Here are the rules:Link the person who tagged you.
Tell about 6 quirks of yours.
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.
Leave a comment to let them know.
1.) I clean house like an OCD schizophrenic. I don't go from room to room like many sane people. I see something that needs putting away, and en route to putting it where it belongs I see something else that needs to be done and end up doing that instead only to get frustrated with myself for getting distracted in the first place and then putting the first thing away last. It's pretty chaotic but I still get things done.
2.) I still like to color in coloring books. I find it mildly entertaining and gets my mind off all my adult responsibilities.
3.) I still laugh at movies with bathroom humor. And I can still participate in belching contests.
4.) Just about ANYTHING makes me cry or become emotional. I cry reading hallmark cards, seeing those Christian Children's Fund commercials, seeing a beautiful child,or weight loss success stories (the list is endless)
5.) If I swear it never sounds genuine or like I really mean it. While working, if a Deaf person chooses to swear and I have to voice the swear word, I really feel bad because I just suck at it.
6.) I laugh really easily at a lot of things, even when people might not be trying to be funny. It has made for some awkward situations with people. I think laughing easy is a genetic trait from my mom.
I hope these count as quirks, because I had a hard time coming up with them!
I now tag Shelly, Tammie, Tanya, Rachel (Keyser!), and Arren!
Saturday, September 27
Monday, September 22
R &R in Bear Lake
We just got back last night from a trip to Bear Lake this last weekend! It was so much fun! When we checked the weather for this weekend in trying to plan what we wanted to do we were a little bummed to see that it was supposed to rain and be cold on Saturday. We went ahead and planned and it ended up being a great trip.
We arrived late Thursday night and stayed the night, but moved to a different condo the next day for the following 2 nights. Friday was spent driving around Bear Lake. We drove to Paris, Idaho to see the LDS tabernacle there. It was such a cool place to visit, and such a beautiful historic building. When I visit places like that I can't help but feel really touched by the holiness of the site, and the legacy of faith the pioneers have given to modern day LDS people.
Then we decided to keep driving north to Montpelier, Idaho to look around. Brandon and I share a common love and interest in small towns so we thought we'd go take a look-see. We drove around a bit looking at some really cool looking Victorian style homes at least 100 years old, as well as visited the Oregon Trail visitor center. A bishop of Brandon's ward back home in Cambridge had moved to Montpelier years ago and Brandon wanted to visit their home, so we did. What wonderful people they were. They welcomed us in to their home and talked with us for a while. The cool part was that we were taken across the street to a semi-circled LDS tabernacle that was dedicated in 1918. It was beautiful. It's a building unlike any I have seen built by the LDS Church. It had original paintings by an LDS artist of pioneers. It had the original pipe organ still intact and used even to this day. Church officials were going to knock down the tabernacle, then because of the local LDS people it was saved and modern technology was used to make the building safe and up to code.
After we left Montpelier we drove back down to the beach not far from the condo we stayed in and went wading in the water. Because Friday was the warmer day before the rainy Saturday we experienced the water was clear and beautiful. What I love about Bear Lake is the cool clear water there. There is no algae that grows there so we can see the bottom several hundred feet out from the shore. I didn't know this before Brandon told me, but Bear Lake is sometimes called the "Carribean of the Rockies" and I think that fits the description very well, except no nude beaches!
Saturday we woke up to rain and cold weather but still made the best of it. We got up and got ready for the day and then went out to lunch at a local restaurant. Then we drove south to a golf course where Brandon and I splurged and paid for him to pay 9 holes of golf, rented clubs, and paid a fee to rent a cart and allow me to drive. It was really chilly outside still, but we had so much fun just messing around in the cart on the course and hoping not to be struck by lightning in the process. It sprinkled on occasion but otherwise the cool air was refreshing.
After golf, we decided to drive around the lake. We ended up driving all the way around the lake which was a gorgeous drive. On the way back from the lake we stopped in St. Charles, Utah and visited their old cemetary. It was so cool to see how old some of the graves were, and that some of the people buried their had seals on their graves that showed some of them fought in WWI and in the Mormon Battalion. Others showed they were among the original pioneers that came to Utah seeking refuge from the mobs back East.
Yesterday we got up and left the condo and enjoyed a wonderful trip down Logan Canyon. Trees are changing color so fall is definitely here! When we arrived to Logan we went to church at the Logan Deaf Branch and visited people we hadn't seen in a very long time. It was sooo good to catch up with the dear people up there. Lots of memories came back to me just being there. I just have to go to Logan, and I feel like I am home. There are very few places that I truly feel like that.
We arrived late Thursday night and stayed the night, but moved to a different condo the next day for the following 2 nights. Friday was spent driving around Bear Lake. We drove to Paris, Idaho to see the LDS tabernacle there. It was such a cool place to visit, and such a beautiful historic building. When I visit places like that I can't help but feel really touched by the holiness of the site, and the legacy of faith the pioneers have given to modern day LDS people.
Then we decided to keep driving north to Montpelier, Idaho to look around. Brandon and I share a common love and interest in small towns so we thought we'd go take a look-see. We drove around a bit looking at some really cool looking Victorian style homes at least 100 years old, as well as visited the Oregon Trail visitor center. A bishop of Brandon's ward back home in Cambridge had moved to Montpelier years ago and Brandon wanted to visit their home, so we did. What wonderful people they were. They welcomed us in to their home and talked with us for a while. The cool part was that we were taken across the street to a semi-circled LDS tabernacle that was dedicated in 1918. It was beautiful. It's a building unlike any I have seen built by the LDS Church. It had original paintings by an LDS artist of pioneers. It had the original pipe organ still intact and used even to this day. Church officials were going to knock down the tabernacle, then because of the local LDS people it was saved and modern technology was used to make the building safe and up to code.
After we left Montpelier we drove back down to the beach not far from the condo we stayed in and went wading in the water. Because Friday was the warmer day before the rainy Saturday we experienced the water was clear and beautiful. What I love about Bear Lake is the cool clear water there. There is no algae that grows there so we can see the bottom several hundred feet out from the shore. I didn't know this before Brandon told me, but Bear Lake is sometimes called the "Carribean of the Rockies" and I think that fits the description very well, except no nude beaches!
Saturday we woke up to rain and cold weather but still made the best of it. We got up and got ready for the day and then went out to lunch at a local restaurant. Then we drove south to a golf course where Brandon and I splurged and paid for him to pay 9 holes of golf, rented clubs, and paid a fee to rent a cart and allow me to drive. It was really chilly outside still, but we had so much fun just messing around in the cart on the course and hoping not to be struck by lightning in the process. It sprinkled on occasion but otherwise the cool air was refreshing.
After golf, we decided to drive around the lake. We ended up driving all the way around the lake which was a gorgeous drive. On the way back from the lake we stopped in St. Charles, Utah and visited their old cemetary. It was so cool to see how old some of the graves were, and that some of the people buried their had seals on their graves that showed some of them fought in WWI and in the Mormon Battalion. Others showed they were among the original pioneers that came to Utah seeking refuge from the mobs back East.
Yesterday we got up and left the condo and enjoyed a wonderful trip down Logan Canyon. Trees are changing color so fall is definitely here! When we arrived to Logan we went to church at the Logan Deaf Branch and visited people we hadn't seen in a very long time. It was sooo good to catch up with the dear people up there. Lots of memories came back to me just being there. I just have to go to Logan, and I feel like I am home. There are very few places that I truly feel like that.
Tuesday, September 16
Quite a Difference
Growing up in a warm weather climate I was always outside playing or playing sports. I was very active. I swam on the neighborhood swim team and loved playing volleyball in the Young Women, as well as basketball. I am still pretty good at volleyball, though just like any skill I have to get warmed up in order to even play decent. Let's just say that basketball has never come back to me in any shape or form. Swimming will forever be second nature to me. I have always loved the water, and can't wait for the day when I can teach my own kids.
During school, the only physically active things I did were the classes I took at the HPER building at USU. They only required 3 classes to graduate. After taking swimming twice, volleyball once, spinning (which I never went to) and yoga. I loved these classes. Walking all over campus was also a great way to stay in shape, because I naturally am a "hoofin' it" kind of person. I have never understood why people just saunter.
After graduating college, any physical activity came to a screeching halt. I even tried joining a health club but that was just a waste of money because I never went. This last summer, I decided that I was going to be more active. I started something I thought I would never do, and that was jogging. Not much improvement in the department of speed has occurred, but my distance without feeling like I am going to keel over dead has dissipated. I even ran my first 5K a week and half ago! It just about killed me, but much to my pleasant surprise, I wasn't even sore two days afterwards. And with another impending walk/run on the 27th, I am jogging or "hoofin it" every day in some form or another. I have really enjoyed the release that getting outside and being active has given me. Of course I have my own health reasons for do all this, but I am thrilled with the time it gives me to not think about my stress, or anything in general, I just focus on breathing and keeping a steady pace. Turns out I can walk and chew gum at the same time! (on rare occasions!)
Last Saturday, Brandon and I went down to SLC riding the FrontRunner in order to go to the Mountain Dew Tour's Freestyle Motocross finals. This was something Brandon had really wanted to do, so I went along with it though I thought it was pretty amazing myself. The skill (also insanity) required for some of the feats and tricks they did is tremendous. But while we were planning the day (meaning the trip down there, the walking, and the timing) Brandon made sure I was aware of the fact that there would be a lot of walking going on. Before this summer, I would have NOT been excited about that at all. I had gotten quite acclimated to my sedentary life on the couch eating my chocolate or commuting in my car inhaling my fast food. But's it's amazing how one can change this outlook by getting scary blood test results, and by choosing to eat healthier! I actually was excited to walk and get my blood pumping!
We walked a TON, but it was worth it. We had so much fun just being together and laughing and talking. But important also is the fact that I got my "activity" in for the day!
During school, the only physically active things I did were the classes I took at the HPER building at USU. They only required 3 classes to graduate. After taking swimming twice, volleyball once, spinning (which I never went to) and yoga. I loved these classes. Walking all over campus was also a great way to stay in shape, because I naturally am a "hoofin' it" kind of person. I have never understood why people just saunter.
After graduating college, any physical activity came to a screeching halt. I even tried joining a health club but that was just a waste of money because I never went. This last summer, I decided that I was going to be more active. I started something I thought I would never do, and that was jogging. Not much improvement in the department of speed has occurred, but my distance without feeling like I am going to keel over dead has dissipated. I even ran my first 5K a week and half ago! It just about killed me, but much to my pleasant surprise, I wasn't even sore two days afterwards. And with another impending walk/run on the 27th, I am jogging or "hoofin it" every day in some form or another. I have really enjoyed the release that getting outside and being active has given me. Of course I have my own health reasons for do all this, but I am thrilled with the time it gives me to not think about my stress, or anything in general, I just focus on breathing and keeping a steady pace. Turns out I can walk and chew gum at the same time! (on rare occasions!)
Last Saturday, Brandon and I went down to SLC riding the FrontRunner in order to go to the Mountain Dew Tour's Freestyle Motocross finals. This was something Brandon had really wanted to do, so I went along with it though I thought it was pretty amazing myself. The skill (also insanity) required for some of the feats and tricks they did is tremendous. But while we were planning the day (meaning the trip down there, the walking, and the timing) Brandon made sure I was aware of the fact that there would be a lot of walking going on. Before this summer, I would have NOT been excited about that at all. I had gotten quite acclimated to my sedentary life on the couch eating my chocolate or commuting in my car inhaling my fast food. But's it's amazing how one can change this outlook by getting scary blood test results, and by choosing to eat healthier! I actually was excited to walk and get my blood pumping!
We walked a TON, but it was worth it. We had so much fun just being together and laughing and talking. But important also is the fact that I got my "activity" in for the day!
Monday, September 8
New Blog
I have a new blog! I have decided that for my own sanity as well as for the education of those around me, I am going to blog about my daily dealings with being a diabetic. If you really don't care, then no harm done. If you are curious that is fine too! I am trying to paint a picture of what diabetes is, and how it affects my life every day. It is kind of to help me vent about the frustrations of the disease, as well as mix in a little bit of humor to help me deal with things. If you ever have questions or thoughts to share, please feel free to ask or post them! Love y'all!
The address is www.diabeticdopf.blogspot.com
Let me know what you think! ;)
The address is www.diabeticdopf.blogspot.com
Let me know what you think! ;)
Wednesday, September 3
I don't have very many soap boxes.. save one...
Okay, so I talked with one of my very close friends Shelly that I have known for years now. We are similar in very many ways (scary for her!) and yet we are unique in some of the opinions of things that makes our friendship all the more wonderful and enjoyable. I have long had a serious beef with people naming their kids outlandish or shall we say "out there" names. Let's just say that there is TOTALLY no shortage of strange or even ridiculous names here in good old Utah. People naming their kids names they have made up for themselves (probably seems like a cool idea at the time) or names from the scriptures not seen in mainstream society. You might call me old fashioned in this respect, but I believe in good and honest names that children who will someday be adults will even be proud of, and won't have to explain themselves when people ask "Where in the H&%$ did your parents get that?" or "What were your parents smoking when they named you?" Or even "Were your parents hippies or what??"
I know that people are often well intentioned when they name their kids. Often the excuse or intention for such names is that they are family names, or names for people that had a lot of character and made an impact on history. One result of this is people using last names as first names seeking to be "original" or "creative". I myself do NOT agree with this. I can tell you right now, there are some interesting names in my family's past, but I am not willing to put my children through a life of torture and scrutiny for an ancestor's namesake. I REFUSE to do it.
Maybe readers of this will find me close-minded, or stubborn.. if that is the case, that is fine with me. I am not going to give any examples of names for people because I don't want to step on any toes or hurt people's feelings. This is just something that I have a very strong opinion about.
I talked with Shelly for a while about this, with us trying to dream up or come up with names we have heard that were crazy. We had some serious laughs over this topic, as well as it coming down to her telling me the names I liked were dull and boring, but hey at least my kids won't ever be the butt of people's jokes (unless I name my kid Jack, but we won't go there) because of their names. I want to give my kids names that will make them proud, not make them embarrassed or ashamed.
I will get off my soap box now, but I just beg those of my many friends that are pregnant to please be kind and courteous to your children! Names are something they will carry with them for always. Okay, I am really done now! Good night!
I know that people are often well intentioned when they name their kids. Often the excuse or intention for such names is that they are family names, or names for people that had a lot of character and made an impact on history. One result of this is people using last names as first names seeking to be "original" or "creative". I myself do NOT agree with this. I can tell you right now, there are some interesting names in my family's past, but I am not willing to put my children through a life of torture and scrutiny for an ancestor's namesake. I REFUSE to do it.
Maybe readers of this will find me close-minded, or stubborn.. if that is the case, that is fine with me. I am not going to give any examples of names for people because I don't want to step on any toes or hurt people's feelings. This is just something that I have a very strong opinion about.
I talked with Shelly for a while about this, with us trying to dream up or come up with names we have heard that were crazy. We had some serious laughs over this topic, as well as it coming down to her telling me the names I liked were dull and boring, but hey at least my kids won't ever be the butt of people's jokes (unless I name my kid Jack, but we won't go there) because of their names. I want to give my kids names that will make them proud, not make them embarrassed or ashamed.
I will get off my soap box now, but I just beg those of my many friends that are pregnant to please be kind and courteous to your children! Names are something they will carry with them for always. Okay, I am really done now! Good night!
Added to the LIST!
Today was our meeting with our resource family consultant! She came over at 5 pm and sat down with us to ask us questions. We were asked the following:
RFC: Do you prefer boys or girls?
US: Either one!
RFC: That's great! It seems like everyone is waiting for a baby girl, so we will keep you mind for both!
RFC: What nationality/races are you willing to bring into your home?
US: We are open to anything!
RFC: Are you willing to take any children with medial medical problems?
US: Such as..?
RFC: Children with asthma, deafness (DUH!), blindness, drug babies experiencing withdrawals? US: All of the above, except for blind.
RFC: Great! I will keep you in mind for any Deaf babies or children then...
RFC: I am so glad that you guys aren't weird or anything, because sometimes when I go into people's homes, I get the feeling that maybe they are a little different, but you guys seem to be great. (little does she know!!) So I will be more likely to place a baby with you both instead of families that are kind of on my "weird" list. (maybe you had to be there when she said this, because we all just laughed. She was totally cool!)
That's the gist of what happened. She asked us other questions but those were the more critical ones! We are finally officially on the waiting list for a placement! Hooray!
RFC: Do you prefer boys or girls?
US: Either one!
RFC: That's great! It seems like everyone is waiting for a baby girl, so we will keep you mind for both!
RFC: What nationality/races are you willing to bring into your home?
US: We are open to anything!
RFC: Are you willing to take any children with medial medical problems?
US: Such as..?
RFC: Children with asthma, deafness (DUH!), blindness, drug babies experiencing withdrawals? US: All of the above, except for blind.
RFC: Great! I will keep you in mind for any Deaf babies or children then...
RFC: I am so glad that you guys aren't weird or anything, because sometimes when I go into people's homes, I get the feeling that maybe they are a little different, but you guys seem to be great. (little does she know!!) So I will be more likely to place a baby with you both instead of families that are kind of on my "weird" list. (maybe you had to be there when she said this, because we all just laughed. She was totally cool!)
That's the gist of what happened. She asked us other questions but those were the more critical ones! We are finally officially on the waiting list for a placement! Hooray!
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