Heather Hite and Family

I haven't been in hiding.......

2012-01-02T13:31:00.000-08:00

.....I've just been extremely busy. I wish I had something clever or witty to add to that, but frankly, *sigh* I just don't have the energy. As my usual lately, I'm going to give the quick and dirty rundown of the past six months (let's see if I can remember everything, but there are a few blackout periods). Since the move, I've been to the beach with my bestie.... I went to see Joan Jett in concert (amazing concert--she kicks a**) Sabby the kitty joined our household.... I've been to the Snitz Fest and the PA Rennaisance Faire with Mama.... Interesting pickle, is it not? I've had an amazing Halloween.... I've had an extremely fun "Weekend with the Girls"... I've thrown a "Breaking Dawn" party.... I've partied with the Gals at the UDS Christmas party....
06" /> I've had a visit from my auntie.... I've gone to Hershey with Melissa and Carol.... And I've celebrated New Year in New York City....

Spring and Summer Rundown.....

2011-07-18T15:43:00.001-07:00

I never thought I'd say this (because as most people who know me know I prefer colder weather) but I am REALLY enjoying the warm weather. Maybe it's because it was such a miserable (and freaking LONG) winter, but usually right about now I'm done with the hot and praying for an end. Not so this year. It's actually been quite a mild summer and though there's been mostly work work work and lots to take care of, there has been the occasional burst of frivilous fun. Going back a while to Easter, mom and I had a great time preparing little handmade paper baskets for the kids in my church class. I teach the 4-5 year-olds and I love them to pieces. I must admit that mom did most of the work (ok, I helped make the paper "grass") but we were both pleased with the finished product and the kids loved them. By the way, I made the dress because I wanted something very springy and I thought making it would be better than trying on a zillion dresses that don't fit right. The next fun event of my summer was beach trip number one with the gals I work with. This year we had an addition....Melissa's other attendant Amanda Browne!!!! A few highlights..... And yet more fun at the beach (This time Wildwood) with my bestie Amanda Boyd. (Too many Amandas, I know.)
And finally, the last event of the summer so far has been the big move. Mom and I decided we'd had it with apartments and with my dad's help, we bought a house. Needless to say, despite the nightmare (and severe panic attacks) that comes with moving is all worth it because we love our new place! It's three stories so these pics aren't the whole house, but you get the general idea.

Paris Vacation

2011-03-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to blog about my Paris trip for quite some time...two months to be exact, and then I think of my little computer I usually blog on and the sheer volume of pictures I want to upload to my blog, and I think "there's no way". See, my computer is a little tiny Acer the size of a tiny notebook. It's great for certain things, but not for picture uploading. Takes forever. And the computer and I have had more than one argument about it. So I finally managed to steal some time on my mom's computer to do the dirty work. Ta-Da! It's much easier. So I'll do a little pictorial tour of our journey and let's hope we don't have too much "picture overload". (Having said that, you've been warned.)

So the pictures of us on the plane got mysteriously erased from my phone, so you'll just have to pretend there's a picture on here of us taking off. If you really want to see it, just look at my facebook page. For some reason it's not letting me transfer it.

We left from Philadelphia in the evening and they gave us a few blessed hours of quiet (which we didn't sleep because it wasn't time for sleep back in the US) and at 5:30 Europe time (11:30 home time) they woke us up for breakfast. No, I don't wake up in the middle of the night to eat, but thanks so much airline attendants. Needless to say, when we landed in Frankfurt, we were pretty tired. We had a very long layover there so we decided not to waste an entire day at the airport. I had done some internet searching and found a small medieval town 15 minutes away on the high speed train so we hopped on to that and headed over for a little sightseeing.

We spent the day exploring this town, called Limburg, which was started in the 1300s. Some of the original buildings are still standing and it's easy to tell which ones. They literally lean at the top. It's a very facinating to see.

We headed back to the airport, and after much running around ("Oh, your flight's canceled and the next one leaves in just a few minutes") and being frisked by a German security lady (boy, does SHE have an interesting job) we ran to our gate to find that our flight was delayed. We were tired and annoyed.
Then we finally got into the Paris airport. We traveled around there looking for our train, found it and then after struggling to buy a ticket, we finally made it into Paris and eventually found our stop. Keep in mind that we were dragging all of our luggage through the metro stations. When we stepped out of the metro stop, the first sight that greeted us was the Eiffel Tower--almost like it was saying "Welcome to Paris!". So we quickly checked into our hotel and rushed back outside to take a few pictures. Yeah, it was one in the morning and we had been up for about 48 hours straight, but it was so exciting to finally be there that we didn't care.

The next day, we had one thing in mind--The Eiffel Tower. Up close this time. We walked down the streets, meeting a few nice french people that set us on the right way (and by the way, french people are not rude, they're quite nice, and when you try to speak in French to them, they give you a "You're so cute for trying" smile and speak English back to you. I guess they could see a lost cause, but I did try). We finally made it to the Champs du Mars (according to the nice man, that's where the best picture is from) and began snapping pictures furiously. I'll spare you and just share a few.

We then froze our butts off going back to the Metro--and because we were so dang cold we decided to go up the tower later and go someplace indoors. While we were buying our tickets for the metro, there were some American ladies (the first Americans we encountered) who mentioned that they were going to Notre Dame--fine idea, since Notre Dame is indoors. So we headed over there. It is AMAZING! I can't imagine the time it took to put all the detail into this absolute gem of Paris. I had to settle on seeing the gargoyles from the postcards as they are to high up to see from ground level, but there was still plenty to marvel at. And the best part was that there was a service going on while we were there so there was chanting throughout the entire building. It really enhanced the experience.

Unaware of the historical sights we were passing, we wandered around the area, had dinner in a local cafe, and headed home.
The next day we headed to the Louvre. It's everything to be expected--even the Louvre itself is a piece of art--and it's too much to post all the beautiful pieces. Here's some of my favorites.

We then went for a walk. A very LONG walk. See, we thought the Champs Elysee was rather near, just past the garden at the end of the Louvre right? Wrong. More like two miles past. We did find up this street, the Place de la Concorde where all the bloody history of the revolution took place, and strangely enough, they have a ferris wheel right next to it. A little inappropriate, but oh well.
Once we hit the Champs Elysee, we found the largest Sephora you will every see. Apparently that was where it began, so dropping sixteen Euros on an eyeshadow almost seemed like a must. At the end of said Champs Elysee, there's the Arc de Triomphe. Quite beautiful at night, all lit up.

The next day we started out with the Pompidou Center for modern art. In French class in high school, my teacher would show us french educational films and at the beginning, it would show the fountain at the Pompidou Center, most notable for me was the lips that spit water. So I was very disappointed that they had the fountain shut down and taken apart for winter cleaning.

The center itself is quite fun (it's an inside-out building) and the view from the top was amazing.

Having nothing too urgent on our agenda, we took a Parisien walk. Some photos from that venture...

The next day was my birthday, and after much discussion, I decided I wanted to go to Versailles for a day trip. There's not much one can say about it, other than it's incredible. I thought I'd be disgusted with the wealth that was wasted on the palace, but to be honest, the french hold it as one of their precious jewels of history (even though their ancestors killed the monarchy because of it) and so I just enjoyed it.

That night we had intended to go on a cruise of the Seine, but we were unable to make it, so we got all dressed up and went out to dinner for the big 3-0!

The next day was our final one, so we wanted to make it good. Mom had been mentioning the catacombs of Paris since we first started planning our vacation there, so even though I really wasn't excited about that, I thought I'd play along. There's some really interesting history about the catacombs, but for the most part, the story goes like this-- In the 1800s, the evacuated all the cemeteries of Paris and put them in these underground quarries. They even stacked the bones artfully. Its cool to go there but I wouldn't want to go back. By the time we ascended the 30 meters back up to the surface, we'd never been so happy to leave a place in our lives.

We thought it would be a good idea to see the Sacre Couer, which is up at the top of this very enormous staircase, so we did. The view of Paris from up there was another beauty, but my pictures just don't do it justice.

We were finally at the end of our trip, and we decided after having a quick bite to eat on the Champs Elysee, that we would regret it if we didn't go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. So even though it was almost 11 at night, we decided to give it a go. Even though it was a rainy night, we got some of the best pictures of the Eiffel Tower that we'd gotten our entire trip.

It definitely ended our trip with a bang. I can't wait to go back. Maybe next time in the summer or spring. It's the most beautiful city on earth, and I felt completely at home there. Everyone should get a chance to experience Paris.

Anxiety--The biproduct of life in the 21st century

2010-11-11T05:56:00.000-08:00

Does anybody escape anxiety? Personally, I don't think so (I may be overgeneralizing here, y' never know) but if you don't, please let me in on your secret. As I look around at daily life of the average American, it seems that it's no wonder that everybody and their dog nowadays is on some form of brain-altering chemicals. Maybe my schedule is more cram-packed than most, but lately I've become aware of my anxiety level and how it just increases at the drop of a hat and I can't seem to control it. It happens and I don't even realize it until I'm in a really pissy mood and taking it out on those closet to me. The problem for me is that I've had an anxiety dis0rder my whole life and manage it quite well with medication and techniques that I've learned over the years. My panic attacks usually came in the form of rapid heartbeat, crying and pacing, and shaking my hands. I would panic about things that weren't logical--a toilet that was running without stopping, a faucet that was dripping, an air conditioner that wouldn't stop running--all things that I felt I HAD to stop. Sometimes I'd panic over nothing at all. These extreme attacks were usually short lived (except for one instance where it lasted for 48 hours) and I could eventually gain control of myself. Let me just say for the record that medication is a God-send.
Here's the problem I'm facing now, however. My anxieties now are very different. They are about real problems like bills being paid and trivialities that need dealt with. They are about forgetting some radom but important appointment, or a commitment that I've completely forgotten about until the last minute. All things that everyone stresses out over from time to time. My brain, however? It can't seem to let it go. Instead of the flashing lightinging of a panic attack, it's a low simmer that just never lets up. And if I DO stop and relax for five minutes, I'm struck with a horrible voice in my head that says "Hey, Heather, you're not stressing over something right now...I'm sure there's SOMETHING you should be worried about. Get busy stressing." Which then leads me to search frantically in my brain for anything I might be missing, forgetting, etc. It leaves me with two options--keep myself so darn busy that I can't think of anything at all (which usually leads to me forgetting the important things...round and round we go) or just put up with the constant burning anxiety in my gut. And I mean that literally--it churns around in my stomach and I can actually feel it.
So what's the answer? I know for most people, dealing with anxiety is mostly about control, so I'm trying. But when life is so OUT of control, which are the things we hold on to and focus on? What's more important--paying the phone bill or having an in depth conversation with a loved one? I've decided that I have a new motto. "What EVA!" Yep. Next time some stupid cop gives me a ticket for parking in front of my own apartment but it just happens to be street cleaning day and that ticket gets forgotten and now I owe one hundred dollars instead of twenty, I'm gonna say "What EVA!". Because I just can't control everything. And when I'm feeling so depressed because I feel like these things happen to me too much, I'll just remember that these things are silly, small, and not nearly as plentiful as the really beautiful things in life that the Lord is showing me every single day. I've got so much to love about my life and look forward to that, darn it, the anxiety is just going to have to take a leave of absence.

PS--Anyone out there know of a great Dr@id app that organizes your scedule and sends out alerts? That would really help all the little things I'm trying to keep track of! Might as well put the technology to good use.

Fabulous Fall

2010-10-09T11:37:00.000-07:00

I really do love the fall. Anticipation of the holidays, very temperate weather--yes, there's lots to love about it. This one so far has been no exception.
A couple of weeks ago, mom and I got to go to the Pennsylvania Rennaisance Fair for their "Scottish Weekend Celebration". Being a McDonald was apparently enough of a reason to attend!

We started out with some funny signs...

We enjoyed some funky treats.....

It was a chocolate covered frozen banana, in case you were wondering. And for the record, it was better than ice cream.

We tried on some hats and masks at the costume store...

We rode wild animals....

And of course, at the end of the day, we attended the joust.

The other noteable event this fall is that I got a new camera! Nothing too fancy, but its an upgrade from the one I've got. I've been snapping photos at random to test it out and here are some of my favorites...

Summer Wrap-up

2010-08-11T17:27:00.001-07:00

...Here's hoping it's coming to an end! I can't stand this stinking heat. Remind me of this in February when we're buried under four feet of snow, m'kay?
Anyway, summer has been a great one, and despite my extreme schedule, I manage to find some time for some extreme fun as well.
Went up to the mountains again with the girls for the fourth of july. We spent the day in a lake....

My friend Sara and I spent the hottest evening of the summer (I kid you not--by the time we left around ten it was still ninety-five degrees with about 200% humidity) watching "A Midsummer Night's Eve" at Millersville University. A very fun play, one of my favorites.

Mom and I had tons of fun at a Train/John Mayer concert. John Mayer was a little disappointing, but we loved Train.

So now I'm ready for fall....please?

Fun in Ocean City

2010-06-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last week was our annual trek to the beach--in a brand new van for Melissa! We got to take Melissa actually down to the water this year thanks to her brand new chair (not going to mention how much it costs) and you can just tell by the look on her face how she felt about it.

The Lord smiled down on us one evening with this absolutely incredible rainbow. Never seen anything like it. And it was a complete one too. Unfortunately, upon further investigation, no pot of gold was found at the ends--I checked both.

I got on the Double Shot--again. Screamed the entire thirty seconds of the ride.

Oh, and I got the top of my ear pierced. Carol wanted to do it, I said "Go ahead", and she said "I'll do it if you do..."
So--

All in all, another amazing trip! Can't wait until next year!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-05-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

Most people spend their Memorial Day weekend with their families, having bbqs. Me? I spend them working. But as you all know, my work has a lot of play involved, so I spend it with my second family.
Me at some random lake. Anyone have a boat?

A few choice shots when we stopped at a hiking trail. The mountains here in PA aren't as tall as the ones I'm used to, but they sure are every bit as beautiful!

In case anyone was wondering where I went......

2010-05-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's nine o'clock on Sunday evening and I'm sitting at a cafe waiting for my mom to get back home so I can get back in to my apartment around the corner. Let's not talk about why I'm locked out--let's just say "Always think before you hand you set of keys over without a spare in your pocket".
Earlier this evening, I was over at my grandma's house because recently I've gotten the geneology bug--and quite frankly, my grandma is the one to tap when it comes to geneology. She's been trying for years to get me in to it, but ironically, it's taken a tv show to incite my interest. However the interest occurred, this evening I thought I'd take a peek at her treasure trove. It is a wealth of information. The woman is like a private historical society. It turns out I have a great (I'm not sure how many greats) grandfather that was in the cival war who returned home and started a coffin and cabinet making business. He settled in what is now Roaring Spring--and if you go into your local college bookstore, you will find "Roaring Spring" paper, notebooks, etc, made in this very small town still today where my paternal grandfather's family is from. I also found an original document that my great great grandmother wrote to her grandson--my grandfather. It was in very bad grammar at it's one of the sweetest letters I've ever seen. She wrote it to him while he was serving in WWII and it appears that he was a little down in the dumps. What I love most is that it shows her true character and what her family meant to her--bad grammar and all.
Grandma's files are full of these documents and I was only at it for about an hour and a half. I came from these people. It's incredible.
I'd like to share what I've been doing for the past, oh, I don't know--three months? But truly it's been a whirlwind of getting up at six, being at work at seven-thirty, and working until nine fifteen at night. My job is relaxing--I'm able to read books and watch tv a lot, but I feel I'm never home. My poor cat. I'm sure he thinks I've abandoned him. But in retaliation, he's struck up a friendship with my mom, so I guess no harm done?
The only event I can comment on is the fancy shmancy (we're talking very swanky. Downtown, big convention center, get dressed up....) fundraiser banquet that my company had. Carol, Melissa and I went and had a good evening. The best part was the perpetual grin Mel had all night. There was an auction and I bid (and won...unfortunately) a few pieces of art, and there was a promotional video that they debuted there that I was in. They had a few people that worked for UDS in different capacities explain what they do, and then they filmed us doing it. A little awkward to see myself in front of a few hundred people, but oh well. I'll put a link on here for the video when they put it on the company website and everyone can make snarky remarks. Believe me, I've made a few of my own.
So that's what I've been up to. That and watching Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson interviews while my client eats breakfast. What a life, huh?

So much more than Bella......

2010-02-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

The other night, I got a movie from Netflix that I picked out because Kristen Stewart is in it and it sounded interesting. So, after having watched it, I thought so much of it that I decided to write a post about it. Now, I'm not saying that Miss Stewart wasn't great in Twilight (because I really do think she was perfect for the part--just my opinion, take it for what it's worth), but it did nothing to display her acting skills. I've since seen other movies she's been in and have literally been blown away by her. She doesn't get recognized for her talent that's being overshadowed by Bella Swan. So I'm going to recommend these movies to everyone out there who cares to listen because, dang, this girl can act.

The movie I saw last night was called "Speak" about a girl who retreats into herself when she is a victim of a traumatic incident. The part that blew me away the most is she was only 13 when she did this very intense subject matter, and she carried the movie all by herself. I would actually really like to read the book as well.

The next movie I was really impressed by was "The Cake Eaters". It's a story of a girl who has Freidreichs Ataxia and wants to be a normal teenager. When I was watching it with Carol, she asked me if the girl in it actually had the disease because her performance was so convincing.

These movies make me anxious to see the next up on Kristen Stewart's list which is "The Runaways" in which she portrays Joan Jett. From what I've read, she and Dakota Fanning are BOTH getting to stretch their acting muscles and I can't wait to see what they do.

Perspective

2010-01-28T07:15:00.001-08:00

I've been thinking a lot these past couple of weeks about the way I view things. And considering the way it's been going, I could totally be justified in sinking in to a deep depression (or go with the more self-gratifying option of just feeling really sorry for myself). For instance, who would begrudge me being in a bad mood for feeling stressed out because my money is not only not making ends meet, it's falling significantly short? Would anyone blame me for feeling pressure because mom and I are currently stuffed in to a one-room apartment with WAY too much stuff for even one person, let alone two? When my car starts making a scraping noise because the exhaust pipe is dangling by a plastic thread on to the road, wouldn't that be okay to be mad? (and yes, Heather, you guessed it-the pipe is still not fixed. See above statement about money.) Of course, coming home at ten at night, gratefully falling into bed is nice, but not so much when I realize that I've got to be up at six the next morning to go back to work for yet another 14 hour day. And on top of that, I feel bad that I'm gone so much because my poor cat misses me and can't stop giving me kisses when I get home, to which I usually say "Pippin, your toungue is sandpaper, please stop kissing mommy!"
And I'm sure there's much more in my life that could cause me so much anxiety, stress, depression, frustration, that I could easily and quite justifiably be in a darn bad mood.
Here's the thing, however. I have a great and very supportive family. I have a kitty that wants to kiss me when I come home. I have enough money now that I'm working those 14 hour days. Not to mention that my "work" is mostly having fun and hanging out with friends. Mom and I found a great two-room apartment (with a washer and dryer-hooray!) without snarky landpeople and hopefully we'll be moving in a couple of weeks. I have more than a lot of people around the world (not the least of which is the situation in Haiti, which is why I'm thinking about my perspective in the first place). I have more than enough to be thankful for on this thursday, it just all depends on how you look at it. And so I'm going to go about my thursday, long though it may be, in a good mood.

Thankful in so many ways

2009-11-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

We had such an amazing Thanksgiving this year! Ryan's family was able to come and we spend the first part of the week just enjoying each other's company. The girls got to treat themselves to manicures and pedicures on wednesday, then we met up with dad's family at Papa Dino's for dinner. Afterward, we went back to dad's and set up the tree with the kids. Because we won't be together for Christmas, the kids got their traditional pajamas that night. The next day was spent with Dad's family at Aunt Sherma's house. I think most of these pictures speak for themselves.

Thankful Thursday

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

I'm so thankful that in just over two weeks, I GET TO SEE THESE LITTLE MUNCHKINS!!!! I mean, how cute are they? These are, of course, my brother Ryan's kids, and I'm totally poaching these pics of my sis's blog. (The other niece, Danny's girl, isn't here yet, but I will post pics when she's born!)
Oh, and by the way, in exactly two weeks from today, another thing happens that I can't wait for. NEW MOON!!!!! Wow, November's the best month.

Thankful Thursday

2009-10-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

How is it possible to suffer yet another bout of a bad flu within a matter of months of my last one? Heaven only knows. But it will bring out some very key points of gratefulness, for whatever it's worth. For instance, I'm grateful for immune systems. 'Nuff said, right? I would be dead if I didn't have one. I'm also extremely glad for Tylenol. I can honestly say that yesterday I felt like I was dying and Tylenol made it all better. Well, not ALL, but it certainly took a major edge off. And last, but absolutely not least, I'm grateful for flu vaccines. If I'd been smart and paid the damn $30 dollars to get one (I was mad because my company usually does them for free but they for some reason canceled them this year) I wouldn't be going through this. But, lesson learned, so I'm grateful for that too.

Bringing Back Thankful Thursday with Fine Fall Days

2009-10-15T17:32:00.001-07:00

I find it amazing how our lives intersect with past friends that we never thought we'd see again and somehow pick up our friendship right where we left off. Such was the case this week. I've known Heather since the second grade, I believe. We were in the same classes in church and though we weren't ever in the same classes together at school, we did stay friends until I left in the spring of 1995. I never thought that I would find her again, but low and behold, we not only found each other (thank you facebook!) but she took me up on my invitation for a visit! I picked her up at the crack of dawn in Philly and we decided to explore the city. Even though I live an hour and a half away, I've never done so. We started off at Penn's Landing with the gorgeous sunset....

We wanted around downtown (at one point, when we had our map out, a nice lady actually told us about a nicer road just a block away-I guess we looked like we were asking for trouble). Here are some choice shots from downtown Philly:

We hit the Market:

Then we hit the historical sites:

Independence Hall

We also went to the Mutter Museum, but they didn't let us take pictures.
We meandered home through Lancaster county...

The next day we went to Hershey and the outlets, then headed up to mom's place.

It's the milk chocolate (TASTY TREATS)

On our way up, we hear this horrible scraping sound, so we pull over and find my exhaust pipe completely broken off from the muffler. So we strung it up with an old belt and headed to K-Mart. We tried an epoxy-that fell right off after a few minutes driving- then we tried duct tape-that only last a little longer- So we finally got a metal dryer vent and some more glue. It's still detached from the muffler and you can hear me coming from a mile away, but it doesn't drag! Here's the before and after of our efforts (well, mostly Heather's).

We spent the night in New Haven and then headed to NYC the next day. Here's some choice shots from our day in the city:
With Mommy

Pretty fall colors in New Haven. Connecticut is gorgeous this time of year!

We stopped at the beach briefly on the way.

We walked all around the southern tip of Manhattan.
Ground Zero hasn't changed much in a year.

Lots of "Self Inflicted" shots around the water and on the ferry.....

And then of course, Times Square:

Needless to say we were home a little late and fell right asleep! The next day I had to work, but on Wednesday, we met up with another childhood friend, Dessi, at a local pretzel factory and then we headed over to Gettysburg:

I should probably have posed for this one side saddle, but oh well.

Oh, and we did manage to get over to this small little town about 15 minutes out of my own town. This isn't a joke, people:

We were thinking of you during Intercourse.

Ok, I'm really sick of this post. Hope you all enjoyed it. I'd better get back to work!

Fall Lineup

2009-09-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know it's a little silly to get excited about fall because of tv shows, but that's just how I am-looking forward to a show makes my whole day better. So since it's premiere week next week and all of my lovely shows are coming back on, I thought I'd share with you which shows I'll be watching.
Monday night: House
Tuesday night: NCIS and for some inexplicable reason, Sons of Anarchy. (I think I just really find Charlie Hunham hot)
Wednesday night remains unfilled at the moment. Suggestions anyone?
Thursday night is rough because there's so many! My top two are Bones and Grey's Anatomy followed by Private Practice and then Ugly Betty. I might get in to Vampire Diares if Amanda keeps DVRing them.
Friday night: Ghost Whisperer (but this is mostly because there's nothing else on)
So, is anyone else watching some of the same ones I am? Any suggestions for others? Really, isn't tv great? It's like free movies! Yay fall!

The Real Me

2009-09-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

I saw this on a friend's blog (well, okay, she's the sister of a friend and I really don't think she knew I was blog stalking her....I blog-stalk a lot, people, just so you know) about how she was sick of fakeness and so she put up a blog of things that are really and truly her, whether good or bad. Well, I like that idea. I know we're all trying to present our best selves, but sometimes it helps to just say to ourselves, "Here is how it is, for good and not-so-good." So here's your little glimpse into the real me (even if you didn't want to know) in the hopes that more people will feel comfortable with who the real "them" is too.

*I get nasty in traffic. I mean nasty. You will hear words come out of my mouth that would make a sailor blush. I grew up in a very rural area and despite my frequent visits to Mesa and Phoenix, I never got used to all the people and bad drivers. No, this isn't saying I'm a perfect driver, it just means that my tolerance level while driving in very low, so watch out if you're the passenger. (You should see me driving in New York...)

*I make a mean pecan pie. You're all welcome to try some, but you'll have to be around during the holidays because that's the only two times a year that I make it. Any more would be extremely hazardous to my health.

*My exercise of choice (because I don't seem to have a choice in the matter) is to take a two-mile walk through my neighborhood with my pal Luther. I've never been able to keep up a strict exercise regimen in my life and it's not all that hard to convice me not to go on any given day, but it hasn't stopped me from trying....and trying....and trying.

*I'm not a very good cook. I did not get my mom's great skills and it seems evident that I never will. I rarely enjoy something I've cooked.

*I'm a sucker for purses. Thought you already knew this about me? Oh,no you don't. Take a peek in my closet-the obsession runs deep. Unfortunately I can no longer afford designer purses at $200 a pop, but I can still look.

*I always thought I wanted to be married-until about a year ago when I realized that I'm actually really happy being single and the idea of being married really terrifies me. The idea of sharing my life with someone just seems like too tall of an order and the responsibility of children is daunting. I'm hoping time will cure this, but for now, I remain unattached on purpose.

*I love cats. Really, I'm going to be one of those silly cat ladies that never marries, never has kids, but walks her two dozen cats on a leash every night at dusk.

*I love the Mormon faith, and I really feel like I belong there, but I really struggle with some of the teachings of the church that don't coincide with people I love and things I feel in my heart are between God, Christ, and the person and no one else. I won't ever leave the church, but sometimes I strongly doubt many people in it.

*I would rather work for a very low pay (just HOW low is classified) and completely love the job I have than drudge through college and get paid a lot more for a job I hate. I sometimes feel like getting a degree is expected of me and if I don't live up to grandness, certain people in my life (you know who you are) will be disappointed in me, but I'm okay with that.

*The only time I give a crap about money is when I don't have any. If I have enough to get by, I'm fine. You always want more, right?

*In the winter, I sleep with a space heater on my bed so that I can keep nice and toasty. Completely illogical because I don't pay for heating in my apartment, but it's an indulgence I've yet to give up.

*I shower every morning, but I still like to take bubble baths just about every night. Probably not good for my exema, but it's another indulgence I hold onto with everything that I'm worth.

*The code I live my life by is the golden rule- "Do unto others..." I wish everyone would.

And now I have to go live real life and head back to work. If anyone else wants to share "real" tidbits about themselves, I'd love to hear them!

Yard Sale, Hershey Park, and......Swine Flu?

2009-08-20T17:00:00.001-07:00

I'll start out with saying that the end is near. The end of summer that is. And it's had me thinking about my lack of blog posting and how I just don't really have an excuse for it. I mean, it's not like the blog police comes to my door if I don't keep up with it, but I made it a goal to write at least on Thursday's about what I'm thankful for, and that just hasn't happened. In my defense, and I think you'll all agree with me, this summer has gone by at lightening speed, but is that REALLY a defense? C'mon Heather, focus!
So, anyway, two weeks ago mom and I had our big yard sale. (Well, okay, it wasn't that big, but it felt big to us) I'm surprised it didn't kill us. Mom made some very cute signs (which I neglected to take a picture of) and it was very well attended. The only thing was the hagglers. At eight in the morning, this lady is buying my old TV, and, ok, it does have a red tinge to the picture, but ten bucks is a deal, right? THEN she wants my VCR-fabulous! I'm not kidding, the woman kept haggling with me for 45 minutes about giving them both to her for ten dollars. I'm sorry, I think fifteen is a good deal. I told her 13 was the lowest I'd go. It went on and on and she wouldn't leave. She finally took it for thirteen, but it was so not worth the effort. I know she was thinking that if she just pushed hard enough I'd give it to her for the price she wanted. Nope. I didn't. And the worst thing is she didn't really speak english. Altogether, though, we made $230 and we didn't even sell our big stuff like the bookshelfs and my day bed, so another one might be in the works. That evening I took a four hour nap and woke up with a little sore throat. By the nighttime, I was completely full-blown sick. And I mean sick. I was achy and sniffly and all of those lovely flu symptoms for four straight days. Skip ahead a week and I took Mel to the Infectious Disease Doctor. We're talking about how we all got sick since we last saw him (my case was definitely the worst) and he casually mentions, "Oh, you probably had Swine Flu". Umm, 'scuse me? I didn't know it was that common but he seemed pretty sure. It wasn't ever diagnosed, but that's a pretty scary thought, don't you think? And I never knew.
So anyway, after I spent a week recovering, Amanda B and I went to Hershey Park! We'd been planning this all summer, and so I was really excited. For those of you not in this neck of the woods-Hershey Park is not only where they make the famous chocolate, but it's also a theme park and water park. Amanda's husband works for Hershey so we got free tickets. We hit the water park first, but there was so many people that we waited in line 99.9% of the time (for one ride, we waited for two hours) that we decided to go to the coaster rides. We rode one (SOOO much fun!) and when we got off, we were told the rides were all shutting down because a storm was coming. So we went to the factory and took a little ride that shows how they make the chocolate. At the end, you come to this huge chocolate store where everything Hershey's is available. YUMMY! We went back to get the rest of our things and got caught in a MAJOR downpour. We tried to wait it out, but it didn't work out so we called it a day. It was a ton of fun, though, despite the roadblocks.
Too bad summer's coming to a close. I might have to spend Labor Day in the mountains just so I can make summer last that much longer...
Enjoying a little shade.

Getting ready to ride "Farenheit". I wasn't smiling, I was biting my lip.

Amanda's husband subjects her to enough of these rides that she wasn't nervous at all..

I summoned up enough courage for a little smile...

NOW do you see why I was panicking? (the photo is sideways, by the way)

These are the LOOOOOONG lines we had to contend with all day long. And this is not even the whole line.

I don't really have any words for this one.

Can't blame us for enjoying a little chocolate, can't you?

The massive rainstorm that cut our day a little short.

Summer Fun

2009-07-23T12:47:00.000-07:00

This summer has been a great one! Not only because of the seventies temperatures we've been having, but all the oppurtunities to spend with family has been so wonderful. And now I'm officially done having fun because I'm officially poor. No, I don't mean low on money, I mean "Oh crap, how in the world am I going to even LOOK at that stack of bills in my 'In Bin'?" but it's all been worth it. Last monday, I went with my friend Amanda B. to Bethany Beach in Delaware. The waves were quite unforgiving and the sun was shining as it's supposed to, and we had a blast.

Then on Friday, I went up to NYC to visit with Ryan and Monique who had come in for Dev's play. We had dinner friday night with mom, then on saturday, went to Devan's play. I'm so proud of him!!! He's written a brilliant and very heartfelt play. See his blog devanhite.blogspot.com for more information.
I'll save the soliloquy about driving in New York City (mom and I did it every day and yes, it's every bit as bad as you'd imagine) because there's not much to tell other than I hate cabbies and the like. Mom and I managed to visit Central Park on our last few hours there and saw Bethesda Fountain (watch "Devil Wears Prada" or "One Fine Day" to see it) and the Dakota where John Lennon was shot. It was an amazing and very tiring trip. Here's some pics from it. And now I'm off to make money.

Ah, my beautiful Coach bag from Macy's-if I had three hundred + dollars to blow, it would be all on you, my lovely.

A New Table

2009-07-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

So I moved my computer out in my living room and realized that I needed a bigger desk-no really, you should have seen the one I had it on before. It was more like a lamp stand. So I went to Salvation Army and found one that was the right size (albeit hideous in appearance).

On saturday, mom and I bought paint, hardware, and fabric, and here's the end result!

Grateful For Freedom!

2009-07-06T19:39:00.000-07:00

I've always been grateful that I live in this country. As a young teenager, it came in the form of delinquency-I flipped off an officer. (Don't think less of me, this guy was so completely and unnecessarily rude to my mom that I felt it only my duty to let him know how I felt) It struck me as we resumed our drive that in many countries around the world, I would''ve been arrested and possibly even killed for my disrespect. Now, as trivial as this occurance may seem, my young and not-so-innocent heart was struck at how lucky I was. For the simple freedom to speak my mind. What did I do to deserve this gift? Why is it that there are so many who don't have it? I can't answer those two questions. But I've remembered that experience for my whole life. The only thing I can do is recognize it and give thanks to those who have given it to me.
So for this time of year that means almost as much to me as Christmas, mom and I celebrated together. We had plans to go to the Capital, but due to a very obnoxious paper that my mom had to finish, she didn't end up getting here until saturday morning. We decided it would be too stressful to try and get down there, so we thought we'd have a little fun around town. We ended up at a cherry orchard and picked some absolutely lovely cherries.

We joined Aunt Sherma, Uncle David, and Grandma for a cookout that night. The next day, I pulled everyone (Mom, Grandma, and yes, even Dad) out to the porch for a smores cooking. It wasn't quite what I had expected (who knew that charcoal isn't the greatest for smores?) but we still enjoyed gooey goodness.

Later that night mom and I went to the big fireworks show at Long's Park. This is an incredible show and only those who have seen it know what I"m talking about.

Every July fourth, I try to revow to never take my freedom for granted. There may be MANY issues we have with our government or the way things are handled, but I want to keep it in the uppermost of my mind that I can at least state my opinion and be heard and not silenced.

A Love Letter To My Daddy

2009-06-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

Well, Daddy doesn't even look at this blog, and even if he did, he'd say "Heather, I don't want any pictures of me on there!" Well, Dad, too bad! I love you and want the world to know it! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!

Thankful on a Friday ('cause Thursday slipped by me again...)

2009-06-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

I just have to say that even though thursday is the technical "thankful" day, I'm pretty darn thankful for fridays too. I'm thankful (oh so much more than I can express) that I get to go home, put on my jammies, and, if I choose, not get up again until sunday morning. Oh, how very lovely a saturday with no responsibilities is. So what should I do tomorrow? Should I finish putting away my stuff from my trip? Should I have a massive laundry-fest? Should I go for a long walk and stop at every yard sale I see? Should I go for a joy ride out into the county and buy fresh home grown produce? Wow, I have so much I could do, but nothing I have to do. See why I'm thankful?

I'm Thankful for the Beach!

2009-06-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

A lot of you know about my beach trip every year, but for those who don't, I'll explain. My client and her family go to Ocean City New Jersey every year in the first week of June. Two years ago, I was invited along as the attendant to help Carol with Melissa. Well, this is the week this year! Last year it was record-breaking highs, so I got into the water every day, but this year, it's been rather chilly. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the chilly weather. I'd rather have that than the burning hot scorchings we had last year. There have been a few days that were water-worthy, and that's about all I need.
So the first day here was spent taking care of general things like grocery-shopping and getting unpacked. We were told that Sunday would be the only good beach day, so we took advantage of that. The great thing about this is that I always have to go to the beach alone, but this year we managed to get everyone down!

I can't remember if it was that evening or the next that we went to the carnival area on the boardwalk. Carol's sister's granddaughter (Carol's great-niece) wanted me to ride the rides with her, so we had some fun.

For some reason, I decided to do the Double-Shot where they shoot you straight up in the air. Click on this one to see my face-it's priceless.

And here's the stupid sqwaking (sp anyone?)seagull that was trying to steal our funnel cake as we innocently shopped on the boardwalk. He has some balls, let me tell you.

All in all, it's been a wonderful trip. Tomorrow will be our last day here, but alas, all good things must come to an end.

Snip Snip!

2009-06-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

That's right folks! I've cut the long locks off! I'm a little sad to see it go, but this new hairdo is so much more summery that for the most part, I love it! And yes, that is my ponytail that I'm holding.

Umm....can I get an update?

2009-05-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

Alright, alright, it's been a while since I've posted and I've been meaning to sit down and do thankful thursday (no, really, I have!) but then suddenly, oh, whoops, is it friday? And then, on friday afternoon, my mom called and asked if I wouldn't mind coming a little sooner than planned (I had planned on heading up there in the evening) and oh what a difference a few hours make! The traffic was heavy but not bad, but I95 was completely clogged the entire way. It added a solid hour to my trip. It was clogged like it always is in the evening from all the New York traffic, but *sigh* what we will do for our loved ones. I arrived in a none-too-pleasant mood. Luckily the next day I had shook off my bad mood enough for mom and I to do a little bikeriding/yard-saling.
I'm going to backtrack a little here (for memory's sake) and talk about Mother's Day Weekend. Mom's present this year was (drumroll please) ME! I decided to spend that weekend up in New Haven just hanging out and doing nothing in particular. Mom suggested bringing my bike so that we could mosey around town. This turned out to be an excellent suggestion. We first went to the Peabody Museum, but only to shop at their gift shop. They have an amazing one! We got little dinosaur heads that chomp for Rees and Nicolette. Then, once outside, we bought hot dogs from a street vendor and then sat on the lovely grass and had a little picnic. These pics are from that:

We spent the entire day on our bikes seeing New Haven. Seriously, if you haven't gone on a bikeride for a while (like myself) try it out! It's exhilerating!
Anyway, back to this past weekend. Mom and I spent the next day chilling out and yardsaling (like I said before) and then the whole family arrived in the evening. We went out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant and then to Baskin Robbins for dessert. YUMMY!
The next day, mom and I rode our bikes a bit more, but were called by the family asking us to come swimming at their hotel. After running quickly to a thrift store (I got a bathing suit for three dollars! And yes, it fits!) we joined them at the pool!

The next day, DEVAN GRADUATED!!! He has a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale University! The big graduation was really amazing. Someone said "That's 300 years of tradition right there" and that phrase kind of stuck throughout the day. We then went back to the divinity school where Dev actually got his diploma. What a wonderful way to spend Memorial Weekend!

A Love Letter To My Mom

2009-05-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

These pictures are some of my favorites and I think they stand for themselves without words. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MAMA! I LOVE YOU!

Thankful Thursday

2009-04-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here at Carol's computer (because I accidently left mine at Dev's when I was up there last weekend) and I'm thinking, "Hmmmm, what am I thankful for today? I mean, REALLY thankful for? Well, what am I thankful for that I haven't discussed already in Thankful Thursday." It's spring and I look around me and how could I NOT be thankful just for what I see? There's gorgeous trees blooming in bright pinks and purples (yes, for those of you who live out west, there is such a thing as blooming trees and they're just the most beautiful color). I could be generic and say that I'm grateful for this earth that we live on and how miraculous it is, but somehow, I feel like that just goes without say. I'm extremely grateful for family and friends even when I feel like I'd rather not be bothered, they draw me out of myself and make me a better person. I'm also thankful for those silent and alone moments where I can sit and read a book for hours on end (like I did these past couple of days- as a sidenote, the book I was reading, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, was very interesting) or I can go out for a walk with my neighbor and friend Luther (Don't get any ideas, he's a dog. I'm not dating a neighbor. Unfortunately). All of this makes for a very delightful Thursday which isn't all that exciting, but certainly something to be thankful for. Oh, and PS-Gray's Anatomy is on and gossip on the inside is someone's getting married soon....this is the stuff I look forward to.

New York in the Springtime

2009-04-27T15:22:00.001-07:00

On Friday, Carol (Melissa, my client's, mom) and I went up to New Haven and met up with mom. We did a little shopping.
Yes yes, I'm a Yale Sis. That's about as close to Yale as I'm gonna get.

We enjoyed the loud music playing around campus (something fun was going on, I'm not sure what it was, but we enjoyed being in the midst of it all). That night we settled in and watched "An Ideal Husband". The next morning, we dragged our tired hineys (okay, well, I was tired) and drove to Dev's. We snapped a few pics before heading into the city.

When we got there, I split up (mom and Carol weren't interested in the show, so they went their own way over to the Dakota) and went over to Times Square where I met up with Tracy and Sherma for a show called "In the Heights". Excellent dancing and singing! The reason for our visit is that someone from my dad and aunt's high school was in the show, but unfortunately, for that performance, he was injured and wasn't in it. We still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Tracy and I then went to an outdoor Bazaar and bought some delicious bbq chicken on a stick and corn on the cob (along with a new purse, but that goes without saying, doesn't it?)

I then said goodbye to her and went up to Macy's to meet back up with Carol and Mom. We took a few pics in Herald Square.

We had dinner at a yummy Mexican restaurant in the Upper West Side then headed back to Dev's. The next day (mommy had to leave early) we had brunch with Dev, then shopped a little. A skirt and a Mother's Day gift later, we headed home. Now I'm out of money so I need to take a break. Otherwise I would've stayed.

Thankful Thursday

2009-04-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

This week, I've decided to do something a little different. And I wish that I could say that I came up with the idea all on my own, but I kind of stole it from a magazine. But the result is the same, so who really cares? I decided that it would be fun to show what some of my favorite things are around my house. My apartment is my little haven, and in it, collections of things that make me happy. Here are some ones that really strike a cord:
This is a painting done by my great grandmother, who is ninety-seven and although she has Alzheimer's, she's still dancing. Back in the day, Nana was a fantastic artist. I think this piece speaks for itself.

These little friends are all from Build-A-Bear. Hello, my name is Heather, and I'm an addict. The great thing about these guys is that each of them holds a story and a memory for me. I make them when I go to Phoenix with my niece and nephew. A few of them even have a recording inside them of their voices (which I press from time to time when I'm really missing them).

This is my favorite book. I try to read it every couple of years just to make sure Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy still end up together.

This little froggie is a coin bank from my mom, which she bought for me when she was traveling. It makes me happy just to look at it. I try and stash all my coins in here and then when she comes to visit, we cash in the money and go see a movie.

My favorite family photo.

These movies I could watch every night as I go to sleep and never get sick of them. They are classics that don't get old. At least, not to me.

So that's my version of "Whiskers on Kittens" and "Warm wollen mittens". Just a few mind you.

I HAD to share this-

2009-04-14T19:00:00.001-07:00

VISITING TEACHING 101

A very typical Hite Easter

2009-04-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Tracy and I got our Easter bunny on and made these very cute baskets for everyone- Then we went out into the beautiful (but slightly chilly) day and hunted for eggs that Tracy had dyed this morning. Typical Hite brothers (with the help of our cousin Vasilica) to turn it into a game of egg catch.

Yes, yes, typical Hite Easter.

Thankful Thursday (on a Friday)

2009-04-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

Today I'm thankful for spring!!!! The beautiful flowers, the smells in the air, the feel on sunshine, the walks without bundling up, the sense of renewal and things happening outdoors.... We've had what felt like a forever winter and with warmer temps and more time out in the fresh air...AHHHH! Yes, I am indeed thankful. I took these a few weeks ago-the first signs of spring-

I had to throw one in there that I took of Luther, my faithful running buddy. I'm so thankful for him too!
Oh, and I'm also thankful for Zicam, without which, I might be suffering a much worse cold than I already am. Yes, Carol passed along her little buggies.
Happy Easter everyone!!!!

It's not that I wasn't Thankful last week.....

2009-04-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

....I've just been running on manic mode for a week now and I'm about ready to plop into bed and never get out.
Anyway, my thankful thursday is going to start off by irritations and things that bother me.
*I'm irritated with the fact that I pulled not one, not two, but THREE gray hairs out today. I mean, seriously people, I'm only 28! I didn't think the madness started this early. But, I am thankful that I have a head of hair and that at least I'm not going bald. That is, unless I keep plucking the offending-colored ones.

*I WAS irritated with my computer because I couldn't get my Norton Antivirus to update. But I AM thankful that I have Norton so that my computer doesn't crash the minute I turn it on. (By the way, I got it to work once I got a better internet signal-thank goodness no virus)

*I'm irritated with my constantly hurting stomach. It's always grumbling and hurting and no doctor can seem to get to the bottom of it. But I'm grateful I have a stomach that works and doesn't cause me more trouble than it already does.

*I'm irritated that my car smells like milk because I took milk to work the other day and some of it must have spilled. But I'm utterly thankful that I have the car in the first place. And it's nothing a little soap and water won't fix...when I get a minute.

*I'm irritated that I'm working so freaking much and have no time to even clean my house. But I AM grateful that soon, I'll be financially on my feet.

*I'm irritated that I have crushed cocoa puffs on my floor at home (see above about no time to clean up-apparently a cereal box had upended and I didn't notice it until I went to leave this morning and heard "Crunch!") but I'm thankful I have SOME form of food at my house. And the grocery store of Daddy is always open.

*I'm irritated with the fatigue working out brings me, but I'm grateful that it's making me healthier!

So how's that for looking on the positive side? There's no such thing as a perfect day, in fact, there's PLENTY of not perfect days, but you can always make it brighter. Apparently.

Thankful Thursday interrupted

2009-03-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

As always, I am thankful, but at the moment, I'm extremely offended. I understand that people are curious as to what goes on in our temples, and that's okay. I was curious too. And I'm also aware that there are ways of finding out what goes on in our temples with minimal research. I don't understand, however, why a major television show, ignorant of the subject's sensitivity or the feelings of those it represents, would splash those temple ceremonies across major television. Is nothing sacred in the world any more? Curiosity is one thing, disregard for something like the temple ceremony is another. I just picked up a copy of TV guide and was very shocked at what I found inside. HBO plans to air parts of our sacred ceremonies on their mass-produced tv show for the world to see. Tell me something- if you had a young daughter that you treasured, would you put her naked on a major tv show? That's what I want to ask the people who produced, directed, and starred in this show. I have to reassure myself by saying that they simply don't understand what it is that they're mocking, but I don't think they are unaware of the fact that this is extremely offensive to ALL LDS people. And I know in my heart that they simply don't care.
I am very thankful for the temple. Despite what tiny-minded people like those on HBO will say, they cannot reproduce the experience that one goes through when they are worthy and ready to make those covenants. I feel sorry for those who never will experience that because in my own exerience, there is nothing closer to Heaven on earth. I am grateful to those people who DO keep things sacred, even if it's not sacred to them. And for all my Latter-Day-Saint brothers and sisters, we really need to stand up to this!

Thankful Thursday

2009-03-05T19:26:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful today that my sis got on her now-repaired computer and uploaded some pics of the little rugrats! Debuting here for the first time:

Thankful Thursday

2009-02-26T14:16:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm thankful for my job! It has been one heck of a week and I really don't think that I could've gotten through it if I was working at another vocation. Here's how my day went today:

9:00- Arrive at first client's workplace. She had a meeting so I sat down and read my book for the duration (which leads me to something else I'm thankful for-good books! But I'll save that for another post). The meeting lasted longer than intended, so all I really did was help her with a short restroom break.

1:15- Arrive at second client's home

1:30- Head out to client's Doctor's appointment

2:00- Leave Doctor's, ask Mel if she'd like to go out to lunch. Head over to mall for lunch and a little afternoon fun. We got a text from her mom saying "Buy new sheets for Mel!" so we also did a little shopping.

3:30- Come home, relax, get on computer and listen to music together

4:30- Start Dinner

And so, this is where I'm at in my day. As you can see, not a whole lot of stress going on in my job. Yes, I do work long hours, but I just don't think I could find another job where I can be so laid back. Therefore, the long hours don't really get to me. And the best part is that I consider Melissa and her mom Carol to be some of my best friends. What other job could you get paid just to hang out among best friends?

Valentines for Aunt Heather!

2009-02-25T13:46:00.000-08:00

Last night, I came home rather tired and with a monster headache. I was on the phone with my mom, so I was slightly distracted when I pulled out an envelope from my sis-in-law. But I thought it must be good if it's from her, I went right inside and ripped it open and inside were these precious Valentines from my Niece and Nephews. I know, I know, I'm such a silly Aunt, but these absolutely MADE my day! So I thought I'd share them.

Thankful Thursday

2009-02-19T19:28:00.000-08:00

As I've contemplated my Thankful Thurday topic, I've wondered "Should I go deep and spiritual, should I keep it light and fluffy, should wax gushy and obnoxious....?" I'm still not sure which of these I want to go with, so maybe I'll start with the first. I'm grateful for a line of communication with the Lord. Not just prayer (although I AM extremely grateful for that) but those quiet moments when you seem to have a voice inside you. A gentle voice that almost speaks with a booming voice. The moments of clarity that make the previous confusion seem ridiculous and obselete. I know this sounds nebulous, but I'm sure just about everyone on the planet at one point or another has had these moments. I'm grateful that the Lord is mindful of silly little me. That He knows who I am and actually cares what I feel and think, even in my insignificance. Okay, I didn't realize that I was going to go in this direction, but now that I think about it, this is something I'm actually most grateful for; for without it, I have nothing. And on that note, I think I'll say goodnight!

Thankful Thursday

2009-02-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

This is a very thankful thursday, and I've debated how I should put it. I'm going to start off like this: I'm grateful for the internet. It is such an amazing resource of information! Sometimes I take for granted that I can look up just about anything on the internet, but then I remember a time when I heard a song on tv or playing in the car next to me or in a movie and it would bug me for months and months (sometimes even years, as was the case with "Return to Innocence" by Enigma). But the thing that I'm most grateful about the internet for is it's friendship networking. I've found people on here that I was absolutely positive I'd never see or hear from again short of sending out a private investigator. Because I've lived in so many places in my life, it's extremely difficult to keep track of everyone, but thanks to myspace and facebook, I can see all my loved ones and keep them in touch with my life as well. I'm also grateful for the people I meet on the internet. Such was the case on Sunday. I'm going to be coy and stop there because I don't want to jinx anything, but sufficeth to say, he's someone I'm very happy to have met. Thank goodness for the information age!

How Many??

2009-02-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a very relaxed one, and thanks to the gorgeous weather we're having, I got to take a walk with a few friends. Now you may be saying "What in the world is she doing with all those wieners?" Well, I'll tell you: Two of them are Tracy's and two of them are Danny's. They all reside over at dad's house and so we refer to it as the Wiener Factory. You can't walk into his house without meeting a yipping greeting party. And feeling ambitious (I've come to realize that I'm more affected by the weather than I'd ever noticed) I decided to give the little wieners a good walk. The photo was just too dang cute not to share, so here it is. Now I bet you wish you lived with my dad, doncha?
PS- The little one on the right is the troublemaker

Ah, Thankful Thursday again!

2009-02-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

Well, as opposed to last thursday, this thursday I have so much gratefulness that I want to make a list to fit it all in. Some of you may be wondering at the difference in attitude? Well, for one thing, it's sunny outside, and that's enough to make me grateful!

So, here goes my thankful list:

*Sandpaper kisses. They let me know I'm loved and appreciated by a little fuzzy friend that keeps me warm at night. (Get your head out of the gutter, I was talking about my cat!)

*Fun road trips-whether scheduled or not. My picture box is full of memories that no amount of money could buy.

*Sunny days! Even the really cold ones (like today). There's nothing like a golden sun to warm your heart!

*Money. And before you think "???!!!" let me explain. I still loathe and despise money with all the tenderness of a miserable shrivled heart. However, I'm so grateful for the lessons money has taught me (and is STILL teaching me. It's a process, not a place). Just about every lesson in my adult life that I've learned has been because of money. Lessons on self control, managing one's own life, gratitude, determination...I could go on. I'm sure any adult over the age of 18 can relate to this. I'm also incredibly grateful that I'm able to work for and control my money on my own. I'm mindful of the fact that there are many women in the world who don't have this freedom.

*Family at holidays. Does this item even need to be explained? Well, as an example, last weekend, my family got together for the superbowl (Okay, that wasn't a holiday, but you get the idea) and we cheered and screamed and played Crash Bandicoot on a small portable tv and ate yummy food and it was wonderful.

*Friends who aren't afraid to tell you "No, Heather, those jeans do not do anything for your butt".

*Good books. Currently reading "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini. It's the third in his Inheritance series and so far, pretty good!

*Quiet moments reading the scriptures in bed with the heater at my feet. Yes, I've fine-tuned this skill because I like my tootsies warm.

*Scrapbooking memories. It lets me be artistic with no real training (or talent for that matter :)

*TV shows where I'm all caught up in the story. They come on at night so it gives you something to look forward to the whole day. Which just makes me happy.

*Skiing in fresh powder. I can't do it here in the east, but that doesn't mean that I don't think about it when we get a fresh blanket of fluffy snow. *sigh*

*My computer. Staying connected and being creative all in a machine the size of a book. Amazing.

Anyway, I think I'll end my list here and save some for next thursday. I hope everyone has found a reason to be thankful today!

Thankful Thursday

2009-01-29T15:43:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm going to search deep to find something to be thankful about because, quite frankly, I'm not feeling much of anything other than crappy tonight. There are some nights that I just feel like the world is not my friend, and there are no people that I can completely lean on. I know in my heart that this isn't true, and that there are people I can count on, but it seems at times like satan is doing everything he can do to make me feel isolated from others. I won't go in to specifics, but I will say that sometimes I feel like no matter how close I get to someone or how much I think I can depend on someone, sooner or later, they will let me down. I'm not too sure how to get over this feeling and just open my heart to people regardless of how they treat me, but I have this huge wall up to protect myself and so far, I've not been able to break it down. Just once, I'd like to meet someone who would prove me wrong. (Even as I say that, I know it's not true; there are many people who have been there with me through thick and thin. To them, they have my love and devotion forever) Maybe I'm mostly referring to men, but not totally-this applies to all relationships and myself. Anyway, I'm rambling. Sorry. I don't usually get on a soapbox in such a public forum, but life isn't all bells and whistles, is it?
Having said all this, I'm eternally grateful for friends who I feel I can call on at any time and I know they'll be there for me, even if I'm being silly. This weekend is an example. Amanda B. and I are going to King of Prussia for a clothing shopping spree. And I love her for telling me that I'm the only one she'd want to do this with. I'm grateful for her friendship and anyone else that can shop with me. I like to look at everything! (Hey, maybe there's my problem with men......I've often heard that men don't like to shop....)
Okay, I'm done. And now I'm just going to be grateful for those eternal friends that I do have.

Just call me a critic

2009-01-27T16:40:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me well (and then maybe some people who don't) knows that I have the heart of an amateur critic. I'll admit, I haven't had any training and my views are probably biased, slanted, and skewed. But I will be flexing my critic muscles tonight because I don't feel the reviews (or at least reputation) has been completely fair.
But I get ahead of myself. Let me start off by explaining that I went to Connecticut last week to spend time with "the MaMa" and have a little downtime. I don't regret having such a hectic schedule, but it demands some serious time off (when I'm able). I figured that since it was my birthday, and since my trip up to New York for New Year's Eve didn't pan out, I'd take the oppurtunity. I drove up on my actual birthday. I already blogged about what a choice experience that was, so I'll spare the rest of the ugly details. *Sigh* Traveling in the east is just not the same as traveling in the west. The next day, I woke up when I darn well felt like it, and spent the day with mom, getting errands done and basically not having any responsibilites of my own. Such a wonderful feeling. We went out to eat at Chili's and went to bed, again, when we darn well felt like it. The next morning, more errands with mom (details of managing one's life are so annoying when one is trying to have fun) and finally, after lunch in her lovely city of New Haven, we went shopping. This photo is titled "Uh Oh, They're At It Again".

The next morning, we lounged around and got ready to head into the city, and as anyone knows, for women, this takes longer than one expects. We got into NY later than we had hoped and raced through the streets to find the right subway. We did manage to take some fun photos along the way:
Mama right outside Grand Central.

I'm in this one, you just have to look closely.

Ahhhh, the Empire State Building at sunset....

Not having enough time to get to the museum we wanted to get to in time to see anything before it closed, we headed to the Museum of Natural History. It's kind of been a dormant desire for a while to visit this famous museum, so, even though we didn't get to the original one we wanted, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
He's going to start running around any minute now...don't you know everything in this museum comes to life at night?
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My Buddy Rexie over my shoulder there-don't worry, he doesn't bite.

I like this one that mom took- none from my camera turned out all that well.

This picture cracks me up. I'm not sure what I was looking at, but clearly I was catching flies.

"Nice Mammoth..."

We then had dinner in Greenwich Village.
I'm...too sexy for this restaurant....

Now here's where the critisism comes in. We went to see the play Equus with Daniel Radcliffe. Most of you know him as Harry Potter. Most of you also know that this is the play where little Harry Potter appears naked. Well, after having seen this play, I'll say that it's unfortunate that such an amazing play with such amazing actors is known simply for this fact. The play itself was simply done. The set consisted of nothing more than four boxes and six doors that represented stalls in a barn. It focused on a very interesting story of a young man who blinded six horses and was brought in for psychiatric evaluation. The therapist (played by the same man who portrays Harry Potter's evil uncle Vernon) tells the story of a troubled boy and his mental illness, along with his own self-evaluation. From the very beginning, I was intrigued and swept up into this story. It had many memorable quotes and thought-provoking monologues and I fully expect to see many Tony's in this play's future. The only negative critisism I can give is the mother in the story was a bit melodramatic. Other than that, flawlessly done.
So if you're in New York and looking for a show to see, I would highly recommend this one. And if a little nudity bothers you, well, hold up your playbill so you only see his face.
Here's us getting out of the play.

When I got home the next night, Daddy and Tracy had decorated my apartment for me to have something fun.

Thankful Thursday

2009-01-22T06:01:00.000-08:00

Who could be thankful for anything else when they're on vacation? I'm grateful I'm here and enjoying doing....well, nothing! And I'm also glad I made it in one piece. My trip started out on a bleak note with me losing a five-dollar bill and me freaking out because I wouldn't have any cash for the bridge toll. But I stole some money from my dad's money jar (shhhhh! Don't tell) and thought I had enough. Then I got lost trying to find a rest stop in Jersey. I really hate Jersey. NOTE TO SELF: Next time you're traveling, just wait until you're out of Jersey before you stop. For ANY reason). Then, as it turns out, I DIDN'T have enough for the toll, so I waited patiently for the guy to give me a form to send in (errrrggghhH!!!!!) while I could hear the death threats in the minds of the people in cars behind me. Once I hit the last leg of the road, I thought everything was fine. But that road ended up being VERY clogged with traffic. Yeah, I'm glad I made it. And glad I won't be doing it again until sunday.

Let The Birthday Festivities Begin!

2009-01-18T17:53:00.000-08:00

My sweet friend Jenn threw me a little birthday party this weekend and I thought it was so stinkin' cute that I had to post pictures. I haven't had a bonafide party for my birthday for a while so it was a lot of fun. She gave me two more Crash Bandicoot games and we ate the most delicious cake while we watched "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". Thanks SO SO very much, Jenn!

Me and the host, Jenn

"The Girls"

Whew...worried I wasn't going to get them all out.

A little abstract and fuzzy of me, but a great shot of the cake.

How old?

Me and Daddy

What Does Heather Need?

2009-01-15T17:32:00.000-08:00

I saw this on my friends' blogs and I thought "why not?" and so I tried it and it's actually much more hilarious than I thought. What you do is do is google (your name) and "needs". This is what my name came up with-
*to grow up (yes, yes, this is true)
*something more to be satisfied.
*men now (HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, how true! HAHAHAHA!)
*a childhood
*some body.....guards
*help (I can't even begin to say how true this one is)
*gatorade
*$1000 a day (amen to that)
*a joint (sorry, I'm too busy laughing at that one)
*a vacation (yep.)
*to start looking at the camera
*protection
*to put some more clothes on
I thought you could all could use a good laugh.

Thankful Thursday

2009-01-15T17:05:00.000-08:00

I was thinking that because I love Thursday so much, I'll just go ahead and make this a day where I say at least one thing that I'm thankful for. I love thursday so much because its one of the few days where I don't have to work 12 hours, so I usually spend the morning leisurely (IE- snuggle with my cat before getting out of bed, actually finish washing dishes, cook myself something to eat, read scriptures in bed....). And let's not forget that today is Grey's Anatomy Day, which is just like a little cherry on top of my thursday sundae.
So today, I'm going to say that I'm grateful for the fact that I know spring will come eventually. It's about 10 degrees outside, and yes, I do have to go out in it to get home, and in the morning I'll have to come back in the same. I'm looking forward to spring and am grateful that it comes every year. I'm also grateful that I have a brother and his three cute kids in Phoenix where I can go to get out of this miserable coldness. Not sure if I can actually afford to go, but the thought is nice. Yea thursday!

"Happy Birthday to Me" or "I'm Such an Idiot!"

2009-01-12T18:18:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I went to the Apple store today with the intention of just "looking" at new ipods. See, the screen on my old one, which I got two years ago for my birthday, broke two months after I got it. I could still sort of see the name of the song, so I used it for two whole years. Then, over Thanksgiving, in inexplicably went missing. I have been grieving my poor little ipod ever since. My mom bought it for me and my brother had it engraved, so it had sentimental value, but alas, life has forced me to get a new one. So here it is! My new ipod nano chrome(something or other). The reason I'm such an idiot? I'm not so sure it won't bounce my account! Oh well, here's to a new year and 28 years of living!

Hope You Have A Minute!

2008-12-27T15:22:00.000-08:00

I'm just warning you ahead of time- this one's going to be long. Christmas for Heather means many many pictures, so you get to reap the fruits of my camera. We started our Christmas festivities on Christmas eve in the night. I had to work until six, so we were a little late getting our santa on. Grandma and I went for a quick visit to a nearby nursing home where a lady from our church lives and gave her a gift. Tracy and I played santa after that, making these stockings which, if I do say so myself, turned out quite adorable.

We had breakfast for dinner-quite yummy! I love my dad's french toast! Then Tracy and I went downtown for a midnight service at the same church that mom and I had gone to the past two years. It's an old (around mid-1700s) church that looks to me like a cathedral. Lancaster is full of these kinds of churches. We came home and hung the stockings and I headed home to finish cleaning my apartment for my mom's arrival. She got there at the lovely hour of two in the morning, and we proceeded to open our jammies and then talk for another two hours. I don't think my neighbor upstairs appreciated it, but oh well. Christmas morning, we didn't even open our eyes until 10:30 and everyone was waiting for us over at dad's. The present fiesta followed.

Mom and I returned to my place to open a few more gifts for each other, then we started the pie and rolls. After four different trips to four different places, we fianally had all the ingredients for them. I was, needless to say, a little stressed out by the time we finished and got back over to dad's. Dinner was amazing, and that night was spent playing with our new toys.
The next day, mom and I were headed to Target and stumbled upon a beautiful tableaux, so we stopped to have a little mini-photoshoot.

CHEERS TO A GREAT 2009 EVERYONE!

My Two Nephews!!!

2008-12-18T10:48:00.000-08:00

Last night, we got the news!!! Little Remy Hite is officially here! He's such a cutie!

Of course, I AM a little biased!
And then today is my other nephew Rees' fifth birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!!!! Almost a kindergartener! How exciting!

What better presents could an auntie want for christmas???!!!

O CHRISTMAS TREE

2008-12-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

This year, as I've set up my decorations around my small apartment, I've come to realize something: My favorite decoration is the Christmas tree. I have two full-sized trees and, though I'm not quite sure how that happened, I wouldn't want to do without either one. The fuller one sits in my living room, and this year I put it right smack dab in the middle of the room, unlike last year where it was kind of hidden in the corner.

Then there's the one in my kitchen. It's skinnier and fits nicely into the corner where I can always see it. This one just has lights and bulbs.

In addition to my two full-sized, I have many smaller ones around as well. I have two that are made out of fabric and hang on the back of a doorway. You tie candy canes on them. Very fun when we were kids so I just kept the tradition going. There's also a sparkling tree candle and a tree that is made of beads and has lights in the middle. I didn't even realize I had so many trees! Of course, I have other decorations hanging around, but the tree clearly trumps them all.
I don't think the puddy tat likes them as much as me, but I still managed to get a few quick photos with him in front of it.

What am I thankful for?

2008-11-28T18:29:00.000-08:00

Well, I think these pictures show pretty clearly what I am most thankful for. I love my family, and this has truly been a blessed Thanksgiving full of them! We had the traditional dinner over at my Aunt Sherma's house. Everyone on my dad's side of the family was there. Here's a few choice shots from that. And today, Black Friday, we decided to have our own family Thanksgiving with a few friends peppered in there for fun. Here's a few pics from that!

One Wedding and a Snowstorm-by Heather Hite

2008-11-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

Heather was very excited that morning when she woke up. It was her friend's wedding. As she got ready, she just knew it was going to be the perfect day. She went to open the curtains, and it took her mind a few seconds to register what she was seeing. "What's all that white stuff?? What the.....Is that snow?? Oh crap. That can't be good." Despite the misgivings over the weather, however, Amanda, her friend, was still getting married that day, and so, snow or no snow, she was making the trip to Washington DC.

The wedding was lovely, and Heather shed a few happy tears for her friend. Up until then, Amanda and Heather had shared the joys of singlehood. Now that was ending. Heather couldn't be happier for her friend.

After many pictures, they (Amanda B, Brad, Addison, and Heather) took what seemed like the long route to the restaurant, made longer by Addison not being too happy with her wet diaper. After a very lovely meal at Olive Garden, The company of four wished the bride and groom well and began their sojourn back to Lancaster. There was, after all, a party in honor of the release of the movie of Twilight being held that very night and Heather and Amanda B absolutely COULD NOT miss this one! They had waited patiently all summer long for this movie, and excitement was high. About and hour and a half to two hours into the journey home, (a journey which was only supposed to be two hours long) the snow began again. This time, the traffic crept along at an agonizing pace. A few stops along the way increased the anxiety of Heather and Amanda B, for the party was set to start soon. Not long after the snow finished dropping it's white flakes of doom, the traffic came to a dead stop. And so they waited. And waited. And waited. At seven o'clock, when the party was set to begin, phonecalls of disappointment had to be made. There would be no party for the girls. But hopefully, if the traffic would begin again, they could make it to the movie. They waited some more. And some more. No news came to them about what the holdup was. Nothing but hundreds of cars sitting on a freeway reading books, making phone calls, and letting the occasional expletive slip. Two and half hours later, the news came- the freeways were shut, and were set to open up again at 8:30. Was there enough time for Amanda and Heather to make it to their movie? Crawling along, they kept the small flicker of hope alive, and finally, they were on the road soaring towards home. The minutes ticked perilously by as the time for the movie to begin approached. They raced the clock, keeping that flicker alive. Finally, fifteen minutes after the movie was set to begin, Amanda and Heather screeched in to the theater parking lot on two wheels and made a dash for it. They made it to their seat just as the last trailer was finishing, and luckily, missed none of their highly anticipated movie. All in all, they gave the movie a general big thumbs up!
The next day was much better than the previous. The bride sparkled, the lights were turned low, and the food was delicious. Heather, after contemplating the weekend, realized that a winter wedding was definitely out of the question for her, but overall, enjoyed the beauty of the fall colors and dazzling lights.

Bring it on, I'm ready!

2008-11-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend is going to be a crazy one-and it doesn't stop until monday! Friday morning, one of my BFFs is getting married (hooray!!!! Love you, Amanda!)
And then, my other BFF and I are rushing back up to Lancaster for the Twilight Party. Yes, It's true, already have my ticket. Do you???
On Saturday is Amanda's reception. What could follow all of this you ask? I'm getting together with Sarah, yet another friend, to make homemade Advent calendars out of felt (they should be really cute. I'll post a picture so you can see, have no fear.) And then (inhale please, Heather, you need oxygen) sunday is the say to prep for my mommy who arrives on monday. (Whew, I'm going to need a nap now.)

At Mom's Request....

2008-11-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

So my mom made the request that I put these pictures of her main man, Greg. I haven't properly introduced him, so I probably should. (drumroll please) This is Greg! Take note, because he's going to be around for a while!

Weekend Excursion

2008-10-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

This weekend, my good friend Carol and I took a little jaunt up to New York just to enjoy a "ladies night out". We had originally planned to meet up with a friend of hers, but that fell through, so we decided we'd still go and make an evening of it. This is made easier by the fact that Dev lives a quick 45-minutes (by train) from Grand Central. Thanks for the accomodations, big brother! So we drove up to Dev's on saturday morning (I'm not even going to try and describe the beautiful drive amongst all the lovely fall-touched leaves) and dropped our stuff off at his house, then we caught the train into the city. Once we were there, we had a bite to eat at Grand Central, then started walking toward the theater district. We decided to stop right where we were at and make a phone call to see if we could get into Mary Poppins for a reasonable price, and as it turned out, we got them! (thirty-seven dollars for a sat evening show, not bad indeed!) So we killed time by stopping downtown to see Ground Zero (the new memorial builing is going up!) and window shopping. And I will say that when I shop in New York and only come away with a pair of very agreeably-priced shoes, I've done something right. We then got out of the rain and wind by having a drink at McDonald's (and trust me, this is not the McDonald's on your block. The one in Times Square is huge) and then we headed to our show.
The next day, we did a little shopping in Devan's town of Greenwich, (I love Sephora, don't you?) we headed home on another lovely, colorful drive. Here's some highlights:

TOO FUNNY NOT TO SHARE!

2008-10-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I stole it from my friend Rachel. It was too funny not to share, right?

Silliness

2008-10-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

Answer the questions, and put your answers in a Google images search (okay, I cheated and used photobucket)then post the first picture that comes up!

My name is: Heather

My middle name is:

My last name is: Hite

My favorite vacation spot is: New York City

How old am I? 27 (yeah, this one didn't work.)

Where I'd like to go someday: Paris

Where I grew up: Lakeside AZ

My favorite food:

My favorite treat: carmels

Where I live right now: Lancaster PA

My favorite animal: Tiger

My favorite color: Purple

I'm married to: No one!

Describe Hubby: unfound

What I do for work: CNA

Fall Vacation to a Summery Place

2008-10-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

I'm going to warn you all right now-there are TONS of pictures ahead! Okay, fair warning.
This week was spent in the great state of Arizona, which always brings back memories of my childhood. My and I got in late on Monday night. Tuesday was spent at cousin Anji's with the kids (cousin Anji hosted us and showed us a great time!). We did a craft with leaves that my mom had brought with her (if I refer to my mom as "Nanda" in this narrative, it's because that's what the kids call her). We also went to the park and got on the swings.

The next day, we had lunch with a great friend from Lakeside- Robyn Rogers. In this picture, you'll also meet mom's leading man Greg!

We then took the kids to Build-A-Bear (An Aunt Heather tradition). Here's a few good ones from that.

The next day, we hit the zoo:

You can see in the one picture, Rees and I are praying to the mist gods because we're so dang hot.
They got a little tired at the end.....

We spent that night at Monique's parent's house and had a lovely homemade mexican meal.
Friday, I rented myself a car (it turned out to be a PT Cruiser. I felt cool driving in that thing!) and drove to Tucson Arizona where I got to spend the evening with Catherine, a friend from my childhood.

Yesterday, we had to say good-bye. What a wonderful vacation. Hopefully we can get these guys back here one of these days!

Dewey Readmore Books

2008-10-09T17:15:00.001-07:00

I found this book last night at Barnes and Noble and I've only read a few chapters, but I'm already in love with this cute kitty. On a cold night in January, someone stuffed him in the book return slot at a library. The then small kitten was found half frozen the next morning by the library staff. On frostbitten paws, he nuzzled each of the staff members, thanking them for rescuing him from the cold. This is just the beginning of Dewey's story and how he helped a small-town library survive. Anyone want to read this one with me?

April Tagged Me

2008-10-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

I think I've done this one before, or at least part of it, but I'll try to give some different answers and make it interesting. And if you want to complain, blame April.

2 Tags for the Price of 1
8 Things I am passionate about:
1. My family
2. Helping the people I work with achieve as normal a life as possible.
3. Reading (I'm going to agree with April on this one)
4. Movies! (good ones!)
5. Scrapbooking
6. Chocolate (this is why I could never be a good Atkins dieter)
7. Keeping close contact with friends (thank you myspace, facebook, and my blog!)
8. Traveling and taking pictures of the journey

8 Words or phrases that I say often:
1. Ready freddy?
2. Let's go girls (I say these two phrases to Gabby and Melissa)
3. Sa-Weet!
4. What?
5. I'm sorry, was that my outer voice?
6. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ (I've heard I snore.)
7. It is what it is, y'know.
8. Yeah, whatever.

8 Things I want to do before I die:
1. Go to Paris with mom and be able to converse with the locals.
2. Raise kids
3. Get married. You know, SOME time before I die.
4. Actually cook rolls that are as good as my mom's. Probably never going to happen, but I'm up for a challenge.
5. Own a house.
6. Get a degree
7. Finish current projects (HELLO stories, Heather!)
8. See my family altogether in the same place again.

8 Things I have learned
1. Trying to carry too many things in your hands, which leads to the cell phone in the mouth, also leads to a broken cell phone.
2. It's better to accept the size that you are and dress accordingly that try and squeeze into something in a size you prefer.
3. Don't put things that say "100% cotton" in the dryer.
4. It's okay to know you're right but stay silent anyway.
5. People don't have to deserve love for you to give it.
6. Traveling is the best way to see the world.
7. I need eight hours. Any less-it's not pretty.
8. Animals have rights, too.

8 Places I would love to go or see:
1. PARIS!!
2. London
3. The rest of Europe
4. A sunset over the Pacific
5. A sunrise over the Atlantic
6. On a cruise
7. The academy awards
8. Time's Square at New Years

8 Things I currently need or want:
1. More medicine (but I'm afraid to take more)
2. Money
3. Time
4. Unlimited sky miles
5. To be on "What Not to Wear" so that I can spend $5000 on a new wardrobe in New York City.
6. A self-cleaning cage for my rats.
7. A LONG vacation (I keep chanting "monday, monday, monday")
8. April put her mom and I'm going to agree. I definitely need my mom right now!

8 People I tag:
I'm going to skip tagging because everyone I know has already done this one!
alphabet tag...
A. Attached or single? single. Oh, so single! And LOVING it.
B. Best friend? Mom
C. Cake or pie? A pecan pie, please (I'm dreaming of Thanksgiving...)
D. Day of choice? FRIDAY!!!
E. Essential item? My purse. I carries my world.
F. Favorite color? Purple and dark red.
G. Gummy bears or worms? worms.
H. Hometown? Lancaster by way of Lakeside AZ, Cedar City UT, and Salt Lake City UT.
I. Indulgence? Watching tv while scrapbooking or spending and entire weekend reading a book.
J. January or July? My birthday is in January. Any questions?
K. Kids? None yet.
L. Life isn’t complete without? My kitty. He's my little companion.
M. Marriage date? I'll keep you posted.
N. Number of brothers & sisters? three brothers.
O. Oranges or apples? Oranges.
P. Phobias? deep water, death of a loved one, being attacked in my home (that's not a phobia, just a fear) blood-sucking ticks.
Q. Quotes? "We're adults. When did THAT happen? And how can we make it stop?" It's my favorite.
R. Reasons to smile? A sweet animal giving you their love, silly pictures with friends, a random "Princess Bride" quote, phone calls from my niece and nephew.
S. Season of choice? LOVE the fall. I love the anticipation of the holidays.
T. Tag some peeps! Nah, I'll skip that part.
U. Unknown fact about me? I have two gray hairs. There, it's out. *shiver*
V. Vegetable? at this time of year, squash! (that one's for you Amanda!)
W. Worst habits? Road rage. I'm sure you all understand?
X. X-ray or ultrasound? X-Ray. I don't like the way they press hard for ultra-sounds.
Y. Your favorite food? pertaters. (That's potatoes, but I thought I'd make the answer interesting)
Z. Zodiac sign? Aquarius, the water-bearer. Strangely, it's an "air" sign. What's that about?

Sorry Romeo.....

2008-10-01T05:25:00.000-07:00

I used to be in LOVE with Romeo and Juliet. When I was fifteen, Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio were iconic for me, and there was no way to trump that as my favorite Shakespere movie. (I think anyone who knew me at that time will remember the six-foot long poster gracing my wall). But sadly, times change, and so do people's tastes. I have a replacement. It's actually been my favorite for some time, but I watched it again yesterday and I thought I'd share my opinion. Shakespere was a great writer (I'd hate to argue with historians and and literary scholars alike), however, I think the wit and humor, mixed in with a little drama that unfolds in this movie is absolutely brilliant. Some of my favorite lines are at the beginning when Beatrice and Bennedick are squaring off:

BEATRICE
I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior
Benedick: nobody marks you.

BENEDICK
What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?

BEATRICE
Is it possible disdain should die while she hath
such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick?
Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come
in her presence.

BENEDICK
Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I
am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I
would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard
heart; for, truly, I love none.

BEATRICE
A dear happiness to women: they would else have
been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God
and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I
had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man
swear he loves me.

BENEDICK
God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some
gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate
scratched face.

BEATRICE
Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such
a face as yours were.

Classic. Absolutely classic. If you've not seen this movie or the play, I would highly recommend it. Sorry Romeo. You've been replaced.

The Cute Hites (y'know, the ones from Arizona)

2008-09-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

I got some great pictures from Monique a couple of weeks ago and I've been wanting to post them ever since, so here they are. I photoshopped the one above because I thought it was just such a cute picture of a little girl on her second birthday! I'm going out to see the munchkins in two weeks and four days (shall I give you the hours as well?) Needless to say, I can't wait! The picture of Nicolette with her new dolly is special-Rees picked it out for her without any help. He's the sweetest older brother ever, and she adores him. Here's a few I wanted to share:

BAAAAAAD Day

2008-09-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

You'd think I'd catch the hint when I stepped out my door at 6:30 this morning and dropped my red-dyed drink all over myself and my front porch: this is not going to be a good day. I went on my naive way, thinking it was just a little hitch in an otherwise fun-planned day. My client and I had plans to go see the Lion King in New York (really excited to see this show, by the way. I've heard very good things) and so we met up with everyone that was going on the bus trip at our workplace. The busdriver was late-another bad sign. Then he tried to get the lift in functioning order. Every time we'd get one piece of it up and running, the next thing would break down. So, after about an hour of dinking around, we were told that another bus (from an hour away) was on it's way. Frustrated and freezing, we went in to the office to have a bite to eat. They finally said that the new bus was almost here. It wasn't. It was a mechanic instead. After HE dinked around with it for another hour, the lady from our workplace that was coordinating the trip came in and told us that they were going to take off and that another bus would be here in an hour. They had JUST BARELY dispatched the second bus. If we waited for this bus, we would have missed our show. It was so completely bungled that we ended up calling it a day and going home. Through my client's tears, my heart broke. She and one other person with a disability (they are both in wheelchairs) were left behind. I don't understand how this happens in our country in 2008, but happen it did. I had to promise her that I would go up with her either next week or the week after, but that doesn't solve the fact that she's going to have to fight the bus company to get her money back. Let me clarify- EVERYTHING that a person with disabilities does is a fight. Nothing comes easily. I've seen it first hand. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it first hand. So after I went home, I was running errands, got impatient, and passed someone who was turning left, inadvertently hitting a curb and blowing out my tire. Like I said- BAD DAY. Is it almost over??

My One True Love

2008-09-17T13:27:00.001-07:00

For some women, it's shoes. For others, it's perfume. And then there are some that enjoy the pedicures and manicures. For me- purses and handbags. I'm sure that just about every woman out there can relate to the euphoric feeling that she gets when she finds THE BEST of her favorite thing. Today was my day. I figured, with all the running here and there and out-of-town jaunts I'm going to be making in the next few months, I'm going to need this. The euphoric feeling lasts only as long as it takes to realize that, whoops, there's the light bill and...hmmm, probably should pay it. But, I gotta say, for now, some pampering is totally called for. Are you with me sistas??!!

Is it a face or.......?

2008-09-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

So I was innocently shopping today and I came across this site. I'm not really sure what to make of this eggplant, but...well, I'll just let you decide for youself. What do YOU think it looks like? Personally, I think it's a male eggplant.

2008-09-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

OUR GIRL IS TWO!!!!!!
Happy Birthday to Nicolette Raquel Hite! Can't believe she's two!!

Monkey Munch

2008-08-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe on "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" and it looked so good- so I looked it up! I've got to say, I love this snack! I'm sure it's the highest thing you could possibly eat in sugar but, well, that's pretty much just perfect for me. Enjoy!
9 cups Chex Mix
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter into a large microwaveable bowl. Heat on high 1 minute. Stir. Heat in 30 second intervals until completely melted, stirring after each 30 seconds. Add vanilla, then chex. Stir until all the chex are coated. Put powdered sugar in large ziploc bag. Add chex mixture and shake until covered. Lay flat on cookie sheet until cool and dry. Store in fridge.

Birthdays and Some Laughs

2008-08-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

This week was the week of birthdays in my family! Dad was the 14th and Tracy and Grandma's was on the 15th. So Aunt Sherma decided to throw a bash for the whole family. Sherma knows how to throw a party! First, last night, we went to dinner at a restaurant on the river. Here's some pics from that: Then today, we had the party at Aunt Sherma's. Lots of fun with the family! This is a clip of us playing the game of "Pop the balloon with your buns". It's a little fuzzy and you can't see everyone, but watch until the end. It has a little bit of a funny ending.

Up All Night for "Dawn"

2008-08-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

If you've never stayed up for an event at midnight, I can say right now, you're missing out! This weekend was the midnight release of "Breaking Dawn", the fourth and final book in the "Twilight" series. I have a bunch of friends that are into this series, so we decided to have a midnight release party (sort of). We made tee shirts to display who we love (Edward...of course!) and met at Maggie Moos for some ice cream. Then, Amanda and I had a little time to cool our heels, so we went to Wal Mart and bummed around (the picture of us flexing our muscles was taken in the restroom-yeah, we really needed to burn some energy). Then we headed over and got our books from borders! We actually got them amazingly quickly (considering that we waited for our "Harry Potter" books for over an hour). I finished the book about 48 hours later. I couldn't stop reading the entire weekend. If you haven't checked these books out, you should!

It's a boy!!!!

2008-07-29T19:16:00.001-07:00

We got the news today~ Monique's having a boy! I'm so excited, I just can't hide it! Ha ha! Congrats Ryan and Monique!
Also in other Hite family news, Devan's play is being read in Salt Lake City. Congrats to Dev as well!

Dev's Birthday and a Last Minute Visit from Mom

2008-07-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

This week our big bro (okay, he's MY big bro) turned 29! And I had to remind him that, no, he wasn't turning 28 as he thought, it was in fact 29. Poor guy, he really IS busy up there at Yale! And since the sis works on weeknights, the only time to celebrate was sunday night. We had as many family members over as possible. Lots of fun with decorations, bubbles, and a few intense games of Uno. (Girls vs guys, but the stakes, which were "loser does dishes" went out the door because I did the dishes even though the girls won) Here's a few choice pics from the party.......

Then on Thursday, I talked to my mom and told her that Dev and I were going to a midnight showing of the new X-Files movie, and, hey, wouldn't it be a great idea if she hopped in the car and came down for a few days? So she got here just in time for the movie, and stayed until yesterday. We got a chance to go out in to the county and snap some photos of the beautiful farming area which I live in. We also visited some yard sales and antique shops. These wonderful and unplanned weekends just keep happening! Don't worry, I'm getting my sleep!

Impromtu Keith Urban/Kenny Chesney concert

2008-07-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

So Amanda called me on friday with an offer not to be refused. She asked if I would like to go to a Kenny Chesney concert? Well, I'm not really a Chesney fan, but she also mentioned that Keith Urban would be performing (whom I LOVE) as well as LeAnn Rimes. "Well," I thought, "I really wanted to just do nothing this weekend because I've been so busy for a month straight. But who can pass up that offer?" So I said yes, and yesterday, we went. This was SO not what I expected! I thought we'd see a few songs from each of these performers, but found out that not only was it all these singers, but that they were all going to perform a full length concert each! It was an all-day event. And, yes, it was extremely hot day/evening/night in Philadelphia, but that bothered us not-the friend that gave us the tickets has a suite at the Licoln Financial Center, so we got to sit in a catered room and watch the whole thing. It was amazing!!! That is the only word I have for it. I don't think I've ever screamed so hard or jumped so high. Keith is extremely gorgeous in real life. Maybe I'll get my rest next weekend, but I wasn't at all sorry to miss it yesterday.

Me and Amanda in front of the tens of thousands in the crowd. (I think LeAnn Rimes was performing in this shot)

Driving down to Philly

Keith Urban the uberhottie.

Us in the suite.

Am I lookin' good in his shirt?

The whole group.

Summer Fun in the Sun

2008-07-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

A day trip to the beach was on the agenda for this weekend, only not as we had expected. See, all THREE of us girls were supposed to go, but Amanda B had to work, so Amanda M and I decided we'd join the YSA group that was headed to Ocean City MD this weekend. As anyone who knows us is already aware, Amanda and I aren't much for YSA events, mostly because a great majority of the people in our stake YSA group are 18 or 19. But we went anyway, and managed to have a great time. Amanda lost her glasses (I won't rub it in, but why would anyone go into the water with their glasses on? Heehee, love you, Manda!) But after being thrown around by some VERY monterous waves, we got into the ocean fun of things. The waves are extreme right now, apparently, according to my dad, because of the hurricane off shore? But it made for some extreme swimming! I think these photos speak for themselves!

fourth of july weekend

2008-07-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

This fourth of July kind of went on forever since it was on a friday. The entire weekend was spent enjoying our nation's birthday. On friday, I went with my client, Melissa, and her mom up to their family's cabin. We had a quiet night that evening. The next day, Carol and I went to a pottery shop that was a renovated mill from the 1800s. I bought a cute little vase and picked some wild daisies to put in it! Then we saw a sign for cherry picking and thought "why not?" and so followed my first experience with cherry picking. The next day we came home, and back in good ol' Lancaster, we had the big fireworks show at Long's Park with the whole family. Happy Birthday America! Does anyone need a cone THAT BIG? Finally found my pot! Pickin' cherries. Our loot. Life is just a bowl full of..... Me and Mel "roughin' it" in the mountains. This is what I look like after a weekend among the beasts in the woods. Dev and Grandma wait for the festivities to begin. Dad and Tracy talk to friends and family. Aunt Sherma and Uncle David humor me with a smile. Me and Addison My BFFs The Gals!

Gone Fishing

2008-07-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Monique sent me these pictures of Rees and Nicolette fishing for the first time. And guess where they were??? Rainbow Lake! For those of you who didn't know me back then, I grew up on Rainbow Lake. It was almost tear-jerking to see the kids on the same lake that we, as kids, used to play at with our dog, princess. Enjoy the pics! Aren't they adorable? (as always, but then, as auntie, I'm a little biased)

Signs of Life!

2008-06-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

This is the story of the little tomato plant that could. See, I bought this tomato plant, tickled to death, because it was already planted and staked and apartment-ready. I usually grow tomatoes and squash, but this year, because I don't really have anywhere to plant a garden, I just decided to do tomatoes and peppers in pots. Well, a week after I bought this plant, it was wilted and turning brown, even though I had watered it and given it tomato food. I thought, "Well, I'll just return it and get a new one." But another week went by and I assumed that was too much time to get my money back, so I decided to just keep watering it and see what happened. Low and behold, my sweet tiny tomato plant is now a full-grown bush, and yesterday when I went outside, there was a small tomato on the vine! There's plenty of buds that are ready to give fruit as well (because, yes, tomatoes ARE a fruit). So I thought, "Hey, I'll check on the peppers too, see how they're coming along!" Well, THOSE had little peppers as well. So, even though they're grown in pots, my veggies (okay, and fruits) are coming along nicely. Wish I could have everyone over for fried green tomatoes. Yum!

Got Tagged AGAIN~ this time by Rachel.

2008-06-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

How To Play This Game of Tag:Post these rules on your blog.List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself.Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!

Okay, so here goes!
THREE JOYS
1. My first joy would be my apartment. I love the freedom it gives me to live how I want and do all I want and to know that it's all through my own efforts that I have it. No one complains if the dishes aren't done or if the floor isn't mopped. By the same token, I don't have to look after anyone or answer to anyone but myself. There's a lot of freedom in living alone!
2. My second joy is my job. I love the relationships that I'm able to build through the people I meet in my profession. And I love the flexibility.
3. Traveling is another great joy that I have. The world is a beautiful place with a lot of interesting people and places. I just wish I had more money to see it all.

THREE FEARS
1. Losing a loved one. I don't think that one needs any explaination.
2. Deep water. One time I went kayaking over this lake while I was a camp instructor and I realized that I was over 80 feet of water and I totally freaked out. I had to come back to shore. Even though I was wearing a life vest, I had to leave.
3. Being attacked in my own home. Because I live alone, I don't think this one needs any explaination either.

THREE GOALS
1. To visit Paris. The only reason I haven't started saving money for this is because I'm not going without my mom and she can't save enough money for it right now. But soon. Very very soon!
2. To be debt-free. Would there be anything more fabulous? No, I don't think so.
3. To keep up on the Wii Fit. I should do it everyday, but it's sometimes hard to remember.

THREE CURRENT OBSESSIONS
1. Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" books. Read them. You'll love them.
2. James McAvoy. The man is yummilicious. (I just made that word up.)
3. Flip Flops. I absolutely love these shoes in the summertime. They look so cute on (MUCH better than crocs) and they don't hurt my feet like most shoes do. Bring on the sand and hot weather- I'm ready!

THREE RANDOM SURPRISING FACTS
1. I've never been to the Grand Canyon. But I used to drive past it every other weekend.
2. I can tie a cherry stem with my tounge. Now you're curious, aren't you?
3. I've written many stories but none of them have ever been published. Just keep waiting, someday, they will be. Maybe that one should've gone under "goals"......

Okay, I'm tagging these five people:
Amanda B-
Rachel B
Marianne
Jordan
Well, maybe just four......

Will Work For Fun

2008-06-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of being a Personal Care Attendant is that your clients still need you when they go on vacation. And lucky enough for me, my girl goes every year to Ocean City New Jersey. We loaded everyone up and got on our way last saturday. Of course, the minute I got there (and helped with the unloading) I got into the water. We had a lovely (and I say that sarcastically) heat wave the first few days, so the cold Atlantic water was a nice contrast. Our days were spent walking the boarwalk and spending way too much money. We took a trip to Atlantic City on Tuesday or Wednesday to see the Aquarium and have lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. The next day, we took a trip to the Cape May Zoo (Heather enjoyed the big cats). I tried my best not to get too much sun, and I can say thank goodness for SPF 50. I've had those kinds of burns before- never again. I don't even like to get a suntan. But as you can see, I had a great time while working. MY JOB ROCKS! (Ahem, sorry.)

Mac and Mancos pizza!

At the Rainforest Cafe in Atlantic City

At the Atlantic City Aquarium

Sassy ladies!

Enjoying nice cold drinks on a hot boardwalk.

Poor Pooch had to wear booties on the boardwalk because it was too hot for her little paws.

All the girls got pedicures.

Me and Melissa enjoying the boardwalk in the evening.

Hitting the sand....ahh sunshine.

Throwing back a cold one with my girl. (It's rootbeer. Nobody panic.)

Manicure time

2008-06-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

What is cuter than a little white boxer getting her nails done?? Not a whole lot! Gabby is a service dog, so she does all kinds of things on command. And quite frankly, I think she's the sweetest dog on the planet (aside from Luther, that is).
Thought I'd also throw in the pictures of my flowers. If April showers bring may flowers, what do May showers bring? More and more flowers!!!

Raining on our parade

2008-06-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

I have a gripe. A big one. Darn the blasted rain: that's my gripe. I mean, a few times a month is nice. Maybe 3 or 4 times. But just about every other day? Excess is inexcusable. I've tried putting in an order form to heaven to fix the leaky faucets, but I guess that memo, like so many others, got lost. Of course, last weekend was gorgeous and clear. But THIS weekend, well, see for yourself. Mom and Amanda and I were trying to make a little money and clean our spaces for summer by having a yard sale when, mid-morning, the water works began. Enough is enough. I'm moving to Mexico. Okay okay, done with the gritching. When the rain began, we ran like mad to get the stuff on the porch and collect our cute signs before they were beyond repair (you tell me, according to these photos, do you think our signs are ruined?) at which point I was more soaked than I think I've ever been in a rainstorm. In the end, we decided, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and mom and I took pictures in the rain (although someonedecided to stay under the umbrella) So here are the pics from our little adventure. It actually turned out to be a great laughing matter when we realized how silly we looked out in the rain. Ahhh, rainy days. I keep thinking that one day I'll get used to them.......

Spring Hobnobbing In Connecticut

2008-05-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I left the normal, everyday grind of life in Lancaster, and headed up North to Connecticut where my mom lives. The moment I got there, we went to Marshall's where I spotted a designer purse that I've been wanting for a while, and at such a reduced price, what is a girl to do? So despite the large chunk out of my fun money, I bought it. And low and behold, mom found her favorite thing too- perfume. What a great day! The next day, we attended the Lutheran Church where mom plays the organ. It was interesting to see another religion and their service. Mom and I decided, y'know, since it was a vacation and all, what's the harm in a little merchandise hunting? We went to Goodwill, and I know that doesn't sound like much, but we were two kids in a candy shop. The next day, the merchandising continued. We hit the dollar store (we like to spend big) and the mall. I'll tell you, there are some interesting sights to be seen at the mall.

I still can't figure out why Abercrombie uses nude models to advertise...clothes. But whatever. Afterwards, we went home, high on our purchases...

Truly gratifying. We ended out that day with a late movie.
The next day, we decided we stroll around downtown and take some pictures.

Too bad that I have to go home now. In fact, I probably should get to bed as it's almost one and I have to get up at five thirty. I just don't want my trip to end!

Meet Luther, Biggest Loser Assistant

2008-04-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

So, I'd like you to meet my neighbor, Luther. The reason Luther is such a great friend (other than the fact that he's an adorable Golden Retriever!) is that Luther is helping me with my Biggest Loser Challenge. Yes, last week, during the Biggest Loser Finale, I decided I wanted to BE Ali, and so begins a hard and what I hope is successful journey! My plan of action? Take a friend, it tends to work better. Well, what better friend than a neighbor who likes to run and is never too busy for a quick workout? And I can't help but add that my surroundings don't make my goal difficult either (I mean, check out that beautiful green grass?!). The weather has been in the agreeable and jog-friendly low seventies. (And yes, Amanda, I DO jog) Hopefully, me and my friend can get a little healthier together! It's been a week, and what have I to report? (Drumroll please...) Five pounds!

Feeling Nostalgic

2008-04-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I realize that I've had a bit of a blog drought for a while, but rest assured that the boys are out of the bath and doing just fine! It has been wonderful weather here in Lanaster PA so that might explain to you why I haven't been sitting down to a computer as much as I usually do. It's unusual for Lancaster to have so many sunny days all in a row, so one feels the need to rush out and be in it before it goes away and the skies turn gray again.
All this fine weather has made me feel a little nostalgic. I grew up in the valley of the sun and spent most of my time outdoors swimming or simply playing in the yard.

Of course, I don't miss the 100 degree weather, which I've been informed has already happened in Phoenix, but those sunny days with family and friends....ah...
Maybe the nostalgia is just the wish to be, if only or a moment, a carefree child again. Well, that's enough of that; back to being a responible adult now.

Bathtime for the boys!

2008-03-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

Last night was bathtime for my sweet boys Remy and Emile. Unlike their namesakes,
they are not as prone to cleanliness (no one's washing their hands before mealtime in THIS cage) So I had the pleasure of giving their entire cage (and I DO mean every single inch gets scrubbed every week) a good scrubdown, and at the end of the adventure, my boys get a bath of their own! I thought these pictures were just too cute not to share.

A few of my favorite things....

2008-03-21T11:09:00.000-07:00

So, since it's Good Friday, I thought I'd take a page out of the book of Oprah (okay, I know she does this around Thanksgiving, but whatever) and talk about some of my favorite things. I think everyone should reflect on the things they love every once in a while. And if I happen to seem materialistic, well, like I said, we're doing this "Oprah style". I just wish I could give you all of my favorite things to try out, but at least I can suggest them. And hey, you might have never heard of these things and want to try them out yourself. So here goes my long list (because I'm assuming by the time I'm done, it's going to be long!)

*My car: Okay, I know that I don't own the best car or the newest car, but there's something to be said about Hondas. This car is 17 years old and it runs like no tomorrow. Granted, when I bought it, it had less than 100,000 miles on it. But dang, these things go forever! I think I'll be a Honda girl for the rest of my life.

*My Blackberry: As a single woman, living on her own, life can feel a little disconnected. But with this handy device, I get my email, text messages, full internet access, and so much more right in my purse. What more could I ask for?!

*Stephenie Meyer books: If you've never read anything by this woman, try her out. My friend Rachel introduced me to the "Twilight" series and I couldn't put them down. I'm now reading her new book (that doesn't come out until May; a friend of a friend of a friend got an advanced copy) The Host and can recommend it to anyone who enjoys a creative story.

*Accessible buildings and parking spaces: you've all seen them, the irritating blue wheelchair symbol that means one thing: I CAN'T PARK HERE. But in reality, people with disabilities have a VERY hard time getting around and these accessible areas make fun activities possible for me and my clients.

*My scrap-booked recipe book: This keeps my recipes clean in their page protectors while looking cute and making cooking enjoyable. And it's so personalized to me that it has just what I want. (Since I'm a very picky eater, this comes in handy!)

*My scrapbook supplies: All contained in a zip-up carrier that resembles luggage, I love all the beautiful paper, pens, stencils, stickers, die-cuts, ribbon, and much more. Just looking at it makes me want to be creative.

*Old Navy Jeans: Thanks to their new lines of denim,(you can choose from "The Flirt", "The Diva", or "The Sweetheart"....apparently I'm a "Diva") they offer great shaped jeans that actually fit my body type and don't cost a thousand dollars. And the best thing? They have "short" cuts. Could anything be more perfect?

*Charlotte Russe: And while we're on the topic of clothing, my other friend, Amanda, introduced me to this store recently. Their prices are fabulous (I bought a VERY adorable pair of sunglasses for only six dollars) and their styles are very flattering.

*Atonement: If you haven't seen this movie, rent it! Cinematically gorgeous and heartbreaking, it SHOULD have won best picture.

*Goldfish Crackers: Perfect for those afternoons when I'm on the run and can't think of anything better to eat for lunch.

*My crock pot: My daddy's recipe for chili or pot roast and a few hours at church and voila! Dinner that's better than any restaurant.

*Pampered Chef: I love anything! I've been eyeing their stoneware for a year now!

*myspace: sad but true, it's my social hookup. But actually, I love it most for the old friends from grade school that I've found.

*My Cannon Camera: It's nothing extra special, but the pictures come out amazingly clear for such a little camera. I'm a bit of a camera whore, so it makes life so easy. And it downloads straight to My Pictures on my computer, making it easy to access them and share them.

*Propel Single servings: Add these to a bottle of water and you've got a yummy beverage that only has 20 calories. My favorite is Kiwi strawberry.

Okay, there's just a few and I'm tired of typing. But like I said before, if there's something in here that you haven't tried out (except for my car-you can only try that out if you live near me, and the handicap accessible parking spaces-sorry, need a permit for that:)) Give it a whirl! There's a reason it's one of my favorite things.....

Jordan tagged me...little stinker!

2008-03-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

A - Attached or Single: oh, that would be single allright!
B - Best Friends: um....of course?
C - Cake or Pie: y'know, really kind of depends on my mood. I mean, dang, if there's a pecan pie sitting in front of me, I feel almost obligated to give it a home in my belly, but then, I could say the same for chocolate cake.
D - Day of choice: Friday all the way, baby! (and that's tomorrow~)
E - Essential Item: Cell phone (I'm going to copy Jordan's answer on this one because now that I have a Blackberry that gives me my emails and full internet service, I'm slightly addicted.)
F - Favorite Color: Do I just get one? I love purple, but there are so many beautiful colors in the world! Like soft pink and dark blue and blue green. Like she said in "A Beautiful Mind"~ God must have been a painter. Why else would there be so many beautiful colors?
G - Gummy Bears or Worms: Worms, definitely. There's more to munch on.
H - Hometown: I guess I consider that to be Lakeside AZ. Or Mesa AZ. Or Cedar City UT. Ah, hell, I grew up everywhere.
I - Indulgence(s): sugar and Coach purses. One's easier to give into than the other. Any guesses as to which one?
J - January or July: January, of course. The month that the ever famous Heather was born.
K - Kids: Yes, they're great. And hopefully, someday, I'll have some of my own.
L - Life is incomplete without: family.
M - Marriage Date: well, now, that's just awkward. Did you not get the memo about me being single?
N - Number of Siblings: trois freres
O - Oranges or Apples: Oranges, thank you.
P - Phobias or Fears: losing loved one, true evil, drowning in deep water.
Q - Quotes: "Innuendo is not an Italian suppository."
S - Season: Spring (at least, for right now)
T - Tag Three Friends: Marianne, Amanda, and Rachel
U- Unknown fact about me: I hate Rosemary. Actually, I think I'm quite vocal about this, so I think everyone knows. If you're thinking about cooking with Rosemary, count me out.
V - Very favorite store: AC Moore.
W - Worst habit: eating too much sugar and spending too much money. What can I say, I'm female?
X - X-ray or Ultrasound: x rays...I don't like the way they press so hard for ultrasounds.
Y - Your favorite food: taters
Z - Zodiac: Aquarius

A few more good ones of the AZ Hites

2008-03-15T14:04:00.001-07:00

These lovely pics were taken last week at a picnic in Phoenix. Now why can't it be warm enough for a picnic here in PA?

Pop's visit to AZ

2008-03-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

Daddy, AKA Pop, went out to visit the kids a couple of weeks ago and Monique sent me some VERY sweet pictures! They love their Pop! I was talking on the phone to Rees a little while ago and I said "I miss you, Rees". His response? "Yeah. And I miss Pop." Moral of the story? Pop's more fun! Here's them enjoying each other's company. And the family also took a group photo, so I can share that one as well. Dang, wish I could have been there.

Feels Like Spring!

2008-03-03T17:06:00.001-08:00

Okay, now this might not be earth-shattering, but lately, I've got the winter blues. And yes, I'm a whiney little girl, because in reality, it's only snowed (well, snow that's actually left stuff on the ground) about three times this whole winter. But I've got to be honest, I'm tired of the cold gray skies. So that's why today was such a blessed relief! Our first sign that there IS life after winter. So I had to take my girl Melissa out to the park and enjoy the sun. I know, I know, those of you in more sunny areas (give a shout out to my Arizona relations) sun is not the greatest of novelties; some might even wish the sun would go away. But here in the great state of PA, it's a rarity. So, here, I share with you my joy of sunny beautiful weather at the park.

Update From Phoenix

2008-02-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

I got these ADORABLE pictures yesterday from Monique, so of course I had to put them on the blog. The one with Nicolette with a ponytail makes me want to give her a big hug and kiss. You can tell that girl's got sass! My dad, otherwise known as Pop, is on his way tomorrow to visit the Valley of the Sun. Wish it was me!

What I Did With My Forced Time Off

2008-02-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

Well, I had some time off over Valentine's Day weekend, so I decided that a little trip up north is just what I needed. When I got to New Haven, my mom had this really cute cake for me (like the ones she used to bake for my birthdays).

The next day, we bummed around New Haven, taking some pics along the way. I told mom to "show some teeth"....

I love this pic of mom having a good belly laugh over an inside joke.

And a few pics enjoying lunch together....

Then on Saturday, I went with Devan down to New York and we had dinner in Greenwich Village with some friends of his. We had cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery that are THE BEST cupcakes I've ever had!

We spent the night with his friends in the city, the parted ways and I made the hairaising drive out of New York to go home. I enjoyed driving in New York for about five minutes until I lost my way and my gas gauge was perilously close to E. All in all, however, a wonderful way to utilize the time off!