birthday

My 25th birthday was on Wednesday. I wanted to do something completely monumental and unforgettable, instead I did this:

• Went to work at 7am
• Went grocery shopping for the hotel
• Liquor store with Kendra
• Heard gun shots at a stop light in Chubbuck, and thought we were going to die
• Wandered around the 'mall'
• Got two 'happy birthday' avacados from Randall
• Went to dinner with Mike, Randall, and Kendra
• Found that my credit card is missing and I don't know where it is.
• Tried to forget that my credit card was missing.
• Went home, invited people over to share a rather large bottle of liqour.
• Played speed quarters.
• Fell on my ass in the snow, now suffering from neck pain
• Slept like a baby.

Maybe not exactly what I had in mind, but still turned out to be a riot of a good time.

Snow People

Does anyone else find this as funny as I do?

thanks deviantart

Month

I haven't posted anything in a very, very long time. In this past month I have:

-Delt with a HUGE flood at the 8. I have had 30 rooms out of order since the weekend after Thanksgiving. Thank goodness I called a good restoration company, and the work to repair and replace things is moving along quite well. This week we should have all rooms, minus two that need new furniture, up and ready to be rented.

-Went to my family Chirstmas party. We always have such a great time. My cousin Norm hates board games. He claims his sister and I cheated one summer when we had a Clue marathon. He never won a game once, and hasn't touched the game since. We convinced him to paly Scene It this year, and he was shoving it down our throats that he was going to win. He lost.

-Went to the gym, a lot. I feel I am not loosing anything, but the feeling after a nice workout is like a drug. I am going to go even more after the first of the year.

-Found out that wonton wrappers can hold an infite amount of delightful fillings.

-Been very impatient for Christmas this next weekend. Mike is coming with me and we are spending the entire weekend with my parents. I can't wait. I love going home. The Mexican food we eat on Chirstmas Eve is going to be amazing as always. What was I saying about the gym again?

Give Thanks

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

My sister and I both had to work on Thanksgiving, so we did not get to see our parents and grandpartents. I worked from 7am to 3pm, and Kendra worked from 6pm to 10pm. Luckily, I had a plan.

A few weeks ago Mike and I were wandering through the grocery store and came upon some chicken leg quarter; 6 of them for $3.01!! We bought them thinking we would get three meals out of them. Instead I suggested we use them for Thanksgiving and have Mike's mom and brother over and Kendra!! Mike is a chef, so these chicken legs came out AMAZING! He slow cooked them all day, we had potatoes, risoto, green bean casserole, rolls, and a blueberry pie. By no means a traditional Thanksgiving that I am used to, but an amazing meal! I am glad that we were able to have a few family members over to share everything with.

-.-.-.-

I can see we are moving forward
But we still have a long way to go.
The trick is keep your eyes on the road
Remember where you been, but never look to the
sides.

Still a long way to go.
Where war meets peace.
Where hate meets love.
Where you meet me.

-poem by gilad

. . .

My sister and I have been going to the gym fairly
regularly lately. We love it and have lots of fun together. Today I
got my first, "You are loosing weight" comment and I couldn't be happier.
Go us!

quote me

Despite my complaining about my job, I am extremely thankful that I have one. I am better off than a lot of people that are jobless and have worse situations than myself, and for that reason I will not complain about my job for at least this entire month. Instead I will be thankful everyday for what I have and not for what I don't have.



These are the quotes that I have in my office so I can remember that everything is going to be alright.



Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect, it meas you've decided to see beyond the imperfections.



When nothing goes right, go left.



I believe everything happens for a reason. People change so you can learn how to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right. You believe lies, so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

Be strong now because things will get better. It might be stormy now, but it can't ran forever.

I am too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful, and too determined to be defeated.

I Love Tuesdays

I woke up an hour later than I planned today. Couldn't find my favorite shirt. Had to dress in the dark. Not sure if I match. Put my shirt on backwards, didn't realize until I got to work. Smashed my banana. Forgot to take the dog out before I left for work.

I Love Tuesdays.

.

p0rg.deviantart.com

back to real life

I am back from my voyage to New Jersey, back to the real life. New Jersey proved to be a lot of fun, really because of the new people I met. I was almost the youngest GM there; one guy was a year younger than myself. I don't know if I learned a lot, but I did meet the president of my brand and some other higher ups. I bonded really well with two guys from Des Moines, and one from Savannah. We had a blast. We took the train to NYC one night, ran into a tranny who was confused by the train auto ticket machine, ran though Penn Station, and almost got hit by a tour bus. It was awesome. We lucked out and the GM of the Ramada we were staying at was in our class and let us TAKE the hotel van to the bus station and leave it parked there while in the city. It was hysterical.

Wyndham's offices are gorgeous, I really want to work there one day. They are in a new Green buidling; everything about it is green. New Jersey doesn't stink as bad as everyone told me, and everything was extremely green for October.

The airport delays were ridiculous, but I was next to pleasant people both ways. All in all a good trip. I can't get in the hotel swing very easily; I am hoping tomorrow is easier for me.

A Getaway

Hello my dearly neglected blog! I have left all alone for a long time. I went to Wyoming for the very first time ever. Mike has been wanting to go for the past six months to see his family and his friends that he hasn't seen in eight years. I was in desperate need for a vacation, so it only seemed logical that we go to Wyoming to get away and visit family. Not only did I learn a lot about a very odd state, but I met some really fantasitc people that I wish had been in Mike's life a lot sooner.

Mike's family, his father's side, are all really sweet people that don't put up with bullshit. Most of Wyoming is like this. His grandfather took us to dinner the first full day we were there and I could see so much of Mike in him. The blue eyes and nose stood out quickly. The best thing about his grandfather Porter, he found his current wife online at the ripe age of 70. I laughed for fifteen minutes. It was ridiculously hysterical. Mike's aunt fed us the best brunch ever, his uncle told us all about medicinal marijuana, and we taught his other 'uncle' all about Boise State. It was a great five days.

I learned a lot about Wyoming while driving most of the way through it. The state is horrible about labeling everything. Roads, important monuments, cities. At one point we drove through a 'town' and the only thing that was there was a house and an elevation sign. You never have more than a quarter of a mile's notice of anything potentially improtant.

Wyoming is also home to the largest jackalopes I have ever seen. I know, jackalopes don't exist, but the jack rabbitt I hit on the way may as well have been a jackalope because it was so large.

Antelope's are everywhere.

Drive up liquor stores are not a myth, I have personally purchased liquor through one. The first one I saw was awesome because I always thought they were a myth.

There are next to no LDS churches, and the only one I did see was the most bizarre looking building I had seen. It was white wood siding with dark brown framing. It looked like a very large house and nothing like the churches you see in Idaho.

Every restaurant claims to have the best green chilli in the world, and the best chinesse I have ever had was in the mall.

The only place we found less than hospitable people was in Jackson. These people think they are amazing and they don't really seem to love outsiders, which is odd because it's a resort town. Thank goodness it is a gorgeous place.

Below are a couple pictures of the ridiculous stuff I saw, the Teton and Jackson pictures will have to come in another day.

3

3

loads of laundry to do
points the Steelers are ahead of the Falcons right now
days until Mike and I go on vacay!!

a day in the life of

my 'normal' day is waking up at 5:30am to my lovely cat licking my ears.
i then try, very unsuccessfully, to sleep for another hour.
it never works.
i finally drag my sorry, tired butt out of bed and get in the shower.
less than an hour later i am in the hotel trying to put some new fire out.
today, it was scheduling rooms.
after over an hour of firefighting, i turn my computer on to find at least two unopened 'urgent' emails from my boss.
i begin on the brand new set of 'to-do's' while continuously being interupted by the telephone or my lovely employees.
i try to take a break from my to-do list and find more fires, usually larger than the early morning ones.
today it was a massive flood, thanks roto rooter.
i spend the next five hours in emergency mode and completely loose track of my to-do list.
i leave sometime around 6pm when i think the swing shift dude can handle it and after he has smoked three cigarettes, at the correct intervals.
i go home and try not to cry myself to sleep.
this is what i do every day.
e v e r y s i n g l e d a y .
i am going on vacation in one week.
i hope i don't die before i get to go.

push play

three days grace - the good life

sum 41 - pieces

new found glory - all downhill from here

automatic loveletter - parker

helen austin - fall apart

blink 182 - going away to college

b.o.b ft hayley williams - airplanes

the fray - you found me

green day - boulevard of broken dreams

the classic crime - vagabonds

the matches - chain me free

motion city soundtrack - the future freaks me out

a day to remember - have faith in me

things list

things i love:

* helen austin's song fall apart
* new toothbrushes
* crappy mtv reality shows
* my friends
* red wine
* the garage sale episode of that 70's show
* thriftbooks.com
* my employees
* my amazing family and fantasic boyfriend
* sleeping in on saturdays

Nuclear Sauce

This past weekend my family (minus myself and mom) went to California to pick up a car my brother bought. This is the greatest conversation Kendra and I have ever had via text:

Kendra: We are somewhere in Nevada. It is an odd state. Random air crafts in the middle of nowhere. Ha! Probably going to lose service again soon.

Tamara: There are aliens there you know!

Kendra: Nuclear stuff! I am sure of it!

Tamara: If you come back glowing we will know why.

Kendra: Yes. Because I was abducted and dipped in nuclear sauce!

Tamara: Haha!!! You said sauce!

- - - the next day - - -

Kendra: The hotel shampoo smelled like lime vodka. I am serious!! It would not be good for a hangover. It may make people puke.


I love you Kendra!!!

i am leaving on a jet plane

I signed up yesterday for GM classes, which my corporation requires, in October. I will spend four very long days in a lecture class about basic hospitality management items. Yay. I am looking forward to spending so much time hanging out pretending to listen to someone. The bad part? I have to go to Parsippany New Jersey. Google it. I dare you.

Parsippany was rated in the top 15 for the best places to live, according the Money Magazine. That was the most interesting thing I could find in fifteen minutes. Dee-light-full.

She sleeps where??

This past week at work was horrible. Everyday at least one thing went horribly wrong. I have had washers break down, had a flood, didn't recieve shipments, had picky people, had employee problems, and lots more. I am not going to dwell on it anymore because it's over.

On a happier note, look where Kiki sleeps. No one can deny how adorable this is.

new addition

A week ago Mike and I were driving around and saw some girls giving away kittens. We couldn't resist and ended up bringing one home. It has been a fun week with our new kitten Kiki. We are super lucky that she took to her litter box the first day. Thank goodness. She is a ball of cuteness.

Tuesday I came home from work and was greeted by the dog, but Kiki was nowhere. Mike and I searched for an hour and couldn't find her. We thought she was lost forever. Turns out she was hiding at the very bottom of a large box of sheets and bedding. Damn cat gave me a heart attack and I almost cried.

Her favorite places to sleep are on someones sholder and neck, the chair in our bedroom, or on our end table by the lamp. She is a nut head.

dear july

Dear July;

Thank you for being better than June already!! I would really appreciate it if you could be nice the entire month and not just this past week; I would really hate for it to ruin our great friendship thus far.

THANKS!!

dear june . . .

Dear June:

I wanted to take a moment and express my appreciation for you being done and over with. You were nothing but harsh and mean to me for thirty very long days. You did every nasty thing you possibly could have to me.

Thank you again for stepping aside and letting July take over.

Weekends

I wish I could completely skip weekends. Somthing bad almost always happens at work on the weekend. Last weekend we had a flood in the laundry room; and into my office. This weekend I had two people quit on me; leaving me so short staffed I am scared to go to work tomorrow and face it.

I am sleeping through weekends from now on . . . wake me when it's Monday.

finals

i love the NBA finals . . .

GO LAKERS!

one of the nicest things she ever said

"Look at it this way, you have been my inspiration. You
have been stomped on by love a million times this last year and you keep giving
it your all because you believe it to be out there and you want to find it so
bad you will do anything. I, being the cynic I am, would have just given
up a long time ago and waited for it to find me. You are one of the
strongest people I know even if you don't realize it."

circa 2007 Miss Beth

f e e l i n g

I am feeling like a post!

Nothing new is really going on. I have been working a lot and Mike has been working more too; which means we don't get to see each other a lot. Work is going well; I have a great staff and I am soooo lucky because they make my job a lot easier. Now if things would stop breaking on me everything would be perfect!!

Last weekend was Kendra's 21st birthday . . . we all had a good time at the bars. We hoppped around town and had a nice little after party. We met up with a bunch of friends and had a good time. Kendra is planning a weekend in Jackpot with our parents and I will have to skip it because I am a poor soul. Maybe I can go home and stay with my parents soon like around my mom's birthday (hint, hint Mom).

Happy

HAD A GREAT DAY TODAY!!

Week in Review

What a week! I had a great week looking back; a very long, great week. I worked quite a few long days and didn't sleep well at all. The absolute highlight of my week was Mike and I's quick get-of-town run to Idaho Falls on Tuesday night. I left work a little earlier than normal, grabbed Mike and ran to IF for dinner and wandering. We had a good time, minus dinner which was sub-par. We have been together for two years now and it was a nice way to spend the evening.

It's really hard to say what else went on this past week; Monday was so good the rest of the week is really a blur. Work, basketball games(GO LAKERS), and nice weather.

I am looking forward to the end of the month. Jessica's graduation, and Kendra's 21st birthday. Should all prove to be a good time!!!

counting my . . .

I counted my chickens before they hatched. Today was uber rough at work...but I made it through alive!!! Go me!!!

p.s. my april numbers were up!!

One month and counting

It's been a bit over a month since I took my new position. It's been such a rollercoaster. I have been excited, happy, upset, sick, sad, tired, wore-out, and frustrated. It is going great though. I am sooo lucky to have such a great support system; I really am greatful for that and it's about the only thing that keeps me going on a regular basis.

I am not really sure where the month went; I can't really tell you what I have done. I have things I want to do and I sometimes feel I am not doing enough. People also tell me I am crazy.

Lets see what the next month brings!!

Voice Over

I woke up yesterday morning with a really horse voice. I worked and talked all day. I woke up this morning and all I can do is whisper. FUN!!

Update

I have been neglecting my blog for well over a month now. Shame on me!! So this post will be dedicated to catching up promising not to go an entire month without posting something.

The 26th thru the 28th of March I spent at my parents house relaxing and hanging out. I hadn't been home since Christmas so it was a long over due visit. My brother was on spring break at the same time and I admit it was horribly odd to have Rich home without having Kendra home at the same time. Odd feeling. Saturday morning I got up early and went with my mom to a health fair at RRHS. I had been thinking about getting my bloodwork done for almost a month so this was the perfect opportunity to get it done. I am TERRIFIED of needles so this was a huge accomplishment for me. The nurses thought I was insane and my mom cheered me on. I am just glad that it is over for now! I went and saw my cousin Sheena and her adorable son Rodee. Sheena and I made a date for later that night, which included dinner at Steve O's and watching the Bounty Hunter. First, I loved Steve O's and am mad at myself for not eating there sooner. Second, I loved the movie. I am a sucker for Gerard Butler's harshness and Jennifer Aniston has never been someone I hate. It was a great date night!! I spent the rest of the weekend being lazy with my family.

I found out, while on my vacation home, that my general manager was planning on quitting. I was so nervous that I wasn't going to get the promotion; but I got it!!! I am now the boss lady and I am loving it!! The first two weeks were difficult only in the aspect of working over 60 hours a week. That gets old quickly. But things have started slowing down for me a bit and I am settling in just great. I had to hire a head housekeeper and a maintenance person the first few days of my new position, and I am super happy with both of them. The HHK was having a hard time at first, but it's a million times better now. I couldn't ask for a better maintenence man. I have him working hard everyday all day. I am practically a slave driver according to my employees.

The test results for my blood work came back and I am unhappy to report that I am now on thyroid medication. My thyroid levels were double what they were supposed to be and my triglycerides were three times what they were supposed to be. Needless to say, I got into a doctor pretty quick and hopefully my levels will even out in the next month. I go back in for blood work in July to check everything out.

Other than work my life is really close to the same. Mike and I are loving our new place and things are going great!!

03.20.2010

Things I Miss:

-my iPhone

-having a washer and dryer in my apt

-my savings account

-old friends

-my super amazing flat iron.

IN

Everything is basically moved!! Rich and I did the big big stuff yesterday morning. It made for a long night at work, but it was totally worth it! All we need is Maynard and his tank (the tortoise)!!

bit by bit

We are moving in slowly. Everyday we take over a few loads of stuff. Today we took our sofas and tables. Tomorrow more boxes. By Sunday everything will be in!! Then I have to unpack and clean the old place. Not looking forward to it, but it's all for the better!!

missing

I feel like I am missing something . . .

. . .

So I am not very good at the packing thing. Hopefully I will get to it in the next day or so. Mike is sick which doesn't really help. I don't get any sleep because he coughs every twelve seconds. Blah. I also didn't realize how many things I am going to need when we move. I don't have a hair dryer; how odd? I will have to spend more money to get everything settled, but it's worth it.

03/03/10

We get the keys to the new place in one week!

ONE WEEK!

The packing will start tonight.

moving on

Mike and I are getting a new apartment!! I am so terribly happy about it I was in tears at work when the property manager called me. We get the place the 10th of March and will move in slowly until the end of March. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

. . .

This morning Mike brings a glass of water into the bedroom; hands it to me and says:

"Want some water? This stuff is delicious."
-I start crying because I am laughing so hard.
"What? It is delicious. Normally I don't like our tap water, but today it's great."
-I am still crying. I don't know where he comes up with these things.

Things

I am looking forward to:

• moving in March!!!!
• going to see Daniel Tosh (March)
• Eyes Set to Kill concert (March)
• St. Patrick's day
• Alice in Wonderland

Why the hell is everything in March?!? Glad February is a short, short month!!

01/31/2010

"Many times we desire to change the people in our life that don't meet our expectations. We overestimate our ability to change others because we fear the unknown. When we understand our ability to create the exact life we desire, we realize we can create new relationships with people that will meet our expectations . . . not because we changed them but because that is who they already are."

- Nick Bogatin

This statement really made me think. I am guilty of this.

Balloons

Balloons filled with dreams
Floating around with no bag of tricks
And through their multitude
They sigh for altitude
Cause there the sky is clearer,
Cause there their name is bigger.

Balloons with little dreams
Balloons with little hearts
Balloons with nothing inside
Wanting no more than important names.

But fame rhymes with fail
The higher you float the colder it gets
Stratosphere of success,
The pressure's immense
Maybe that's what you think
The moment you break.

Balloons with little dreams
Balloons with little lives
Balloons with nothing to say
Wanting no more than important names.

I found this on deviantart.com. Please check out this artist he has some neat stuff! xn3ctz.deviantart.com The picture that goes with them poem is awesome.

Playing GM

Sarah, my general manager, is out of town all week snowboarding in Steamboat Springs. Hooker. I have been doing all of the errand running for the hotel this week which means buying bread for the breakfast bar. Have you ever went into a grocery store and filled an entire cart of bread? You get a lot of weird looks. One guy was brave enough to come up to me and ask what I would need all that bread for. I told him I have 16 childern and we only eat sandwiches. He looked at me like I was crazy and decided to tell him the truth. If you are ever board I completely suggest going to a store and filling a cart with bread and walking around like that for a bit. It's a riot!!

i can't stand . . .

people with double standards. if you preach it, live it, and if you don't believe stop shoving it down my throat!

01/21/2010

Feels like time for typing something . . .

Work is going fine. I have three days off this week!!! That almost never happens this time of year. People are traveling more and Pocatello is having events again. This week, Ag Expo, commonly known as Potato Conference. These people like to stay up late and party! Tuesday night I saw so many people bringing in sacks of liquor. They are nuts. Sarah, my GM, is going out of town this next week so I get to be the head of house and work an insane ammount of hours. I hired a guy who quit within a week. I am hoping to get someone hired this next week and start training. I have to prepare for employee evaluations again. Blah, not my favortie thing to do.

I am counting the days to tax return day. My company never sends our returns until the very last day possible. They are lame. With my tax return this year I am planning on moving into a new apartment, a smaller apartment. I seriously can't wait. It is going to be the highlight of the year...so far at least.

I love my wii fit board. Kendra, Rich, Beth, and I had a blast messing around with it last night. Beth and Rich have never used one before, so it was quite the treat for them! Thanks to mom and dad for the great present!!!

Poem

I can see we are moving forward
But we still have a long way to go
The trick is keep your eyes on the road
Remember where you been, but never look to the sides

Still a long way to go
Where war meets peace
Where hate meets love
Where you meet me

thanks gilad on deviantart.com

01/10/10

I have finally gotten over my sickness...for the most part. My throat is still a little sore and my nose still slightly congested, but I am tons better than I was a week ago! I broke down and went to the doctor on Wednesday and all he did was tell me I had a virus and to take over the counter medications. Really?!? Because I wasn't doing that before...idiot.

I have been going through applications at work, and boy do I have a million! I am only looking for a very part-time person and it likely won't be a permanent position. People are in such desparate need of jobs right now.

Mike and I are puppy sitting for my uncle and aunt and I got very little sleep last night. I am going to have a long night at work tonight!!

i love this . . .

Resolutions?

Ok so...new year's resolutions...I have never been good at keeping them so this year I really want to make my best effort at doing so.

• Reconnect with myself - I feel I have lost myself the past few years so I want to be a bit more selfish(in a good way)
• Drink more water - I am positive I don't drink enough
• Write - Something I have always wanted to do and I think it is about time I start; so I am sure I am going to start posting more random blogs; be prepared
• Read more
• Loosen up - someone told me recently that I am wound so tight I would make babies cry, so my goal is to loosen up and stop caring what the world thinks/wants/expects of me. I am ME and that is it!!
• Be happy happy happy

Lets see how this goes for me!!

2009

I promised a 2009 review and I have been slacking because I have been so sick the past week. Sore throats and congestion coupled with work hasn't been very great! So here we go a month-by-month recap(as close as I can at least):



January brought a lot hectic days at work. I started off the first week of the year working fifty hours and having my general manager being fired. I was also rocked into finding out that I was not getting the promotion I thought I was geting and that I deserve. It was super hard for me to digest, but I have since gotten over it and know it was for the best.



February meant sadness for our family as we lost my grandmother's only sister. She was a great person and we all miss her smiling face. February also brought talk of Mike's mother moving back to Idaho. She wasn't having a good time in Arizona and needed to get out. We made some plans to get her in March and that's what we did!



The first weekend in March we piled into a car a drove to Las Vegas the first day. I drove the entire way and by the time we got there it was 9pm and I was exhausted, not to mention all the boys were deathly sick. We would stop at stores and they would take turns buying tissues, cough drops, and nyquil. It was sad really because I wanted to go play!! Day two we drove to Phoenix, much shorter. We hung out for a couple days then packed a Uhaul and began our trek back. Blah.

April brought SUGARCULT! My favorite show EVER! It was such a super great time! Abe and Owen and Lindsay came to the show...AMAZING!! I did get my elbow bit by a stranger though...kind of odd. Kendra and I also drove to Boise to get Cassaundra and bring her back to Pocatello with us! She has been back ever since and I love it!!

May was fairly uneventful...I think. I had a root canal and worked a lot because my GM was out of town a lot.

Kendra moved out of our crazy house in June which was a really hard day for me. It was sad to see her go and was horribly jealous inside. I went and watched the Classic Crime perform at a small venue here in Poky and was amazed as I always am when I watch them. They are awesome boys and I love how down-to-earth they are.

July was stressful for me. I was having lots of internal turmoil with seeing eye to eye with my new manager, but we got over it and we are better now. July was just one big ball of stress for me. Employee evaluations, thinking of going back to school, and financial woes.

August was better for me. Mike and I went on an overnight campout and the relaxation was amazing. It was super warm outside and things were great!!

Shinedown came to Pocatello in September and I proudly say that they are my new favortie live show. They impressed us all so much and put on an amzing show. I would love to see them again.

I made Halloween cupcakes in October and found out that there were a million prego people that I know. I stopped drinking tap water.

November was a crap month for the most part. Our cat, Fat Cat, was put down because he was sick from a spider bite infection. The happy parts were Mike's birthday, Alycia and Derek becoming our new besties, and going home for Thanksgiving.

December went too fast. I don't even know what I did. Mike and I went to my family party the first weekend. I dreaded Christmas because I went to my parent's house empty handed. I turned 24!