{Greetings and Salutations}

The truth: I have been depressed lately. It is much easier to deal with now than when I was younger and could not articulate my feelings very well. I am wise enough now that when I feel it coming I tell people to avoid falling all the way into the whole of despair than is constantly lurking around the corner for me. Winter is by FAR the worst time for me. After the holidays, cause I can put my mind to work for those. Something to be excited about. But after Christmas I usually start to slide. I like to consider myself a "high functioning" mental case. Most on the outside I am sure see a busy Mom, a happy camper of sorts. But over the years I have mastered the art of the "happy face".

I was hit with some major-ish family "blek" kind of news in January. I spun out of control a bit. I keep all my "baggage" all tidy and kept away and every now and again I get tipped Topsy turvy and it all spills out. It takes days or sometimes weeks for me to gather all of it together again and regain my footing. I am thankful for family and friends and Jason who helped me greatly this time. I'm feeling much better now. Just longing for Spring and tan lines! ;)

So I have taken pictures and need to blog them. My kids are my anti-depressants. Staying in bed for days like I did as a teenager just does not work when you are the Mommy. So here are my meds....in all their glory!

Over the past month or so we have~

Taped our eyebrows up and laughed!

Had a "romantic" family dinner on Valentines Day!

Got some fun Valentines!

Went to the wards family dance! Very fun!

Had some McDonnies~

Played at indoor park.

Goofed with Mom!

Cried~

Made friendship bracelets~

Tried dipping for the 1st time!

Smiled.....alot....

Painted....

by numbers!!!!!

Went to the library!

And crashed!

So as you can see that although I struggle with depression, the Lord has placed in my some times dark heart, RAYS of magnificent light~

Did you think I died? It's funny how blogging works for me. Sometimes I just get burned out. But it's usually because I have nothing to say. But this time I think I have so much going on on my head that I am not sure what to say! Shocker! I want to be really honest this year and open up, but once you open things you cannot always put them back. Now I am talking crazy so I will end this post. I will sort through my thoughts and post more later! Maybe ;)

Hmmmmm?????

I will buy you lunch if you can tell me what is missing in this picture! A friend posted it of me on Face Book. Lunch as in Costa Vida, or McDonnies, or whatever you like that will not break the bank!

Oh my......

I am worried about the next 10 years.....if this is what they look like now!!! We signed the girls up for a little week long dance clinic at Centennial. They would learn a little routine and perform during half time of a boys basketball game. They were super jacked. And nervous. They practiced last Tuesday-Friday from 4:15-6. I have no idea how parents go from here to there driving their kids around. I was BEAT! They were a little spent too. But we got all homework done of Monday so that helped!
Unfortunately Jason was out of town at a tournament.....story of my life. My mom and I took the girls for their big debut! I did their hair, and because daddy was out of town.....I did their makeup too. Just a little blush, and glitter. ;)
They are growing up so fast. The performance was maybe 2-3 minutes long. They were SPECTACULAR! Here are some pics of my stunning little liberties!

On a sad note.....Jason missed the dance by minutes. The bus pulled into the lot as we were leaving!!! TERRIBLE!!! He was truly sad!! He loves his girls. Although, I think they scare him more than anything!!!

My friend Cherie hosted a craft night at her house the same night as the performance. So I missed most of it!!! :( I had a chance to chat for a while. We made these cute felt heart wreaths. I had not cut my felt yet, and was not looking forward to it. I knew it would be a LOT of cutting! Luckily my friend Jacki cut too many and gave me her leftovers. I had not decided on what color to do, but since there were pink, red and white cut for me....those sounded great!!! The girls helped me fold all the circles! We had fun on Sunday after church pinning them all in! Yes, I am in my pj's after church. DUH!

And this is Burke....not being helpful.

I still love you Polly Pocket. :)

Another Centus~

Remember last Saturday when I wrote that alien-ish story? Well this weeks prompt is good too! If you don't know what I am talking about, read my last post!


The prompt is in red:

She lifted the stack of letters from the ancient chest. These were of no matter to her. It was the chest she needed. After closer inspection she knew it was the one. The engravings were just as her odd, quirky professor had mumbled about. But what were the mumbles?? She tried to recall the lecture. Something about ever impending doom? That's what he normally babbled on about. I needed to decode these symbols. Our lives depended on it. I grabbed an old weathered page from my pocket. I had torn it out of his journal. He was dead now...

Saturday Centus

This is so fun! And it stretches you. I love to write. Always have. My friend Cherie posted this on her blog and I had to give it a whirl. Jenny Matlock's blog gives writers a challenge. This Saturday it was to write 100 (plus the prompt) word Sci-Fi story. It was hard but I did it! The prompt was "BEAM ME UP SCOTTY". Try it! It's good to stretch your brain! And let me know if you like it!






My wrists and ankles were blistered and bleeding, but that was the least of my concerns. I knew they would be back. Twenty minutes max is all I would have before I could smell them coming.

My mind was sharp and alert given the last 24 hours. Walking along the trail behind the barn, to seeing a light near the edge of the corn field. I should have listened to my stomach. Next thing I knew I was naked, plastered to a cold table. Like for an autopsy. But I was alive. Oh no...the smell..."Beam me up, Scotty".

Golden Globies

I am not a huge award show fan. "Yeah, you're rich!" We get it! I do however like the Golden Globes. I like how the celebrities are sitting at tables like normal people. You never know when the camera is on you. (Like when I saw Angelina Jolie re-apply her lip gloss! Faux Pas!....my theory.....maybe she is half normal) ......Nahhh........

I love love love the choices of clothing. There were a lot of Ewww Pretties. (good ewww) And a few What Were You Thinkings, and some plain old.....Now That Is Just Too Bad's.

So in order of TIJTB, to WWYT, to EwwwwP, here is my short list!

Enjoy.

Tilda Swinston: TIJTB.

This ensemble is just plain scary. I will get her some street cred for being modest, BUT modesty can still be beautiful. Miss Tilda looks like she took a dip in the Butter Cream bucket. Head to toe transparency is just not what I call red carpet.

Megan Fox: WWYT??????

Now you may be saying: "I like her dress". It's not about her dress, it's about her face. WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR FACE????? Nothing frosts my cookies more then a DROP dead gorgeous woman getting plastic surgery, and then ending up ruining a perfect face. I think she falls into the alien category now. UGH.....

Michael C. Hall (Dexter): WWYT?????
Once again, not about the tux. I'm just saying that if you know your beard is a different color than your hair........either shave or wear a hat.

Helena, Helena, Helena......

Two words: ODD DUCK.

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Now onto the Goodies at the Globies!!!!

Favorite Couple????????

Nicole and Keith

I love that she towers over him, not afraid to wear heels, and he is still beaming! Cute cute cute!


Best Dressed Dude was a tie! Between:

Zachary Levi (Chuck)

So dapper!



And Ryan Gosling.

I love a velvet suit!!!




DRUM ROLL PLEASE................................

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Ewwwwwwwp!!!!!!
Eva Longoria(soon not to be Parker)

I just thought that she looked a.m.a.z.i.n.g.

Happily Ever After

Our New Beginnings this year was based off of President Uchdorf's talk in Conference. You can find it HERE.

I was given the "challenge" to decorate the gym. Apparently I have the "touch". Hahahahaha! Most of the decor was borrowed by wonderful people in the ward. It was a beautiful night. My feet still hurt.

I wish for all the YW to know that they to may have a Happily Ever After. That they can BECOME anything.


Dina's Delicious Desert Table

My dress was used as a focal point of sorts. {and no, it does not fit.}

The symbols of the YW Organization

I made these cute "etched" jars. You modge podge a mason jar and while wet, roll them in Epsom Salt.

The look of the gym.

Amazing women. Stacy on the end was feeling rather short!

The reason we do it!!!!!

PS.....Thank you Dina and BAILEY for making me a Picnik whore. It's all I do now! LOVE IT!

www.picnik.com

Worthy News and some not so much-

I am not sure if you have been following the story of Ted Williams. It's a great one. He was pan-handling on the side of the freeway in Ohio when a video journalist read his sign and asked Williams to speak. To his astonishment the sign was right. "I have the God given gift of voice". When I was telling my mom about the story I said that if I were to ever hear the voice of God, I think this is what it would sound like. It's amazing, deep, rich and has a huge story behind it. I won't go all into it. You should google him and read for yourself.

The reason why I am posting this is because we all have had our down and out times. I don't think that most of us became addicted to crack and became homeless, but I know that I have struggled with depression for my entire life. I know that there are times when my lows are really low. That is why I am so thankful for a Father in Heaven who no matter how low we get, never leaves us alone. Ted was granted a second chance. The job offers are rolling in. He was reunited with his mother Julia after 10+ years of estrangement. She had some words for him. But the most touching part was that when they saw each other Ted called out "Mommy....Mommy". I think that no matter how old you are a child still needs their Mommy.

The Lord is forgiving.

In other not so news worthy news.....

This man gets scum bag of the year award. And we are still in January. 2011 is gonna be a long year for Mr. Edwards.

A new year, a new me....

Well, a new year, same me, but more honest this go round!

As you may have noticed I changed the name of my blog from Ramblings of a Blogaholic to the Evolution of Alli: A story of how a girl went from there to here!

I decided a while back that I was going to take a new approach to my blog this year. That I was going to be more HONEST. Now, I am honest, but I don't think people really know who I am. I only let you see what I want you to see. And I only let people get a certain distance to me before I decide they are too close and I push them away in one way or another.

So I thought I would capture a pretty regular day in my home.

Exhibit A: LAUNDRY. My arch nemesis. This is what my family room couch looks like almost all the time. I am thankful I have a front room where people can sit if they stop by. If the laundry ever makes it in there....I'm screwed.

This is me at 11am. Still in my jammies, hair in a pony nub, glasses on, teeth not brushed. And yes, I have gone out in public today. Natalie forgot her lunch and I had to run it into the school. My thought? I'm sure they have seen worse. I hope.

Exhibit B: MY FLOORS. This is a pile of who knows what that I swept up today. I know I just swept, so this cannot be more than a day or two of grossness. You can thank Burke for the giant Rhode's rolls that he chucked off the table last night during dinner.

PS. I have a very strict rule on sweeping up my children's precious treasures. If it's on the floor more than once and I have to rescue it from this pile? It goes bye bye!

Exhibit C: CRAFTING/SEWING. This is fabric for a birthday gift for my sister Megan. I bought it a few weeks ago in hopes of making another reversable apron. Her birthday is today. Sorry Meg.

And last but not least in my post of shame.

Exhibit.....I lost track. Anyways.

This is a basket of shoes I asked the kids to collect so they could be taken back upstairs to their rightful spots. I asked them on Sunday and it is Tuesday. That's right. I have walked past this basket for 3 days now. It is accompanied by other miscellaneous things that end up at the bottom of our stairs.

Now let's get one thing straight about this post. I am not airing my dirty laundry, it was clean. And two, I do not want you to feel sorry for my kids. :)

No really, in all seriousness I just wanted you to take a step back and realize that nobody can do it all. We all have piles of crumbs, or clean laundry calling our name to be put away while we watch the Bachelor.

Nobody is perfect. But everyday we can sweep a little, or tackle a basket or a project.

Happy Father's Day~

WHAT? You heard me! Happy Father's Day Jason and Scott! It's only been 6 months since Candace and I got your gifts! I ran into a really good deal for Fast Lanes indoor Go Cart racing in May. I was able to talk Candace into getting them too so we could go together! Nothing like an expiration date to motivate you! Dec 31st! Woo! We almost did not make it!

Jason was the only one that had raced before. Although Scott was a Pro. Candace and I were the only girls in the race. We did pretty good too! I actually had a TOTAL blast! Who knew I was a Speed Demon? I kept up with those boys pretty darn good! As well as the other 8 dudes we did not know.

Candace and I are going to start a street gang.

This is going to be on our posters:

Giving my stud a Victory kiss before the race. What victory you say? Marrying me!

We are blessed~

I know you really cannot tell how blessed I am in this picture of Jason putting me in a head lock. But I am. We had a wonderful Christmas. We had so many special Santa's that made it a miracle! We are blessed beyond words~ Literally, I cannot breathe in this picture.

I don't think Graden can either! He is getting the royal tickle treatment from cousin Austin!

The girls had a great time at the Crazy Cousin Extravaganza. We all did!


This is my favorite picture of the night~

MERRY CHRISTMAS!