Excited by the TV line up

It is that time of year again... that's right - premiere week!! YAY! Now I love TV very very much, but with my new job and the fact that I feel a nagging guilt if I start to schedule my life around too many shows, I try to decide on only a handful of shows to devote my season to... so the race has begun.

Returning favorites of course is Grey's Anatomy and Lost! I am so excited for the Lost premiere on the 4th of Oct.

Now the new hopefuls... The Office.

Now I was with them in the beginning, but they fell by the wayside when it came to VCR programming, but I have returned and what a wonderful homecoming it has been. Another hopeful is Brothers and Sisters... the premiere was ineteresting, but the jury is still out. There is also Desperate Housewives... doubtful I'll stick, but it is always something to watch if I have nothing else to do. Then we have a premiere that aired tonight, but it was pretty incredble - Heroes!! It is comic book-ish, with a likeness to X-men, and it has some big names to back it up... Promising.

And finally we have Gilmore Girls... I have watched this show since the beginning, but I haven't been impressed with the last few seasons... I am going to tape the premiere tomorrow night, but I am not holding my breath for anything great... what are some of your favorite shows?

Kelsie's birthday

My friend Kelsie turned 24 today and since this is also the 24th - that means that it is her "Golden Birthday"!! We all met up at the Royal Palms restaurant (I think that is what it is called) and had a wonderful brunch all together. We got this beautiful dining room all to ourselves with a long gorgeous oak table and high back dining chairs... We were actually not suppose to have that room, but they double booked the other room and so we got this much more expensive dining room for free... yippie!
My friend Kelsie is the coolest person in the world... she is one of those beautiful women (literally one of the most gorgeous women I have ever seen up close) and she is incredibly kind and has such a beautiful heart. I told her today that I feel so privilaged to be her friend, because she is too cool for me. She's one of those popular, beautiful people and I adore her and want to be like her when I grow up. I hope she knows how much she means to me.

YAY!!

So Tyler, my super talented little brother, had his choir concert last night and brought the house down with his awesome, amazing voice. I actually wasn't there to see it, but I did make it to the dress rehersal... where I took these pictures.






And here is his big Solo moment... singing "Run Freedom, Run"


In other news... work is good and my desk is almost set up... I still have to bring in things that are "me", like pictures and decorations... I also share my desk with someone else, so it can't be too much, but I'll get that kind of stuff together this weekend.

Why do I do this to myself...

It is 8am and I am sitting at my computer all ready to go to work... I actually didn't need to actually work this morning, but I am helping out another instructor... why do I agree to sub classes, I don't want to. I actually need to do stuff for my other classes... today. That's right I am sub-ing this morning and then I have a class this afternoon and evening... I will be at work for 12 hours today! ugh. I'm sleepy... and I don't want to stand up in front of a class. Okay I am going to go... luckily tomorrow I will be at work for only about 5 hours tomorrow... nice!

I AM AN INSTRUCTOR!!!!

This was my first official day as a full-time instructor at ASMT!! I was offered the job officially and of course accepted. I am so excited to be on board at a teacher and get paid to do this job!

I was given a whole packet of stuff about my medical insurance, my 401K, and stuff of that nature, which was super exciting! I cannot believe that only 9 months after starting as a TA I am now going to be working as a full time instructor. I am blown away. Please be thinking and praying for me as I begin this huge transition of working 40 hours a week and having all this new responsibility. I will need all the positive energy I can get.

... Oh and by the way my friend Holly had her baby last week... McKenzie Taylor Butler... you can take a look here.

I need ideas...

I have no idea what I want to be for Halloween!!! I am always really good at this, but I have run out of ideas. I have been a fairy, every disney princess, a witch, Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's, i was Hermione Granger last year, and I want to be something fun... help! help!!

Flight of the Conchords news!!

I found this little tidbit of info on their site... conchords.net

More on HBO series
Conchords take off

American TV deal for folk parody duo
Folk parody duo Flight Of The Conchords have landed their own American TV series. The Perrier-nominated New Zealanders have been commissioned for an 11-episode comedy from the prestigious HBO network. Their show is being described as similar to fellow HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm, as it will be partially improvised around a script and offers a fictional version of the lives of its stars, Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. It will also feature original songs, in a format similar to the pair's Radio Two series last year. The series was commissioned following a successful pilot, which Clement and McKenzie created with Ali G director James Bobin and Stu Smiley, executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond. The Conchords had previously developed a pilot with the rival NBC network after executives spotted them at Montreal's Just For Laughs festival, but this didn't make it to a series. McKenzie had previously played an elf in the Lord Of The Rings movie.

Okay the last part is the funniest part, because now tha I think about it, I totally remember him as the elf in ROTK who talks to Arwen as she's leaving Rivendell (pictures below)... now I really am in love with Bret.

Awesome Memory!!

I know it is 1am and I am beyond exhausted, but I am also on cloud 9 after having one of the most incredible evenings.

Kendra, chris, and I went to see Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Gammage... it is a remake of the 1988 movie with Steve Martin and Michael Cain... great movie.

Anyhoo... The show is absolutely beyond incredible and I laughed my head off through the whole thing. The most incredible element is Norbert... now not only do I love him for his vocal talent, but he is the most energetic and spectacular performers I have ever seen... the amount of energy that comes out of that man on stage is astounding. But the great thing is that he looked like he was having an absolute blast on stage which made the whole show so fun. It is one of the best shows I have ever witnessed in my life.

But the fun isn't over... Oh no... the 3 of us hurried to the stage door to see if we could catch Norbert before he dodged out to the hotel, and low and behold we got to meet him, he signed our playbills, and even took a picture with us... exhibit A:
if you saw him perform you would understand why I love him... yes he isn't the most attractive.

The leading lady was also very good as well... her high notes blew me away... what a voice. She was lovely!


I will be forever greatful for the blessing of such a wonderful night... other pictures for your enjoyment of Chris, Kendra and I at the show

NOOOORRRRBBBBEEERRRRTTT!!!!

(in case you could't read that it says Norbert... as in Norbert Leo Butz)

In less than 4 1/2 hours the curtains will open in Gammage Auditorium and I will seeing Norbert in all his singing glory... I am so excited!!!!! I will blog more after the show to give you all the details!!

Sick/Safety movies...

there are specific movies that I consider set aside for instances where I am sick, or need some comfort... they are my sick/safety movies. I could watch these movies on a regular basis for the rest of my life and not get sick of them... they are my favorites...















1. Chocolat - my absolute favorite movie... wonderful story, beautifully filmed and directed... and great performances
2. Lord of the rings - the movies are absolutely wonderful - all three are perfect... and the special features of the extended editions are priceless, thoroughly entertaining
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone - I know there are three other movies, but this one is my favorite... who wouldn't want to discover at 11 years old that you are a very famous and potentially powerful wizard and you can do magic!
4. Mask of Zorro - This is one of those really fun movies... it is funny and filled with action and romance and Anthony Hopkins... great flick
5. Pirates of the Caribbean - Johnny Depp is spot on amazing... I laugh every time I see it... and who doesn't love a good sword fight
6.Shakespeare in Love - I love the last scene where they are performing Romeo and Juliet for the first time in front of an audience... it is one movie that has truly captured the feeling of performing a show... it is wonderfully sweeping
7. Back to the Future - 1985, a delorean, Marty and Doc, and time travel... need I say more
8. Pride & Prejudice - really either versions (BBC miniseries or recent theatrical release) My favorite love story ever!
9. Princess Bride - I think I could probably quote this entire movie from beginning to end if I set my min to it... inconcievably good
10. The Count of Monte Cristo - I have such a huge crush on Edmond Dantes.

Honorable mention:
Love Actually
Three Musketeers
Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
Hook
Finding Neverland
Little Women
Lara Croft Tomb Raider
Bridget Jones' Diary
Man in the Iron Mask
Newsies
Pretty Woman

Tell me what you think... comment about your sick/safety movies...

The holidays are coming...

I know that we in Arizona are sort of doubtful that the weather will change and cool off and that autumn will ever come to our valley... but today made me hopeful, because after all the temp today is a mere 98 degrees for the high... oh blessed day...

But despite the lingering doubt it is the middle of September, and when september hits our family starts to think about halloween... my family's second favorite holiday. So I have seen the Halloween decoration litering the aisles of stores and it is such a wonderful feeling to walk among the jack-o-lanters and grave stones and bats... I know it sounds odd but I really love halloween... it stirs up memories and nostalgia and I just love it.

Anyways... my dad and I were out shopping today and foung this little beauty at a Collectable store... we got a great deal on it because it was mismarked, price wise... So this will be quite an addition to our halloween decor as well as our Christmas village... it will look awesome! My dad has alway wanted a haunted mansion for our village.

Note: the candy dish in front will not be apart of the village set-up.

Scrap it!

What totally stinks about our scrap it get togethers is that I now have my creativity going like a fiend and I want to scrap all the time... but I need to pace myself because I don't have a lot and I tend to work really fast... I think it is due to the fact that I fear my vision will leave if I take too long to do a page... that is what happened with my dad's book. So I have the morning off and I am doing everything I can to not dive into a another project at my scrap table... I also should be preparing my lesson for tonight's Professional Development class... ugh.

I am super excited because the Grey's Anatomy Season 2 DVD comes out tomorrow... I have to go pick it up! Gosh I love that show. The Season premiere is next thursday!!!

I feel like I laze my days away... I was impressed that my body woke up at 8:30 this morning (I usually wake up at around 9:30-10am when I don't have to work in the mornings), but what did I do with my few extra hours of the day... I layed in my bed and listened to the radio reports about the 5 years anniversary of 9/11. I wish I would have just gotten up and done something productive... so now it is a little after 10am and I have to go to work in 3 and a half hours... not a lot of time to do soemthing worth while... because I still need to get dressed and prepare for class.

I am going to clean my room and maybe start looking for my scrap assignment pictures... (I have to scrap something I did during the summers when I was a kid - which was playing on my grandparent's farm in wisconsin.) That is what I'll do today...

My dad's gift...

So it was my dad's 53rd birthday on September 7Th (Thursday)... he is such a hard person to shop for, so I am always at a loss as to what to get him. Well the night before his birthday it finally dawned on me... with a little help from a friend at work, that I should make him a photo album of just him and I... "Daddy & Deucy" is what I called it - Deucy is what my dad calls me because I am the second child. So I finished it today (well finished putting the book together, but I have not journaled which as my scrapping friend will tell you means that it is not finished. So I am going to put selections of the album up here so you can see my work... and how cute I am as a baby.

fun night at Amy's

Amy found herself alone tonight and so did I, so I was more than happy to ablige her my company... that is after I had to get a ride home from work because I discovered my front right tire has absolutely no air in it what-so-ever! so sad for my pathetic little car... this is the 4th thing I have had to replace in as many months... ugh. But I did have a great time (and great quiche) at the Schubert abode... hence the pictures taken by this lovely little laptop seen below...

We watched The Burbs (starring Tom Hanks) and I sorted through pictures for my new scrap project... I'll explain once I have pictures (ah the suspense)... I have come home to a house full of people (at midnight... I know!). It is my brothers weekly poker game with his friends... so they are all over the house talking and laughing and singing (yes... they are all choir boys and girls) and so I have no hope of getting to bed any time soon... but such is life...

Talking on the phone with Kendra

Amy and I lounging in front of the movie

Yep... that's just me

The Goonies

I have finally seen the Goonies... I had never seen it before today... okay, you can wipe that shocked look off your faces (the same look I recieve from everyone who hears I have never see the Goonies).

It is a really cute movie... but sadly I must say that it holds no nostagic value to me as it does to every other person around my age. Everyone else grew up on this movie, fitting it in as a staple of their youth, but I never did - so all the inside jokes and quotes are lost on me. Yes, I know I had a deprived childhood... I am working thru that. What I loved most about the movie was watching little Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin)... he was precious! And the creepy sloth guy was just odd... I didn't get it. But those Goonies won out in the end! God bless 'em.

Although I hold no affection for the Goonies movie, I still have Anne of Green Gables, Back to the Future, Rad, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey, and Flight of the Navagator to define my childhood for me. What wonderful movies they were too.

baby suri cruise...

Yeah... I know this is retarded to post about this... but she is so incredibly cute... check it out.

In other news the Bowen family and I decided to part employment ways... we both decided that because Simon was in school and I am starting my 40 hour a week job soon, it wasn't necessary to continue nannying... It is a really good thing and such a God-thing and so I feel really good about it. I will still watch the kids here and there when Teresa and Dave have date night or any other need they may have... but I won't be a regular staple in the house.

With all that is starting in my life I feel God is really protecting me in prioritizing and giving myself some free time. I have a problem leaving empty hours in the week that I really need... I tend to fill up every minute.

I will miss my "mommy-fix" terribly, but I will also have peace of mind not working a million jobs (or just 2) at once.

Photo album

This is going to be my new "ME" scrapbook... I bought it at Michael's, but it was a little plan to me... so I decided to spruce it up a bit... I may do some more... maybe not, but this is what I did.

Before














After

fruits of my labor...

I have had a wonderful day to myself scrapping... and a marathon of 90210 on the soap channel! Here are the pages of the "Wars of America" party my friends and I had in July... the idea was to come as a character or archetype from a country or group that was at one time at war with America... I was a communist sympathizer (haha)... enjoy the pics:

Long weekend of silence...

I house sat this weekend and they don't have wireless internet... (sad face) which meant that my laptop didn't get the internet, and I felt weird using someone else's computer to blog... does that sound weird... because it does to me, but that's me for you.

The house was rather sizely (haha I made a new word), but not that clean (another sad face)... and the pool was dirty so there went Jeannette and mine's plans to swim and lay out... so instead we went to lunch and watched Batman Begins... oh Christian Bale how I adore thee... I feel so honored to have followed him from his early career... I was a fan way back in Empire of the Sun and then onto my personal favorite - Newsies.

That evening I went to dinner and a movie with a friend. We were up at Deer Valley 30 eating at Wild Flower, I was enjoying my butter-nut squash ravioli, when a storm rolls in from the south and a terrential rain begins to beat against the parking lot. When finished with dinner we decide to drive over to the other side of the parking lot to the theater to buy our tickets early for the movie, but by the time we made it to the ticket line we were both completely drenched... we bought our tickets and didn't want to walk back to our cars (for fear we might drowned) so we sat in starbucks for a while... sadly enough I never dried off that night and it was infinitely cold in the air conditioned theater... ah Arizona monsoons.

We saw the movie Idlewild... the rap-musical starring the men from the group Outkast... It was actually quite entertaining... it is set in the 20's in a club... it has gangsters, gambling, showgirls, murder, and bootleg alcohol (the makings for a poor rap guys and dolls remake), but it wasn't - it was excellent. The music was very contemporary which made for a very creative spin on a club in the 20's, but I am actually a closeted sucker for an outkast tune, so I was pleased. It is rated R for a reason... so go prepared for sex and some blood... but enjoy the songs and dancing... and Andre 3000 is precious.

I finished out the true weekend with some scrapping at Nicole's and the movie Wedding Crashers... mediocre movie.

Now I am home... I will post my pages when I unpack my stuff... I am going to continue with the creative juices today and scrap some more. I had an early start this morning... so I have a lot of Labor Day daylight to fill...

...

It is daunting making a title for each of these bloody blogs... so I will forgo the effort to create one all together.

I feel much much better than yesterday... I just need to relax a little and think of myself for a change instead of filling my schedule for other people... I need to have some rest and relaxation in my life... which after my nap yesterday I got some. Thanks for all the support and prayers.

My friend Tom from work has a blog... yippie skippie!! http://web.mac.com/tomsbrain/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html

I went to work today for a couple hours to hire some people... that's right I have the power to hire people. It is amazingly awesome to have this type of responsibility and at the same time, daunting... ah second time to use that word in this blog, it has become the word of the day... yeah, I had to hire a few new TA's (teaching assistants) for a couple of my classes... it brought back memories of my interview process when I was hired 10 months ago... and look at how far I have come... I am now a full time instructor. I never imagined that it would take this little amount of time to reach my goal. I am amazed at how God had plans that were beyond my wildest imaginings... but then again God has always worked that way with me... instead of giving me what I ask for, he gives me something way better.

I also got my class schedule for next quarter starting next month (October 10th), which means I can start planning the rest of my life... as far as 2006 goes. I am happy with the way it worked out, and this will shape up to be a wonderful quarter... at least I hope.

Now I am off to play with Simon and Addy... I think we will have early bath time, and dinner, and put our PJs on and watch a movie... Addy is now scared of any movie that is not Dora, all because of Monsters Inc... now her reaction to anything but Dora and Buzby ends with her running to her room screaming and saying, "I scared, I scared" it is so incredibly sad and at the same time adorable... does that sound bad of me... yeah you would have to be there to get it... I am thinking something mindless and cutesy...

I'm bored and my compiter has a built in camera... and a program called PhotoBooth that allows you to take endless amounts of useless pictures... like these... enjoy