Once Apon A Time...

I used to be a dancer, it was my life for 4-plus years, I went to college to dance... wonder what happened??

So last week Jessica asked me to come help judge Lebanon's try-outs for next years team. All these funny old feelings came back! I remember being so nervous, trying my hardest to impress the judges we would spend hours getting ready in our all-black attire, pin our #'s on our shirts and practice the routine over and over.. It was so weird being on the other side of the table! Those girls were so young, wow I was sooo young!

Junior Year, all the juniors. (Our state theme was Bob Fosse... this is why Im not allowed to watch Chicago ever again, I didnt stop dancing and singing for daaaaays after)

Senior Year, Senior Captains (I had smaller legs... I want those back!)
Senior Year, our theme was "See The Light" or something, can't fully remember but it was such an appropriate theme considering the summer before I had accepted the Lord.. we danced to a compilation of songs that my coach didnt care were Christian songs, "This Little Light of Mine", "Keep on Shining", by Natalie Grant, "Coming out of the Dark", by Gloria Estefan, our choreographer even prayed with us. So sad they probably would get in trouble for that today...

SO, IN THE CENTER you'll notice Shannon from "Making the Band" and Danity Kane, yep she was a our choreographer! So basically you can say I know P. Diddy!
Check her out! She is the first blonde that sings and the BEST Dancer: click here

The Evolution of Nicknames

I don't call very many people by their full first names... here are some of my favorites:

Ruby is Boo: Ruby-Rueben- Rueben Carter-Carter-Rubes-Boobs-Boo

Tiffany is currenty Ticky: Tiffany-Tiffy-Tiff-Tuff-Stuff-Steff-Stephany-Tickany-Ticky

Michaela is Quail-Face: Michaela, Michael-A, Mac, Macquaila, Quail, Quail-Face

Angie is Pants: Angie, Ang, Anch, Anchie Pants, Pants

Phil is David: Phil, Will, Bill, Mr. Guy, Mr. Bubble, Bubby, Babe, Dave, David

Emma is Small: Emma, Bemma, The Bem, The Small, Small

Jessica is Ka-Ka: Jessica, Jessie, Jess, Jessi-Ka-Ka, Ka-Ka

Brandon is Uncle Randy: Brandon, Bwandon, Brandal, Randal, Randy, Uncle Randy (when Jericho was born)


My current names:

From Ruby and Lewis: Jenna, Jenny, JJ, J-Hole, Jenny Bootsraps, Bootsraps

From Phil: Jenna, Jaimie, Damien(most current)


The Most Creative Nickname giver goes to Barb Trask:

Ruby: Dolly
Walker: Walkie
Graham: Grahambo
Steve: Wally

The Most Unfortunate Nicknames go to Adam and Vara:
A-Hole and V-Hole... (I think it might have been Ruby's fault because she calls me J-Hole)

Any time Phil and I discuss future names of our offspring I find myself thinking it is more important the name can make a good nick-name then the actual meaning or sentimental value of the name, funny!

10 Days!

Ok... so I know I've used this pic about 3 times but guess what.. SHE MOVED TO LA! So until I get new pictures I will continue to use my favorite one when blogging about Ruby.

ANYWAY, Im leaving for LA in 10 days and will be there for 18!! Im super excited I miss my friend and I looove the big city. We'll be all over the place, we're planning on spending a weekend in San Diego, see family, old friends and I want to go to the zoo... I know Im like 5yrs old or something. So what!

Time To Grow Up

So.... I'm tired of listening to my husband have "grown-up" conversations about politics, business, the economy, ect. I do care about what goes on in our country but I have a "Gone With The Wind" visual in my mind where women are upstairs changing out of there elaborate dresses for nap time and the men are in the study smoking cigars, drinking whiskey and discussing the war. Times haven't changed that much: Phil is in the hottub, smoking cloves and drinking scotch, Im cozy in my PJ's watching America's Next Top Model....
This morning as I was eating my mislabeled grapefruit, "California RED Grapefruit" (it wasn't actually the red variety but the normal kind, I was very disappointed) I reflected on Beka's recent post... "Americans need to care about what is going on in the rest of the world"

"Time-Out!" I don't even know what is going on in our country and that made me feel really irresponsible.
Im a stay-at-home wife, I should have plenty of time to educate myself on "grown-up" topics. Im not making any promises, I might get bored, but Im going start listening to NPR at work.........(after I check Nordstrom's and E! Online)

www.npr.org/

Ruby Told Me I Have To...

So I have been tagged... here are my exciting answers:

Four jobs I've had:
1) Hip Hop Teacher
2) Nanny
3) 4 years of coffee: Nordstrom's, Brooks and Terry's, Coffee Culture
4) Central Dispatch, Arbitrator

Four movies I've watched more than once:
1) Dirty Dancing
2) Forest Gump
3) Aladdin
4) What About Bob

Four places I've lived:
1) Lebanon, OR
2) Fort Collins, CO (does 10wks constitute living?)
3) Independence, OR
4) Corvallis, OR

Four TV shows I watch:
1) Sex & The City (always and forever)
2) Desperate Housewives
3) The Office
4) The Alaska Experiment

Four places I've been:
1) Alaska
2) Hawaii
3) Cabo, Mexico
4) New York City

Four people who email me regularly (doesn’t include blogging comments):
1) Denny every Monday
2) Vinni, Mollie, Noel (Work)
3) Rubes
4) Beka lately??

Four of my favorite foods:
1) Filipino Food yum yum
2) melted cheese
3) Top-Ramen (no joke)
4) Thai food

Four places I would like to visit:
1) Philippines
2) France
3) Israel
4) Australia

Four things I'm looking forward to in the coming year:
1) Sex & The City Movie
2) Kelley Family Vacation at Lake Tapps
3) Mexico (hopefully) with the Trasks
4) Vegas

Four friends I'm tagging:(Sorry but I have to I guess)
1) Jess
2) Bre
3) Carolynn
4) Sarah in the City

SATC was on Oprah and it made me craaaaaazy excited for L.A.!!

In Memory of...

Today we are missing Grandpa Harry. One of the Godliest men I have ever met. Though this is an unexpected loss but I think its interesting how appropriate for God to take him home on Ascension Day.

I was so excited to marry Phil and get a new Grandpa! For the short amount of time I knew him I grew to love him! He had the best stories and the warmest laugh.

A few important things I learned from Grandpa Harry:

-how to translate for animals and babies
-you drink your coffee black and it needs to be in a light colored mug so you can see it.
-the creator of speed/instant scrabble, the best game in the world
-heavenly sunshine
-Its ok to laugh extremely hard when people fall down or bump their head
-Irish Spring soap smells good
-Grandpa taught me to play upwords and dominos