Kind of Random, but I liked it!

There is no hiding what you are. Day you try, is the day you die. Stand tall, smile bright, and let em wonder what secret's making you laugh.

Chuck E Cheese

Ava has been asking for weeks and weeks for me to take her to Chuck E Cheese. So last Friday I took her and I must admit that it was actually pretty fun. I love this picture of us too! I miss her so much, and can't wait until Saturday morning when I get to pick her up and love on her :) This trip has been high anxiety for me and I just can't wait to know that she is home safe and sound.

CHER! CHER! CHER!

This weekend was so much fun!!!! I went to Vegas to see Cher.  This may seem a little strange to some, but seriously I LOVE CHER!!!!  Everything about her, her music, her sass, her crazy half way naked clothes and even crazier wigs.  I just love it.  She is the definition of Diva, at least in my book.  I was planning to do Vegas in style all by myself, but I was lucky enough to have Sharon join me!  We had so much fun.  My Dad put us up in an awesome suite at the Venetian, nicest hotel room I have ever stayed in!  We ate yummy food, played a little Roulette, ate more food, laid by the pool, watched a really good movie (I think it was called 12 Rounds, you should see it, it was a good flick), shopped, and of course saw Cher!!!!!!  All I can say is that it did not disappoint!  She came down from the very top of the Colosseum decked out in sparkly, shiny, gold, spectacular gaudiness from head to toe!  I loved it!  Her show was none stop and she wore a different out fit for every single song.  My words could never do it justice, really.  This may sound dramatic, but it was really a dream come true for me to see Cher.  Years ago when she did her "last show"  I was so sad that I would never get to see her, so when I heard she was in Vegas I just had to go.  Did I mention that I loved it?!?!?!


As we were walking through the airport to come home last night I kept doing my version of the skip walk Cher did at the concert, and I seriously do it just as good as she does, Sharon was busting up! She said "I have been waiting for Julie to come to Vegas all weekend, and now she shows up right when we were leaving!" It was pretty funny. I guess I was being a little quieter than my usual self. But it was so great to get away from "life" for a few days. And did I mention that I LOVE CHER?!?!?!

Fun! Fun! Fun!

It has been so great to have some time off!  I have enjoyed being home with my girl, and I think she is enjoying it as well.  I bought her a new bike last week and she was thrilled!  She has spent tons of time playing outside with her bike and her friends!  I am also happy to announce that I got a 99% on the final that cause me so much stress!  WOO HOO!!!! So happy that turned out well. Not all of my grades for the semester have been posted but as of right now I have a 3.49 GPA, which I will not complain about :)  Life is Good!

My Mother.....

I should have done this last night, but by the time we got home from a long day I had completely lost my mojo to do anything but lay on the couch. So I am wishing my Mother a late Happy Mothers Day! There is no body in the world quite like a Mother. She is my safe place in the world, the place I think of running to first when I need comfort and reassurance. There is nothing in this world that makes me feel better than I hug from her. She know just they way I like them, and she never pulls away first :) I don't think I ever fully appreciated my Mom until I was about to become one. It was then that I realized that she didn't know everything and that she wasn't perfect, but that her love for me was perfect and that is what made her the best Mom she could possibly be. Perfect, unconditional, eternal love. I have so many wonderful memories of my Mom. I remember her rocking me in the rocking chair in the very front room of the first house we lived in. She was the best Mom to have at bedtime. We had this long list of different kinds of kisses we would do every night and she would always sing me the most beautiful lullaby. I do some of those same kisses with Ava every night and we love it. The day before Ava was born we spent the whole day together, just hanging out and getting the last minute stuff ready. I was so scared that day, but having her there gave me the reassurance that everything would be all right, cause she was there and she would protect me. I knew that if she was there I could handle everything and that when the time came for me to break down she would hold me, and she did. I don't think I could have made it through that first week of being a Mother without her. She left me as prepared as I could have been, she even stocked my cupboards before she left. The most valuable thing my Mother has taught me is to never give up on people. She never ever gave up on me, even when she though I was a hopeless case. She never stopped loving me and when the time came she rescued. She new when the time was right and she was ready and waiting. She was the light that came to me in my darkest hour. She didn't judge me or tell me how stupid I had been, she just helped me get out, no questions asked. I spent a lot of time at her little house in Syracuse when I first moved here and I will cherish that time forever. I could not have asked for anyone better to leave my tiny new baby with than my Mom. When I came home from work everyday Ava was happy and smiling. I will never be able to repay my Mom for everything she has sacrificed and given to me. All I can do is promise to pay it forward with my own daughter (and hopefully future children). She has shown me just how to do it, and when things are getting crazy I try and put myself in her shoes and do things the way she would. I love you Mom!

Grandma Clark

What an amazing woman! Seriously, I don't think that there is anyone quite as amazing as my Grandma Clark. I will forever be inspired by her optimism and simple joy she had for life. I loved going to my Grandma's house to visit every summer. The drive to Utah felt like it took days! I loved when we would finally pull into her driveway and then run inside to hug and kiss her. Hugs were unlimited from her, which is a definite plus for me. I grew up in California, so we grew up far from family. But, there was one amazing year that my Grandparents came to live in Corcoran. I loved riding my bike to there apartment for a visit. She was a wonderful cook and I loved having Sunday dinner every week when they lived close by.I remember one summer day when I was probably 19 or 20 laying on her bed talking to her about some of the decisions I was making. I remember her just telling me do the right thing and I would be happy. It was as simple as that, do that right thing. I could see the look of sadness in her eyes because she new I wasn't planning to do the right thing, because at that phase in my life I would have never admitted to not knowing everything and doing the wrong thing felt so much easier than changing my life. I should have taken her advice that day, it would have saved me more heartache than I will probably ever know. My Grandma died this past November, and in death she taught me an invaluable lesson. I learned to never take the people we love for granted. I have lived in Utah for four years now and I wish with all my heart that I would have visited her more in that time. I think we all tend to get wrapped up in the busyness of life, and most of what we are busy with are not the most important things. She is gone now, and I can't just get in the car and drive up for an afternoon visit. I wish I would have done that more! Luckily for me, we have the blessing of being an eternal family, so one day, if I play my cards right, I will have the chance for more afternoon visits with her.

Grandma Harris....

Sunday is Mother's Day so I thought it would be fun to pay tribute to the wonderful women I have had in my life. I want to start with my sweet Grandma Harris. There never has been or ever will be another person like her in the world. I have many special memories of my sweet Grandma. I remember the long skirts she used to wear, the way should would always get down on the floor and play games with me for as long as I wanted, the tea parties she used to have for me and my cousins, her spunk, and mostly the love she had for me. My Grandma taught me one of the most valuable lesson in the world, and she probably doesn't even know it. My Grandma died almost exactly one month before Ava was born. We knew her time was limited so my Mom flew me out to Utah so I could say goodbye. We didn't think she would make it through the night so when my flight landed we went straight to the hospital. It was so overwhelming to walk into that hospital room and see her laying there looking so small and fragile in that big hospital bed. Well, she didn't die that night, she actually hung on for the rest of the week! But during that week my heart began to change. It was sitting there in that hospital room surrounded by my family that I realized how important all of those people were to me. I realized how important family is to me. It is hard to describe in words the feelings that I felt, but it was sitting there in that room that I really started to know what I had to for the baby girl that would soon be entering my world. I knew that I wanted her to grow up surrounded by the love that I felt in that room. I knew that she needed to grow up with knowing her family and that my best chance at giving her a family would be to move to Utah. I fought that feeling for some time, but eventually I mustered up the courage to do it. So, my Grandma's most valuable lesson to me was the importance of family. The importance of being here for each other, no matter the choices we make. The last time I really saw my Grandma, before she was dying, she took both of my shoulders in her hands, and with tears in her eyes, told me I needed to come home and let my family help me. I will never forget that! It is my belief that she and Ava spent one precious month together and that my Grandma told her to bring me home. I think a little of her spunk must have rubbed off on Ava. I miss my Grandma Harris so much! She was an amazing, beautiful women for which I feel lucky to have known.

This......

is what I wish we could do tomorrow.......