Good times, Great oldies

So I love pictures and since I don't have the good ones we are all still waiting for (yes...Josh in the Santa thong) I have some others that we took last night at the Hawks family party. This was all of Josh's fathers family that was there. I couldn't believe how many cousins and kids there were. We had the dinner at Josh's aunt's Dance studio.



Monty and April (parents-in-law) with me and Josh


Josh and I with Grandma Hawks.

Joshy and me


Joshy, Dallin and Deklan (these were my fav's that I took)!


Me and B! Thanks for bein' a sport! ;-)

I need a nap!!!!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. I had such a fantastic weekend before Christmas. I haven't seen that much of my family in one weekend since I don't know when. It truly was the best weekend EVER! The Friday(Dec.21) before Christmas we all got together at Thorny's beautiful home. Family had come down from out of state, and the food was INCREDIBLE! (my brother Chris and I enjoying the eclairs)I stuffed myself like a Thanksgiving turkey, and still managed to shove more food in my mouth. I honestly don't think I could stop talking about the food, but I will spare those that read this.

We had a white elephant gift exchange which I am sad to say my husband went home with the Santa thong that is passed around .
It was just a blast to sit around and laugh and talk with family. Just sitting and watching everyone laugh and talk and enjoy each others company brought me so much joy. Shout out to Thorny, you did a fabulous job!
On Sunday (Dec. 23th) Josh and I went out to Tooele for my brother Chris' homecoming. He has returned from serving a mission in Poland. It was such an excellent service. My sister and brother in law both sang "Away in a Manger". It really brought me to tears. I was so emotional that day. Because again our family was all there. I guess for some of you that don't know, I should explain a little. My sister's, husbands, parents, have pretty much adopted me as one of their own and I now call them mom and dad. They treat me as if I had really been born to them. For me this has been one of the greatest blessings I could ask for. Mom's siblings have really accepted me as their niece and a member of their family. I couldn't ask for a better family to be a part of. I am truly blessed to have so many people who love and care about me, and have accepted my husband into the family as well. So continuing on...after church we went to the house for again more wonderful and delicious food. I love food. Later that night, when it was just us kids with mom and dad, we all sat around and talked and listened to mission stories from the guys, of course I teared up again, with the heartfelt words dad shared with all of us.

On Monday(Dec. 24), after working Josh and I braved the harsh snow storm that hit and drove from Layton down to Pleasant Grove. Luckily Josh is very calm driving in crazy weather, because it kept me very calm (well that and the fact I wasn't driving). We made it down to my sisters, where there was nicole and jon, mom and dad, chris and jim, grandma Vicki, Bryan and K8, and Darren. Grandma Vicki read the Christmas story to us out of Luke. We exchanged our family presents. Josh and I had decided to stay the night.

Christmas morning, we woke up to my niece shouting about all the presents that were out. I was so excited as I had a huge surprise for Josh (for those of you thinking it, NO!, I'm not pregnant). ;-) I had been doing everything I could to keep him from knowing about this one surprise, and it had worked. As the last gift to be opened Josh got his Linkin Park concert tickets. His face was priceless (could totally do the mastercard commercial right now, but again I will spare those reading this). It really was a fantastic day. My sis and I made breakfast and stayed in our pj's all day. We all watched the Borne Ultimatum, and Josh and I journeyed back to our home in Ogden where we could play our Nintendo Wii on the big screen. By the way I highly recommend the Wii, it's a blast! I've never had so much fun playing video games before.

Last night (Dec. 27th) was Josh's family party. We went up to the family cabin (aka-the house he grew up in), where we sat and ate and chatted while the kids all played. Josh broke out the Wii and each of us had to play once. I guess the day before the in-laws actually took a go at the Wii and loved it. I so wished I could have seen them play boxing. Later that night, Mama Hawks brought out matching pajama's for all to wear. At first, yes I thought this a little strange, but then realized how fantastic this idea is as I am out of jammies. Who doesn't need more pajama's right?! They were so super cute too (pictures will be coming for these as well). We then had a great time exchanging gifts, as most of us ended up with the presents that we brought. Josh was stoked because we came back home with the movie "Transformers". I was pretty thrilled with my gift as well! Thanks B, just know I will be collecting on my "I owe U!" ;-) Later as the little ones were put to bed and the older kids played the with the Wii, me, my two sister-in-laws, and my parents in law, all sat around and had a fantastic conversation about raising children. It was so neat to hear so many different sides and reflect on the way I was brought up. I really enjoyed talking with them, and feeling the spirit reside with us so strongly. I am really blessed to have married into such a kind and loving family. I really look forward to the future Christmas' that I will be able to spend with them. Sorry this is so long winded I hope everyone had such a Merry Christmas, and enjoy the New Year! Happy Hanukah everyone.

Josh ruined Christmas......

Okay well not really, but it's our new running joke. As some of you may know, Josh and I decided to purchase a nintendo Wii as our Christmas present to each other. I knew we needed the double controllers as the Wii only comes with one. Just about everyday Josh would pester me about getting them along with some games. So I thought I would purchase them and surprise him Christmas morning. I had one week to keep it from him. I figured shouldn't be too hard as he is very forgetful about things. Boy was I so off base. I did a lot of lying to keep this from him, as I got his brother involved, and asked him to let Josh know they were all sold out at Toy'r'us (his brother is the manager there). I just continued to tell Josh over and over that we didn't have the money at this time and that we needed to get Christmas presents for people first before thinking of ourselves. Finally last night as he pushed button after button on my nerves, then giving me the guilt trip of how I didn't want to play the Wii with him, he was just going to sell it. He figured getting $100 extra for it was worth it, and kept throwing the selling card at me. Boiling point was reached and that's when I lost it. I couldn't think of anything else to say to him to get him to let it go. So I informed him (of course at the top of my lungs cuz I was so frustrated) that I purchased the controllers as well as a game for him. I think I heard a pin drop, which was then followed by the continued apologizing of my husband. I was so angry with him that I informed him that since I had bought these controllers and they were for the both of us, I wasn't expecting him to get me anything, but now since he has ruined Christmas for me, he better be getting me the best present EVER. What that is I don't know, but he better be prayin that I love it. ;-) Eh, who am I kidding, I would be happy with my hershey's cherry cordials and a diet pepsi. Life really can't get better than that!

The best belated birthday present EVER!

So my best friend Dharma and her husband Sam went out to dinner with Josh and I tonight. It was just a blast to catch up with the two of them as our lives are so crazy. Well you can make fun of me all you want (and it's okay because Josh does it all the time) but after dinner they brought me over my belated birthday present.
It's true a full crate of Diet Pepsi!

It pays to have your best friends husband work for Pepsi. And if you look closely, I am sporting it's rival, Diet Coke. Apparently Pepsi Co. has a huge catalog for all sorts of clothing, hats, etc. I was so excited when Dharma told me this, I about fell off my chair. I can't wait to get a Diet Pespi shirt to wear with my Diet Coke pants and ask people, "which do you think is better?"

The second part of my birthday present was also one of the greatest past time joys.
"Attention Rex Manning fans, to your left you will notice a shoplifter being chased by night manager, Lucas. This young man will be caught, deep fried in a vat of hot oil and served to our first hundred customers. Just another tasty treat from the gang at Empire Records."


Thank you to my best friend who I love, and knows me so well!!!!

Very Bored at the moment

Just showing off my new hair color. :-)
From this hot on fire red......





to.......



the blonde that I truly am inside.....
I miss my long hair. But such is the way it goes. You grow it out to cut it off. Either that or your husband calls you chicken for not cutting it off so you have to be stubborn and chop it to prove a point. Good news is that he still likes it. I'm blessed to have a husband who understands my need to color hair, okay well he might not understand it so much, but he's cool with it. It used to be an obsessive issue for me (my sister still might think so, love ya jells), I think it still might be some days, but now that I have taken all the color out of my hair, I don't think I will be able to put any back in for a while as my hair is very very damaged. Kids don't try this at home. Leave it to the professionals.

Adoption Day

This morning Josh and I were able to attend the adoption of our nephew Jay. Josh's sister Kallee and her husband Chad have fostered Jay for the last year and today we all went to the courthouse/Juvunile Department. It was so neat, I teared up as I listened to the judge talk. The judge had asked Kallee and Chad if they would treat Jay as their own natural child as if though he had been actually born to them. I thought about how Heavenly Father looked at us when we were in heaven and asked us to do the same with His children. I thought how similar it is that we just take care of His children for him since he physically cannot be here. It just really touched me, and to look around the courtroom and see how much family was there to support. My in-law's even flew up for today, it was great to see them. There was so much love, it was awesome.

I love my mother in law she cracks me up. Josh says we are way to much alike. I took offense to that at first, but then today as we chatted, I saw how similar we really are, it made me laugh so hard. Afterwards we all enjoyed a fabulous breakfast at Dee's. I love Dee's. I love breakfast. I love breakfast at Dee's. Breakfast is my favorite. ;-) It's all about the biscuits and GRAVY!!!!

Christmas Meme

If you haven't done this yet and are reading it: Tag you are it! :-)

1) Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate all the way, Stephen's, have I told you lately that I love you, oh and there is no one else above you?

2) Do you wrap your presents or not? Totally all about the wrapping, even though I wait til the last minute to do it.

3) Colored lights or white? All about the white. White goes with everything (well at Christmas time)

4) Do you hang mistletoe? Dang it, that's what I forgot at Michaels

5) When do you put up your decorations? This is the first year I have my own house, and I have been so swamped with work, so just little bits have been put up at a time.

6) What is your favorite holiday dish? Anything dessert-ish that I don't have to make.

7) Favorite memory as a child? The year my sister and I went out to the living room to see what toys we got before we went into get our parents, and then went into their bedroom telling them how we hoped we got the toys that we had already seen. Mom wasn't to happy with us for going out to the living room without them.

8) When and how did you learn about Santa? A girl told me when I was in second grade, and I came home and asked my mom if he was real and she told me he wasn't. Worked for me.

9) Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Growing up we were always allowed to open just one.

10) How do you decorate your tree? I haven't yet. We probably won't have one this year, just because the thought of it makes me a little tired, and with my schedule this year, there just really isn't the time. But next year......oh look out baby, I am so all over it! I'm gonna hit Michaels the day after Christmas.

11) Snow...love it or dread it? Dread it on the roads, otherwise LOVE IT!

12) Can you ice skate? Depends, what I am skating on? ;-)

13) Do you remember your favorite gift? Sadly I can't remember, and truthfully I don't feel like sitting here for the next two hours racking my brain through all my gifts. I really just to love remembering all the toys I got as a child and remembering the Christmas' I had with my parents.

14) What is the most important part of the holidays? Remembering my Savior Jesus Christ, spending all the time that I can with my family, and eating as much as I can possibly stand.

15) Favorite holiday dessert? The oreo treats (crushed oreo's mixed with cream cheese, rolled up into a little ball and dipped in chocolate) kelli and I make, now Brandi(congratulations) has been inducted into our candy making.

16) Favorite tradition? Can't really remember any traditions, I am hoping Josh and I can start some of our own.

17) Favorite Christmas Carol? You are kidding right? There are so many! I have to say the top on my list is "What child is this" when my sister will sing it, if I can ever get her to sing it for me! ;-) Oh and I am so with Thorny on this one, "All I want for Christmas is you". I just can't get sick of that song.

So what about you? What are your thoughts and feelings on Christmas??

Please no more coloring for the night

Don't get me wrong, I love what I do. But it's nights like these that I just think there is no way in high holy heaven that I want to go back to work tomorrow when I know what will show up. So tonight I had an Asian woman come in to get her hair done. Nothing against Asian women, but they all want to be blond and it is really difficult to get their hair to that stage sometimes. Well she didn't want to be blond all over but just have it weaved through, as well as have the another color (almost black, but a dark brown to her) going throughout the rest of her hair. FABULOUS! So that takes forever, finally get her processed and in the sink and she is really bright yellow on the roots and a light brown on the ends, so I have to tone it, no big deal. I tone it, then put a really heavy conditioner on her hair and take her to the chair to blow dry her out. While the toner was on her hair in the sink, it looked as though it had pulled to just the color I had wanted (a nice light carmel color). So in my head I was home free. Not even close!!! As I blew her dry, the toner had given the look of orange to the highlights. It's now 9pm (time to go home), you can tell she is getting crabby because this has taken so long, I am trying to hide my frustration of the orange hair. She then asks me if it looks a little gold to her?! GOLD?! um no. So to allow both of us the opportunity to go home, I tell her that I think it just might be the lights that's she's sitting under and to wait until tomorrow in the daylight and if it doesn't look right to her to come back and I will be happy to fix it. Gosh I am so kind. I know in my gut she will be back tomorrow, my gut is never wrong when it comes to hair. I think the most frustrating thing is you spend so much time on something and knowing that the next day you are gonna have to see that person again to fix what you spent all that time on. GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRR. The even more frustrating thing is that I still don't have this color line down that I use at work. I hate guessing with it. I wish more than anything I could use my own color line, because every time I know exactly how the color is gonna come out and I am not saying a prayer at the sink pleading that this color will turn out and the person will like it! I'm going to take a bath!

Out of body experience, party of one

So you ever have that dream where you are doing something and you all of a sudden can see yourself doing whatever it is you are doing? Yeah, well I don't care what anyone says it happened at work today. Okay well not totally but something so close. I think this cold has gotten to the point where I am hallucinating. I was coloring this girls hair today, just touching up her roots and all of a sudden I felt like the world around me was going at warp speed, and I am just moving as fast as a slug on a log. At that point I swear it just felt like I could see myself just going super slow while I watched everything just move around me (just like you would in the movies...I watch way to much tv). I tried to tell my brain to move it along, and there was just no going any quicker. The best part is once I got her roots done and had to put the color on the rest of her hair I joined the rest of the salon at the warp speed. It's strange how days can go like that. Yesterday I did 13 clients, today I did 5. Both days were super swamped with people. I guess like anything good and bad days. I'm just glad I didn't get stiffed like I did yesterday. It was really bad yesterday, but luckily for me I was blessed by G's (a co-worker) Navajo crystal and still made good tips (shout out to G and the crystal).

Money is just paper, or rather the root of all evil, your choice

Funny how money can be such a stress machine. It's a piece of paper and it makes people crazy. My hubby can be quite the stresser of money. Me on the other hand am the complete opposite. I really don't stress over it until it's down to the very last millimeter of the wire, then I go completely postal, and POOF everything works out. It always does. I had to tell my hubby today that I can't have him stressing over money issues, because when he stresses, it stresses me, and it's the one thing I don't stress over and I need to not stress over it. I have a ba-zillion other things to worry over and if I have one thing that I don't worry over, I really would rather not have it added to my list. Luckily my husband is chilled out in every other aspect of life and promised that since I do the bills he will try to stay calm about the situation. Well the situation started out small and grew into one large ball of snow literally within a matter of two hours. Funny thing is that it all has to do with our cars, yay for cars and never working right! But, I figure, things have been going well for us for a while, so it's time for a trial, and I am going to try to pass this one with flying colors (let us pray!) :-)

The Best Day EVER!!!!!

Okay so I have to say that yesterday was a horrible no good very bad day. I had a fabulous breakdown that was quite Oscar worthy, I was stiffed in tips almost the whole day, my sickness has gotten to me so bad that it has made me crazy (well more crazy than most days), I really just felt like I had done a horrible job with my clients hair all day, and all I wanted to do was come home and have comfort food. I love comfort food. I couldn't do that because I couldn't taste the freakin' food. Luckily my sweet husband worked me through the breakdown, I sat in the shower and breathed. This morning I woke up with the puffiest eyes, surprised I could see through them only to realize I could smell, yes smell. Then I thought ok well this will be for just a minute and my nose will stuff up again. After my shower I could smell my perfume I put on, and thought it way to good to be true. All morning I continued to smell my wrist just to keep checking to see if I could still smell. Just as an FYI I haven't been able to smell anything in almost a month. And if you read in my other blog I haven't been able to taste any foods a little over a week, I think almost two. Well anyway I get to work, got my diet coke (just for the caffeine since I couldn't enjoy the taste of it), and after a couple gulps of it realized I could taste it. I was so EXCITED! I can't begin to even describe the happiness. After my horrible day yesterday the most blessed thing in the world happens, I can TASTE again. The choirs were singing and my co-workers making fun of me. But I paid them no mind because I could taste my Diet Coke. Sad news is we were so swamped today that I didn't get to eat all day, so I stopped at Wendys on my way home and really took advantage of their dollar menu. :-) It was joyous. Work turned out pretty good today as well, I banked on tips as I decided to have the attitude of having no expectations in regards to tips and to really just focus on my artistic ability. I feel like it really worked today. Oh and did I mention I can taste my DIET COKE?!?!?!?!

Sisters

You know it's interesting how much you think you know about someone and yet you really don't know them. I consider my sister one of my best friends up next to my husband. Funny thing is, I am finding out so much about her that I had no idea. We stayed the night last night at mom's (aka Robin) and sat up talking last night about past boyfriends and feelings, and I had no idea. It broke my heart when I realized how much I never paid attention to my sister and what was going on in her life while we were growing up. Then tonight reading on her blog that she saved two peoples lives, I had no idea. It was like the night about two years ago when we lived in Moscow and we talked for two hours about our parents death, and our feelings surrounding them. That was one of the biggest eye openers for me. I had no idea about her feelings and what she had gone through. I feel so strange inside knowing that I know my sister, I know who she is, but things that happened to her and her feelings just seemed to pass right by me because I was so self absorbed. Sadly I still am a little, but I'm working on it. It is cool that I am getting to know more about jells. I love my sis and I really don't know what I would do if she wasn't there for me.

Traciology

Let others know a little more about yourself, repost this as your name followed by "ology."

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. I can't believe I will admit to this but I'm gonna say Taco Bell. Yes it's sad, but a weakness.

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
A: Chips and Salsa

Q.What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. Canadian Bacon, Pineapple, extra sauce, extra cheese.

TECHNOLOGYQ. What is currently on your computer wall paper?
A: It was of me and Josh on our wedding day, but I just looked and it's gone, guess I will have to put it back up.

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A: Three, what?! we like t.v. :-)

BIOLOGYQ. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right handed.

Q. When was the last time you had a cavity?
A. Uh I think I have cavities inside cavities, I think I'll call the dentist tomorrow.

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. Not that I know of

BULL-CRAPOLOGYQ. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. That would be a big crap NO!

Q. What color do you think looks best on you?
A. Uh I think red, I would need to consult Robins color pallet.

Q. Have you ever saved someone's life?
A. Wow no, but I just found out my sister did and I had no idea.

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. My sister and my hubby

DUMBOLOGYQ: What is in your left pocket?A: my jammies don't have pockets

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A. I'm still trying to figure out why it never won an oscar

Q. Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Both

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A: This last August when Josh and I were driving to Washington, and while in the state of Montana Josh told me to slow down because we couldn't afford a ticket and I told him that we were fine because in all the times I have driven to Washington I have never passed a cop in Montana, not even a minute after I had said that, there were flashing lights behind me and I get a $70 ticket.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: A toys'r'us kid

LASTOLOGYQ: Last person who called you?
A: My Hubby

Q: Person you hugged?
A: my boss Jodie, she's awesome like that

FAVORITOLOGYQ: Number?
A: I have no idea

Q: Season?
A: Summer. I love to be warm! Oh and fall comes in second, I love the colors of the leaves and the smell of the first cold. Weird I know.

CURRENTOLOGYQ: Mood?
A: Sick and Tired :-)

Q: Listening to?
A: the water in our fish tank

Q: Watching?
A: The computer screen

RANDOMOLOGYQ: First place you went this morning?
A: Home after staying the night at mom's with Jelly

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Kiss my hubby when he gets home, I've missed him

Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A: The Holiday

Q: Do you smile often?
A: I try really hard to all the time.

Tagged

So I was tagged by Brandi about 7 random things, wow this really could take a while......

1. FOOD! Okay so food is number one right now, because I am sick with this stupid cold and haven't been able to taste food for a week. I love food, I love to eat..lalalala(I've got the Mary Poppins song in my head "I love to laugh", but replacing it with "I love to eat") any way it was so frustrating going to Thanksgiving dinner and not being able to taste any of the food. We went to Chili's for dinner the other night and I was so excited to eat chips and salsa as it is my favorite and I couldn't taste it. I haven't been this frustrated in a while.

2. SHOES! I love shoes. Shoes are my favorite. Funny thing is that I buy shoes all the time and I only wear just a few of them. To date, I have 50 pairs. I love every single one. I buy tons of sandals but hardly ever wear them because my feet sweat (worse than normal). Boots are my second favorite, I am seriously addicted.

3. HAIR! It's my passion, and it's the other thing that is on my mind. I really need a deep condition right now as I am working my way towards going very blonde. I was a gorgeous purple and fire engine red, but I like to be different and go light in the winter and dark in the summer. I've realized that I love coloring my own hair, but cutting hair is what I love most. It's almost like sculpting. Some one comes in with nothing done to their hair and you create a whole new look for them and they look amazing when they leave your chair and you helped them to feel better about themselves.

4. COLDS. I have had this cold for a month now and my nose is RAW! I almost don't want to wipe it anymore. The worst part is being in public with a cold. I can't stand to blow my nose in public, and when its just running like the kitchen sink it's so hard not to just blow like a train whistle. So lets see what's more embarrassing, sticking the tissue up your nose and just letting it hang, or blowing so loud Mexico can hear you?

5. BEDS!I so love my bed. I made this horrible mistake of taking a nap today in my bed. It was a mistake because I know that when I nap in my bed I won't be comfortable when I go to sleep later that night. And here I am at 1 in the morning typing away because I can't get comfortable to save my soul. I am so super tired, I love my bed. When I was in school I would always think about my bed and imagine me lying in it.

6. MUSIC! So I have been sitting here and playing with the music playlist that will eventually be put up if I would stop getting errors. I love music, I keep finding all these great songs, I love just about every genre of music. I think for the most part I would rather listen to music than watch t.v.

7. HOSTING PARTIES. I finally have accepted and embraced the fact that I cannot plan parties. I really actually don't like it. I don't like hosting people. I hate having people look to me like what is next. I hate planning games and food, what a stress, at least for me. I thought I liked it and the more I sit here and think about it the more I realize how stressful it is. So power to those that can do it without stressing and love it!!!!

Ah welcome me

Okay Brandi girl, this is for you! Okay well not really just for you, but me too. Josh says I need an outlet so maybe I will start to make this my outlet. I really have nothing to go on about right now, just cuz I am so all about making it all look pretty. :-) So if I think of something as I add things to this blog, I will type more.