V-day Questions

Valentine's Day is a silly, commercial holiday, that I have not really enjoyed as an adult. I hate the pressure to express my affection for my lover just because it is February 14th. It is not really my thing. However, growing up it kicked some major ass. I loved making my Valentine's Day box for school, addressing cards for my classmates, and friends in the neighborhood, making heart-shaped sugar cookies and decorating them with my family, the class party, and then delivering the cards around the neighborhood that night.

However, the times they are a changing.....

First of all, none of the kids in my class even knew what a Valentine's Day box was this year. This is likely a result of culture, and their economic status, but it was kind of sad. I loved being so creative and designing a new box every year in elementary school. However, this being said, these are the same kids with parents who come up with a billion reasons to not participate in the required science fair, so making a non-required box at home will never happen, but it is sad. What was your most creative Valentine's Day box?

Second of all, did you ever deliver your neighborhood valentines by ringing your friend's doorbell, leaving the valentine and hiding? This was the norm in my 'hood. I don't think kids do this anymore. Was it just a Utah thing? Just a neighborhood thing? Or is it another dying tradition?

On a separate note, my mom claims she never gave any thought to the message on the valentine while addressing it to a male or female. However, my siblings and I remember being very specific in choosing the message that would be appropriate for a boy versus a girl. It could totally ruin your rep. if you gave a member of the opposite sex a valentine that implied you did anything more than just tolerate them. Was this an issue for you?

However, in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I will tell you all that I love you and appreciate having you in my life (unless you are just some creep that spies on my blog, but doesn't really know me....but if that is the case, spread the word....I want some sponsorship up in here!)

Test Results

Yesterday we got the results back from Piper's blood work, and it was not good. Her white blood cell was abnormal, and the vet suspected cancer, possibly some sort of brain cancer/disorder that was causing the seizures. I cried on and off all night.

We scheduled a spinal tap for today (which was not cheap) and I waited anxiously at work all day for the results. Dalan picked her up around 1:30 this afternoon. The good news it is not the brain cancer/disorder. The bad news is there were still some abnormalities that needed further testing. So, we will know more on Thursday, although, all signs are still pointing toward cancer. However, it seems now that the seizures are separate from whatever is causing the abnormalities. The poor things has huge patches of fur shaved off of her various places, although she seems to be doing well, except a little sleepy.

I am just so sad, and although I know she is dog. She is my dog. She is the first thing that was mine to love unconditionally and to take care. She has slept with me almost every night for the last four years, and when we have slept apart I always feel like something is missing. She is always sad to see me go, and is always overwhelmingly excited to see me return. She has lived with me in four different places in that many years. She has been with me through going back to school and going through a major career change. She has been with me when I started dating Dalan, when we moved in together, when my dad had his stroke, when I got engaged, and when I got married. She is my favorite topic to write about her on my blog. . She is my heart, my comfort, my friend....she is my dog and I love her.

I love me some infomercials

For as long as I can remember, I can get sucked into an infomercial and become convinced that I need that item. Luckily, I am cheap, and most of time, refuse to pay the ridiculous shipping and handling prices. Or as the call them now shipping and processing, so they can charge you separately for the "free" bonus items they are going to send you.

I wanted the Snuggie forever. Because who hasn't wanted to be covered by a blanket, yet still have the option to read or talk on the phone while your arms are still covered. For Christmas, Dalan got me the Bed, Bath, and Beyond version of the Snuggie, which is quite nice. You can wear it as a robe/Snuggie type item, but also unzip and unsnap it to use it as a regular blanket. It also claims it can be used as a throw. But hell if I know the difference between a throw and blanket if it remains the same size and weight.

There are two items I want really bad right now. The Bump It is my number one. In case you are not familiar, it is a hair comb type of item that comes in a variety of sizes that you use to make your hair have a little extra height or a bump, if you will. It makes casual and formal looks fabulous! I am little afraid it might make me look like a polygamist or your typical West Valley mommy, but I am willing to take that risk, if it was only a little cheaper. The other item is called The Strap Perfect, or something like that. It comes in a variety of colors, and can work with any bra for extra support, extra cleavage, and extra discretion. I don't wear too many of items in which my bra straps hang out, but it does happen occasionally and it would be nice to have the option of hiding it. The one thing I don't get is if it is so freaking discreet, than why does it come in different colors? Wouldn't clear or nude work with everything?

Well, I know my BIRTHDAY is not until June, but hopefully by then these items will be in the As Seen on TV section of Target by then and you will have the perfect gifts for me at your disposal!

Poor Piper/Piper's a pig/Piper likes to kill things

Poor Piper:
Piper has had two seizures this week, despite being on daily medicine that is suppose to stop them. It makes me so sad! She had one on Monday that lasted about 5 minutes, and then one yesterday that lasted about the same amount of time. Yesterday she had even had her medicine an hour before. They are the most horrible things to watch. You just have to hold her and console her while her whole body convulses. Dalan took her to the vet today, and they did all this blood work. $190.oo's worth of blood work! We will know more on Monday when we get the results back, but in the meantime they have changed her meds a little bit, so we will go from there.

Piper's a Pig:
Piper was weighed while at the vet. She now weighs 23 pounds! Holy moly! She has gained three pounds since last May, and at least three more since the year before that! I am blaming her meds, but that is a lot of weight gain for a dog who weighed around 14 or 15 pounds when I adopted her in 2005.

Piper likes to kill things:
While at the vet, Piper was very nice to other animals! Amazing! However, while she was there they tried to cut her nails, but she fought them so much and got so nervous they stopped. And these are professionals, so now you know why we don't even try! She is one fiesty little beast! I also have finally downloaded (or is it uploaded?) some photos off of my camera. Here are some pictures of Piper destroying one of her cute Christmas toys in one sitting. She is vicious to all things that are furry and squeak!

Triggers to a relapse

I have been off the Diet Coke for three months now, with a few exceptions. It has been easier than I thought it would be, except for on Wednesdays. Today was no exception. It was a long day, and I started craving a diet coke by lunch time, and by the time I went to class I wanted one so bad. I drove to 7-Eleven, and had to use all my will power to buy a Sprite instead of the precious. On my way home, I stopped at Wendy's and the man thought I ordered a Diet Coke instead of a Sprite. All I could think, is dude, someone wants me to drink a Diet Coke. I can now understand how a drug addict or an alcoholic justifies using again if there are continual "signs" and "reasons" to do so. However, I stayed strong, and corrected the gentleman.

My mom bought me this kick ass shirt after I refrained for a month, and I feel like I need to stay true to its message, "I'm off Diet Coke." Here are some pictures of my shirt, since I finally found my USB cord.

Celebrating Red

Yesterday was my dad's 55th birthday! Hooray for birthdays! We went over to my parents' house to watch the Superbowl and eat lots of junk. I ate so much junk I literally got a belly ache. I need to read the Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food before I go over there next year. We brought over our new deep fryer, and fried up some mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, and some twinkies. We had all that, in addition to your normal snack type foods, plus birthday cake. I meant to get on the Wii Fit today, but I feel asleep instead. Opps!

It was a lot of fun, except that Dalan had to go to work at half time. Boo! However, I did play an awesome game on Cole's iphone, in which you had to shake the phone until the bottle of pop exploded. It had quite the sexual indeundo to it. Cole said it was impposible to do it in less than 11 seconds, but Ali and I totally scored times lower than that, McKay and Cole could not. The girls dominated once again!

Anyway, Happy Birthday Red!

Making babies

Becca talked about this website, makemebabies.com, in which she tried to create a picture to see what little Schumpert was going to look like when he emerges from her fertile womb garden in eight weeks. She was not happy with her results, but I thought, what the hell I am going to give it a try. I had to generate the picture several times until I got two that were satisifcatory, but here is what little Dalan and little Jessi are going to look like: