tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-373797212012-01-23T13:07:17.449-07:00The best kind of "chilly" to beChilly Beansnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-12954796270091248562012-01-04T12:59:00.000-07:002012-01-04T12:59:02.877-07:00

I know it's been a while since I posted anything on here. Most of you can attest to the craziness that is the holidays during the last part of the year. Mine was no exception. I had a wonderful time with friends and family and am now slowly getting back into the routine we had before all the holidays. We love Christmas and celebrating New Years. Sometimes it's a hit or a miss as far as the latter

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-68698268308042264252011-11-02T18:13:00.000-06:002011-11-02T18:13:04.002-06:00

This year, as you well know if you have kept up on my blog, James and I grew a garden. In that garden we grew lots of wonderful fruits and vegetables and the one thing James was most excited about was the pumpkins. We managed to harvest about eight pumpkins (two actual Jack-O-Lanters and the rest are called Triple Treats), and we used four of them to carve on Halloween. The last four pumpkins I

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-79106764102043784392011-11-01T14:54:00.000-06:002011-11-01T14:54:55.681-06:00

Well, Halloween seemed to come so quickly this year. I can't believe it's over now. James and I had a great time this month making crafts, hanging and enjoying Halloween decorations, watching Halloween movies, and carving pumpkins. It was awesome. Here are some pictures of our decorations and the pumpkins we carved last night. And here are the pumpkins we carved: Here are all the pumpkins

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-34219870642004749232011-10-25T16:58:00.000-06:002011-10-25T16:58:07.993-06:00

**Warning! This post might be very picture heavy, but it will be worth it. I promise!** About a month ago my wonderful husband and I started to work on Halloween projects in preparation of the upcoming holiday. We love Halloween. I mean, LOVE!! It should come as no surprise to most people who know us, really. Our apartment is completely decked out in Halloween decorations that would put most

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-10470276213737292832011-10-25T15:34:00.000-06:002011-10-25T15:34:59.651-06:00

I saw a quote about a week ago that said, "Sometimes people cry not because they are weak, but because they have been strong for too long." I smiled a small smile when I saw that because I thought it was a fair quote. Then I started thinking about it and I thought it could use a little revamping. It should say, "Sometimes people cry not because they are weak, but because they have been strong for

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-8908746343055027202011-10-12T15:29:00.000-06:002011-10-12T15:29:27.721-06:00

We are in the final week of our garden this season, and we have had so much fun. We've been able to watch the garden grow and produce so many wonderful things in just a little over five months. Plants are amazing, and we have loved growing a garden. We hope to be able to grow one again next year and have already begun talking about what we want to plant. Last week the weather turned cold, so we

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-73705869588199414892011-09-29T10:18:00.000-06:002011-09-29T10:18:35.805-06:00

No, I'm not talking about 2012. I'm talking about our garden. The end is near; only a few short weeks away. We have about three weeks left and then we have to wait to plant another garden until next year. The winter is going to be long, but I don't mind that. Winter is my favorite time of year. It's cold, and crisp, snowy, and cold. I love the cold. Truly, I do. At any rate, I'm kind of glad

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-39049489225668753132011-09-09T13:39:00.000-06:002011-09-09T13:39:08.784-06:00

I think most people we talk to about the garden are super surprised to hear how far away it is. The garden is exactly one hour away, so every Saturday morning around 7 am we drive out to the garden. We talk excitedly about what we might find out there, things we learned the previous week, things we want to do, and heaven. Yes, that's kind of an odd subject to throw in there, but like I said,

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-45739399222180855692011-09-08T12:00:00.001-06:002011-09-09T13:15:26.247-06:00

Since the grasshoppers attacked our garden, we didn't get to can as much stuff as we had originally hoped. As I mentioned earlier, we were able to get a small crop of red Norland potatoes (which were so creamy and delicious) with one plant still alive and hopefully producing more. We love eating green beans and hoped to get a bunch of green beans canned. However, those pesky grasshoppers took

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-18605559445592161242011-09-06T09:59:00.000-06:002011-09-06T09:59:44.768-06:00

Ok, so I know that I have been slacking here lately on posting things to my blog. I'm sure you all think it's because I'm super busy and have so many different things to do that I just simply don't have the time to update my blog. Well, I wish that were the case. See, I don't really feel good about 90% of the time, and the 10% of the time I do feel good is spent doing more important things like

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-21319090849285347452011-07-25T09:30:00.000-06:002011-07-25T09:30:25.111-06:00

My dear, sweet husband is finally done with his classes at school. By Friday we should know whether or not he graduated and what his final grades were, though we're pretty sure he got A's and will definitely be graduating. It's finished! Two years of non-stop school is over. Discussions, assignments, papers, projects, late nights doing homework, high stress when the computer freaks out, racing to

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-72291480822747273242011-07-05T11:21:00.001-06:002011-07-05T16:08:06.058-06:00

James and I have been driving up to the garden every week for the past two months. It has been quite therapeutic and relaxing, and we find ourselves looking forward to it more and more. It's been wonderful to spend time with each other as we drive out there wondering and dreaming about what our garden looks like, and then being so surprised at how big and beautiful it looks when we actually get

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-87939898406521383222011-07-01T15:36:00.001-06:002011-07-01T15:36:49.987-06:00

I'd like to think that I was a lover of all God's creatures; that seeing them in their natural habitat makes me smile and wonder at their complex natures. But then I open up the blinds in my apartment and watch all those creatures fly and flit about on my balcony and my thinking changes drastically. It takes me a little bit to realize that maybe I never was a lover of all of God's creatures but

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-14863516318450280352011-06-19T07:57:00.011-06:002011-06-19T07:57:00.108-06:00

Ah, dad. My dad. The greatest man I know. I think this quote from Thomas. S. Monson really sums it up nicely: "Let us reflect gratitude for our fathers. Father . . . is ever willing to sacrifice his own comfort for that of his children. Daily he toils to provide the necessities of life, never complaining, ever concerned for the well-being of his family. This love for (his) children, this desire

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-48689458727398792582011-06-18T14:17:00.069-06:002011-06-18T14:17:00.524-06:00

Whenever I went anywhere as a young teenager my dad would make sure I didn't leave the house without handing me a couple of quarters and making sure I put them in my shoe. He said, "No matter where you are tonight, no matter what you do; if you get into a situation where you need someone to come and pick you up, you call me and I will be there. I don't care what time it is or what the

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-61427445884146469872011-06-17T08:59:00.002-06:002011-06-17T08:59:00.792-06:00

My dad is an honest, hard working man. I know there must have been times when he could have cheated on something, told a small lie, or done something sneaky to get ahead and get more money for his family, but he never did. My dad had a lot of mouths to feed, and some of the jobs he had weren't what others could call glamorous, but he never sat idly by while his family struggled. Whenever we

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-47063128112440036892011-06-16T10:00:00.000-06:002011-06-16T10:00:07.646-06:00

My dad is sarcastic and loves to joke around. I think I got my sense of humor from him as well because it is so easy to joke around with my dad. Sometimes I can tell just by looking at him what he is about to say. Those are great times. When I was a kid we used to try and have a family activity each Monday night. It was called Family Home Evening, and we would read a scripture, have a

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-44687764069981591562011-06-15T10:32:00.026-06:002011-06-15T10:32:00.284-06:00

My father has helped instill in me a love of learning. For as long as I can remember my dad has been involved with computers. We always had one or two or more computers in our house growing up. My dad would always bring home these software demo CD's that he would get free in the mail at work and he would toss them in front of me and say, "Here. Learn this and tell me what you think." There were

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-51935335906907989572011-06-14T16:00:00.061-06:002011-06-14T16:00:00.681-06:00

I think you have heard me state before that I come from a family of eleven children. If you haven't, well, then I just said it. Keeping track of each child's birthday can be both confusing and frustrating. I was born in May, and ever since I can remember I have regarded my birthday as one of the best days of the year. My two favorite days are Christmas and my birthday and I love getting gifts for

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-75501473970000706042011-06-14T10:19:00.000-06:002011-06-14T10:19:41.829-06:00

There are times when I am gently guided to things that help me see who I really am. There are times when I struggle and feel alone in my daily trials, but there are always times when I am sweetly reminded of who I am, where I came from, and that I am loved. I am reminded of sweet promises made to those who are faithful, to those who endure, and to those who keep moving forward. I have bad days

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-11087024872539488972011-06-13T15:55:00.000-06:002011-06-13T15:55:51.244-06:00

I haven't been feeling all that well lately, so I've been spending a lot of time resting and recuperating. I had two migraines over the weekend and worked myself a little too hard in the garden on Saturday. Today I just did not want to go anywhere or do anything, but I had some letters I needed to get out in the mail, and really should have sent them last week. So, after a few hours of talking

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-9412448295782353982011-06-13T09:13:00.003-06:002011-06-14T11:00:16.918-06:00

Father's day is next Sunday and in preparation of that day I thought I would make a tribute to my father each day this week leading up to Sunday. This is day one: My dad is truly one of the greatest people I know. I love hanging out with him, and growing up I felt like he understood me and what I was going through. He always seemed to have this sixth sense of when I was having a bad day, and I

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-85347678057024857782011-06-09T09:08:00.000-06:002011-06-09T09:08:33.606-06:00

Hello again, blogger world! I know it's been almost two months since I last posted anything, but sometimes I think I really don't have anything new to share with you all so i don't write anything. However, these last couple of months have been busy!! In May, James' sister Cheryl got married and we had a fun and family-filled weekend helping and participating in that. It was so awesome to be

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-20906878783877824282011-04-14T09:55:00.000-06:002011-04-14T09:55:48.233-06:00

It's so strange for me to sit here and remember that two years ago today I had surgery to remove a cancerous piece of my body. Two years. Has it really been that long? Sometimes it feels like it happened just yesterday. When you go through something life changing it feels like it will never end; like each new day is just another reminder of how different your world has become. Yet, when you get a

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-70190894363677270092011-03-24T08:10:00.000-06:002011-03-24T08:10:12.779-06:00

I went to the dentist yesterday and was told that some cement that was used to place my temporary crown had not been cleaned off so that was why my gums and tongue and mouth hurt so bad. The assistant cleaned out the cement and got some pretty big pieces out of there. Then she filed down the edges of the temporary crown so it wouldn't rub against my tongue anymore. I think I was there for all

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-80030623460357948142011-03-22T09:47:00.000-06:002011-03-22T09:47:34.475-06:00

I've been quite busy these past few weeks. I've had a lot of things to do, and a good amount of energy in which to do them, thankfully. A little while ago I broke my tooth whilst sampling the new Fiesta Starbursts. They were yummy. While we were trying them I bit down on one and heard this very faint click. I pulled out the Starburst to find a perfectly preserved portion of my tooth embedded

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-48707285029178101552011-03-10T15:13:00.000-07:002011-03-10T15:13:49.391-07:00

Today I had to take an unexpected trip to Boulder, Colorado. Have you ever been there? Some of you have, but others may not have. I personally do not like Boulder. It is incredibly difficult to get anywhere, to park anywhere, or to find anything...at least for me it is. They have cross walks in the middle of the road that flash when someone is crossing the street, and then 25 feet further down

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-52291796318551239512011-02-28T10:33:00.000-07:002011-02-28T10:33:38.918-07:00

On Saturday I had a really good day. I mean, really good day. I woke up feeling great. There was no pain, no fatigue, no sickness, and no worries. It was wonderful. I woke up early, took my medicine and played around on the computer for about an hour. Then my husband and I started to clean up the house and do some chores that had been put off for a while. I was energetic and happy. My husband

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-37672549911366757702011-02-17T16:54:00.000-07:002011-02-17T16:54:35.430-07:00

Remember when you were a kid and the toughest thing in the world was when you and your best friend got into a fight? Or when you were playing in school and someone touched you and gave you the "cooties"? Remember when you had your first crush? And then your first heartache? Remember when the only things you needed to feel better were a big hug... ...and maybe some freshly baked cookies.

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-70498724834365300552011-02-15T09:52:00.014-07:002011-02-15T09:52:00.992-07:00

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and I was so excited to celebrate that day with my husband. He has been so busy with school and work and church, that it's been hard to have some one-on-one time with him. We went to bed Sunday night talking about how nice it was going to be just spending some time with each other, even though it was just for one evening. I had planned on making some homemade

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-5215639700408984212011-02-07T10:31:00.000-07:002011-02-07T10:31:35.003-07:00

This weekend has been crazy busy, and I am plum burned out. This almost overwhelming exhaustion doesn't even come from anything fun, really, just plain old fashioned hard work that fatigued me mentally, emotionally, and physically. I'm barely able to keep my eyes open now. I didn't even watch the super bowl, and I'm a Packers fan. Eh, not much I could do. There was this deadline and a lot of work

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-21868611946246951302011-02-01T09:48:00.000-07:002011-02-01T09:48:25.294-07:00

I had so many things I wanted to write about bumping around in my head this morning. I found myself narrating the things I wanted to talk about, like I was in one of those sitcoms where the main character looks off into the horizon while he speaks what's really going through his mind. This past month has been so long. I've been sick and my body has been fighting hard to get better. It has

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-67415244757595860152010-10-30T12:54:00.001-06:002010-10-30T12:59:55.850-06:00

A couple of days ago it was really cold. It was one of those crisp cold days, with a brilliant blue sky. I was in the study working on the computer and I smelled the sweet scent of orchids lingering in the air as my husband gently typed on his computer. The combination of the cold air, my husband being home, and the scent of the orchid all felt like Christmas! I felt the need to sing the song

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-64898325370110596972010-10-23T17:58:00.001-06:002010-10-23T17:58:42.145-06:00

This past week we have been busy getting the house straightened up and finished decorating (my mom gave me some more Halloween decorations) in preparation of James' little brother coming to spend the weekend with us. It's been pretty fun so far. We picked up Little Z around 11am and since then we have watched the Mummy, the Mummy Returns, and now the Hulk (the second one that was much better).

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-6765863549812448572010-10-18T18:36:00.000-06:002010-10-18T18:36:20.624-06:00

We humans. We are so fragile, so frail. We have so many emotions that it's hard to tell them apart sometimes. Don't you think we beat ourselves up enough? You all know by now that I am into music. It's hard for me to go a day without listening to some kind, and lately I've been poking around the internet looking for new music...well, at least new to me. There are so many things I have never

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-41911316067161167072010-10-17T12:41:00.000-06:002010-10-17T12:41:59.948-06:00

I try not to get caught up in my current troubles, because I know it can only result in sadness, heartache, and frustration. But sometimes I let myself be sad, I let myself taste the heartache in the hope of finding some sort of understanding. When I go through tough things, complicated things, troubling things, I internalize at first. I take it all in and think. I think about how it happened

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-22459970588644757812010-10-10T12:31:00.000-06:002010-10-10T12:31:56.452-06:00

A few days ago my husband and I went on a bike ride. It was late morning and the weather was perfect so he got the bikes, I got the helmets, and we were on our way. There is a nice, scenic trail next to our house that we decided to go on. We grabbed the camera in the hopes of taking some pictures of fall and the changing trees. All seemed to be going well as we hopped on our bikes and headed

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-6994493603806746532010-10-07T10:42:00.000-06:002010-10-07T10:42:43.012-06:00

The other day, for some random reason that I can't quite remember, my husband and I were talking about Trapper Keepers. How many of you remember them? How many of you actually used them? I remember being so envious of those kids who had them, and wished so badly that I could get one, but they were insanely expensive and we just didn't have the money for that sort of luxury. Trapper Keepers were

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-55175600432068293132010-10-06T12:48:00.000-06:002010-10-06T12:48:27.158-06:00

The sun shines down from an azure skyas colors sweep through the earthon wings of wind and light. © James Loveday 2010 - No reproductions or copying Breaking free, they twist and turnto escape their solid homeand oh, so proudly take flight. © James Loveday 2010 - No reproductions or copying Summer's blaze has ended now.A cool breeze is ushered inby the golden leaves of fall. © James Loveday

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-70507811124173037062010-10-03T09:16:00.000-06:002010-10-03T09:16:29.529-06:00

Sometimes, I have bad hair days. When that happens I feel the need to express my sadness in song, and this is the song I always sing. Most people don't remember this show, but my sister and I used to watch it and we loved it. When I sing this song now nobody knows where it came from and they think I made it up myself. I wish I would have though. It's awesome.

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-72531063227100267392010-10-02T19:41:00.000-06:002010-10-02T19:41:03.234-06:00

Dear Jane: Thank you so much for checking in on me. I appreciate that more than you know. Even though we have never met and you are on the other side of the country from me, it still brings a smile to my face when I see your comments and inquiries on my behalf. Thank you for thinking of me. :) Now, let me explain what has been going on. Oh, what a whirlwind life has been lately! You know, let

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-80784714561014903812010-09-23T15:01:00.000-06:002010-09-23T15:01:38.320-06:00

Have no idea what this is all about? Please see the original post HERE As a new day approaches there is much to do!Surrounded by friends under a sky so blue.Hopeful and happy with a life to renewis the lonely limb of plastic. No longer lonely, an adventure beginsin beautiful Colorado with many new friends.There are many new places to visit, whereinyou'll find the (formerly lonely) limb of

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-15624888145261687032010-09-13T19:25:00.002-06:002010-09-13T19:45:15.429-06:00

...and apparently any medical tests...I'm sorry that I haven't been more frequent on the blog as of late. I have been having an incredibly unfortunate time with not feeling well at all. Today I woke up with the most excruciating pain in my lower abdomen and lower back and ended up spending the afternoon in the emergency room trying to figure out what was going on. They did a pelvic and abdomen CT

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-7711666169823684612010-09-06T19:29:00.002-06:002010-09-06T19:47:00.566-06:00

I seem to be doing a little better right now. The plagues have appeared to be retreating and finally giving me a chance to rest. I have a few small troubles still, but they should be gone soon to lie dormant until they feel the need to raise their ugly little heads again. I hope it's not too soon. I would like some time to recuperate after the storm has passed. The waves are certainly getting

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-63334425911675607042010-09-03T09:32:00.003-06:002010-09-03T09:38:03.285-06:00

James and I are not feeling so well today. He's got the beginnings of a cold and I've just about got the ten plagues...or so it seems like to me. I'm going to the doctor today to get at least one of the plagues taken care of. I'm not even going to bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I am one miserable lady. That is, unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of having radiation - your

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-45461300781297467272010-09-02T10:24:00.003-06:002010-09-02T11:00:22.920-06:00

Forgive me for intruding on Crystal's blog today, but it had to be done. You see, Crystal is completely incapacitated right now, and I feel it is my duty to inform you all on the events that have transpired this morning.Yesterday she told you about our trip to Lamar's donuts where we purchased a couple of the apple spice donuts. She ate one yesterday and refused to acknowledge me until she was

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-60097411533514103632010-09-01T11:09:00.007-06:002010-09-01T19:45:42.782-06:00

Oh, boy! Do I have a treat in store for you.You see, the other day my husband and I decided to go for a little drive. While we were driving around we started talking about all sorts of things, and eventually the topic ended up on what we were going to have for dinner. It was still early enough in the afternoon that we didn't feel like we had to rush right out and get something, but we were hungry

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-56310803570463772342010-08-31T14:31:00.003-06:002010-08-31T14:50:18.844-06:00

I'm all jumbled in my head and my heart and I'm finding it hard to make even the simplest of decisions. I am burnt out. I've been helping my husband get his online portfolio updated and that has proven to be maddening! I have practically lived in my study for two days now, and it makes me want to take my office chair and burn it in rebellion. It's not good when you start to loathe inanimate

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-23348180560076024562010-08-30T12:24:00.003-06:002010-08-30T13:44:10.631-06:00

These past three days have been quite troubling for me. First let me say that up to this point I know I have been rather cryptic about what is going on with my health. Most readers of my blog know that I have thyroid cancer (diagnosed in January of 2009) and am still in the process of trying to get that resolved. At this point, I still have thyroid cancer somewhere in my body, even though I no

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-71228663569095077302010-08-25T09:11:00.004-06:002010-08-25T14:47:26.548-06:00

I've had a lot of doctor's visits and tests done the past couple of weeks and I must say that I am tired. It takes a lot of effort, both physically and mentally, to go through all this stuff, but I realized the other day that I am not defenseless in this battle in my life right now. I have weapons that I can/do use in order to help me get through it. Here is a list of the weapons I use in no

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-59744682835410230642010-08-12T10:43:00.005-06:002010-08-12T16:23:07.082-06:00

It seems odd to say something has lasted four "short" years. Normally people use the word long or grueling. But when you've had the chance to be married to one of the most amazing men on the planet, four years seems more like a minute. Happy Anniversary, my love.

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-40271428695788874852010-08-11T11:01:00.002-06:002010-08-11T11:21:00.706-06:00

I just recently found out that a past colleague of mine passed away earlier this month as a result of cancer. He was a good man, and I greatly enjoyed working with him, and it makes me sad to hear about his passing. He'll be missed.Whenever I hear about someone passing away due to cancer, it really hits home with me, and I often take some moments of silence for those individuals, to breathe a

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-4368075098955306292010-08-10T10:20:00.002-06:002010-08-10T10:46:26.046-06:00

I know there are a lot of people out there who struggle with a lot of different things. It may seem like you are the only one struggling to keep the storms at bay, exhausting all your strength to keep from being engulfed in the surging seas that threaten to devour you at any moment. Those times are difficult, and you may come to the point where you feel that you simply cannot go on. You may feel

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-25576057848048665472010-08-09T21:05:00.001-06:002010-08-09T21:06:21.755-06:00

I'm in the process of trying to update my blog. Please be patient as I sort through different styles and find one I like. Thanks for your patience!!

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-40930945544387312472010-08-08T22:14:00.005-06:002010-08-08T22:49:31.746-06:00

Come on in. Pull up a chair and have a seat. Let's chat for a while. I've been kind of avoiding people for a while, and I realize that I miss laughing...... and I miss talkingIf you come in and have a seat we can talk about anything you want. It could be about something nice, something sweet, something funny, or something heartbreaking. All you need to know is that you are invited. We could have

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-2681843370643139112010-08-05T10:35:00.002-06:002010-08-05T10:39:57.153-06:00

I just entered a contest with a picture I took of Cocoa, a Chinese Pug. Click on the link below to vote for my entry! Thanks!!Vote for me!

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-66725199528281708752010-07-22T06:42:00.004-06:002010-07-22T06:53:36.494-06:00

There hasn't been much activity in the tree lately, at least not at the times I've looked outside, but I have noticed a couple of things.I found this little spider attached to the side of the apartment complex and to the tree. He was just hanging out, minding his own business, probably trying to catch an early morning meal or something.I've noticed that there are six wasps in the tree outside the

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-63775321430787524852010-07-20T10:04:00.005-06:002010-07-20T10:12:27.222-06:00

That's a two-fold problem, really. The first being this:How many can you count?The latest creature to come alongThe second problem being this: Has my life really dwindled down to nothing more than making posts about insects I find in the tree each day?...what has happened to me?... :)

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-76037458336594785292010-07-19T09:31:00.003-06:002010-07-19T09:44:44.891-06:00

So yesterday, as I was taking pictures of the green kung fu dude in the tree, I spotted some wasps fighting...er, at least I thought they were fighting, who knows really. At any rate, I saw them clash in mid air and tumble down into the tree, so I was hoping that they would climb or fly to the top so I could get a picture of them. Sadly, they did not make an appearance in the tree yesterday, but

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-46952085408262486962010-07-18T10:34:00.002-06:002010-07-19T09:31:07.685-06:00

There's been another sighting! This one was a bit hard to see at first, but I managed to spot it...and I wasn't even trying, I promise! I happened to glance out the window to see what the weather was like and spotted this green speck on the leave. After further investigation I saw this.It probably thought nothing could spot it due to its fine camouflage. But I did!Everybody was kung fu fighting!I

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-16682527099067923842010-07-16T13:10:00.005-06:002010-07-16T13:53:27.091-06:00

This afternoon I was working on the computer in the study and I took a moment to glance out the window. There is a tree right outside that seems to grow more and more each day. Since we live on the third floor, the top of the tree is about eye level out the window. It makes for a good object to rest your eyes on, and provides cover from anyone who might be trying to look inside. I noticed,

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-83172960835607763212010-05-31T09:59:00.002-06:002010-05-31T10:15:13.926-06:00

Today is a day to remember those who have given their lives to serve our country and keep us safe and free. It's a day to reflect on what freedom means, and who had to sacrifice their lives in order to keep it that way. It's about the hundreds and thousands of men and women who valiantly defended our country so that we can be free. I am forever in debt and gratitude to them all, and their

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-11500878501745173682010-05-31T09:27:00.002-06:002010-05-31T09:31:33.753-06:00

I was about to water my plants this morning on my balcony when my neighbor downstairs came outside and lit up what I thought was a cigarette. However when I peered down through the cracks on my balcony I realized that it wasn't a cigarette but a bong. Huh. That's interesting. I guess I'll just have to water them later. Totally random.

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-23835427267883390402010-05-30T17:16:00.000-06:002010-05-30T17:18:23.080-06:00

I quit facebook. I can hear the shocks and awes from my previous 143 friends now. Some of them may think I no longer wish to be friends with them. Others may think I've gone temporarily insane. But whatever reasons they think are not the true reasons why I did it. Here are the real reasons. Their privacy settings are out of control. You can change it one day and the next you are automatically

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-40280698259834839892010-05-19T09:54:00.009-06:002010-05-19T15:37:11.196-06:00

Yesterday my family and I went to go and pick my brother Chris up from the airport. It was really great to see him. He was coming home from his mission in Portland Oregon and it had been two years since we last saw him. Here is a video I put together of the happy event.

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-69516331468329011302010-05-12T07:11:00.001-06:002010-05-12T07:36:02.369-06:00

"It's my turn to decide what being an adult means." - John McFerrinYesterday, while James and I were out and about, I saw an old boss of mine who I worked for a few years ago. Normally this would have been a grand reunion as I have gotten along extremely well with my previous employers. However, this person and situation did not end so nicely so I did not want to even smile at her from a distance

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-74575375768118854232010-05-09T22:34:00.002-06:002010-05-09T22:36:42.465-06:00

What is all comes down to is this:No matter where I am, or what I do, I know my mother loves me.No matter how far I go, or how close I stay, I know my mother loves me.No matter how good things are, or how bad things get, I know my mother loves me.No matter what time it is, day or night, I know my mother loves me.And that makes all the difference.Happy Mother's Day mom! I love you!

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-43075367136959401432010-05-08T08:52:00.002-06:002010-05-08T09:23:21.691-06:00

My mother loves the holidays. I remember every holiday my mom had some form of decorations for it, and I loved, loved, LOVED pulling them all out each year and spending the day decorating. Of course, we would have to straighten up the house first, but then we would put on some music and take our time pulling out the decorations, squealing with delight as we exclaimed "Oh! I love that one!" or "

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-5175081167197800312010-05-07T08:34:00.002-06:002010-05-07T08:42:36.371-06:00

When I was younger my mom taught me the value of honest hard work. We never got an allowance; it just wasn't something that we got, nor did I expect it really. When we got home from school we had chores to do, and we did them. And if we didn't do them right the first time we would have to keep doing it until it was right. Some of the work I thought was a little excessive, like pulling all the

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-45960215451198185532010-05-06T12:01:00.001-06:002010-05-07T08:34:40.035-06:00

My mom doesn't cheat, even when it may be tempting to help out her children. There have been times when it would have been very beneficial for me to get an answer from her, but she never gave in. She always made me try and figure things out the right way, but I knew that I could always go to her for help. I love that about my mom.

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-58550582726408865292010-05-05T13:13:00.002-06:002010-05-06T12:01:42.365-06:00

This one may sound kind of silly, but I love my mom for her potato salad. :) My mom makes some really good potato salad and I love eating it when it is freshly made. For a long, long while I used to eat it just the way she made it, but then I found out that whole cooked eggs give me migraines, so I didn't think I could ever have her potato salad again. However, she surprised me by making a

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-14010223870552264672010-05-04T12:49:00.001-06:002010-05-06T11:52:54.985-06:00

Growing up, our grandparents lived too far away for us to visit them, and being from a large family, this included the set of grandparents that lived just over in Utah (we lived in California at the time) because it was too expensive for us to travel to visit them very often. Still, I remember a few times when both sets of grandparents came out for some visits, and it was wonderful then. But

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-79176355563592966112010-05-03T11:20:00.002-06:002010-05-03T12:04:49.846-06:00

Mother's day is on Sunday, and so I wanted to pay a small tribute to my mother each day for the next week, ending on Mother's day. This is day one.When I was a kid I used to play around a lot and would usually get into trouble. As punishment, I was almost always grounded to cleaning the kitchen. I am from a family of eleven kids, so cleaning the kitchen at our house was pretty much the equivalent

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-60730098651827263082010-04-26T14:08:00.011-06:002010-04-28T19:04:10.118-06:00

Ah, James. The most wonderful man I know, next to my dad, of course. But just like my dad, James can make me laugh and see things from a different perspective that I never thought of before. It's extremely hard for him to get, or be, angry. He appreciates the way the clouds move across the sky, or how the mountains look after a good snowfall. He'd probably love to take pictures of everything if

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-2396421156536364802010-04-12T05:14:00.002-06:002010-04-12T05:45:30.367-06:00

Yesterday was a really bad day. It was right up there with one of the worst migraines of my life, and the hardest part was trying to keep myself from crying. There have only been a couple of times when the pain in my head was so severe that it brought me to tears. I know there are people out there who can completely understand this. It's only natural to cry when there is a severe amount of pain,

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-76283209909710144292010-04-06T20:58:00.003-06:002010-04-06T21:19:38.384-06:00

James and I took my little sister to Dave and Busters (a local eat and play place for all ages) for her 18th birthday. We all had a lot of fun and spent the afternoon playing all the fun arcade games and multiplayer games in the place. My sister had never been there before, so it was really fun to see her so excited about it. By the way, she totally dominated at Guitar Hero on expert level. She

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-88801752469639851482010-03-26T14:46:00.002-06:002010-03-26T15:03:08.945-06:00

I'm alone by myself most of the time since James works, and honestly, that's fine for me. I have time to myself, time for rest when I'm not feeling my best, time to work on very small projects (or individual steps within a big project) and, of course, plenty of time for thinking.Being sick has its ups and downs, as I am sure any person who has had to deal with a lengthy sickness can tell you. The

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-44869683582007557222010-03-23T17:47:00.003-06:002010-03-23T18:00:52.749-06:00

Anyone who has ever tried to scour through their purse, bag, car, wallet, desk, or drawer can attest to the sheer desperation of hoping....NO! needing to find a piece of gum. And it's not just a piece they are looking for, they are looking for any piece. A stale piece that has been long forgotten in an inconspicuous pocket; a half piece that was saved instead of thrown out; a rock hard blob that

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-71713957317067076512010-03-23T17:11:00.003-06:002010-03-23T17:19:45.056-06:00

This picture was taken at 12:57 pm. It's cloudy and cold.This picture was taken at 1:22 pm. It's pouring down rain.This picture was taken at 4:17 pm. It's almost a blizzard out there and it's still going strong.

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-44090118378886110362010-03-23T16:12:00.006-06:002010-03-23T17:11:34.872-06:00

The hard drive on our Mac crashed over the weekend, so now we have to get a new hard drive installed. It's never fun when your computer crashes. At least we have another one we use all the time, so no harm done really. We just really liked the Mac and now it's in the shop. Once we get it back though, it is going to be nice and fancy!! It's not really a new Mac. It's just a new hard drive, but

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-35996402732033696692010-03-23T13:10:00.006-06:002010-03-23T14:39:17.507-06:00

I love days like today. Where the sky is cloudy and the threat of rain is on the not too distant horizon. Where the cold breeze sweeps across my face and a small chill runs down my spine warning me of the impending storm. Where it's not cold enough to snow, but in a few hours it might be. Where a spring time storm can turn into a winter blizzard within the same day. I love the dark, thick clouds

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-20325295797759702010-03-17T11:43:00.008-06:002010-03-17T13:19:54.245-06:00

Today my apartment is cold, which is odd since it is rather warm outside. It's so cold, in fact, that I am shaking almost uncontrollably. So, while I wait for my apartment (and myself) to warm up a bit, I thought I would relate to you all my latest adventure in the fight against my migraines.Most, if not all, of you know that I suffer from incredibly painful and frequent migraines. Just this past

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-90510997710587319152010-02-11T13:05:00.004-07:002010-02-11T16:53:00.527-07:00

Well, I did it! This is my 100th post. I can't believe it took me so long to get here, and yet I can't believe I had so much to write about. I tried to find some fancy fireworks display that I could post on here, but I couldn't. So, you'll just have to settle for the knowledge of this being my 100th post. Yea! Congratulations to me! :)I thought that my 100th post should be something great and

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-8501775704149292462010-02-04T20:30:00.017-07:002010-02-05T08:57:05.061-07:00

The other day I pulled out some coloring books and crayons that I hadn't used in ages. I usually enjoy coloring because it is very soothing to me. I really like trying to focus on what color I should use and how I can make blank pages look. It takes my mind off other things. So, the other day the mood struck me to color and I pulled everything out. I have many boxes of crayons, but one box I

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-60650025129470853472010-02-01T10:38:00.001-07:002010-02-01T10:38:26.350-07:00

...and not because I was sad. I was driving around in my car running a couple of errands, when I decided to take a little drive. I hadn't been out of the house for the week, and the weather was beautiful, the traffic light so I decided to go for a short drive. I thought I would turn on the radio and listen to some music when one of my favorite songs came on. I immediately started to sing along

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-22028070736456962482010-01-21T08:21:00.002-07:002010-01-21T08:35:21.537-07:00

A friend of mine posted something called "Little Victories" on her blog, and I really liked the idea, so I thought I would do the same thing here showcasing my own little victories. After all, it's the little things that keep us going, right?As most of you know I no longer work, and staying home to recover has been, truly, a blessing. The bad days are certainly nothing to brag about, but I am

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-63108264819411872862010-01-16T18:40:00.003-07:002010-01-16T19:21:42.427-07:00

Today I had a migraine. It sucked. The end.But I found this little cartoon by Migraine Chick that I found extremely funny. I hate migraines, but at least I have funny people like Migraine Chick to make me laugh a little.

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-53291624174964385202010-01-10T22:04:00.002-07:002010-01-10T22:20:04.293-07:00

This weekend has been pretty laid back, as all weekends should be I think. I woke up on Saturday morning still coming out of a dream I had that I thought would make a great book. I spent the next hour typing up a three page synopsis on what the book was about and now I can't wait to start writing it into a novel! (I feel so Stephenie Meyer-ish!) I read the synopsis to James and he thought it was

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-67630819093229959392010-01-07T19:36:00.003-07:002010-01-07T20:00:29.634-07:00

When you're growing up you have these dreams or thoughts or expectations, call them what you may, about what your life is going to be like when you are older and on your own. You think about the successful career, or the handsome loving husband/beautiful perfect wife, the beautiful family, or the travels around the world. You factor in ages and places, people and things, money and wealth,

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-77095854313986569082009-12-27T09:17:00.000-07:002009-12-27T09:17:00.210-07:00

I went back over my old posts from last year and came across this one that listed my New Years goals I had set in anticipation of 2009. Now, near the end of this year I thought it would be a good idea to review the goals I had set and see how well I did at them. Let's review, shall we?My first goal I had set was "Get organized". James and I organized the closet in our study and the closet out on

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-62566765148278022782009-12-21T09:33:00.002-07:002009-12-21T09:34:52.424-07:00

The faded smell of Navy perfume reminds me of Christmas. This reminder of such a treasured holiday comes simply because of a gift that my sister Corrina purchased for me one year. It was a relatively normal sort of gift, and not one that most people are generally excited about, but to me it meant so much. I remember that for weeks before Christmas she would tell me how much she hoped I liked her

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-41963345952026090212009-12-18T14:41:00.003-07:002009-12-18T15:19:50.873-07:00

Today I am doing better. James and I decided last night to take his car to a repair shop to see if they could figure out what the problem was since it was escaping everyone else around us. That calmed me down a bit, aside from the money part, so we just prayed it wouldn't be anything big and wouldn't be over $300. I got up this morning and took the car into Brakes Plus. I was there for an hour

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-63549336915658874062009-12-17T15:16:00.003-07:002009-12-17T16:21:10.455-07:00

I've been on this emotional roller coaster lately, and I can't quite figure out why. I'm stressed about my health, James' car (his brakes aren't working properly and we can't figure out what the problem is), finances, feeling like I am a burden on others, and not being able to sing. Normally these problems wouldn't bother me. Normally I would be able to handle them. Normally I would put on some

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-8151723737941217002009-12-14T09:21:00.004-07:002009-12-14T10:17:31.703-07:00

On Saturday James and I received a true mystery Christmas gift. We have no idea who it came from. James was on his way home from work when I heard a loud knock on my front door. I went to see who it was, but when I looked out the peephole there was no one there. I thought maybe the person had left, or they had left something on the door. So, I opened the door, and there was a present sitting on

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-30701149925108825212009-12-11T14:38:00.001-07:002009-12-11T14:41:44.517-07:00

I've had a recurring fear that's persisted since high school. I'm standing amongst a group of my friends and we are all laughing and talking, just having a good time. After a while someone starts singing and soon everyone is harmonizing and singing together. One by one we each sing part of a solo. I notice throughout the song that people keep looking at me sideways, with quizzical looks on their

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-52627398439229115572009-12-09T09:52:00.003-07:002009-12-09T10:13:55.775-07:00

Most of you who know James and I know that we prefer the cold. I've heard so many people complaining lately about how cold it is and I just have to roll my eyes with a slight smile on my face. Now, I'm not saying that I don't get cold. Quite the contrary, especially lately with the whole hypothyroidism thing. It is so easy for me to get cold. I'm not talking slightly chilly where I need to put on

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-23672821333314979542009-12-07T13:38:00.002-07:002009-12-07T13:40:00.839-07:00

I love this! Bet you didn't know that James could do the worm, did ya? :)Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-81815241446168884592009-11-24T21:11:00.003-07:002009-11-25T16:35:36.781-07:00

Over the past month I have watched as Facebook became inundated with posts and live feeds from friends and family about things they were thankful for. I understood why they were doing it; it was the time to share the things that they were most grateful for. While others were listing their blessings daily (some even twice daily) I resisted. I didn't want to just blatantly throw my thankfulness out

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-86375002253613046582009-11-13T08:27:00.002-07:002009-11-13T08:48:15.380-07:00

These last few days, well, the last few weeks really, have been filled with hefty decisions and weighty matters that seemed almost too much for either James or I to handle. However, we have been blessed tremendously with the blessings from heaven and with the Spirit as we have prayed, pondered, and made a difficult decision. I have to take the time my body requires to heal and recover from this

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37379721.post-25159518582886159272009-10-31T14:08:00.009-06:002009-10-31T14:37:56.282-06:00

For Halloween this year my work was having some fun festivities that employees could participate in. My department also decided to have a Halloween themed potluck and everyone signed up to bring stuff. I entered the pumpkin carving contest at work and found a really cool template of a vulture inside a cage. This particular carving not only had some detailed carving that I had never done before,

Chilly Beansnoreply@blogger.com1