Thankful for Thanksgiving

Well, I'm back from a wonderful thanksgiving break in Jackson HOle. Not only did I get to see all my family but I also got to meet my new nephew. He was so precious (and smart) Trip started out great. Met the family in Casper and we all drove up together. Of course my nieces and nephew had to all take a turn driving up with cool Auntie. They totally trashed my car. I looked in the back yesterday when I got home and couldn't believe the mess after just a few days. The weird part is that I smiled when I saw it. We stopped at the Dubois gas station and I forced everyone that was half way willing to take pictures witht he huge jackalope. Then onward to Jackson.

It was so great seeing baby Sophia and little Warren. Dessa was doing great for just having a baby. We did lots of great things. Got to go to a wonderful dinner at the country club on thanksgiving day, got a pedicure unlike any pedicure I've ever gotten before, spent time playing with the kids, climbed in Dessa's hot tub after dark and totally FROZE getting out of that thing. Dessa and Chris rented the beautiful house next door so we wouldn't all be confined in her house and that was really nice. We were all able to spread out. I even got to take a nap for the first time in a LONG time. Didn't get many work calls either which was no inconveniance but nice to kinda disassociate from that part for a while.

I tend to get a little stressed with work; like most people but my stress falls into a different arena than most peoples. Not that I'm anything special by any means, but it's a different world that people don't typically understand so, the nap was something I don't often experience. There's so much more that I'd like to say about work, but have to completely stray away from anything work related so I'll stop there.

Either way, Jackson was a great time and I absolutely loved every minute I spent with my heart; my kiddos. And my family, but you can't really pick them up and snuggle them.

A Little Of This, A Little Of That

This was a wonderful worker that I met out of Crook county. He is hardcore left winged and I am the polar opposite. We had amazing debates but were able to just let it stay at that: just debates.



Wow! A lot has happened since last week when I blogged. It's been a long week for me. I got sick Sunday after coming back from the colony. Just woke up after a nap and felt a little cold bug, but pushed through it only to wake up Monday morning feeling even worse. I headed out for Cheyenne for my last week of meetings. I think I kept getting more and more sick because every night I tried to push it more and more. I have met some really great people in my trainings and we've spend about a month together all in all so we have really started to get to know each other. Last time I went, I got my ears pierced. This time, four of us went and got tattoos. I got my seventh flower to represent my seventh precious Angel: Warren William Reimer. I have a flower tattooed on me for each niece and nephew and with this new addition, got him a red flower. So, back to that new addition. I finally got a call on Thursday night letting me know that my sister was going into labor. ABOUT TIME! At 3:38am on Friday morning I got a calling and was told that I had a new nephew. So excited to meet him this week. However, I continued to get sick, but once I got back to Sheridan, had to go out with my friends. My main goal over the past few months is to really start making a life for myself here and I finally met some new people last weekend and wanted to solidify our friendships by at least making an appearance since they had invited me. However, with this continuous sickness lingering over me, not sure if it was the right decision. I went out every night with my coworkers in Cheyenne and had a great time and really just should have came home and rested over the weekend, but I went up to my new friend's house and was handed a mic.

Last weekend I karaoked for the first time in my life and actually got a standing ovation so, the guy that runs the karaoke asked if I'd like to come record some songs. So, I went and had a great time, but my voice is SHOT! I literally had no voice the next day. I went out and karaoked again that night and it felt really good to have many people come up to me and compliment me. Singing is something that I have reserved for the showers or random outbursts in the car since I quit in high school, but was pleasantly surprised to have compliments given my direction. However, I've been paying for a wonderful night full of singing for the last few days now. MUST GET BETTER.

So excited to head to Jackson Hole and meet my new nephew and see my niece Sophia. She is so precious and smart. Also, grace, Jason, and the kids will be there as well making it that much more memorable. And, don't forget the parents. The ever loyal parents that will be there as well. Signing out.

I spent the day in the colony yesterday with a bunch of family from my grandma's side. I had a great time but was bummed when I heard they were having Walks and Talks for lunch. I love going up there to eat the food but was not real keen on the throats and feet of geese for the meal, so they made me my favorite... Noodle soup. It's unlike any other type of soup I've had and would have no idea how to make it but it's just amazing. Yesterday, on Saturdays, is also fresh roll day so we had tons and tons of fresh dinner roles. I went and saw my Aunt Katie and she had made homemade apple pie too. It tastes just like my moms. Funny cause Grace just posted on her facebook how grateful she is for my mom's pie crust recipe. I wonder if she realizes that recipe is from the colony and people pay top dollar for those pies.

It was a great afternoon. I love the environment but could never imagine living there. I think the thing that I like (but would also probably drive me nuts eventually) is that you're never alone. There's obviously a huge sense of family and community; being part of something unlike anywehre else I've ever been. Family run in and out of all the houses. There's no such thing as a doorbell. Your house is your cousins house, your grandma's house, your aunts house, all your families house. So, people just run in grab some butter, run back to the bake house/kitchen house, run back over to borrow a newspaper and it just goes on and on. And that's what you do; all day long. The men don't come home until later cause they're all out in the fields or shops working. Well they come when it's meal time, but then leave to work again. Yesterday, though, after church and supper we all gathered at my cousin Kathy's house. And what a night it was. A house full of loud Germans all yelling in two different languages makes for a good night.

Dangling Darlings

Yesterday was the first day in my life getting to wear fun earings. How exciting! And yes... I did break down and repierce the left one so they are perfectly even now. oh OCD go away!

Friends Forever...

Kelley Farmer. I really don't even know where to start when talking about you. I'm not quite sure where the beginning of our friendship is. I guess the first memory I have of Kelley is going to Chesterfield shows together. I remember her telling me at one point that the only reason she was hanging out with me is cause she didn't have anyone else to hang out with at these show. She straight up said, "yeah, I'm using you." And it was love after that :) But in all reality, we really weren't amazingly close when you lived in Newcastle. By the time we started becoming close, you were preparing yourself to leave the state of Wyoming. You did, and you never looked back.

I the midst of everything I was going through during that time period of my life, the one thing that I definitely gained.... was you! There have been times that we have fought like crazy, not talked for weeks, and yelled at each other, but the test of a true friendship is if you can pick each other up afterwards and still care. We definitely have that one down. I know you haven't always agreed with the decisions I've made in my life, but you have bit your bottom lip and supported none the less.

When I think of our friendship, I think of a deep running connection more than crazy silly memories (although we definitely have them). I think of bawling on the phone with you year after year about my roller coaster life and sharing all the nitty gritty details with you. Kelley, thanks for being you!

Car Conspiracies

Okay, so I realize that I'm blogging, once again, about my car conspiracy theory. I seriously believe that cars are like a small child that you have to sink money into in order to just maintain and it really drives me nuts! So, this month, I will have spent approximately $800 on my car alone! It's crazy. First, I buy an extended warranty when I got the car and apparently, I have to get these regular scheduled maintenance checks done on it just to get that warranty valid. I've spent more money maintaining my car than that warranty cost. And every time I go to get that check up done (this time being a 45,000 mile check) they print me off some silly piece of paper saying that everything's fine. Really? NO KIDDING! I didn't have a problem before I brought it in and paid 200 dollars for you to confirm that! WOW! Surprise. Then, I have to get it licenced in Wyoming which is crazy expensive and that's on top of the monthly payment. Now, I get the monthly payment but why do I have to pay 300 bucks to get it registered in this state? It cost me 24 dollars in South Dakota.

It was kinda sad removing my SD plates. Not that I'm not happy where I was, but I hate change and actually thought, as I was driving home, how this would be the last time driving with South Dakota plates. Now, if I could just afford those cool UW plates.... Soon, Soon.

Friends Forever....

So, yesterday as I was driving home from Newcastle, I was reflecting on my friends and how, at almost 28, there are so few that I would count as extremely close friends that I could share just about anything with, and I wanted to take some time to commemorate some of them. So, I'm going to write a blurb about each one seperately as the days go by. Sisters: this excludes you guys... You're not just my friends but family so don't get butt hurt. I'm gonna start randomly so, tonight I shall start with ALISHA DOMINA-HATLELI

I remember the first time Alisha and I talked.... If my memory serves me correctly, a bunch of my other friends were mad at me in the 6th grade and we were standing by the principles office when Alisha and Angie Armstrong, so graciously said that I could hang out with them. Who knew that that conversation would play a major role in my life. To this day, I still get crazy texts from that ever so funky friend. You see, the thing with Alisha and I is that we bring out a seriously weird or some people say crazy side of each other. I find myself laughing hysterically with her for the most ridiculous reasons. You would think we were not lucid if you saw most of our interactions together. We definately have a serious side together though and can cry, talk serious, and now... talk mommy talk but for the most part, Alisha calls me a dork and I reply with, "you silly bisquit full of gravy." No one really gets it, but us; and I think that's how we like it. For example, this last summer we were in Rapid driving through the drive up window and she had a hair sticking out, I made a hand motion trying to demonstrate how her hair was sticking out and before you know it, we could barely pay at the drive up window because we were both laughing so hard. Really quite silly, but love every second of it. Some of the most memorable memories include things that I shall not post for the world to read as we were wild young teenagers enjoying every minute of the day together, but I shall bring up a few clues that only Alisha and select others will pick up on. Alisha: Smacking me over the head with a phone when I was talking to Mo and not thinking twice about it... as if it's normal to, for no reason, rip a phone out of someone's hand, hit them over the head with it, then graciously hand it back to them. Taking a bath in 2 two inches of water because you believe you have pnamonia. Poor Kimmy. Poor Poor Kimmy. God bless her soul. A horse stampede. Need I say more? A garbage can, Heather, Erin, and your dad elk calling at 3 in the morning. WITH YOU SOUND ASLEEP!!!! Your wonderful dog Billy. May he rest in peace.

I could go on and on, but Alisha, I so appreciate your friendship. The fact that we don't have to see or have contact for months, yet can still bring out the high school fun lovin' side of each other without any expectations. I still can't believe you're married and HAD A CHILD!!!! Thank you for being a part of my life; thank you for going on a double date to prom, skipping school with me, letting me crash at your house for days on end, and thank you for just being you. I LOVE YOU!

Oh and one last memory, skipping school, having Mrs. Peterson call your house looking for us, me stupidly answering the phone (in the days before caller ID was invented) and then driving a hundred miles an hour back to the school, walking into the office and I believe my exact words to Mrs. Peterson were, "Oh come on Mrs. Peterson, you know how it is. Sometimes you just need a break." Then busting up laughing when she didn't just "know it is". She was not happy. Not happy at all with us! Love you Alisha.