Saturday, January 31, 2009

Mom Jeans

Today, Greg and I spent out day remodeling Katie's bedroom. Several years ago we had a flood and are now fixing up the room for Katie. I'll post pictures later.

Well, we got up this morning and I decided that I didn't want to wear my good jeans to do home improvements. So I pulled out my pair of retired jeans that I only wear when I when I do home improvements. I put them and one of Greg's famous Monster Truck T-Shirts, old shoes and was ready to go. I happen to glance in the mirror and was HORRIFIED!!! I was wearing "Mom Jeans"!!!

You know what Mom Jeans are. They're high-waisted (so high waisted that the waist band almost touches your bra strap), they have tapered legs, are a disgusting color, are baggy and loose (you buy jeans like this because you THINK they make you look thinner, but they only make it look like your wearing a denim tent), the back pockets are so high on the back, your butt looks just pain scary.

I was wearing "Mom Jeans", I also call them: My I Don't Care Anymore Jeans. I am not a fashion expert, but I am trying a lot harder than I used to. I wouldn't buy Mom jeans now if my life depended on it. I did go through a period of my adult life that I just didn't care what I wore. I blamed this stage on having small children (that was part of it) but I could have tried harder.

So, today I had my "Mom Jeans" on (I have to add that they are much looser than they used to be YIPPEE!!) but I was just going to do home improvements, I don't want to ruin my "good jeans", so off to work I went. I spent the day sawing, hammering, and do all kinds of fun things. Then Greg announces: "We have to go to Lowe's, grab your coat." So I did, and out the door I went. It might be useful to add that I hadn't really brushed my hair, I didn't have any make-up on, (I had brushed my teeth, it's just gross not to), and don't forget the jeans and monster truck t-shirt.

Greg and I got to Lowe's and as usual, I went wandering off to look at all the cool stuff when Greg got to figure out how to run a phone line down to Katies new room. I was back looking at sliding-glass doors and around the corner came a couple. The woman looked so beautiful! Her hair was done, her make-up on, she didn't have on mom jeans. Not one hair out of place! I was thinking how cute she looked, then she gave me the weirdest look. You know that look. The "you've spilled spaghetti sauce on your shirt and you don't even know it look". I glanced down, and remembered (much to my embarrassment) that I was wearing my Mom Jeans! I didn't know this woman, I'm just grateful that I didn't run into an old boyfriend or someone I knew in high-school (I usually do when I look that crappy). I decided that I don't really care enough about how I look. But I'm going to leave in a few minutes to take Kolbie to the movies, I have showered and washed my hair, I'm NOT wearing my Mom Jeans or a monster truck t-shirt, but I'm only wearing mascara. Maybe I'm just getting old!!!

P.S. My nice jeans are not from The Brittany Spears or Paris Hilton school of thought. A woman reaches a certain age when she shouldn't be wearing super low waisted jeans. I freely admit that I have reached that age. But, I don't look like I'm wearing a denim tent either!!

Gotta run, we're going to be late for Twilight!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

So many of us forget...

My friend Heather posted this video from YouTube on her Facebook account, and I had to share it. It makes me happy and makes me cry EVERY time I watch it. I'm too dumb to get the video to post on my blog from YouTube, but trust me, it's worth your time. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZtU676jA_k


Anyone, and I mean ANYONE that knows me, knows that I love sports. There is nothing I love more in this world than watching my kids (or anybody else) play ball. I love a good ball game. Usually baseball and football.

But, the thing that I HATE about sports is that we easily forget what they can really mean. We always hear about someone signing a huge contract, or being recruited by the best college teams. The focus always on "getting" something. We forget so quickly what sports really can mean to someone.

99.9% of kids that play ball (in any sport) will never play professional ball. That's just a fact. A few are lucky enough to play in college. And some will even play on their local high school teams. But how many can say that they play because they truly love the game they play?

This kid, by most peoples definition, would never be successful at his sport. Even his parents and coach will admit that. But seeing pictures of him at those basketball games he really, really loves basketball. He was given the opportunity to play in that game because HE EARNED IT! He was dedicated and devoted. He earned his chance.

I remember when Katie played in her first season of baseball. She played with the boys. Our friend Dan was her coach. Heather was her biggest cheerleader. Katie learned a lot that season. But the biggest thing she learned is that she loved to play. Katie became a "special" project for that team. The goal of those coaches, (and her special cheerleader) was to get that kid a true hit, and get her on base. The team also because supportive. So many boys just wouldn't care, but this team did. When she would go up to bat you would see every member of her team crossing their fingers, their arms, their legs, their eyes, and anything else they could for luck. One of her coaches ever promised her that if she got a hit, he would wear a pink belt to their next game.

The rest of this story, I'm sad to say I didn't personally witness. I was running somebody to practice. But Katie got up to bat, against the best team in the division. And she got her hit. She got a HOMERUN!!! Her entire team ran out to home plate cheering. And coach Dan ran over and picked her up and swung her around. I think her special cheerleader might have cried. And her coach wore a pink belt, just like Katie did for every game she had.

A year later, Katie was playing in an older division. She was the only girl on the team (again). She didn't have coaches that were as dedicated, but she did have an umpire that would promise that he would buy her a corndog if she hit the ball. He would tell her: "You show these boys real girl-power! You show them what a girl can do!" Almost every time Umpire Colby said this to her, she would hit the ball. And everytime she did, he would buy her a corndog (even is she hit a foul ball).

Since then, Katie has fallen in love with softball. She sets goals, and does her best. She truly loves playing her sport. I love that about Katie.

Am I perfect at remembering what sports are really about. Absolutley not! I keep score, and follow stats, I have even been known to yell at umpires and a few coaches. How many of us really remember that sports are about having fun and spending time doing something you love? How many times do you see dedication like this kid has? How many times do you see an entire gym cheering and going crazy because something truly special has happened?

The kid in this video is special. But he's not special because of his disability. I think he's special because of his ability. His amazing ability (that so many of us forget) to find something that we are truly passionate about. Finding something we love.

My goal this season is to try and remember what sports can really be. Helping kids learn and grow and love the sport they play.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Change!

I just noticed that it's been 2 weeks since I put anything on here. That's a really long time. Honestly, I just haven't had a lot to say. I know how shocking that sounds, I ALWAYS have something to say, but not too much lately.

The only really amazing thing that I have done lately is watch the Inauguration of Barak Obama. I thought that this event was truly amazing! I feel grateful that I am lucky enough to watch this amazing part of our history.




Truth: I did vote for Barak Obama.

Truth: I don't feel like he's "The Savior" of our country.

Truth: I didn't choose to vote for Obama because he wasn't Bush or McCain. My choice came from who he is, not who he isn't. Although, I really don't like Bush or McCain.

I feel like it's time for a huge change for our country. The attitude and mood of our country reminds me of when I was a kid. WAY BACK in the 80's. Personally, I'm sick of hearing about how crappy the economy is. I think if the STUPID media would stop talking about how crappy things are, they wouldn't seem so crappy. Maybe I'm wrong. It's time for attitudes to shift. It's time to see what we can do to make things better not just point the finger of blame.

Truth: I wouldn't want to be Barak Obama for all the money in the world!

Mr. Obama has just started the most stressful and difficult job in the world (other than being a parent, he was already one of those), being the leader of the free world. My friend Trish, who is from Ireland, and I were talking about the election, and she said that on election day, at a funeral in rural Ireland, they were praying about our election. This shocked me. I don't claim to be a world traveler, (I haven't even left Utah in several years, sad but true) but I think as Americans we don't realize how far reaching our country and influence really is. I mentioned this to Trish, and her exact words were: "You Americans have no idea how important you are, and how you effect EVERYTHING."

While I don't think that our new President should be looked at as "The Savior" of our country, I know that he will be blamed if things don't change. That's a ton of pressure! I have a very simple (and occasionally stupid) mind. The only thing that I can relate this to is my job, and yes, I know that being President of the United States is a lot different and much more important than running a retail outlet. But, Trish is the GM of our store. She can't do everything to make that store be what it's supposed to be, but if things aren't working, the buck stops with her. That's how I look at our new President. He CANNOT make all the changes that need to be made. It's impossible. But he can LEAD us to change. But there's that old saying: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. I wonder if this will be true with our country. Are we all going to be willing to let someone lead us? Are we going to be willing to help and follow and lead when we need to? My Dad always told me that part of being a good leader is knowing when to follow. Are we, as a country, humble enough to do that? I know that the buck will stop with the President, and I think he knows that. Is there a more stressful job (other than being a parent)? Talk about having the weight of the world on your shoulders! I know I couldn't handle it.

I guess my question to all of us is:

"Are we all going to complain for the next 4 years, or are we going to get our hands dirty and do something about all this?"

I want to make it clear, that I don't think that Mr. Obama is always right. I decided a long time ago that questions are good. We should ask questions and be informed. I'm just so sick of ignorant people complaining that everything is so bad, and then do nothing to help things get better! I've heard people on the news say things like: "Now that Obama has won the election, he's going to make it so that I won't have to pay my mortgage, and I won't have to work as much!" I know this isn't very lady-like, but WHAT AN IDIOT!!! Everyone talks about change, but who really wants it? Change comes from hard, hard, hard work. It doesn't matter if your trying to turn an economy around, or trying to stop drinking so much Coke. CHANGE IS HARD!

So:

Do we have what it takes? Do we have enough focus and determination?

I hope and pray that we (as a country) have enough strength, self-control and vision to bring about true change.

"We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics who will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks to come. We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope. For when we have faced down impossible odds; when we've been told that we're not ready, or that we shouldn't try, or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people. Yes we can."

~Barack Obama

Friday, January 9, 2009

My sweet girl turns 12!!!!



Yesterday, Katie (my sweet girl) turned 12. I can't believe it!

I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. Greg almost missed her birth because he was downstairs in the hospital cafeteria in search of a hamburger. Grandma was right outside the door. And she was the smallest baby I'd ever seen. She only weighed 5 lbs 6 oz at birth, and lost an entire pound when we took her home. I've never been so TERRIFIED of something so small before. Anyway, Katie has grown into a wonderful young woman. I am so proud of her. Here's why:

1-She is very smart. Her grades are important to her and she works hard.
2-She is very self-motivated. I'll never forget when Kate decided to make a New Years Resolution to have no missing assignment for the rest of the school year. AND SHE DID IT!!! She now has a goal to get straight A's and is only short by 2 B+'s! WAY TO GO KATIE!!!!
3-She has a very strong sense of right and wrong. A lot of things are black and white for Katie. Either it's right or it's not. Period.
4-She is VERY out spoken about her sense of right and wrong. If your doing something that she thinks is wrong, she'll either tell you or she'll stay away from you. That simple.
5-She has an AMAZING sense of humor. Once a kid was teasing her about her height (she's very tall and slim) apparently this kid that was teasing her was very, very short. She called him a Leprechaun! I know this isn't very P.C. but it's HILARIOUS!!! She does this kind of thing all the time, just says stuff that's off the wall and funny.
6-She loves animals. I wouldn't be surprised if someday Katie decided to join Greenpeace or something. She loves animals, and cares about how they're treated. She's not a vegetarian although, I wouldn't be surprised if she turned into one.
7-She has the MOST BIZARRE eating habits of anyone I know. As a small child, she would eat almost anything, until she turn about 4 and then EVERYTHING changed. For the last 8 years Katie has been sustained by: Mac and Cheese (the good kind, not the off-brand), PB&J, Spaghetti-O's, spaghetti (we're really getting sick of spaghetti), the occasional piece of meat, and chicken nuggets from Wendy's. She also won't eat a potato in ANY FORM! She refuses to eat french fries even when I offered to pay her 20 bucks! There have been times like Christmas and Thanksgiving that she's sweet-talked Grandma or her Papa into making her Mac and Cheese so she could have something to eat.
8-If your mean to her, she'll just stay away from you. Unless your her sister or brother. Her attitude is: Fine, if your not going to be nice to me, I'll just go somewhere that people are nice to me. This is trait that she gets from her father, if I had this attitude it would have saved me so much heartache and tears.
9-She has gotten a very distinct sense of fashion. I think we've reached the point that I can't buy anything for her to wear unless she's there. Her new favorite place to shop is Aeropostale. She looks like a walking ad for the place.
10-Her favorite color is green. She even made me make green frosting for her birthday cake.
11-She is very aware of her heritage. She's named after my Grandma Kate, and Katie loves her with all her heart. She feels the same way about all of her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brother, sister and her parents.
12-She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES her friends. If your a friend of Katie, then your her friend for LIFE!!!
13-She seeks out friends.
14-If she feels like someone isn't being treated the way they should, she'll tell you AND do something about it!

and finally:

15-KATE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!! I've told her a couple of times, if the Brain Surgeon thing doesn't work out for her she could always be a Super Model. She just rolls her eyes and says "whatever", but I'm serious! I think she's going to give the boys in the ward and school a real run for their money!


There are so many more things that I could say about my sweet girl, I could go on forever!


I LOVE YOU!!!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Excuse me, WHAT??!!!






Today while I was hard at work doing markdowns in baby girl with my boss Lisa and friend Judy, I said:

I really can't wait till bowl season is over! Maybe then I could get something done at home.

Judy: What are you talking about Jill? What's bowl season?

Me: You know, bowl season. College football BOWL SEASON!!!

Judy: What's the big deal about college football "bowl season"?

Me: Well, I go home from work every night, and then switch on the TV for a few minutes and there's a bowl game on and I just sit and watch it all night long. I'm just ready for bowl season to be over!

Lisa: Jill, when football season is over, there will just be another sport starting.

Judy: What are you two talking about?

Lisa: Well, Jill loves sports. It's like she got the mind of a man!

EXCUSE ME? I DO NOT HAVE THE MIND OF A MAN!!!!!!!!! Just because I listen to ESPN Radio, watch Sports Center, understand the infield fly rule, can keep score of a baseball game, anxiously await my ESPN The Magazine, look forward to reading Rick Reilly, know what it means when they say FIRST AND TEN in a football game, and think that the BCS is a bunch of crap, DOES NOT MEAN I HAVE THE MIND OF A MAN!!!!!

Honestly, I was a little offended, and really shocked!! The mind of a man? Come on!! Is there any lower insult? First of all, boys are GROSS!!! It doesn't matter if they're 2, 22, or 102, BOYS ARE GROSS!!! If you don't believe me, go ahead and ask one, they usually admit it. Second, I love a GOOD romance novel (they're hard to find), most men wouldn't be caught dead with a romance novel! I also worry too much what people think of me (many of the men I know don't really care too much what other people think. At least Greg doesn't)! I worry about not doing enough for my friends, family and at work. I have also been known to cry. None of the men I know cry when they get over-tired (I do) and not understand why they're crying, it's not manly. Also, any man with this many curves would run back to the cave from which they came and hide forever! And finally, ALL men instinctivley know how to use jumper cables and change a tire (I don't)!

And as you can see from the above images, I clearly DO NOT have the mind of a man!

By the way: opening day for baseball is just 2 1/2 short (okay really, that's a long time) months away and spring training starts next month!!!!! Now, that's "the most wonderful time of the year"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Saturday, January 3, 2009

JUST SHUT-UP!!!!!!!

One of my favorite radio programs is Mike and Mike In The Morning on ESPN Radio. I try to listen everyday, and on the computer. Once a week they nominate and have listeners vote on their "JUST SHUT-UP" award. I would like to nominate Nick Saben, head-coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Last night the University of Utah Runnin' Utes BEAT Alabama (he-he-he) 31-17. Personally, I missed the game because I was working, but had Greg call me with updates. Well, this morning I was reading the newspaper about the Big Game, and I think Nick Saban needs to JUST SHUT-UP!!!!!

Here's a quote from today (1-3-2009) Salt Lake Tribune:

"Some of the last of the Utes' motivation may have come from Alabama coach Nick Saban, who shortly after his team lost of Florida in the SEC title game mentioned his team was the only team from a "real BCS conference" to go undefeated. Saban said Friday his comment wasn't meant as a slight to the Utes, but also acknowledged the Utes played with more passion than his team did."

SIDEBAR: Not a slight to the Utes? Really? He was trying to give his team a "mental edge" (it didn't work). A bowl game is about winning a football game, they weren't going to sit around a campfire singing Koom-Bi-Ya.

The article continues (and this next quote really got me going):

"If that's what gave them their intensity, then I guess I'm responsible for the way they played and I'm responsible for the way we played," he said. "So I am responsible for the whole damn kit and caboodle," he said."

So, he's responsible for his team not playing well. I can buy that, he's the head coach. But thinking he's responsible for the winning team playing better than the losing team is going a bit far. He didn't prepare those kids for that game. A game, by the way, that had a very distinct home field feel for Alabama (go look at a map Mr. Saban).

I think Mr. Saben's comments might have helped the Utes focus and get mad enough to HELP THEM WIN, but is not solely responsible for their win. If your going to look at where the Utes intensity came from just go back and listen to what ALL the sports talking-heads have been saying for the last month and a half. That might have added to their intensity a little bit, don't you think?

I think the quote from the paper that says "The last of the Utes' motivation may have come from Alabama Coach Nick Saban..." is right on. Did you hear that Mr. Saban? The LAST of their motivation, not ALL of their motivation!!! What an idiot!!

Nick Saban needs to JUST SHUT-UP!!!!