-thrilled we are with what we’re doing at work. It’s not that we have bad jobs; they just don’t make us really happy anymore. We talk about when and how we can “break up” with work.
Then, this week happened.
My work bought everyone lunch and cupcakes and I had a great morning with one of my coworkers restructuring a process that has been a mess for years. It was like having one of those “engaging conversations” with my job.
Mike’s work took us to Park City and paid for an evening of zipline, alpine slide, and roller coaster rides kicked off by a nice dinner where the head of his department lathered on the flattery and praise for each individual member of the team. It was a sort of “flowers for no reason” night.
So we ended the week with a “well, maybe it’s not SO bad.”
Although, in the back of our minds we’re still thinking about breaking up. Unless an incredible "doorstep scene" raise comes along…
We are celebrating the 4th of July this year by sleeping in and then attending 4 different BBQs/Picnics.
Lots of food, lots of friends and no work for 3 days.
That's what I call living the American Dream.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
