Coconut Skins

Sometimes I feel like I should be in a "better" place or "more successful" place in life because of those around me...but I look around and I see my friends and my family and I am happy. Life isn't easy and crappy things happen...hard, difficult things still come my way...but I am happy...and I like my life...and the things I don't like...well...I'm working...slowly but surely at times...on changing them. But when I run into friends from college or high school and they ask me what I am doing and how I am doing and I see that look of disdain in their eyes I laugh to myself, and smile at them...I am happy...I know who I am...I like (most of the time) who I am...and that is not going to change with monetary success or an amazing job, or being a mother of four or five...or whatever...I am not saying I don't have goals and dreams...but just because I am not living the "picture perfect" life that so many think I should like does not mean a damn thing. I am happy...so sit on this!

The link is to the Damine Rice song Coconut Skins...I dedicate it to all of you who have disdain and disappointment :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pam_JXSLqZE

TAGGED?

Ok so Erin "tagged" me...whatever that means...and I am pretty sure that my sister in law may have as well...so here goes...

questions from Erin:

FOUR PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY: 1.Courtney Nichole Ruttenbur...if emailing me from her phone counts...she use to do it from work...but she has a new job...so phone to email is AWESOME!!! 2. Alice...also known as Jennifer Diane Platts 3. work people...all day long 4. family members...there are a lot of you.

FOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS: 1. Kitty Pappa's Steakhouse on HWY 89...BEST CAKE EVER! and the steak isn't too bad either. 2. Happy Sumo...or Ah Sushi...depends on my mood. 3. Ed's (it's in IL) 4. Flemming's.

FIVE THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEAR: 1. Vacations 2. New position at work 3. my niece or nephew coming in September!!! (THAT IS PROBABLY NUMBER ONE)!!! 4. purchasing a Nintendo Wii 5. Courtney's wedding.

FOUR THINGS I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEAR: 1. Courtney's Wedding (it's bittersweet when a best friend ties the knot) 2. not seeing Erin because the Weists decide the like being ex pats 3....really...I am just excited about the new year...

Questions from Mattie's and Scottie's blog:

Ten years ago: I was a freshman in college at Southern Utah University living in the dorms on campus. I was loving life and making lots of new friends

Five Things on my "to do" list today: 1. leave work 2. sleep 3. clean my fridge 4. call Shorty 5. enjoy my evening

What would I do if I suddenly won a billion dollars? pay my tithing...pay my debts, pay my parents debts, pay my siblings debts (if they have any)...open a deli...buy a Vespa (for myself, my mom, and my three sisters)...go see Erin...but a home in Hawaii...invest it so I could live off the interest...who knows...there are so many possibilities...spoil my future niece or nephew rotten...buy a boat...give my friends presents...

Three of my bad habits: 1. eating 2. not sleeping 3. being lazy

Jobs I have had: Upward Bound counselor...EFY counselor...grocery store manager...deli worker...copy center worker...

Five Things People Don't Know About Me: I am pretty much an open book...so this might be tough...I write...I am scared of skiing (water & snow) because I feel like I'm out of control and I don't like that feeling at that speed...I HATE ROLLER COASTERS.-SCARED TO DEATH OF THEM!!! I wet my pants on the first day of 3rd grade...I was 26 the last time I wet my pants and in front of Top Hat Video in Bountiful...

Five Snacks I Enjoy: SweetTarts ( YAY MATTIE) Junior Mints Twix SNICKER DOODLES!!! Cheetos Puffs...and last but certainly NOT LEAST: Oreo's and Milk!!! (ok so that may have been six)

Five TV Shows I Watch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (own all seven seasons), Gilmore Girls (own all seven seasons), Pushing Daisies, BBC News, One Tree Hill (starting with season one)

Place I Have Vacationed: North Shore of Hawaii, Boston, San Carlos Mexico, Disneyland, Idaho, Cedar City, the Caribbean, Alaska...other places :)

Five Things I Want to Learn: 1. SCUBA diving 2. how to sail a boat 3. how to play my ukulele better 4. Spanish 5. tie my shoes

So there you have it folks...I was tagged twice and I have responded to BOTH TAGS...so everyone else...get on it!

The true story of Brookie Benatar and her shattered shoe

So Friday night I hosted a little party for two of my friends who are getting married in May-Courtney and Melanie. The night started off pretty mellow. Court and I drove up to my family's cabin with my sister Kelli...that is always a good time hanging with those two. Kelli is the bomb.com...check out her blog! Anyway...we arrived and Court and Kelli and I made signs so people would not get lost...guess those signs were all for not...RONNIE!!!...but that comes later in the story.

The really are adorable.

As the guests arrived we of course enduldged in all the goodies that were there...pizza, Oreos, Twizzlers...then a phone call...from my great friend Ronnie...she was lost...not too far from the cabin...I could hear her yelling. She and Mel had gotten stuck in the mud because they did not turn left. So Jill and Courtney and I drove my car down to Ronnie's car...less than a quarter mile from the cabin...and there was Ronnies car...stuck in the mud! Ronnie thought we should dig it out...but come on! Between Jill, Court and I...we had the muscle to push it out! At least that was the plan from yours truly...so we did indeed push it out...

Ah...Ronnie's a cute kid...isn't she!?

...and well...here is what happened to Brookie and her shoe...

well...for all those of you who were waiting for the mud wrestling...here you go!!

Oh and here we have Jill laughing at our shoeless friend Brookie...isn't she just the sweet! No where is my damn shoe!?

OH...THERE IS IT!!!

Now...a barefoot Brookie (but in possession of her favorite shoes) had to walk back to the cabin...less than a quarter mile...not so rough...except when it is very cold...you can't feel your hands, or your right foot..or was it my left...and well...the road is rocky...and even though I couldn't feel my feet...my feet could feel the rocks...I know...doesn't this sound like such a sob story? Well I didn't cry...I fell...and I cut my hand up pretty good...but it is healing nicely. And truly...it was hilarious! I had to strip down at the front door...and my poor shoes! :( Oh well...if I ever had any dignity...it is ALL GONE. I mean I love my friends...but stripping down to your unmentionables and walking through the living room...well...that removes any teeny tiny bit I may have had. Ah well...good times!

PART II

The Story of Shattered Glass and Pat Benatar

So now we have made it to Saturday morning...and Brookie and Court and Kell Bell are on their way back down the mountain to face reality. Just a little back ground...last summer a nice young man backed into my car causing some serious damage to my driver's side door and window...it was fixed by the wonderful people at Bountiful Collision...anyway...the window was still a bit wonky, but after going back twice I figured it was good...well...I was wrong...it remained wonky and unfortunately went really wonky on Saturday morning.

In an attempt to roll up the window it came off it's track. So I was resigned to driving down Provo Canyon and all the way back to Salt Lake on I-15 with the window not quite all the way up...now I am one who is all for windows down...but I like them ALL the way down...none of this half assed stuff! Well...needless to say...I got my wish :)

The Champ's driver side window!

As my three favorite chics from Texas say..."But I've always found my way somehowBy taking the long way"...Or...maybe just the hard way in this case. This was a result of my letting Court's advice to "be gentle" fall on my deaf ears...or at least waxed filled...yeah...that's it...I didn't hear her! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

So here I am driving down Provo canyon in barefeet because my shoes are caked in dried mud...also known as dirt...glass on the floor, seat and everywhere else of my car...did I want to cry...yes...yes I did. Did I cry? Hell no!....I did what any shoeless, windowless girl would do...I turned on Pat Benatar and tempted fate to "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" all the way down the cabin and into Provo.