Wicked's gone :(

OK so Yesterday was such a sad day for me :( boo hoo.. I have certainly enjoyed wicked here and I'm busily creating my videos of all the footage i took of their time here in utah :)
I had many fun times, Exciting times and unexpected times with them traveling through Utah :) I would have to say I have 2 highlights .. when the day before I went to the temple (see my temple blog) My mother Kyra and I went and put our names in for the drawing AKA lotto for the show and Kyra won and I won , So out of 400-500 + people that were there hoping for tickets and only 10 names drawn we got 4 tickets :) WOW I was so happy and excited!!
My mother was convinced it was because we were extracting names for the temple while waiting in line.. in convinced it was because the following morning I went through the temple for the first time :) Either way Heavenly Father helped me get those tickets that day!

Then My second Highlight was when I got to hang out with the wicked cast at Merideth Kaye Clarke's after show show at a club in Salt Lake. there were few people there , me and the cast of wicked and a few others . It was FABULOUSLY FUN!!

Anyhoo I will get all these videos up soon :)

Kisses

Mary

Wicked comes to Salt Lake... and I'm a part of it!

So as many of you all know I'm one of the biggest wicked fans EVER... Certainly the biggest wicked fan in Utah.. Proven by the fact that Kyra and I went down to the capitol theater today and watched the crew unload the wicked trucks :)

As we were getting ready to head downtown Carol Makita of channel 5 news asked to interview me for the news to do a story on Kyra and my passion (some say obsession) with Wicked :) SO i told her we were heading down to try to catch a glimpse of some Set items... We got some Pictures and video... so enjoy :)

I will be adding a couple more videos in the upcoming days :)
Woo hooo :)
YEAh WICKED!!

Kisses
Mary

Geocaching is SOO much fun!! Starter kits!!!

This blog has all the tools me and my daughter use when we go geocaching...

Our GEOCACHE BAG we have :
A backpack
Garmin GPS (any GPS will do :) )
Notebook
Pens Pencils
A receiving box
A taken box
Easter eggs to keep my caches dry (not necessary)
Cache to leave (I am using stickers right now)
Garden gloves to lift rocks

Above all.. have fun hunting!!

Depending on where you go will depend on how long it will take you to find your cache,
Kyra and I did 6 caches in about an hour this weekend..

**Geo-caching RULES**

1: Don't take from the box/container unless you place something in... and sign the log
2: Don't MOVE the cache, put it right back where you found it, recover as you found it previously
*ex. you find your cache under a rock... put it back under the rock
3: Log it online; go back to http://www.geocaching.com and log your trip to that site, if you take a Travel bug make sure you let the travel bug owner know!! instructions online at geocaching.com
3: DO have fun...


**TIPS**
1: I like to leave fun things for kids cause I know many families that do it as a group.
2: Wear good shoes and clothes... you may get dirty (yeah!)
3: there are Micro caches- small tiny tubes 1-2 inches long up to mega caches Large boxes... try to know which you are looking for!
4: HAVE FUN!!

Again have FUN!!!

If you'd like to Cache with me please let me know I live in Northern Utah and would like some good caching buddies!!

Kisses
Mary

New Semester, New Job, Kyra's baptism

Kyra gets baptized :) yeah :)

I am so sad i am leaving passion parties!!
I really loved the time I had with the company.. in my parties I tended to focus more on the education and it is one of the reasons why I am in school and learning what I am. I love teaching and helping couple but having passion parties is a conflict of interest in Marriage and family therapy. So to avoid conflicts with Licensing I have chosen to leave.. I'm so sad.. however i know things are moving for me now!
I have joined Pampered Chef to take the place of my passion parties. it is something fun that i can do with my daughter and she can help me measure and cook. One of the things we love to do at home as well. So were gonna take the show on the road :) yeah :)

Christmas at moms... well 4 days later LOL :P

So I couldn't make it up to my mom's for Christmas so now that the weather had cleared up i headed down to cedar to see her and have a Quasi Christmas yesterday :)
It was fun, we opened presents and had a feast of snacks ranging from low cal veggi tray, oven baked chicken poppers, baked sweet potato fries to deviled eggs, Sausage meat poppers, and M&M's LOL :P yeah it was kinda fatning.. i think i may have gained back 10 of the 20 lbs I have lost!!!

Speaking of loosing weight I am getting down thanks to my Wii Fit :) and eating like HALF of what I used to :) I am down 20 lbs.. since the beginning of dec. I didn't even fit in 26's very well it was a tight squeeze.. but now I can fit in my 24's again Yeahhhhhh ... so Im proud of myself!!!

back to yesterday's story... my sister and I and our kids went and had lunch, went to go see Bedtime stories .. FUNNY MOVIE!! kind of a chic flick ending though LOL haha.. then we went sledding... it was dangerous that's all I'm saying... haha ... then we came home made our little feast then played "7 card no peeky poker" it was an interesting game to learn to play.. but fun I was the first to loose all their money and my sister cleaned up!!

anyhooo

Kyra's Baptism is on saturday so we are really excited about that.. Ill take some pictures after and post them :)

Kisses

Mary Ellen

let it snow!! let it snow!! let it snow!!!!

OK so its snowing like crazy outside so i wont be making it to my mommy's for Christmas .. SO SAD...
so I'm staying home and enjoying the snow.. Kyra and I will likely be going sledding soon and I think we've watched every Christmas movie available in our in home snow shed LOL :P
2 days till the big day kids :P woo hoo

Kisses

Mary

I hate hateing my father!!

****WARNING THIS IS A VENTING BLOG*****



OK ya'll I need to come clean here .. one of the reasons for moving here was to try to repair this awkward wierd stranger thing I have with my father... its never been an outright HATE but just unknowing distrust with me and him.
My sister says he is just kidding around and is rude to everyone but ... DOES THAT MAKE IT OK ?? hell no!!!
This weekend I think I had my final straw.
I was delivering Christmas presents to people and I was taking something to my dads neighbor cause she's a really sweet woman that loves my daughter to pieces. SO I called my step mom to let her know I'd be in the neighborhood. So she invited me to dinner and no sooner than i stepped in their house he went to his room as if to say oh god she's here I'm getting out of here fast. .. I ignored it and thought I'd move on... anyhoo i sat and talked with Sherrie and then dinner was done. Emily their neighbor came over and had dinner with us and oh my he was just out of control rude... I just cant handle him that way. He made very mean hurtful comments about my future profession and it really made me upset and hurt me. His increasing BLATANT disgust with me, his HATE with me, his just total lack of respect of me is really just PISSING ME OFF me.
I have tried every tactic I can to let him know its NOT ok to treat me that way...
Ive tried taking it, laughing it off, ignoring it, walking away, bantering back...
nothing seems to get through to him that its NOT ALRIGHT...
For heavens sake im in school to be a therapist.. a marriage and FAMILY therapist no less.. What kind of a hypocrite am I if I cant even fix my own father issues if people are coming to me for the same problem!!

I digress.. so LAST night was my neces birthday party.
He didn't even say hi to me.. (normally its this awkward hey how you doing, turn and walk away.. but this time just nothing) His wife and I sat down to have a chat My sister was in the room talking to my dad and someone brought up her Christmas present from Tom's Ticket's my dads Ticket business. she works for him occasionally but granted she makes decent money doing it..but hey she does work for him... but seriously why should she get this kick ass bonus present?? oh wait I forgot She is his little precious pet child and it makes me furious!!!
anyhoo...
Sherri noticed I was all annoyed and she was like well you need to give him something useful. She sells tickets, my brother is the electronics, and continues on how everyone (or their spouse) has something they are good at that they do for him. This making them important to him...
SO I say rather loudly i admit it , "well All I can provide him is therapy thats all I am good at but apparently its a useless profession." seriously that comment just cuts me to the core!! Anyway after that it just got to me.. he very obviously was being rude and belittling with his petty comments so I eventually just had to leave.

NO ONE else in our family has got the education that I have except for Kathy. And do i get praised... no i get ridiculed for it!!!
It is just so upsetting..
I texted him last night and wrote "you really hurt me today dad... I dont know how to fix us... please help try to fix us." and I heard nothing back. I cried for about 2 hours...
I think after Kyra's Baptism in January I will just cut off contact until he agree's to sit down and chat about what it is he despises about me so much.

This is such a very different family dynamic system here... I just dont understand why there is no Unconditional love... How do you love.. truely love.. with conditions and take take take.. with no recourse no emotion? I just dont know how to express the complete pain he causes me.

Im just so heart broken ...

Im so broken!!!

I am so broken.. Knee shattered, ankle sprained oy.... bed rest
all in the movie

Kisses

Mary

Waiting for wicked

Ok I have given alot of media coverage of me waiting for wicked.. here is MY video media coverage of the insane line waiting for wicked tickets...
It was fun and we enjoyed it :)
I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to post but I forgot I made the video clips cause of the injury's
Enjoy

Mary

WICKED A fridged night!!!

OK so kids while i work on getting an update on the past month im gonna focus on right now ...
Well Utah had a BIG snow on monday.. and I was being a good auntie Mary and was taking the girls snowuits to school and i crashed and burned in the snow and KILLED my right knee.. like sowllen.. no break but really bad owie!! So they put my in an imobilization thinggy so i cant bend my leg at ALL...
So i thought I was fine and I was waiting in line for wicked (#18 in line I might add of THOUSANDS)... and I was having fun singing dancing even my knee just felt better and so I did something stupid and crashed to the ground... Onto this poor guy sleeping I felt really bad but he was so sweet about it :)
any hoo... most of the news stations interviewed me cause lets admit it kids I AM the biggest wicked fan in Utah!! soo anyhoo here are some of the interviews.. im trying to track them all down to get them all.. but heres some of them...
I will add YES im aware my voice sounds like crap and i look like crap ran over eaten and thrown up cause it was 3 AM!!! (I might add right before I biffed it and rolled my ankle!!!).. but strong as i am I STAYED with the severely sprained ankle, unknowing if it was broken or not. to make sure I got my butt GRAND TEAR SEATS to every sunday night show!!! YEahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and I did darn it!!!!

Just something to point out in one of the videos im like leaning in the table wher eI ordered the tickets and I have a funny look on my face its cause my ankle was basically KILLING me at that point cause it was 4 hours after the impact!!!

Have fun watching remember to comment guys :P even if its telling me Im a total dork!!

Kisses...


Mary

Technical difficulties

Hello everyone.. first off no Im not dead, but many things have happened since last blog. My knee has gotten worse, I had to move, then I have had some computer issues and the computer crashed and was going crazy.. viruses grrrrr...
Anyhoo I will post a video blog later doing the catch up....

Kisses

mary

Gastric- VS- lapband... My decision

My knee has gotten so bad that I could not walk for 3 days!! so I gimped myself to the Dr's office, and he basically said I over worked my knee out of nowhere, and again the fat me got mentioned.. "loose weight loose weight blah blah blah" I was like Umm duhh dip$hit that"s why im working out to get the weight off!!!

So anyhoo...

we discussed the fact that i need to get the weight off.. SOONER than later..
we agree'd i was doing a great job getting myself started, but my body doesn't know how to understand the sudden exercise and such with such a great weight on the joints. I now have had problems with BOTH knees, and my ankle, my back is suffering, and Its jut not getting better.
So along with my doctor, we agree'd that instead of lap band I will be getting gastric... because health wise i need to get this weight off FASTER than what Lap band will do. and faster than exercise will do.. (even though I will remain working out, my weight is just TOO much for my body to handle just working out with my joints) ...
I know it sounds like a failure.. and a cop out.. but seriously its not...
I went to the Utah weight loss center a few weeks ago to discuss the options,, because I HAVE worked hard, and have seen NO RESULTS... reason.. I fully admit, I am am emotional eater, and my stomach has been so stretched out that I don't even know what full feels like anymore, and to get to feel that feeling again, will really aid in helping me loose the weight!! and curb this over eating/ emotional eating!!

As part of the surgery I do have to maintain workouts and go to a support group once a week, so I am surely not going to be in total left field!!

I hope that you are all supportive of my decision, this however does NOT mean Im dropping exercise all together. I am not...
Unfortunately because of the knee I have been limited to doing my stairs (i live on the 3rd floor) and water exercise, so I have located the Golds Gyms that have pools and plan to go 3 times a week.

OK so new game plan...
but Im still going strong Kids!!

Kisses ...

Mary

Princess competiton

Ok I totally had so much fun dressing up Kyra!! :P
I spent along time working on her dress and her hair, but im glad that she totally enjoyed it!! yeahhh :) we also went throught david archuleta Corn maze, it was way fun too ;P you heard his music through out the maze it was funny.. we played in his hair LOL :P hahaha
Im sorry I totally forgot to post this the other day, but hey better late than never right ?

Save Tracey Aviery and Hogle zoo projects!!

Hey guys and gals :)
First I am so mad at myself for not working on Kyra's dress... i gotta move my tail to get it done...
Poor Glinda... she doesn't feel well.. but its looking like she's feeling better.

I talk about fat content in Cereal cause I was shocked to find out that it was the opposite of what I thought!! Frosted flakes are your friend!! LOL




I also talk about the Prop 1 and prop 2 here in Utah ..
here are the links to learn about the propositions.. there aren't really any opposition, its just up for a vote...
so here are links to more information on them

Prop 1 - Save the Aviary
http://www.savetheaviary.com/

Tracy Aviary is a jewel unlike almost anything in the nation – right here in Salt Lake County.

* One of only two public aviaries in the entire country
* The only public aviary west of the Mississippi
* The oldest and largest public aviary in the nation

But the Aviary has suffered from decades of under-investment. Despite the Aviary’s best efforts, roofs are leaking and infrastructure is crumbling. Due to these problems and uncertain future funding, the Aviary was denied accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2006.

Salt Lake County residents have high standards for their public facilities. Proposition 1 will enable the Aviary to re-emerge as a world-class, AZA-accredited facility with a clear path for continued success.

Prop 2- Add to the zoo
https://www.hoglezoo.org/renew-the-zoo/
The Salt Lake County Council has placed a $33 million bond on the ballot in November. This will cost the average household $0.39/month. The bond will help the Zoo build an Arctic Exhibit with animals like polar bears, seals, and wolves and an African Savanna that could make a home for giraffes, rhinos, and zebras among other things.

thanks so much again
dont forget to comment and all that Jive :)

Kisses and Huggs!!

Mary Ellen

Marfans disease, Aspergers, and Lab band....

hey guys lots to talk about today. mainly about Marfans disease,
My ongoing Aspergers research, and the fact that I might be getting lap band.

please visit my website: http://www.mamaMaryEllensBlog.com

more on Marfans disease visit

http://www.marfans.org

My personal favorite Aspergers autism website

http://www.yourlittleprofessor.com

thanks guys subscribe and PLEASE comment :)

First SNOW of the season :)

Howdy ya'll Ü

Kyra and I have been anticipating our favorite day of the year all week :) it its HERE.. Kyra and I LOVE the first snowfall of the season!! we got an amazing 4 inches which is the most perfect depth.. its enough to play in and do snowmen but not enough to get in the way of traffic and such!!
So Kyra and I woke up with the pretty white snow pure as ever!! we went to church and Kyra was a little anxious ants in her pants little one today during Sacrament.. she wanted to get out and play RIGHT NOW.. so once we got home she was allowed to go play :) she kept making these mini snow man the size of your hand it was too cute :)

I cant find my camera ( SO SAD :( :( ) so i had to put it on the V-log...
Also posted on the blog is the Dress Ive been working hard on for Kyra for Halloween :)
She's Gonna be glinda and the Vlog has a step by step of the PAIN in the butt it is.. but well worth the reward :)


What are you gonna be fore Halloween?? Tell me :)
I need better Ideas

Kisses and huggs

Mary Ellen




(remember if the video is not ready give it a couple minutes, I uploaded a higher quality video to show deeper details of the dress :) so it might take longer for it to process :) )

FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!

Hello I was woken up bright and early at 4ish this morning... why ??? Watch the movie... I tried getting video/ pictures of the fireman and fire trucks but it was all black (crap) but I put them in anyway ....



Ironically I had a discussion with my friend JUST YESTERDAY about the fact that I sleep well.. O natural... I thought they did too... they said , oh no what if there's a FIRE? I dont want out run out naked!! I laughed and said... hey if it happened to me I would get dresses and run out...
Well I heard a **ding**ding** at around 4 AM **SLAM **SLAM*** SLAMM***... then firemen yelling loudly "GET UP THERES A FIRE IN THE BUILDING.." I jumped out of bed, went to the door in my blanket, Got Kyra up, got dressed, took my laptop and Kyra's baby pictures(cd's much more compact than the scrap books LOL :P) and took off down the stairs .. half way down I realized I didnt have my phone OR my Camera.. DANG IT!!! they wouldn't let me get it ... I remembered I had Kyra's phone in my car in case I needed it... so I put Glinda in the car (cause there were other dogs and cats out there, and glinda likes to play ... and I let her play... just not at 4 AM!!)put my computer and pictures in the car, and got the phone.. I did get a DECENT picture off that phone but I blocked data transfer ***dohhh***
so anyway...
I gather with the other neighbors and we take account of everyone there, my new neighbor across the hall wasn't there, so I let the Firemen know, he HAD come out just went to his truck... :P
anyhoo were all talking about the smoke then we see the fire truck that WAS on lifts, get taken down and see the hose get put away , we all knew .. they got the fire.. but where?? the curiosity killed the cat and I went up to the fire men (yes they were HOT firemen :) yummy!! ) and asked.. they said .. are you in (this apartment) ?? I said no .. then my neighbor downstairs said.. Ohh that's me.... he said I need to take you upstairs and talk with you... I was like DANG she's in trouble!!! I knew she's a smoker ..so I thought that might have been what it was...
we were let back in the house then I grabbed my camera (took those crappy pictures) and then asked the firemen what it was..

The neighbor had a bunch of plants from the summer that had dried up. and she apparently put a cigarette in the plant, and it went up in flames, I guess it took out a tee shirt too and was about to set the patio a-blaze...
we were able to get back to our houses at 5:30 AM and I of course blogged you guys :P
that brings me up to this very moment...

Kisses

Mary Ellen

Brothers in law ARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGG

I'm pissed at them... I have had time to reflect on what they have done... they hurt me, and don't even pretend to care... I am REALLY hurt...
Im not saying what they did but THEY know what they did...
I am not understanding why they think its funny or aim to hurt me!!! I don't care if they thought it was funny.. its NOT FUNNY... its my PAST... keep it in my PAST!!!

School Dad's birthday and Family

Ok so I haven't written in days cause Ive been focused on school...
My school hasn't received title 4 funding yet so they are waiting for that so i cant get my loan, cause i cant get my loan I haven't been able to get my BOOK... so I had to cram 10 chapters within 3 days!! OYYYYYYY!!! and I had 4 written assignments and 2 presentations to prepare..

the presentation went fine other than the fact that my power point I made it in was the Vista version of power point and wouldn't load in XP... Uggg....
I spent 4 hours making that incredable powerpoint..

Im actually weird and enjoy doing powerpoint so its not tooo torturing LOL :P

I also went to the Relief society Conference which was really good!! i took my step mom Sherrie ... it was fun getting to know her and see her in a different way :)
After the conference it was my dads birthday so I had dinner with Sherrie and my dad... he was very pleasant and I could see he was purposefully trying to be nice which I greatly appreciated. mabee things with him and I are looking up :) (yeahhhhhh!!!!)

Sunday I went to church, I said the closing prayer in sacrament.. I was very nervous.. I did just fine though :) then I went to my dads for his birthday party...
I have noticed a very odd dynamic among my family, not negative, just different from what I'm used to. I'm still trying to "figure everyone out" sometimes I feel like I'm walking on eggshells though but i assume it will get better as time goes by.

The Gawkers...

Ok at my Gym I have noticed we have some "gawkers" ...
You know who I'm talking about .. the old man wearing Jeans sitting on a weight lifting machine he CLEARLY hasn't touched so that he can DROOL at the little skinny girls in their tight workout outfits... The mid 30's guy that looks like a 40 year old virgin in the making. It's really quite funny!! I love watching the men watch the women.. LOL :P
Is it narcissistic of me to be offended that none of the gawkers have gawked me ?? LOL :P heck at least I have BOOBS that are REAL.. :P is it too much to ask to have a guy do a second take of me??
Granted I am MUCH larger than the average "work out girl" but well anyway.. I think im over this rant..
Since I'm talking about my workout success...
I am still going every day :) (Saturday and Sunday I don't go though cause I have Kyra) I weighed myself I am 298.7 .. so I Guess I lost 2 lbs... well considering my phone probably weighs at least a half pound right??
Today at the Cardio Cinema they had Jumanji, i love that movie .. i got all into it.. made me forge ti was working out.. I was on the Elliptical for 30 mins (2 miles) and then walked on the treadmill for 20 mins. I would have kept going but my phone alarm went off cause I had a meeting this morning I forgot about. (and I missed it... CRAP)

anyhoo sorry my blog is kinda random rambling but I really wanted to give you all something to read about today :)


I spent a large portion of yesterday updating a few things on my blog, you can now click on the line above the blog to add me to your browsers favorites list so you can easier come back and see me ;)
you can also add my banner to your website, blog, my-space page etc etc.. if you scroll down on the right it is down there .. tell your friends about me ;)

I need to get working on a presentation I must make about myself for school due on friday :) so Im gonna go get to working on that ..
thanks for reading today :)
dont foget to Save me, favortie me :) and comment on me :)


Kisses

Mary