Day 3 and 4 combined

Day three is to be a picture of a cast from a favorite show. 

I would not say it is my FAVORITE show, but it is a guilty pleasure of mine.  This cast I like- ATL is a bit boring; OC is very snobby and NY was pretentious.

I also really enjoy the History channel, HGTV and DIY network.

Just married and in the limo bus

Day Four is to be a picture of your favorite night.  I have three of them, but only have a picture of two:

The first one is obvious- we were surrounded by family and friends for our big day.  It was an incredible wedding in January (and no I was not cold, it was 62 degrees that day) and even though my flowers were dead- the love that Dana and I had for each other was blooming!! (sorry, i couldn't resist the play on words)

Dec 31, 2010

This night made the cut due to so many people who aren't always able to all get together made it out.  Even though most of my family bailed on us, the ones that showed up showed the town of Kearney how it is DONE.  And those who are friends that came out to rock New Year's Eve 2010 became family.  Once you are in the circle, you are always in the circle.  Bryan and Amy had come back from CO, Sadie and Matt came from GI, it was a great night!  My jeans may disagree..



My third and most definitely my best night was March 23, 2005 when Drew James Iverson got his swagger and joined the Iverson family. After waiting past his due date (3/17) the doctor finally induced me on 3/23.  I started labor around noon and by 3 I was ready to have this bowling ball out of my body.  I pushed for almost an hour and a half, finally said to the nurse- I don't know what you are going to do, but I quit.  And I know that I will not be having a C-section; so this is your problem now.  (I am NOT exaggerating) Finally at 8:35 pm- the doctor came in, tugged the big-headed tow head out with forceps and he was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen.  He was so good and just the best baby.  He even let out a laugh later that night when the nurse was there with us.  She just about passed out- she said she had never heard a baby laugh in her 22 years of being a nurse.  She said it was good karma.  So therefore I KNOW they switched my child with someone else by the time we left the hospital.... hahaha. 

And all of these nights have fan-tabulous stories behind them... all for another blog day my friends, all for another day. :)

30 day Know Me, Love Me! Day 2- ppl I have been closest to the longest....

I'm digging some of the activities that I have seen on Facebook or other blogs.  So I am going to apply it here on my own blog.  :)  It is called "30 day" where you post a picture and write a short reflection of the theme for that day.  For the first day, you are supposed to add a picture and type 15 facts of me.  Well, I already did 25 things about me, so I will count that as day 1.

Day 2- A picture of a person that I have been the closest with the longest.

My twin brother, by 30 minutes- Bryan

 This is the my most obvious answer.  He and I go WAY back.  Way, way back.  In fact, so far back that I remember seeing him the minute our eggs were released and sperms raced to get to us.  I was hoping he'd make it too; after all I knew I would be the first to be fertilized.  I thought it would be nice to have someone else to hang out with in that dark place for those 9 months.  Despite he being a boy, and I a girl, we have been very close.  Admittedly, once he went away for his 6th -10th year of college in Lincoln, we slowly drifted apart- or branched out- depends on how you look at it.  At one time, we were pretty inseparable (out of the womb) and I enjoyed those times.  He always looked so cute in my dresses and ribbons in his hair....

Jenna, Melissa, Me, Jenn

 Well these girls were my rock in college and continue to be so. Through break ups of boyfriends, late night studies, sorority drama and mayhem, they had my back.  Even though I don't get to see them as often as I would like to now that we are all working, mothers, wives etc; when we do get to meet up, it is like we never left the AOII house!  There is no one else I would rather sing made up verses of song with; drink toga punch with; shop all day with; watch 90210 with every Saturday morning after drinking all night with; laugh or cry with (and sometimes it was at the same time!)

My BFFLMNOP, Becky

This is my first great friend that I had made as an "adult"- if you claim and adult 24 years old.  We met at a middle school that we worked at and developed a fast friendship.  She and I took some master's classes together, we vacationed with our spouses together and had kids in the same year (she is beating me by one kid...some day I will catch up!)  She has truly been there for me in all my worst days and nights, my highest of highs and my lowest of lows.  I know that she loves me know matter what and now that I am even farther away and she has a little toddler again, times are rare and in between- but when we do meet up it is like we never parted.  Cod with fries and jack and coke's for three dollars anyone???


Someone I knew (and THOUGHT was a friend) once said "Friendship is about proximity."  Well, for the most part I tend to agree with that.  You go through high school thinking you and your best friend will ALWAYS be friends, nothing will keep you apart etc.  However, it doesn't work that way. Life happens, people move, people change and grow, interests are developed or changed so then you take a look around and your best friend is no longer at your side.  But you pink promised, right?  You maybe even poked your little finger with a needle and SWORE you would always be there.  And some of you may have even put a wad of spit in your palms and shook on it.  (That would have been the end of our friendship if you tried that with me!!)  So friendship can be about where you live and how often you get to hang out.  Makes sense.
However the part I don't agree with is that friendship is ONLY about proximity.  No way.  I think we all have friends that maybe we've had since childhood, high school, or college or just the last job you had a year ago; and you still take the TIME to foster that friendship.  You call them, email them, FB them, write them, visit them whenever you are thinking of them or get time to do so.  If you were friend of mine- whether it has been 35 years like my brother and I; 16 years like my college friends; or 10 years like my co-worker- you will ALWAYS be my friend.  Maybe you know how you affected my life, maybe you don't.  But I can tell you that I do cherish everything we have been through and I thank you for your ears, tears, smiles and miles of friendship you have given me.  LOVE YOU ALL.

25 Things You Don't Know About Me

In no random order:

1) I was adopted by my step dad on Nov 7, 1979. Bryan and I were three years old and he has always loved us as his own.  Proud to be a STUMP!

2)I have never drank coffee.

3) I am a rap lover.  I could sing all the lyrics to Jay-Z's, Dr. Dre and Tupac songs!

4) My middle name is Faye, named after my mom's best friend.

5) I love to bake more than cook.  I hate cleaning up either.

6) My first word was "Kiss my butt"

7)  I have 3 keys on my keyring.

8) Dana gave Drew his middle name.  He said we should name him James for the church we got married in (St. James)

9) I have 20 dollars in my wallet and lots of change- which usually I only have lots of change.

10) Tuna Tetrezzini Tuna Helper is my favorite "helper" box.

11) In high school, I used to eat a turkey sandwich for lunch EVERY DAY.

12) I zip up my pants first, then I button them.  This is also easier laying down.

13) Pretty sure I would win a "best Kiss" award if they gave that out.

14) For years, I never ate breakfast. 

15) I always sleep on my left side.  That way when I pass out from drinking too much, I can just throw up and not choke on it.

16) I hate math. 

18) My shoe size is a 10.

19) I want to be an interior designer or a furniture restoration person.

20) I am totally into bird silhouettes and lanterns.  I  know -crazy.

21) I think I know who killed Jon-Bonnett.

22) The grossest thing to me is someone else's hair. Heck, even my own hair in the shower gives me the heebie-jeebies.  So, anyone else's hair -any where; on a desk, on a chair, sink, etc will send me over the edge.

23)  I pull off self-confidence like no other, but most days I am quaking in my shoes or unsure about myself.

24) I have never smoked anything....ok, that isn't true.  I did at one time go through a period where I would smoke Swisher Sweets when I was with my brothers.  And a couple of times I smoked salmon.

25) I LOVE LOVE LOVE drinking pickle juice.  Start from the jar.  So if I ever offer you pickles, you might want to opt out.

My Love and our Back Story

Valentine's Day is here! So in honor of this lovely day, I will take you back to the day of which my love, Dana and I met. 
There is a small back story here- and it goes like this.  My sorority sister, Jennifer Pieper and I were roommates for 5 years once we were out of college- yes, it is true, there is someone who could put up with me for that long.  And as far as I could tell, she loved rooming with me and I loved rooming with her.  So, she had an older brother named Jason who occasionally would pop up here and there and we'd all meet for drinks, rodeo's etc. One of Jason's best buddies is Dana.  So off and on, every once in a while, Dana would come along and so we actually met earlier than most people think.  However, every time we'd meet up as a large group, we were always dating other people....well, ok, I was always dating other people or just gotten out of a relationship.
So Jason ended up dating someone and getting married.  I was invited to the wedding because at that point I had infiltrated the Pieper's family and Paul and Connie (the 'rents) thought of me as their long lost, loud-mouth, funny second blond kid in their family.  Low and behold, Dana was also there as he was an usher in the wedding.  One important fact is this wedding was taking place in Dodge NE.  A very VERY small town, and they do weddings a bit differently there.  They rent out the town hall for the rehearsal dinner, have homemade EVERYTHING for dinner and then just hang out play cards, hit the bar and tear it up the night before the wedding. 
I was the third Pieper sister (there is a younger Peeps) and I met Grandma, Grandpa, etc at the Dodge Community building.  Eventually all the guys and gals were slowly coming in for the start of the rehearsal soiree. And in comes this hunk of a cowboy in a grey hat, tight Levi jeans and a smirk- and he looks like Patrick Swayze.  And I'm not kidding when I say this-keep in mind it had been years since I last saw him- as he walked in, I turned to the youngest Pieper sister and said "That is the man I am going to marry." 
So as I gauge him to see if he has a date coming etc, (he did not) I kept an eye on my prize all night.  I would growl is a chick got too close to my man.  I shot dirty looks to those who even tried to impress my love. I would pull my finger across my throat to a broad who even attempted to talk to him. So dinner was over, toasts were made, drinks were being poured and the card games were beginning.
I sat directly across from Dana so I could tease him, seduce him and win him over by just my gaze.  However, the man would NOT look at me!  EVER!!  Oh, so that is how he wants to play it?? I knew I had to up my game.  The dude to his left got up and went outside to smoke and I snagged that opportunity to sit right next to him.  This guy was going to notice me whether I had to gouge his eyes out with forks and sit them in front of me!!  So, as I sit down next to him- he GETS UP TO LEAVE!!!  The nerve! The audacity! DOES HE NOT KNOW WHO I AM?? I waited him out but he would not come back.  Yet, as soon as I got back to my original seat, he returned.  GGRRR.  Oh, it is on.
As the night progresses, I wasn't sure how to read him- but I was having a good time.  The Pieper family and their friends really know how to party and the small town atmosphere was really great.  As the card game started to wind down, the wedding party and me decided to hit the local bar.  We walked two blocks over, dodged a cow and pulled up cornstalks along the way.  We were ordering drinks and I was standing next to a table when I feel a tug on my jeans.  I look back and it is Dana, "You can come sit by me if you want."  CHA-CHING. REEL HIM IN BABY!!  So flirting my best flirt I finally got the kid to open up and talk to me.  When I asked him why he wouldn't look at me or let me sit by him earlier, he replied "I was sneaking peeks at you all night. Plus if you sat next to me, I couldn't see your beautiful eyes." Before the bar closed and we parted ways he asked if I would save him a dance at the wedding.  I replied, "Well I'm not guaranteeing anything, I do have plenty of other fellas that want to dance with me too, but we'll see."  And I sauntered out leaving him with a great view of me walking away.
The next day at the wedding, I couldn't get over how handsome he was in a tux.  He smiled at me and my heart just knew he was going to be my husband some day.  We had a great time dancing, drinking and enjoying everyone around us; but it also felt like we were the only ones there.  I will never forget the butterflies and fireworks that I felt when I was around him.  He truly made me feel like a teenager again and I was 27 years old.  As the dance wound down, we were getting ready to leave and he offered to walk me to my car. As he walked down the steps, he turned and just planted the most sweetest, gentle, genuine kiss on me that I will never forget. Even 8 years later I still get that bubbly warm feeling of that kiss.
I'm not going to blog on here that we've been happily married every moment - but there is not another person in this world that I would rather be with than him.  There is no one that I would rather have as the father of my child.  I knew that the minute I "re-saw" him.  I still know it today.
Love ya TIGER.

Random Questions about me!

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t a teacher?
I would love to be something creative; like a wedding decorator, florist (did this when I was a teen and LOVED it) writer, stand up comedian.  Or maybe a counselor so I can tell people how to stop making a mess of their lives....probably wouldn't get repeat customers- but I could probably fix their problems in the first session! :)

Q: What are your hobbies?
I love to read.  I like to scrapbook, but I never do.  I have Drew's year one book done, but not anything else! I love playing sports and always enjoy running...water for my bath!! hahaha

Q: When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
  All I can remember is wanting to be a teacher. Maybe I sold myself short, or maybe I was right on track....yet to be determined.

Q: What are your guilty pleasures? 
Naps. Cuddling with my son. Window shopping. Naps. Going to any bookstore.

Q: What is your biggest fear?!
My life ending too short where I won't get to watch Drew grow up, graduate college, getting married, giving me grandbabies! And another fear is not being able to ever have another child. 

Q: When you’re on vacation, where do you like to go?
What I wouldn't do to go on a vacation that isn't going to CO to visit my brother.  I LOVE that, but it'd be nice to go Hawaii or Florida or even Boston.

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Follow your gut.


Q: If you could choose one of your personality traits to pass down to your kids, what would it be?             
Since good looks isn't a personality trait, I guess it'll have to be my sense of humor, and I do believe he has it!! I'm in for it!! :) 
 
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, living or dead, who would it be?
My grandpa who passed away when I was 12.  I'd love to tell him all the things I have done and get his input.

Now tell us one random thing about yourself:
I am a sucker for cookbooks. :)

Things I learned this weekend:

1.  You can be whoever you want to be in a bar.  Last night, I was a professional comedian from Kansas City, making my way to Chicago and hoping to eventually make it big in the Big Apple.  The thing is, the guys we told believed me.  And it wasn't just stupid shmucks we were talking to (I mean come on, do I waste my time on those types .... anymore?)  These were people who were professionals and of course with my quick wit I was able to be believed.  I told them I was in town for a girls night out and I needed material.  They gave me plenty!!

2. Again, you can be who ever you want to be.  Last night, I was Amber.  Amber Rose, which just happens to be my favorite Victoria Secret perfume.  Thankfully the crowd I was with heard me introduce myself as that and played along with. 

3.  Whenever you think you are the oldest person in the bar, there is always a lady that looks rode hard, and put away wet, with a banana clip in her hair.

4.  Alcohol does allow people to open up and be honest.  I'm so glad a friend of mine finally admitted she wants to be like me.  I mean, who can blame her, I am the definition of awesomeness. She is already a few steps towards her goal, she owns an Equinox and has a little boy, and a great body. And she has great taste in clothes and friends!!

5.  Whenever you think you are the oldest person in the bar because the banana clip girl left, in comes the man with the official Civil War hat.  And when you ask him if he was grey or blue,  but doesn't smile, you know HE'S too old to be in a bar. Especially Amber Rose who is looking for material for her next stand up comedy gig.

6.  If you are able to convince the waitress not to suck helium out of a balloon that is in the shape of a 40, you are doing the world a service.  And when you tie that balloon onto your purse and walk around with it, everyone in the bar tells you that you look great for 40, you don't look over 28, etc. It was a built in compliment balloon.  I'm thinking of making sure I get one for anytime I go out.  Next time it might be 50 just to see what some people say.

7.  I hate to say it, but blondes do have more fun- especially if you are a dyed brunette waiting to make it in to her next hair appointment to become a blonde again.  I think we entertained everyone at the establishment we ate at AND the bar we stopped at.  We may not have been the youngest, hottest or richest- but we were hands down the funnest!! It was like a revolving door for us; people wanted to talk to us, be near us, buy us drinks, play pool against us, touch us, ask us our autographs, buy us new cars, birth our children- you know how it is.  And I can't wait for a night out again when I'm blonde and my "I wanna-be Brooke" friend will be too, and then the cops will have to be called as it will get DANG-ER-OUS!!

Randomness part duece

As one of the biggest accumulation of sporting events sneaks up on us, I am struck by items that tend to get us in front of the boob tube (haha I said boob)

People get paid thousands to create advertisements.  One that drives me crazy is the Nivea Cellulite Reducer (something like that) where it shows a 17 to 20 year old negative size 2 rubbing the lotion on her FLAT stomach and her pencil thin thighs. Am I actually to believe that she uses that?? Or is it for me to think that if I use it, I will look like her? So, just in case, I bought 12 cases...

TV...

I throw the BS flag on the Clean My house show. COME ON REALLY? I know that there are people out there who live in pigsties etc. but WHY on earth would you go on national television to show that you do not live like most people. And seriously, why would you pile up crap upon crap in your front room? At least hide the shit in other rooms that may not ever been seen by the Schwan's man when he comes to your door- it works for me.
It looks like the producers said- go to someone's house, grab as much as you can- get everything you have and put it in ONLY three rooms. We'll film that and make people think you live like this. And if they truly do live like that, what good is it that they only clean and redo 3 rooms. Can you imagine the bathrooms?? Even the flies wouldn't go near that.

One word: WIPEOUT. I'm trying to decide if I want to go on that show. So I am testing out my skills by letting Drew punch me in the face while I am running through the "obstacle course" set up of couch pillows on the floor- and if I step off, I'm in the water- scaling over the couch, and jumping on 4 of Drew's 4 square balls (like the big balls section on the course) in preparation of the game all while Dana ripping explosive farts to keep me focused on the job at hand.

Do you ever wonder about the person who pitched the concept of a show on people going into a dark room and then "getting to know each other" by sticking their tongues down each others throat which then they are finally "revealed" on what they look like.  Did a few college kids pitch that one to some old, horny swinging producers?  It had to of sounded like this:
"Hey, dude.  Lets go see if some old fart that is horny and likes to swing would pay us for our idea of making out in a dark room with strangers.  Yeah, I know we do that almost every night, but why not put it on tv.  And then we can laugh when we don't pick the girls we just sucked face with- since all we wanted to do was make out with chicks!" I wouldn't be surprised if it was an ex-boyfriend of mine who came up with that show....

And back to WIPEOUT- I bet you that a 12 year old kid pitched that idea to his big wig dad at the station.  And it all started with the word "balls" and the fact that people get hurt and you laugh your butt off while watching. I'm mean come on, what young boy doesn't bet his friends he won't cry when they kick him in the balls?  And then as he is crying, his friends are laughing hysterically. 

So as I enjoy my weekend and look forward to the commercials and the Packers winning- I wish all of you a great weekend too.  Pay attention to the commercials and please leave your comments on which ones you thought were Studs and which were duds. :)

Things that Make me Go HHMMMMM.......

You know I always have so much to say, but when I get settled in front of this computer screen, I seem to go blank.  And for anyone that knows me even JUST a little bit- knows that can be quite a rare occurrance.
So I will start with something that has recently happened that has been a cause of stress for me lately. For some reason or another, people either love me or hate me.  Very rarely is there ever a feeling of in between-ness.  Which I really don't think I'm a total witch, but in addition, I'm not a total sweetheart either.  Not sure why that is.  I mean, for anyone who knows my mom, she is the biggest sweetie and best person on the face of the Earth.  All of her friends tell me how nice, sweet (insert any positive adjective in here) she is.  And I believe she raised me as best as she could, but she even tells me that she never had the "balls" or "confidence" (again, fill in with any adj you want here) like me.  And I had this at a very young age. 
Now there is MORE to the story and my background that makes me feel like I have to be strong and survior-ish type of mentality, but we'll save that for when my audience turns in the double digit crowd.   So I guess my thing today that really makes me go hhmmmm- is do you think the way we are and who we are is pre-programmed or is it influenced by our environment?  If it is environment, then wouldn't I be a sweet lil thing? And if it is pre-programmed, where did this develop in me- and from who? In addition, why isn't my twin brother like me in this manner if it is due to pre-programming?

Another thing that makes me go hhmmm..... I realized I only order things at restauraunts that have pictures on the menu.  Does anyone else do this?

HHHHmmmmm #3- I am totally fascinated by cook books.  Taste of Home is my favorite recently and each time I turn the page, I can already see my house set for dinner, the smells of sweet sour chicken basting on the oven top, and me screaming at my kid/dog to stop running around shrieking like a girl or barking like a crazy hyena.  Don't forget I would also be giving my hubby a dirty look (and you KNOW my looks can kill) while he sits down and asks when dinner will be ready.  Ahhh, a lovely picture that comes to mind.

Hhhhhmmmmm #4- Would life seem to go by this quickly if I didn't have a child as my timeline?  I was just looking through some pictures of him from 2007 and he was so little and spunky and funny.  I know everyone says "it seems like yesterday" but to me, I look at him and I see "tomorrow, ten years, twenty" etc.  I doesn't seem like yesterday to me, it seems like forever ago he was a baby that relied on me for everything.  And now, he barely wants to be seen with me in public.  Maybe it's because I have really loud gas.

hhhmmmm #5-  Would the age of kids I teach even know what this song sounded like?

hhhmmmmm #6- wonders when you should give up on planning another child.  I mean, is there a cut off? My son is almost 6, and the longer it takes the more I think how sad it would be for him- not a happy occasion.  He wouldn't have a playmate, a buddy, a friend, a secret keeper, a fort builder etc.  And with my hubby soon to turn 4-0 and me behind him at 3-5; I'm really trying to figure out when we should actually say "this is good, having one kid is good"?  Again, this is just a scratch of the surface of what we've been through with trying to add to our family, but is there ever a time to just say "Fold em?"  What do you think?

hhhmmm #7- why is it that my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard?

Hopefully I've left you with things to ponder about.  I'm sure C & C Factory had that as a rough title.. things that make you ponder.  Just not the same ring to it.  

Love, Peace and Chicken Grease!

Randomness Part 1

I intended to start this blog at the first of 2011 as part of my resolution, but much like my other resolutions I have not attempted to keep it in the forefront of my long "to-do" lists that keep being created in my head.
So as my first EVER blog I thought I would start out nice and easy, keep it fresh and real too.
I am almost done battling my major sinus bacteria that seems to have conquered every area of my head, so I really have an excuse to keep it light and not so snotty for the first time (pun intended).

As I have been "fortunate" enough to stay inside during one of the coldest days of the entire universe here in Nebraska, I of course have come up with some quandaries that I would love to share with my audience of one. 
1.  Is it just me, or is it funny EVERY time a puppy tries to jump on the couch and still does not make it up?
2. Why do men expect a blue ribbon and a editorial in the newspaper when they cook dinner for a family of three?  I got the "Well, when I got a shot in the back, I still cleaned and cooked dinner for my family"  I had to stifle a laugh and a punch to his throat.  So, hubby 2 points, wife 56, 753, 213 points.

 I do have a great family but on here I am writing as if I were unknown as well as my audience of one.  I want to use this as an escape, a viral diary and this is what I need to release all my thoughts and ideas.  I hope you will read this with an open heart as I write with one.  Some of my blogs may or may not strike a chord in you but I hope you can find some similarities in your life as in mine.  Welcome to Putting the FUN in Dysfunction!