What's Been Happening?

1. My new kitchen table set up. Thank you to Martine, Mom and some thrift stores for the decor!

2. Hope you had the best birthday ever Lesa! I love you :)

3. Merry Christmas Emily! This was inspired by a post on Pintrest (my new addiction).

4. Fun times at the firs station with Tim, Porter & Em! Always love to spend time with you guys :)

I am going to try and be better about blogging. Next will be our Durango trip for Lesa's Birthday!!! Good times :)

To agree or Not agree... that is the question!

I was sitting here at work discussing what we would not buy in the generic brand and so we came up with a list of things we will not buy generic:

Mayo - not agreed. I don't use mayo enough to notice any difference between real or generic.
Laundry soap - agreed. Tide is my favorite, however I do go for the cheaper brand name stuff once in a while...you do what you have to do!
Toilet paper - not agreed. While I did agree with this until about 2 months ago. We purchased one case of Cottenelle for our bathroom, and a case of Great Value extra soft, blah blah blah, for the kids bathroom... we ran out first and had to pull a few rolls of the GV brand - it was great! Next time we went, we just got the cheaper kind and no one even noticed the difference!
Mac n cheese - agreed. I don't notice that much of a difference, but my son won't eat it if it "doesn't taste right"...lol
Dish soap - agreed. We are suckers for Dawn. It works great, smells great and seems to last longer than other brands.
Chef borarde - not agreed. Yuck! Yuck! Yuck! lol. Gross no matter what brand you buy.
Toothpaste - agreed. I like whatever is cheapest, but they ususally go back and forth between Crest and Colgate (Jon doesn't like Colgate) and when Jon shops, he gets Aquafresh...go figure.
Cereal - not agreed. Great Value cereal is great and cheaper. Why would you not buy generic?
yogurt - not agreed. It all tastes the same to me...
Kool-aid - not agreed. When you are throwing a packet of flavoring and a cup of sugar in some water for your kids... does it really matter if it cost $1 a package or 10 for $1? Flavor-aid is just as good.
Gum - ????I have never seen generic gum
Slice cheese - not agreed. Don't purchase very often and when I do it is for a recipe that calls for it... if it's baked, all fake cheese will melt too.
Campbell soup - not agreed. Well, cream of xxxx soups I will buy generic any day of the week, they are used for cooking in my house. Actual soup, like to eat out of a bowl, I go for whatever looks good.
Chicken Nuggets - not agreed. Again, Great Value has great chicken nuggets. Bake 'em and serve with fries and ketchup (or ranch) and it all tastes like ketchup or ranch...
Corndogs - ???? Never seen generic corndogs.
Popcorn - ???? Never tried generic popcorn.
Salsa - not agreed. I am a Pace girl (when I don't have homemade!) and I have tried most generic brands because Pace is so friggin' expensive. Tried Great Value brand recently and it was great! It is similar enough to Pace that we didn't even notice the difference.
Steak sauce - not agreed. GV is just as good.
Pickles - ???? Never tried generic pickles.
Cough drops - not agreed. cough drops for me work the same as hard candy, so if generic is cheaper, it will still product the saliva needed for my throat to not feel like coughing!
Sodas - Hmm... Dr. Pepper can not be genericized. 7up however absolutely can.
Root beer - not agreed. And isn't Root Beer a soda?
Bread - not agreed. We go through bread so fast in my house I don't think anyone even really tastes is... so the cheaper the better.
Chocolate milk mix - agreed. Quik is the best... again, don't buy it often.
Hot chocolate - not agreed. You can always add more packets...lol and coffee creamer helps any hot chocolate.
Gram-crackers - not agreed. Can't taste any difference.
Beer - ???? Don't buy beer, but I can't imaging a generic would be good at all...
Shampoo and Conditioner - agreed. Although sometimes the price will make that decision for me.
Whiskey - ???? really? generic whiskey? lol
Perfume - agreed. I'm more of a smelly lotion girl.

Being Happy ALL of the time!

In your opinion, what acts can be described as courageous?
Raising your hand to answer a question when you are not 100% sure you are correct.
Ordering something new at Subway (or any restaurant for that matter).
Opening your mind to new and exciting ideas.
Trusting other people.
Being yourself.
Trying something new.

What 3 things would you change about your life right now?
1. I would be living somewhere else. St Johns has been great, but it just feels like it's time to move on.
2. I would be happy ALL of the time! Even when not-happy stuff creeps in.
3. Money would not be a hinderance.

What is the main thing that builds and boosts your self-confidence?
Feeling satisfied with a job well done makes me feel amazing! Whether it is completing a report at work or making a dinner my whole family will eat - it makes me feel as though I am worth something. That maybe, just maybe, I would be missed if I wasn't there. That is what builds my self-confidence.

My Hubby.

Do you know if they have a favorite color?
Blue
When was the last time your spouse ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
Tuesday afternoon for lunch. We eat PB & J’s together
Speaking of sandwiches, how does your spouse feel about BLTs?
I have never seen him order one or eat one. I know he is not a fan of tomatoes.
Revisiting the topic of peanut butter...if your spouse likes PB, do they prefer it chunky or smooth?
Both, but has been choosing smooth lately
What's your spouse's favorite song?
Somewhere Over the Rainbow – by IZ
What concert would your spouse fork out big bucks to sit front row at?
Reba Macintyre
What radio station does your spouse listen to most?
95.7 (there are only 3 here…lol)
What's your spouse's dream job?
Personal Trainer, Gym owner, dairy farmer or running a homestead farm
Have any movies ever made your spouse cry? Do you know which ones?
Ol’ Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows, a few others ;)
What kind of burial preferences does your spouse have?
Cremation – not going to happen by the way!
He’s sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Steven Segal, John Wayne or Law & Order
You’re out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Blue Cheese
What’s one food he doesn’t like?
Macaroni & Cheese – of any kind
You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
Iced Tea – unsweetened, sometimes with lemon
Where did he go to high school?
Monument Valley HS & Skaneateles HS
What size shoe does he wear?
8.5W or 9
If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
Animals…hehe
What is his favorite cereal?
Raisin Bran Crunch, Rice Chex and Cheerios all mixed together
What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do?
Plan everything.
You make him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Did he play sports in high school?
Yes, Wrestling & Football
What could he spend hours doing?
Looking at building materials and farm equipment on craigslist

Fantastic Analogy.

life is like a cup of coffee - author unknown

a group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. conversations soon turn into complaints about stress in work and life. offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal - some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite.

he told his guests to help themselves to the coffee. after everyone had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said

"if you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. while it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of all your problems and stress.

be assured that the cups add no quality to the coffee. in most cases, it is just more expensive, and in some cases, even hides what we drink. what all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup. but you consciously went for the best cups... and then you begin eyeing each other's cups to see who had the best one.

now consider this... life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. they are just tools to hold and contain life. and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. sometimes, but concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee.

savor the coffee, not the cups!

10 Things you (probably) didn’t know about me

10. I am an office supply junkie. My favorite time of year is when school supplies go on sale. I will never run out of lined paper, pens, index cards, crayons, tape or staples. I am low or out of glue sticks, colored pencils, folders, rulers, markers, and thumbtacks.

9. I prefer to shower at night. But I usually shower in the morning because of my difficult hair. A nice hot shower can relax me to the point of sleepiness which doesn’t always come willingly to me. Sleeping with a wet mop under my head just doesn’t do much for me the next morning. Morning showers are quick and don’t really do much to wake me up. Their only positive is that I can then style my hair for the day.

8. I sometimes turn on the Wii and play “Smart Games” when no one is around. I will play as long as I’m winning. When I find something I’m not good at… I move on. LOL. I would do a lot better if my eyes worked better!

7. I type an average of 20,000 kspm using 10-key. I sometimes take free online typing tests just to see how fast I can type. I am a nerd.

6. I am the most frugal person I know. I will try to find a cheaper way even if there is no logical reason to. I want everyone to be like me. I want everyone to cringe when they buy a box of cereal for $4.00. I want everyone to feel the rush of saving money! It makes me excited and makes me want to keep saving more and more and more!!!

5. I have not purchased a pair of shoes in over two years thanks to Martine cleaning out her closet every so often and throwing her never worn Sketchers and Born shoes my way! My share of the shoe budget seems to go to Jon and the boys! They go through shoes like crazy! It doesn’t help that the boys each play sports that require different shoes for each one (wrestling, football, track) so I guess it’s a good thing

4. I have a sewing machine that has been used less than 10 times. I wanted it so bad and when Mom and Dad bought it for me for Christmas years ago, I was SO happy! I have always wanted to learn how to sew. I mean REALLY sew. But, alas, I have not. I will someday… when life settles down… when the kids are grown and I am an old woman. But I will do it! Oh yes, I will do it.

3. I enjoy going treasure hunting at the landfill. I know – it’s sick and wrong – but I love it! It is exhilarating to grab the wire cutters and go find some copper… It makes me feel like Mike and Frank from “American Pickers”. Makes me feel like a gatherer… again, I am a nerd.

2. I bribe my kids to let me take their picture. No really, once it was buying them new outfits but only if they did a photo shoot in the outfit. Many times it has been an ice cold soda. Don’t tell them, but I also secretly take pictures of them when they are doing something cute! He he.

1. Every time I visit Phoenix, I MUST eat at Olive Garden. I will order a side of Alfredo sauce to dip my 25 breadsticks into. I will go back and forth between ordering Alfredo Chicken Pizza and Minestrone Soup with my breadsticks and salad. My name is Brianne, and I am a breadstick addict.

Getting to Know Me - Part 2

The water park?
I love water parks! The wave pools are my favorite hangout spot… in the shade! The lazy river is fun… but I always get burnt. Water slides are SO FUN!!! But the lines tend to be ridiculously long with all the little kids and their inner tubes…and the whole one person at a time… I mean Disneyland has long lines, but they also fit like 20 people on a ride so it evens out! When Josh was little we went down the funnel slide thing. I had to hold onto him for dear life. His little baby butt kept getting sucked through the middle of the inner tube and we were sharing a tube. I was more worried about my 5 yr old getting flushed down the funnel than enjoying it myself but it was still fun!

When you are "In Love" do you notice other people?
Of course. How do you order taco’s at Jack in the Box without noticing the person on the other side of the counter? What a dumb question! lol

Is flirting cheating?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Flirting is FUN… cheating is NOT.

Would you rather have 1 great friend or 5 pals?
1 great friend and 5 pals  that way when that 1 great friend gets sick of me… I can switch it up a bit! hehe

Getting to know Me Questions - part 1

What's worse - Physical or Mental cheating?
Gosh, they both suck. If I had to choose, I would say mental cheating and here's why... a physical act is 100% of the time performed after the mind tells your body to. Which means that for each physical act of cheating, there are lots of thoughts that come first... now the other part of the question that needs some explaining is this... what is cheating? is it the physical act? or the mental act? if one had a thought but didn't act on it... is it cheating? or being human? in my mind this is the chicken and the egg debate. I don't think there is a defining line that IS cheating... but I know it when I see it.

Is it easier to forgive or forget?
It is MUCH easier to forgive. I'm not sure we are ever really meant to forget completely... but we are definately meant to forgive and grow from whatever wrong was done... don't bury it, step over it... and you will be able to look back at your life someday from the top of the pile and remember every single lesson life has taught you and be thankful to be on top of them rather than under them!

Can men and women be "Just Friends?"
yes. yes. yes. I believe that personalities and connections are what draw people together... If you are looking for more than friends, I'm sure you will find it... but if that part of your life is full and satisfied... there is no need to ever want or need to be more than "just friends"!

Dating co-workers?
You should never ever ever date co-workers. *insert eye roll here* I spend most of my waking day at work as do most people in the US... so unless you are an internet stalker (HEHE) or frequent local bars... how on earth is a person supposed to meet another person for any decent length of time other than at work???

All expenses paid vacation to anywhere?
Ireland. I want to see the fields and the castles. I want to hear the accents all around me. I want to meet a Leprechaun (lol)! Then Austrailia I think... or Africa... or Europe... or Memphis... or Nashville. Heck. I want to go everywhere!!!

On the way to the electric chair - What's your last meal?
There is this place in Costa Mesa California (I don't know where...lol) that serves the most delicious Jack Daniels Marinated Steak I have ever tasted! Wendy's french fries and a chocolate frosty to dip them in. Giovanni's Veggie pizza with Rod's Buttermilk Dressing. Olive Garden's breadsticks with alfredo sauce to dip them in. Sheesh - I would die a happy girl! lol

Retreat.

Got back from Farmington Saturday evening. It was the best, most relaxing get-a-way I have ever had! Met up with my very best friends and just hung out. Have you ever just clicked with people that "got" you? Felt that you really belonged? It had been FOREVER... it was so good to be able to get away and connect with amazing people.

I want to thank my amazing husband for taking care of things at home so I could go. You are the best and I love you forever and always!!!

We are all excited for L and E to come visit :). The weather has been pretty good during the day so we will get some good pictures of E... I love my friends!!!

Nothing of Significance

1. Started the 1st season of Storage Wars on Netflix... it is really interesting because Jon will chime in with a "it's really like that" now and then... lol. We bought a storage unit at an auction about 6 years ago in Mesa. Jon thought it would be fun. :) We didn't spend a lot and got a lot of cool stuff out of it...and A LOT of crap. We would totally consider doing it again someday knowing what we know now!

2. Got my office Halloween decorated :) Love it! No one comes to the house around here so I kept a few things at the house, but went kind of nuts at the office - once a year is not going to hurt anybody!

3. October is the STICK TO THE BUDGET month! And we're going to dangit. lol We have no excuses not to. Well, there are always excuses. Like Josh needed new wrestling shoes this year - size 9!!! So we had to break down to spend the $40... but luckily there was a little bit left over from last month so it didn't throw anything off. I'm sure there will be more unexpected things - but we will make do.

That's all I can think of for now...

Reasons I CANT WAIT to move...

1. Theme nights with friends
2. Sunday BBQ's
3. Couponsense
4. Finding friends to craft with
5. Kickboxing class
6. Game nights
7. Movie nights
8. Cooking (freezer meals)
9. Concerts
10. Date nights
11. Monthly FHE's with family

I'm sure there will be a billion more reasons.

Love this quote.

You may not be her first, her last, or her only. she loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She's not perfect - you aren't either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart. So don't hurt her, don't change her, don't analyze and don't expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she's not there.