The Life of Riley

Goodbye Utah, Hello California!

2009-09-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

After 12 fantastic years, I am moving back to California in the morning. I've found great friends and jobs, finished college, and become a semi-responsible adult here. It's time for me to go home and put it all to the test!

I'm so excited to actually be a part of my nieces and nephews' lives, instead of someone they see a couple times a year and someone their moms force them to talk to on the phone. I'm excited to get to hang out with my dad and brothers regularly and to get to watch sports and movies with them. I'm excited to get to see my mom and 2 sisters more often and be able to do things and go places on a whim with them.

I'm excited for snow to be a choice and something I only have to drive 2-3 hours to get to (although, yes, I realize it's not of the same quality we have here in Utah). I'm excited for more rain in the winter (yes, I love it) and still plenty of winter days where could choose to wear capris and sandals. San Francisco at Christmas, bridges, bay water, ocean nearby. Home.

I'll add more to this later ...

What I did today ...

2009-07-21T23:15:00.000-07:00

I got on Highway 1 at Half Moon Bay and headed South. RIDICULOUSLY beautiful drive! Especially between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. I really should have stopped and taken more pics!

Half Moon Bay

A little further south

Just north of Santa Cruz

Big Sur and a bit south

I'm in a hotel in LA right now and on to San Diego in the morning!

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

My vacation so far...

2009-07-21T22:44:00.000-07:00

So, here's what I've been up to for the last week..

I drove to Vegas last Wed and stayed the night with my friend Olive.

I drove to Dana Point in Orange County Wednesday morning and stayed with my old bosses' family at a loverly beach house for 2 days.
the kids digging holes behind the beach house
Laguna Beach
Dana Point at sunset

Drove up home (via I-5) on Saturday to visit family.

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

Hot Italian boy...

2009-06-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

My roommates got back from Rome, Paris, and Spain last week. Before they left they asked me what i wanted them to bring back for me. Of course my answer was hot boys; I told them they should take pictures of all the hot guys they see and if they could maybe stuff a hot Italian man in their suitcase for me.

The brought me back a 4 inch statue of this:

Perfect, right?

Love it!

I'm at 65 pounds lost now!

Goin' to the GYM!!!

2009-05-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

Ick! Let's just say there is one very good reason fat people stay fat. Really there are many reasons, but this is a major one! Exercising fat feels like you are dying!!! But, I have to if I want to have a chance at not having crazy amounts of excess skin after I've lost most of my excess weight.
I've noticed, in general, less back and joint pain so far during daily activity and when I walk down 5 flights of stairs at the end of my shift at work. I went on a few small walks with my family when I was home and noticed that I wasn't out of breath at all! Very nice change...
So, I've known for a while that I needed to get a gym membership, but I've been putting it off until I felt like I had enough energy to actually put it to good use. The time has come! I bought a membership to 24-hour fitness yesterday. I even swam laps with my friend at the Murray location on Friday. I bet you're proud, huh?
The nice thing about 24-hour fitness is that they're open 24 HOURS!!! This actually works with my crazy schedule because there is no way I will wake up early and go to the gym before work. So I'm gonna go after work at 3:30 in the morning. I'm oddly excited about this! Wish me luck!

May 2009 CA Trip

2009-05-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

I was able to go home over Mother's Day and had such a good visit! The kids were super cute and fun and I miss my whole family like crazy!!!

Some highlights:

Picking strawberries with grandma

Walking to the park with the kids

(this park is right on the water and is ONE BLOCK from my Mom's house! LOVELY!!!)

Diego and Miguel's baseball game

Playing at grandma's house

3 Month Update

2009-05-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

So, for the last few weeks I've been fluctuating between a loss of 55 and 58 lbs. A little bit of plateau that I'm sure won't last long :p

My friend Heather is a fantastic photographer and with some good timing, we were able to squeeze a mini photo-shoot in last Saturday. Thanks Heather!

Check out heather's photography blog at ayaphotography.blogspot.com

and her website ayaphotography.com

Weeks 9 & 10 Update

2009-04-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Week 9 down 2 lbs

Week 10 down 3 lbs

Total of 51

Re-introducing .... Bonnie's teeth!

2009-04-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

Do you remember my teeth??? They misbehaved.

So I put them in jail, behind bars. They did 15 1/2 months of hard time.

And they straightened out! They want to come out and say hi...

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

Week 8 Update

2009-04-10T20:15:00.000-07:00

Down 5 lbs this week! 46 total!

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

What do I do with my clothes???

2009-04-05T01:04:00.000-07:00

I already have lots of clothes I don't fit. If you know me very well, you probably know that I have spent a TON of money on clothes in my lifetime. I have already given away a small fortune in clothes long before this surgery. I plan on giving some of my things away, but I want to sell some to pay down my Lane Bryant card too.

I need some input...
Consignment store?
Ebay?
Something else???

Let me know what you think. I'm not willing to sell things that originally cost $45 for $1; I'd rather give it away if it comes to that.

Tell me what you think

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

Week 7 update

2009-04-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

So, I know I've been neglectful. Sorry :p

Week 5: 3 lbs
Week 6: 2 lbs
Week 7: 2 lbs = total of 41 lbs

Week 7 pic:

Week 5 pic:

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

Week 4 Update

2009-03-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

5 lbs this week = 34 total!

sorry, no pic

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

Week 3 Update

2009-03-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

I know my face is super fugly in this pic, but it's the pic I have to work with. I really need to learn to use the timer on my camera!

I lost 5 lbs this week, so that's 29 so far!

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

Week 2 Update

2009-02-26T14:22:00.000-08:00

So, I only lost 2 lbs this week :( Actually I'm fine with that; I think I lost so much last week that my body needed to play catch up a little bit. I'm almost into #s I haven't seen in 8+ years! Wow! That's a total of 24 lbs in 2wks & 2 days!!!

Pic to come later...

thelifeofbonbon.blogspot.com

Best healthy food blog EVER!!!

2009-02-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

SO, I saw this blog mentioned on my surgeon's support group website, and thought I must share!

http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

This is a woman who had gastric bypass several years ago. She has lost crazy weight and posts new healthy recipes everyday. They are all low carb and high protein. I can't wait to try them, because they seriously look fantastic!

Happy Birthday to me!

2009-02-21T23:59:00.000-08:00

I'm 30 today! Yikes!!!

I had a good day, lots of calls and messages from my friends and family. Love you all! I went to see Confessions of a Shopaholic with my sister Maryanne and Kristin, then we went to lunch [I was able to eat soup :) ] I loved the movie; they never live up to the book of course, but it was much better than I expected! Kristin got me a super cute dress that I love! My sweet roommates surprised me and took me to the ballet to see Madame Butterfly at the Capitol Theater; it was amazing!

Anyways....

This is an article from MSN.com (which I look at almost everyday - good overview of political, financial, sports, celebrity gossip and just general News. There are also fun and interesting features)

If you don't know me very well, this is shockingly accurate and will give you some insight. If you know me well, there are a few things that should make some of you Bon Bon Veterans laugh about pretty good. Let's see if you notice what I notice. I'll add an update later to see if we match answers.

--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--
PISCES FUN FACTS

"Understanding" is a most appropriate keyword for this gentle, affectionate sign. Easygoing and generally accepting of others around them, Pisceans are often found in the company of a variety of different personalities. Their willingness to give of themselves emotionally lends to an aura of quiet empathy. A Pisces is comforting to be around. Although not likely to be the leader, this sign's presence is strong and vibrant in any cause into which they put their hearts.

Friends and Family

Gentle Pisceans make some of the best friends there are. In fact, they often put the needs of their friends ahead of their own. Loyal, dedicated, supportive, and compassionate, Pisceans will take on any problem. Big or small, when a challenge arises for family or friends, they will be there in every capacity possible to make things better. Deeply intuitive, Pisceans can often sense when something is askew long before anything is said.

Pisceans are expressive by nature and don't hesitate to let those around them know how they feel. It's not surprising for a Pisces to write a song for someone or to buy a gift that is heartfelt and meaningful. They prefer others to be as open with them as they are. Communication with loved ones is considered most important.

Career and Money

Intuitive and often dreamy, Pisces natives are most comfortable in positions that bring their creative natures into humanitarian causes. Some good careers for this sign are lawyer, architect, veterinarian, musician, social worker, and game designer. The key phrase for this sign is "I believe." It's important for the Pisces to feel strongly about personal endeavors.

Inspired by the need to make a difference in the lives of those they touch, Pisceans are most charitable and will often go way above and beyond the call of duty. Sensitive, deeply compassionate, hardworking, dedicated, and reliable, this is one sign that really knows how to get to the heart of the matter. They can be excellent problem-solvers.

For the most part, Pisceans don't give money too much thought. They are more concerned with their dreams and goals than with money. Yet because this is oftentimes a component to reaching their aspirations, Pisces natives will ensure they have the money they need. They can be of two minds in this area. On one hand, the Pisces will spend, spend, spend with little thought, and on the other hand, they can become quite miserly. Yet in the end, there'll always seem to be enough to do what they want in life.

Love and Sex

Deep within the Piscean beats the heart of the diehard romantic. Loving, tender, and exceptionally giving, this sign cherishes intimacy deeply. They are passionate lovers that need to feel a real connection with their mates. Quick flings and superficial interludes do not do well with the Piscean whatsoever. In relationships, they are fiercely loyal and doting. They love to give gifts and to make the other person feel like a million bucks. Nothing is too good for the Piscean's love interest!

PISCES TIDBITS

Health
Each sign has a part of the anatomy attached to it, making this the area of the body that is most sensitive to stimulation. The anatomical area for Pisces is the feet.

Ruling Planet
The ruling planet for Pisces is Neptune. Considered the planet of intuition, Neptune rules dreams, illusion, music, spirituality, mystery, second sight, intangibles, and the love of poetry.

House
Pisces is the natural sign of the Twelfth House. This house focuses on limitations, hidden strength, frustrations, and the subconscious mind.

Opposite Sign
The opposite sign for Pisces is Virgo.

Compatibility
Pisces is most compatible with Cancer and Scorpio.

Color
The color of choice for Pisces is sea-green.

Gemstone
Pisces's star stone is the Moonstone.

Lucky Numbers
Pisces's lucky numbers are 1, 3, 4, and 9.

The Perfect Gift
Beautiful inspiring colors that make a home more beautiful, a day spent sailing, a romantic starlit dinner, a song or poem from a loved one

Likes
Spiritual themes, time alone, visual media, time to sleep, romance, music, swimming

Dislikes
Absorbing toxic people and situations, cruelty of any kind

Famous Pisceans
Drew Barrymore, Benicio Del Toro, Tommy Lee, Bruce Willis

Best travel destination
Scandinavia, Portugal, Jerusalem, Warsaw, Seville

Strength
Intuitive, compassionate, artistic, gentle, wise, musical

Weakness
Can be a victim or martyr, fearful, overly trusting, sad, desire to escape reality

Charismatic marks
Soft, sometimes frail to medium build, face easily shows emotion.

Best environment
On or near water, especially the sea. The movie theater.

--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O--O

I'm not crazy astrology girl, but that's pretty stinkin' close!

Week 1 update

2009-02-20T15:24:00.000-08:00

Long, long week!

I felt like utter crap until Monday. Started feeling somewhat better Tues and Wed, and yesterday and today I've felt great! I get tired way easier than normal though :(

I'm finally able eat some meat, but it can't be dry or it will get stuck (not fun! but I've been very very careful). I got a rotisserie chicken from costso the other day; I pulled all the meat off and put small portions into sandwich, them into one big freezer bag, then into the freezer. Works great and it's not the dry chicken (that I love) that you get from baking it at home and worrying you're going to undercook it and poison someone. So what I eat mostly right now is a mix of refried back beans, cheese, chicken, sour cream and salsa. Yum! Now, really if I could get away with not eating, I would. But I have to if I want to be able to walk further than the bathroom without getting dizzy :)

What? This isn't what you were reading my blog for? So sorry! Onto the informational portion of my blog...

It has been 9 days since surgery and I have lost 22 lbs! Crazy, right? My outside hope before surgery was to lose 20 lbs by my birthday (tomorrow). Already done! I can only really tell in my face some and in my feet and ankles. My tummy is still somewhat swollen from surgery, so no real size changes there.

I'll have to post a full-length pic later, when someone is home to take a pic (I'm not sure how to set the timer on my camera, although I'm sure there must be one!). But here's a little something something to hold you over ...

Sorry, this is right after I woke up and it's hard to smile at a camera when you're alone and not feel like a complete dork...

I've always loved my feet and ankles(many of you already know this) and now they look slightly slimmer. Can't wait for capri season!

Surgery is fun to do, to do, to do, to do...

2009-02-13T07:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, Virginia, Bonnie is alive after surgery. And she feels oh so awesome (not!). Liquid Lortab is nothing compared to the stuff I was getting through my IV pain pump. I should have taken full advantage of that sucker, but no, I was only pushing the dumb button like 2x per hour when I could have been pushing it 6. What a waste of good drugs!

Anyways, I had a bit of fun the night after surgery with my heart rate. It was only beating like 118x per minute while I was laying in bed. Yikes! A high heart rate means I could have had a leak or that I was dehydrated. I'm sure we can all guess that the problem was option 2, but I still had to get a ct scan. Has anyone else had one of these??? Weirdest feeling ever!!! I though I was gonna pee my pants.

Luckily the problem was just dehydration. They figured as much since I was actually feeling really really good a few hours after surgery. If you were one of the lucky few to talk to me, I know you were suprised by how awake and cognizant I was, but I tried to warn you all that I really am a trooper!

I had to get an upper GI test the day before surgery to see if I had reflux!? Yuck Yuck Yuck! Seriously, avoid this like the plague. Especially if you have to drink a bottle of magnesium citrate later that same day (If you don't know what this is, don't ask just Google :p ) Also, make sure that if you have this upper GI thing done, they give you a gown and pants that actually cover you up completely. Rolling around on a the weird x-ray machine while straining to stay inside your gown and drinking nasty barium stuff (they should just call it paint, I'm pretty sure that is barium's night job) is not an experience I ever want to repeat again.

On the plus side I did get to have a sonogram. I think I now know what all of you mothers and expecatant mothers have experienced. I got to look at my gallbladder and kidneys and saym "Oh, isn't that so cute and so special!" I thought the gel stuff was gonna be cold (isn't it always in the movies???), but the worst thing about it was the sticky residue and old-lady smell.

Now I get to look forward to a shrinking waistline, an increasingly healthy lifestyle (if you didn't know, exercise is really difficult when you're super fat), and teeny tiny meals. To give you an idea of my diet, yesterday and today I get jello and broth. Through the first week I get to add in yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese, tomato soup, or strained cream soups. I get to eat about 2 oz 3 times per day. At the end of the month my meal sizes should be up to about 4 oz. Yippee! By then I will be able to add lunchmeat, tuna, canned vegetables. I can have fruit in 6-12 months after surgery and corn and potatoes in a year. I'll be lucky if I'll be able to eat pasta, rice, bread, or tortillas ever again; maybe if in super small quantities. Anything that becomes sticky or gummy with chewing or digestion is VERY likely to get stuck in the dime sized opening between my new stomach and my small intestines. And if it can't go down, it will have to come back up. Fun!

Sounds like I should expect to lose 50 lbs in the first 3 months, 75 by 6 months, 100 by 1 year. CRAZY! The rest will come off a bit slower.

I hope this all doesn't sound whiney, but I thought you'd like to know what some of my experiences have been so far and what they will be. This will be hard, but I feel completely certain that this will be a very good thing for me. I appreciate all of your support and love and I hope you all enjoy the ride! I'm super thankful to my mother, who flew out last minute to be with me and to all of my other friends and family who offered/begged to have me stay with them through my recovery. I love you all!

PS - I am planning on friday to be my regular posting day. I'm planning on posting a picture and a weight update. My mom thinks I should let her take a pic in my underwear for a before (or slightly afer) shot. What do you think??? :)

Fat girl no more...

2009-02-05T02:29:00.000-08:00

Depending on how long you've known me, you've probably only ever known me fat. I was never a skinny kid, but I started really gaining weight around the age of 10 [this age happens to correlate with my parents' separation and eventual divorce, so I think I'll blame them :) ] At the age of 13 I was at my full height of 5'8" and weighed in at a whopping 250 pounds. So, yeah, you've probably only ever seen me very fat unless you've known me my whole life.

No, I do NOT think fat is a bad word. I've always made the most of my size and appearance, and I think I've done a good job of being a pretty hot fat chick. Unfortunately, the big 3-0 is quickly approaching and if I want to lose weight, get married, have children, age healthily (is that the right word???) I need to lose weight soon. I have family history of diabetes, joint pain, and other problems that being fat very definitely exacerbates.

As my other attempts to lose weight have been feeble, I am now announcing that my gastric bypass surgery is scheduled for Wednesday February 11th, 2009. I've done my research, I've wanted to do this for many years, and I am ready. No negative feedback allowed here folks!

I happen to have great insurance, so the process has been fairly simple. My employer offers 2 insurances, and I just switched in January to make this possible. The only insurance requirement was a diagnosis of morbid obesity (BMI of 40+). I had a consult with the surgeon 1/12, my insurance received the request for pre-authorization on 1/19, surgery was authorized on 1/22, yesterday 2/4 I was able to schedule for next week. How's that for speedy processing? This going so fast makes me feel like this is the right time and is really meant to be.

I'm really happy to have the surgery take place before my birthday and am looking forward to this new journey in life. It should be interesting to see the changes this brings and I feel very blessed to have this opportunity at this point in my life. I look forward to seeing a version of me I've never met :) This blog should be much more interesting and regular from now on.

Do you know Adele?

2009-01-11T17:05:00.000-08:00

I guess I'm a little late, but my sister introduced me to Adele when I was home at Christmas. Super super LOVE her!!!

Chasing Pavement - Live

Address for chasing pavements video - can't imbed :( www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz7vGW2_5c0

To Make You Feel My Love - Video (cover of the garth brooks classic cover of the bob dylan song)

Chubby girls rule!

PS - I'm sure you can all tell, but half the reason I post is so that I have easy access to things I want to access :)

Boys...

2009-01-06T19:52:00.000-08:00

This is the kind of post you can only do when you're single, sorry married ladies. These are the actors/musician that I think are super duper hot! In no particular order...

Justin Timberlake. I like him much better live than in pictures. I don't think he's terribly photogenic. Love his voice. Love his dancing.

Chace Crawford. Gossip Girl pretty boy. Oh so pretty!

Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Love his Irish accent. Love his lips and smile. Love the pretty blue eyes.

James McAvoy. He has the whole sexy brooding thing DOWN! Love him in Atonement and Becoming Jane. He's not my traditional pretty boy, but he's oh so hot!

Boris Kodjoe. Isn't he just beautiful? He seems to always play a supporting role in movies and be the guy who the girl leaves at the end. Baby, i would never leave!

Brad Pitt. Brad, Brad, Brad. Getting older, but you still got it! (PS - Everyone should be running to the theater to see The Curious Case if Benjamin Button! Beautiful movie!)

George Clooney. Clooney might be my #1. I love him! I love the sexy bedroom eyes, the quick wit, easy smile, raspy voice, and even the silver hair. Classic. I always loved Cary Grant when I was a little girl; I think Clooney is our generation's Cary Grant.

Who do think is hottest?

My Christmas vacation

2008-12-27T20:07:00.001-08:00

Just got back from CA last night and I thought I would post some super cute pics of the kiddies.

The first 2 are Nathalia and Miguel in their preschool classes. Santa came to visit, so I got to go with Billie. The little kids were so stinkin' cute. Some of them were scared of Santa and some were super excited. Too funny!
Look at the little boy's hands just to the right of my nephew (Miguel is the one looking at the camera).

We went to the Oakland temple on the 23rd and I got some really cute pics of the kids in the car on the way home.

Alanah with the new puppy, Charlie. Tally (Nathalia) and Miguel say Chawlee. Super cute!

Getting To Know You...Christmas Edition

2008-12-25T02:09:00.000-08:00

Getting To Know You...Christmas Edition

Mt friend Ruth tagged me and I thought this one was cute...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper only. Bags are no fun to open!!!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real! I hate fake trees! unless they're upside down :)

3. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day or later

4. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but I prefer the light version. Usually it's not quite so thick.

5. Favorite gift received as a child? Barbies and barbie stuff.

6. Hardest person to buy for? Friends. I never know how much to spend or what other people might already be getting them.

7. Easiest person to buy for? Nieces. Girly stuff is always easy.

8. Do you have a nativity scene? Somewhere in storage

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? Neither. Without kids, there's not much of a reason.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Something that came in a package shaped like a barbie, but wasn't a barbie :p

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? Several. Love Actually, White Christmas, A Christmas Story.

12. When do you start shopping? Whenever I have money

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Only things I have received from work, never real gifts.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pumpkin pie or mashed potatoes and gravy.

15. Lights on the tree? Of course!

16. Favorite Christmas song? Last Christmas by Wham or O Holy Night

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travelling is going home

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolf …only because of the song.

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning. Maybe one the night before if it's jammies.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? traffic
22. Favorite ornament theme or color? I love decorating the tree with simple colors. Our tree has red and silver ornaments, and then the pre-lit clear lights.

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Pumpkin pie or mashed potatoes and gravy.

24. What did you get what you wanted for Christmas this year? Yes. I got to see my family

Grandpa Bill

2008-11-17T16:41:00.000-08:00

So, a few of you might know this already, but my maternal grandfather died Sunday November 9. Grandpa Bill was obviously really important to me and all of my family, and I thought I would share some of my "best" memories of my last grandparent. 20 hours in a car each way gave me plently of time to think about these :)

1. Granpda pretty much taught me to cuss. Every other word or phrase out of his mouth was something like "shit", "sonofabitch" (said all together with no pauses), or "gdamn" (unedited :)). Grandpa also shared the word "housebitch" with me in the last couple of years, which is now a favorite among my coworkers. If you've been around me much, you know Grandpa taught me well.

2. I love bridges. Grandpa lived in Richmond, CA when I was little and we had to cross the Carquinez Bridge to see him. The Carquinez Bridge has a beautiful view of the bay and I remember clamoring for a seat on the right side of the car so I could see the water and look for sharks on the way to his house. Even though my Grandpa hasn't lived in CA for 20 years, whenever I cross that bridge I stare into the water below and think of visiting Grandpa.

3. Grandpa always had 2 packs of Wrigley's gum in his front pocket. Mom didn't let us have gum very often, so going to grandpa's we could pretty much have as much as we wanted. Even the smell of doublemint gum still reminds me of grandpa.

This also remind me of grandpa's generosity. Whenever we needed or wanted something, he did what he could to help us. I wouldn't say he spoiled us in the traditional sense; he certainly wasn't just handing over cash and toys to us. But I always knew if I had ever REALLY needed to borrow money I could have gone to him. And I didn't have to worry about money when I visited. He would buy the things we needed and certainly wouldn't let us pay at restaurants (and he loved to eat out). I think I only ever brought $20 with me for those month long trips when I was a kid; Grandpa took care of the rest.

4. Whenever my sister Billie and I got to stay the night at Grandpa's we would get to wear Grandma Edna's nightgowns. Edna was our step-grandma and was a much smaller woman than anyone in our family, so when we were 8 or 9 we weren't that much smaller than Edna. Edna had lots of those silky old lady nightgowns, but we thought we were such big girls when we got to wear them.

5. Grandpa moved to Sierra Vista, AZ (about 10 miles from Mexico) when I was about 10, I think. Me and Billie got to go for the Summer. We flew there (our first airplane ride!) and rode with them in their huge motor home on the way back. (Maybe it was the other way around ??) I remeber going to Mexico (my first trip out of the country), going camping and hiking at the Chiricahua National Monument, Tombstone, and going shopping. I also remember grandpa telling me I could eat whatever I wanted that summer if I promised to go on a diet when I got home :P

6. When I was 13 and 17 I spent a month of my summer vacation in Arkansas (Grandpa moved back home after a couple of years in AZ). I flew there all by myself and this felt like a great adventure. For me, Arkansas is a magical place; green as can be, beautiful views, lots of water, and lots of family. I loved the sounds of crickets and frogs at night. I loved sitting on porch swings at both of my grandparent's houses and reading novels. Grandpa bought my plane tickets nd I will be eternally grateful for that; if it wasn't for him those trips wouldn't have been possible. I got to know my grandparents and my aunts, uncles, and cousins so much better because of those trips.

7. When I was 21 my ENTIRE family went. Whew, what a trip. I'm sure that was pretty overwhelming for Grandpa and Edna (and Grandma too) but they all took it in stride. We had lots of fun with grandpa on his 4-wheelers. Boy, could he drive those suckers!

8. I went to Arkansas again last summer for about 10 days and was able to spend a lot of time with Grandpa and Edna. We took Edna to the hospital the night I arrived and most of my time was spent with Grandpa taking care of Edna in the hospital. She died a few weeks after I left and I will forever treasure my last face to face visit with both of them.

I will also forver remember driving on the 4-wheelers with my cousins to feed grandpa's catfish. I think there were 4 of us on that 4-wheeler and my little cousins drive a lot crazier than I would ever even think about. Than we would throw these little white pellets of food into the pond and the catfish would go wild; it looked like a little pond quake with all of them rushing to the food. Fun, fun, fun!

9. I love love LOVE grandpa's house in Arkansas. It looks just like any good southern home should. White house, pillars, wrap around porch, and a porch swing. All sitting on a piece of land as pretty as I've ever seen with a body of water in the background (Grandpa's water is an off shoot of the Arkansas river). There are only 3 bedrooms inside but they're all huge with huge double closets and fantastic views. The stairs are good and wide and almost impossible to fall down :) If I could build a house, it would be very very much like this house (with maybe a couple more bedrooms, though).

Tired!

2008-11-02T17:26:00.001-08:00

So, I know I'm beating a dead horse and I am completely tired of all the election hooplah also, but a guy at work sent me this fantastic link. It lets you pick which issues are important to you and how you feel about them, and after it tells you which candidate most closely resembles your views. I thought it was interesting!

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/select_a_candidate/poll.php?race_id=13

Eight by eight

2008-10-25T01:54:00.000-07:00

My friend Ruth from work tagged me, so here goes

8 Things I Like a Whole Lot
1. Fakey reality shows: America's Next Top Model, The Hills, Real World (also RW/RR Challenges), etc.
2. A clean room or car. - I know I don't have either of these very often, but I like them.
3. My hair
4. My college degree
5. Driving with my sun/moon roof (???) open on a nice day or a warm night
6. Ice cream
7. romance novels
8. My family and all of the ridiculously cute babies they make

8 Phrases I Say Often
1. "I'm just sayin'" - thanks Kristin
2. "Let's be honest" - thanks Josh
3. "Hell to the no" - thanks Kimora Lee Simmons
4. Anything I can repeat multiple times like "I love love love _____"
5. Anything I can exaggerate about in general
6. love you
7. "Thank you for calling ______ _______. How can I help you?"
8. Follwed later by "Have a good night" - I even say this when I infrequently work during the day. Oops!

8 Things I Want to do Before I Die
1. Have sex.
2. Oh yeah, and get married (in the Temple)
3. and have a few babies
4. Not be fat
5. Pay off my debt
6. Have a totally happy family. For a few minutes at least
7. Own a home
8. Write a book

8 Things I've Learned From My Past
1. Not to eat my emotions. Okay, so I haven't learned this yet, but I'm hoping to.
2. It always better to do the right thing in the first place; fixing mistakes is no fun.
3. Not to spend money I don't have. This has taken a VERY long time, but I'm finally getting the hang of it.
4. Time spent with family is irreplacable. Even if it's inconvenient or a journey, see or call family regularly.
5. Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Still working on this too :)
6. Save for retirement as early as possible.
7. Some things are really not worth talking about if they only result in an argument and no common understanding.
8. Buy low, sell high!

8 Places I'd Love to Visit
1. New Zealand
2. Paris, France (Arkansas too!)
3. Japan (to see Joy)
4. NYC, again!
5. LA (haven't been in a long, long time!)
6. Hong Kong (my Dad served his mish there and I think it would be fun to get him to go!)
7. The British Isles (this means I don't have to list England and Ireland as a seperate choice here :) )
8. Any part of Greece, Italy, France, or Spain that is on the Mediterranean

8 Things I Currently Need or Want
1. To pick the remainder of dinner out of my braces :)
2. To not have my braces on :(
3. Plane tickets for December
4. December to be now
5. a letter from my brother
6. a particular book to complete my collection
7. Mo' Money
8. to not work Saturday nights. Uggh!

8 Favorite Places to Eat
1. Bombay House (SLC)
2. Olive Garden
3. Eastern Winds (Ogden)
4. Jeremiah's (in Ogden, for breakfast)
5. Rumbi's
6. The Pie
7. Iggy's
8. Let's be honest, Beto's

8 People I Tag
Whoever wants to :)

New Stuff

2008-10-24T13:57:00.000-07:00

New teeth ... kind of. My orthodontist shaped my 4 front teeth some on my last visit. The first picture is pre-shaping. He also moved a couple of brackets, which may add a minimal amount of time but he said I am ahead of schedule. The timeframe was initially 16-18 mos from Dec '07, so I'm hoping to be done by the big 3-0 in February, but I'm pretty sure that's a pipe dream!

Now I don't look like I have 2 square chiclets for front teeth :)

Also, my new and awesome room

Do you like how I rigged up this plate holder to hang neklaces from? It was nailed into the wall at my old apt, but I didn't want to put any more holes in the new virgin walls than I absolutely had to.

Can I tell you how much love this song?

2008-10-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

You MUST watch this clip! New Taylor Swift song (White Horse) playing during Grey's Anatomy season premiere. Plus, the clip has a hot hot HOT kiss :)
(If you watch Greys, sorry - I know this is now like a month old, but I was talking to Melissa Leonard about this song and thought I would make it really accessible)

Busy, busy, busy

2008-10-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

So, in the last couple of weeks I've moved, worked a bunch of overtime, and been super super busy at work. Work doesn't seem to be slowing down much, with all of the volatility. My team did a little contest to see who could guess where the Dow would close today and I WON! Yippee! I won a package of Oreo's and guessed that the Dow would close at 9294. It actually closed at 9387, a record increase of 936 points up.

I know a few people have not watched the Sarah Palin - Katie Couric interview yet, so I thought I would post all 3 parts here. I know some people who have watched the SNL parody only, but this is even better. Once again, I don't hate Sarah Palin; I'm sure she's a very nice woman. But you couldn't write this stuff. This is seriously the funniest "serious" interview I've ever seen. It's fantastic!

Videos #1 and 2 are primarily about the economy and the bailout plan

Video #3 is foreign policy (and my personal favorite)

This is a really amazing greatest hits clip

Gotta love politics!

2008-09-27T00:32:00.000-07:00

Did you all watch the first presidential debate tonight? I watched my tivo'd copy when I got home from the Weber State volleyball game tonight (Go cats! We beat Idaho State in 4). I thought this was a pretty good debate, but my vote will most definitely be for Obama. Now, I know most of my very conservative friends will have the exact opposite view from myself and that's okay.

I seriously can't stand John McCain. Doesn't he bug anyone else? I don't like listening to him speak and I really don't like watching his interactions with others. I was cringing throughout most of the debate. I know I tend to be a bit liberal, especially for a Mormon. I respect his service record, but I don't want him running our country. I may very well have voted for a republican if their nominee had been someone else, but not him. (Not that it really matters much who I vote for since I live in Utah.)

Oh, and can we discuss 5th from the bottom of their class at the Naval Academy VS. President of the Harvard Law Review? I love how McCain said several times during the debate that Obama didn't understand or didn't get it. Really? Really?

So, I don't like McCain. I'm sure this is a huge surprise for you all :)

I thought I would include this video of Matt Damon hating on Sarah Palin. I think it's funny. Disclaimers: #1 - I don't think that celebrities are smarter than anyone else, but they are entitled to their opinion and have the ability to share with a wider audience than we do. We share our opinions when allowed, even publicly via blogs and such so I think it's perfectly okay for them to do the same. #2 - I don't dislike Sarah Palin, but I certainly can't imagine her as the President.

And lets add this for good measure:

Update...

2008-09-24T23:08:00.000-07:00

So, I'm moving. Yippee! Who would ever think I would hate living here:

I've lived at the Gateway for a year, and believe me, it gets old fast. The best thing about living here is that my commute is a 3 minute walk. There is exactly 1 store I can buy clothing at. There are a few for shoes, but if you know me, you know that's the last thing I need to spend money on.

Anyways, I'm moving to a house just on the other side of the highway. This will be much cheaper and lots more fun. Now I will have a 3 minute driving commute. Not bad.

I'm also excited about my teeth news. My next appointment is in a couple of weeks. If my xrays look good at this appt, I get to start the finishing phase of my braces. This means after this next appt, I may have only 2 to 6 months left! Yippee!

Hi, my name is Bonnie and I'm a TV junkie .....

2008-08-24T22:35:00.000-07:00

So, like the rest of the country, and maybe world, I've been watching ridiculous amounts of the Olympics during the last 2 weeks. Sad/glad it's over... (but I could watch Michael Phelps and the other swimmers 24/7)

I'm super addicted to Jon & Kate Plus 8. If you don't watch it you need to.

I love junk MTV/VH1/E!/Style/Oxygen shows. If it's about a celebrity or someone dating a celebrity or minor celebrities competing with eachother for something, I'm all over it.

Right now, I'm watching Big Brother. I only started this one 2 years ago, but it's addicting. And right now, when there's nothing new on, it's nice to have something on 3 nights a week.

I can't wait for the new Fall season. I must watch: Grey's Anatomy, the Office, Private Practice, ER, Gossip Girl, America's Next Top Model. I like to watch Law & Order, but can't commit to 3 nights a week. The only show I'm planning on adding is the new 90210; hopefully it's good...

Wow. I'm a loser! :)

Friends pics

2008-08-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post the pics for awhile. Sorry Girls!

Birds update ...

2008-08-06T15:19:00.000-07:00

The birds have proved to be very irresponsible parents. They have abandoned their undeveloped charges and I am left to clean up the mess. Do I push the eggs and nest over the edge or dispose of them down the garbage shoot? Hmmm...

Fire Videos

2008-08-02T02:55:00.000-07:00

Fire in downtown SLC!!!

2008-08-02T01:17:00.000-07:00

The building across the street from my apt at the Gateway is on fire right now! It's been 1 1/2 hours and it's going strong! Yikes! The following pics are in chronological order:

It was REALLY warm on our balcony at first!

This is the most exciting thing that's happened around here for awhile!

We thought it was done, but it came back....

The smoke started to drift in this direction, but the fire is strong

It's almost over!

The fire finally died down around 4 am!

Should I .....

2008-07-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

The bird at 3:30 am. Isn't this the crappiest nest you ever saw?

The bird at 10:00 am.

This is how far the nest (and eggs) would have to fall....

For the birds ...

2008-07-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

Misty & Dave's birds have moved on ... to my patio! A stupid pidgeon laid 2 stupid eggs on my patio. Then it and it's mate/partner/friend (????) started dropping off sticks and have moved on to make the most half-assed nest I've ever seen. They are now sitting on the eggs 24/7 ... on my patio at the gateway. You should see this stupid nest; it's like 3 inches from falling off the edge. Which I would like to happen. Is that mean? Now that there's actually this crappy little nest, I don't think I can chase the birds away and kick the eggs off the side. But I would like to. I just don't really want to wait for the little birds to hatch & grow up big enough to fly away. Plus, I'm sure I will be able to start a compost with bird poop if I let them stay. I'll post some pics soon.

What should I do?

Las Vegas!

2008-07-01T19:08:00.001-07:00

Did you know I love Las Vegas?
I had never been until 3 or 4 years ago and then my brothers moved there, so I finally had a good reason. I just went this weekend. Now only one brother still lives there, but I'm hooked. This is my tribute to Las Vegas... :)

--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0--0

Oh, little town in the desert how I love thee.
The sparkling lights and the soft warm nights, I love thee.
Trader Joe's and street walking hoes, I love thee.

$7.95 prime rib at the Golden Gate
and strawberry shortcake at Peppermill are great.
I love thee.

Flowers at the Bellagio.
40% off at Mac is a GO.
I love thee.

Most of all, my brother Patrick.
Even when he acts like a d*^#.
I love thee!

Can I still be a princess?

2008-06-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

According to my almost 3 year-old my niece, no.
My sister was in Disneyland with her 4 kids last week and put me on the phone with her youngest.
This is one of those conversations where mommy tells child what to say and child repeats.
Here's how it goes: "I saw Mickey. I saw Minnie. I saw Goofy. I saw princesses. I'm a princess."
Then I say, "I'm a princess too."
Without a pause and sounding totally offended, she says, "No you not."

Priceless. Thanks Nathalia.

Miguel's Birthday

2008-04-30T21:41:00.001-07:00

Miguel turned 4 on the the first day of my trip home.

Miguel taking a swing at his pinata!

Nay Nay's turn

She needed a little help from Uncle Daniel!

Presents!

The rhythm method ... it runs in the family

2008-04-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

I got this on the drive from the airport. Obviously, he didn't know I was recording.

More pics!

2008-04-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

Maryanne, Alanah & Nathalia

La La & Nay Nay

Me & Maryanne (These are the first pics of my braces!)

Me & Timothy

California Pics!

2008-04-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

My brother, Timothy, reading to Miguel and Nathalia

I bribed Miguel and Nathalia into liking me! All day long they told everyone, "I made muffins!"

Cedric swinging at Miguel's birthday party

Cutie Diego!

Gotta love this face!

California, here I come!

2008-04-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

With tax day being Tuesday April 15th, I made a very wise decision a few months ago to go to California tomorrow morning. Calls before tax season are crazy! and I am avoding the last 2 days of hellacious calls.

This will be a good opportunity to update some pictures, so expect lots in the next couple of weeks. The only picture to be found of my braces is located on Melissa Leonard's cell phone, and I'm sure by now it's long deleted. I guess it's about time I revealed them to the people that don't get to see me very often. Yikes!

My timing could not be better. My nephew, Miguel, will be 4 tomorrow. His party was supposed to be yesterday, but all the kids got strep and now I get to be there for the party too! Thank goodness for sick little kids. (from this you can obviously tell I am not a mother) :)

Updates coming soon!

I knew it!

2008-04-10T13:47:00.000-07:00

What can I say? It was meant to be...

Take the Quiz

The Post Office sucks!

2008-03-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd be a really nice aunt this year and send my nieces and nephews in CA a package of easter stuff. I got each of them bunny ears, a little peter rabbit book, and candy. I used those cute cellophane bags and filled five bags with cadburry creme eggs, cadburry chocolate eggs (with the hard candy shell), and assorted other candy.

When the package arrived, all of the cellophane bags were slit open and all of the chocolate eggs were cut in half! Evidently the US Postal Service thinks I'm smuggling drugs or weapons of mass destruction . . . . in candy the size of a nickel!

They're not even nice like the airport - they at least stick a note in whatever it was they violated to let you know they went through your stuff.

Next time I'll use FedEx!

Life is like a box of chocolates ....

2008-01-30T16:20:00.000-08:00

So, for anyone I haven't talked to in a while, this is what's up.

I FINALLY graduated from Weber State in May of 2007 and decided I was ready for some kind of a change. So, I decided to look for a new job. I initially was looking for an HR job in Salt Lake. I had a very good friend helping me through this process and a friend of hers suggested that I work at Fidelity Investments.

This sounded ridiculous! I could never possibly be a stock broker! They said it really wasn't that big of a deal or all that hard, so I figured it was worth a shot.
I started at Fidelity in July, took and passed my series 7 exam in November and am now a Mutual Fund Trader. I should start trading stocks next month, which is a little scary. This is definitely not where I saw myself 5 years ago, but I am really enjoying it.

I moved into an apartment at the Gateway in October and now have a 3 minute walking commute! Love it!!! I work a really crazy shift; Sat-Tues from 5pm - 3:30am. I know this sounds strange, but I actually really love it. I get to sleep in as late as I like and people who call their investment company in the middle of the night tend to be really interesting. This should give me time to write here too! Some nights are really slow and some are really really busy with people trying to set up trades in the market for the next day. Life is like a box of chocolates!

I miss my friends in Ogden and all of my former co-workers, but this new experience has been challenging and rewarding in so many ways.

I also got braces at the end of December. Anyone who knows me, knows that I've never really loved my teeth and have wanted braces for a long time. So, I finally went for it. Most definitely not the greatest experience of my life, but it will be worth it! I guess I'll have to post some pics on here :)

The Life of Riley

2008-01-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

So, this title is in tribute to all of the old people I talk to at work who love to talk about "The Life of Riley" when they hear my last name. I had to look it up; it's an old radio program from the 40's.

I have lots of friends who post here, so I thought maybe this was a good way to keep up and keep others updated too. I'll write again very soon and give everyone a nice long update on what's up with me.