Election 2008

PLEASE BE OVER. I AM SO SICK OF YOU.


Its 12:30 in the morning, I just finished researching all the amendments, and I am left with the overwhelming feeling of emptiness. I should feel like I am doing my civic duty, right? I honestly and truly feel frustrated now being educated on the issues. I prefer living in my happy state of ignorance and indifference. AND Damon had to talk me down from a panic attack after I read amendment 48. I read an article that was for the amendment, and it made me feel like I was going to burn in hell for being on the pill. That got me freaking out and researching the church website for any guidance. I found a little snipit that said "Decisions about birth control and the consequences of those decisions rest solely with each married couple." Consequences? What does that mean? Any wise thoughts to take me down off the edge here? Please?

All in all. I hate politics. I come from a very political family, and I still hate it. Its stressful, annoying, and I have really come to despise Obama's weird lips and ears, McCain's unnatural neck skin. It's all I can look at now. Lips move but all I hear is blah blah blah.....

I am going to early voting tomorrow, so I can wash my hands of this madness.

Alice...?

So I was on the 'seriously, so blessed blog', the one where she took all the online quizzes. It is Sunday, I am ignoring my kids and dinner and so I took the twilight quiz. I was Alice. I never would have guessed that.

You are intelligent, outgoing & stylish. A true girly girl, you love shopping & makeovers. Although you are a generous friend, you can be coy, tricky & very persuasive in order to get your way. You are known to zone out occasionally during conversations, but your friends forgive you because you are understanding, supportive & know how to throw one heck of a party!

OK, so maybe it fits better than I thought...I do love a good makeover, I think I'll start with that hair. Eww. Who do you think you would be? With that in mind, take the quiz, the results might suprise you...

I have to brag

Damon got new info for rankings at work. He is number one on his team by 24%, number 5 in the region (half the country) and 10th in the nation over all. In the past 3 months, he has leapfroged 91 people. He is killing his forecast numbers (how many prescriptions his doctors write) and continues to climb. If he stays in the top 10, we get to go on a week long all expence paid trip to the Bahamas! Now he is really pushing himself. He could hardly process it last night. I, on the other hand, was not suprised. I know how hard he works.

On a totally unrelated note, anyone want/need a year supply of post-its? They have the preforomist logo on them, but we have over 30 boxes of them in the basement. Let me know!

(isn't my Damon amazing?)

Sticky and Sweet?

So I know I just posted, but I was cruising Facebook, and I saw this add for Madonna's latest tour. It kinda grossed me out. She is 50. So is my amazing Mom. Which one would you rather be friends with?

I think there is something to be said for aging gracefully, (or just acting your age.) and in my Mom's case, being a total babe at 50. Then we have the 'I think I'm still in my 20's 50 year old'. Does anyone else think this is a little wierd. I love Madonna's music, but come on. You are 50, time to grow up a little.

If at 50 I am refering to myself as 'Sticky and Sweet' on my facebook profile, I am counting on all of you, as my friends, to shoot me. That is just wrong. I hope I am as amazing as my Mom. Stylish, Smart as all get out, and one of the best people out there.

Its Snowing

NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost made it to Halloween this year. damn.

Mello

Meet Mello!!

We have a new addition to the Pullman family!! His name is Mello. We found him at the Pikes Peak Humane Society. (What a great animal shelter!) He is a mini Schnauzer, (which means, less than 20 pounds, and he doesn't shed!! Bonus!!) He is what 'they' call a hypo-allergenic dog. Cool! Zoey named him Marshmallow, and he is the most relaxed, affectionate dog you will ever meet. Thus the name Mello. He is 6, and was a stud dog at a puppy mill that was shut down by the humane society. So sad. He is with us now, and for the first time since we brought him home Saturday he wagged his tail and barked. We take it as a good sign. Don't you love his doggie sweater!?? I had to get him one because they had to shave all his hair off because it was so matted and gross, and its cold outside. Mello is a stylin' dog...

BTW Check out my photoblog, I updated it with a lot of our new family pics, and a new layout for display. I'd love some feedback...

I've been tagged, tagged, and tagged again.

The Bucket List

1. I want to run a sub 5:30 mile again.
2. Go on a tour of Europe and go to every art museum I can think of with my mom
3. Go on another tour of Europe and shop everywhere I can think of with Stacey
4. Go on a trip around the world with Damon, just us.
5. See my kids go though the temple, get married, go to college, go on missions, and see them raise families of their own.
6. Serve a mission with Damon
7. Graduate with my PT.
8. Do the iron horse classic and beat the train.


7 things I can do

I can make an amazing flourless chocolate cake
I can play violin and hold my own with the best of 'em
I can take a mean photograph
I can print really well in a dark room, I am a dying breed.
I can paint
I can tame a 4 year old, and an 18 month old
I can ride 60+ miles on my bike, with out stopping. (Shootin' for 100)


7 things I can't do

I can't dance (just ask Liz, I went to her dance class Thursday, and I am going to keep going, but I look like and uncoordinated chimp)
I can't eat tomatoes
I can't hack a dirty bathroom. GROSS
I can't do red hair (wish I could)
I can't go through a metal detector without setting it off
I can't think of another thing...


7 things that attracted me to Damon

His abs (don't laugh, it was important to my 18 year old self, still is...)
His smile
His ambition
His sense of humor.
His total lack of fashion sense (Seriously, he though it was OK to wear outdoor gear every day. He actually got mad at me when I asked him why he wore day hikers to work. He responded, "these are approach shoes!!" Still not sure what approach shoes are...Now he is my 'Ken' doll, and I get to dress him every day.)
His Body. He is perfect in EVERY way, if ya know what I mean...
He wanted me just as much as I wanted him.

7 things I say most often

I love you
I need retail therapy
I want chocolate
NO!
Zoey, where are your clothes?
Zoey, why are you naked?
Squeakeddy squeak, squeak, Squeaker!! (My nickname for Liam)


7 celebrity admirations

Ummm, I don't admire celebs, per-say, but I will tell you the 7 hottest celebs, in my opinion, of course. Thats kinda like admiration's, right?

1. Christian Bale (Kim, you know its true!!)
2 Robert Downey Jr. (ever since I watched iron man, I am a bit obsessed with him...)
3 Brad Pitt
4 Heath Ledger ( I know hes dead, but he was BEAUTIFUL)
5 Mark Wahlberg
6 The guy who plays Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly
7 Avery Johnson (I know he isn't really a celeb, but he is the hottest former bball coach EVER)


7 fave foods

Chocolate
shrimp quesodillas
tomatillo salsa
Philly cheese steak
steak fajitas
Meatball sub
steak. ( I'm anemic, I crave red meat ALL THE TIME)

And the last one....


4 random things I love about my husband:
1) The way that he makes me laugh
2) He is really ticklish
3) He can rock climb
4) He loves milk duds

4 jobs I've had:
1) Lifeguard
2) Swim coach
3) Worked doing this and that at my Dad's office during college
4) Freelance photographer

4 movies I have watched more than once:
1) Pride and Prejudice
2) Legally Blonde
3) The Illusionist
4) Casino Royale (I think you all know which scene it my FAVE!! heres a hint, think tiny swim trunks)

4 TV shows I watch:
1) The Office
2) Grey's Anatomy (so much better this season!)
3) Gossip Girl ( Don't judge, its my guilty pleasure)
4) Americas next top model (For the photography...)

4 places I have been and loved:
1) Ixtapa, Mexico honeymoon flashbacks!!
2) New York, NY (MANHATTAN!!)
3) Telluride, Colorado
4) Rocky Point, Mexico (lots of memories there with my family growing up)

4 of my favorite foods:
already answered this in the 7 one

4 places I would like to visit:
1) EUROPE!
2) Russia (less than a year!!)
3) Miami (mainly because of the will smith song...)
4) Washington D.C.

4 things I am looking forward to in the coming year:
1) Moving to a fairly permanent locale... TBA
2) Going to Russia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia to pick up Max!
3) Friends coming to visit me! (stacey)
4) hitting my goal of 80 miles a week with biking...

If you made it to the end of this, you are a true friend. If not, you will fail the 'Rachael' quiz and you will owe me a route 44 Diet Dr. Pepper. Te hee!! Pick one or none or all to do yourself. I liked the bucket list the most...

Family Pics.

I will post more of these on my photoblog, but I couldn't resist posting a few of these. They turned out just how I wanted them. Unposed, and natural. We have 2 small kids, this is the only way to get a perfect family photo. The fabulous backdrop in Aspen doesn't hurt them either...

The Perfect Family Photo. Kids happy, playing, and being kids.My Hubby and Me. I love him, he is H.O.T.
Awwww.Again. H.O.T.
This photo is enough to get any Grandma anywhere to give this boy whatever he wants.
So sweet. There are so many of her that are amazing, but I love this.
Damon finally got his wish, and got to photograph me. I'm not half bad, for having two kids...

Pumpkin Patch

Well, not really. More like the Albertson's parking lot, but still. We went to get our pumpkins. Liam kept trying to lift the huge pumpkins by himself, and made little exertion noises when he tried to lift them. HUURRRGGGHHHHH!!! We got one that is short and squaty, with the back side looking just like a bum crack. Perfect.

Zoey was, as usual, picky. Very picky. Everything was too big. We went from the regular carving pumpkins, to the smaller pie pumpkins, which were also discriminated against for their size, and finally, in the 2 for a dollar bin we found these babies. Zoey said said when I showed them to her, "Oh! How cute! Yittle!"

Saturday, when Damon went to priesthood, we stayed home because Lil' Zoe had a low grade fever. We copied Jenn's idea and made pumpkin patches. I made a cake and then the kids helped from there.

The focus, the technique. I am raising future gourmet chefs.

Precision. Artistic vision. Zoey had to make a fence to separate Liam's patch from hers.

What the!! How did this stuff get all over my hands!?

The finished product. Ace of Cakes ain't got nothin' on us. Liam firmly believes that pumpkins grow underground. Zoey had a meltdown when Liam reached over the 'fence' and sent one of her pumpkins into the funfetti underground. Zoey was screaming, "My pumpkin is DEAD!!!" May it rest in peace. Both kids were so sugared out that they didn't even eat the cake after we were done. Its been a great weekend.

The Hill From Hell

I went riding today. The first time since we've moved. 11 days. I was a little nervous about the new area and more traffic so I bought one of those mirror things that helps you see whats coming behind you, and drove around last night trying to figure out a route. I set off this morning looking fierce in my new tights and long sleeved jersey, hoping that would compensate for the nerd-factor of my "take a look" mirror thing. Off I go. All fine and dandy until I get to Tutt and South Carefree and begin the hill from hell. Literally wanted to die. Took it all the way up to Dublin. Thank goodness for the ever so brief downhill between Barns and Stetson Hills, but other than that. Up up up up. I got home and Damon says, "Wow, you got beat up." Thanks, I know. Slow goin' but I finished. (When I say slow goin', I usually average about 15-16 miles per hour, this one, 13.2. Ouch) I did it, and I am going to do it again on Saturday, or the AFA. I am sad that my legs won't move enough to go to Liz's dance class, but it is what it is... Now I have to hobble down the stairs and take care of my children.
















(This is my bike. Isn't she a beauty?)