Call me narcissist if you must but this blog is all about ME. I have another blog about my kids, whom I love and adore writing about. But I was Nicole a long time before I was mom and I don't intend to give up being Nicole overnight.

p.s.
You can read all about my kids at Naptime Optional.
Or you can follow along on our Arizona adventure on my 365 project blog.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Flash WAY back Friday

I was a cute baby!

Yup. That's me. At the ripe 'ol age of 5 months. My little elbows are so cubby I just want to pinch them! I even left in the blue finger print smudge on the upper left side of the picture there for the sake of authenticity. (My husband tried to convince me to photoshop it out.)

Here are a couple of my daughter at the same age.

Prettyin Purple

Watch out, here I come

Any similarities?

Monday, January 26, 2009

Name that Movie Monday

Today will be short and sweet because I've had puking kids all last week and trying to put my life back together now.

I chose today's line because whenever my kids are watching this movie (hint) this line cracks me up with it's subtle irony.

I know it's not our tradition to do things differently...


Oh, and no movie code today....Adam puked on me on Saturday and in a rush to get the puked on pants into the wash I forgot to remove my cell phone from the pocket and now my phone is fried. Which means no text messages. Which means no movie code. But....maybe some kind reader who also gets the code each week will leave it down in the comments for us....hint, hint. :)

Friday, January 23, 2009

Flashback Friday

This week was my 6th wedding anniversary. So I thought that today I'd share a few wedding photos.

Exiting the Temple, officially man and wife.

Wedding Day

This one has always been one of my favorites. It was setting on my desk at work, once upon a time when I still had a paying job. Mike claims he was checking to make sure my bow was still tied but the look on his face would indicate he's checking out my behind. Guess he thought that now that we were married he was allowed to look.

Wedding Day

Pinning on my dad's corsage.

Wedding Day

Cutting the cake, which my mom made. Didn't she do a lovely job?

Wedding Day

A stolen kiss-tasted like wedding cake.

Wedding Day

My mom also made these M&M cakes (because we both had last names starting with M) and my little cousins couldn't wait to have a piece of them!

Wedding Day

My dad and his (only) sister-just for fun.

Wedding Day


Me and my sister.

Wedding Day

And this little gem of when we were done opening gifts.

Wedding Day

So there you have it. What a lot can change in 6 years!!!!


Wedding Day

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

I'll catch the re-run

I have a small confession to make. I didn't watch the Presidential Inauguration today. Does that make me un-American?

In all honesty I think it just makes me a mom. Because somewhere between the piles of laundry, the stacks of dirty dishes, the 4 year old with a fever, the bills that needed to be paid, the church phone calls to make, the 4 poopy diapers that needed to be changed (all before noon!) and the kids that wanted to be fed I just plain forgot that it was today.

The press has been pushing the significance of this particular inauguration, saying that it will be in the history books and that the generations that follow will ask in awe what we were doing on this historically significant day.

Apparently it all still pales in comparison to everyday motherhood.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Name that Movie Monday

Today is my daughter's birthday. In celebration we are going to the Auto Show. Which means I thought about being really tricky and for today's quote doing something from Top Gear. But decided to go with something a little easier. Are you ready?

Ka-chow


Think you know it?

And for all you stellar winners (because I know you're all going to know it!) here is your movie code: K6W3G4

Friday, January 16, 2009

Flashback Friday

My husband has accused me of always embarrassing him with my Flashback Fridays. So today I have vowed to only embarrass me. And maybe a couple of my cousins. Who shall remain nameless in order to protect the innocent.

The sloppy handwriting on the back of these lovely reminiscences indicates that they were taken in August 1993. Back then my cousins and I loved to play dress up. We especially loved to play that we were princesses. (I know, you're shocked.)

So feast your eyes on the beauties that were us "Once Upon A Time...."

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Back then I was carrying a high quality 110 camera. (Does that age me?) So, of course, the pictures are also extremely high quality. Especially since they are taken in my Grandmother's very dark basement. Ah, those were the days.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Fat or broke?

I deal with stress or disappointment by shopping. Well, not really shopping. I can get quickly bored with simply browsing a store. So to be completely accurate I should say that I deal with stress or disappointment, or just mere boredom for that matter, by buying. For some reason spending money is very cathartic for me. There is a great emotional release for me in spending money. The release is even better if I am able to get a good deal on something. Buy one get one half off sales are like the ultimate high for me. That, and Children's Place Outlet sales at Park City. A good sale can sometimes make up for an entire bad week.

Plus I can SO easily rationalize my habit because, unlike some people who have shopping addictions, I only buy things we actually use. I saw a lady on Oprah once who had like 10 of the same shirts just in different colors. And you couldn't even walk through her house because she had so much stuff. I don't buy stuff just to buy stuff. I always buy things we actually need. Well, okay, I use the term "need" loosely. But I buy clothes for the kids and things for the house or sometimes I just go drop a wad of money on groceries at Costco.

But I'm what you might call a shopping bulimic. I go spend a bunch of money to make me feel happy but then later when I get home with all my goodies I start to feel bad about how much money I spent spend the next day taking half of it back.

At least that used to be how I dealt with stress. But economic times are turbulent. And although I LOVE spending money, and even though I try to convince my husband that I'm actually just doing my part to stimulate the economy, I also am a rational thinker and I pay the bills and I have put a self imposed limit on my spending as of late.

Which means I've had to find a new outlet for dealing with stress. And lately it's been food. I am not proud to admit this. Especially since we have been doing so well around here with the whole healthy eating thing. Before Christmas I lost 15 lbs. I've been working out rigorously. But sometimes chocolate just calls my name. I try to shun it. I try to ignore it. But I'm stuck at home. Because I can't go out anywhere or I'd end up spending money. And eventually, but late afternoon, I find myself giving in. Just a small piece of chocolate. Then maybe a bigger piece. Then to heck with it, I'll just eat the whole pan of brownies.

So which is the lesser of two evils? Do you think it would be wrong to take up a collection that would allow me to keep shopping?

Monday, January 12, 2009

Name that Movie Monday

Is it Monday again already? Where did the weekend go? Well, okay. If it's Monday I will do my Monday duty to spice up your otherwise dull start of the week by providing you with a little brain tease. (Like how I so vainly believe that my little ol' blog is the highlight of your Monday?)

His destructive programming is taking effect. He will be irresistibly drawn to large cities where he will back up sewers, reverse street signs, and steel everybody's left shoe.


And, just to make it fair...Richard is not allowed to give his answer until 4:00 MST. :)

And, for the REAL highlight of you day, your free movie code: H48MX2

Friday, January 9, 2009

Flashback Friday

Ak! It's 10:15 and I just NOW remembered it was FRIDAY! It's a good thing I don't get paid to blog and have deadlines and an editor and all that jazz. I'd get fired after the first week.

But, better late than never. Here is my very quick Friday memory.

I was lazy and only flashed back to Christmas 2003 because that was the year we bought our digital camera and so those were the oldest pictures on my computer. No scanner required. :)

I was pregnant that year so, of course, the unborn baby got most the gifts.

Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday

The necklace and earrings I am wearing were my Christmas gift from the hubby that year. The stones are blue because I was pregnant with a boy. And he tried to act all cool about it but he was really REALLY ecstatic we were having a boy! But shhh, don't tell him that I told you he does cute things like that for me. He has a tough guy image to uphold.


And now I can go to bed with a clear conscience because I fulfilled my blogging obligations to the blogging world. Good Night all. And Happy Weekend!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Name that Movie Monday

Today's quote is in honor of yesterday's failed Sharing Time.

I saw that going differently in my mind


Give it your best guess.

Here is your free Movie Code: 37CEA9

If anybody has used their free code to rent a really good movie lately PLEASE let me know. I'm at a loss as to what to rent these days.

And and a totally different note altogether-I want to give a quick apology to all my bloggy friends. I've been trying hard to keep on reading all your wonderful blogs but have not had much of a chance to leave comments. But I have been by, and will be back into my normal groove of things soon!

Good Intentions

Sometimes you plan. And then you plan some more. And then just to be safe you plan a little bit more. You work out every little detail. And then in the end you manage to overlook one tiny thing and KA-BOOM!

I had Sharing Time today in primary. The topic was the Plan of Salvation

I had, what I thought, was a FABULOUS idea. See, I told the kids that we had decided to take the entire Primary on a field trip. We had talked it over with several other members of the ward and narrowed it down to two choices. We had invited two members of the ward to explain each choice to the kids and then they would get to vote on what we were going to do.

So the first Brother said told the kids that we were going to go to Lagoon. But he was going to plan the entire trip, down to every detail. We would ride all the same rides at the same time and eat all the same food. But because he was planning every detail he would guarantee that nobody would get lost, sick, or hurt.

The second Brother said that he was going to also take the kids to Lagoon but that they could choose which rides to ride and what they wanted to eat. They could stay together in small groups(like families) if they wanted. There would be rules and guidelines set up in advance and there would be leaders throughout the park to help along the way. If rules were not followed there was a chance that they could get hurt or lost. But there would always be teachers/leaders to try and help find them and help them if they did get hurt, sick, or lost.

After the kids heard both plans they voted on it. Then I tried to transition into the spiritual part of the lesson, where I compare it to the Council in Heaven and then talk about the Plan of Happiness.

I planned and prepared and picked the perfect men to play the roles. They did a flawless job, too. Very convincing. Everything should've gone off without a hitch, right?

Problem is-as soon as I told the kids that we weren't REALLY going to Lagoon I lost them. They were so hung up on NOT going to Lagoon that the spiritual part, the important part, was completely missed.

Lesson learned. Never tell a child you are taking them to Lagoon unless you actually intend to take them to Lagoon.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Flashback Friday

I am terribly bummed out today! I had the PERFECT idea today for the first Flashback Friday of the new year. It was going to funny and thoughtful and just plain amazing. But I'm so terribly unorganized when it comes to my pictures, journals, home movies and such that I can't find the things I need to do it. And I've already wasted half the morning looking and have way too much to do today to spend any more time looking. So, the really super perfect post will have to wait for another day.

So instead you get something completely random. While looking for the pictures I REALLY wanted I came across these and decided they would have to do.

In the past I was IN LOVE with Harrison Ford. I mean seriously in love. This is the wall shrine to him on my closet when I was in college.

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Isn't he dreamy?

Knowing about my huge, not so secret crush on Harrison Ford it shouldn't surprise you in the least that when I visited Hollywood that it was a top priority to find Harrison's Star on the walk of fame.

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And his hand prints in the cement in front of Mann's Chinese Theater.

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Although Harrison Ford will always hold a special place in my heart, I must admit that he has gotten a bit too old and I've moved on to other Hollywood Heart throbs. Hugh Grant would rank right up there at the top of my list. We also watched a movie last night with Hugh Jackman in it and he was quite tasty as well. And Robert Downey Jr. in Ironman is delicious eye candy, to say the least.