A Life in the Day of Will and Stephanie

Here I go!!

2011-01-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

Wow!!! A whole year and only 1 posting. 2010 I guess was just way too busy for me, hahaha. Ok so this year I hope to do a bit more with my blogs. I promise!!! (This is for you Cindy and Jodi).
So here goes: My promises ( not resolutions) for 2011:

I promise to post at least once a month on my blog. I will honestly try to do it more than once, but I promise to get on here at least once. And I will even try to include a picture here and there, I know it's not a difficult process so there's no reason why I can't do it more often, but I figure monthly is a good start.

I promise to get more debt paid off. I did pretty good last year getting everything except my visas paid off. And I've done a good job and not charging on the cards that I did pay off. But Will and I are hopefully planning a trip to Hawaii this year so I know one of the cards will get that added to it, but at least the other one can get paid off.

I promise to keep healthy. Everything in moderation. I know I can't consume the whole pan of brownies, and I know I need to hit the gym at least a couple days a week, but I will not dwell on fallbacks, and I will not punish myself if I don't go out for that run. I know I won't have the body of Halle Berry but this is the body God gave me and the only one I have so I best take care of it.

I promise to be more patient. Patience is a virtue, and it's not a virtue I have been good with. So I will learn to take a deep breath when needed and accept things more graciously.

So there you have it. My first post for 2011. Quick and painless. My next one will have pics. I promise!!!

Half Marathon Training

2010-01-02T19:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm putting it out there!!!! I want to run the Salt Lake Half Marathon next April!!!! I am upping my running schedule to try to get to running the 13.1 miles without feeling like I'm dying. Currently I'm up to doing 4 miles 3 times a week. So I think that in 4 months I should be good. And now that I've officially put it out there, I feel that I will HAVE to complete it. Cindy has mentioned that she would like to join me, so here's to Team Sista getting it done!!!!

Love Your Body 5K

2009-08-22T17:23:00.001-07:00

So I can finally cross off "run a 5K" from my bucket list. Today was my very first 5K race. I have been doing the C25K (couch to 5K) training for the past couple months. It slowly works your endurance up to doing a run the length of a 5k (3.1 miles). Becky asked me a couple weeks ago if I would be interested in doing this with her. I loved the idea but was a bit unsure if I would be up to it. Even during my training runs, I really have to push myself to go longer than 3 minutes at a time. But I decided that it sounded like fun, so sign me up!!!

We did the Wasatch Woman's Love Your Body. It was for women only, no boys allowed!! What a great one to start with. It took place at Sugarhouse Park. Becky had asked if my family was going to come and root me on. I didn't really think about it. I figured it would be boring for them to sit around for 15 minutes waiting for me to come along and go past them in a few seconds.
They had what they call Diva night the night before where we got to pick up our t-shirt and running number and even a timing device that we had attached to our shoes. Wow!!! A real race with real times!!!

So we got to the park this morning, they had a lady on top of a van helping us all do our stretches, then they called the 10k runners to the line and they headed off. We had to wait about 8 minutes for our turn. So we stood in our groups waiting for the release. When we were finally able to go, Becky and I were doing a nice smooth kind of slow pace. But it was perfect. I had my watch on just in case I needed to check my timing, but I tried to just listen to my music and not pay attention to the time. We made it to the 1st mile when I realized that we hadn't stopped once yet. We hit that first mile at just past 13 minutes. There were a lot of families that were not only cheering on their own runners, but everyone else, that really helped. Then as we started coming down a hill, I mentioned to Becky that it would have been nice if my family had come to cheer us on. She said I should just visualize them on the sides. But as we got to the bottom of the hill, I looked over to the water station and there they were!!!! My husband Will and daughter Jodi were standing there with our dog Carlie and cheered me on. It almost made me cry, but I was already getting sweat in my eyes, tears just would not work. So Becky and I trudged on!!! We only had to walk 3 times when we hit the hills on the 2nd lap, and they were only about 20 second walks. I was so proud of us!!! I have NEVER been able to run for that long before. When it was over, I felt like I could keep going. We promised that next year it would be the 10k we would be doing.

I finished 346 out of 741 runners for the 5k. I was 141 in my age group out of 288. My finish time was 36:50. WOOT WOOT!!!!

How bout this pedi??

2009-06-07T15:18:00.001-07:00

I went for my spring pedi. I usually just get a color on the tip with a pretty flower on the big toe. But the lady doing my pedi said since I have big nail areas, I should get a ****. I thought she was saying flag. (they do flag designs, too). I liked the flags but it's sooo Julyish, and I like my pedi designs to be around for a few months. But then she showed me the plaid and I absolutely loved it!!! So I jumped at the chance. Here's how they turned out.

Take me out to the ballgame!!

2009-06-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

My sister Cindy got tix to the Buzz game (minor league baseball), so I took Jodi with me. There we met up with Cindy, Chris & their daughter Anna, then a bit later mom and sis Tanny came. The game was fun, but it seemed we spent more time just chatting and visiting. Anna got to meet the Bee so we got some pics while she was waiting for an autograph.

Our seats were in the 13th row, so we were really close to the action, even closer than these pics seem.

Here's Cindy and Chris.

And here's the rest of us. Anna, Me, Jodi, Mom & Tanny.

My cheap Home Depot Amaryllis Plant Has Bloomed

2009-04-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

I bought a couple Amaryllis bulbs from Home Depot a couple years ago for Christmas. I followed the directions, but nothing every happened with them. All I got were these long green leafy things, but never a flower. Then I went to Western Gardens and they had a whole bunch of the plants that had flowers, so I asked what I did wrong. They gave me some new instructions, that included not watering them at all, and letting the leafy things die back, this gives the energy to the bulb itself so it can produce the flower. They I was to put them in a darker area away from the natural light. I didn't do this part, but I got a flower anyway. The leafy part started to get a bit thicker and started to stand upright. (See pic #2).A few days later we saw the beginnings of the flowers start to appear. And within a week, we had 2 very large flowers. They are so pretty and pink. I love them, now a 3rd one has appeared. I can't get the other bulb to do this, so I'll have to try putting it in the dark and see if it will snap into action.

Here's my star flower!!!

Cuddlebuggin'

2009-04-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

I just love it when my animals all get along. But I do worry when they really really "get along". On days when I just can't locate one or another, I can usually end up finding them cuddlebuggin together. And it doesn't matter if it's feline with feline or feline with canine. I really don't know if they know they are different.

But at least they all get along great. Huh??

We got our free rock!!

2009-03-22T13:05:00.001-07:00

I have a customer who was going to be doing a reroof. He said the existing roof had all this lava rock on it, and wondered if I was interested in taking it for my gardens. I checked to make sure that the rock wasn't going to hold the heat and cook my plants, and was told that it was so small and pourous that my plants should be okay. So I told my customer I'd be happy to take it. A few weeks later I was told it was ready, I came home from work and filling my driveway was all this lava rock. There must have been at least 12 yards of the stuff.

Here are some before pics of the gardens that we were planning on putting the rock in. I had gone through and weeded them a couple days before. This garden has a bunch of perennials in it. I had also planted some bulbs in it last fall, but none of them have come up yet, so I'm hoping that putting the lava rock on them, won't keep them from appearing. It's not on really thick, so they should be able to pop up okay.

And here's the after with the rock. I love how the green against the rock really stands out. That dead looking plant should come to life with some greenery and yellow flowers. (I hope). That should look really sharp in there.

This back garden has some boxwoods hedges and some daylilly plants in it. We had put in red bark a few years ago but it has really faded and and started to decompose into the ground. So we thought it would be pretty to put some rock in here as well. Here's the before pics:
And here's the after pics. Again, I love the look with the deep red and all the green from the plants.

Oh, how the seeds are growing.

2009-03-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

Due to the economy, I decided to try my hand at growing some of my flowers from seeds. So I bought 9 diff kinds of seeds and a seed kit. It seemed pretty simple, plant the seeds, water, watch them grow. All the packets said "guaranteed to grow", the proved true for 8 of them. But the one that didn't grow were some zinnias of which I have another kind of them growing in another section, so I'm not too upset about it. Plus the fact that if all of them grew and survived, I've got 72 plants to have to put somewhere when it's time.
So here they are about 2 weeks after I planted them in mid-February. Growing nicely, all behaving.

And here they are in mid March. All growing big and tall. They started to get so big and droopy that we had to create some trellis type things for them to grow around to keep them upright. I can't put them outside until sometime late in April, so I'm hoping that I can keep them alive long enough until I can get them outside into some pots or the ground. But I am happy with their progress so far. I wish I had some flowers to go along with the greenery, though.

Scotty cleans Bob

2009-03-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

Bob will do anything to get clean but not have to do it himself. He'll come out when we vaccum so he can be cleaned that way. And if the vaccum is nowhere in sight, then he'll just cuddle with the next best thing. Here he snuggles with Scotty. But we know where this will lead.

Now that they've both become aware of the situation, Bob will send the "clean me" vibes to Scotty.

Ahhhh, and Scotty has picked up the vibe, and thus the cleaning begins. What I love is when Scotty detects an "itch" and proceeds to "chew" the area to get rid of the itch. How he knows where the itch is, I don't know.

World's cleanest cat.

2009-03-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have a very clean kitty. I wouldn't say Bob LOVES to be vaccumed, but he certainly doesn't mind. I've heard of cats who do this, but didn't think one of mine would be one of them. But here's the proof.

Good Things Utah taping

2009-02-20T19:34:00.000-08:00

I went to the filming of Good Things Utah with my sister Cindy, and her friends Erica and Angie. It was really interesting to watch how a live show was done. They had a few good guests like the chef from Noodles who made a dish that smelled so good, but the really good guest was David Osmond fresh from his booting on American Idol. Here's some pics.

I couldn't pass up a chance to get a pic with the King of Queens himself.

Katy Perry

2009-02-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Jodi and I went to see Katy Perry in concert. She played at a dance club called "In the Venue". It was surprisingly big. I had been to this place before for a comedy event and it was a really small place. But when we got in there (along with the other 2000 people), it actually seemed very big. But back to Katy. She was AWESOME!!!!! She had such energy, and she was just as spunky as she looks. She had little stories that would lead into her songs, and everyone would just shout when she mentioned certain little tid bits, like we were all in on the joke. I only knew what songs I had heard on the radio (which is where I won my tix), but I loved the other songs that I hadn't heard yet. I felt a bit foolish like I was the only one there who wasn't singing with the lyrics. But it's easy to blend in when it's so loud with everyone else shouting.
The only down part of the night was the lady in front of me (we'll call her Thumper) who kept bouncing and jumping up and down, and she had all this hair that she just kept shaking around like she was in one of the hair bands from the 80's. I had my own little fun with her, everytime she and her friends would take a pic of them in their little group, I would somehow manage to appear in the background. It was funny to watch them review their pics and I would say "there I am, oh there I am again, oh and look, it's me!!!" The gals next to me were getting a kick out of it.
Any ways, I would definitely say that if you get a chance to see Katy in concert, you should go. Her show was very lively, and she is such a cutie patootie. I think doing these little venues kind of gives it a more personal touch, but it won't be long before she's appearing in a bigger place.

My goofy animals

2009-02-08T11:23:00.001-08:00

Bob & Scoobie cuddling together.

We're all just one big happy family. Laying together on the bed.

Oh the light is so bright!!!

Carlie's favorite place to snooze, at the bottom of our bed under all the covers.

Bob's favorite place to hang, on Will's right hip.

Carlie and Scotty sharing a meal.

"You talkin' to me?"

Bro's to the end.

Wake me when it's over.

Isn't she cute!!!

Jodi meets her bio father

2009-02-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

When I was in high school, I had my daughter. Her father and I had split up so it was just the 2 of us for a long time. With the help of my family, we had a really great life. She knew early on, that her father was out there, and I always told her that if she was interested in finding him, I would help. Well, it turns out the only help we needed was a Classmates website. He had contacted me last fall through this website and over the course of a few weeks we were able to trade info on how our lives had turned out. I eventually forwarded his email address to Jodi and they were able to get in touch and play a little catch up.
Well, he finally was able to come out to Utah and visit with Jodi for a weekend. We met at the Training Table for dinner, and ended up there for about 4 hours playing catch up. He told stories, then we told stories. There was a lot of laughter. He brought her 21 roses (1 for each year that he missed). The next day he took her out to lunch and then shopping for a birthday present. She is now planning a visit out to Indiana to see his family and meet all of them. We were a bit nervous at first , but I think this will be a good thing for them.

Christmas 2008.

2009-01-18T14:56:00.001-08:00

Our Happy Clan!!! This was the first time I was able to have all my kiddos in one place at the same time.

Will and me modeling our Christmas hats.

Jodi and Larry.

All my boys!!!

Every year my dad puts together the Christmas Village. This year Will and I tried to live up to his level. We learned that putting up the village is a 5 hour event. And that each year it will look different. I lost count at how many pieces are in the village but it's easy over a couple hundred when you count in the people and the houses. Every year mom gets another piece.

This is the before pic of the table:

And here it is complete. These pics don't do it justice. It is so big.

Cindy and I were both taking pics of the village, so we thought we'd throw one in of us taking a pic of each other.

These are the pics of how we decorated our own house. I do have to admit, we get a bit carried away.

We do like our inflatables.

Santa is stuck in our "chimney".

Andy's graduation - class of 2008

2009-01-18T14:39:00.001-08:00

My baby graduated high school!!! Welcome to the big world kiddo!!! I'm so proud of him.

Andy & his papa. Papa was so proud.Andy and Colby waiting for the program to begin.

Summertime rides

2009-01-18T14:34:00.001-08:00

We laugh in the face of $4.00 gasoline!!! Hahahaha!!!!

Bryce Canyon 2008

2009-01-17T18:29:00.001-08:00

Jodi and Larry joined Will and me on a trip to Bryce Canyon. We had a lot of fun hiking, and camping. The sights were so beautiful. Will and I plan on going back again soon to do the main trail, it's 23 miles long.

Our Furbabies

2009-01-17T18:09:00.001-08:00

Can we feel the love? Scotty & Bob love to cuddle.

This is Scoobie.

Bob's favorite chair & sleeping position.

My name is Scoobie, and I see you!!!

You lookin at me?

More cuddlebugs.

And introducing Carlie...

Carlie and her mommy, Daisy.

And yet more cuddling.

Isn't she precious???

Sometimes she sleeps like a seal.

Our improved humble abode.

2009-01-17T17:59:00.001-08:00

2009-01-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

We need a bigger porch.

2009-01-17T17:41:00.001-08:00

We need a new shed:

2009-01-17T17:33:00.000-08:00

Pics of the living & dining rooms, these are the afters.

2009-01-17T17:21:00.000-08:00

Before pics of master bedroom:

This is the ugly a$$ pattern that was on the walls, this is the reason for the cover up.

And here's the after: I used Behr Riviera Sand as the darker color and Behr Creme Brulee for the lighter band.

2009-01-17T17:03:00.000-08:00

Master bathroom before pics:

Master bathroom after pics: Paint is Behr Chocolate coco for the dark and Behr Pecan Sandi for the light tan.

Steph's learning curve

2009-01-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

Me and Mom at Christmas time

In Memory of Dad

2008-11-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

Rand C. Holding "Papa" Our Papa passed away October 31, 2008 on Halloween morning. Randy was born September 21, 1947 to Elbert and Berniece Holding. He was the fifth of 10 children. Randy grew up in the avenues and attended East High School. There he met and fell in love with his best friend and soul mate, Karen L. Joyner. After high school Randy enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served in Vietnam as a dog handler in the Canine Unit with his German shepherd Eric. After returning home from the war, he married Karen on June 24, 1967 and together they raised three beautiful daughters. Randy remained a devoted husband and father up to the very last moments of his life. He enjoyed traveling, both for business and for pleasure. He loved the outdoors, spending many summer weekends golfing and traveling with family in the R.V. He loved to cheer on the Chicago Bears and Utah Jazz. But his biggest love was that of his grandchildren. He adored them, as much as they did him. He was employed at Edwards Lifesciences as a Senior Systems Analyst. Randy's passing was both expected and yet sudden. He has many family members and friends who were touched by his life and saddened by his passing. Survived by his wife of 41 years, daughters: Stephanie (Will) Sweatfield, Tannia (Jared) Webber, and Cynthia (Christopher) Perkins. Grandchildren: Jodi, Andy, Shawn, Taylor, Ashley, Colby, Autumn, Spencer, Ethan, Haylee and Anna. Siblings: Claudia, Merrilee, Kim, Farrell, Brent, Blair, Marty. He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Kirk and sister Carolyn. The family would like to thank the staff at Intermountain Medical Center for their care and compassion during the final weeks of his life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Foundation or the American Kidney Foundation