Keep order here! Keep order I say.

We all know this line from Titanic.

I'm a little OCD when it comes to several things, including my checkbook. I must write every transaction down and figure out my new balance right away.

We went grocery shopping the other night and I accidentally noted the transaction twice. I just realized it today when I was looking at my account online. How wonderful it is to find out you're $183 richer rather than poorer! Please note, we go grocery shopping on average once every 2.5-3 weeks so if you're thinking, "a $183 grocery bill for 2 people?!?", that's why.

On another note, I'm still not close to wanting to reproduce but I did have a glimpse as to why people do. After a 3 hour nap, I woke my nephew up so he'd sleep for my sister tonight. Since I had to wake him up, he was still a bit out of it when I brought him downstairs. I held him for a few minutes as he woke up and then tried to put him on the ground. Nope...he didn't want that. He just wanted to be held. So we sat together, for a while, just snuggling. I'm sure times like that outweigh the bad.

From Bubba Sparxxx to the Taliban

I was cleaning our spare bedroom last night, trying to gather some things together for our garage sale fundraiser this weekend, and I came across a folder of my articles that I wrote for my high school newspaper.

I remember going through the electives catalog during my Junior year, trying to decide what classes I should take. I had already completed 3 years of German and although I enjoyed it, I didn't enjoy it enough to take it all 4 years. I had already taken ceramics at least twice, maybe even three times, so that was out. I saw a journalism class and it caught my eye. I thought we would be learning different styles of writing, etc. but on the first day of class, my Senior year, I got a surprise.

Sure enough, we'd be writing for the school paper. I'm far from outgoing so the idea of having to approach strangers and ask them questions about a topic that I may know nothing about, scared the snot out of me. Thankfully, my friend, Victoria Doerr, was in the class as well so I didn't feel completely out of my element.

The first article I was assigned was to do a review on the upcoming album of Bubba Sparxxx. For those of you who are not familiar with Bubba, consider yourself blessed. During this time, iTunes wasn't around so I was forced to spend at least $10 on this trash of an album. I may still have it. Anyway, Bubba was a white trash, rap singer that had pigs squealing as part of his "music". He got a bad review.

I was able to write about a student whose father was killed by the Taliban, a student that was suing the school district because he was kicked off of the varsity basketball team and placed on JV, the memorial service of a friend that had taken his life.

I ended up enjoying this class, a lot. After high school, I continued on to Chabot and enrolled in another journalism class. I was able to build on my portfolio of stories, which included an article on breast implants, a friend that was born with Muscular dystrophy, and why Ford was better than Chevy.

During my time in this class, LaVor and I had broken up. Needless to say, I was a mess but I needed to do something with myself to keep my mind off of him. While browsing the CosmoGirl! website one night, I noticed an opening for a reader contributor. I submitted my answers to the questions, did several other things in order to be accepted, and I was. Although I didn't do very much, I had a couple ideas published as well as myself. I have the copy of the magazine around here somewhere.

I'd one day like to further my non-existent journalism carrier and become a food critic. Nothing big, just for local stuff. But for now, I'll post things on our blog.

It's fun for me

I don't remember which wedding cake I was doing, but while I was decorating it, my sister asked me how I could enjoy spending so much time making something and then have it be demolished in minutes?

I try not to think about the demolishing. I just enjoy the process it takes to make something pretty and edible!

I just delivered another cake. The reception should have started 15 minutes ago and I'm hoping the cake is still standing. Today happens to be the windiest day we've had in a while and although the cake looked pretty when I left, I'm afraid of what the wind can do. We're waiting on a text message from Jared saying, "it's ruined".

*Note - if you enlarged the picture and noticed the mess up on the borders, don't worry, I fixed them before we left.

Let Me Tell You 'Bout My Best Friend

On November 2, 2006, LaVor and I became fans of the new show, "Rob & Big".

Rob Dyrdek, a professional skateboarder, and Christopher "Big Black" Boykin, Rob's bodyguard, would now enter our living room every Tuesday night. Soon after, Meaty and Mini Horse joined the crew. They brought happiness and laughter into our home as well as several new phrases we use far too often.

This past weekend, we were able to visit some friends in Reno and spend some time with Kenny & Krista as well. The weekend was spent reminiscing about old episodes and repeating the phrase "DGL" over and over again.

Rob & Big took us on many adventures, including their riding dirty excursion, their unsuccessful blind dates, Big's weight loss program, time travel, Big's uncle, Bobby Light comes about, the trip to Santa Rosa for the mini horse competition, attempting the world record for eating the most powdered doughnuts, the cereal box, the net, Big Bob, giving clothes to the homeless, playing the best April Fool's Day joke on Rob's mom and the most recent adventure...Big becoming a dad.

We've enjoyed our time spent watching these hilarious guys and we're sad to see them go.

All I have to say is...do work son.

Please enjoy some of our favorite clips!

I use my own method

Growing up...okay, I still am...I'm addicted to the internet. Not as bad as I used to be. It was, specifically, my sophomore year in high school. I would wake up in the morning, get ready for seminary, check my e-mail, go to seminary, come home, check my e-mail, chat with whoever may have been online at the moment, go to school, come home, get a snack and eat it while I was on the internet, MAYBE do homework, be on the internet a few more hours, go to bed and repeat the whole process the next day. Needless to say, that was probably my worst year academically.

Although I probably wasn't doing a whole lot to stimulate my brain, I do believe that all the time I spent online has an influence on my typing skills. My dad always gave me a hard time because I didn't type properly. I tried to do it the "right" way (having your fingers on the right keys, etc.) but it just never worked for me. I had my own method and it seemed to work.

And it obviously still does! My highest score was 87 but I thought I could do better and now I can't get anything higher than 83. I think I just found something else to be addicted to...beating my own typing time.

86 words

Speed test

Thanks to Pop

My dad has always been a huge fan of strawberry rhubarb pie. He claims that when my mom made him a strawberry rhubarb pie when they were dating, he knew she was the one he was going to marry.

While my sister and I were at the Pleasanton Farmer's Market yesterday, we ran into the Fontana Farms stand (not from Fontana, that's their last name). I tried their apricot, raspberry peach and strawberry rhubarb jams. I was torn on which one to buy but thanks to Pop and him introducing me to strawberry rhubarb, I decided on that one.

This afternoon, I made homemade biscuits and spread the jam in between the two halves. It was delicious!

I can't wait to finish this jar of jam and indulge in one of the other delicious flavors!

Driving in reverse

I had to make a trip to the bank on my lunch break this afternoon. As I was waiting to pull out of the parking lot, there was a man in his SUV stopped in the entrance of the parking lot about 5 feet to the right of me. I wasn't sure what he was up to so I continued to wait. I then noticed his reverse lights come on and sure enough, he begins to drive backwards down the street.

I'm not a quiet/polite driver, so I threw my arms up in the air and said, "what are you doing?!" He saw me but continued to break the law. We were near an intersection and several cars began to turn onto the street. Did that stop him from his adventure? No.

I'd like to know how some people are able to get a drivers license? They should add a section to the test called "common sense". If you find that you're pulling into the wrong parking lot, it's okay. Simply make a U turn, in the parking lot, and back track. But please, don't drive in reverse down a main road.