Good Grief...

I just had the thought...its six months until Christmas! I think father time has a turbo engine.

I'm No Paris Hilton, but I crave the Simple Life

How can I be 32 years old and already craving the simple life? Oh how it beckons me! I don't even have a yard, mortgage, grand kids...even kids or a husband for that matter! I've come to such a yearning as a result of a trip to Yellowstone last week. I spent 5 fabulous days without a telephone, radio, TV, work, and a shower. (Okay, truth is I missed my shower). The trip was amazing!!! I was there with my family and Fletcher. The only thing missing was my wonderful friends, my cute little kitties and (again) my shower. Other than that...I didn't want to come back to SLC AT ALL!! I want to move far way from it all...just walk away and settle down in the country and be as weird and queer as those country folk are. I think I'd love it. While there we saw: swans, pelicans, elk. mule deer, grizzly bears, a yellow belly marmot, blue jays, yellow birds, snakes, bald eagles, a wolf, coyote, beaver, buffalo, and many more of God's creatures. I miss....

- the beautiful vistas, winding rivers, pines, the stars, cool days and even cooler nights.
- Buffalo and their traffic jams and their little detours through our campsite.
- the silent nights except for faint crickets and frogs along with the occasional Yellowstone baboon call (not really a baboon...not sure what it was but it sounded like it should be in the jungle).
- eating my breakfast with a view of the winding Gibbon river as I watch a grizzly bear track the scent of its breakfast.

- the smell of sulfur from abounding hotpots and geysers along with the scent of afternoon rain showers and the noise the drops made on my tent.
- I miss Huckleberry ice-cream (alot) and my dad's heavenly campfire scramble eggs.
- I miss my mom and my dad...and Sarah, John, Jeff, Kim, Ann, Buzz, Kylie Sue, McKenna and my Ty Guy.
- I miss dining with Fletcher in the historic Yellowstone Lake Hotel overlooking the water and watching the Pelicans that make it their playground. (I love the expression on his face when he saw bald eagles, Quake Lake, a coyote, The Grand Tetons and the explosion of Grand Geyser 200 feet in the air.)
- I miss the view of the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone but I do not miss the 600+ stairs of Uncle Tom's Trail it took to get me there.
- I miss my childhood as I spent many summers in Yellowstone growing up and this trip took me back to those magical days.

I gotta go back soon! I belong there.

Quake Lake (& two bald eagles)
Chillin' at our campsite with the buffs

My cute Kylie Sue loves camping!

View from Uncle Tom's Trail (with the 600 stairs...worth the effort)

NKOTB...NGH!

New Kids on the Block...Not Gonna Happen! It seems that they are proving to be ever illusive for me. Ticketbastards (pardon my french) saw fit to delete our ticket purchase and re-sell our tickets due to a wrong zip code. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?? Have they ever hear of a phone? Apparently not. "Tragdor strikes again." WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!???

UPDATE to NKOTB Post Below

Not only did Liz out herself on the NKOTB crush and concert craze, Lori did too! I repeat...LORI!!!! Not only that but she was pissed that we didn't clue her into ticket purchase. Duh? Like we ever thought Lori would be into the NKOTB. Rumor is she's a Jordan fan as well...gotta love those high waisted jeans! Purrrr!

FINALLY..."The Right Stuff"

I'm sure to get quite a bit of grief for this, but I really could CARE LESS. This is a dream come true for my inner hormone raging teenager inside. She's been completely unsatisfied since the late 80's/early 90's. Today...satisfaction is one step closer to becoming a reality because I just got NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK TICKETS!!!!!! NKOTB were so hot in the 90's (especially that Jordan Knight) and it turns out there are not so bad nearly 20 years later so that makes this even sweeter. I mean, if they were sporting duds like K-Fed and a mug to match, well, my inner 12 year old would be sorely disappointed as well as it's 30+ year old host. Turns out its not the case AT ALL (check it)! Now before you judge me, know that I am not the only mega fan who will be there...Michelle and Stacie will be joining me in all teenage glory as well!!!! They were lucky enough to see them back in the day when jelly bracelets, denim jackets and braided tails (like Jordan's) were the height of sophistication. At that time, I was DYING to go to the show myself and my bff (Susan Lessig) even had a ticket for me to go but my parents said "no" because the they didn't want me being chauffeured around by Susan's 16 year old brother. LAME!!! It twas the biggest let own of my childhood...ever! EVER! Vindication is mine! Its funny to think that if I would've gone, in that very room was my future bff and concert going buddy Michelvis!!!!! Lucky girl...she has seen the dream that is Jordan Knight with her very own eyes...now we get to go together!!! LOL. I miss being a kid.

THEN

NOW

Pensive...

I currently have a some stuff to feel sad about in my life (we all can say that right?) but I don't like to live my life that way. But sometimes its hard not to. Well, and then we have people in our life who put it all in perspective for us and suddenly our blessings become so many that we cannot count. I had one of those moments today.

I was chatting on the phone with a dear friend, for whom I've mentioned before. Her mother is laying at death's door due to lung cancer. She could only have a few days left here on this earth. I CANNOT BELIEVE that someone that I actually know and care about so deeply is going through this experience with her mother! It just floors me. Those things happen to people that I don't know...but only hear about. What a reality check. I know she is reading my blogs and I just want to say to her "thank you" and "I love you". You have been such an amazing bright and shining example to me. You are so much stronger than you probably see yourself. You have served others when you have been in such great need yourself! Kc, I'm so blessed to call you my friend. Your dear beautiful mother will live on in you. From what I know of her, I can see parts of her in you. You have pass those traits on to your cute little boys (and hopefully little red head girls someday). :) Its not what you want to hear. It doesn't bring you the comfort you need but its true..and I'm here for you.

It is through my friend's trial, that my trials seem so insignificant (most of them) and others seem more manageable and survivable. I'm so bless. You are so blessed too. God is all around us, blessing us every which way. Will we stop to see it? Will we stop to give Him gratitude? Just last Saturday, my new sister-in-law gave birth to baby Phoenix! She is my 3 neice and she is so beautiful. She was healthy and she is happy and I'm so happy to be her aunt. We are so blessed.

Today is my mother's 53rd birthday. She is still so young (though she would argue otherwise). I don't spend enough time with my mom. I miss her. I love her. I'm so blessed to have her. I get my beautiful red hair from her and my love for sleep. LOL.

Go home and hug your mom today. Give her a call...and tell her that she means the world to you! That you want to grow up to be just like her... That she will never be forgotten.

Life is precious and priceless. Its a gift to be used wisely. Don't waste what has been given to you. I hope to retain such persective on this pensive day.