New Years Resolution

Quit Eating Crap.


(I feel so gross. 2 weeks on vaycay has not helped my skinny jeans situation...)


Happy New Year!!!

Waiting for the Train

Max sent this. He is the one on the right. His companion is taller than him. 6'6'' and played offensive tackle for the AFA. Max is 6'4''. Wouldn't that be intimidating to open your door to...

personally, I love the heel click...

Stupid Dog

Mello is going back to the humane society. He bit Zoey in the face for the second time yesterday. Right in front of Damon and I. Zoey was giving him a hug and he didn't want it. There was no warning growl, or nip or anything. The first time broke skin, this last time was a small scratch. Still. Stupid dog. Stupid dog that I am so attached to. I feel terrible for sending him back, but at the same time want to throw him into a wall for biting my daughter. Stupid dog. He was perfect. Under 20 pounds, doesn't shed, and likes to snuggle. Stupid Dog. Now what am I going to do with all those dog sweaters...

My Carmel Nightmare

So this week my goal is to get the Christmas cards out, and treats to the neighbors and friends delivered. Enter carmels. I found a recipe that looked delicious. Sea Salt Carmels. Yum. I have never made carmels by myself, but i have helped my Mom when I was young.

(This is the key point. The recipie was in the costco cookbook they gave out the weekend after Thanksgiving. I didn't think that the recipe would make costco size portions. Four cups of cream and four cups of sugar should have been a tip off ... and its said, "make in stock pot") So I start mixing everything my favorite pot, The LeCruset dutch oven, thinking "This will be plenty big." OOHHHHH NNNNOOOTTTT SSSOOOOO!!! Once the carmel starting boiling it was clearly not big enough. Not even close.

Here is the visual. Carmel is boiling over. I am shrieking "I NEED ANOTHER PAN!!! WHERE IS ANOTHER PAN!!!" I find another pan, all the while I am trying to clean up the spills, not let the paper towels ketch fire, and stir the carmel, and not trip over the dog, and then I finally dump half of the carmel in pot number two. Then I really look stupid. I am whisking 2 pots of carmel at the same time, for 10 MINUTES. My forearms were killing me. This is the exchange between me and Zoey that made me realize how stupid I must have looked.

Zoey: "Mom, what are you doing?"

Me: "Stirring Candy."

Zoey: "No, you're dancing!" (she said this with jazz hands)

In the end, I missed the "hard ball stage" and ended up with an entire cookie sheet of carmel that was supposed to be chewy. Its more like Werthers hard candy, but way better. Now I am stuck with dilemma, What do I do? The carmel is good. I mean, really good. Do I give it away anyways, and say its hard candy? Or do I attempt it again, and hope for the best? Hmmm. dilemma...

Let is Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Damon just informed me it has been snowing for over 20 hours. It is the prettiest 10 inches of
snow I have ever seen...

Its time for the tree. My kids are mighty good at decorating, don't ya think?

Love how the ornaments are only 1/2 way up the tree? I love that they are so little...

Last but not least, I need some advice on our chirstmas cards. Which one do you like?

When I woke up....

I saw this...so we did thisand then drank some of that...

and then did this!

I love the holidays! MERRY CHRISTMAS

We Laughed, We Cried, We Wii-ed...

The Eddington Fam in Moab. Two Words. Wii Tournament. Yeah baby....

(there is a super funy video at the end of this post.)

This is the whole gang, minus Max, who is serving a mission in the Baltic States. (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.) Cody got the bright idea from Damon to shave his head. Cody has such thick hair it BROKE Damon's groomer thingy, and then they had to use something else and it shaved it really short. Then he looked a little like Uncle Fester... Did I mention that Breaelle had NO IDEA he was going to do that! It was funny to hear her scream "YOU SHAVED YOUR HEAD!!???" and seeing her chase him out of their room.

We went to Arches and hiked to delicate arch. I felt the urge to do yoga, and fought the slightly more destructive urge to randomly get super-human powers and push it over... I have to say, that frame is DOPE. I love lens flare.

This frame is also funny because one of those five, ahem, tooted, right before I took this. I think my moms face is the best, possibly Cinny. I can't decide...

Zoey doing Yoga with Grandpa

Liam and Dad. Liam loves that carrier

My little sis Corinn. She's a beauty. And she will be sooo embarrassed that I said that.

We also went to a mountain lake. Mainly to shake the aspen trees, and just to drive around. I got some way cute pics.

Liam. Too cute for words.

I was especially in love with this frame. Doesn't it just make you jealous that you aren't a little kid anymore?

(My mom always brings a costco size pack of oreos. They were GONE. In two days. this is the amount of oreos that me, Corinn, and Joey ate in less than 30 minutes.)

Now for the wii tournament. 2 nights. First night, Girls against boys. There was a huge upset. THE GIRLS WON!! BOO-YAA! Second Night, it was a free for all. Everyone played their best events, and winners picked out their prizes (candy bars.) Everyone looked ridiculous, especially Joey and Cinny doing the dream race. After the tournament it was watching two of our favorite childhood movies. Blackbeard's Ghost, and Rocket Man. Seriously, if you have never seen Rocket Man, see it. You will pee your pants laughing. If you can, watch it with someone under 12. Its even funnier. Favorite quotes "Lets do this again using what we like to call 'The Right Way'..." "WASN'T ME!!" Ahhh, good times... Before I finish this post, I thought I would leave you with this video. Its my bro Cody, pre- Fester haircut, doing the pole vault on the wii.

Yes. His voice just went that high. Impressive...

MSNBC Homepage

Look who my uncle found on MSN. At the election partay in AZ.
This is the moment when they all realized there was no way McCain could win. Sad. BUT Jeff won!

Now for the contrast: This was earlier in the evening.

Missionary Letter

This is Max and Sergi, a man he and his comp are trying to reactivate. It made me cry! (Pathetic, I know, but Max just looks so much older here... I haven't seen him in over a YEAR.)

This is the amazing story from this weeks letter from Max.

This last week has honestly been one of the hardest of my mission. We had few lessons, a hard time finding, the missionary leadership is making me do a thousand little pointless tasks, and I was just feeling like a messenger pigeon. We also had our last meeting with Dima for a while. He's decided not to be baptized any time soon and is taking a break from meeting with us. Needless to say, we spent a lot of time feeling discouraged this week. Yesterday I was working with another missionary on designing the English class program when one of the assistants, Elder Melton, walked in and said basically this. “Elder Ence and I were just out contacting and we met a guy named Vitali that came back with us to the church for a lesson. He speaks really good English but he's Russian so we'll probably just end up passing him to you anyway (they're Latvian speaking.) They're in the other room so you go meet with him and I'll stay here and work on English.” First of all I was so happy to have a new meeting that I was immediately grateful, but hahah just wait. Elder Melton said that on the way back to the church, Vitali explained the following situation. He worked in Alaska for two seasons at a hotel where he met a few guys from the church. One of them really befriended him and told him a little about the Mormons. He even got a Russian copy for him from church headquarters before he left back home. He talked about how impressed he was with this guy... that he didn't smoke or drink, and he could hardly believe that every active member of our church does the same. He followed that with the statement “I've never done any of that stuff anyway, but it's just cool.” He called the majority of Europe ignorant for thinking that Mormons are a sect, and repeatedly told us how much he likes our values. WOW. Anyway, I joined Elder Ence for the meeting and we taught a short but very good first lesson about Joseph Smith and prayer. We also talked about baptism and challenged him to be baptized the 29th of November. He accepted and said he'd pray about it to make sure that he's making the right decision.

At the end of the meeting, right before we prayed I told him “I actually have some family that lived up in Alaska for a few years” (thinking of Mike and Sozel's family.) He then told me the name of his friend from Alaska. Jed Mumm. I remembered that Sozel's maiden name is Mumm and was really excited to tell him that I know some Mumms. Not the most common name. Then I started racking my brain trying to remember if I've ever heard of a Jed. Then, I hope I'm right, I remembered Brayden and Caitlyn talking about their uncle I think that likes to snowboard and lives in Utah. I asked where his friend, Jed, was from and he said ...... UTAH. I got chills over my whole body. “I know who that is!!” I said “I know exactly who that is!!!” He was sooooo excited to hear that connection. I can honestly say that something like that has never happened in my entire mission. Sometimes we, as members, think that our missionary work ends in dead ends but it doesn't! Jed went out of his way to tell this foreign guy about the church and even tracked down a Book of Mormon for him. Now here, on the other side of the world, he ran into two missionaries on the street that pulled him into the church at the only time I was there the whole day. I really hope that this Jed is the guy I'm thinking of... if it is, please tell Sozel about it and have her forward this letter to him. He's done a great thing.


My Mom called my Aunt Sozel, and her brother Jed is the same guy. WHAT A COOL STORY. You never know what your actions will bring about. I love it. How often do you hear a story like that. The best part, is that it is happening right now.

I hope we get to meet Vitali when we are there in August. On a lighter and slightly funnier note, this is my youngest brother Joey as Waldo for halloween.

Where's Waldo!?

I Voted

I went and voted today. I think it is kinda silly that I wear my 'I Voted' sticker all day. I won't even let Zoey wear it. It's Mommy's special sticker. I wear it like a badge of honor. I am proud of it. I did my due diligence, researched all the amendments, researched the candidates, and made my choice. I Voted.

I am so glad that after today, it is over. Post election party? Anyone?

The Republican Ticket

Can you guess who my Aunt Suzy and Uncle Kevin went as?

I am sad I am missing the big election night party down in AZ tomorrow night. They are having it at the Biltmore resort. It is always a zoo, but so much fun trying to get on TV with my cousins. We were the obnoxious kids in the background of the news anchors interviewing people. My whole fam will be there to cheer on my Uncle Jeff as he goes for his 5 term in Congress. GO JEFF! MaCain and Palin will be there too. The real ones, and my aunt and uncle. Maybe they should dress up for the party....

(whats even funnier is that Suzy didn't even have to buy anything for the costume... Isn't she stylish?)

Halloween 2008

Its was warm. It was AWESOME. I never imagined that it could be in the 70's on Halloween. Thank you Colorado!

Halloween was 3 nights for us.

Wednesday: Liberty safe night, never going to that again. Got a little claustrophobic
















Thursday: Oakwood Ward Trunk-or-Treat. Its was awesome. We had a great carnival before with a cake walk, balloon animals, fishing booth, ect. They kids were in heaven. As soon as Liam got his little purple dog he started taking it apart. Boys will be Boys.

















Friday: Pre-School Halloween Party, 10th ward Trunk-or-Treat, and some good ol' fashioned Trick or Treating. Both loads of fun. We went to the Trunk or Treat with Andy and Ashley. What an adorable group of kids they are. I am so glad Zoey and Andy are such good friends. She would play with him every day if it were possible!









My kids were the cutest Bat and Kitty around. Liam can say 'tick o teat' and 'Tank Ouu!' with the best of them. Mello was a totally awesome pumpkin. I didn't get a pic though. Oh well. He will be a pumpkin again next year. Zoey loved real trick or treating the most. When we were done she loved handing out candy to all the 'customers' as she called them. We ended up with a target bag full of candy and some buzzing kids. I love Halloween!

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.