speaking of random...

so I've been thinking

2011-03-14T16:58:00.005-06:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about life. I'll admit, something's gotten into me, and I think it's this beautiful baby girl God has blessed me with. She is growing so quickly, and I already feel like time is rushing by, and I worry that I'm missing things. Missing opportunities. Forgetting the details. I feel like I need to be a better person for my daughter. I see in her all the good that I want to be, and she makes me want to be better. What a priceless gift! I have so much to work on, where do I even begin?

A few weeks ago I really felt strongly that I needed to increase my spirituality so that I can be the best mom I can possibly be. I know I will need guidance from above. So an interesting thing happened - as I have made efforts to grow closer to my Heavenly Father, so many things come to my mind. I've made so many goals about how I can improve as a person so that I can be a good example to my daughter.

I want to be a better mother, a better wife, a better homemaker, a better cook, a better everything. I want to live a healthier, more active life. I've set goals to run a 5k in April, and a 10k in June. For you runners out there, I know that's nothin, but for a girl like me who does not work out, it's a pretty big deal. ;)

One small item on my list is to document the details. Avery deserves to hear about her life one day. And if I at least have stories and pictures on this blog, I won't forget the moments that make me smile.

So prepare yourself for an overload. And a lot more of this:

and baby makes three!

2010-11-30T06:09:00.018-07:00

I would like to proudly introduce to you our daughter:
Avery Caprice Buttars
Born Tuesday, Nov. 23rd @ 3:30am
7 pounds, 10 ounces

I'm completely in love.

unexpected progress

2010-11-16T10:39:00.009-07:00

FIRST, some pictures I've been meaning to post.

We decided to have a little spontaneous photo shoot after church last Sunday with the big Buddha belly. This was the day of the daylight savings change, and I did not account for how quickly we would lose the light. I wanted to try to capture some of the gorgeous dusk shots that we have in Mountain Green, but no dice. So forgive the lighting and forgive the sometimes blurry shots. I present to you the best we've got. :)
(Belly @ 35.5 weeks)

Oh - below, I stumbled upon this gem in one of the folders on my flash drive. One might think this is was our Halloween costume from this year - current belly photo - but no. This is was in 2006 - before we were married - at the annual White Trash ChrismAss Bash at Windsor's cabin (legendary). All guests are encouraged to come in their finest White Trash attire. Hence, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. I thought of repeating the costume this year with the REAL belly, rather than the one below which is made of a couple of towels. But frankly, I lost the motivation. ;)

Ah, memories.

AND NOW, let's move on to the unexpected progress, shall we?

We had a doctor's appointment yesterday, at 36 weeks, 4 days. I've been feeling great, no real pain or discomfort. And I've had a total of 4 contractions this entire pregnancy, which all happened last week. But nothing regular or sustained, and none for a few days now. My due date is Dec. 9, and I have fully anticipated lasting until then. So you can imagine my surprise when the doctor told me I was dilated to a FOUR, when we still have 3 1/2 weeks to go. Four seems like a lot to me! That's like almost halfway to baby time! Still feeling good, though. So for now we'll wait and see what happens.

Dr. Naisbitt said that when something does start to happen, though, get to the hospital quick, because he doesn't think my labor will be very long. When he was 'checking' me - a first, I might add, and not my favorite - he said "Now this isn't your first baby, right?" Yes, yes it is. "Oh wow. Well you've got a cervix to be jealous of." Thanks, doc. I've never received such a compliment. ;)

And Birtha, wow, my little angel is one heck of a chunker! 1 month ago (at 7 months pregnant) she was measuring about 5lbs, 6 oz. Two weeks ago, she measured about 6lbs, 5 oz. So a solid pound gain in just 2 weeks. And now, 2 weeks later, the doctor measured her again to get an estimated size. He took the measurements once, and then said he needed to do it again more accurately, because he didn't believe the size he was getting. Guess what the MORE accurate measurement was... SEVEN pounds, FIFTEEN ounces! She gained another pound and a half in 2 weeks. So our little girl is just a sliver shy of 8 lbs, with 3 1/2 weeks left to cook. You could see her cute little baby fat rolls on the ultrasound! Can not wait to meet my little chunky monkey.

Given this unexpected news, I'm very curious as to what all of you think about it!

I'm taking guesses

on her

BIRTH DATE & BIRTH WEIGHT!

Please enter your guesses in the comments, and the closest guess will get a rediculously cool prize.

introducing the first Durbano grandchild!

2010-10-29T14:41:00.012-06:00

Meet Izabella Durbano!
[CORRECTION FROM EARLIER VERSION OF THIS POST:
Her name was Sienna for a short time, ie the time I was there taking these pictures. Her name has now changed to Izabella! Sorry for the confusion.]
Born Wednesday, 10/27, sometime shortly after 10:27am! {not really sure of the actual time ;) }
5lbs 14 oz
Welcome to the family!
Congratulations Nate & Venessa!

Look at her - she's gorgeous! I love the little green polka dot bow in her blonde peach fuzz!

Nate is such a proud papa. I love it.

And of course, the formal introduction of the cousins. Izabella, meet Birtha. You guys are destined to be best friends. No pressure. These two babies are literally about the same size. At my last appointment, Birtha was measuring 5lbs 6 oz, and that was TWO WEEKS ago. So don't worry, I'm thinking I'll probably have at least a 10 lb sumo wrestler. Bring it on.

And I love this shot:

Nate, about as happy as he can be holding his tiny daughter.

~~Love you Nate, Venessa, and Izabella!~~

something's in the water

2010-10-24T22:31:00.016-06:00

I love Rhett. Not sure if I've mentioned that in a while. He makes me happy. And I know he's going to be such a great dad. I don't know who's more excited for Baby Birtha's arrival, him or me.

Last Sunday, at 33.5 weeks.

And the Sunday before, at 32.5 weeks.

And holy pregnant ladies, Batman -- check out all my hot pregnant friends! And had we had the baby shower just 2 weeks earlier, then Megan on the far left would have had that little guy inside too! From left: Megan (with Henry), Marina, Courtney, Emily, Venessa, and yours truly.

And the high school reunion on the couch moment- thanks for coming to the shower, ladies!

Lydia, Nat, Shanna, Angie, Lacey, Michelle, and Haley (the little girls are Lacey's and Michelle's)

Brunch was amazing. Melanie, your homemade quiche is basically the highlight of my life. And thanks for sharing your gorgeous home with us. Skyler was a real champ given that we went OVERtime.

Seriously, guys, the generosity was out of this world. Thanks again! Maybe I'll get the thank you notes in the mail, maybe I won't. The stars will have to align.

And kudos to Holly for staying up all night to finish this masterpiece of a quilt in time for the baby shower! Would you get a load of all those darling ruffles?? When I think of the hours and hours she must have spent on this quilt and the astounding amount of joy it brought to me, I realize that I'll never be that domestic, and I'm most likely a bad person for it! ;)

And again, Melanie, thanks for all the darlingness oozing from every inch of this baby shower. I realize the bad lighting in this photo doesn't do it justice, but she spelled out 'baby girl' with onesies on a clothesline.

And to all the picture-dodgers who intentionally stepped out of every photo op - you know who you are - next time I have the chance, I'll snap a really unflattering photo of you when you're not ready. And I'll post it right here for the world to see. And that will teach you to mess with me when I'm trying for tender group togetherness shots!

Someone is soooo grounded...

2010-10-22T18:43:00.002-06:00

I died laughing. Please enjoy.

{and please pardon the expletive.}

Birtha does Lake Powell, and other such nonsense

2010-10-10T23:28:00.013-06:00

We went down to Lake Powell for the few days prior to and including Conference Weekend. And it was probably the most perfect trip of all time. The weather was incredible!
It was not too hot, not too cold, and it never got windy like it usually does down there. The water stayed glass the entire time - which translated to very comfortable, non-bumpy boat rides for little ole me and the Fetus, whom we affectionately call Birtha {for now}.

I've been repeatedly pestered to post belly shots. I truly love to see belly shots of other people. Turns out, I like them much less when they're of my lovely largeness. But, your wish is my command. Above and below, Birtha at 30 weeks, enjoying a little boat ride.

We found the coolest canyon with this "fire dancing" on the canyon walls the entire time. It was one of the coolest canyons I've ever seen in all my days of exploring Powell. At the back of the little canyon, another boater informed us that if you hike up a little, there is a waterfall. So off we went, over the river and through the woods to find this mystical waterfall.
We had to overcome many obstacles - including climbing this creatively rigged ladder made of old ski ropes and driftwood.

The men tested it out before I attempted it.

Tell you what, Birtha loves an adventure. Best part of the adventure is a tie* between finding a little frog hopping around the wet sand, and watching Nate try to scale a slimy moss-covered wall. He failed miserably and ended up leaving a sliding butt trail down the steep mossy slope and doing a back-flop into the freezing pool of water below. The adventure ended when we realized that the little drizzle next to the scary ladder actually WAS the waterfall. It was breathtaking, I assure you.

*Not a tie at all. Not even close. Sorry little frog, you can't compete.

And in other news needing updates:

The nursery is coming together!

Rhett, my manly man, set up the crib like a pro.

He's so stinkin cute I can't even stand it.

We had a baby shower for my sister-in-law, Venessa last week. I'll let you guess just by looking at our bellies who is further along. And if you guessed me, well you'd be wrong. She's a whole month ahead of me. It is beyond me how she's got a nearly full-term baby inside there. Where does she put it? It was at this exact moment that I realized the honest truth of my hugeness. But aside from that, so SO excited that we are having kids just a month apart! And they are both little girls, so I can't wait for them to have a cousin their age to be buddies with! I know my cousins were my absolute best friends growing up. I would love to see that happen with our kids.

And one last belly shot to bid you farewell - 31.5 weeks and counting!

food for thought

2010-09-21T23:35:00.000-06:00

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
Copyright © 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte

"pregnant women do the weirdest things."

2010-08-30T15:18:00.002-06:00

This morning I was enjoying my breakfast of champions at my desk. My boss came into my office to hand me a file, looked at my plate of deliciousness, and said,

"That looks disgusting. Pregnant women do the weirdest things."

I was eating a peice of toast with peanut butter and jam on it.

not ready not ready not ready

2010-08-20T14:06:00.007-06:00

So I had a little panic attack this week when I went into a store to buy pillows, but instead I was bombarded by Halloween decorations. Suddenly, it occured to me that school starts this Monday, and as soon as kids go back to school, Halloween comes in the blink of an eye. Then the moment Halloween hits, suddenly it's Christmas, giving no thought to the fact that Thanksgiving has all but vanished into thin air.

I have a bun in the oven scheduled to make her appearance on December 9th... and I'm not ready! The time flies by so fast. I can't handle it. The room that will be Baby Birtha's nursery (Birtha is just what we call the fetus, not the child) is still currently filled with boxes that I need to go through and unpack. I have not purchased any baby essentials like cribs or carseats, instead I buy darling little baby clothes that don't really count on the be-prepared scale. Dang, I've got to get serious and get my act together! I think I will feel better once I have the essentials covered.

I'm open to any suggestions as to what in the world is considered essential. Seriously -- little help?

House Pics, as promised!

2010-07-20T09:10:00.005-06:00

Here are some pictures of our new house that we closed on about a month ago. It was built in 2007 but it was a forclosure so nobody has ever lived in it. So there were nobody else's messes to clean up! How fantastic is that? It's in Mountain Green, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and wonderful. We love it!

Allow me to highlight some of my favorite features...
THE HOUSE:

(I took these pictures back in Feb/March when we had made an offer on it, so there are still stickers on the windows, lockbox on the door, etc. And it's completely bare. But you'll get the idea!)

KITCHEN:

FIREPLACE:

JETTED TUB:

WALK-IN CLOSET:

BIG UNFINISHED BASEMENT aka room to grow!

3-CAR GARAGE:

HUGE BACK DECK (love love this!):

HOME SWEET HOME!

You probably could have told me so.

2010-06-25T14:05:00.004-06:00

Frankly, you probably should have told me so. But here's the thing: It's my first time. I don't know any better. When the doctor tells me at ELEVEN weeks that he's absolutely sure (aka 80%) it's a boy, why would I question that?

But I know all of you questioned it. Every single one of you with any children or any experience in the whole baby-makin' business probably rolled your eyes when I announced the proud gender of my baby at 11 weeks. But you were all way too nice to say anything. Didn't want to steal my thunder, rain on my parade, whatever. So you smiled and gave your congratulations and well-wishes. But inside I know you wanted to pull me aside and tell me it's really too early to tell, sweetie, so... better not count on it. And then naturally, I would have thought you were some bitter bean who clearly had to wait much longer to find out. ;) So really, I shouldn't be surprised that here we are at 16 weeks with a fetus that has amazingly morphed genders.

That's right kids. As of yesterday, it's now a girl! And the doc's just as sure this time as he was the last time. So I don't know what to make of all of it. Literally the night before the ultrasound, I was deciding on paint colors for the nursery with my mom and sister. Good thing we didn't paint! I guess for now, I think we'll just wait for another ultrasound or two to confirm or deny before I go out and buy anything.

I'm way excited to have a girl! Just like I was so excited to have a boy! Truthfully, I'm just hoping to have a healthy human. That would be great. And Rhett was so excited when I told him we might be having a girl now. I was worried he might be disappointed since he's been planning on a boy for last 5 weeks. But he was such a champ! He got all thoughtful and asked if I thought she'd look like me or look like him. But he decided it didn't matter, because either way she'll be beautiful. How sweet is that?

first-timer alert

2010-06-22T16:45:00.003-06:00

I felt the baby move for the first time last night! It was the craziest feeling! And it was completely random and unexpected. I was standing in the kitchen of our new house while Rhett was making some toast late last night. I had put a cold cube of butter in the microwave to soften it. I set the timer for who knows what -just pushed an auto-button to get it going, thinking I would take it out after a few seconds. Then, suddenly I felt the weirdest feeling on the right side of my little growing bump, and I pressed on it lightly to see if I could feel it again - and I could! I made Rhett put his hand on my belly to see if he could feel it too. Whether he really did or not, he swears he could feel something. It was so exciting! Such a little bonding moment.
Don't worry, completely boiled the butter.

one more announcement - we're moving!

2010-06-15T16:53:00.003-06:00

We closed on a house last week! It finally funded yesterday, and we've got the green light to move in! I imagine we'll start taking the first load of boxes tonight. Can't wait. As delightful as the parents' basement has been, I think I'm ready for my own space!

It's in the beautiful Mountain Green. The views from my back porch are so pretty. And for those of you who think driving to Mountain Green is basically the equivalent of driving to Wyoming, it's only 12 measly miles from my parents house in East Layton. So we can't wait to have you over!

Pictures to come!

Did I mention I'm pregnant?

2010-06-01T22:22:00.007-06:00

I'm officially past my first trimester now. 13 weeks along and feeling great! I'm not sure why I felt so nervous to announce it to the internet world - I guess because it seemed so difficult to take back if it didn't work out. But so far everything is looking healthy for both of us, and I'm finally feeling comfortable letting you in on it.

Rhett and I are so so SO excited about this new development and can't wait for baby to get here! December 9th is the official due date.

Also, at my 11-week ultrasound, we were greeted by an unexpected surprise...

IT'S A BOY!!! We certainly didn't expect to find out so early, but the shots were very clear and the little guy was perfectly positioned.

And, in 3D, the money shot:

Arrows helpfully pointing to the goods. Rhett is so proud.

Can't wait to welcome our little man.

So I have this problem...

2010-05-18T13:02:00.004-06:00

I never manage to download my pictures from camera to computer in a timely fashion. I get to it approximately once per quarter, it seems. The other problem is that I hate posting blog stories with no pictures, especially when pictures to help document the story actually exist!

What this ends up doing is making my blog in a perpetual sad state, with only the meaningless randoms making the cut, and no real details of my life.

So what I'm saying is I'm sorry. I'll work on it. I actually have some stories to tell!

for the record, I take it back.

2010-05-11T16:45:00.003-06:00

In reference to the post below, let me say that I like spring snowstorms. I sincerely do.

But not in May. I mean really, enough already.

blizzards make me happy

2010-03-31T12:06:00.005-06:00

In case the rest of you cursed the snowstorm that is still going on outside...

Just wanted you to know, spring snow makes me smile.

{really, blizzards of any sort make me happy, including the kind from Dairy Queen. Yes please.}

luck o' the italian

2010-03-17T08:42:00.003-06:00

I completely forgot about St. Patrick's Day. Not until I just googled something at work and I saw this little reminder did I realize.

Suffice it to say I did not wear green today. My hope is this: given that I'm not in junior high any more, I will manage to get through the day without getting called out for it. I can't think of anything more annoying than getting pinched.

nutmeg

2010-03-10T14:30:00.002-07:00

"Nutmeg sat stoically atop the cushions. Yet her internal dialogue was a cacophony of discordant thoughts, mostly centered on the absurdity of the double Nelson clocks."

{and a special thanks to Mike Metcalf for alerting me to the existence of this site full of dull yet somehow thrilling mockery}

sometimes

2010-03-05T02:04:00.001-07:00

Sometimes my sense of humor offends people.
And sometimes I'm sorry.
This is one of those times.

holy safari

2010-02-22T14:49:00.011-07:00

My baby brother Josh just had his 19th birthday last week... a baby no more, I guess. We took him to Mikado because he was feeling brave and wanted to try sushi. We showered him with sweet gifts like a six-pack of Kraft Mac n' Cheese, Toaster Strudels, candy, and four super soft t-shirts.
And of course we didn't forget the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bandanna.
Donatello.
Thanks for asking.

And in belated news - Josh also got his mission call, albeit on Christmas Eve. So without further ado, I'd like to announce that Josh is going on his mission to
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA!

That kid is going to be so amazing down there. He is so excited, and we are all very excited for him. My dad is already getting sad about losing his little buddy, and I'm sure we will all miss him a ton. Josh is such a great kid and I know he'll do so great.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEED!
Love you brother.
{{His farewell will be on March 21 at 11am at the Fairfield Chapel, in case you're interested.}}

the best time to check the expiration date on the milk

2010-02-03T16:39:00.002-07:00

... is before you take a massive thirst-quenching gulp. Turns out, it expired a week ago.

I heart LeBron

2010-01-14T15:08:00.003-07:00

Well well wellllllll..... so much to say, so little time. First off, sorry I haven't updated on which job I chose. I accepted the job at the Davis Conference Center. The trouble is a third job offer rolled in at the last minute, and things got complicated quickly.

So I'll update on all that some other time. But in short, I just accepted a job working for Tom Stuart in Bountiful, and I'm so excited about it. It will be a wonderful job and Mr. Stuart was very generous offering it to me. From what I know, I will be doing a little bit of everything and will most certainly be utilizing my experience, my education, and my brain. So I'm looking forward to it!

And to celebrate the new job, Rhett called me with a surprise - we're going to the Jazz game tonight! He found crazy tickets online for a crazy price. All I can say is - - -

Guys. Watch for me on TV tonight! 3rd row baby, somewhere I think towards the basket on the Cav's side. I've never been so close. Tickets? Great tickets. You can smell the sweat. (name that movie) The game is on TNT at 8:30pm.

Oh heavens. What will I wear? Gotta run.

P.S. Dear Kody, Thanks for the great job! I owe it all to you. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it. You're the best!

two job offers in two days!

2010-01-07T11:13:00.003-07:00

This week I had a 2nd interview with the Davis Conference Center to be an Event Manager. As I was leaving that interview, there on my phone in my inbox landed a great job offer from a marketing company in Salt Lake called Access. I've been gunning for this marketing job for 2 months now, so I was so excited! It felt like Christmas! The hiring process at Access has been so SO competitive, and they had a ton of applicants, and I had to go back for interview after interview to narrow the field. So I was flattered, to say the least, to have that job offer come in after all this time.

Well I just got off the phone with the Davis Conference Center - they offered me the job. Event planning has been my dream job for years. It's what I was made for. I could do it in my sleep.

So. I have got bigtime decisions to make. And what to do? There are so many things to consider. Both jobs are equally awesome. So then the other less important factors become the biggest players: The commute. The pay. The benefits. The flexibility. The PEOPLE. Opportunity for advancement. Where will I be happier? And Rhett is prepping to go to grad school, so there may come a time when I am bringing home the bacon solo. Which I am completely fine with, but it makes the salary even more important.

I just hope I make the right decision.

the time has come

2009-12-30T16:21:00.003-07:00

I am going to organize my closet. I'm not even going to wait for the new year so I can call it a new years resolution. Nope. I have let blogging distract me long enough. I am just going to do it. Right now.

best Christmas decorations. EVER.

2009-12-21T15:44:00.003-07:00

This was just emailed to me. I could not stop laughing. All I know is I really like this woman. I'd like to take her to dinner. Be sure to read her caption below.

"Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever. Great stories. But two things made me take it down. First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by. Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard."

worlds apart, literally

2009-12-14T18:31:00.005-07:00

My dear parents, bless their souls, gave the fam an early Christmas present/graduation present/Josh-is-leaving-soon-on-his-mission present. They timed it perfectly - the whole family was scheduled to depart for a sunny foreign destination 5am Saturday Dec. 12th - the very next day after Rhett and I graduated. What a treat! Rhett and I so needed the getaway after both taking hefty credit loads of 18 and 20 credits, and Rhett still working full time and then some. We were counting down the days, looking forward to some much needed relaxation after a grueling final semester of college. That is, until Rhett's request for time off came back. DENIED. With an added comment, "Shocked you would even ask." Rhett has not been at Zions long enough to accrue any paid time off. But he wasn't asking for paid time off. He was asking for UNpaid time off. Aka saving the company money! An unpaid furlough - exactly what some state companies asked their employees to do as a solution to their budget crisis. {sigh} None of this logic worked on Rhett's grinch of a boss. He's a mean one, Mr. Grinch. He is foul beyond compare.

As the months and weeks got closer to vacation time, we hoped and wished his boss' heart would soften just a tad and he might reconsider. But no. NO GO. Let us not overlook the fact that the trip was pre-paid and since my mom prides herself in finding deals online, nonrefundable, nontransferable. Of course.

So here I sit on the white sandy beaches of Playa Del Carmen, doing absolutely nothing but read the books I've been saving for after graduation, and all the while, Rhett is at home shoveling the foot of snow off the driveway. And in his spare time, he and his friends in Huntsville decided to build this:

They decided to go ahead and build a life-size, no messing around, igloo. Of course they did. I'm not even surprised. He sent me this proud photo from his phone. I love that Rhett. He's so blasted cute I can't even stand it. I love that he is just a little boy at heart, and he always will be. It's one of the things I love about him.

But let's be honest, I would much rather he build me a sand castle here in Mexico than a blasted igloo.

We graduate on Friday!

2009-12-08T23:07:00.005-07:00

Let it be known that I took the last final of my college career this morning! I got a 92%. (Hey - I'll take it!) And Rhett took his last final yesterday. Ah, the freedom is so close. We can almost taste it! Graduation is on Friday, and we figured since we are both graduating at the same time from the same school, we are definitely going to walk together. And for heaven's sake, it took us long enough to get here, we are going to make a celebration of it!

Do we look different now that we {almost} have our bachelor's degrees?

just because it made me smile

2009-12-02T02:06:00.007-07:00

As I was searching google for a good lightbulb image to include in a final presentation for my senior thesis class tomorrow night, I stumbled upon this.

And since you've all been pondering about what in the world to get me for Christmas, let me make it easy for you.

<--------a real life version of this.

Bulbous eyes mandatory. (obvious)

I think I'll name him Brutus or Spike, what do you think?

I'm open to suggestions.

my life is average

2009-11-21T02:17:00.004-07:00

It's 2AM on a Friday night and I've been sitting on the couch alone in the basement while my husband sleeps, giggling aloud to myself for the last half hour thanks to this website. MLIA.

MLIA = my life is average.

A "few" choice exerpts:

Today, I saw a commercial for the Snuggie. I thought it was stupid idea but I couldn't change the channel because I was under a blanket and I didn't want my arms to get cold. MLIA

Today I was having an argument in the car with my mum which resulted in me crying. In an attempt to hide it, I faced the window and began to cry silently. While stopped at a light I looked into the car next to us and the man frowned, breathed onto his window and drew a smiley face. Thank you. MLIA

Today, I decided to tan on the balcony. I took my top off and my neighbor came out and saw me. He's a guy. So am I. We greeted each other. MyLifeIsAverage.

Today, I was walking to class a little bit behind my 80 year old professor. He suddenly swerved to the left about five feet and JUMPED on an especially crunchy looking leaf. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that. MLIA

Last night, I was really hot in bed, so I took one leg out of the covers. Then I got scared because it was too dark and my leg felt unprotected from somthing hiding under my bed. So I put it back under the blankets. MLIA

A fortnight ago I finally solved my rubiks cube. I waited two weeks to post this so that I could use the word fortnight.

Today, I wore Axe body spray. I wasn't tackled by any women. MLIA.

Today at school I leaned back in my chair and it made a farting noise. I casually did it again so everybody would know it was the chair. MLIA

Today, my parents asked me why I just unwrap, peel down, and leave the wrapper of the lollipop on the stick. I told them it's so I can just throw them away together. My real reason is that it looks like the lollipop is wearing a cape. MLIA

I grew up in a college town, and one Halloween our doorbell rang and we opened the door expecting to see trickortreater—but what was in front of our open door—was another door! Like, a full-on wooden door, that had a sign that said “Please knock.” So we did, and the door swung open to reveal a bunch of college dudes dressed as really old grandmothers, curlers in their hair, etc, who proceeded to coo over our “costumes” and tell us we were “such cute trick or treaters!” One even pinched my cheek. Then THEY gave US candy, closed their door, picked it up and walked to the next house. MLIA

Today I won a million dollars, but I closed out of the pop-up anyway. MLIA

Today I realized that my daughters have bigger boobs than me. It's okay though because I'm their Dad. MLIA.

Today, I met a girl named Unique. She has an identical twin sister. No one else thought it was funny. MLIA.

Today, I filled a Windex bottle with blue Gatorade. I then sprayed it into my mouth in front of my mother. She began to panic and scream and get hysterical. I thought it was funny. She didn't. MLIA

Mylifeisaverage.com. My new friend.

can you find Rhett?

2009-11-13T15:26:00.006-07:00

So I was out in the yard with Rhett and decided I really wanted to take a picture of some of the leaves changing in the yard. I loved the contrast of this bright red bush next to the completely yellow tree. Yeah, yeah, yeah - it's pretty and all. I agree.
But let's spice it up a little, shall we? See if you can find Rhett hiding in the picture.

Look closely.

And a little closer...

My random boy. Gosh I love him.

boo!

2009-11-10T22:38:00.009-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Emma, me, & Anne (a couple of my darling Beehives!)

And the always gorgeous Buttars sisters - Brooke & Olivia!

And then there's my little bro Josh, aka HEED, who never disappoints. Well done Heed.

Rhett's costume was uber-creative: all black with a black mask. He hides in the bushes every year with a chain-less chainsaw and tries to make the kiddies pee their pants.

And finally, instead of carving pumpkins this year, I made this little pumpkin trio for my friend Holly for her October birthday. I saw them in a magazine and tried to copy it. You can't tell because of the shine, but the black one has silver accents around the top. Just one baby step closer to becoming a domestic female.

hold the carrots

2009-11-04T01:32:00.006-07:00

I've reached a milestone in my life.

I was asked to bring a jello+fruit salad with Cool Whip on top to a funeral luncheon at the church. Granted, I had to actually read the directions on the box to see how to make Jello, but at the end of the day - mission accomplished. I also doubled up on the Cool Whip on top because it felt like the right thing to do. I had to follow my heart.

Given this accomplishment, I really feel like I'm coming into my own as an adult Mormon woman.

It's fine if you feel inclined to congratulate me. I'd really appreciate a welcome-to-the-club, ya know? I mean, this is a pretty big deal.

yuck and double yuck

2009-10-28T01:27:00.006-06:00

1.

Looks like a plastic Lambert/Ken doll. I thought it was pretty gross. And then I stumbled upon this:

2.

Just released art for the cover of his new album. It's not even a joke, and that's the saddest part.

it just occurred to me

2009-10-09T18:25:00.005-06:00

I was just browsing the recent content of my blog, and I realized that this blog o' mine has become a place of venting. While venting is nice for me, I'm not sure it is necessarily nice for you, and I wonder if it is occupying far too much of the content of my blog. So I apologize because I don't want to be seen as a nasty negative Nancy. Mainly, I just like to get things off my mind, and once I've done that, I feel much better about it. This is not to say I won't ever vent about things on my blog again, but simply to say that I'll try to mix in some hearts and rainbows and fuzzy kittens now and then.

would life be easier if I had lower expectations?

2009-10-05T10:51:00.006-06:00

I just called a company to ask a question. Of course I was greeted with a press-a-number recording. How could I expect a human to answer these days? Once I pressed 3 for 'speak with a representative,' I was told by electronic robot lady, "Your expected wait time is less than {pause} 34 {pause} minutes. There are {pause} 93 {pause} callers in front of you."

I hung up after a moment of evaluating my life and deciding my question wasn't worth it. Maybe that's their whole strategy.

Needless to say it was a government agency. Therefore, I blame Obama.

that sign definitely doesn't apply to you.

2009-09-30T16:12:00.005-06:00

Allow me to set the stage.

In case you haven't recently been to the new and huge Student Union Building at Weber State, which cost millions and millions of dollars, and is undoubtedly a big part of the reason my tuition keeps going up, it was built with the theme "students please hang out here so we can try to make Weber State cool." There are couches and tables and chairs absolutely everywhere. (Of course they are all purple, why would you even ask that?) And so people sit, lounge, sleep, chat, shriek, yell, high-five each other, talk loudly on cell phones, etc. I have no problem with this behavior, as that seems the obvious design and intent of the building. HOWEVER, in a distant upstairs corner of the building in a room with glass walls and one door, there is a room very clearly labeled "QUIET STUDY LOUNGE." It's painted on the glass and it reaches from one end of the wall to the other. How could anyone miss that?

Moving on. My butt has been planted in the far corner of this room for at least 3 hours now. And I have encountered several people who are illiterate or stupid or both. In order of appearance:

Short guy with the long mullet who came into this quiet study room with no other purpose than to hit on me. He lingered outside the room a moment (glass walls, remember?) as I watched him decide to come in. He meandered past many empty couches, tables, and chairs toward my distant table in the back corner. He pulled out the chair right next to me and sat down (gutsy, I'll give him that). He must have quickly spied the ring on my finger, (but too late - he was already committed) since his first question - loud - was "So how long have you been married?" I answered in the tiniest breathy whisper I could to helpfully illustrate his inappropriate volume. "Lucky guy," he says, still using his confident loud voice. He asks what I'm working on, and I tell him a project that's due in an hour. Still didn't take the hint that I'm incredibly busy and definitely bothered by his intrusion. He asks half a dozen mindless smalltalk questions at full volume. By now, other studiers in the quiet room are looking over and watching, as they can no longer study with this going on. So I ask confident mullet, "Did you come in here just to talk to me?" No answer. "Because this is a quiet study room, and so I don't think we're supposed to talk in here." He extended his hand for a handshake, and said "Nice to meet you," even though neither of us had exchanged names, and he left. I got a few sympathy glances and smiles from nearby eavesdroppers.
Study group of 3 guys from probable middle-eastern descent who also did not read the sign. They talked amongst themselves, answered a cell phone call, and enjoyed a grande bag of potato chips here in the quiet study lounge. And not just a little bag of chips from the vending machine. No. A big-ole bag from the grocery store. He brought that bad boy from home. Every time he enjoyed a bite I hated him a little more. It's not like you can reach into that bag silently. Nor can you chew Lay's crunchy potato chips without actually crunching.
I get that people need to do their jobs. I do. And yet I am absolutely astounded and more than slightly outraged that Mr. Vacuum Operator has decided that right now is for sure the best time to get his vacuum on in my quiet study safe place. He got every inch of this tan+purple mix carpet. He even pulled out all the chairs at the table I am sitting at (excluding the one held down by my bottom) and vacuumed all around my feet. He was very thorough. And all I could do was watch him, because I certainly could not feed my brain with this going on.

I am still sitting here in the quiet study lounge. I'm waiting for my night class to start in a half hour. But now I no longer wish to study, I only wish to belly-ache on this here blog. Good thing I brought my laptop.

I know classy when I see it

2009-09-24T17:46:00.004-06:00

Nothing classes up the green minivan like spinners.

one last camping trip!

2009-09-14T23:22:00.009-06:00

We went off on a slightly spontaneous end-of-summer camping trip up in Idaho w/Holly & Aaron a couple weeks ago. So fun. It was a great little escape before the taking on the grind of school again.

The setting was so gorgeous.

Holly & Aaron have become some of our best friends. They are so chill, and we seem to have everything in common. Plus, their kids are great - they have 3 boys and they are fun kids.

Some pictures!

Hide and seek - I win!

Aaron & Kohyn - -Kohyn surfs with his dad at the tender age of 5.

Holly & brand new Ryder. She's one hot mama.

You can tell how delicious these smores were just by looking at this kid.

Look at my hunky husband chopping wood for the fire. That Paul Bunyan look is so hot.

And for the most random finale of the trip - I saw peacocks on the side of the road as we drove away. So strange. It made me smile. Thanks Idaho!

I spy

2009-09-10T07:59:00.003-06:00

One of my all time favorite games in the whole wide world: I spy! Combine people watching with boredom, and you've got an all-time classic! (WARNING: never play with those who lack a healthy sense of humor) Sooooooooo, while waiting forEVER for the Jon Schmidt concert to start at Thanksgiving Point, we decided to play a special version: I spy the BYU student. Spot the Zoobie! Super-Coug frenzy! You could call it so many things. It was delightfully entertaining. They just stick out like a sore thumb with a tucked in shirt.

One of my favorite offenders:

Polo buttoned right up to the tippy top! Tucked on in to the ever popular khakis, add sweatshirt around the waist = BINGO! I could not see his feet, but my mind conjurs up clear images of socks with sandals. And let us not overlook the barely-to-the-side part. It's possible that he's alumni - - I mean, that look is pretty dated.

here's the thing

2009-09-08T18:05:00.003-06:00

Ok, so I have a private blog that only me and my former Roommates from Ricks College (aka BYU Idaho) can see- it's called the Ladies of 209. And since it's private, I must confess, we can vent to our little hearts' content! It is so nice, honestly. I just can't do that on this blog, because you never know who might read it. Also, I take the liberty to, shall we say... freely explore my sense of humor on that great and wonderful private blog. I've just posted a little tidbit on said blog that may or may not be offensive to BYU students. It's just a social observation. And so my question is this: should I post it here? Do I dare?

4th of July '09

2009-08-26T15:28:00.016-06:00

I neglected to post about the 4th of July. It was such a blast, spent in Huntsville with the Buttars fam. I absolutely adore the Buttars family, and I love their hometown of Huntsville, aka paradise, so I couldn't have asked for a better 4th of July. Our dear friends Holly & Aaron Gough joined us with their cute kids. It was so much fun.

Volleyball:

Rhett & his brother Wyatt:

Dallin came down from Logan - love you Dall! Miss you.

The gorgeous Gough family:

Kohyn's self-portrait which I found days later on the camera :)

Rhett & his bro Nathan:

My darling sister-in-law Olivia w/a sleeping Asher:

Close-up. How does he sleep like that?

Olivia and I having an intellectual conversation on the tube.

We're so deep.

And the finale of our day: fireworks from the lake.

I love the reflection of the fireworks on the water.

Happy 4th of July!

man, ten years... really?

2009-08-20T13:30:00.011-06:00

While still in disbelief that 10 years have passed since high school, I had such a blast at our 10 year reunion. The party had been over for at least a half hour when I think Dana had the idea to take a group shot of all the graduates. So if you left promptly, then you missed this photo opp:

CLASS OF '99 (a handful of them, at least):

Lydia -I was especially sad that you were not in the picture! So here's your shout-out:

(stolen straight from your blog! -thanks-)

Ah, Shanna - my idol. We all pressured her (peer pressure at its prime!) into singing to raise money for the reunion fund. This little ditty earned at least 60 bucks. Well done, girl. Genie in a Bottle never sounded so good.

Shanna modeling my new favorite feature of Weber State:

Publicly posted in-your-face hand sanitizers! I'm a big fan of sanitation.

Applied with perfect form:

So nice.

Around 10pm when the clean-up staff at the ballroom was ready to kick us out, we spontaneously moved the party to Red Mango in Layton. Heaven bless Red Mango and their cap'n crunch on the side.

Dana, Lydia, Angie, & Lacey were all obviously missing from this little late night partay. {{WE MISSED YOU! }} So we have, from left: Lori Lessig Tanner, Haley Wiseman Haymore, Marci McKinstry Webb, Shanna my idol Taggart, Allison McKinstry Barben, and Natalie Durbano Buttars.

But don't be sad you missed the talk-talk-talking till the place closed at midnight. No. Be sad you missed this:

And so may I suggest... let's not wait ten more years, eh?

you can't be serious

2009-08-19T15:38:00.004-06:00

I sold some of our old textbooks on Half.com yesterday. I was so excited. I've never sold anything electronically before. It was pretty slick, I've gotta say I'm impressed with the system. I posted the ads at 4:00, and by 6:00 I had made $250 bucks! So I was pleased, to say the least. They were just sitting in a box taking up space, and now that box equals cash in my pocket! Can I get a hip hip hooray for half.com?

Let's move on to part II of the story: I wanted to provide excellent service to my new textbook shoppers, knowing that if they're anything like me, they probably waited until the last minute to buy their books and need them in a hurry. I always appreciate it when things get shipped quickly. Golden rule, right? So I trot on into my local post office, look around for the shipping supplies, only to notice that the entire place looks like closing time at Wal-Mart the day after Thanksgiving. It looks like it's been ransacked. So I grudgingly take my spot at the back of the line, wait patiently for my turn, and then ask for 4 bubble-pack envelopes to ship textbooks in. Without blinking, the post office guy tells me, "They're cheaper at Wal-Mart." Great service, buddy. Way to stand behind your product. I'd rather die than set foot in a Wal-Mart, so tell him that's fine, I'll take four. Then he gets all anxiety-ridden as if I'd set a gun on the counter and said 'gimme all your money.' He tells me he's not sure they have the size I need, and he's not sure how many they have, but he continues to just stand there staring at me, not actually checking his stock or looking anywhere... as if he's doing all he can to persuade me to leave. I didn't just stand in line for 10 minutes for you to convince me to drive somewhere else and then come back and wait in line again. It's not worth the $1.13 I might save. So I give him my best pleasantly-expecting-you-to-fix-it look (trust me, it's darling), and he says, "Let me go in the back and see what we have." Bullseye. Turns out they have THREE envelopes left that I could use. But I need one real big envelope for a fat accounting book. They're out. So when the post office runs out of envelopes, isn't that kind of like a bank running out of money? It's madness. I had to drive to Target, buy some bubble envelopes, drive back to the post office, and wait in line again. No wonder they're almost bankrupt. Sheesh.

happy birthday handsome.

2009-08-03T23:41:00.019-06:00

Yesterday was Rhett's birthday!

We celebrated tonight with dinner at Fleming's. There's a little candle burning on that dessert plate, see? They melted the candle right onto the plate. I thought it was cute.

And for Rhett's birthday, I wanted to highlight some of his sexiest moments. (Please, read on. I swear I won't make you barf.)

I love it when you make me breakfast in the morning.

And I love how you always try to prove that you can crack the eggs with one hand.

I love how intelligent you look in glasses. And I love how much you love your dad.

I love that you always slay the spiders for me.

I love how you danced with your Grandma at your brother's wedding. She had the time of her life.

I love you as a one-handed pyramid base.

I love how much you love your family.

I love how other people's kids always love you. I know you'll be a great dad someday.

I love the dimple on your right cheek.

I love how much you love the RhettSki.

I love that you're not too big to sit on Santa's lap with me.

I love that you pedaled the tandem bike pretty much the whole way across the Golden Gate Bridge, since I was much too distracted taking pictures to contribute.

I think your karate kid is hot.

I love you because you love me in all my nerdyness, and I love you because you're just as nerdy as me. I'm proud to have you as my man.

calling all Lancers

2009-07-30T05:07:00.008-06:00

By request of my dear friend Haley (Wiseman) Haymore, I am sending this out there to the Class of 99:

If you are planning on coming to the 10-year class reunion on AUGUST 8th (and you really should!), please buy your tickets this week on the class blog at: LaytonHighSchool99.blogspot.com.
They are trying to get a reliable head count by this weekend to submit to the caterers for the dinner, which is hard to do if everyone pays at the door. So save yourself $10 and buy your tickets right now! It's so easy. They have a PayPal account set up for it.

However, if you are PayPal phobic for any reason, or you simply insist on paying more at the door to prove you're a high-roller, at a minimum, please RSVP to Haley at LaytonHighSchool99@gmail.com and let her know you and your guest are coming so they can have enough food to feed everyone! It's the least you could do, right?

And please pass this on to all your LHS friends who may be coming. (Please highlight the RSVP part!) Send out a mass email, post it on facebook, post it on your blog... you know, network, people!

This is a choice opportunity to hob-nob with yours truly. That ought to be motivation enough. I'll see you there!

P.S. I am willing to cater to your laziness. (I know, I know, you're swamped.) Just leave me a comment here telling me you are coming and I will pass it on to the powers that be!

consider yourselves warned

2009-07-29T14:35:00.003-06:00

I was at my dad's office when one of the secretaries in the law firm came in asking for a broom:

How did this broad-daylight act of vandalism happen, you ask?

A disgruntled coworker? She took someone's parking spot? Maybe she owes someone drug money? Or a drive-by fruiting, perhaps?

None of the above. The culprit:

A little mini-can of aerosol deoderant. She had one in her car with the windows up. It got too hot, exploded, and blew out her back window.

And now you know.

97 years and still gorgeous

2009-07-25T14:54:00.008-06:00

Meet Carmela Durbano, my great-grandmother.

She celebrated her 97th birthday on the 24th of July.

Look at her - can you believe she's 97? She's gorgeous! I love her - she's amazing. And she's wearing this trendy necklace - she's holding it out to me because I told her it's so high fashion. She's just so darling.

Below is my Dad with his 97 yr. old Grandma Nona. Nona is Italian for Grandma, and sweet Carmela is 100% full-blood Italian. (And proud of it, as you can see - Italian flag hanging on the piano, Italian tablecloth... Italy was the theme of the party!)

And that's Father Cummings - a good friend of the family (half the fam's Catholic).

Rhett & Natalie with Grandma Carmela.

The fam, minus a couple of slacker brothers (Josh & Dallin!) who left the party before we took this picture.

Sarah made a slideshow DVD of the trip to Italy we all took as a family, and gave it to her for her birthday present. We showed it to her and everyone there at the party. It was awesome. Sarah did such a good job. Out of all of the pictures from Italy, this is definitely one of my favorites:

VIVA ITALIA!

new ink

2009-07-21T15:44:00.005-06:00

What can you get for a dollar these days?

The most amazing tats money can buy, courtesy of the face-painting booth at the Rasmussen family reunion.
Special Thanks to Katie Taggart, the artistic visionary.

Mine's kind of sissy, while Rhett's is especially hardcore:

I've always dreamed of having my name painted on the belly of a monkey.

more fat rolls please

2009-07-20T16:21:00.004-06:00

I cannot get over the cuteness of this puppy. She belongs to a good friend of my sister, Sarah. She's an English Bulldog named Kokany, but I like to call her Kenny for short. I have several new holes in the bottom of my jeans and puncture wounds on my ankle from her sharper-than-piranha teeth, but I still love this rolly poley chubber.

look what I found

2009-07-13T00:04:00.011-06:00

Loooook: Documented proof that I actually DID particpate in the mandatory slip-n-sliding against my will on the celebrated day of my birth. Don't let the big fat cheeser on my face fool you. I hated e v e r y m i n u t e of it. And not because I'm some kind of fun-hating killjoy either. I'm the first to stand up and defend the coolness of a slip 'n' slide. But because I am a cold-hating, anti-cold, body-heat-loving kind of girl who doesn't like to be cold. And this was the first day of June, in the shade as the sun was setting, and I don't know if any of you remember an entire straight month of rain... It was not warm on June 1st. So I don't want any of you haters suggesting that I'm being a big baby. It's my party and I'll cry if I want to.

Stole this slip 'n' slide pic right off my sister-in-law Venessa's blog, by the way. She snapped this shot on her camera, but I thought this along with all her birthday pics were lost forever locked inside her camera at the bottom of the Snake River in Burley, Idaho. And it was!

So sad.

But they went back up there ten days later and snorkeled for it, and Eureka! Nate found it! The camera strap was wrapped around a reed or something. And this is a testimonial to the Olympus Waterproof Camera, my friends.

{{The Olympus Stylus 850 SW - there are hot deals to be had on eBay right now, I highly recommend it.}}

That thing was at the bottom of a murky muddy river for TEN DAYS and it still works perfectly, no pictures lost, no battery damage! I found this most amazing camera at Best Buy several years ago, and I've had a blast with it ever since. And I've convinced many family members that it is worth purchasing: Nate & Venessa got a cool orange one, Chance & Emily got the blue one, Nate & Angie (the Nate from the Buttars side) have the original sleek silver one. And Rhett and I just got a new blue one to boot since I "lost" ours in Park City. (I didn't lose it. I left it on the nightstand in our hotel room, but it was never "turned in" by the housekeepers. I called many times and finally gave up.)

So my bro Nate just ordered an official Olympus floater-thing to hold the camera up. Which brings me to the worst part of the whole story:

They had a keychain floater thing attached to thier camera just in case! They tried to be prepared!

But it was not enough to keep it afloat. The camera was too heavy. So now we know that it takes 2 floater keychain things OR the official Olympus-made floater. And I love saying the word floater. It just sounds gross every time.

what the google?

2009-07-10T15:44:00.005-06:00

I went to google something today, and their google logo was this cool crazy lightning business. I like it. But is there something significant today that I don't know about that this funky design relates to? Is it the anniversary of wind energy or something? Jekyll & Hyde's birthday? I'm stumped.

I guess it's possible that they can do fun things simply for the fun of it. I'm just sending this out there to see if anyone knows the significance. I'll take your best guess.

so I like pink cupcakes.

2009-06-17T20:24:00.015-06:00

A few birthday highlights:

They're gorgeous, aren't they? (the cupcakes, I mean)

I like to wear my birthday hat unicorn-style!
.
.
I feel like, in this picture, I look like the wicked queen in Snow White (a stylish blonde version please) offering you an apple (cupcake).

Pink cupcakes - cherry chip to be quite specific - are all I asked for for my B-day. It's not all I got, but it's all I asked for. I also received the orange half of the yellow and orange slip n' slide, which my dear father gave to us and REQUIRED that we test it out to show him our appreciation. 8pm in the shade is not very warm, I don't care if its June. My participation is not documented. But I swear to you, it happened. Just imagine RT in the middle of the family BBQ, and that's how wonderful it was.

The twin bro:

My darling husband Rhett:

Ginger the master mind-melter, politely asking for a taste of my food:

And, in true big-brother style, here's Nate blowing out all but one of the candles. He started before the birthday song was over! You can see the disappointment written all over my face.

Maybe the rest of you have never had to share your birthday candles. But in twin-land, that's bad form.

A few choice shots of Nate breaking in the slip'n'slide:

(he's totally hogging my orange side)

the shelf life of mustard

2009-06-11T14:11:00.002-06:00

Dear Friends,

We have a fascinating topic to discuss. As you may well know, mustard has a lengthy shelf life. Seriously, what is it? YEARS. Really. I don't think I've ever seen it go bad. Do you ever find yourself sniffing the mustard before you use it... "Honey, smell this - is it still good?" No. You don't. And so today, as I squeezed out the last unwilling splatters of mustard upon my delicious soon-to-be sandwich, I was amazed to discover that my mustard is best by JUN 11 09..... that's TODAY! What are the odds that I would use all of my mustard (which has traveled with me to two homes now - what a dear friend) on the very day that it is "best used by?" That's what I call amazing amazingness.

Yours truly,

Amazing Natalie

a preview of things to come

2009-06-10T16:40:00.007-06:00

I have not the time, but the desire to blog about these things.

enticed? come back soon.

We haven't forgotten who keeps us in business

2009-05-26T23:40:00.007-06:00

Rhett just accepted a new job with Zions Bank which we are thrilled about - - he starts Monday! He'll be at the corporate offices in downtown Salt Lake, across from Temple Square. I'm excited to go have lunch with him! (...when I say "lunch," I really mean caramel apples at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory!)

so we're looking

2009-05-13T15:10:00.002-06:00

I'm sending this out there to my friends and family...

Maybe you already know, maybe you don't. But Rhett and I are both looking for new jobs. So if you know of anything or hear of anything, please let us know. That would be so helpful!

Just email me at natdurb at yahoo.com

Love you guys!

in case you're off to Provo this weekend...

2009-04-29T10:07:00.006-06:00

Women's Conference at BYU is this Thursday & Friday, April 30 - May 1. In case you're going to be there, make a special effort to attend Julie Beck's session at 9am on Friday at the Marriott Center. I hear the musical numbers are going to be magnificent.

You guys, we are singing at Women's Conference. It's going to be my mom, my sister Sarah, and I, plus my amazing cousins: Shanna, Lydia, BriAnne, Katie, Allison, Mindy, Jenny and my aunts Elaine and Evelyn. And lets not forget the little girls, Julia, Rachel, and Emma who sing a mini-solo that is my favorite part of the whole bit.

We are accompanied by a harp, flute, and cello. It is such a gorgeous arrangement, for which I have to give credit to the amazingly talented Annette Dickman.

To be honest, I wasn't nervous until about 30 seconds ago when I found this picture while searching for Women's Conference images.

I was picturing more of a quaint fireside. I know Women's Conference is huge, but I've never been, so I didn't really wrap my mind around the reality of what that means...... until now.

See you there!

speaking of juevos

2009-04-19T20:58:00.006-06:00

So I checked the status of the birds nest in the fake plant yesterday. If you'll recall from the Easter post below, there were 2 eggs in the nest on Easter. As of yesterday, there are 5 little eggs!

I also managed to sneak a picture of the little brown mama bird through the window. She's shy. I am very, very sneaky.

She flies away every time we open the door, but she doesn't go far. She just lands on this tree and watches us to make sure her eggs are ok.

More to come as things progress!

does the easter bunny lay eggs?

2009-04-12T22:57:00.010-06:00

THE EASTER BUNNY CAME!

aka Diesel, Nate and Venessa's "puppy." My dad calls him Diablo, and for good cause. His whipping tail can break bones.

The easter bunny got creative this year:

Can you see the easter basket inside the tractor bucket?

That was Dallin's basket... hidden by yours truly. Admittedly, I was proud of myself.

Sorry about the picture quality. Those windows were killing my photog skills.

Rhett was pleased with his easter basket score:

And I was quite pleased with mine:

Can you see those amazing nail polish colors? My toes are absolutely gorgeous right now.

My mom made sugar cookies and let all of us choose our own shapes. I went custom:

Tender, I know.

This is the most incredible part of all the easter festivities.

We had an easter egg hunt - in the dark with flashlights - which was awesome. LOVED it. But my mom hid an orange plastic egg in this fake plant next to the front door.

Then, check out what we found deep inside the plant as we were searching for our easter eggs:

Real eggs! There's a little brown bird that flies out of this plant every time we open the door. I think it's amusing that it chose this fake plant as the perfect spot to start a little family.

I plan to keep you posted on the progress of these little eggs. Don't worry, we won't touch them.

HAPPY EASTER!

because I am a Cranium master

2009-04-08T23:51:00.005-06:00

I think these pictures speak for themselves.
You want to be on my team, that's all I'm saying.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.

A link has been provided below whereby you may submit your praise.

two years ago

2009-03-22T22:58:00.010-06:00

Two years ago this month I went on a girls trip to New York with my mom and my sister Sarah, and her friend KayDee.

We saw 'Wicked' on Broadway.

We came ill-equipped for Times Square in the rain - plastic bags on our heads did the trick just fine.

We just about mastered the subway system.

And then, after a busy day in Chinatown, we discussed our plans for the evening over a lovely dinner at Little Italy. My sister's friend KayDee was so very fascinated by the Empire State Building, and wanted to be absolutely sure we made time for that on our trip - she politely suggested maybe we could do that tonight? My sister Sarah was very supportive of her desire to see the Empire State Building that night. And so we did.

After waiting in the security lines for over an hour, we finally made it to the top of the Empire State Building, where the wind chill made it absolutely freezing. New York City was experiencing record lows that week. The wind chill at the top made it even worse.

I frolicked about intently trying to spot the Brooklyn Bridge. I did not expect to receive a bear hug from behind while I was trying to take pictures of the New York skyline. When I looked down at the hands that were hugging me, all I saw were man hands. Man hands holding a rose.

I turned around to see the most handsome man in all of New York City:

Two years ago Rhett Buttars proposed to me on top of the Empire State Building. And it seems impossible to me that I could love him even more now than I did then.

I love you Rhett. Thanks for the greatest surprise of my life.

I can't wait to go back to New York with you when we have more time to enjoy the city together. And when it's not freezing.

Love you forever.

80's bash

2009-03-21T18:13:00.011-06:00

How could I have forgotten to post about this?

Our friend Tylor had his 30th birthday last month, and his friends threw him a surprise birthday party, 80's style. Naturally, it was held at Classic Skating. Brown roller skates rule.

The saddest part about the whole bit is that half the girls there went and bought their 80's outfits at the mall that very day. Have you seen the crap they're selling these days? You can seriously walk into the mall and buy yourself a pair of purple acid wash skinny jeans right this very second. The eighties were an embarrassment to fashion. And to repeat such a mistake is a humiliation. Mocking the eighties, however, is great fun.

Shanna never disappoints. Half the reason I even showed up to this party is to see what she would wear.

Thanks Shanna. And Bravo.

This guy (Jon White) actually brought an empty can of Tab to hold as a PROP. It complements the mullet so nicely.

Foggy picture brought to you by - what else - the fog machine.

May the eighties rest in peace.

And stay dead.

2009-03-06T16:35:00.003-07:00

In case any of you read the unkind article on the front page of the Standard Examiner this week predicting the imminent demise of my beloved place of employment, America West Bank -- just wanted you to know that it was false. (The woman they quoted from the FDIC could not even be found in the FDIC's employee database.) They have admitted their error and printed a retraction of the story in today's paper... you know, way back in the back where nobody will ever see it.

It seems worthwhile to mention that this newspaper is the same publication that just last week reported a teenager as dead who was actually not dead, but alive and well. In the same sense, they have reported America West Bank as dead, and yet we are alive and well.

America West Bank is a safe and sound financial institution. Their leadership, management, and board of directors are very intelligent men who I deeply respect. They use wisdom and good judgement in all of their decisions. I am proud to represent America West Bank as an employee, and I look forward to what the future holds for us. We're doing some really exciting things right now that I am proud to be a part of.

no relation

2009-02-24T16:56:00.005-07:00

Yes, my name is Natalie Buttars.

No, I am not related to the infamous Senator Chris Buttars.

(See? He doesn't even look like me. That's undisputable proof right there.)

And I wish he wasn't out running his mouth and disgracing my good last name. Because I happen to like my last name. It's just beginning to feel like home. I say it instinctively now, without a nanosecond pause to insert married name where maiden name used to be. I don't even slip up and sign Durbano as my signature anymore. That one took a while... there were so many 'D's that I had to change into really big 'B's. Anywho, not the point.

The point is that I would like for Buttars to remain a respectable last name. Maybe someone could pass that on to him for me. Why? Because I've never met the man. That's right - we're not related.

shout out to the 801

2009-02-20T14:05:00.003-07:00

You've probably already heard, but it's worth reminding:

Starting March 1st, you'll have to dial 801 before every local call.

And your new next door neighbor's area code could be 385 if they get a new phone number.

And if your daughter's been begging for a cell phone because she's the only first grader in the whole school who still doesn't have one, then your daughter's new cell number will be a different area code than yours.

They say by March 1st, all 801 numbers in Utah will have been exhausted.

Welcome to 10-digit dialing. It's here. You'll now have to include your area code whenever you're giving out your digits.

laffy taffy

2009-02-02T14:33:00.005-07:00

For my dessert today after lunch - a green laffy taffy.

This is possibly the first laffy taffy that actually made me laugh. You likely will not find it funny, so definitely lower your expectations now. Here it is...

What kind of shorts do clouds wear?

answer: thunderwear.

it takes a keen eye

2009-01-22T22:15:00.006-07:00

Here's a deep dark confession: sometimes I make fun of things in my mind. And sometimes, I capture snapshots of what I find amusing.

MAC has figured out the definition of beauty.

Beauty by MAC. I feel warm and fuzzy inside just looking at it.

This woman, clearly a loyal customer of MAC's beauty, has it all figured out:

MAC tried, but these boots are the real definition of beauty.

NEW POLICY

2009-01-02T13:46:00.003-07:00

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2009
NEW OFFICE POLICY
Dress Code:
You are advised to come to work dressed according to your salary.
1) If we see you are wearing Prada shoes carrying a Gucci bag, we will assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a raise.
2) If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better so that you may buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a raise.
3) If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise.

Sick Days:
We will no longer accept a doctor’s statement as proof of sickness. If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

Personal Days:
Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturdays & Sundays.

Bereavement Leave:
This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or co-workers. Every effort should be made to have non-employees attend the funeral arrangements in your place. In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary, their funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently leave one hour early.

Lunch Break:
* Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more, so they can look healthy.
* Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balance meal to maintain their average figure.
* Chubby people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that’s all the time they need to drink a Slim-Fast.

Bathroom Breaks:
Entirely too much time is being spent on the toilet. There is now a strict three-minute time limit in the stalls. At the end of three minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper will retract, and the stall door will open, and a picture will be taken. After your second offense, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin board under the “Chronic Offenders” category. Anyone caught smiling in the picture will be sectioned under the company’s Mental Health Policy.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a positive employment experience. Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritants, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternation and input should be directed elsewhere.
-The Management

Party like a Rockstar: Durb kids

2008-12-29T19:39:00.001-07:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

ho-DOWN: Mom & Dad + us + HEED!

2008-12-29T19:31:00.001-07:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

let it snow!

2008-12-19T16:56:00.004-07:00

Ah, let it snow let it snow let it snow.

I'm feeling the Christmas jolliness wash over me. So many things to love, including this kid's face.

So classic.

Merry Christmas my dear friends!

in case you've been naughty

2008-12-18T08:12:00.002-07:00

Consider yourself warned.

I think we've all learned a valuable lesson. Thanks Layton Hills Baptist Church.

before the rush...

2008-11-24T19:16:00.027-07:00

Before the rush of Thanksgiving-Christmas-NewYears settles in and life becomes a complete blur, I've got some catching up to do. I have many neglected and un-blogged stories to tell and sun-filled pictures to flaunt before the first flakes fall. I, for one, am a winter lover. I'm frankly quite disappointed that there's not a foot of snow outside already. I prefer winter to start late September and continue through early May. But that's just me. So before I start rejoicing with each new snowfall, I thought I'd share one last glimpse of summertime. Glorious summertime.

Lake Powell, gotta love it.

Rhett celebrated an uneasy birthday for him while we were camping up in Idaho with our good friends Holly and Aaron Gough. Aaron had his birthday that weekend, too. It was camping birthday madness, I tell you. This glitter-tastic poster and some tree streamers were the best little surprise I could come up with out in the sticks while sharing a tent with the birthday boy. Frankly, it was hard to keep it hidden. And I had to wander off into the forest to apply the glitter, which was very difficult in the wind, by the way.

Rhett's coolest birthday present of all time:

Meet the RhettSki, the newest member of our family.
I found this sweet little baby on KSL. The flourescent streaks with purple accents make it especially hardcore.

Rhett surfing at Lake Powell

Me 1.37 seconds before falling while attempting to surf.

Meet Aaron and Holly Gough! A stunning couple if you ask me.
And there's my twin bro, Nate, flexing in the background.

Like this sweet boat? It's for sale and it's beautiful! I think it would make an excellent stocking-stuffer for that special someone on your list.

Aaron, below, surfing well. He and Holly put the rest of us to shame.

My studly younger brothers: Dallin and HEED (aka Josh). No need to explain where Heed's nickname came from. It's like an orange on a toothpick.

Hairy hand=unknown.

Below, Daddy D, aka THE CAP'N, showing off his mad air-chair skills.

Ever tried this boys? It's wicked hard. And my dad is a master.

Rhett, Nate, and Venessa on the Super Screamer... and it really is.

Best water slide of all time courtesy of ambitious boys with shovels:

They had a generator hooked up to a water pump carrying water to the top of the slide, then they rode a body board down and went shooting off the massive mound of dirt they had piled up as a jump at the bottom. They got terrifying amounts of air. These are strangers, by the way. They said they have a video of it on youtube, which they shouted to us from the shore. Heck if I heard what they said.

And my favorite part of Powell '08: THE CRACK.

I don't know how we found this place or if we could ever find it again in the future, but it was AMAZING. The pictures don't even capture it.

Dallin peeking out of the crack.

Nat & Rhett, Sarah and Mom

Nate & Venessa

us again

Heed & Dane. Dane is one of my awesome cousins.

The crew. Minus me, of course. I'm taking the picture.

Gosh I love this guy:

What the heck- window in the rock. So random.

Goodbye, sweet sunshine. May your reflection off the crunchy snow be the next I see of you.

Did you see it YET?!?

2008-11-20T21:17:00.008-07:00

Let's see...

Exactly two hours and 43 minutes until the midnight showing of Twilight! Mock me if you must, but - -

CAN.

NOT.

WAIT!

I have the tickets right here in my hot little hand. My oh-so-darling little sister in law got them for me weeks ago. (Thanks Brooke!) I'm heading up to the O-town to watch it with about a dozen girls from the Buttars/Saunders super-cool batch of hot ladies.

Who the heck even cares if we all have work early tomorrow morning? Irrelevant.

Hurry up and see it so we can discuss!

You know what ruins Christmas music?

2008-11-06T15:50:00.001-07:00

Christmas music the day after Halloween ruins Christmas music. By the time Christmas actually rolls around, I'm so sick of the songs I can't enjoy what started as very nice music.

Dear KOSY and FM100: you bug me.

it's an ipod ad, get it?

2008-11-05T00:04:00.012-07:00

This was Rhett's costume. He came up with this Friday morning before work. Pretty creative, I thought. He won the costume contest at work! Good job Rhett!

However, sometimes a good idea taken too far can become a bad idea.
Exhibit A:

I decided to jump on the bandwagon and be the white-with-black ipod version. Not nearly as successful. But we still had fun. After about an hour of explaining my costume over and over, I abandoned the ipod all together and said I was a ghost. This went over much better.

Boo.

Hands down, best costume of the night goes to this clever little trick-or-treater:

(lights on)

(lights off)

Well done, kid. Well done.

Everyone please post your halloween pictures! I'm dying to see them.

Did you?

2008-11-04T22:12:00.002-07:00

in the air

2008-10-23T19:15:00.013-06:00

I feel like good things are in the air.

Fall is here.

Halloween is upon us.

Good things are happening for Rhett and I. I feel so happy today.

I apologize for the blogging hiatus I have taken this summer. When blogging becomes a chore, it drops right off the bottom of my priority list - - which I think is ok. Blogging shouldn't be something I dread. So now that I've taken this little break, I'm feeling excited about dusting off the old blog again.

So let me take this moment to officially welcome myself back, since the rest of you have probably stopped checking this blog: Welcome, Natalie, welcome.

Happy Birthday Rhett

2008-08-15T02:04:00.005-06:00

****
Every time I look at you the world just melts away
All my troubles all my fears dissolve in your affections
You've seen me at my weakest but you take me as I am
And when I fall you offer me a softer place to land

You stay the course you hold the line you keep it all together
You're the one true thing I know I can believe in

I get mad so easy but you give me room to breathe
No matter what I say or do 'cause you're too good to fight about it
Even when I have to push just to see how far you'll go
You wont stoop down to battle but you never turn to go

Your love is just the antidote when nothing else will cure me
There are times I cant decide when I cant tell up from down
You make me feel less crazy when otherwise I'd drown
But you pick me up and brush me off and tell me I'm OK
Sometimes thats just what we need to get us through the day

You stay the course you hold the line you keep it all together
You're the one true thing I know I can believe in
You're all the things that I desire, you save me, you complete me
You're the one true thing I know I can believe

****(sometimes Sarah McLachlan says it better)****

Happy Birthday Rhett. Thank you for loving me.
Love you forever.

~Natalie

(Please forgive me for posting this picture. I'll always love it even if you'll always hate it.)

wherefore art thou camera cord?

2008-07-29T06:08:00.004-06:00

It was several posts ago that I revealed to the public that my camera cord has gone missing. Shameful to have lost track of such a dear member of the family, I know. It's hard for me to even talk about it. I hesitate to place the blame squarely on the shoulders of CC (that's what her good friends call her), as she has never had a tendency to wander off before. I have interrogated all family members who have been close to her around the time of her disappearance, but all claim ignorance. I suspect foul play. I've allowed myself to consider only briefly, for the pain is too great, that she could have possibly run away...but she lacks the proper extremeties for such an escape. So I must rule it out. The only reasonable conclusion I can come to is kidnapping. As you can imagine, the emotional toll of these circimstances has been great. Countless images have been held captive inside my camera for far too long. My blog has suffered greatly. These are trying times, and I ask for the love and support of you, my family and friends, to lift me up and carry me through this. And to the guilty one-you know who you are-I leave a simple message: Damn you, camera cord kidnapper. Damn you.

fact or fiction

2008-07-19T13:07:00.005-06:00

I have always clung to the hope that tiger muskies were mythical creatures concocted by local fishermen to ward off recreational enthusiasts who scare their fish away. Turns out, they're real. My hopes were in vain.

We watched this guy pull one out of the lake at Pineview. Check out the size of this monster. The sharp teeth are also not mythical. Quite real. His camera died, and as a fisherman, he naturally needed proof of his catch, so he came over to our boat and asked if we could take a picture and email it to him. I just can't believe those things actually exist. I'm still going to pretend they're fake if I ever want to get in that water again. Mind over matter.

fired

2008-07-16T18:57:00.006-06:00

I was "fired" by a patient for doing her blood pressure too tight. Anyone had their blood pressure taken before? It gets tight. It's kind of a requirement of the blood pressure tool. So when she asked me not to make it so tight, I explained that that's just kind of the way with blood pressure. And we use an automatic machine to take the blood pressure, so I have no control over the tightness. So she "fired" me, and asked for someone else to take care of her for the day. My question for her is this: didn't you just have a baby? Isn't that why you're here? So you can handle childbirth, but not a little squeeze on the arm? Sheesh. Probably didn't help that her arms were significantly larger than my thighs.

speaking of twins

2008-07-13T10:14:00.005-06:00

There were twins born at the hospital last night. Two little girls - one was born at 11:23pm and the other was born at 12:05AM, so two different birthdays! How cool is that?

And if you are sick of the month-old blog, trust me- you're not as sick of it as I am. I have many stories to tell, all with wonderful pictures... but I can't find my camera cord to download my pics. It's driving me insane! I keep putting off updating the blog because I know the camera cord will be in the NEXT place I check. But it never is! I'm losing my mind over this. But as soon as I find it, you'll know. I have a backlog of at least 5 mental blogs to share with all of you. So get ready for an overload.

one year older and wiser too

2008-06-03T22:52:00.011-06:00

*June 2. That's the date of my birth. Having a twin and all, I've never celebrated alone. But something special happened this year. I had a Natalie-only birthday day. It was Sunday night, the night before the birthday, and I made everyone sing happy birthday dear Natalie... I gotta tell ya, it was pretty neat. Bless my brother, he was in attendance. He went right along with it like a sport. He's having his very own Nate-only birthday day next weekend in St. George. I'm invited, but it will be JUST Nate's birthday. If this is blowing your mind, just relax. We'll celebrate together again next year, I'm sure.

Instead of a current picture, I have included the above vintage shot of Nate and Nat. You may guess which one is me.

Something else strange happened during this festive celebration of my birth. Oh, and don't worry, if you weren't invited to my 'celebration' that's because it was actually a last-minute Sunday afternoon barbeque in my parent's backyard, boasting a guest list of strictly family plus approximately 2 people that I am not related to (could have been 3 if Vanessa's voicemail didn't fail me). But my mom re-used the matching tableclothes from my wedding, so that made it fancy. As I was saying, something strange happened during this festive celebration of my birth. So caught up in the celebrating was I, that I did not even think of removing my camera from the deepest pocket of the deepest depths of my purse down in the deepest bedroom of the very deepest darkest corner of the basement. It was deep enough to be out of my mind. I am generally very snap-happy. ("Oh, Rhett, you killed a spider on the wall with your shoe? Hold, on, let me get my camera and then you pose like I just happened upon you here in the midst of a spider-slaughtering-spree. Smile.") I like to capture the moments. I do. But during this momentous birthday weekend, I never once removed the camera from it's deep dark hiding place.
So now you must settle for a verbal description of the highlights. Ready?

1. Corn on the cob. It was my birthday request. Yes, it's too early for corn on the cob. But it's my birthday and I get what I want. Smith's only had a bushel and I bought all of it.
2. All my absolutely hilarious family members that I love so very dearly were there. (family can get trumped by corn, it's my birthday)
3. Shanna apparently "didn't get the memo" about no presents. Snakeskin heels with green stilhettos? Yes please.
4. Rhett was obviously excluded from the no presents clause. He wrapped all the things I picked out. But that good ole boy surprised me! He gave me a big fat box of rock-climbing gear! I got my own harness, shoes, muchas beaners, and the metal slider thing that lets you balet someone. (I don't have to spell rock climbing words correctly. It's my birthday.) And a rope! And a petzl headlamp! Also several other necessary items that I don't know the names of. And the greatest surprise of all is how incredibly excited I was (and still am) about this gear. I may not be good, but I'm excited about getting better. What I lack in upper-body strength I make up for in flexibility.

Let it be known that I am Natalie, novice rock-climber extraordinaire.

Thanks everyone for being my friends. I really love all of you. And I get to say it like this and it counts for all of you, because it's my birthday and I said so.
Seriously, I have great friends. Thanks guys.

*Special thanks to Vanessa the Scientist, from whom I stole this opening line, in her blog that is all about me. Thank you, Vanessa, for the greatest birthday card ever. Thanks for making me feel so special.

What gives?

2008-05-24T15:45:00.005-06:00

My car got totally side-swiped at the hospital parking lot, while I was inside undoubtedly saving lives. This was not just a little tap tap tappy either. They got all along the back door and the back panel above the wheel. But they must not have noticed the loud scraping sound coming from my car crying out in pain, because they neglected to leave a note, which is particularly classy. My beautiful dark blue sparkling Honda Accord just doesn't sparkle the way she used to anymore. She's damaged goods, and she knows it. The light in her eyes is gone. She's less than a year old - she's just a child for heck's sake! Honestly, this was not my favorite surprise.

So I'm bugged. Scratch that, I'm hopping mad. Thanks for listening.

Oh yes, and I also got pulled over by the Highway Patrol while traveling delightfully fast on my way home from work today. I was really speeding, reveling in the wide open freedom of I-15 on an early Saturday morning. I was already merging onto the shoulder before he even had to turn his lights on, I knew I was toast. I also could not find my insurance card ("I know it's in here somewhere..."), and Mr. Police Officer let me off with a verbal warning and a slap on the hand.

Take that, Murphy's Law.

a fascinating story

2008-05-21T13:21:00.005-06:00

I rotated the glasses today. When we had a dishwasher, it would take up to 2 weeks for it to become full enough to actually run the thing. But now that we don't have a dishwasher, dishes in the sink for longer than a day drive me nutty. It's not hard to keep up on with only 2 of us. So today as I was washing the few glasses we had used, I became bothered that we continually use the same 2 or 3 glasses and the ones in the back of the cupboard never get used. Terrified to one day find they've collected dust, I rotated the glasses. Like I said, fascinating.

Which reminds me of a random tidbit from San Francisco: we went to church there and found ourselves in the dental student ward. Pretty much all couples our age with toddlers crawling all over the benches. We had several surprise visits from underneath the bench from these adventurous tots. Anywho- a very nice young couple gave us a ride home when they saw us staring at our city map trying to find the nearest public transit line. Here's the point- they were telling us how much they pay in rent to live in the heart of San Francisco. Old school, 70's style, one-bedroom apartment with no laundry and NO dishwasher (instant bond obviously), and guess how much they pay? $1950/month. And no, that doesn't include the $300/month they pay for their ONE parking space. I was astounded. I'll never complain about rent again. (unless I've since forgotten about this story, then naturally I would complain...)

City by the Bay

2008-05-12T00:34:00.007-06:00

And a year goes by...

San Francisco was just fantastic. We loved it! We did everything on our list. Highlight for me by far was riding a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge - it was a tandem bike, so Rhett did all the work and I just enjoyed the scenery while I pretended to pedal. I was so entertained by the suicide warning signs all over the bridge:

.............

So here's my question: If you are suicidal and looking for a way to off yourself, would the above sign be encouragement or discouragement? They might as well have said "Depressed? This'll do the trick. Jump here." But maybe it could help those cry-for-help-types, so that's good I suppose.

On a lighter note, we enjoyed a great 1st anniversary there - May 4th.
It's been a good year.

San Francisco awaits

2008-04-28T09:37:00.005-06:00

We're going to San Fancisco on Wednesday for our 1 year anniversary! I'm so excited. We're staying at the San Francisco Marriott, below.

.............
We've both never been there and we are quite looking forward to it. Any tips or must-see advice? I want to ride a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge, I'd love to see Alcatraz, and Rhett already got tickets to a San Francisco Giants game. So far, that's the list. So if you've been before and loved something, please share!

Here's to Sarah

2008-04-17T23:32:00.012-06:00

My little sister Sarah turned 21 this week! April 14th to be exact. So do I still get to call her "little"? Regardless of should or shouldn't, I probably always will.

This is my ode to Sarah in picture form. She's pretty much one of the coolest people in the entire world, and I just can't get enough of her.

She loves her dog. She named her little dachsund Tank. Now she has one named Boo Radley.
.............

We explored our Italian heritage together. Fara San Martino - this is the town in Italy where we're from.
...........

at my wedding
............

close up
.............

a romantic moment.
...........

foilage is so delicious.
...........

At laguna beach.
............

Ah, that face. How can you not love this girl?
.............
I LOVE YOU SARAH!

the original

2008-04-16T14:35:00.002-06:00

There is only 1 Natalie Buttars in America. I'm quite pleased.

HowManyOfMe.com

There is
1
person with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

The one, the only.

Good to meet ya.

call me a grump

2008-04-13T11:42:00.004-06:00

Every so often I have to work a Sunday, which I really don't prefer. But apparently the babies here at the hospital are pretty excited to get out into the real world, and they just can't be reasoned with. I'd much rather they all wait to be born until Monday, but again - unreasonable. So when I have to work a Sunday here and there, I understand. But this morning I woke up with a seriously bad attitude, I did NOT want to go to work. I procrastinated getting out of bed as long as I could, rationalizing that the traffic would be a breeze at 6am on a Sunday morning. That only bought me a few minutes before I had to give in to the inevitable.

On to the highlight of the day. Around 11:30am, one of my coworkers beckoned me into one of the empty patient rooms. Waiting inside was a handful of fellow employees, and a cute young married couple there to give us a spiritual thought and the sacrament. I was so incredibly grateful for this gesture of thoughtfulness, that they would care enough to bring the sacrament around to all the hospital employees who wanted it. I suddenly felt so selfish and embarassed by myself and I felt my bad attitude melting away. And in this new and different setting, as this young man in a suit kneeled on the hospital floor to say the prayer, I listened in a different way and was so touched by the meaning of the words. I try to pay attention to them every time but to be honest, I'm frequently distracted. This time it meant so much more to me and I found myself getting really emotional. I quickly composed myself since I was still at work, but left feeling so much gratitude. So thanks to that nameless young couple whoever you are. You made my day.

Hey, eleven months.

2008-04-04T23:35:00.007-06:00

To celebrate our eleven month anniversary, we spent a week in Cancun. (not really, it was a family trip - thanks mom and dad!) We just got back last night. Do I really need to explain to you the superiority of our weather in Cancun compared to your slushy snowball back here in Utah? I'll let the pictures rub it in a bit.
(I wrote comments on the pics, but I guess they don't show unless you scroll over the picture.)

My favorite adventure of the trip was the zip line through the jungle - try it someday. The final zip line drops into a deep freshwater pool, and it was delightful. In another blog, I'll tell you about our scuba diving disaster and amazing rescue. Definitely another day.

One more month people. Then the hardest year of our marriage will be over. {sigh} What a relief. That's what they say, right? First year's the hardest? Strangely, we haven't noticed. So if this was the hardest year, then bring on the eternities of marital bliss! Can't wait. This year has been a breeze, and absolutely flown by. Does anyone else feel like we just barely got married? I guess we must really like each other, that's all I can figure. Call me cheesy, I don't care. This year hasn't been easy, not at all. But it has been happy in all of its craziness. 4 moves, 2 states, and a couple of new jobs later, we're still happy. We are truthfully happy, without sugar-coating or omitting details. I think that's something.

the great surprise

2008-03-20T17:01:00.011-06:00

I successfully surprised Rhett. This is a very large accomplishment and I can't believe I forgot to mention it. Before now, I've never been able to pull off a surprise - Rhett reads me like a book and he always ruins it. But this time I was very very sneaky my friends...

For Valentine's day I planned a road trip to Vegas to see the O Show by Cirque du Soleil (with a great deal of help from my dear friend Melanie. The Skylanie pair joined us on the road trip). Valentine's day was Thursday, and I had to work till 7:30 but I met Rhett at at restaurant in downtown Salt Lake for dinner. He gave me a beautiful sparkly necklace which was perfect because I had been complaining that I lost my favorite one. And I gave him tickets to the O Show for the following night at 10pm. He was excited, but of course concerned at my lack of planning since he had to work the next day. But, ta da! I had already talked to his boss and gotten him the day off, and talked to his HR manager to make sure he got vacation for it. My plan worked. He was genuinely surprised, and I was genuinely proud of myself.

BELOW, at the Bellagio gardens.

We had dinner at a restaurant in Vegas called Lucille's. Best food ever, I still crave it. One entree could feed a small nation for a week. I've been there a couple times but never ventured over to the powder room, where this lovely decorative item is proudly displayed. Oh, what I've been missing! May I present... Electric sex glowing in the window.

Tell me you know the reference. If not, I cannot explain it to you, because you have betrayed your childhood and we probably shouldn't be friends. F R A G I L E. Must be Italian.

happens all the time

2008-03-12T23:57:00.005-06:00

Sometimes I take pictures of things that amuse me. I have a whole file of them on my laptop called "Um, funny." Most likely only funny to me, but maybe someday I'll share them all with you. Fingers crossed! This one I found taped to the locker next to mine at the hospital, and I grinned a little.

Common occurance at the maternity ward where I work. It's a real problem.

Thanks Far Side.

cry me a river

2008-03-06T16:40:00.001-07:00

I'm currently suffering from 3 papercuts and a sliver. I can only assume none of you have heard about this yet, which is the only logical explanation for the lack of sympathy I've received.

30-day notice

2008-02-25T21:25:00.003-07:00

It's official. We're moving. Our landlord just announced that they're selling the house, hence our 30-day notice.

Where? That's a good question. That's where you - my dear friends - come in. After craig's list disappointed, I spent the weekend driving up and down the streets of Layton and Kaysville keeping a keen eye out for "For Rent" signs... but so far no luck. So anyone know of anyone looking to move out of their really awesome apartment in the next month? Do you have a distant relative who'd love to rent out their basement to a very tidy newlywed couple? We're not incredibly picky this time around... our goal is to be able to save a good percentage of our income every month so that we can save up faster for a down payment on a house. Now, I'm aware that the quality of dwelling decreases rapidly as the rent decreases, but I'm hoping for a miracle! We'd love to stay in the $500 - $700 range (or less, obviously), and I'd like to feel safe there even when I'm home alone. I know it's a tall order, but I feel like it could happen.

For example, Craig's list had a cute little house for rent in "Historic Downtown Ogden" for $390/month. Right on Washington Blvd. I couldn't bring myself to call on it. Affordable, sure. But I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable taking the trash out by myself late at night, so that kills the deal.

Cheap and safe. Is that so much to ask?
Any help would be much appreciated!

Let's give a warm welcome to...

2008-02-20T11:14:00.005-07:00

MY SISTER!
That's right folks~ the one, the only sister of mine!
Sarah Durbano, welcome to the blogging world. 'Bout darn time too.

That's Sarah on the right. Gosh I love her.
Check it out kids. http://sarahdurbano.blogspot.com/

happy early late valentine's day!

2008-02-19T15:37:00.005-07:00

Rhett sent me these lovely flowers at work on the day before Valentine's Day, which caught me completely off guard. I wasn't expecting a thing on the day before! However in all honesty, I was expecting something on Valentine's DAY (is that wrong?). So he figured out a way to surprise me! Clever little minx.

And for additional brownie points on top of an already huge brownie point sundae, the flowers came with a box of chocolate covered strawberries. Well done, lad. Well done. The card said Happy Early Valentine's Day, but it wasn't signed. So I guess I assumed Rhett was the sender. Maybe he's taking credit for a gift my secret admirer sent? Hmmm. Delicious either way.