The Truth is- I've never had a haircut from a stranger. My mom always cut/trimmed my hair when I was growing up, then by the time I was out of High School my sister Laura was in Beauty School so she took over as my stylist. And just this past weekend my cousin Shay gave me an awesome haircut. I'm hoping I can keep this up.

The Truth is- Preston's toes are so small and squished together that sometimes I think he has more than 5. And even though I know he doesn't, I still have to count everytime.

The Truth is- On the way to my Grandparents house at the beach we always have to tell the same stories. One of those stories is about how one time my dad was driving down and saw a snake in the middle of the road. So he stopped to get out and see it because he thought it was dead. Of course he realized it was alive when he went to pick it up and it bit him. He then went to the hospital with the snake, alive, to make sure it wasn't poisonous, which it wasn't. My question is why did he stop for the snake?! What did he plan on doing with it?!

The Truth is- My car alarm has a mind of it's own. It arms itself. I've learned to deal with the fact that after I disarm it I have about 25 seconds before it arms itself. It's quite embarrassing when you go to have your oil changed, or tires rotated and you can hear your alarm going off several times during the process. And it's not a normal sounding alarm. Then one time on Christmas Eve at like 3am the alarm went off for no reason, we turned it off, 10 minutes later it went off again. We turned it off, an hour later it went off again. At this point we just unhooked the battery. But the truth is that ever since we entered into California on Thursday it's gone back to normal! Unless I press the lock button it doesn't arm itself! California is magical.

The Truth is- I've never been pulled over or gotten a ticket. OH WAIT. One time, the first time I went to Patrick's apartment I wasn't sure where to park, or which apartment was his. So he came out and told me to park anywhere along the darkened culdasac. So I did. Then later he was walking me out and we saw my car about to be towed. I'd parked in front of a driveway, and the people called the cops and I was ticketed. Luckily they didn't tow the car, or charge me for that. Just had to pay the parking ticket. And thats it.

The Truth is- The show Hells Kitchen reminds me of my family. Not because when we cook there is a red faced Brittish man calling people stupid cows or yelling that the risotto is undercooked and beef wellingtons are over cooked. But because a year or so ago everyone use to come over and we'd have a family dinner and then watch the latest episode of Hells Kitchen.

The Truth is- There are some people at the gym we can't stand. Like the guy who's feet hit the front of the treadmill with every step he takes. Or the lady who's always "saving" the treadmill next to her for her friend who sometimes never shows up. Or the lady who walks at such a high incline that she has to hold onto the handles or else she'll tip over. Just makes us realize that people watch you when your at the gym.

The Truth is- We have this woodpecker who likes our house. Before we had the house painted he had knocked a hole in 2 different places on the side of the house. But now that those are patched up he spends his time pecking the metal pipe that comes out of the chimney. The sound echo's through the house. I think maybe its morse code and he's just trying to communicate with us, because really WHY else would a woodpecker peck on metal?!

The Truth is- When we were younger and lived in California the ice cream man would drive past the back of our house a lot. It was a fenced in yard so you couldn't see in. My Dad always thought it was funny to go out there and yell "STOP! STOP!" and have him slow down and look for who wanted ice cream. And it was pretty funny.

The Truth is- I can handle almost everything Preston throws at me. I'm ok with getting pee'd on, rockin a face full of puke, snot nose. But oh man....if he poo's in his bathwater I'm out of there. Can't handle that. Thank goodness I have a Patrick. Sorry, that one was kind of gross.

The Truth is- I didn't wear the color red all through Jr. High or High School. I read once that redheads can't wear red, and someone told me once it didn't look good on me. So I avoided it. But then one day I tried on a shirt that had red stripes on it and it didn't look too bad! So I started incorporating red into my wardrobe. And I didn't die. Then one time when I was pregnant I was getting a pedicure and the lady sitting at the drying station next to me told me I couldn't really pull off wearing red with my hair color. Thanks strange lady! I do however continue to wear it. And I make Preston wear it all the time.

Couch Potato to 5k

Lets take a trip back in time to 9 weeks ago to April 19th. . . . . .

I was 27, Preston was just barely 3 months, the weather was cooler, life was good.

9 weeks ago I started this running program called "Couch Potato to 5K".

It's a program that is designed to transform a person who can't run at all (like me), to someone who can run 3 miles...... In only 9 weeks.

You start off doing a simple run for 60 seconds, walk for 90 seconds routine for the first week, and then every week increase.

That first week I thought I was going to die.

But I had my Disney songs, and some Miley, and an outdoor track. So I kept going, running and singing.

Eventually, as the weeks passed I hit the "run 1 mile without stopping" mark. Then the "run 2 miles without stopping" mark.

Today I'm 28, Preston is just barely 5 months, the weather is boiling lava hot, life is good.

And today I ran 3 miles.

Without stopping.

Lets face it, I don't look like a runner, and I don't claim to be. In fact, almost everyday I have to run I complain about how I don't want to run.

But this program has raised my endurance so much. Today while I was running I made it to 2.48 miles before I felt like stopping. But I knew I had to make it to 3 miles.

And I did!

I've NEVER run 3 miles before.

I've never run 2 miles before.

I didn't do it super fast.

According to the program they want you to run 3 miles in 30 minutes. A 10 minute mile?!?! Are you kidding me?!?!

I did it in 34:43.
Thats an 11:48 mile. I don't think I ran a mile that fast in High School.

And I'm not posting thing because I'm bragging or being boastful.
I'm posting this because I'm proud of myself.
And if you think you could never do something like that, think of me.

Doing something you thought you'd never be able to do feels pretty great.

Coconut bread * Beef Jerky * Family get together in Maricopa * Deciding I want a garden * Bragging about my baby (this happens a lot) * Baths * Reading of BookS * Bad dreams * Gym * Sore knee * Swimming!!! * Dehydration * Thoughts of becoming a professional house sitter * A dog who's face looks like it was hit with a shovel * Girls night/chit-chat with Krissa and Samantha * A child who kind of worships me * Chocolate covered pretzels * Nacho Libre whilst eating nacho's * Cleaning of the computer desk * Doing hardly any chores at all * Finishing up Patrick's fathers day present * Patrick's first Fathers Day! * Breakfast in bed (for him, not me) * Cat naps * Black bean brownies * Church * Dinner at Eliott & Jens * Long days needing better endings * List making

Next weekend is going to be great!! We leave for California on Thursday, and will return Monday afternoon/evening. Not to worry, there will be lots of pictures upon our return.

Dear Jimmy,

You don't read my blog, so it's ok if I write this.

You play this song A LOT.

LOUDLY.

REPEATEDLY.

You play it at home.

You play it in the car.

You play it while you drive the bus.

(and then elementary school kids make comments about it such as "this is why you don't have a girlfriend.")

But latlely you haven't been playing it.

And I miss it.

Because secretly I love it.

So now whenever it comes on the radio I turn it up.

And I sing to it.

Even though I don't know all the words and think some of them are dumb.

(Your so gangsta I'm so thug.)

We're gonna miss you a lot when you leave in a few weeks.

But I'll always be your Hey Soul Sister.

Love,

Jess

The Truth is- This year is my 10 year High School Reunion. I'll save you the trouble and admit that I'm old. I tell people its my reunion, and that I don't want to go because why would I want to go and be ignored by people who ignored me 10 yrs ago? People say "ohhhhh you should go it would be fun". And then I say, its $100 a person to go. And then people say "Thats dumb, you shouldn't go." So no, I'm not going.

The Truth is- My Dad use to be really strict about making us clean our rooms. My sister and I shared a room, and in typical childlike fashion would "clean" by just stuffing stuff wherever we could. Closets, beds, dresser drawers. One time my sister stuffed stuff into my backpack. It was only when I got to school and opened it did I discover the hangers and underwear she had put inside there.

The Truth is- That same sister and I use to share a bed. Sometimes at night we'd pull the blanket up to the top of our necks and lay real still. We thought people who walked by would see and think our heads had been chopped off and were just laying on the bed. Kind of morbid!

The Truth is- If I take a shower and I have my wedding ring on I think of that scene in Apollo 13 where Tom Hanks wife is showering and loses her wedding ring down the drain. What if mine comes off and goes down the drain and then my husband is on a shuttle to the moon that ends with an electrical fault that sparks an explosion leaving him to deal with limited power, loss of heat and a critical need to find a way to rig up a carbon dioxide removal system!? I couldn't handle that! So I try to remember to take it off.

The Truth is- I hate being honked at. Makes me feel awful inside. And so I try not to honk at people. And Patrick won't honk at people when I'm in the car with him.

The Truth is- One summer while my mom was working, all of us kids would get our money together and go to the dollar movies like 3 times a week. This was of course when the dollar movies were actually a dollar. I think they hated us paying in change. Oh well! We must have seen Anacondas like 4 times that summer.

The Truth is- I agreed to name Preston Preston before we were even married. Patrick liked the name, but then it was set in stone his first son would be named Preston when he was on his mission and his first area he served in was Preston England. It's kind of fun when you think of it that way. And he TOTALLY looks like a Preston.

Even though technically I don't go to work, I still look forward to the weekends because of things like this:

* Chimichangas * Increasing my running distance to 2 1/2 miles * Cat naps * Glitter eye shaddow * The best "girls night" EVER!! (tutu's and knee high socks theme- see picture bellow) * Laughing/talking till I was horse * Reading a few books * 80 degree weather- where did it come from!? where did it go?! * Feeding the ducks * Debating on if we saw chipmunks, squirrels or prarie dogs as we walked around the man made lake * The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnasus * Hanging out with Jimmy * Dinner of french fries * Speed Scrabble * Writing to Andrew * Preston's first "guy's night" * Grocery shopping * Lazy Sunday mornings * Headaches/asprin allergys (patrick) * Sore knee (me) * Sweet potatoes (Preston) * Church * Coconut bread * Homemade apricot/Strawberry jam that is so good thinking about it brings tears to my eyes * Preston turning 5 months *

So Lady Gaga.

Her clothes are weird.
Her lyrics are weird.
Her video's are beyond weird.

But her music is catchy. And fun to dance with a baby around the house to, even if we don't understand what she's singing about half the time...

This version of Poker Face is the best.

It's sort of beautiful.

The Truth is- One day, when I was about 3 or 4 I was out grocery shopping with my mom and an older lady asked me "where did you get your pretty red hair?" and I replied to her "on sale at JC Pennys." True story. I don't remember it, but my mom use to tell me that story a lot. Speaking of my mom...

The Truth is- The year that John Kerry was running for President my mom refused to buy Heinz Ketchup. John Kerry's wife is heir to the Heinz fortune (or something like that) and she said if we bought it, it would be supporting her since she used a lot of her ketchup money for her husbands campain. To me ketchup is ketchup, but to her it was all political. Kinda glad he didn't win because Heinz has the best ketchup and I wouldn't have wanted to go 4, possibly 8 years without having it.

The Truth is- I use to dance. Ballet dance. I took dance from when I was 3-11, then from 14-18. I wasn't horrible. I wasn't the best. But I miss it a lot. Especially when So You Think You Can Dance is on. Therefore, my daughters will take dance. Even if they hate putting on tights because their legs are sweaty.

The Truth is- Before I go to sleep at night I have to play a game of Speed Scrabble on my phone. I don't have to win, and sometimes I don't even finish a game. I just have to play it. It relaxes me and makes my mind calm down for the night. Speaking of sleeping....

The Truth is- I sleep with a teddy bear. It's true. Patrick got it for me a few years ago for my birthday, but even before the teddy bear I would always sleep with a stuffed animal. I just like to have something to hug and hold against my chest to fall asleep. I tried to stop when Preston was born because I can picture him coming in to our room to tell me he had a bad dream and me sleeping with a teddy bear...embarassing! But I can't give it up! I figure I still have a few more years before he realizes his mom is a baby.

The Truth is- Sometimes I make noises to see if they scare Preston. And then if they do, I kinda want to make them again. Mostly because he has the cutest sad frowny face and I like to comfort him. Too bad for me most of my "scary" noises make him smile. But then again everything makes him smile.

I dunno...parts of this weekend were really really long! Then others flew by. But it included:

Running a bit too far * trying to stay cool (failing) * Making tutu's with Krissa for our themed girls night this Friday!! * Deciding with Krissa to open up an etsy tutu shop then changing our minds 20 minutes later when we realized we hate cutting tulle * Feeling like a circus tent * late nights * early mornings * crafting with Jen (pictures to come after Fathers Day) * Jimmy coming home!! (he was at scout camp all week) * naps * Dollar Store shopping * Playing with my baby * Text to speech feature on Patrick's cell phone * Putting the Kindle to good use * Lazy Sunday morning * Up! (the movie) * Church * Being hungry for too long * Gabe's 1st brithday party! * Seeing lots of people I haven't seen in awhile * Cranky Preston (sundays throw off his schedule) * Laughing over memories of Andrew * writing to Andrew * Lots of texting * Lots of time with Preston *

I miss Andrew.
So this song is for him.
You see, when my mom was sick she was in the hospital for a long time.
And then when she was out of that hospital they moved her to a rehabilitation center in Scottsdale.
And it was a long drive.
45 min one way.
And we went there everyday.
Sometimes twice a day.
Listening to the Joseph and the Amazing Technocolor Dreamcoat made things less depressing driving home.
Our family LOVES this movie.
And since we had a long drive everyday Andrew and I memorized all the colors of the coat.
Only we got one part wrong.
Were they say the colors "Cholocate and Mauve" we'd always yell out CHOCOLATE AND MOLD.
Because it's funnier that way.
And we needed to laugh.

One of the last things we did with my mom was Jimmy, Andrew and I took her to see Joseph and the Amazing Technocolor Dreamcoat at Gammage.
Sadly Donny wasn't Joseph.
But Andrew and I still knew all the colors of the coat. Chocolate and mold included!
It was so great.
Good memories.

And in case your wondering.....

It was red and yellow and green and brown

And scarlet and black and ochre and peach
And ruby and olive and violet and fawn
And lilac and gold and chocolate and mauve
And cream and crimson and silver and rose
And azure and lemon and russet and grey
And purple and white and pink and orange
And blue!

The truth is- Last week I found half of a Cheeto in Preston's carrier. Not a problem except we don't eat/buy Cheeto's in this house. Where did you come from mystery Cheeto?

The truth is- Sometimes when I brush my teeth I have to plug my nose. Not because of the smell or because of nausea or anything like that. It's because I have an electric toothbrush and when I use it it makes my whole face vibrate and really tickles my nose. Someday's I can handle it. Others I can't.

The truth is- I haven't seen all of the Star Wars movies. Hard to believe seeing as how I'm married to Patrick. But I've seen parts of all the Star Wars movies. I've seen all of the first 4, but the last 2 I haven't seen in their entirety. Admitting this means I'll probably be subjected to a Star Wars marathon soon.

The truth is- I've never been stung by a bee. Or wasp. Or scorpion. And as long as I'm playing the I never game, I've never broken a bone, or needed stitches (C-sections don't count.) I hope I'm not allergic to bee's. I saw My Girl. I know how bee sting allergies can effect a person.

The truth is- I can now run 2 miles without stopping. This means if we ever come across a bear, I'm most definitely going to be able to out run you. Sorry, but its true.

The truth is- Jimmy's been gone at Scout Camp this week, giving us a sneak peak of what it will be like when he goes up to BYU in July. All I can say is, we're gonna need a bigger fridge. I don't know how to cook for 2 people.