Christmas is Over????

I can't believe, I haven't blogged since before Thanksgiving -- I think. CRAZY!!! Life has been very busy. I just want all of you to know I'm alive. I had to change my background, but I don't have much time so be excited for fun Christmas memories soon!!!

The Good, the Bad, and the FUNNY!!!

The Good --- I just got back from spending 4 days in Disneyland. I even got paid to visit there on my birthday! It was a great time with my mom, dad, Glade's family, & Kyle's family. I love having nieces and nephews that love D-Land as much as me.

Another Good ---Disneyland has transformed Space Mountain by adding some really quite scary demon ghosts into the ride -- I was actually really screaming, not just for fun. The outside of the ride is really spooky at night too. They light it up to look like it's cracking, then all the sudden it goes dark like it caves in on itself. Then all these weird colors illuminate it!

More Good --- The D-land Halloween Fireworks show was totally awesome! One of the best I've seen and I've seen some doozies!!! The little dog Zero from Nightmare Before Christmas was flying around like Tinker Bell. It was great! The Castle gets all lit up with eerie things and the fireworks are spectacular! Fun!!!!!

The Bad --- I think I had my first real taste of a migraine headache. It began with what I can only describe as an obnoxious screen saver within my eye. Everywhere I looked all I could see was this shining, wavy, computerized light in my line of vision. It lasted for quite some time, then the headache it like lightening a few minutes after -- not fun! I spent my first 20 minutes in Disneyland wishing I could just lay down -- really bad!

More Bad --- Bad boyz, bad boz, whatch gunna do? --- It took them 33 years, but they finally got me! I was photo radared in Star Valley going well above the speed limit so I received my first traffic violation ever!!! I'm still not sure if I'm going to count it for real because there was no actual contact with a handsome police officer! I will pay it though, because I was clearly in the wrong -- dang iTunes and singing along without paying attention to speed reduction signs! Watch out everyone that passes thru Star Valley!!!!

The Funny! --- I had the pleasure of teaching my nieces and nephews and many other fellow Disneyland visitors how to play "THUMPER!" I am excited that I got to be the one to teach the next generation of Taylors how to play this game, that literally can go on for hours. I played this with with my bros and sistas when I was young. It's one of those games that everyone picks a sound and you go around to a beat and one person calls out their own sound then another player's sound. We were all waiting for the new Halloween Fireworks at D-land, and the kids all started to get restless -- NEVER FEAR -- AUNT TONJA'S HERE! I thought them all how to play. Jarrod -- the 5 year old did totally awesome!!! Some sound the kids game up with are Whiz Whiz, Gum Gum, Dumb Dumb, Bok Bok, Phiz Fiz, Beep Beep, Pop Pop, Slurp Slurp & Chug Chug. It was awesome!!! This may be a bad thing for my brothers and sisters cuz of the noise and all, but oh the fun!!!!

Baby Sister's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Sundee!

5 things I know about my baby sister:




1. She loves The Price Is Right & Wheel of Fortune!!! --- Who doesn't! If she ever gets to be on TPIR I know she'll be called to "come on down" cuz she is totally fun and lucky!!!!

2. She has the best quick wit of anyone I know. I wish I could think of funny things as fast as she does!

3. She is the only person I know that will cry when she has to kill a cockroach because she's too scared!!! TRUE STORY!!

4. She was the only one in our group of six brave enough to ride the BULL on Wall St. in New York!

5. She is completely wonderful and my best friend!!!!! I'm glad Heavenly Father sent her to my family. He must have known I needed her!

Love you sissy!

It's Over -- Well Kind of!!!

I finished my last day of the diet yesterday and I'm down 20.8 pounds. I can't believe it! Really I can't believe I haven't had sugar or chocolate or soda for that long. MIRACLE!!!! I only cheated on the diet once and that was yesterday night. Arlene and I went to celebrate my success by getting fat-free frozen yogurt at Golden Spoon. Not much of a cheat but none the less -- it was fabulous!!!! Now I just have to maintain for a few weeks before I go for another round, cuz really I have a long way to go!!!!

Sometimes you need to SCREAM!!!

Well it has been 15 days with no chocolate or sugar at all!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH! Only 10 more days and I can eat other stuff besides chicken, beef, apples, oranges, strawberries, radishes, spinach, celery, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, and asparagus. I'm tired of the same thing!!! But, I've lost 13.2lbs. so far. Yeah, I've got a long way to go, but man-o-man I could really go for some chocolate ice-cream with nuts. I guess this is the only way I'm going to get it!!! (This is me screaming now!)

My travels are over -- at least for the moment!!!!

School starts on Wednesday for the kiddos, but I've been hard at work for a few days. I'm kinda of sad that this summer is over. I have had way to much fun!!! Anyway, life is great!!! Good luck to all you school teachers and students!!!

Hold on one minute -- I just remembered that I have a plane voucher to anywhere Southwest flies. Anyone need to get away? I'm ready whenever -- well, maybe I should earn a little money before I do anything else too fun!!!

From Sea to Shining Sea with Potter In-Between!

Well I literally have been border to border both ways this summer -- from Mexico to Canada and Atlantic to Pacific. HOLY MOLY!!!!! What a blast!!! Guess what, I'm going back again for another go at the Atlantic to Pacific adventure on Wednesday. That's right, Kimala and I will be flying out to D.C. and spending a few days sight-seeing. Then Friday night Arlene is joining up with us. Off we go from there to head back to good ol' AZ and reality -- UGH!!! Anyway this will be a summer for the record books. Maybe someday I'll have a normal life -- I really hope not!!!!
I also got to have fun in between these road trips to have a fun-filled family party at the best Aunt ever's house -- Jana inviteda all the little one and the big ones to have have a Potter party. We made pygmy puffs, we had butterbeer floats, we swam in the black lagoon, we had a Mad-Eye Moody look-a-like contest, and we caught a glimps of the cruciatus(spelling?) curse when Bekah and Jeff were forced to air guitar -- really they were just way into the Karyoke. All in all, I realize that my family is really the most fun ever!!!! I love 'em!

The Parliment in Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA!!


The hills of Douglas, AZ on the Mexico border.


The Capital Building in Washington, D.C.


Hey you GUYS!!! A view from Ecola State Park looking off to Cannon Beach, Oregon.


Jeff & Bekah under the "Karyok-eotus" Curse!


Ryan has the best Mad-Eye Moody look!