Leap Second...remember to set you clocks...

FYI - Because this was leap year, the planet's official timekeepers will be adding on one additional second tonight. So remember to set your clocks to add an additional second to correspond with the Universal Time.

Here's the story to find out more information: Leap second: More time added to 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

I think this may be my very first Christmas card. What a great way to end my year of trying new things. My sisters have demonstrated that there are some great new ways to create a year in review. I decided to "do something new" and put together a smilebox Christmas card to share (and of course it's with hoops and yoyo). Here are just a few random things I have been able to experience this past year... as I was putting this together I realized I did a lot of things this year. It's too bad I could only put in a few things.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thank you all for a memorable year. I hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Saying Thank You...

For some reason this holiday season feels a lot different than past Christmas times. I have not figured out why yet (maybe a ton of life changes going on at once...) but I have been trying to find more giving opportunities than receiving. I was just informed of the website: "Let's Say Thanks" (http://www.letssaythanks.com) where xerox allows you to pick out a card, provide a message and then they will send it out to one of our troops overseas. So if you are in need of a fast service project for today, check it out!

(FYI - I checked this out on snopes.com and truthorfiction.com - they say it's legitimate)

It's TIME!!!....to Update!!!!

I realize that one blessing of having a cold is that you find time to update a blog that has been neglected for over 2 months.

So a very condensed cliff note version of my life in the past 2 months....

1. I flew my dad up to Utah and he with my sister's family, and cousin's helped me pack and move to Arizona. It was an interesting drive down as my dad had to drive the moving truck as I drove my car. We took a "detour" through the sand dunes in Southern Utah. I've never been to the sand dunes before. I don't think I would recommend your first time going to the sand dunes be while you are moving. The drive took over 14 hours, but it was a success!

My sister helping me pack up my kitchen

Everyone was helping out in someway... even through babysitting :)

Finally done with phase 1 of the move.... now to phase 2 - Arizona
Taking the sand dunes detour in Southern Utah

2. I started working for a hospice company and Higher Octave Healing (agency for working with children with Developmental Disabilities) as a music therapist. After about a month of working with the hospice company I was laid off due to low census of clientele. This was a good thing though as I was working more than what was good for me during these big life transitions.

3. I was introduced to “Veggie Tales” (I know I’m a late bloomer on this) and experienced a rockin' Veggie Tales party with my nephews every night. Everyone should check out “His Cheeseburger,” “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything,” and “Belly Button Song.”.... or I may eventually post them on this blog one day....

4. I started out living with my parent's but then moved in with my sister, Jen and her family (in Gilbert) as there was more room in their home. This has worked out well, and after talking it over with them we've decided to make it a bit more permanent. Let me say, it's never a dull moment here :)

5. I purchased a therapy harp that I am able to utilize more in my music therapy career. I am excited about this new path that is opening up for me. This is something that I have wanted to explore more, but haven't really been given much opportunity yet.

6. I purchased my first laptop to use for work (of course it was Macintosh). This has been really helpful and also a lot of fun. One of the programs I have is called "Photo Booth." One Sunday, my niece came to visit me in my room and we sang and recorded some songs. She liked being able to watch herself after it was recorded. This is the first video we made. It's of Popcorn Popping. This was a lot of fun to sing with her as she has been improving so much with her speech. She talks a whole lot more than I remember previously. (it's also nice to be able to try out music therapy songs on her before I use them on my clients...) I tried to explain to her that she needs to look up instead at herself but this hasn't quite been understood yet.

side note: be aware that I have a slight problem with remembering words correctly to songs... but this tends to make songs new and interesting every time... unless of course you are teaching primary kids the songs....