day 30...my "life list"

I'm sad this challenge is coming to an end.  However, it is a great feeling to know that there are other people out there in the world that love some of the same things I love, feel as insecure as I do, live in places I would really like to visit....and so on :]  It's been a fantastic opportunity!  Thanks Toni & everyone else who took a minute or two to peek into my blog...i've enjoyed peeking into yours :D

So, it's all about the 'bucket list'...things I want to do and/or accomplish in my life.  Wow, so many...however, there are a choice few that stick out for me:

* build one more home. one with a huge family room for my grandchildren to all come and have a sleep over in!  (got some years before i'm a grandma...i hope!)
* buy a ranch in montana or nebraska.  i want my hub's to have a place of his very own to run his horses and hunt for whitetail.
* watch my oldest, Caitlyn, live seizure free!  there's got to be a way!  also, see her marry a man who loves her more than anyone else on the whole earth!  I want to see her raise a family and be a great mother :]
* listen to my youngest, Sadie, play the piano....as much as possible.  Help her win the battle with her anxiety issues.  Marry a cowboy and live in humble peace with her  family and enjoy motherhood.
* i don't ever want my puppy (of 10 years) to die.  so, i want to invent a medication that will allow a dog to live as long as it's owner ;]  (ok, that one is far beyond realistic!)
* visit Japan, Ireland, Scotland.  while i'm at it i would like to walk where Christ walked, see what i read about in the scriptures...so cool!
* help as many children as i can learn in confidence and happiness and tell them how special they are no matter what their challenges are!
* buy 2 very comfortable rocking chairs, place them on my porch...and when we're older, sit with my hub's and watch the wind blow by (just like Tim McGraw sings!).
* say "thank you" as many times as i can!!!

I love a good photo...so I'd like to leave you all with one.  My backyard...one day :]

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."  ~Erma Bombeck

day 29 - my super support team!

I can't believe this challenge is coming to an end.  One more day, holy cow, time flies!

So today is all about my support team :]  I love this one because I love to give credit where credit is deserved!  My peeps are the best.  They are honest with me, help me accomplish goals, hug me when I'm sad, join me when I'm happy and listen to my 'ever so many' ideas and wonderings ;]

Here they are...my super heros!

My Hub's is the best...He doesn't always understand where in the world my ideas are coming from or why I want to do whatever it is I do?  But he supports me.  He is my very best of friends and we love to laugh, people watch, drive up the canyon, talk, help others, live worthy of this wonderful life we've been blessed with...and we do this ALL together!  He is my superman...I just couldn't live without him ;]
My girls...It doesn't matter what's going on, they are ALWAYS there for me (and that's huge considering they are 16 and 18!).  These two girls are colossal examples to me.  They both have had some pretty tough struggles in their lives and they come out of them shining every time.  I have constant anxiety for their well being, but they always ensure me that it's all going to be o.k.!  Caitlyn has taught me how to have a strong sense of self, Sadie has taught me how to stay strong in my beliefs.  They are honestly my little angels.

My Mom!  She kills herself taking care of my whole family...but when it comes supporting me, she makes me feel like I'm her 1st priority and that my life is most important.  She is a FANTASTIC grandma and a super hero to her parents...who she takes care of and live in her home.  She does it all!  I know I won't be as GREAT as she is when I'm a grandma, but to have her example in my life is worth everything to me :]
(My dad is pretty awesome too!  I can't not give him credit...I never doubt that he loves me!)

My brother and sister...he he he, always silly and always friends :]    We are a close little bunch!  If there's ever a problem or concern, or just something funny to say...we are there for one another.  I'm the oldest, but I feel like they take care of me.  They are always ready for a fun lunch out, a spur of the moment get together or a random phone call.  

My B.F. Kay.  She is just the definition of a great friend!  Non-judgmental, loves my kids, calls to 'check in' at random, tells me ALL my ideas are the bomb!, and she just feels like a sister to me :]  We travel almost everywhere together.  Our husbands are involved in triathlon, so we spectate almost every race, no matter where, together!  Whether we're in Kona or Coeur D' Alene, we love being together!  I don't think I've ever laughed as hard as I have when we are together ;]

There's plenty more: my husbands parents, church leaders, neighbors....but if I'm going to stick to my word about giving credit where credit is due, then it all goes to my Brother, Friend and Savior, Jesus Christ.  He gave it all up for me, He loves me, He loves my little family and He will always be there to laugh, cry and think randomly with me :]

Happy Day!
lisajp

day 28 - what's in my bag?

Well, this is a kind of weird one for me right now because my purse was stolen out of my car (which was in my garage!) very recently.  EVERYTHING was in it!  I loved my purse SO much.  My daughter used to make fun of me for buying a new bag every other day (totally exagerated!).  But this one I had for a long time because it was so stinkin' awesome!!!! Isn't that just the way it goes?  Ya find something you love and you lose it, it breaks or...in my case...gets stolen :[  I'm still in search of finding either that same purse or a new one JUST LIKE IT!   So, here's what I'll do...show you what would normaly be in my bag ;]  Enjoy...

My purse was similar to this one.  And, although I think this one is super cute, I loved mine even more :[

I had this exact little black bag...but not full of make up (because I'm not a real make up kinda girl).  It was full of bandaids, medications, chapstick, tissues and eyedrops.  It was my 'go to' bag for away from the house scrapes, scratches and headaches ;]

Gift cards and punch cards to all my favorite places to eat, shop and get my nails done.

Always Sharpies...I never go anywhere without my sharpies :]

GUM....don't want to talk to someone without any in my mouth!  I'm a diet coke drinker and I like food with garlic and spice...so, ya know...it's a must!

My phone/ipod...can't live without it.  LUCKILY, that was in the house with me when my purse was stolen!  Would have gone crazy without my tunes!!!











Other than that, I have (had) an insurance card, library card, costco card, pic's of my kids and husband, little drawings from my nephew and little personal touches like that.  I would seem that my purse is a mess!  Well, kind of...but an organized mess to me.  Well at least now I can start fresh and organized it all a little better...I'm just SOOOOO grateful I don't carry credit cards, that would have just stunk!!!  Wish I had my cute purse to take a pic of and share...oh well?

Be happy :]
lisajp

ps - DUH...& sunglasses..couldn't see without them :]

day 27...worst habit :[

Biting my nails.  Not very exciting.  That's why I have have fake ones!  

These are my halloween nails from last year.  Every october they have to be black or have some black on them!  Simply because I LOVE halloween!  I usually just get kind of a clear color...i don't like to look to fake and pretentious ;]

Happy Sunday....

lisajp

guess i missed a day??? day 25 & 26!

who's my best friend?
My BEST FRIEND is my husband.  He teases me relentlessly, makes me laugh and loves me for me :]  Sometimes I'd love to punch him, but most of the time I just wanna squeeze him!!!  He has SUPER amounts of patience, which is important if you're going to live with me...he he he...but true.  We are a whole lot alike, but where we are opposite...oh boy are we opposite!  Where I am messy - He is clean.  What makes him mad - Makes me not so mad.  He loves to hike, camp and hunt - I'm what you call...indoorsy (yes, I just stole that line from Jim Gaffigan)!  Anyway, what matters most is we love to be together.  My hub's told me once, and I thought it was so great, "You can love someone but not really like them. But, I love you...and I like you too."

my FAVORITE place to shop!
I love cute, comfy, different and cheap as possible :]  I'm not the greatest 'bargain' shopper...but when I run into the 'good deals' it's on!  I'm a big fan of jeans and t-shirts.  Can't just buy one...gotta buy two (if ya really like it!!!).

cute, not real expensive and their jeans don't go over the $100 mark (I will NOT buy expensive jeans or t-shirts.  totally over-rated!)

super cute boutique style clothing...and it's just in the mall, BONUS!

  

well....DUH.  who doesn't?

There are many others.  I love to shop.  Now I just need the CASH fairy to come and grant me some CASH!  EW fun!  If anyone knows her...hook me up :]

happy shopping!

lisajp

day 24 - i love where i live :]

I have always lived in the samed state, same county, same valley...but in different towns :]  I currently live in Bluffdale, Utah.  It's a quiet little community on the very southern boarder of Salt Lake County.  I've heard it refered to many times as "horseyville."  Yep, there's a whole lot of horses here (& that's part of the reason we moved here) :]  I love this community, I love my neighbors!

my little 'spot' of the world :]

my front yard and my trees after what i call a 'beautiful!' toilet paper job! ;]

I lived right across the street from the University of Utah when I was born. Then I lived mostly in Holladay growing up.  I got married and we moved back up kind of by the University of Utah.  Then we moved back into the Holldady area!  Decided we wanted a more quite life with room to run and raise our horses :]  That's when we found Bluffdale.  As a family we like to have friends over for big bonfires and horse riding.  Our dogs LOVE the space the have to play too!

room to run...it's so nice :]

"There is nothing like staying at Home for real comfort." - Jane Austen

day 23 YOUTUBE!!!!!

I LOVE You Tube!  YAY!  Here's one of my MANY favorites!

Jim Gaffigan - Camping!
http://youtu.be/ZdqIpYhM6PE

Ok...just one more....
Grover Old Spice
http://youtu.be/qxOTtVkFk2E

I know they're old ones and have been view 100 times...but they are my favorite!

WAIT.....couple more.
Mad TV Bobby Lee Scientist
http://youtu.be/sBaPI2AKu2g

Kid History - episode 3
http://youtu.be/cD2RO0Cws1Q

ok...well, enjoy your you tube adventures :]
lisajp

day 22...my favorite websites

#1  GOOGLE - it's simply my favorite, i love to explore and learn random things...this IS the place to do just that!

#2  YOU TUBE - in our house it's all about the visual...it's how we all learn, so you tube is great!  it's also a place we find many hilarious comedians, we also LOVE to laugh :]

#3  TWITTER - i seem to find SO MANY sites that i can learn from there.  i love to learn and share...so that's the place i go.  i also get to follow all the people that make me laugh, and they tweet some pretty funny things...my favorite is preschoolgems!  kids say the most hilarious things :D

#4  NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC - oh my, they have some amazing photo's of things I may never get to see with my own two eyes....beautiful.

#5  BLOGGER - it's my friend.  i'm more myself on blogger than i usually am.  scary!  since, really anyone in the world can view my post/life!  but, i just think "i'm a little old me from utah...so how interesting can i really be?" ;]  my favorite blog is art4littlehands.com , it's my cousins blog and it's all about creating art with your little's...it's pretty great!

(i love my own sites too...not really a big deal though, since i'm not a bionic blogger!  they are of coarse this one welcome to the park and my preschool/lifestyle blog my-little-preschool.com :] )

well...there ya go!  happy surfing!
lisajp

day 21 - FAV recipe :]

My favorite recipe is my grandmas chocolate chip cookie recipe...which I lost 6 years ago in our last move!  I am still sad :[

It's most definitely NOT my salsa recipe!

So here are a couple (or 5...) that my family really love:

sorry about the 'sideways' thing?

The bottom line is .... i can cook a MEAN soup!  But ask me to conjure up a killer cake or pastry, um...it's not going to work ;]

Obviously these have been used heavily!  A messy recipe card or recipe book page always insures a well loved recipe.  I love food, it brings family, a party and sometimes strangers together.  I 100% think that there's not a thing wrong with eating what we love...except when we eat too much of it, and then...well, you know ;]

Have a terrific day!
lisajp

day 19 & 20...

Yesterday was my youngest daughters 16th birthday and we spent the day together...so I don't feel too bad about missing my blog ;]  Just gonna catch up today!

Day 19 - Talents & Hobbies

This one makes me a little sad...because I used to be a great dancer!  Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Lyrical...I did it all.  I was the best at ballet but my favorites were Lyrical and Tap!  But, you know, when life takes over...that's just what you do :]  I can't complain, because I am so glad life took me over and put me where I am today!

not a great page...but a reminder of something I love doing :]

For many, many years I scrapbooked (even before it got HUGE!), and I LOVED it :]  My friend & I would get together 2 - 3 times a week while our kids were at school, pour ourselves a big diet coke and just scrapbook!  It was a blast, but we both moved away and it's just not as fun without my friend...so now I just blog!

me with one of my many adorable "littles"...you are what you eat day (that's the only reason I have stickers on my face, he he he he) & yep, those are silly faces...i promise that's not my real smile :]

Now, I love to teach little children.  I started my own preschool last year and that's just what I do :]


Day 20 - Oh, if I could just forget...

Well, this is certainly not the worst thing ever...but the taste is what was awful :[

the worlds WORST salsa!

In the fall of 2009 I thought it would be just awesome to bottle me up some homemade salsa!  Well, it wasn't awesome...in fact, it was awful.  To this day I can't figure out what I did wrong?  But I can tell you this...when your salsa tastes like a cross between gingerbread cookies and stewed tomatoes, that taste NEVER leaves your memory or your taste buds!  EEEWWW, I will never forget that ;p

lisajp :D

day 18 - my wedding

I got married so long ago, I sort of feel like I was never single ;]

I met my hub's in high school, we didn't hardly know each other.  All my friends thought he was so cute, so the only reason I'd ever talk to him was to see if he liked one of my friends or was going to ask them to a school dance.  That was the extent of our relationship.  Never dated, never really hung out.

He went on a mission for our church, and my friend (who liked him) was way to scared to write him a letter. (teenage girls?  drove me nuts then, drive me nuts now :])  Anyway, she talked me into writing him a letter, for her.  The letter basically said "my 'friend' says hi, she will miss you and to please write her when you can."  Well, guess what?  He wrote ME back.  I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I wrote him back again...the rest is history.  Luckily my friend liked a couple different boys, so it worked out for her just fine :]

Neither my hub's or I really like pictures taken of us...so that part of our wedding day was a nightmare for both of us ;]  We were just happy to get the day over and done with.  Not romantic, I know...but that's just us!

If you're wanting a romantic ending...he asked me to marry him on a beautiful California beach.

Happy times...
lisajp

day 17 - insecure?...proud?

I am crazy insecure in big crowds.  And, I get SO embarrassed when I look at, or others look at, photo's of me...not photogenic!

I am enormously proud of my girls.

My Cait has had  seizures all her life.  She always struggled in school and with friends...no one knew quite how to handle her little "seizure" spells.  In the last 6 months she has suffered through a couple grand mal seizures.  That's tough for an 18 year old!  She has looked at the bright side of life the whole time!  She accepts who she is and works so well through her struggles!  I adore her and know for sure that she  posseses an incredible amount of strength!  She has a very large heart!

My Sadie is the spiritual rock in our family.  She's always there to remind us of whats right and wrong.  She is not pompous though...she is a humble soul.  She is tender to those in need.  She loves to work with children.  She also enjoys helping young people with physical and mental handicaps.  She visits the 'special needs' classrooms in her school often.  She has a twisted sense of humor, which keeps her grounded...and makes our family laugh out loud quite often :]







After 18 years I still can't figure out how these two girls turned out so stinkin' great?!?  My hub's and I are decent people...but not quite as great as our girls :]  So, YES...I am proud of and inspired by my two beauties!

day 16...crazy things i've done!

Yes, I've done some crazy things...however, I'm very visual, so I'm going to post pictures that have something to do with my craziness.  Kind of embarrasing...but enjoy!

Can't believe I'm sharing this one with the whole world....
In our second year of marriage my husband and I took a family trip to Arches National Park.  Being a little tired of hanging with the family...we took a short night hike and found a small arch (not this one...but similar).  Well, it was a romantic spot...so ya know, "stuff" happened on top of that arch!  Yep, just said that one out loud!

This is a map...I know, just work with me here :]
OK, when I was in jr. high and high school my friends would all meet at a Mcdonalds on the north side of Murray-Holladay Road.  As you can see, across the street is Cottonwood Mall!!!  We loved the mall, so we would go to the mall after eating our cheeseburger and fries.  Not wanting to walk to the intersection and wait for the light (the 'legal' way to get across a busy main road!), I started playing chicken with the cars blazing down the street and just run across the road from Mcdonalds to the Mall.  It sort of became a rush I guess?  Because I started doing it on other busy streets as well!  I loved it!!  My mom would have KILLED me if she knew!  She does now and still wants to kill me ;]  I would kill my girls!  Do you know how many times I almost got hit?  Those poor drivers...I was an idiot!  But, being 16 and feeling indestructable was awesome!

That's it...
lisajp :]

day 14...somewhere i'd love to travel

If someone told me, "You have been gifted some time off (from life) & you can go anywhere you want in this world!"  I would respond..."IRELAND please!"  There's just something about it!

I thrive in quite beauty (sounds super cheesey. I know) and it just seems to me, like that's something Ireland might possess!  The history and beauty of this country are intriguing...hopefully someday I really will get that "time off from life" and just go!

day 13...who has impacted my life most...

Of coarse my brother, friend and savior, Jesus Christ.  He saved me...He saved us all.  I love Him and My Father in Heaven.  All that I have been blessed with, this great life they've given me and even the trials they have so graciously helped me through, how could they not be the most influencial people in my life :]
I know my Savior loves me.  I know he loves everyone...more than we can even imagine :]  He made it possible for us to return to live with Him someday.  That's so comforting to me.

Joseph Smith.  What a man.  What he went through, how he was persecuted and what he eventually died for just to bring a peaceful and correct gospel back to the earth.  I can't imagine the strength of character and spirit he must of possessed.  I will never understand why people (of any religion) are mocked for their beliefs?  It's sad.  If it were not for this man, I would not be a Mormon Girl :]  I am proud to be a mormon.  I am happy to have the light of Christ in my life because of this man :]

The founding fathers of this great country I live in.  George Washington, and his efforts to forward this country, astound me.  I love my freedom and couldn't be more grateful for the sacrifices and fight the great founders of this country endured for all of us.  I am VERY influenced by our early american history.  I have to add our service men and women out there being brave, withstanding horrible situations and sacrificing it all!

Last...but certainly NOT least, my precious family.  I love my family.  I really feel like I would be nothing without them.  They support my crazy ideas, they don't care that I'm a little 'cheesey' sometimes,  we are each others best friends and we love to be together!  The example they are to me, individually and as a whole, is wonderful!  They each have strengths I can only imagine having.  Families are Forever...yay for me, cause I couldn't do this all without them! :]






"Example is not the main thing in influencing others...it is the only thing." -Albert Schweitzer.

a day behind AGAIN! Day 12...

Today is "something you're pretty particular about"....hum?  Oh yah, I know....
The only thing (that is super well known in my family) that I am particular about is how I put the clean sheets onto my bed and then how I make it every morning!  My daughters are so sweet to try and help me make my bed sometimes...but when they get "that look" from me, they know just to leave it alone and sit and talk to me instead while I do it myself!  The stupid thing is...there's nothing special or extra nice about my bed, it's sheets or the comforter set.  It's pretty boring.  I don't even have designer pillows or a cute throw on it.  So really....it's pretty silly ;]

If I DID have a fancy bed...it would look a little something like this.  I've always loved black and white with red accents!

day 11 - who's your fav band? AVA!

My favorite band in the entire world is ANGELS & AIRWAVES!  I listen to them everyday.  I'm not a coffee drinker.  So, in order to get my day going in the best possible way, I start it out with Angels & Airwaves and a nice cold diet coke.  Their music makes everything much better for me ;]  I loved Tom Delonge in Blink 182, but I like him even better now!  I appreciate those who tell it the way it is.  Blatant truth, no sugar.  It also thrills me when people aren't afraid of declaring their beliefs.  This band does both.  I love them!  Just everything...the whole darn package :]
(however...my love for music is vast...tonight i'm going to the Josh Grobin concert, yay!  Guns and Roses get my blood pumping!  George Strait is the KING!  my guilty pleasure is "You're Beautiful" by Jessie McCartney!  and of coarse almost anything 80's!)
Rock On!
lisajp :]

day 9 & day 10...(oops missed one!)

Day 10....Photo then and now :]
It seems most of what I do in my everyday life centers around the needs of my family.  And so, I think a bunch about the way it used to be, compared to the way it is now.  So this was a great subject for me.  I wouldn't trade any moment, past or present, for anything else :]

My sweet Caitlyn - 1996 - then....

My sweet Caitlyn - 2011 - now!
I love color...I often use it to explain and/or describe people.  When Cait was small I described her as Neon Pink!  As time flew by turning her into an adult...all I can say is she could possibly be the MOST bright Orange person I know!  So much silly-ness and personality bundled up into such a skinny little thing!  

My adorable Sadie - 1999 - then....

My adorable Sadie - 2011 - now!
Music is a big part of our family life!  When Sadie was little her 'song' was "There She Goes" by Sixpence None The Richer.   She has grown into a country girl (but a real 80's hair band groupie at heart :]).  Her song now is "Cowgirls Don't Cry" by Brooks & Dunn.  There's a lot of sweetness but lot's more sarcasim packed into this shortie!

"Little children, headache; Big children, heartache." - Italian Proverb

This is a picture of me with my girls 10 years ago.  In 2001 we visited Epcot Center and it rained like crazy, but we made the best of it...we love hats:]

Here's one of me and my girls now, 2011!  Still making the most of our situation...and some silly hats?!?














Day 9....Something that makes my life EASIER!!!!
Oh how I LOVE this one!  I know exactly...without even a blink...what makes my life easier :]

 

#1. Diet Coke, icy cold.  When I have one in my hand, life is SO much better ;]

#2. Angles & Airwaves/Tom Delounge:  The music gets me going, pumped up!  Makes it easier to get everything done :]

#3.  My med's.  I never wanted to be the 'Mom on Drugs' but sometimes reality deals us issues we don't ask for.  HOWEVER...miracles of modern medicine are amazing and can make lives 100% easier!

#4.  Last but not Least...my belief/faith and testimony that my Father in Heaven loves me.  This makes life so much easier for me :]

I think the thing is...life ISN'T easy.  It's gotta be what we decide to do with it that matters most.  We can open our eye's and be greatful for what we see and open our hearts and be greatful for what receive and what we are able to give.  The more we love others...I think the happier we will be.  And when we're happy it all seems just a little easier.  But that's just me?