and the winner is...

Miss Nebraska!!

say what?

I totally had my heart set on Miss Arkansas.  But hey...she was runner up so i guess i wasn't too far off.

And rightfully so...after that GANGSTER ventriloquism act she did.

am i right or am i right?

(any one ever wondered what the verb for ventiloquism is? ventiloquise? awkward. Christy has been stumped for weeks.)

who freaking does that? on national television? at the Miss America Pageant? And yodels?

someone freaking awesome. That's right.

And guess what? I was there to see it LIVE!

yep. I went to the

2011 Miss America Pageant

here in LV at Planet Hollywood.

Thanks to my good friend Tifani.

(she's a CPA...and awesome. and a big deal, obviously--inside joke)

I know what you're all thinking right now....that you're totally jealous.

And that you need cooler friends. :)

Anyways...it was basically the best night of my life. 

I really haven't laughed that hard in a long time!

If you ever get the chance to go see it live. DOOO IT!

christy cropper, randi stuart, ashley marx, tifani walker

there she is...(not miss america)...but miss arkansas! in all her glory.

oh and just in case anyone is ever wondering...

Wyoming touches the most states...but never inappropriately!!

bahaha. Homegirl really said that. 

date night: frank sinatra edition

Limo Drivers and Taxi Cab Drivers get free tickets to different shows here in town.

Every month it's a different show but the last two months were nudey shows. 

We passed, obviously.

But this month it was the new Sinatra: Dance With Me Show at the Wynn. 

I probably never would have paid to go see it...

but I'm really glad we got to put on our pretty clothes, and go!

I felt like I was at a Broadway show in NYC. 

(Most of the dancers have been on Broadway, and won awards of all types (like Tony Awards)

and it was choreographed by Twyla Tharp...apparently she is a legend in the dance world. 

Her resume was basically the entire program.)
Anyways, back to the show. It was great. And entertaining. And them peeps can dance. Seriously.

And they ended with "New York" and I was smiling because I really thought I was in New York.

And then it was over and I remembered I was till in Vegas. :(  

Those little tricksters. 

If you get the chance to go (for free) do it.

And Frank Sinatra has a voice of an angel.

I was surprised at how many of his songs i know, and love. 

(I totally remember when he died)

And thank you boyfriend for taking me on a fun date!

Isn't my boyfriend the best? And handsome?

Yep, I agree.

He met the ex-husband yesterday. eeeeek.

And there were no swear words said or punches thrown.

So I'd say it was a success. 

I'm just kidding. It actually went really well, and they both said it wasn't awkward.

Yippppppppeeeee.

Oh and on a sidenote:

here's what i woke up to this morning.

melts your heart, doesn't it?

Doug is watching Matix today because he is sick.

And Jon's family is all sick too. 

So he picked him up yesterday (hence the meeting mentioned above)

and has been entertaining him ever since.

Sleepover included.

{sigh}

greaser baby.

This is what happens when I'm running late for church and I ask Doug to help me get Matix ready....

BARFFFFFFFFF.

Doug convinced Matix that it was soooooo cool.

I freaked out.

Doug re-did it.

We settled for a "wave" instead.

Don't know what a wave is?

You're lucky.

Let's just say my mom thought he looked "so handsome"

(If that gives you any idea of how it looked.)

Oh well. At least we all made it to church on time.  :)

snow bums: singles ward brianhead weekend

a few weeks ago we got word that our singles ward and another singles ward was having an activity at a bunch of cabins in brianhead. luckily, our cabin was in the same cul de sac as the ones they were using, so i convinced doug to take off work, some friends to come play, and my parents to help watch matix... a party it was! we hung out at the davis' friday night, snowboarded friday and saturday, painted our fingernails, snowmobiled, and played games. it was perfection. i'm so happy that everything worked out so perfectly, and that some of my favorites could make it!

ashsmash, jalainer, sammy wammy, brynny baby, robin the great, and alexa almighty

robin is doug's sister and ever since the first time she came to visit me...she has been obsessed with our "toaster studel sunday" tradition. since she couldn't stay til sunday we decided to make it a "toaster strudel saturday" this week. she was stoked. and i am obviously a better strudel artist than her. it's okay robin, maybe one day.

this is sam. she's the cutest. she was dating one of doug's friends...so that's how we met. they have since broke up (sadface) but we have stayed friends ever since. she's my favorite.

matix got himself all ready for the snow...he just forgot his pants. good try sweetheart. :)

after the friends all left...the anderson's joined us and doug became quite the hit with all the kids. i wonder why :)

it was a great great great weekend. 

oh how i wish the boyfriend could always have weekends off. sigh.

progress?

as you know, we started trying to potty train matix several months ago...but unfortunately it didn't go very well. he just lost interested in it, and even would cry when we'd even suggest the idea. we decided to not push the subject as much, and just see what happens. i figure when he's ready, we will know. 

well, lately he's shown a bit more interest! he is still strongly persuaded by candy, but he goes potty in the toilet a lot now! he will almost always go in the toilet when i ask him to. we even wore underwear all day long last saturday. we had a couple accidents. okay, actually quite a few. but he actually went potty in the toilet, probably like 10 times? that's definitely a record! go matix!

oh and i should probably mention that he now "pee's like a man!" 

compliments of doug. 

that's right, we stand up around here. 

"the birdie game"

as i have mentioned before...i have a phone addict on my hands.

We have tried to limit his game playing on my phone to car rides only. 

{Of course there are some other exceptions, too...but you get the idea.}

Anyways...a few weeks ago i heard from a friend that there was an Angry Bird update with new levels.

A few days later, I finally got around to playing them

only to find this...

yep....Matix had beat me to it!

Can you believe a TWO year old had beat all these levels? 

And even got three stars on one!?

Some of those levels were HARD. 

I couldn't believe it.

today is 1-11-11.

pretty awesome, right? ahh maybe not. especially since there are going to be a lot of all "1" dates this year. Jan. 1. Jan 11. Nov 1. Nov. 11. I guess by a lot, I actually mean 4, but you get the point. Anyways, back to the point of this post. 

How do you know if your boyfriend really loves you?

Well...he gives you a pedicure just because you ask him to, duh.

(I just really really didn't wanna do it, because I'm lazy)

Yep, I have pretty toes again! Not that it really matters since i wear boots just about everyday, but it still makes me smile when i see them. It's the little things. 

Especially when I see the little imperfections. 

He claims that that my "skin" got in the way of "his brush"...pahhhh-lease!

But what guy would seriously give his girlfriend a pedicure? 

maybe an asian one? no offense.

Or one that really really really loves her, i guess!

I would never ever ever ever touch another adult person's feet. Feet are gross. I hate them.

I'm a lucky one.

Thanks Doug. You're the bestestest.

all eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a....

CIRCUS!!

I loved my last circus experience so much.... {yes, britney spears counts.} that I knew I just had to bring Matix when i heard that a circus was coming to town! (and it helped that they mailed us discount tickets to my work. Buy 1 get 1 free? I'll take it.)  We invited grandma and Kelli & Dylan along and made it a little boy night. The two boys love love love Panda Express, so we went there for dinner. Then we headed down to The Orleans Arena just in time for the "pre-show" to start. They let the kids walk the floor of the circus, and do all sorts of things like...ride a pony, ride an ELEPHANT, face painting, hold a snake, jump in the bouncy house, etc. Matix was stoked on the elephant rides, so that's just what we did. Luckily, he cried right as he was about to be put on the elephant (because he wanted to pick the elephant he rode on, not because he was scared). I say luckily, because the attendant thought he was just scared, so he let me ride with him for free! Score. I was actually super stoked! Who get's to just up and ride a circus elephant? and for free? umm...that would be me. Thank you very much, Matix. I owe ya one. ;) Oh wait, no i don't because right after we rode the elephant, he decided he wanted "ice cream" (also known as cotton candy) and I'm a sucker for a super sweet 2-year-old, and bought it for him. You're welcome, Matix. Now we're even. 

We all really enjoyed the circus, besides the fact that we were there for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS! I guess we got our money's worth, right? But dude...we were all pretty "circus-ed" out by the end. Except for the elephant part. I could have watched those elephants all night long. Why didn't anyone tell me that elephants were so freaking awesome???? I am their newest, biggest fan. 

Seriously. 

see...awesome.

they are making the exact same face...so cute.

see...double awesome.

Oh and these motorcycle guys... ya, one of them is not doing so well. He fell. Bad. And it was probably one of the scariest moments of my life. So awkward when the whole room goes quiet. And the lights turn on. And every circus worker runs out to help. And when I say awkward...I actually really meant horrible. It was horrible. But then they told us he was okay and was just going to the hospital to get "checked out." And by "okay" I'm sure they meant "not dead," because I'm sure about a million of his bones are broken after his super heavy motorcycle fell on top of him.... which in my book does not mean "okay." But whatever.

If you ask Matix what his favorite part of the circus was, he will say...

"the guy that felled on his neck. And he felled on his head. And the motorcycled falled on him. And he broke his neck."

Yep, my child is evil. 

(i have it on video to prove it...i will add it when i get a chance)

2011 wish list.

 {via}

yes...i finally got around to actually writing down some resolutions. but instead of calling it resolutions...im gonna call it a wish list....because these are things i want to do this year... but if they don't happen...then there's always next year :) Life takes unexpected turns all the time....this i know. But i think it will be fun to look at what i think the year will hold and then at the end of next year go back and look at what actually did happen :)

-take a photography class to learn to use my new camera. (in the works... with darci!)

-i'd also like to take a photoshop/picture editing class. (photoshop is complicated)

-get married. (ha, hopefully)

-take a super-awesome-sweet-killer-over-the-top honeymoon. (IF i get married, duh)

-go on a megley's reunion trip. (so what, i like to travel)

-take matix to disneyland. or sea world, again.

-get a new, real job. (preferably in my degree field)

-get a silhouette machine. (i think i need one)

-fully potty train matix

-read scriptures. every night. with doug. (we have done it everyday, so far!)

-save lots and lots of money. (min $500/month)

-show more gratitude to Doug for how awesome he is to me. 

-finish watching Gossip Girl...up to current date.

-start watching Dexter (I hear it's gooooood)

-give more/better hugs. (Doug's a hugger...i am not..this is problematic)

-eat at Maggiano's. (never been. i like italian food)

-take Matix on a fun trip. Maybe on an airplane. I think he'd like it more now that he's older. 

-make a blog book. (darci's is cute. and i.want.one.)

-live on my own/buy a house. (only if i get married...it just makes sense.)

-finish reading Breaking Dawn. and Eat, Pray, Love. (possible, but not probable...I suck at reading.)

-go to Egypt. (i wish...)

-put Matix in another sport. (soccer, or tee-ball...something...)

-go white water rafting. 

-buy a new car (mine is getting old...and oldie but goodie)

-go on a hot air balloon ride.

-whiten my teeth

-get new glasses. im sick of the ones i have.

-visit audrey and sara in washington d.c. (now i have TWO excuses)

-start going to concerts like i used to....

-be a better friend. and girlfriend. and mother. (we can always be a little better)

okay...im quite ambitious, i know...let's see how i do!

let it snow.

waking up to this much snow in vegas is always a treat. 

Too bad we had just gotten back from Brianhead the night before...so we were a little "snowed out."

But we still had fun in it for about five minutes before he was too cold.

this is his attempt at being excited in a picture for mom.

i may or may not have said.."we can get in the warm car if you wave your hands in the air and say "snow!""

he did as commanded...and we were off to dad's house.

notice the massive candy in his mouth....yep that's for going potty in the toilet. that's my boy.

 

i love the snow. but mostly if lasts for a day. once a year. :)

prayer.

i have neglected to mention the awesomest that is matix's prayers. 

Oh man, he's good. 

For the longest time his prayers consisted of three things he'd say on his own...before he'd ask for help.

1.)Thank you for this day

2.)Bless I'll have fun.

3.) Thank you for the food (even at bed time)

Well recently he has expanded, and even will complete an entire prayer on his own!

Some examples of things he's said on one or more occasion:

*Thank you for the bugs.

*Please help them to not bite me.

*Thank you for Lion King

*Thank you for Ice Age

*Please help Dexter not eat my shoes  

(Dexter is his dog at his dad's house...and he ate his favorite flip flops)

*Please help me be strong and healthy

I look forward to his prayers. They make me smile. Especially because I don't think he says them for half the week when he's at his dad's house. But he has reminded us to pray before food and bed on more than one occasion. I'm glad he sees it as a good habit. Maybe he'll be a good influence on his daddy. :)

However, he doesn't quite understand the concept of it being someone else's turn...he just repeats everything they say out loud, during the prayer. Even in church. Oh well.

two and a half.

i meant to do a two and a half post (in november) but then i forgot. 

so here it is....

Matix is Two and a Half...

going on Sixteen!

(as my dad says)

Sixteen is when he can drive. So he asks if he is sixteen quite often. 

Here's some things about Matix right now...

-He tells me he loves me all the time. and then we get in an "I love you more!" war. It's so sweet.

-He can't wait to drive. He sits on my lap and presses all the buttons.

- He loves loves loves animals. And is not afraid to touch them at all.

- His favorite color is still green.

-He's knows all his colors. and can count really well. 

-His favorite movies are Lion King and Ice Age. Movies keep his attention very well. Sometimes we get in fights because he wants to watch it a second time in a row.

-He loves to read books. But he gets frustrated that he can't read. So he wants someone to read it to him.

-He is the ultimate manipulator, especially at bed time. He will think of ANYTHING to not go to bed

-Because of this it takes him almost two hours to usually fall asleep.

-And since has been waking up later (around 9)

-He is scared of the dark. or so he claims. But i think it's just an excuse to have a light on to look at books at bedtime. He always says the same line, in the same tone, every night..."It's dark in my room."

-He often wakes up in the night and comes to my bed. If I'm not home for some reason...he falls asleep in my bed waiting for me to get home.  

(this time in particular, with a balloon still in hand.)

-He continues to think he is an animal everyday, and acts accordingly.

-We think he dreams about animals because he usually wakes up talking about them.

-He loves medicine and asks for it often

-Panda Bear (Panda Express) has surpassed McDonald's as his favorite food. 

-Sometimes he wants to eat dinner in "California"

-He pees in the toilet often. But only on request and with the bribe of a candy. Two candies for a "long" pee.

-He has not yet gone #2 in the toilet :(

-He HAS to be the one to buckle the top buckle of his car seat. 

-"trix for kids is his favorite cereal" he's obsessed. 

-He has really get manners. Always says please, thank you, and i'm sorry. 

-Doug is still his favorite. He got me in trouble with his dad for this one. oops. Even if doug is not an option of a favorite...he still picks him. 

-Most of my friends would prefer to hang out with him over me. I'm used to it. He gets all the attention but I don't blame them. He is freaking awesome. and always entertaining. He says the funniest things. 

-He likes to pick out his clothes.

-He loves loves loves his cousins and his "friends" and talks abut them often.

-He still talks about Halloween and what he wants to be NEXT year. And he thinks Santa is coming back to bring more presents. 

-pillow talk in the morning. in my bed. is my favorite. he cracks me up.

-He is in a phase of saying what he doesn't want. He does this with EVERYTHING.

(like what movie do you want to watch? Not toy story. Not Shark tale...etc.)

-He talks better than any one his age. And even some older than him.

-He's shy for the first 5 min of meeting someone, then he talks your ear off.

-My favorite quotes thus far...

"mom, you're driving me nervous!"

" the sun's in my eyes, mom. turn it off"

"_(mom, papa, doug, grandma)__, I need to tell you something"

"Mom, I'm talking to you, are you listening to me???"

Oh, Matix. You are the greatest.