Juliann Lambson

And a Touch of Domesticity

2011-06-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

So now that we are once again on our own, I am trying to be that house wife I always wanted to be. (Okay that was a joke). This means, cooking,cleaning, and looking halfway decent doing it (okay that was a joke too.) I have tried some new recipes recently that I think you are all going to like. I will try and put them up soon. Here's what you have to look forward to:

- Strawberry Cream Blooms

- Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

- Frito Corn Salad

- Vanilla Meringues.

As always, I am constantly on the look out for easy, quick and affordable recipes. Cooking for two should seem like a snap but honestly I have yet to master the art. But hey, after 3.5 years of attempting to be domestic, I think i'm finally getting it!

KP Say What?

2011-06-15T18:46:00.001-07:00

All My life I have suffered from a skin condition that I never was able to get an answer to. Yesterday, while getting a facial from my lovely and talented friend that Mans the counter at Origins, I was able to get an answer and after looking it up online, I discovered that she was absolutely correct.

Keratosis Pilaris is a skin condition in which the skin over produces Keratin and clogs up the hair follicle, thus resulting in tiny skin colored bumps. It is painless and harmless but cosmetically displeasing.

My whole life I have been embarrassed about my skin condition, often hiding my arms under longer sleeved shirts. It is pointed out by almost anyone who sees it. They usually mistake it for bug bites, sun burns, rashed, 'ouchies' (referred to by the kids) and even chicken pox. The condition is also called "chicken skin syndrome".

The good news is that there are several products out there that are proven to reduce the visibility of the KP. Unfortunately they cost a good penny. However, I feel like after a lifetime of living with this unsightly "arm acne" it is a good investment. I can't believe that I am now at that age where I can say "When I was younger we didn't know such and such" but I can honestly say that when I was younger and had it looked at by doctors and dermatologists, nobody seemed to have an answer. I'm glad that after 24 years I was able to get one!

BS- Bachelor of Science!

2011-01-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

So I am officially done done done done done.....with my bachelor's degree. I am waiting patiently for my diploma to come in the mail. I completed 18 weeks of student teaching- 10 in second grade and 8 in Special Ed. I was able to finish 2 weeks early because I was offered a ten week position at the school. I'm not sure exactly what my title is, but basically I teach a small group or take over the class while the teacher works with her bubble kids. Bubble kids are the ones who are just slightly below grade level who, with a little more direct instruction, have a chance to pass the CRT's (state tests). Passing CRT's is crucial at our school right now because we have to meet certain scores set by NO Child Left Behind or we will all be moved around to different schools.

Anyway, I love what I do and I am SO glad that I dedicated 5 years of my life to this. It truly is what I love doing and holds a very special place in my heart. I enjoy teaching and I love my kids. I am thankful to have chosen a career path that I honestly love and feel so fulfilled at the end of the day. Now any Prayers for me to get a full time job would be greatly appreciated!

THE QUESTION

2011-01-12T17:48:00.000-08:00

So, after three (yes it has been three) years of marriage, I get asked THE Question quite often "When are you going to have kids?" Despite my urge to shout out "None of your Business" I guess I will attempt to answer seeing as my standard peer group generally has around 2 kids by now. There are several reasons why I have consciously put off having children.

1. I know many people that get pregnant their first year of marriage. While that might work for some, I wanted to work on my relationship with my husband before bringing a third party into the mix. Marriage is hard enough as it is, I wanted to get used to being a wife before being a mother.

2. School. I have wanted to be a teacher for 18+ years now. People who have known me that long can attest to this. I wanted to get through school first. I got married after starting college and I was not willing to let go of two years of hard work and money because I had a child to raise. It was my goal to get through college and I am proud to say that I have.

3. Money. I know I know. "If you wait until you have money, you will never have kids." Boy if I had a nickel for every time I have had that said to me, maybe i'd actually have enough money to have a child. The truth is, we genuinely cannot afford it. We had a rough couple of years and we could barely pay our bills, let alone the bills of another. I do believe that the lord will provide (something I could also collect nickels on for hearing), but I am also a firm believer that one should live within their means. At this moment in time, bringing a child into the world would not only be living beyond our means, but it would also be utterly irresponsible.

Believe me, this is something that I have had to choose for myself and come to terms with. I am always concerned with long term, and for the past three years, bringing a child into the world was not what we were supposed to do. That's not to say that we will never have children; quite the opposite actually. While I like to throw around the idea of working for the rest of my life and leaving the child bearing to the other thousands of capable mothers, I know that kids are in my future. I believe that it is an individual choice and the time differs from person to person based on their circumstances. Unfortunately the peer pressure is high, but I made it three years and a few more (if that's what is supposed to happen) won't kill me.

Ma and Pa

2010-07-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

Thankfully I was blessed with an amazing family. I was privileged to have parents who genuinely cared for me and had my best interest at heart. They taught me to be independent and think for myself. They worked together as a team and taught me to take other people's opinions and viewpoints into account. They told me they were proud of me. They told me the loved me. They encouraged me and helped me be a better person. They raised me with morals and values and the ability to work hard for something. I knew that I could always count on them to give me the best advice or simply be there for me. My father is the most intelligent person I know. He always sees the other sides of the issue that I don't see. This is why to this day I still greatly value his input. He is an amazing person and father. My mother is compassionate and hard working. She continually fights for my happiness and would go to the moon and back for her kids, or actually just about anyone. Situations arise in life when you reflect on these things. Sometimes you realize that not everyone has it as good as you do. Some people have parents who don't care or who are emotionally/physically abusive. One thing I am certain is that there has never been a time when I have not been deeply grateful for my family. They are everything I need in this world and no matter what happens, I will always have them. That is the most important thing. So to the best parents in the world, I love you with all my heart!

A year's time

2010-06-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

Holy canoli I cannot believe its been almost a year since I have written last. That goes to show how crazy, yet uneventful my life has been this past year. Seeing as the last year has been consumed by classes, homework and holding down a job, the blog was the last thing on my mind. But seriously. Nobody reads this thing anyway. Well here's a super fast, watered down update of the last year of my life.

1. July 2009, Brother of mine left for his mission in Richmond, Virginia and is rocking the house down there.

2. October 2009, Muffin Butts turned one in october. up and walking, talking and melting our hearts.

3. November 2009, Michael got new job at Ritz-Carlton working security

4. Jan 5, 2010= 2 year anniversary. Celebrated with a magical day at the Ritz.

5. May 15, 2010= last day of classes as an undergraduate.

So now that you're all caught up.......

Im still working at old navy and i will be student teaching this fall in second grade. I also got a few days of subbing under my belt before I student teach. Not up to much this summer....vacations cost money, that of which i do not have. Hopefully by the grace of everything that is good in this world I will be able to get a job once I am done. I never thought i'd have a degree I couldn't use but that possibility is becoming a harsh reality.

Well, aren't you glad you read this. Super exciting I know.

Independence Day

2009-08-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

Well we had court today and guess what? The coward didn't even show up! I feel victorious in every way and could not have asked for it to work out any better. It was amazing and I am thrilled to have my life back. Slowly but surely we cut the cancer out of our lives and can return to normal; not living in constant fear for our lives, property, well being and image. The most important thing to remember when dealing with these types of people, or sociopaths as they are called, is that they love being in control and when they are not in control anymore, they run and hide, because yes, they are cowards. They only play the big man up to a certain point. When they realize that their victim is fighting back, that is when it tends to get the worst, but if you stick it out and stand up to the bully, he will eventually back down. This is what happened to us. That bully realized that by showing up to court and trying to make our lives hell, he would actually do more damage to himself, and because sociopaths are driven by keeping up their image, he had to move on to the next victim. We had more evidence and proof on him then he will ever have on us and he realized that and became afraid. What I am trying to say is if you have to deal with a person like this, stick it out. Dont' give up. It's hard and scary, especially if you don't have the money for a lawyer. But what I learned and I hope other people realize is that you CAN stick up for yourself. It is your right. You Can 'fight back' with the law. The court will not tell you anything. They are about as helpful as a hole in a grocery bag, but don't give up. You have a right to all the information there is out there. The internet has a lot of good advice and tells you how to go about things like TPO's, subpoena's, affidavits and so forth. Just because you don't have a lawyer does not mean you won't win. I never thought we had a chance in heck but eventually I realized how good of a case we had. If you haven't done anything, you can find evidence on the other person. I hope nobody else has to go through what we have been through. It is the scariest thing thinking that your husband is going to get arrested, having to leave you house, having your vehicles towed, not being allowed to go to your home or church, but believe me, it is soooo worth the energy we put into our case. I have learned a lot along the way and hope to never ever have to deal with somebody like this again. I have learned my lesson and to pay attention to those little things called red flags. And yes, sometimes a gut feeling is enough of a red flag!!!!

Don't Let this Happen to You

2009-08-11T15:48:00.001-07:00

Recntly we became involved (and still are involved) in a very scary situation. It has caused a lot of stress for my family and close friends and has been nothing short of a living nightmare for myself. While this may seem like something funny, it really is a serious thing and can really affect your life. While I cannot get into the dirty details of it for legal reasons, I will try to explain as best I can. The problem is, that being LDS, we tend to believe that all people are good and we try to see the good in other people; especially people of our own faith. But just because somebody seems or puts on the act of a 'good LDS person' does not by any means mean that they are. While most people in the ward and church are good honest people, there are unfortunately people who are out to hurt other people. What happened was we tried to become friends but later learned that we were dealing with sociopaths. Typical Sociopathic Behavior includes (gathered from 'Profile of the Sociopath'):

- Superficial charm

- Manipulative and Conning They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims.

-Pathological Lying Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests.

-Shallow Emotions When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises.

Other Behaviors may include-

Authoritarian

Paranoid

Secretive

Exercises despotic control over every aspect of the victim's life

Unable to feel remorse or guilt

Always plays the victim but never accepts that what is happening is a consequence of their own action.

In our situation we were this victim that the definition describes. We witnessed every single one of these traits.Because of the sociopath we were involved with, We were close to having no rights, no money, being forced to move, almost arrested and living in constant fear of what would happen next. Please Please Please watch out and be careful. Just because a person seems genuine and caring does not mean that they are. You can get yourself in a very scary situation. Also, listen to other people. If somebody warns you against somebody, LISTEN. That is why I am trying to get people to realize that there are people like this out there. It is like a cancer, once these people get into your lives, you cannot get them out and they eat away at your soul and your sanity. The best thing you can do if you get involved in a situation like this is to get yourself out asap. It will be messy because a sociopath wants control over you and when they can't have it they lose it. They will try everything then to make your life miserable. You need to gather as much proof as you can. Don't go ANYWHERE alone. Document EVERYTHING and get a lawyer or legal advice. Believe me, I never thought this would ever happen to us but it did and now i hope you all can learn from my experience and don't let this happen to you! If you feel like you involved with a sociopath, please get yourself out. It is better than dealing with what we have been through.

There will be more on this later.....

Bug Bites and Life lessons.

2009-07-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

In a recent meeting with the bishop, we were explaining to him that you can get a lot of information on people through public record; where somebody works, lives, jobs they've had, when and what they've been to court for and any warrants or crimes they have on their records. He said that that seems like an invasion of a person's privacy. Well i have two things to say about that. First, if you have nothing to hide, then why worry? Second, if you are a bad person that has done bad things, then you don't have any rights. or shouldn't at least. Since when should the bad evil people be protected. That being said, we have had the terrible misfortune of having gotten involved with some of these bad, evil people. People who are so bored with their lives they try and destroy other people's lives. It is sad and disappointing all at the same time. If i had to do it again, i would do things differently. I would listen to that little voice inside that says 'don't get involved' and i would never have had to deal with the hurt and stress and fear this has caused me. On the other hand; I am one of those people who has nothing to hide. My conscience is clear as glass. I am a law abiding citizen, working to make my life the best it can be. For that reason, i have no regrets. While i regret the events that caused us to get in this situation in the first place, i do not regret my actions or how i have handled myself. I know that i am a good person and i will continue to be a good person because that is who i am. That was how i was raised. I was raised with valued and beliefs that i hold firm to in any situation. Unfortunately that cannot be said about everyone. It is sad and frustrating that there are truly bad people in this world. People who are out to get us every step of the way. But I won't let that fact bring me down. I'm stronger, I'm better. We Have to go on living our lives the way that we want to;so that when we stand before our Maker on judgment day, we can say, "I gave it my all. I am not ashamed." I once read a quote that said "If you were convicted of being christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" I am going to live my life in a way that creates a load of evidence that i am worthy to be in his presence. I cannot let these little 'bug bites' as I like to call them get in the way of who I am. It makes so much sense in theory, but in practice is much harder. It is so easy to let the poison of other people infect our system and make us bitter and angry. As humans, we want justice, revenge, or the satisfaction of knowing that this person is suffering as much as they made us suffer. But the MOST important thing i have learned is to just let it all go and keep being a good person despite what has been done to you. It really is that simple. And like the words from a true, good friend "the only person who matters already knows what's going on" . Let other people think what they may, but in the end, the only person that needs to know already does. It's amazing the lessons you learn in life when you least expect them, or even when you least want them. But I do honestly feel like I will come out of this better than I was, with an even greater sense of wanting to make good choices and be a better person. And sometimes, to grow is to hurt, but who would return to smallness.

In the Springtime of Our Lives

2009-04-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

Wow. I'm glad that I update this thing regularly. That is because my life is soooooo terribly exciting. And I'm not a sarcastic person in case you haven't figured that out. Seriously though, nothing worth writing about has really happened so I've just been hanging out. I am about to be jobless as of the 17th, which is proving to be more of a blessing in disguise rather. I'm too stressed and busy to deal with it all. I got a sub job at a preschool and I love it. It has been so much fun and I love my kiddos. I hope that they will give me enough hours to make a good living. I am also tutoring a 7 year old korean boy on the side which is a new experience. The ONLY reason I mentioned his race is because it has been such a great experience for me, not only tutoring and getting that experience, but getting more culturally diverse as well. His family is so kind and treats me with such respect. They always want to give me food. It has been a really neat thing for me learning about the Korean culture and experiencing new foods. Basically life is moving at full speed right now, not slowing down for anything. This train doesn't stop. But it's good. I'm happy. I'm doing the things I want to do and doing things I never imagined I would get to. I really cannot complain. Now if only summer would just decide to come!

What's Going On?

2009-02-25T12:14:00.000-08:00

In the Words of Marvin Gaye,
"What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on "-

This has been on my mind a lot lately. I was recently speaking to a 60 year old man on the phone at work who asked me if I could come shoot him and end his life. I kindly replied that I could not do that, that I would not do that. As if to change my mind, he told me that he would buy the ammo. He had been at working doing security and fell down a flight of stairs breaking both his legs. He is now in bed, in pain all day and as he puts it "hobbles around like a 90 year old." While this gentlemen may not have been serious, it really hit me hard. What is going on in the world today? It is getting pretty scary out there. This gentlemen was simply trying to make ends meet and now, with his temporarily disabled state, he feels like it would be better to just end his life. My husband and I have had some pretty scary and potentially deadly experiences this last month and I mentioned to him "I think it's getting close to our time!" I know that I am not the only one feeling confused and scared by what is going on in the world. It really is true that the world is getting more wicked, but with talks of failing economies and wars, it is a scary reality we are facing. People are becoming desperate which leads to robberies and murders. What's going on? I am glad that I know the things that I know and have the friends and family that I do to get me through this scary and uncertain times. While I do not believe that the end is near, I do believe it is getting closer and it is a hard time to be alive. All I can do is hold on to my beliefs and the ones I love and we will get through this together!

BUSY

2009-02-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

Well since it's been forever and a day since I wrote last, I guess I can update you on the exciting events happening in my life: NOTHING!~ School has been keeping me insanely busy and my house is proof of that. My laundry keeps on piling up, as does the homework. I am in full teacher mode right now with the Parent Teacher Aid store being my new favorite! Oh! And I found out that I won't have a job as of april 17th so that's going to be an adventure. Right now my main focus is getting through school; surviving is second to that!!!!

School Days

2009-01-20T21:19:00.000-08:00

So, school started up again, and I have to admit, it wasn't horrible. I am finally in the Education program which means I am done with pre-requisites and get to take only classes that are related to my major. AND I only have 3 semesters left, and a few months of student teaching and I'm done! I did things differently this semester in hopes to save money. You would think that I would have caught on before now, but better late than never. I was able to defer my tuition so I hopefully wont have to borrow any from my sweet Dad. Also I am borrowing some books from friends and turned to Amazon and Ebay for the books I still need, since the bookstore is a BIG FAT RIP OFF. I like my classes because they have all the same people in them that I will be with for the next year and a half. They all seem like really nice girls and I was excited to see some old friends, especially Arynn and Lindsay who I haven't seen in a long time and now I get to see three times a week! So this semester should be alright. It will be tight since my hours are cut, but we just have to get through 4 months! I also applied for FAFSA so I really hope that I get something! That would be a huge help and a blessing. We will just try and get through this semester and keep our hopes up high. Graduation is just around the corner, I can't taste it yet, but I can smell it, and it smells so good!

Money Money Money, Must be funny......

2009-01-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

Just when you think things are getting better, you get a big ol wake up call. It sounds like this "Juliann, What were you thinking? " And then it throws things at you- big, ugly, scary, rotten, messy things.

I wish I could say that January got off to a good start, but that would be a lie. I knew January was going to be a tough month for us, and it only seems to keep getting tougher. It seems as though every single bill that we have is due this month in large quantities. Also, as they always do, some unexpected things happen that are going to spread us even tighter. To make matters worse, I am only going to get about 9 hours a week at work this semester.

We had one last hope that we were hanging on to and it doesn't look like that hope is going to happen unfortunately. It was the one thing we wanted more than anything else in the world right now. And I am slowly accepting defeat.

The well is running dry and my hope is running out. My faith however, will remain plentiful. This has to be left in the Lord's hands. There is honestly no other way for it to work out otherwise. We are in need of a miracle. I know, I have to believe, that the Lord has a plan for us. It's probably killing him to put us through this now but he's saying to himself "just wait, I promise that what I have in store for you is worth it." I have to believe this. I have nothing else.

Hopefully we will survive these next couple of months. If not, who has dibs on the fish tank? TV? Cars? Let me know, I'm taking orders as of now.

One year older and Wiser too.....

2009-01-05T14:24:00.000-08:00

You knew I was going to blog today didn't you? Well, I just have to- because a year ago today, was the best day of my life. I married my best friend, the man that makes me the happiest I've ever been- and that is worth writing about!

Well, I woke up today and there was no snow, so that was the first good thing that happened. You see, on our wedding day it was the snowiest day of the year! It was quite disastrous to say the least, but the important thing was that I was sealed to Michael for time and all eternity.

This first year has been quite the adjustment. The first couple months of marriage were a blast but I look back and see how much we have grown right alongside with each other. At first, looking at him gave me butterflies and I was giddy and unsure about life. Now, I have the deepest love for him and I know that love will continue growing each passing year. I look at him and I cannot believe that I get to keep him for ever. I am so much more confident about life and less timid and unsure about being a wife. We work so well together. It was not always like this but now I am able to look past his faults and love him for who he is and what he means to me. I can honestly say that I could not live without him. He is everything to me. He makes my life what it is.

I can't believe this year has gone by so incredibly fast. I am sad that I am not a "Newlywed" anymore, but in that there is some comfort. I have comfort knowing that if we could make it through that first year, we can make through anything. I firmly believe that. I am grateful everyday for the Man that the lord has blessed me with. For his unique perspective, his easy going nature, his warmth, his sense of fun and for everything that I am learning from him. I hope the next year will be even better than the first. I love you Michael Lambson!!!!!

Our First Christmas

2008-12-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas came and went way too fast this year! And it was not what I expected, it was much, much more! My amazing husband went above and beyond and proved to me what a thoughtful person he is. I really was not expecting anything from him for Christmas. We don't have a lot of money and it just did not seem like it was going to happen. My husband had all my gifts wrapped the night before and even snuck out during the night to fill my stocking. It was so cute. He got me several presents that I really enjoy; David Archuleta, a cook book, a really pretty necklace, a purple soft bath robe, Wall E and some other little goodies. While I was over joyed at how thoughful and well prepared my husband was, It was so nice just spending time with him. We put in our new CD's and just snuggled on the couch, and then we danced! It snowed like cr-cr-cr-crazy and we braved the snow and went to my parents house where we had a great time spending time with each other. Mom made a great Dinner and got us amazing presents. After that, we went and saw bedtime stories with our friend and then came home, made tacos (the boys wanted to try out the hot sauce that my mom had gotten mike) and watched Wall E. It was a great first christmas and I am so thankful to have a husband that loves me so much!!!!!!! Until Next Year!

Dear Santa, you can skip my house this year, I have everything I need....

2008-12-24T20:01:00.001-08:00

This year, has been a great year. It was the start of my new life and it's been an exciting journey with its fair share of ups and downs. This year, Christmas will be different for me. It's the first year that I have been "on my own" for Christmas- that is, this is the first year that I will not wake up in my parents home with a bother or sister and hurry out into the living room rifling through our stockings while Dad showers and puts his contacts in. That's what happens when you grow up. This time it will be different, I imagine me and my husband sleeping in, mike halting opening presents because he still has to wrap mine, opening a couple presents, then me going on facebook or something else and michael heading into the other room to read comics or whatever it is he does. Reality has hit and I am no longer a child. Although things are changing and this Christmas won't be the same, there are several things that will make this a very special Christmas.

1. This is my first Christmas with my Husband. we even got an "Our First Christmas" Ornament, although i didn't even put it up until tonight.

2. Two perfect angels came into our lives and came home just in time for Christmas. I would have given all my Christmas presents just to make sure they got to come home and be with my sister. Luckily, they came home right in time and we now have a larger group to celebrate with.

3. My inlaws will be getting their first home in 15 years. They might not move in Christmas day, but it will be soon.

4. Because I am short on money, I have been forced (in a good way) to really focus on the "True Meaning of Christmas" where as before with all the new gadgets and goodies it is sometimes hard to focus on the most important thing- Christ our Savior. This Christmas I have been able to focus more on the fact that Jesus is the reason for the season and count all my blessings.

Christmas can be a sad time because it is the end of a year; a whole year has gone by. I've been married almost a year! But it is also an excititng time for it brings with it new hopes and opportunities. We shall see what the future holds for us Lambsons. Hope it's great!!!!!!

The Lord Knows What is Best

2008-12-17T21:36:00.000-08:00

My sister has had her share of ups and downs the past few months. After going into preterm labor at 28 weeks, the babies have been in the ICU now for 2 months and one day. On tuesday, my sister was supposed to do a Room in with one of her babies. After she stays the night at the hospital with the baby, they can take them home. Well, tuesday she went to the hospital to get started and the ICU nurse that my sister has never seen and has never worked with the babies told her that they were not ready to go home. Obviously my sister was very upset becasue she was so excited to go home with her babies after such a long wait. I was talking to my sister and told her that there is obviously a reason why the babies couldn't come home, we just don't know what it is, but the lord does and he is protecting her. Well today we got our answer.

Yesterday, my sister was complaining of a stomach ache and nausia. This morning she woke up with yellow eyes and later at the hospital they found her stomach was jaundiced as well. They rushed her into the ER where they did some tests and found out that her gall bladder needs to be removed.

Had my sister taken the babies home, she would have had to spend the night at the hospital and would not be able to care for the babies.

The Lord really does have plans for us and he is aware of what is going on in our lives. It is amazing yet still difficult to trust in him and his timing sometimes.

My sister has grown so much as a person these past months and you can see her strenth and outlook on life have changed. We have come to learn more and more that with christ all things are possible; prayers are answered and the priestood is a powerful thing. How blessed we are to know these things and to be able to celebrate the birth of our lord and savior Jesus Christ, who has made all things possbile.

Christmas Time

2008-12-16T17:56:00.000-08:00

Well Christmas is officially on its way~ it sure did come fast. I can't believe this year is almost over and I have almost been married one year. Gosh how time flies. New jobs, new friends, new residency, new hopes and wishes. This year has not really felt like Christmas too me. In years passed, I always was so excited for Christmas; I enjoyed shopping and decorating and spending time with my family. This past little while has been really stressful for me and it just doesn't feel like it used to. I think part of that comes with growing up- and growing up I am. I now have so much to focus on and so many worries, I've been having a difficult time getting in the spirit of the season. I'm hoping now that school is over, I can begin to enjoy it a little more. Afterall, it is because of Christ and everything he has given us that we live in this country and are able to celebrate the season. I really am grateful for all that I have been given. While it is so easy to focus on the negativity and financial woes that my little family experiences, the good thing is that there is always hope. There is hope because we have a Savior and with him, anything is possible. I think this year is going to give me the opportunity to focus on the real meaning of the Season and try and be a little better. I am so grateful for Christ and that my prayers are with out a doubt always answered. We have been so blessed this year in ways that I never would have expected. So I wish you all a Merry Christmas despite the stress and uncertain times we live in, there is one constant and sure thing; Jesus IS the reason for the season.

More and Less

2008-12-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

This month has been one of the more stressful times. I know somehow (although I have no clue how) we will get through it. Here are some things I need....

More Money
More Time
More Patience
Less Bills
Less Stress
More Space
Less Junk
Less Worry
Less headaches
More Advil
Less Tears
More love
Less anger
More support
Less Criticism
More understanding
More hope
More Laughs
More New Beginnings
Less of the past
More Faith
Less Doubt
Less Negativity
Less Homework
More hours at work
Less Miles on the Car
More Gas in the Tank
More Hugs
More kisses
More Smiles
More Prayers
More Trust
Less Hormones
Less Laundry

I need my life back!!! Any suggestions???

The Best Thing I Have Ever Seen!!!

2008-12-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

So I got this email from my mom the other day and I thought it was the best thing I have ever seen so I wanted to share it with you!!!!!!!!! I only wish they would do it!!!

Thought you might get a laugh out of this...

You know what would really TICK OFF the Democrats...

Bush should resign now.

Then Dick Cheney becomes President (that would really tick OFF the libs!!!)

Then he appoints Condoleeza Rice as VP.

Then Cheney resigns two weeks later and Condoleeza Rice, A Republican,

becomes the first BLACK - WOMAN President!!!

Democrats say the Darndest Things!

2008-11-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

Here is a post of all the outrageously stupid things I have heard democrats say after the recent election....This is not made up, I really heard people say these things! Enjoy!!!!

- in reference to what the Damage Obama will cause "Things can't get any worse than they already are."
Wow, so when you have no home, no food, no money,no rights and people are murdering in the streets, just look back and remember what you said!

- "I didn't know any of the people on the ballot so I just voted for whoever had the coolest sounding name." Wow, and you wonder why our country sucks?

- "If you don't like it, just move to Arizona with all the other Mormons." Ha Ha Ha now that's just plain funny!

- "I am finally proud of my country"
Democrats, the epitome of patriotism!!! NOT!

- "I am so proud to have voted for the first Black President."
Excuse me, but isn't he only 1/2 black? What makes him anymore black than white? So would that mean if I ran for president and won, I would be the first Irish president, since I have Irish in my blood. This makes absolutely no sense.

- "I bet you I can find a thousand people that like Obama." WoW! is that all?

Feel free to add any of your own ridiculous things you've heard democrats say, but remember, this is my blog so if you write something other than that or in favor of him, I will delete it. Have fun!!!!!!

And Finally, A word of the wise from the Republican side

"I already have a messiah, I wanted a president!"

A little bit bothered.

2008-11-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

After last nights election, many of my liberal friends have been cited saying, " I'm so proud of my country. I'm proud to be an American." So my question is, You're only proud to be an American if your guy wins? That is devastatingly pathetic. Really, this is a way of saying, I'm proud that my guy won.. Having your guy win and being appreciative and happy to live in the country that you do are two totally different things. The only reason you were able to vote and express your opinion is because you live in America.- You should be proud no matter who wins because you have the ability and RIGHT to freely express and vote. If your man doesn't win, suck it up and be grateful to live in the most free country in the world, and don't just be proud to be an American because things worked in your favor. You should be proud to be an American each and every day because we have the freedoms that so many other countries will never have. Being a true American means graciously accepting other's differences and appreciating what we have, win or lose. And so I might say to those people, I am proud to be an American; but disgraced by your actions. People need to wake up. This isnt American Idol. This is America.

Time

2008-10-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

I didn't write this, but I really like it and wanted to share it!

The Present:

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning
with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening
the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during
the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!!!!

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it
credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost,
whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries
over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow". You must live in the present on
today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health,
happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of
today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to
a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting
to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the
train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided
an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because
you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.
And remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present!!

Holy Freaking Desk!

2008-10-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I think I might cry. Why? Because someday soon, I will no longer be able to live in my apartment because it is being taken over by furniture. Yes. That's right, furniture. This summer when we upgraded to a bigger apartment, my husband apparently thought that meant we could get more stuff. And stuff we have gotten. On saturday he went to an auction where he bid 5 bucks on a desk the size of a car. Okay, maybe not that big, but seriously this is the biggest desk that I have ever seen. It is 6 feet lon and 3.5 feet wide. Honkin! It was so big we couldn't even get it in the computer room , where it could be used as a computer desk. No, instead he decided it would nest in the corner and whole entire side wall of our apartment. I just want to cry every time I look at it. It is disgusting and ugly and cluttering up our apartment. I hate the thing. I want to get rid of it. I want my apartment back. UGH!

please disgregard the mess that is my apartement, it was clean until the desk came in and everything had to be rearranged. I want my living room back.

The Constitution in Action!

2008-10-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

I saw several things this week that I feel the need to share.

1. A man outside a car dealership with a sign reading, "Reno Dodge Stole My Truck. Diesels are Lemons."

2. A group of old men at UNR handing out free Testaments. Very few people accepted.

3. A Lone man at UNR with a sign asking people if they were interested in voting for ralph nader.

These three incidents really impressed me. While I might not agree with their viewpoints, faiths or political opinions, these people were out exercising their first amendment right, something that as Americans we should hold with high regard. I know it made me proud to be an American. It made me appreciative of the rights that I have. And just as much as those people were out there expressing their opinions, I have a right to say, "No thanks, not interested." I did however accept one of the testaments in hopes that it would give at least one person the courage to accept one as well. We have the freedom of religion- yet people are afraid of religion. They don't want anything to do with it, but i'm sure if they lived in a country where that right was taken away, religion would be a huge deal to them. Basically what I am saying is be grateful for what we have been blessed with. We might be having an economic crisis right now, and other governmental problems may be troubling us, but look around and appreciate the rights and freedoms that we do have and emjoy because it could be a lot worse.

A Forever Friend

2008-10-07T10:19:00.001-07:00

As you all know, family and friends are obviously my life. So, let me tell you about one friend who I could not live without in my life. I won't mention names but I'm sure but you will know right off the bat who I am describing. I will always remember how I met this lovely girl. I was seven, just turning eight. She drew me a pink bookmark for my baptism. After that we did piano, camping trips, sleepover and much more together. She has always been the kindest most genuine person I will ever meet. Now, 14 years later, this girl is still a major part of my life. She is like a sister to me, and even though I don't see her every day, she is there in a heartbeat whenever I need her. The impact she has had on my life brings tears to my eyes. I look up to her so much. She is the perfect example of Christ like love and honestly loves everyone and tries to treat everyone as a child of God. You can tell she cares for everyone that she meets. She is determined and a hard worker. I wish I had her drive and optimism. I know that whenever I have a problem or just need a boost, this girl is just a phone call away and she makes me see things in a new light and I instantly feel better. I am glad that our families are so close and that we can learn so much from each other. I honestly love this girl! She has always been and will always be my best friend so near and dear to me. And so I wish her the best of luck in whatever she wishes to do. I know that she will succeed, because she is just like that. I hope that I can be the kind of friend to her that she is to me. How blessed I am for such amazing friends. I will always cherish our memories together (boy we have some doozies!). I have grown to depend on her as a part of my life. A teacher, a strength and a friend- honestly what Christ is. I wrote this post earlier today and saved it on my computer so I could go to class. When I walked out of class, there was my best friend, sitting there happy as ever. Thank you for being such a great person and friend (sister) to me. Thanks for all the memories, advice, encouragement and smiles. You are one of a Kind!!!

unfortunately this post did not turn out as well as I had hoped. I had it all planned out in my head but the thoughts just started flowing and I just started writing, but I hope it conveys the message!!!

Taking the First Step!!!

2008-10-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day in the classroom at Van Gorder Elementary school. I am assisting in a 6th grade classroom which is the grad that I want to eventually teach . It was a great learning experience for me. Right now I am just trying to take it all in and learn as much as I can. I immediately took a liking to Jim, a toe head boy who underestimates his abilities but is sweet as can be. He was my little buddy; answering all my questions and making me feel welcome. Jim is one of those kids who has been labeled "learning disabled," and it is to his detriment. I think Jim holds himself back because he isn't confident. But as I did his worksheet with him, he was able to anwer questions that some of the other 'meets the standard' children couldn't answer. I was very proud of my little buddy. I know we aren't supposed to pick favorites but I definitely think Jim and I will get along. Anyway, the teacher made me feel very welcome and included me in the activities and I even made it into the Mrs category, my official school name is now Mrs. Lambson. My plan is to get my sub license and work with this teacher as I am now familiar with the students and the way the class is run. Some things about the class really surprised me: they use microphones. Apparently a teacher's voice is now not loud enough to override gabbing students, or they just block her out and now the school has resorted to microphones. Snaps. Instead of clapping, the class snaps to give praise. Lack of transitions. The teacher went from one activity to another- writing, reading, math. Boom Boom Boom. If I was a child, I don't know if I could handle that. I am glad to have this experience. It seems like it is going to be a fun year and already after a day I feel much more confident to sub. The students aren't really that intimidating. They even said I was nicer than the other assistant. Yay for Mrs Juliann!!!

Nurse Michael

2008-09-29T19:31:00.001-07:00

This whole thing with my back has not only showed me what a great husband I have, but what a great Dad he will be to our kids in the future. He has literally waited on me hand and foot and made sure I am comfortable and happy. He massages my back whenever I need it, gets me drinks, blankets, food, pills, changes the channel, and sits with me through the pain. Having him next to me and holding his hand takes my mind off the pain! He has been so good to me. It makes me realize how good of a dad he will be because he is good at comforting and making people feel good. I could not have handled this without him here. He is so sweet and I am grateful for him. I really hope that my back will heal soon and I can begin being a wife to him again. I haven't cooked in days and I just lay on the couch in pain all day. He even called in from work to stay home and take care of me (although I'm sure not going to work was the real motivation here!) So long, I think I'm going to go take a Vicodin....

Stick a Fork in me, I'm DONE!

2008-09-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

So this politics thing has gotten out of control. It is all my husband talks about 18/7 (he does get some sleep.) I have listened and listened for hours on end to his babbling about this and that. We have very different political views and it all comes down to this- I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Over hearing about this. Now, part of me really doesn't care about it and part of me is just so sick and tired of hearing about it. I tried to explain it to my husband like this ; "If you ate pizza every day for a year, you would get really sick of pizza. In fact, you may get so sick of it that even the thought of pizza puts a little queaze in your stomach (I think I made that word up)." Well to me, that's how it is with listening to him go on and on and on and on about politics and the evil, corrupted, out to get you and your mom Government. I grew up with certain beliefs and values that I hold very near and dear. I was never overly involved in politics, too me they are worse than a Sci Fi film (which ironically are michael's favorite kind!) My stomach gets nausious every time he brings it up because I am literally sick and tired of hearing it. I am like a burnt bun in the political oven- I'm way over done!!!!!! Nobody is right and nobody is wrong and I am sick of people trying to shove thier opinions down another person's throat. Afterall, there aren't really 'facts' just opinions in politics. It's not a fact that so and so is stupid, it's not a fact that the 9/11 attacks were a governmental conspiracy (which I believe is a disgrace to the memory of those who lost their lives). They are all just opinions. To me, politics is of the devil because it brings the spirit of contention into our home. And yes that is my opinion not a fact. I think I'll go join the party of "I dont give a crap about your nonsense anymore" Sounds ingenius to me!

Feeling Festive

2008-09-14T22:57:00.000-07:00

Can I just say (of course I can it's my blog!) that I am so excited for Halloween!~ It is by far one of my favorite times of the year. I love all the decorations and festivities. I am so excited about decorating my apartment, which I have already started a little bit. I like to have festive dish towels for every holiday, so I can't wait to bust out my Halloween towels. They are SO cute! I think the reason I like it so much is because it is the start to the holiday season. If I am going this crazy over Halloween decorations, can you just imagine what Christmas is going to be like? Awesome! My friend brought me over some pumpkin bread today and I think that really amped my mood up for Halloween. What a great time of year when it cools down a little, the leaves change and the cheer begins. I love Halloween! Now I just have to decide what to be...

Papa

2008-09-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

My father is an incredible man. He is the smartest, most rational man I know. My whole life I could go to him for advice or love or whatever I needed. I always felt comfortable with whatever my dad directed me to do, knowing it was in fact the best thing for me. My dad has impacted my life forever. He has taught me things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I greatly respect my dad for the man that he is. Here are some things that he has taught me:

1. "It's better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it." This was one of those sayings that Dad always said, and when you're little it gets on your nerves but it is very applicable to life. It taught me to always be prepared, to think about what you need before you go anywhere and to always be on the safe side.

2. Education is one of the MOST important things in life. He always supported us in our school work, checked up on our grades and made sure we had everything we needed to succeed. In fact, my senior year of high school, I was confused and unsure about school in general; where to go for college, what to major in. I will never forget the night that I sat down with him and discussed my fears and uncertainties about the future. He gave me his opinion and helped me decide what to do. I still remember the things he said- most importantly how much faith he had in me.

3. Don't judge people's jobs. He taught me that any work is better than no work. If somebody works at Burger King or is a CEO of a big company, it doesn't matter. At least that person is working and being productive.

4. How to manage money. My dad is a pretty well off man. We always had whatever we needed and everything that we wanted. I was pretty spoiled. Even though my dad is well off, he always taught us to save our money and be prepared for the future. He taught us to be wise with our money

5. Always leave a Campsite Cleaner than you Found it.- I think the Cooper Kids can appreciate this one. This was is motto when leaving guest's houses, hotel rooms and camp sites.

These are just a few of the things from my dad that have impacted my life. He has taken us to England, Scotland and Australia which I will never forget. I have had many memorable moments with my dad. I don't know if he will ever know how much I love him. I hope that I am making him proud~ I always have been and always will be a Daddy's Girl!!!

This one's for you

2008-09-07T22:34:00.000-07:00

When I was showing my mom my blog tonight, my mom wanted to know why there wasn't a picture of her on it. So I just had to add one. This is in Australia in front of the Curtain Fig (but you can't really see it) This one's for you Mom. Isn't she cute!?

Hurt.

2008-09-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

People can be so cruel. What I hate most is when you think that you know somebody and they turn around and disprove everything positive that you ever thought about them. Especially when you are trying to show somebody that you care about them and they are bitter and cold. Now, I have this habit of caring TOO much about people. When I was younger my mom used to say that I could feel other people's pain. This is really true. When people are hurting or upset, I want to help them, I want to fix it in some way. Sometimes to the point where I smother people. (I 'm a real control freak) But truthfully, this is just my way of showing somebody that I care about them. I also have a habit of getting hurt REALLY easily. So when people don't want my help or my concern, i get hurt hard. Family and friends mean more to me than anything else in this world, so when something is amiss with somebody that i care about, i dwell on it and i want to fix it. Always have, always will. So for any of you who I may have smothered along the way, just know that it honestly, truthfully means that I care deeply about you. The hardest part about all of this is trying to walk away without hard feelings for somebody that you care about. I also can tend to hold grudges. I know-bad. Anyway, point is, I don't see why some people act the way the do. Honestly folks, why can't we all just get along. Why do people have to be so mean??? That is NOT how it was meant to be. The plan of happiness and the atonement are for everyone and we are all children of God. Why can't we treat each other as such? I deal every day on the phone with people who are rude as can be- who have no care or consideration for me as a human being- and I didn't even do anything to them- they don't even know me. Society today is absolutely callous to the feelings of other people. I guess today is no place for a bleeding heart like me.

PS- This post is NOT referring to my husband lol!

Much Needed Break!!

2008-09-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

I do not want this weekend to be over! I have had a blast spending time with my husband and family and the thought of going back to school honestly makes me cringe. Saturday I hung out with my husband and went grocery shopping. Then we went and enjoyed some awesome ribs at the rib cook off with my mom. Saturday night we just watched some movies and snuggled up on the couch. Today has been a blast. I wanted to sleep in, but I was woken up at about 8 to the sound of my husband in the kitchen. He was putting together our crock pot dinner. He has been such a help around the house lately. It is such a nice change. He has made dinner 4 times this week which has been a huge stress relief for me, with starting a new semester and having a crazy-beyond-belief work schedule. I can tell he is really trying to do his part and help me out and that makes me really happy. He also did all the dishes today! Anyway, so michael and I went to the craft store today to get some stuff for the FHE we are putting on. We ended up with a whole cartful of crafts that he wants to do with me! I love my husband- not only does he like to shop with me, he wants to do crafts with me! We are having our friends over tonight and having the crock pot fajitas that michael is making and some strawberry shortcake. I love how fallish it has felt these past few days. It has a certain calm to it that I can't explain. I wish I could live in this moment forever! This weekend has been great and I don't want the good, relaxing times to end. School gives me a head ache. I think we should have labor day every week!!!!

Too Cool for School...

2008-08-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

Well, Another school year has started and I find myself thinking "Are you crazy?" I sometimes feel like a masochist putting myself through all this stress. I am constantly going going going. I know there are a lot of people out there going through this as well, but i do not handle stress well. I have been in school for three years and it feels like forever! 2 more years until i graduate and then I can teach. I am going to be poor for a while, which means, I won't be having kids for many years. That is a sad thought to me. After I graduate, Michael will be going back to school so hopefully we won't be poor for our entire lives! My Dad says that this is going to be the happiest I will ever be-when I am poor. I hope that's not true because I am stressed to the max right now.....I hope life after college will get better!!! Right now I'm just gonna hang in there- get through school, tolerate work and when I graduate, look back on all of this and laugh....Well, I'll try to anyway.

Family= Life!

2008-08-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

I'm Thankful For...

A Father who is wise beyond his years, who teaches me new things and gives advice, and always supports me.

A Mother who would do anything for my happiness, who lends a helping hand to anyone in need, who is able to calm a troubled heart, who stays positive no matter what.

A Sister whose compassion brightens my day, who teaches me to love, who is my best friend, who is so strong.

A Brother who can make anyone laugh, who is not afraid to be himself, who is talented and smart.

A Husband who makes me happy when nothing else can, whose smile and hugs brighten my day, who loves me no matter what, who I can share my world with.

A Dear Friend who has been through so much, who still remains faithful, who gives with all his heart, who is kind and brave.

A mother in law whose cheer makes me smile, who is so smart and hardworking and encouraging.

A Father in law who is smart and strong and supportive

A Brother in law who can make you laugh and is a best friend to my husband.

A Sister in law who is as sweet as can be, talented and beautiful; a joy to know.

My Savior who knows just what I need, who is there no matter what, who comforts those that stand in need to comfort, who gives me strength to endure to the end.

I wrote this a while ago and it doesn't even begin to show how amazing my family and friends are. I was blessed with the greatest family in the world. We are so close and would do anything for each other. Without my family my life would not be worth living. They are everything to me. They are my greatest support system. This is why my first post is about my family. They are the foundation for everything good in my life.

I was blessed with the best parents a kid could have asked for. Growing up my mom was not only my mother she was my best friend. My dad is the smartest man i know and i can go to him for anything i need. My brother and sister are truly amazing. I wish that I would have realized this when I was a child and had treated them better but I am glad that we are close now.

As you can see, I absolutely love my family. I am eternally grateful for all they have done.