Kitty, We're Not in Mississippi Anymore...

Giving Up

2010-07-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

I've made a decision. Blogging isn't something that I'm committed to anymore, busy as I am, and will be, with two job, school, and research. I'm not going to do it anymore. At least for the next year. Those of you who still check in, I appreciate you.

Nothing in Logan has gone the way that I envisioned it, which is totally fine. I've made some good friends, and this fall I get to engage in new solo-adventures. While I was home in Mississippi this summer, I never checked my friends' blogs or interacted with my family through blogging, and I realized that it isn't something that I can deal with at the moment. So much changes so quickly in the lives of my family and friends. I just can't keep up. Living in Utah has been an eye-opening experience, and I'll always love the family and friends I have here, but it's not the place for me. I don't know where I'll go or what I'll do when I graduate, but I don't think I'll hang around this state. Even though it's beautiful and enchanting, something is vital is missing, and even though I'm not sure what it is, I definitely haven't experienced it here.

So, thanks for reading and keeping track of me here, but there won't be many posts on here this coming school year. If you need to contact me, please call or email me. Chats will be most welcome diversions. Good luck and peace out!

Blogging

2010-06-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to figure out life again. Blogging has slipped through the sieve that is my life. I've been having adventures at school, work, with the family, and finally, with Kitty in Mississippi. It's hot here in southern Mississippi in June. Not as hot as it will be later, but it is hot. Especially for me since I've been in a freezer for the last six months or so. I left Logan at 55 to arrive in Houston at 98 at night. (I'm just glad it wasn't Phoenix.)

Mom's garden is a delight. Sitting in it with her and Dad makes me feel very, very lazy. All of the work that goes into it shames me. I realize this is her retirement hobby, and she didn't always have a garden like this when I was growing up. But it still amazes me. I'll post pictures of it soon, so you can be jealous of the beauty two city-yard plots provide to me (and everyone who drives by and sometimes stop to chat!).

My niece and nephew were a delight, even if I got whipped by a 6 year-old at Super Mario Bros. for the Wii. I guess if I had that kind of time to play it all afternoon, I'd be a super-pro too. Or if I had someone (like my brother) to show me the ropes, I'd be golden, but alas. No Wii. No brother in Utah. I do some things well, like providing sweet treats. M and P and I stopped by after an hour or so on the playground to get some chocolate ice cream for P and some blue bubblegum ice cream for M. Both were so excited to see that they got their ice cream in "grown up" cones. Mental post-it: ask parents about serving sizes BEFORE going to the ice cream place. It was such fun. M, with her electric blue ice cream, made much less of a mess than her older, more mature brother with his chocolate. I've never seen ice cream go that far in the space of twenty minutes. A-Mazing!

I rented a car and drove it across Louisiana to get home to my parents' house. My friend's little blue car had a little belt problem that inhibited out foray into Houston for a day of shopping and temple-going, but I made it home safe. Now, after a weekend of Grandma's 94 birthday, the beginning of lots of good food, and some quality Kitty-time, it's now time to start my reading for school. One book down, twenty to go. Wish me luck!

Sighting - Dandelions

2010-04-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I have never been happier to see an obnoxious, little, yellow weed flower. It made my day, my week, my last four months. The color yellow is just so happy and sunny, and today with minimal residual snow on the ground, the sun in the clearest bluest sky shining happily on Cache Valley, I saw it on the ground on campus.

I meandered up there to return a DVD to a friend. As this little weed is prone to do, it popped up overnight, its bright yellow face sucking all attention to it on the brown earth that had been cleared for a more hybridized flower or shrub. The ones I saw lined the sidewalks on my path to the English building like the lights along a runway: just as bright and directional.

Spring may not have sprung in the trees, but in the soil, this little weed is putting forth all of its little energies into spring fever. I'm happy. The snow hasn't really been bothering me of late, especially the 10-12 inches we got in one week, roughly between four days, but it's nice to see the grasses greening up and taking advantage of the sun, warmth, and freedom from white blankets. Soon I'll have green leafy trees to look forward to again.

It may snow again, but spring is here, at least for me!

Spring Break

2010-03-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

It's now over. I return to classes today with two books read, two short stories read, and two papers (very short, no biggie) completed. My spring break was very, VERY uneventful, which was sort of nice. I did almost, absolutely nothing. I read some and worked some, but mostly just slept late and watched season one of Pushing Daisies, again. It was truly beautiful weather, but not perfect. Not perfect because spring is only in the air with the birds chipping and clear, blue skies, but not in the ground with the daffodils or narcissus or snow drops or any tender greenness breaking the soil. Those will all come later, much later than all of my friends who are already enjoying this bright little delights. I will get to enjoy them at the end of April and beginning of May.

However, it didn't snow all of break, which was wonderful. I was a little sad to see the snow go so soon (I totally figured on it being around til May), but this morning I awakened to about two inches on my car, the sidewalks, and the grass outside. So, with the return of classes comes a tiny return of snow. I really thought I would hate it more than I do, but I don't. That's really weird to me. Nothing is better than spring, though, and although I've had to spring forward and can enjoy longer, lovelier days, until I get some flowers in the vicinity and some "new" green on the surrounding trees, I shall not think of this as spring.

So, those of you out there with lovely flowers and blooming trees, please email me pictures. The best I've gotten so far are from my mom's garden. Thanks Dad, but keep them coming, from all directions!

Unsurity

2010-02-21T17:17:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time again. Maybe I'm just one of those monthly post-bloggers. I'm pretty sure that no one follows me anymore, except my dad, who recently let me know that my blog is pretty stale.

Pictures aren't happening. Posting isn't happening. The only thing happening is a lot of reading about ghosties, vampires, and other ghoulies, lots of interpersonal relations with the "farm," and lots of troubled people that I got to school with in their nonfiction essays. Similarly, there is some writing about my past going on, a paper on a movie about a farm, and the musings of something to do with ghosties or haunting of children.

There is also some part-time working happening. And a visit from my just-older-than-me brother and his girlfriend to look forward to this week. Maybe there will be pictures from a jaunt to Park City. I shan't ski or snowboard, but the beautiful people in my life will be here, and I shall get to hang with them for a moment.

I'm missing mightily some hard, roof-pounding rain. It's been since December, when I was home, and snow just doesn't give the same comfort. Also, most of our snow here is gone. It's very weird. I'm not sure if it means that it's really going to snow for days in the next few, or if this winter is just really mild. Interesting.

I'll try to scavenge some interesting pictures to make my life here in Logan seem more interesting than it is. I really only read and go to class and work and sleep. Not much else; not many friends. Kind of a lonely place for me, but I'm trudging, through. I was supposed to come here for some divine purpose I don't understand, but trudging gets difficult after a while.

Something happier, and spring-i-er soon. I Promise!

Musings

2010-01-14T08:37:00.000-08:00

I noticed upon starting this post that my last post was posted on my birthday, and I didn't even acknowledge that. Huh. Well, Happy Late Birthday to ME! It was a really chill birthday, by the way, which I think is probably the best. My grandma was there, as was my just-older-than-me-brother, and my bestie, Sara. Sara left for home, and I was treated to Olive Garden for lunch. However, I was the only one who was satisfied with that lunch. Whatever, it was my day right?

Now, I'm back in Logan, and the weather, although really cold degree-wise, doesn't really seem as cold as it should. The hardest part is the icky smog/inversion junk that never leaves unless a storm blows through, which hasn't happened since I've been back, for about a week now. But, looking out the windows this AM, it did finally snow last night, but not enough to do much good I think, just a few inches. Drat!

School has started back, and like anything, I'm nervous about starting over again, but excited, too. I have to figure out which of my classes to drop, but I'm pretty sure about the one I'm going to choose. It's nice to see familiar faces again and hear all about people's winter-break vacations. I was by far in the warmest place. One classmate was in ND, and she got 25 feet of snow right around Christmas. They were "trapped" in the house for two days, before finally just getting out there and making a path from garage to street to get out. Not my idea of a happy holiday. I guess when you're with family it doesn't really matter though.

I have so many things to post about that I thought I would do while I was home, but I just slacked off and enjoyed being lazy. Is that so wrong? Sorry to those of you who keep up with me, and I just don't deliver. I'll try to do better, but I can't promise anything. There's a LOT going on this semester.

But thanks for keeping in touch!

NOLA

2009-12-23T15:11:00.000-08:00

I went to New Orleans, LA (or NOLA) Tuesday with my best friend Sara. She humored my desire to be a good little graduate student and agreed to accompany me on a Ghost Tour. I'm taking a Ghost and Vampire Folklore class in the spring, and we're studying Marie LeVeau who is a notorious (?), or rather, renowned voodoo priestess from New Orleans from back in the day. Therefore, I wanted to go on a tour in the City to learn more about her. I was so incredibly stoked, and a little nervous, but it was a MAJOR letdown. So, before YOU go, email me and I'll let you know which tour group NOT to go with. Well, I did get to tour the Saint Louis Cemetary Number 1 (or 2) where she is buried twice, and see an actual Voodoo temple, but Sara and I didn't go in b/c it was on lockdown for some reason. Not cool since I paid to see it, but whatever. (Oh, and there's one other (at least) cemetery where she's buried. That makes three, but we didn't go there.)

However, the day was not a total loss, and we found many new and unusual treasures. Sara and I have been to New Orleans lots of times, but this is the first time we branched out and headed down Royal Street and away from the French Market and Jax Brewery areas of the French Quarter. We found this AWESOME artist, Jamie Hayes, and store, The New Orleans Doll Company, and wiled away some time there. I bought one of his awesome books and some of his voodoo dolls. (Don't mess with me, I've got gris-gris now!) (j/k)

Anyhow, there was a lot on order for this day besides the tour that totally let me down. I got to eat beignets, twice, and have my most-favorite burger in the country at Port O' Call. YUMMY!! Then there was shopping and more shopping and some ice cream at the Creole Creamery. Lakeside mall provided some free samples from my most favorite body stuff store - LUSH! Who doesn't like free samples?

It was an amazing day b/c the weather was PERFECT - clear blue skys, 50-70 degree weather, minimal traffic in the Quarter (when we started), and a GREAT parking spot that was much cheaper than we expected. SCORE!!!

Even though it started out not so great, it ended very well, with some very successful shopping finds.

Home

2009-12-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

I'm finally home in Mississippi. I'm back with Kitty, Mom and Dad. I've seen my Bestie, Sara, even though she's not out of school yet. I've enjoyed the incredibly reliable and relaxing sound of heavy rain...for days...which I didn't really realize I missed until I heard it.

I've seen other friends and met former colleagues.

Then I met a new cousin, Anna Caston. She's THE-MOST beautiful little girl I've ever met. I think it helps that she has red hair, but I could just be partial. More pictures and info to come, including an ugly sweater party contender... Stay tuned...

Uncle Robert & Aunt Vicki with first grand - Anna Caston!

Hey, that's me holding Anna Caston!
Look at that sweet red hair.
Aaaahhhhh...

ps I hope Amber doesn't mind me showing these. Hmmm.. Maybe I should have asked...

Snowglobe

2009-11-14T08:39:00.001-08:00

I awoke to it snowing outside. It's kind of a calming felling, until I had to get out in it and drive to school. But it's not so bad that I couldn't make it up the hill. What is your opinion of all-weather tires? I've been hearing it's worth the investment.

First SNOW!!!

2009-10-27T07:55:00.001-07:00

I had this great post about the leaves changing color and all that. With some beautiful pictures to boot. (Can one really get tired of living in a world of yellow?)

However, when I awoke this morning I was greeted with this, outside my bedroom window:

So, I'm thinking I will still publish the beautiful leaf-changing photos, you'll just have to realize that now that there is snow, those pictures are in a past-life. (Which is true the moment after you take them anyway, but I digress...)

I have more pictures of the snow, which again is only a hint of what is to come. I'm just really, REALLY glad that I don't have class before 1:30 twice a week. That comforts me and makes me happy. Now, if only I didn't have to go to work at 6am. Hmmmm. What time will I have to awaken now in order to start de-snowing my car???

Blogging and TIme

2009-10-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

I haven't been blogging. It's not that I don't have things to say or experiences to write about, it's just that I'm trying to manage all my schoolwork and homework and workwork. Blogging has fallen behind. So sorry. Hope that you will periodically check back, just to see if something has been written, or miraculously, I post a picture.

I've not really been doing anything very exciting. My cold is almost gone; just a few sniffles and cough every now and then. Reading and writing are what I do mostly, besides my few hours a week at work, which are more bothersome the more numerous they get. That's okay. It's nice not to have to think about literary theory and structures and plots for a little while every week.

I went to SLC last week with my friend, Angela. She had "dress rehearsal" tickets to see the opera, "Macbeth." Now, I didn't really love this play when I had to read if for my pre-1800 Brit Lit class as an undergrad, but it was free to me, so I decided to go with her. The real reason for this trip was for me to go to IKEA and get gelatto and buy some SLC taffy for my dad. However, only two of these happened. I have still missed out on the gelatto. Hmmmm...where are my priorities?

Back to the opera, though. It was amazing, or part of it was. Since it was dress rehearsal, the performers only sang at full voice for like half the show. Those were the most amazing moments. The soprano was THRILLING!!! The storyline was there, but sort of squished b/c of the limited time of an opera. During the whole thing, I was thinking about musicals. I know this is probably completely insolent, but I was expecting these depressed and conflicted (in a plot sense, not performance aspect) performers to break into choreographed dance routines at every moment. Horrible I know.

So that is the highlight of my last few weeks. Papers and reading are piling up. The house is no longer so silent with Anna back in it. She was gone home with her beau to meet the parents. (Maybe that's why she was watching that movie before she left...) I have to say I was jealous that she went home, but it was nice to be in the quiet of the house alone for a few days. I got so much done schoolwork-wise. Now that she's back, the little sunshine is back on inside the house as well as out.

I'll try to take pictures of the leaves so you can witness them. They're GORGEOUS, but will soon only be able to be walked on. It's amazing how fast this has happened. You should all come and witness them, SOON!

COLD...and it's not the weather!

2009-10-08T15:42:00.001-07:00

I'm officially sick. It's been coming on since Sunday. It hit me hard Monday. Chest congestion like a ton of bricks pushing me down. Yesterday came the water faucet nose. Today, all the rest: sneezing, coughing, nose dripping, sore throat, voice lost.

At least Anna won't have to hear me talk for a while. She'll just have to put up with my hacking and sneezing at all hours.

Road Trip Update

2009-09-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

I'm back in Logan after a short jaunt to St. George. It always amazes me how the trip "there" (wherever "there" may be) is always, ALWAYS shorter than the trip back "home." I went to meet little Olive. She is so beautiful. You can see pictures of her on Chelsea's blog or Cindy's. I have a camera, but evidently I'm incapable of using it. This is the result of a class I'm taking. It stresses living the moment, not artifact-ing by taking pictures of it. I'll try to do better.

I also go my hair cut, again. I know. It's like my new addiction. Someone should really stop me. But I got oodles and oodles of compliments on it at church in Bloomington on Sunday, my old stomping ground.

It is weird to go "home" after being gone not so long. Even when I go HOME (to Kitty in Mississippi) things have changed. It's more noticeable there, though. It's amazing how that happens. I realized after talking to my mom today that I haven't seen my nephew and niece since October of last year. It's been so long. Even Cindy's house has changed. Justus is back and my room is now spotless and organized and "Guest-roomy." It's just interesting to realize that life goes on for others, even when we're not present to witness it.

Just like my life is going on here in the frigid arctic north. It's significantly cooler than when I left this place last Friday. A minute indication of what is to come.

What Do YOU Think about This Song & Me???

2009-09-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

Your Karaoke Theme Song is "Margaritaville"

You are a true party animal, but your style is mild and chill.

Kicking back with a few friends and a few drinks is all you need to be happy.

You certainly don't feel pressured to be a part of any party scene. In fact, you avoid trendier spots.

You've been known to kick loose anywhere and everywhere. All you need is a cooler.

You might also sing: "Gin and Juice," "Love Shack," and "Red Red Wine"

Stay away from people who sing: "Wind Beneath My Wings"

What's Your Karaoke Theme Song?

Adventure Week

2009-09-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

What a week this has been! It all started last weekend when cousin Cindy came to visit. She just brings sunshine and fun with her wherever she goes. We did a night hike in the canyon with Anna and David and Zoey. It was AMAZING. There was even a full moon rising. I learned on this hike that the middle of the trail may well be safest, since I totally busted it and fell off the side. Total BUMMER!!!!! hehehee

Mountains are GLORIOUS!!!

Look! Cindy has a halo!

Full Moon Rising!

MOUNTAINS!!! and Me!

We also had the adventure of two restaurants here in town: some Thai place, YUM!!! and the Beehive grill, also YUM, but different. We also went to a movie, The Time Traveller's Wife. I got very little reading done for the week, but it was fun to hang out with my cuz. She also got to adventure with me on attending my ward for the first time. We'll continue to monitor my presence there...

After they left Sunday pm, I had the house to myself, and Zoey and I wanted to trek out and find a new park to play in. Well, the one we found was totally off limits to DOGS! How rude, I mean I was even prepared with my little baggie and all. Then I got some serious reading done.

And I started working. Can I tell you how nice it is to earn a paycheck, even if it is but a wee little thing? I feel like a productive citizen again. It's amazing how different the same company can be everywhere you go. This puts the idea to me that I should just become transient and move to a new place every year or so to try new things. I'm not married, and there is no current prospect on that front, so when I'm done with school, why not? I boldly ask.

Anyhow, the adventures continue with the return of a paper I thought I had totally bombed, but didn't really. I will take a B+ anyday. It's pretty good for not having written anything IN YEARS!!! School and work continued to Wednesday when I discovered that my conniving little roommate had somehow managed to rook me into going on a double date with her and two guys to a concert. A KEITH URBAN CONCERT!!!

So, this being my first concert I was more excited about that than the date, which was also good, but awkward. I got to see Little Big Town and Keith Urban. It was AMAZING!!! Now I want his new album. Music is just so powerful, and he has some ROCKIN' tunes. I have to confess that since this was my first concert, I really just wanted to enjoy the experience, so I didn't take any pictures. It was amazing. My pictures would never have done justice to the awesomeness of the spectacle.

Now I have a weekend free til Sunday PM, and so much to think about with school and life, that I'm glad for a lull.

Thanks for staying with me, even though I'm a sporadic poster. I appreciate all of my readers and their comments.

cOoKIng Class -- IN SESSION

2009-08-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

I like food. I won't lie. It's always been something comforting and there. My mom is a wonderful cook. My dad is amazing at some things, too, seafood especially.

Living here in Logan, with a captive and also poor audience (my roomie, Anna), I have been allowed to start cooking again. I've made a few things that are less-scary than others. I just wanted you to know that they have been amazing successes for me at least!

Potroast for dinner!

Potroast sammy next day.

Then there was the potroast BBQ sammy for supper the third day, but alas, no pictures. :O(

There was one little problem: my bacon and eggs did stick to my pan. Not to be outdone by them: I bought a nonstick pan.

One Week Down

2009-08-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

I finished my first week of graduate school. I have to tell you it was TOTALLY and UNCONDITIONALLY intimidating and scary. It's been a while since I've to think in these boxes, and I really don't think REAL people think this way outside of classrooms very often.

However, it was totally enlightening. I'm enjoying myself and falling in love all over again with a new "PLACE." (It really is a shame it isn't ever a beautiful man.) Logan is spectacular, and I know that it will only get more beautiful (and treacherous) with snow added to it.

I did have to drop a class, though. I'm sacrificing the one I was looking most-forward to actually. From having had a similar class in my undergrad, I know the effects of numbers. There are just too many people in the class, and so I will have to take it later. I had told people that I was dropping a different one, but this Fiction Writing class is the one that I am going to sacrifice. Maybe it's a good thing. You all will just have to bear the brunt of reading what I write now, and now people in class. This isn't really creative though; just some strange outpouring of my brain onto internet.

I just wanted you to be updated. I have pictures coming of other, more interesting adventures.

The First Day of Many First Days

2009-08-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

First days of school always bring with them a bundle of emotions. Excitement at the prospect of learning something "new" and doing "new" things and meeting NEW people. Fear at going to the wrong class or being out of the loop for so long that those long-unused brain cells are deflated and shriveled into oblivion. A N T I C I P A T I O N!!! for it to be over and to really get started. Lethargy b/c the bed with the rain drip, drip, dripping outside the window was exactly what the doctor ordered this morning.

I'm up and ready to go now, however. It will be a good day, full of adventure on a new and somewhat unfamiliar campus. Thanks for all the support thus far; I know I'll need even more before the week is finished!

INTIMIDATION

2009-08-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

I'm totally one of those people who is intimidated by the wonderful qualities of other people that they may or may not flaunt. Education has always been one of them. I think it's pretty bizarre that I totally desire to be with someone who is smart, but at the same time really, REALLY smart people tend to make me very insecure.

That said, I had to post a tiny little picture of the amount of reading I have to do in a few very short weeks. It's intimidating me. I mean, I like to read, but I'm not sure I can handle this stack. We'll see, and if I start using that power of positive thinking thing, maybe I can handle this AND more...

My New "Home" Away from Kitty

2009-08-20T19:38:00.001-07:00

I'm almost officially settled into my new house. Anna, my cousin and roommie, has been gone for so long. I have to admit that it is a little lonely here in the casa without her, but I have been able to get so much done. She may not like what I've done with the place, but it's just furniture, we can always move it around again.

I've been unpacking for days. Of all the "junk" (as ALL of my family calls it) I've been through, I have officially purged two huge boxes for goodwill or DI or whatever they have here. I'm proud of myself. I also am now aware that I only need to buy food for probably the rest of my life. I have found so much stuff that I can use all packed away. Now it is pulled out and ready to go.

School starts Monday. I'm SO FREAKIN' NERVOUS!!!! I have no clue as to what is going to happen. It has been ages, SIMPLY AGES, since I have attended school, and I'm so out of the loop. But I have my books, my paper and pens, and backpack all ready to go.

And today, I even got an "A" day T-shirt.

Let me know what you think.

Changes

2009-07-31T13:25:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how I can be so focused on the here and now and almost totally dismiss things long past.

Last year, I moved to sunny St. G. in hopes of great adventure and change. I totally got what I wanted. But along the way, I sort of lost touch with some other things from my previous life w/ Kitty in Mississippi, namely friends.

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to talk with one of my former mgrs at work. She's is troubled and looking for new work and new opportunities. She's going back to school to get a second bachelor's to improve her opportunities for the future. Right now things are bleak though; hope and faith are on the rocks.

Then, today, I heard from a friend from high school and before, that our mutual friend was with her mum who's in the hospital in a coma. Talk about a blast from the past. This friend was here my first day in UT, and then she, after living out here for years and years, returned to the South with her little family. Her mother lives in IA, and now she is there to be with her mother and family through this dramatic and unexpected CHANGE.

It's amazing how things come back to you like they just happened. Spending time in a Subway at 1130 at night with friends. Long drives with friends to the beach to see a stupid boy. First loves and disappointments. Surrogate moms who tell you like it is from a different perspective. Surrogate moms who love you just like you were one of their own children. Finding out that your best friend is moving to some state called I-O-WA.

I hope you all know, that although I may not talk to you all the time, or even as much as I should, I pray for you still, and I know that everything will be okay, even though it may not turn out as rosy and beautiful as we may wish it.

Good luck to one of you with your new life changes and peace to the other with the suffering you have to endure at this time. Remember to have FAITH and HOPE; it'll be really, really hard, but it will get you through.

F R U S T R A T I O N ! ! ! ! ! !

2009-07-28T17:08:00.001-07:00

I just needed to let the world know that I am an unhappy camper. This person, a stranger really, who is sort of all-knowing concerning one aspect of my future, refuses to communicate with me. I know that I am THE MOST IMPATIENT PERSON IN THE WORLD, but when I tell someone that I am going to communicate with them on said day, then I DO!

I'm not doubting that I got what I wanted, I just want TO KNOW!!!

Is that really too much to ask for Pete's SAKE?

BuRN NOTICE

2009-07-22T19:52:00.000-07:00

Fair people burn, especially when they go to the lake and don't properly apply sunscreen to every available surface of one's white, pastey skin.

MISSION: HUACHUCA CITY

2009-07-22T18:41:00.001-07:00

MISSION: GET ON A PLANE TO VISIT BUDDY IN AZ

WARNINGS: YOU MIGHT NOT MAKE ANY FLIGHT ON TIME
SCREAMING CHILD DRIVE YOU TO INSANITY
ANNOYING LIFE INCIDENCES MAY MAKE YOU DESIROUS OF HOME

You may be wondering what this is all about. One of my best buds in the whole world wanted to see me, imagine that. I'm really not sure why, but she wanted me to come for a visit with her at her casa in the tiny blurb of Huachuca City, AZ. So she acquired me this buddy pass thing from Delta Airlines, and I agreed to go.

I've never really flown stand-by before, and I can tell you that being guaranteed a seat is not a thing to be overrated. I mean, I was so looking forward to being home before dark, but no, I got "bumped" by four children and a mom. Insert question here: "If said mom needs to get somewhere quick, i.e. St. G., why is she flying (with her brood) STANDBY???" I guess it is cheaper, but that was so many seats that us single people would have loved to have. I even checked in before her, but since she had a higher ranking, she and the wee ones got one.

But I'm skipping ahead, that's the end of my tale. I made all of my flights to Tucson without incident. Let me tell you, that little puddle jumper out of St. G. is loud and sort of cramped, but the best seats are A) Exit and B) very, very back.

Arriving in AZ, I had to wait around for my perpetually tardy friend, Giuli. Little did I know that she was bringing her whole brood: husband, kid, and sister. Which was totally cool, just a little cramped in the backseat. We then had lunch and an adventure driving around for some art colony place that Giuls thought I would like to see. It was to no avail, though, since we never found it. I found myself napping an incredible amount on this trip: plane, afternoon, evening, whenever. I think it was the lack of air conditioning and all the heat. It just zaps you.

We had an adventure of Tombstone and Bisbee the following day. Lily, Giuls' sister, wanted to take one of those dress up, old timey photos, so we did. It was major fun. Did you know those dresses are totally just shells? Seriously, they're just, like, fronts of dresses; I felt completely vulnerable on the flip side. Insert apology here: The photo is packed away, so you won't be able to see it for a few more weeks. Sorry; I know you're itching to see what I look like in a "dress" holding a pistol. (Doesn't it just make you wonder???)

Max is ready TO GO!!!

Lily in front of the Bird Cage "Theatre".
Okay, it's a whorehouse, but whatever.

Max is letting everyone know,
"There's a NEW sheriff in town."
Notice: he's packin'!

"Stop! Wait! You're my way home!!!"
j/k Giuls!

I think Wyatt Earp died here,
but we didn't want to pay for the tour,
so this is all I have.

Lily in Bisbee lovin' the cold, cold ice cream.

So, I was just being silly, but take a gander at Lily.
How funny is that!?!?!?!

Me, kissing a Red-eyed Donkey, in Bisbee.

Crazy-eyed Lily and the Red-eyed Donkey.

Max on the Choo-Choo with Giuls enjoying the photo-opp.

This doesn't hold a candle to the "adventure" we had on the way home. The coolant light came on, so as soon as we could we stopped at this service station and checked out the engine area under the hood. **NOTE: Giuls is NOT engine savvy. She didn't even know where the radiator resevoir was. It humored me. I found it: COMPLETELY EMPTY. Not a good sign. We filled'er up with 1 part antifreeze and 1 part H2O and proceeded home, sans AC, in southern AZ, in the hottest month of JULY. One word my friends: HOT! (Did I mention another nap?)

That evening Jack (Giuls' hubby) and his amigo figured out the radiator was totally cracked when the entire rest of the coolant we poured into the rad leaked out on the pavement. Definitely NOT GOOD! Now, on top of all their getting-ready-to-move drama, there's an unexpected expense: NEW RADIATOR.

I, however, found consolation in the diversion of going with Lily to the Army Base LDS Branch for church on Sunday. One more word: HOTTIES! There were some VERY YOUNG MEN and WOMEN here, but there were some older guys for me to scope out. It was totally outrageous: us being there and all. Everyone knew what we were doing, but it didn't matter. Eye candy is good for the soul, or rather, appetite. hehehehehe

Seriously, I am very thankful for those serving in ALL branches of the military, and I fully support them and their families in their work.

After all of this, my trip was rather uneventful. Jack's mum, Linda, offered me a ride Monday to Tucson to catch the plane, which was nice b/c I didn't have to pay for the rental I was planning on getting, and I got a fatty-Coke at McD's. Sweet!

You know the rest, about the my dismay at being trapped in an airport in SLC for four hours, but I'm home now, Giuls & Co. are in Pine, AZ (safely moved, but not without adventure!), and my life is boringly back to normal.

So all in all, an eventful uneventful weekend!

a FABulous FOURTH Full of FIRSTS!!

2009-07-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

So this Fourth of July weekend was FANTASTICALLY different for me. I went with a buddy from work to her casa up in the SLC area. (Road trips are always better with company.) Well, in reality, we went to her parents' casa, but worked on her house. So for all of one morning I was put to work painting the world's smallest deck. I think we actually spent more time in the Home Depot than at her house.

Anyhoo, we arrived back at her parents' and there were her two nephews. P is two and S is 2 months. I got to hang with little people for the day. We ate breakfast for lunch (which is the best time to eat it!) and played in the pool and on the trampoline. Then we went to my FIRST parade. Now I may be wrong, but I've been in parades, but I don't really recollect going to one. So this one was in Riverton and we waited FOREVER for it to start. Okay, it was only like an hour and a half, but still. It was hot!

A, my friend, was on the lookout for hot guys for me. At FIRST, it was the cute sheriffs or deputies or whatever on their motorcycles. Then it was the incredibly attractive men at the Riverton Fire Dept. Finally it was just random people tossing stuff to the crowd. I didn't even think to bring my camera to this, but there were floats and monster jeeps and kids EVERYWHERE. Once it got rolling, it was great!

Then game my FIRST professional soccer game. We got to see RE'AL Salt Lake play San Jose Earthquakes. It was such a good game. Tied by SLC right at the end in that stoppage time overtime thing. I learned all sorts of rules from A's sister, T, who is going to college on a soccer scholarship. Then there were fireworks over the stadium. FUN FUN FUN. I love fireworks by the way.

On the way home, as we were very silly-ly listening to music too loudly with the windows all down, A, ever on the lookout for her friend, spotted this dude on a motorcycle. Well her husband thought this dude should know that I was interested and yelled at him that I was available through the window over the loud music. I was like, "WHAT?!?!?!" But Mr. Dude just shook his head and ignored the silly people in the car.

Fourth of July brought my favorite FIRST: boating. I got to go out with A's family to Utah Lake and experience "boating." We went tubing and knee-boarding and wave/wake-boarding. Don't really know what that last one's called, but I didn't even try it b/c that was A's thing. She did it really well, and I didn't want to wasted anyone else's time learning to do it that day. Knee-boarding didn't turn out so hot for me either, and can I add that whoever thought it would be a good idea to like strap one's self onto a board while moving and holding onto a little rope must be MAD! That is so overly-coordinated it's just not even funny. Tubing was fun though. I have to admit, that first dump off was quite thrilling, but then it sort of became a game.

I got so sunburned though. Just my legs. They look like red sticks, but only on the fronts; the backs are still paste-y white.

Between lake and dinner there was just enough time for shower and another FIRST: motorcycle ride. Now, I guess this doesn't REALLY count, since I've ridden a motorcycle before, BUT, this was the FIRST time I really got some speed out of it. It was AMAZING! and I really think I should learn to drive one. So, if the opportunity ever presents itself again (DAD you know what I'm talking about) for me to learn, I will totally take advantage of it.

Dinner of grilled meat and potatoes and all sorts of goodies was for dinner, but I was so beat down from the lake, that I just wanted a nap. No go though. It was time for another FIRST: taking a family's family portraits. I've helped others before, but this time it was all me. We had fun, but there were a lot of chiefs and not enough minions. Then came another FIRST: witnessing grown adults act like children chasing the parachute guys from a certain type of firework: for several hours!!!

I've been around fireworks my whole life, and I know a pretty good amount about them. UT has this ban on all the fun ones, though, which sort of puts a damper on things. But not when you have grown people chasing and fighting over parachuters.

IT WAS HILARIOUS!

Never have I seen anything like it. Then we went to get more of them b/c two hours wasn't enough. Sparklers are more my personal favorite. Not sure why, but I think it has something to do with my childhood. I also like the Chinese lanterns. But I digress. After out retrieval of new parachuters, it was really dark, so they brought out all sorts of flashlights and light "paraphenalia" to "spot" the parachuter.

Finally, I just crashed and had to go to bed. The burning chicken legs and sore boating muscles got to me.

My last two FIRSTS happened Sunday. FIRST (hahahahahaha) I went to a completely new ward at church where I knew absolutely NO ONE. This isn't really all that bad, but it was something I have never done before, but it was a great F & T meeting. I really felt the Spirit. However, since I wasn't really fasting, when I got home, I got to experience my last FIRST for the weekend: DEEP FRIED TACOS. MMMmmmmmmmmmmMMMmm. No taco will ever compare again.

Overall: a FANTASTIC Fest of FIRSTS for my Fouth!

ps. sorry there are no pictures; i just wasn't thinking!

Life News Update

2009-06-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

I've been contacted!!!

But not in the way we would all hope. It was the graduate office, not the English graduate committee, but the regular folk to tell me that hope is not lost, my advisor, the man with the power (to change my whole world either way) is out of the country. He'll be back in July sometime. Then maybe I'll know. Something.

Also, my job has officially been posted at work. So, it's official: I'm going to be replaced. I've been awaiting it really, but not it's in black and white print, so it's OFFICIAL, and sort of scary and sad. However, it just means something new and different will happen:

NEW opportunity
NEW friends
NEW place
NEW work

It will be interesting to see what happens. I'll keep you posted.

What's Happening Now

2009-06-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

I'm SEEING: a messy room, boxes that I've packed, laundry to do, memories in mementos.

I'm HEARING: iTunes music, whirring fan, feet on the stairs for someone else's laundry.

I'm TOUCHING: sticky tape, computer keys, permanent markers.

I'm TASTING: strawberry fruit roll-up, frosted mini-wheat, Dr. Pepper.

I'm SMELLING: Scentsy Black Raspberry Vanilla: YuM-O!

I'm FEELING: nostalgic, hopeful, fearful, excited, at ease, the wind from the fan.

New Hair...AGAIN!!!

2009-06-15T16:50:00.001-07:00

You're probably all tired of hearing about my hair-cutting obsession. You'll be glad to know I can't cut much more, so I probably won't post about this again for a long while. I've cut almost all of my hair off, and I've gone shorter than I have for a really long time, since college even.

But I love it. Do you wanna see it???

This was my hair, sort of longer before I cut it.
At Josh's farewell
with Meagan taking a photo in behind me.

<<>>

What's going on over there?
Nothing, I'm just weird.

Sunshine in my hair!

Let me know what you think about it. Not that it really matters. All I can do now is grow it out, but I think I'll keep it trimmed up all nice for the summer. :O)

There's ExCItemENt in the AIR...

2009-06-15T16:45:00.001-07:00

I've been awaiting some news for quite some time. Nothing to report by the by. But, I did go to Logan recently, to visit my sweet little cousin, and deliver some much-needed provisions.

I must be trampy b/c I fell in love again. Logan is so beautiful. It's definitely amazing to me how a 6 hour car ride could differ the scenery in my life so drastically. Gone were the red rocks and blue sky. Here were the greenest fields, the greyest mountains, and the most perfect neighborhoods.

It's amazing. I'm so excited, and I hate to get my hopes all up b/c I have this incredible fear that they're just going to be squished mud between my toes.

But it's still nice to feel the excitement. It's eerily reminiscent of what I felt last year around this time...

Happy Anniversary!

2009-06-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

My beloved little Thunderbird has been with me for 100,000 miles. It's really quite amazing. We've had more good times than I can count, and he's been there for me in the really rough times to pull me through it all. I can't believe we've been over 100,000 miles together. It makes me smile to realize it and remember some of those trips. I don't have my pictures of all these trips on my 'puter, but I thought you might like to see some of the places that we've been, so I found some images on Flickr. Enjoy my memories!

This is where my bestie, Sara, lives.
It's amazing the rebuilding they're doing in that little city now,
after Katrina, too.

I've ridden that vertical red line of a ride, The BIG Shot, with my cuz, Brian.
We are so dumb. But it was SOOoooooo fun.

St. Louis. I went here to visit a guy, but it was amazing.

Another trip with Sara. SLC temple at night. Beautiful.

Lots of my trips involve Sara.
This one was to Resburg, ID to see her graduate from BYUI.
Congrats again, SarBear.

Trips also involve my dad.
We went down the Ocoee River in ducks,
bigger than this kayak thing,
and much less rapid-y.

Mobile, AL. I went here (not the battleship)
with Sara, Giuls and Jack,
and boyfriend at the time (to the battleship) Nate.

This is the Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles.
Do you see the guns on the side?
Cool.
Oh, and it's really tall.
This is the other bridge in LC.
It's even taller.
And it's how I had to take my bro and sis-in-law to work
so I could have their car when I was visiting there.

Gulf Shores, AL.
Fun spur-of-the-moment memories
with my college roomie, Leigh Ann
and friends Jeff and JT.

United States Grand Prix, Indianapolis, IN
Formula 1 racing at its finest.
This one was with Dad for Father's Day.

Lowe's International Speedway.
I've driven a NASCAR on this track.
Merry Christmas to me at 134 mph.

This is Cedar Point, OH.
It's the most amazing amusement park
I've ever been to,
and I've been to a bunch.
I rode every single roller coaster in the park.
It was a good day!

If you don't know what this is,
or where,
you've missed so much in life...

Again, to see Sara.
In VEGAS, Baby!!!

This would be the MS River bridge in
Baton Rouge, LA.
It was my closest temple to attend
before I moved to UT.

One of my top places on the planet.
Favorite city in the US (besides home).
Atlanta Botanical Gardens.
If you haven't been, GO! NOW!!!

Nauvoo, IL.
Giuls and Jack and Lu went there
for Jack's mom's wedding.
BEAUTIFUL!!!

Latest adventure: Logan, UT.
Otherwise known as "Frigid Arctic North."

Thanks for the memories!

Chocolate Cupcakes - YUMMY!!!

2009-06-02T18:32:00.000-07:00

You Are a Chocolate Cupcake

You are deep, richly interesting, and at times overpowering. You have a strong personality.

You are drawn to people who adore you. You love it when your specialness is recognized.

You are like a cupcake because it's hard for people to get enough of you.

You have a mysterious charm that makes you incredibly addicting. People are drawn to your drama.

What Flavor Cupcake Are You?

Question of the Day...

2009-06-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

What would you rather do: BASE jump off the Royal Gorge Bridge OR take a nice relaxing hot air balloon ride over a beautiful town??? and WHY???

Lemme know!

The "Bestie" Trip

2009-05-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Travel with me back in time, not too long, though. A few weeks ago, when I was home in the 'Burg, I had a wonderful treat. One of my two besties came to see me, twice. On one occasion we went and had dinner at my fave Mexican restaurant, which I ate at like two other times, too, and then did some window shopping at a real shoe store. (I say real b/c there aren't a whole lot of shoe stores here in St.G, but at home they're everywhere.) The other visit brought with it even better food, more shopping, and a grand adventure. Sara drove all the way up from Waveland, MS to see me. She even went a day w/o pay to visit avec moi! What a sacrifice for a working girl?!

Anyhoo, after arising early and going with me to visit some friends at a former employer, we had breakfast at quite possibly my most-flavorlicious b-fast place: WARD'S. (Incidentally, Mom and I went there for lunch one day and got burgers, also YUMMY!!!) This treat included: extra-crispy bacon, biscuit, two scrambled eggs, and Coke in a FROSTY MUG (there is no better way...). It was a wonderful thing.

I'm not really sure what happened next. It might have been Hudson's and Dirt Cheap, two of THE most interesting stores, EVER, or it might have the Watermelon Patch, another shoe mecca. Let's go with the latter.

This store provides an exquisite way to kill a few hours: trying on hundreds and hundreds of shoes. OK, a great way for me to kill a few hours. I wasn't even going to go to this place, knowing that I would probably find something awesome (and I DID!), but we had the whole day to do whatever, so Sara humored me and we went. Did I say that she's awesome? and that it's always good to have someone who will give you a strong and honest opinion? She's definitely both of these things.

On our way back into town from the side of the road shoe stand, er, mecca two things happened. One: I had to take my picture with the newly erected watermelon out front:

and TWO: we passed by this trailer selling place that had this advertisement:

We headed to lunch at quite possible the BEST, MOST RoCKiN' AweSOme Chinese place in the WORLD: A&B Chinese Takeout. It's a hole in the wall at most. A flavorful explosion of culinary goodness at least. It's SOooooooooOOOooooooo GOooooOOOoooooOOoOD. Sara had some kind of chicken, and I had my favorite: Mongolian Chicken. Mmmmmm my mouth is watering just THINKING about it. WOW! >Oh, and the lady behind the counter even recognized me, even though I haven't been there in about 8 months!

After some shopping in Hudson's and Dirt Cheap, we headed down to the coast for an adventure: photo-op at the Friendship Oak.

WARNING: SARA AND I ARE TOTAL GOOFBALLS WHEN CAMERAS ARE PRESENT!!! That said, I think you will enjoy our pictures. They're fun and silly. And now we are FOREVER friends b/c if you hang out under the Friendship Oak with your most fave people, you're glued together eternally as instructed by the plaques all around the place.

After some nice military eye candy and a dipped cone from the DQ, she brought me home and we parted ways. Aaaahhhhhhhh, it was a good, no, ROCKIN' AWESOME day!

A Mom Tribute

2009-05-10T09:32:00.001-07:00

I was thinking since today is Mother's Day here in the grand ole US of A, I should probably do like everyone else out there in blogger world and thank my mom and others who have helped me along the way. I've already spoken to her today, and since she and my dad are moving their computer elsewhere and offline, she won't get to read this for a while.

My mom and me, taken by upcoming photog: PDS.

My mom is great. She has become quite possibly my best friend. She is my most-trusted advocate and supporter, but she is also very, very, VERY honest with me, which incidentally is a quality I love about all my besties. I'm glad that she supported me, grudgingly, to move to a faraway land called Utah, and that, through everything that has (and hasn't) happened out here, she still talks to me about everything at home as if I'm right there and listens to all my worries and problems.

She has instilled in me so many good things. My mom was a dedicated worker. There were times when work was frustrating, but she persevered through it all to be her best and give her best to her students. She's never slacked off at anything, except maybe when it's really hot in the late summer, and she's always right. I tend to be drawn to people who have great knowledge, whether it's information or experience, I just get sucked towards them like they're a vacuum and I'm a piece of lint on the floor. She's also very supportive. She always wants me to be the best I can be, and she encourages me to try all the time, even though sometimes that means moving far, far away.

So now you know how great MY mom is, and you probably know how great YOUR mom is, but I have to also thank all of those other people's moms out there who have come to mean so much to me, too. My aunts have to be the best ever. I mean there is so much support and information and experience to be gleaned from these women. Then there are my cousins, most of whom are moms, one in particular who's going to be a mom later this year. (CONGRATULATIONS!!!) Especially interesting are my cousins who I've been able to meet and get to know better this year. It's so great to be among family and witness their abilities to "mother" and realize that those skills are just lying dormant in me (hopefully). It's nice to get pointers and tips on anything, but most especially when it comes to child-rearing. Then there are my sisters, well right now only sister, but soon (again, hopefully) to be sisters. My SIL is so fun to watch with her children, especially now that they're older. However, I haven't gotten to witness of this too much since I've been away, but it's fun to see when we're all home together.

L and mom, Chels at Zion's.

Craziest SIL, Mellie! She's such a princess...

Natalie and L, when he was itty bitty. (Sorry N, I didn't have any other pix of you.)

Cindy and L at park, chillin'.

Finally there are my wonderful and awesome friends. I have to say that I love seeing my friends with their kids. It's such a comfort to watch these already strong women become stronger and more tender and more caring when they bring their little people into this world. It's so comforting to know that all of these women are teaching their children correct principles and helping them grow into smart and interesting people.

Giuli at Zion's avec moi, the photog.

Sara and me, neither of us yet mommies, but still hopeful of miracles...

So for all you mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day. I hope you know how truly loved and blessed you are, and how much you love and bless the lives of your own children.

Life's a-Changin'

2009-05-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

In reality, I realize that life is always changing. It's amazing, though, how easily it is to get into routines and regularities. I usually wake up really early to go to work. Every morning I go to work, I take Zoey out for a potty break. I do really the same things at work everyday.

And then something, or someone, comes along and everything changes. For me this person was Anna, my cousin. She got home from her mission a while back, and we were all like, "When are you going back to school?"

Then, and I'm really, rEaLLy, REALLY not sure how, she was like, "Why don't you come, too?" And for some reason I AGREED.

WhAt?!

So, now I've applied for grad school for the fall. In English. What am I gonna do with that? I mean, I've always wanted to get my master's, and PhD for that matter, but really. Come on now.

I think my family is all to blame really. Being surrounded by all of these EduCaTeD people, growing up in a liberal college town, where all of the women were super empowered. Seriously.

Here I am, now awaiting admittance into one school, b/c that's all I applied to, so that maybe I could accompany Anna to the frozen arctic NORTH, and wondering where the heck all of this CHANGE came from.

There are other interesting facts in my life right now, too, though. Back in the day when I was getting my undergrad, I completed all of the requirements to be a teacher, but one student teaching experience. I've been irrevocably messed up since I didn't finish that experience. Now, let me aside right here and state: I WOULD NOT BE WHO I AM NOW IF THINGS HADN'T GONE THE WAY THEY HAVE. That said, I was speaking with this woman on campus here in St.G. about a teaching job at the college. She said that I should A) get my master's and my life would be easier, and B) totally see if I could get my certificate, and if not, she'd see what she could do to help me out with that out here. (So maybe it's all her fault.....)

Anyhow, so I did all that was necessary to apply for my teaching license and sent it all away. I get home from my trip home, and my dad called and told me that I had an envelope from the state board. I said, "Don't open it! Just send it to me," b/c of course I thought it was a rejection letter. BUT NO, it was a LICENSE to teach! Miraculous. It's really the only word I've used in relation to that since it happened.

I'm now applying for a teaching job in Logan, too. How WEIRD?!?!?!

Then there's the other option of moving homeward to, well, not home, but closer, Louisiana. There's a new store opening, and I though maybe I could be a manager, but I've been thinking negatively about that opportunity, too. And then my boss let's something slip at work, and maybe there could be a hope there, too.

Changes are happening, and it's not just the seasons. I should definitely make a note of this power of positive-thinking junk. It might just be true...

You've Been Waiting, I Know

2009-05-06T16:18:00.000-07:00

I have no doubt that whoever checks in with this blog has been waiting for this for over a week now. Well here you go. Enjoy!

Gone Fishin'

2009-04-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

I had the unique opportunity to experience something that is rather common for my family now that I don't live here anymore. See, my aunt and uncle have moved in with my Grandma to help her out. So they've been messing around the house and yard, too, making improvements and such. Well, there is this pond over on the edge of the property, and they've cleared a path to it.

This is where the fun begins. We all hop in the Kubota and drive down to the pond with our fishing poles. Then we fish to our hearts' content.

FYI: ALERT: Lynley sucks at casting. If my life depended on catching fish, or any other animal probably, I would die. After an hour, I caught one, little bass. Preston, who's FOUR, caught like five fish. Hmmmmmm..... I definitely didn't get this gene from my Grandad. However, MY dad caught the BIGGEST fish. It was as big as his forearm. Kinda gross, but then I saw this show on animal planet called "River Monsters," and this dude caught a catfish the size of him, length and bigness around. So my dad's fish, not so gross.

Pictures will follow when I get back to Utah, and somewhat modern technology!

Family

2009-04-24T14:15:00.001-07:00

I have to tell you that I think I have, perhaps, the best family ever. Not only is my Utah-family just rocking awesome and support, but my Mississippi-family is just the best. I got to spend all day yesterday with my Grandma and aunt and uncle. It was amazing to be out there in the "country." I'm so fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to grow up with family who live out from the hustle of city life.

My grandparents have this huge "farm" out in the woods just northwest of where I grew up in the city. There my Grandad raised all sorts of crops and hunted things. If you've never had the opportunity of picking your own food; you've missed out. There is nothing worse than getting up at 5am to go pick butterbeans out in the wet, muggy heat of a southern Mississippi morning. Still, that's better than picking them in the wet, muggy heat of a southern Mississippi afternoon. However, all that effort (b/c after picking you have to shell and pick out trash, then divide and "put up" all those little boogers) the food just tastes better. It's the same with corn or peas or tomatoes or cantaloupe or apples or blueberries.

Food is an amazing thing, and it seems that with me, it all comes back to food.

I digress, though. I got to hang out with my Grandma, who's been sort of house-bound since the early spring when she broke her hip. She's doing great, but now she's a little slower, and life inside the house is not nearly as interesting as life outside of it. Still, spending the day with her and my mom and aunt and uncle was great.

I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day or company. Or, for that matter, food. My mom made squash and cornbread and new potatoes. Then there was the trip to Shady Acres Fruit Stand, for ice cream and plant-shopping.

What a way to spend a day!

Patience

2009-04-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

We live in an incredibly technilogical age. Duh, right? So during this stint home at my parents' I am having to deal with a slightly different version of technology than that which I am used to: slow internet connection or slow computer processor. Uncool.

Therefore, you may not get any cool pictures of me while I'm home. You, like me, just may have to be patient and wait until I can get a grip on this archaic version of technology or get back to Utah.

So sorry.

Lynley In...MISSISSIPPI!!!!!

2009-04-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

It's been forever. Any hope I may have had of people actually following my blog have been dessimated by my inactivity and reporting. Alas and alack.

But here I am, back in Mississippi for a brief moment. OK, more like a week, but whatever. I have to tell you, IT'S GREAT!!! You don't really realize how much you miss something until you have it back for a moment. It's SOOOoooooo GREEN here, and the blue sky is just as BLUE as in Utah, but I feel like I've never seen it before.

Tomorrow there will be pictures of the Mom's garden and Grandma's house, but after being up for over 24 hrs. b/c of work and airplane seats ill-suited to sleeping, I'm going to bed in my Grandma's bed that has become mine, with Kitty who keeps me company and chases the lizards out of my room.

By the way, the illustrious Kitty totally knows who I am. It was amazing to be reunited with her. It's odd the way she knows who I am. I figured she would have forgotten, it's been so long. But here we are, together again. I guess that's how life is: people come and go, but the important ones leave an impression.

I'm safely delivered and ready for bed, so GOOD NIGHT all, and to all a GOOD NIGHT!

This Will Make You Think

2009-03-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

Do you ever see things that just make you think? I stole this from my cousin and her dad, my uncle, who sent it to her. It had a profound effect on her, and so I had to check it out. It truly is amazing, and really made me wonder. I had a feeling of minuteness for a moment, acknowledging, once again, all that I do not know. But then I realized that that's okay. That I'm human, and not perfect. I love to learn, and as long as I'm progressing in a positive direction, gaining experience and knowledge along the way, then I'm not such a big waste of time and space. Anyhow, I wonder what you'll think about it? Lemme know!

Alas...

2009-03-07T18:17:00.000-08:00

Alas, I think I forgot the most important part of my last post:

ThANkS!!!...

for all that y'all have done for me and for your TREMENDOUS support!

:O)

A Home away from Home

2009-03-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by a fellow surrogate in the house to write this post. You can visit Justus' post here to see why.

I moved to this incredibly magical place of St. George, UT b/c my cousin, Cindy, said that I should give it a try. What she was probably insinuating was that there are about 1000 times more LDS single men here than in my green state of MS. She's completely correct. I've even increased my dating percent by 200% since I've been here b/c I didn't have a single date for the year of 2008. (A little aside: I was in UT for more months of 2008 than in MS....)

But I digress. She probably had no idea what this invitation would entail. I never expected to live with her for the almost year that it has been. I truly intended to move out within three months. That didn't happen. Instead, events that weren't at all forecast came raining down on her family. Her son and his little family moved in the day after me, with dejected spirits and no where else to go. Plans that had been so bright and optimistic turned ominously dark and despairing. Things sort of fell apart with my arrival. It was looking glum for me and my UT stint.

However, these happenings were an incredible blessing for me. The gospel has always been a little bit different for me. It was always sort of something I did on my own. I've always had to find my own way in the goings-on of my religion. It was never prevalent or mandatory in my family or MS home. I went to the LDS church growing up, for some reason my dad's and not my mom's, but it wasn't as if I really "got" it all. We never had family scripture study; we only prayed at meals; attendance at church wasn't policed and enforced.

My UT home has been different. I've experienced, sort of, the way the gospel is supposed to work. I'm not saying my home was bad b/c it wasn't. I grew up in an amazingly loving and creative home. It's just, here I get to experience something more of the gospel. A different view of what I knew it could be if you will. We're not perfect in our family reading, but we try. We're not perfect in our family prayer, but we try. I witness people in the house studying the words of the scriptures all the time, and not just for talks or lessons, but b/c they want to draw more meaning from them and draw closer to our Heavenly Father.

I don't mean to say that I'm glad that Cindy and her family have had hard times. NOOOOOO!!!! These events have just provided me some of the most awesome experiences. I became friends with cousins' wives. I've hung out with the coolest two-year old and learned sign language. I go to the temple as often as I like with friends who are family. I get to learn and grow in the gospel. I experience the complete and utter joy at cousins who do as they are commanded by serving the Lord, not only by missions, but by little families growing. I've met incredible GENERATIONS of people who do what's right.

I still struggle with a lot of things, and sometimes my faith isn't all that strong. It's an incredible relief to have such strong people surrounding me. Formerly those strong people have been mostly friends, but now I can add family to that as well.

So even though I'm still around, I hope my UT family doesn't mind me gleaning experience and strength from all of their faith and life-happenings.

OK, so the only "family" pictures I have are of us hiking, so, that's what you get.

I'm in Love

2009-02-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

But not in the way you might think or hope or want. (At least it's not those things for me...)

I'm falling in love with the PLACE. It's amazing! I've loved living here the entire time I've been here. Yes, there are moments when I want nothing more than to return to Mississippi and never leave it again. (Which really isn't true since I love driving around and exploring new places.)

But recently, I have had so many opportunities to witness the surroundings here in new ways.
Like the sunrises in the morning going to work or snow on the mountains after a frightful rainfall or driving home from work and seeing a GLORIOUS sunset. This place truly is amazing, scenery-wise.

Today was the icing on my proverbial cake. Last night it rained and rained and rained; almost like the rain at home, but not quite. Anyhoo, this morning, or rather last week, I got this bug up my bum to go for a drive. (Like I said, I like to explore, and what better way to do that than hopping in the car and driving somewhere new?) Well, last week I drove to this resevoir to check out the waterfalls there. Alas, it was being drained and de-sludged, so it was nothing to write home about, which I didn't, until now. However, that place will be SO AWESOME in the spring when all of the aspen trees put on their new coats of quaking leaves.

On that drive, I could have chosen to go another route b/c the road forked. I chose Gunlock Resevoir. The other drive I did today: back way to Las Vegas. I was so excited. This was going to be an adventure. It was an adventure all right: all that rain wasn't rain out there, it was SNOW!!!! I got about two miles out and thought I should probably turn back. I mean really, what do I know about snow? It's cold, wet, slippery, dangerous, life-threatening to the uninitiated? So there I was, in my great little car, with no snow tires or chains or 4WD, the road is icy and slick and gross and not well-travelled, driving about 30 miles an hour in the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! Who does that? But that's where the tracks were, so I just followed them. Evidently some incredibly large vehicle had made me a path, and I chose to follow him.

I was a little scared to say the least. It was a white-knuckle driving experience, and yes, my car did do a little sliding dance on the road that I didn't really appreciate.

But it was magical.

The snow and mountains and Joshua-trees and cows and sun coming up: I was enraptured. Scared and thinking I might slide off the road and die, but at least it would be pretty. How silly am I: falling in love with a place b/c of SNOW, my mortal enemy? Oh well, I guess I don't hate it so much after all.

It really was amazing. I was afraid to stop and take pictures, though. There was a car ahead of me, and if something dreadful would have happened, I was hoping maybe he would at least stop and call 911. I'm sorry you can't witness the beauty that I got to see today. Maybe I could go back another day, in a much safer vehicle and take pictures....hmmmmmmmm.

But for now, you just have my memories, which aren't all that well-illuminated, but if you want to know more, you can call me, and I will rave and rave about my snow. Speaking of raving about snow, you may want to call b/c this may be the only time it happens. ;O)

Snow Again

2009-02-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

It's been wet here for most of the weekend, which, to be honest, is a lovely change. However, it is amazing how quickly grey can become not such a welcome color in the sky. I have really come to love the bright blue sky and amazing sunrises (which I get to see since I get to work so early) and sunsets this western civilzation has to offer.

Today, the grey sky broke into a pretty heavy rain for what I've witnessed in the west. Which was awesome, but then something HORRIBLE happened. While I was walking past the front doors at work, low and behold:

HORIZONTAL SNOW!!!

This made several people at work giddy with excitement. Not me. Giddiness was the farthest thing from my mind. I was thinking more like, "Crap. It's snowing. I hope it goes away soon." And luckily for me it did. When I left work, it was a sunny, dry, blue-skied 52 degrees. Only in southern Utah.

PS Hopefully this snow stuff will stop soon...

Kitty in ... Utah?

2009-02-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

You may be wondering what this post could possibly be about since Kitty is definitely NOT in Utah, much to the happiness of family here in the house. Well, I pulled out some random article of clothing the other day, and there was a hair of my Izzy-Kitty. It made me smile. I was forever removing them from my previous life in Mississippi, and I realized that I missed my little kitty.

However, she is not to be here with me at the moment. In time, yes, but for now, I get to find joy in finding evidence of her presence in my life in other ways. My mom and dad have been fantastic about keeping me updated with pictures and anecdotes about her spastic little self.

She has a tendancy to go a little berserk at times, and during one of her little "episodes" the other day, she broke something. I was a little ashamed that my cat had misbehaved for my mom who's been so good to look after her during my hiatus (are parents like this when their children misbehave???), but then I was informed that my cat-hating father took up for her. What a shock! My dad, who was apprehensive about her staying there when I left, (well, really, apprehensive about me moving home with her in the first place) took up for her with my slightly irritated mother. It made my week.

So, here are some pics of my lazy cat. They're really only for me, but if you enjoy them, the I'm glad b/c she makes me really happy.

This is Kitty's window seat where she can make sure that all of her "friends" know who's boss at this house.

Not a happy kitty.

A VERY happy kitty.

Her favorite spot: an unmade bed in the process of getting made.

She just likes to be in the way, to let you know she's there.

My Date

2009-01-19T20:50:00.000-08:00

I had a date. My first one of the year. Sadly (b/c boys are SO silly) my first one in over a year. It was great. There were times when I felt completely and utterly moronic, and others were I felt a connection could have been made. It's interesting getting to know complete strangers over food. I guess that's why we have dinner parties.

Changes in the New Year

2009-01-15T15:41:00.000-08:00

Well, now that January is half over, I thought I would mull over the ideas of making some changes to my life. The first major thing is to be MUCH LESS homesick. I'm working on that by doing the second: new hobbies.
These hobbies are very varied. I've been going to the temple pretty regularly, so that's delightful and service-y and free. Which leads me to want to start getting some names of my own to do, which is probably unlikely seeing as how one side of the family is all LDS and the other is probably done by my something-or-other cousin on my mom's side. We'll see though. I think my brother has saved me a lot of legwork by gathering a LOT of the information for me.
Then there's my desire to become a better cook. I'm starting small, though. I haven't killed any of my cousins yet, so I'm branching out to potlucks w/ peeps from the ward. Hopefully they will fare the same as my family. This leads me to wonder what I can actually cook. My mom always said if I could read, I could cook, so I'm banking on this since I'm pretty sure I can read. ;O) This means I'm branching out in WHAT I cook, too. I'm beginning to stray from my familiar things and delving into cookbooks I own and the foodnetwork.com. This may be slower than the temple service, though, b/c food costs money. Maybe I'll continue with one meal a week and try to move up to two. We'll see.
Another hobby is coming in the form of activity. I've agreed to play on my ward's chic basketball team. Let me tell you: intimidating. I haven't played b-ball in a LONG time, and rumor has it Mormon chicks aren't the friendliest of opponents. But we'll see. I also plan on filling at least a little of my time with jogging, at least around the neighborhood. I know, I know. "Didn't you say you were going to do this same thing last summer?" Yes, and I, tragically, never really started. However, I have new motivation, which will remain undisclosed at this time...
Craftiness may also be a new outlet for me. I have my spanking awesome camera now, and I need to get to using it. Then there's the sewing that you would think runs in my blood b/c of Mom, but I haven't really practiced that a whole lot, either. I would also like to learn a little more about designing stuff in photoshop with Chels and glean all sorts of knowledge from her spongy-brain. (No offense, Chels, I mean you soak info up...) Then there could be the opportunity for scrapbooking, but I don't really think I have anything to scrapbook about. Cards and stationery, though, those would be more fun to make and allow me the opportunity to hand-write more people to "show off" my snazzy cards/paper.
We'll see. I'm hoping to start filling my random time with knowledge-building pursuits. I should also probably read more. I love to read, and I've let it slough off to no-man's land. Oh well, something to improve on.

Please let me know if you have any more suggestions for my hobbies list. I should probably finish like all of the crochet projects I've started, too. Hhhhhmmmmmmm......

Dream Man

2009-01-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

I've been pondering a LOT lately about the "PERFECT" man. I know, he doesn't really exist, but my "Dream" man would be a dream, therefore, I could have whatever I wanted. So, here we go.
1. Obviously, LDS and active b/c I gave up Mr. Right-Now back in the day who would have been okay otherwise.
2. Tall-ish, 5'10" - 6'5" would be about the range.
3. Dark-haired, sort of wavy-ish.
4. Not-brown eyes, any color but brown (isn't that horribly prejudiced of me?).
5. Gainfully employed or able to be so in the very near future.
6. Able to cook b/c a girl doesn't always want to be in charge of that...
7. Willing to help in the kitchen if said girl does cook and doesn't want to clean up her mess...
8. Also willing to help out elsewhere in the house, lawn, car, etc.
9. Handy. Is it wrong to want a man who can fix things???
10. Dad-esque - he must want children, not 22 or anything, but must be willing, and it would be nice if he sort of knew what he was doing.

I know this is sort of a random post, and that I will probably never get ALL of the qualities that I want. There are some things that I can't do without, though, and I hope that Mr. Right (FOREVER) is okay with my peculiarties.

PS - so I really should have put patient on the list, too, b/c I'm sort of spastic when it comes to some things, but maybe I'll be lucky. :O)

Epiphany

2009-01-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

I heard from a friend of mine the other day. I had told her that I was stressed b/c of my transmission and being away from my dad who always took care of that sort of thing for me. I was a little homesick b/c I miss my mommy and daddy and kitty and granma and friends who I've know forever. I told her that I had to handle it, though, b/c this is where I am, and this is where I AM supposed to be, even though there are times (more than I would like to admit) when I wonder why.

She responded to me that growing into adulthood has sucky moments, probably more than we would like. She also told me that homesickness isn't something that ever goes away. She said she still had times when she wanted to go to her mother's house and sit and chat with her.

This was a revelation. I figured that the older and more "MATURE" we get, the less homesick we would get as well. It's really stupid I know, but it's what I thought all the same. Now that I reflect on this little gem of philosphical knowledge, I must concur.

It's amazing living here in Utah, away from all of the family I grew up with. It's amazing the little things I remember all the time about "home." I guess it only rings true that I would continue to remember conversations and doing things with my parents and continue to want to relive them in REAL life.

I have to say I'm completely dumbfounded by this information. I really wonder if this is what it's like for people who have lost their parents or friends or family. Do they miss times they had together and desire to relive them again? I know all the time that I want to talk with my Grandad again, but he's been gone for so long. Missing him has only lessened, but not entirely gone away.

This isn't the brightest post of my blog, but I had to share it, and see if there were any other perspectives out there that could help enlighten my mind. Please share them if so.

Thanks!

A Tribute to Myself (but not from me!)

2009-01-06T21:18:00.000-08:00

My friend Giuliana posted this about me on her blog that I gave her for Christmas. She rocks my socks, and I though I would steal it and share it with my blog-people. I hope it makes you smile and laugh like it did me. (Only you may not get all of the references that she makes...Oh well, you just have to know us...)

Okay, so the only reason that Lulu should forgive me for not posting this is that my computer is the devil. I literally tried to post this one three times and my internet kept kicking me off!!!!! Curses to dial up!!!!! Anyway, here is my poem, and Ode to Lynley--to a tiger lily on her birthday:

Listens to me, even when I'm whiny

Yellowstone park is no feat for her

Never tells me how stupid I'm acting when I'm hormonal

Loves me enough to rush me to the ER in the middle of the night

Every moment with her watching P&P is never boring

Yells like Red from Fraggle Rock, only with angry piggy eyes

Saves me with ice cream therapy

The only person who can get me to throw away my junk

Has seen me looking like butt and still likes me

Elementary teacher librarian in the making

Bread from the Hinton's makes her swoon

Only my bestest bud in the entire world!!!!!!

Mistress of Giuli's wardrobe

Brusque, brazen, red-headed Bombshell.I hope that you liked that last bit of alliteration!!!! If I was anywhere near you on this birthday, we would be eating Baskin Robbins ice cream cake and watching a glorious girl movie. I finally did catch on to "Mamma Mia" and I wish that I had watched it with you first :) Love you Lulu!

Happy Birthday...TO ME!

2008-12-23T11:17:00.000-08:00

I like this cake, I'm only 9 according to it!

Yup, today's my birthday. It's interesting again to be spending it with completely different people from my norm, but I must say their love for me is just shy of that I feel from my parents. (and rightly so, right?, b/c my mom birthed me and all, and my dad's been there from the beginning.)

Anyhoo, so I wanted to thank all of you who have made my 27th year completely awesome. I've experienced a plethera of new things this year, like moving across the country, hiking up several different parts of Zion's, and more snow than I would have ever liked to deal with. It's been amazing. I'm so glad to be in southern Utah, even if it is completely different from home and I miss my old friends and wonderful family.

I'm glad I'm making new friends and getting to know my "western" family even better!

Thanks again.

Yay!!!

Look Mom, I'm Learning

2008-12-16T14:47:00.000-08:00

I know you're totally interested in what I'm doing with all of my time. It would be nice to say that I'm learning to speak Portuguese or Mandarin, but no. It would also be nice if I was writing or doing something outside of my job that was LUCRATIVE, but no.

Here's what I'm up to:

Making "Swan" cream puffs for Cindy's party,

Cindy and Marlo discussing the dough...

Marlo, Bonnie, Denora, and me.

(Oh, they're being all productive and I'm being a cheesehead.)

Aren't these perfect? It's a shame they all didn't turn out like this.

We still don't know what happened to those little critters...

Packing up Christmas gifts that I won't be able to see the family and friends open,

Ooooo, who's that big one for on the bottom???

and creating Christmas cards w/ Chelsea. Oops, you don't get to see that one. Ok, and I didn't really create anything, it was all Chelsea, but I got to watch and give input.

Incidentally, I'm also trying not to kill myself driving in snow-laden roads. At least it started melting today. YAY!!

Let It Snow, AGAIN, This Time, On ME!!!

2008-12-16T14:18:00.001-08:00

I hate snow. "Why?" you ask. "What did it ever do to you?" Well, it hasn't really done a whole lot TO me, but it hasn't done anything FOR me either.

It makes the roads all slick and scary to drive to work on at 6AM.

It makes things slippery for uncoordinated people comme moi to walk around, and it tries to bring said person to the cold, wet ground to show her who's boss as she's walking up the stairs.

It's wet, but not in a good way like rain or the shower or a pool. It's this annoying little bit of moisture that accumulates on your hat or in your hair or on your coat lapel. I brush it away, in a futile attempt to save myself, but it's ridiculous. There are 8 gagillion little flakes to replace it INSTANTEOUSLY!

It settles onto the limbs of trees and makes them snap, which isn't good b/c I heart trees and knowing that evil snow is causing detriment to them makes me sad.

It causes the world to turn a depressing gray color. Snow is pretty at first, but then it gets walked or driven through, sloshed onto the sides of the road, and sits there, dirty and holding all sorts of little germy secrets. (OK, maybe not germy, but dirty secrets just the same.)

I don't know. Maybe if I had grown up with it, it might be different. I think I grew up with the best kind of snow - limited in quantity and availability. In southern Mississippi, it rarely snows, although twice this year is quite odd. So snow is always exciting and fun. Then, there usually isn't more than a few inches. Again, this is fun; just enough to make a snow angel or snowman, but not enough to stick around and turn gray. It melts and goes the way of the earth, only to be seen again a few years down the road.

These are my pictures from driving down the highway. I'm sure that was the safest thing I could have been doing, but here you go, nonetheless.

"Ahoy, there's snow on that thar mountain..."

Snow on the hillside, not a bunch though, that came later, but not Salt Lake much, either.

OK, so here you can see the tracks of people who've been four-wheeling up this red hill.

This is the treacherous, icy, snow-laden path to Cindy's front door.

It doesn't look dangerous, but believe me, it didn't like me...

OK, this isn't me driving,

but I thought it would be fun to write my name in the snow.

I'm a dork, I know...

Holiday Treats

2008-12-13T17:52:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post about the happenings around here this holiday season. I've been away from home, and thus missing out on things that I ordinarily do, like helping my mom with the tree or shopping with her or eating out with my friends. But, here is glorious southern Utah, I have gotten to do some things that maybe I wouldn't have gotten the chance to do if I was elsewhere.

Like decorating a Christmas tree with GIANT penguins...

Isn't that HUGE penguin so cool? And cute???

That star is totally hanging from the ceiling. How cool is that?!?!?!

Brian & Cindy working their tree decorating magic.

...or making "holiday" inspired rice krispie treat wreaths for my relief society enrichment...

Naked wreaths...

Yummy decorated wreaths.

...or getting whipped and mauled by the wind as I get my picture taken for my Christmas cards...

OK, so this isn't me,

but Chels is a good example of trying to hold a child AND walk down a narrow crevice

while trying not to fall

b/c the wind is CRAZY strong on this little rock mountain

with a storm front moving in.

So these are some of the treats that are going on for me while I'm away from home. I'll try to do better about posting. It's hard, though. I don't think anything I have to say is worth the time or the effort to read. But I have one die-hard blog-checker, so I'll make sure to post for him. (Thanks Dad!)

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2008-12-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

At work today I got a message from my mom that it was snowing in Mississippi. SNOWING!!! It wasn't sticking b/c it wasn't cold enough and too wet, but there were flakes fluttering out of the sky and turning my southern world white.

But I wasn't there to witness it. My dad, Mr. Photographer, catalogued the event for me, though. Enjoy.

Broccoli Amendment

2008-12-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

I just realized I left out something important on the broccoli casserole recipe. YOU MAY HAVE TO DOUBLE or TRIPLE or QUADRUPLE the recipe depending on the amount of broccoli.

Just a note. Take that into consideration.

Broccoli Casserole Recipe

2008-12-01T16:09:00.001-08:00

By popular demand I am sharing my mommy's recipe with the world. It was a sensation at Thanksgiving dinner and in successive nights of leftovers, well, one successive night of leftovers. It didn't last long. But it must have made quite an impression if people who didn't even come over to dinner were asking me about it later in the weekend, like Cindy's F-i-L.

Anyhoo, it's very simple. All you have to do is make a basic white sauce:

2 tbls. butter or margarine (Melt this first)
2 tbls. flour (not sure if it matters if it's plain or that other kind) (Then stir in this. Mix well)
1 c. milk (Don't add til you have a buttery paste in the pan)

Very basic, I'm telling you.

So this cooks and gets all thick in the pot. Then you add some VELVEETA CHEESE, or whatever kind of cheese you like, and some ROMANO or a THREE CHEESE ITALIAN BLEND. Keep stirring or you will have some kind of mess, both in the pot and stuck to the bottom of it. This should make your sauce yellow, since it was white before.

Okay, taste that finger-lickin' stuff. If it's not salty enough, throw in ONE (1) BULLION CUBE. Then add some PEPPER. (Incidentally, I forgot the pepper in all the hubbub.) Let that dissolve into salty goodness, and taste again. It should be pretty good by now. (You can add more bullion if you need to, just go easy, that stuff is potent.)

Okay, let that hang out on a "warmer" eye, or just covered with the lid over it, while you cook your broccoli. Just blanche it in boiling water. Not too raw, not to soft.

Now, scoop some of that cheesy goodness into the bottom of a casserole dish. (Mom said to spray this with some notstick spray so you don't have a mess to clean up later.) Okay, make sure your broccoli isn't TOO TOO wet from it's little bath, (I scoop mine onto a towel) and toss it onto its cheesy bed in the dish. Cover with remaining cheese sauce.

Don't go crazy here. If you have too much sauce, you'll end up with soup, which may or may not be a bad thing. Just make sure you cover the broccoli, and there is a little extra, but not soup-extra, if that makes sense.

All right, so here's the finale: acquire some bread crumbs, whether you make them at home or buy the bag, mix these bread crumbs with about two or three tablespoons of MELTED butter or margerine. This should make a sort of crumbly (hahahahahaha) mixture. To this, add the residual ROMANO or 3 CHEESE ITALIAN BLEND. Spread this delightful concoction over the top o' the casserole, and bake/broil that bad boy in the oven til he's browned on top.

Remove from said oven, and partake of the awesome goodness that is my mom's broccoli casserole.

ps I wish I had taken a pictures so you could see what it's supposed to look like. Maybe I will have to make it again...

Twilight - The Movie

2008-11-30T16:24:00.000-08:00

I wrote a few weeks ago about the anticipation that was mounting as this movie was released. Well,
I went,
I saw,
I enjoyed.

It's interesting for me b/c I wasn't really all that interested in the movie b/c I knew it would be different from the book. As movie portrayals of books always are. I went strictly to enjoy it for a movie. And I did.

It made me laugh with the over-dramatization. It made me laugh with girls who were swooning and cheering as each character was introduced. It made me shudder when this dude's head was snapped off by a vampire. It was interesting.

However, it wasn't the book. The characters didn't "LOOK" the way they do in my imagination. I truly wonder if this aspect was even harder for the author, Stephenie Meyer, b/c she created these "people." She knew exactly what she wanted them to look like in her head, had maybe even modeled them after people in reality.

Also with the characters, except for the dark-haired people in the movie, everyone's hair was horrid. It looked like they couldn't afford dye to make the blondes hair look natural. Then it also was impeccably coiffed. I mean, how many people's hair, unless they're like, getting married or going to prom, NEVER MOVES???? I really wonder how much the ozone was depleted by the hairspray used on this set. So I hope for the next movies that they budget a little more for hair color.

Another aspect of the movie that irritated me was the slight tweak of the plot. I mean, I guess it would have been worse off for the "bad guys" b/c they wouldn't have had any quality time in the spotlight, but they weren't even a factor in the first book til the end. So why were they all up in the business at the beginning of the movie? I guess it's all to set it up for the next few movies. I mean, we do have to see all of these people again, except James, which is good b/c he was SO not attractive in a vampire sense. (Isn't he supposed to be gorgeous or something? Like make me want him to kill me?)

Anyhow, it's over. I've had my fix. The book is better, by far, and I'm not really sure that I want to see the movie again. However, it's probably like Harry Potter, and I will end up owning them all, just for the sentimentality factor. Hmmm...

Thanksgiving...Western Style

2008-11-29T17:27:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving was a first for me in many ways. It wasn't, however, my first Thanksgiving, of course. It was the first time I have celebrated this holiday with my "western" family. It was my first time to not be with parents at this time of year. It was the first time I've ever had to cook for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I can remember not having two meats, like turkey AND ham. It was the first time I've had mashed potatoes and not my aunt's typical hashbrown casserole thing. It was also the first time I've had stuffing that was actually stuffed into the turkey to cook.

I have to tell you that this year, although different in some ways, from my previous ones, it was just as wonderful. I've always loved this time of year b/c of all the food and family and FALL in the air. I've decided that I love fall only second to SPRING. I really have to admit that I missed my "southern" family. I missed waking up to the smell of my mom's house smelling like yummy food. I missed eating at lunchtime instead of afternoon. I missed the laziness after lunch and hanging out with my cousins and aunts and uncles, talking about incredibly random things.

Out here in Utah, though, it was nice to be able to hang out with and get to know my "western" family and their traditions. It's interesting to try new foods. It's also pretty daunting to have to prepare something for the BIG DINNER. I had great instructions from my mom, though, and most of the ingredients that I needed to be successful. Experience was not on my side, though, so it took me a really long time to pull all of my foods together, so I guess it was a good thing we ate late.

Anyhow, Thanksgiving was a success. We've gotten to eat leftovers for a few days now, and although cold turkey isn't really my thing, my broccoli casserole and wild rice dressing have done me well.

I hope your Thanksgiving was great, too, and I'm sorry I can't seem to get my act together in order to post things as they happen.

Suspense...

2008-11-19T14:41:00.001-08:00

It's so close, and yet, so far away. I've got my ticket, though, and I'm going to see if FRIDAY evening with the cousins. Whoopie!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1aDex3lCRI

Yahtzee VS. Farkle

2008-11-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

Hands down, Farkle is the winner. I know this is completely silly, but I just had to comment on the differences and similarities btwn these two games. They are both dice-rolling games, but Farkle is so much cooler. So much more stimulating. So much more risky. Yahtzee, not so much.

I learned to play Yahtzee this past Monday at FHE, after our lesson and service project. It wasn't that much fun. It may have been b/c I was tired, but I think it was b/c I was expecting it to be more like Farkle. If you haven't ever played Farkle, it rocks. You should go here, http://www.elversonpuzzle.com/farkle.html , get the rules, some dice, make your own copy, and start playing.

For those of you that are my awesomest friends, I'm making you a copy of the game. I really hope this isn't illegal. Hmmmm. Oh well.

Ramblings

2008-11-15T21:01:00.000-08:00

My life is not worth commenting on right now, but my bestie's is. One of my two bestest friends, Sara, is wrapping up her student teaching in Las Vegas. She and I have not been in this close a proximity for a few years, except when she has come home to visit. Now that I've moved out here, I've been able to see her on a somewhat regular basis.

However, that is all soon to change. Sara will be leaving soon, and going back to Mississippi, if she cannot get hired on a school in the vicinity. She will be leaving me again. It's funny that most of the time I am not the one to leave, except my parents. All of my friends typically leave me. It's something I have grown accustomed to. However, it still totally sucks.

Last night, she and I were up late talking on the phone about it. We have decided that we are destined to be two hours from each other, or more. When we both lived in Mississippi, she was about two hours away from me. Then, here in St. G., she's like two hours away in Vegas.

I'll miss her, but I'm supposed to be here. If you can help me figure out why it is I'm supposed to be here, without my bestie around, would you comment and let me know?

Sara & Me in IDAHO!!!

FACEBOOK - A New Medium

2008-11-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me state for the record that I am like the last person on Facebook. I have been solicited before to take up this strange world of networking, but I resisted. Now, however, I have succombed to the temptation.

Why you ask, well Leigh Ann asked me, too. Who is she and why does she have this power? Well, I just wanted to check out her incredibly cute son, I, and her incredibly attractive bro-in-law, J. I was very handsomely rewarded. Her son is BEAUTIFUL. He's so big. How does that happen in one short year? It really is amazing. And yes, I have to admit that there were a couple of pix of her BiL that had me swooning.

Hopefully none of them read this, or I could be tragically embarassed, but I guess that's okay, since I will most likely see neither of them again.

Except on Facebook.

;O)

All I Want for Christmas...

2008-11-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

It's been coming for a few weeks now. "The List." A little history behind the list would be this: my brothers have never really been that terriffic at picking things out for my on their own, so they ask for a list every year, or they did before they got women in their lives. I would get these emails and phone messages about my list. When would it be available, had I been thinking about it, etc.

So, I've been thinking about it recently, and these are the totally trivial things that I don't really need, but wouldn't mind having, either. Maybe I should try to find pictures, too. Hmmmmmm...

1. A tandem hangliding trip, should such a thing exist. I think there's one up in Provo, or thereabouts, at Point o' the Mountain.

2. A HOBO Int'l clutch wallet, in some incredibly crazy color, like sunshine yellow or lime green or purple or hot magenta.
3. A fabulous new hat.

4. A new pair of glasses.

5. Someone to go BASE jumping with me. And the knowledge of how to actually do that. I want to jump of that bridge over the Royal Gorge.

6. Another hot-air balloon ride. I've seen a few of them around here, and I think, if I didn't have to go alone, that it would be something fun to do again.

7. An incredibly expensive and cool digital Nikon camera with all of lenses, like the Nikon D90.

8. A CriCut. 9. A new family picture, with EVERYONE in it.

10. A trip to Greece or Great Britain, whichever would suit the buyer.

These are all completely frivolous. I don't need anything, except maybe to get rid of all of my superfluous possessions and get out of Cindy's hair. But really, I don't need anything, so bros, you can get me anything, and it will be all good. Or rather, your wife/girlfriend can get me something, and it will be all good.

You know, those of you who might be expecting gifts could let me know something you might be interested in, too, if you'd like to make my shopping experience a little less stressful. Just a thought, I like to get creative, so if you don't let me know specifics, I'll just use my imgination!

RaNdOm WaCkInEsS aBoUt Me!

2008-11-07T19:37:00.000-08:00

My friend Chelsea tagged me to do this like a month ago, while I was home in Mississippi (that is just so much fun to type), I thought since I hadn't posted in a few weeks (SORRY!!!!) that this would be as good a thing to post about as anything.

Seven Random Facts (that are wierd) About ME:

1. I have really started to love doing "death=defying" type things, and I blame it entirely on my dad. He is the one who wanted to go sky-diving and asked me if I would join him. He is the one who wanted to go drive the racecar, and then he thought I should get to experience that, too. He is the one who wanted to go white-water rafting, and then fell out of his duck a few times, while I didn't. However, he doesn't want to go BASE-jumping or hangliding like I do, so that just must be me.

2. I love the smell of citrus, namely lemons. I have soap that's lemon-y, and if I could, my car would smell lemon-y, too. I wonder if a scentsy candle would make it smell nicely lemon-y?

3. I get the strangest pleasure from pulling weeds in the yard. You can ask my mom, I will sit on the lawn at our old house, and pull these little "clover"esque weeds for hours. There are also these little pokey weeds, that are super easy to pull, but tear up your hands b/c they're malicious and self-preserving.

4. I hate to put up clean laundry. Again, refer to my mother. I have no problem washing it (in a washing machine of course, not by hand, that would probably be bad) or even taking it to the laundr-o-mat. I'll even hang it out to dry on the line. Not a problem, but putting it away once it's all clean??? I hate that. I just live out of the laundry basket. I hate hanging up those clean clothes even more than I hate putting up the folded ones.

5. I love the numbers 42, 13, and 24.

6. I have too many passwords to remember them all. I keep changing them, and I forget which ones are the same, and which ones have changed.

7. I like to see new places, but I love to come home.

You should let me know what you think is wierd about me. I know my dad will be able to come up with a few. But he won't comment, so those of you who comment should definitely let me know.

GOOD NEW MOMENT!!!!

2008-11-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

I HAVE GOOD NEWS!!!

I just wanted all my friends out there in the big, big world who keep tabs on my via my blog, you could call you know or email, that I have gotten a promotion at work. I'm still at Kohl's, but I'm changing departments.

It's nothing big to most people, but to me it is HUGE!!!

It's just that instead of going through Hell every day in my misses' and juniors' fitting rooms, now I will be getting to do the visual junk at work. I will get to dress the mannequins, put up all the pictures in the store, make the fancy-pants beds, and more.

The best thing is that now I get regular hours (the same almost every day) and I get the weekends off.

I just thought this was a cool window display at a favorite store, Anthropologie.

HALLELUJAH!!!

THRILLER...

2008-10-29T14:22:00.001-07:00

I thought you might like to know that for a few weeks my cousin and I had been learning the dance from THRILLER to dance at her ward's Halloween party. Let me tell you, it was incredibly amazing to learn this dance. It was very simplified from the original choreography de the Prince of Pop, but it was still complicated for remedial-dancing me.

However, I have to tell you that when the big day came, and we had to perfom, in the semi-darkness in front of all those who attended, it was amazing. I can honestly say that I messed up way too much, but it was sooooooo fun. I had such a good time, and it really made me want to learn how to do some other kind of dancing. It's said to be great exercise, so I'm mulling it over in the brain, considering committing to something like lessons for a while. Still unsure, though.

Wouldn't it be great to see big ol' me in a pink tutu and tights??? ;O)

Well, I think I will let you see the REAL THRILLER production, just for kicks. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did (just click the link to see MJ)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyJbIOZjS8

Or watch this wedding reception version:

Fourth, Fourth, Fourth

2008-10-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

Cindy, Pauline, L, and Chels

This is the fourth picture in the fourth file on my pictures file. It was during general conference, I think, maybe. Anyhoo, it was all about crocheting. Aunt Pauline came over to have a tutor section on hat-making with Cindy, Chels, and me. Then L came in and there was even more fun to be had with his head being the perfect size to model all of the hats that were produced. It was the start of an epidemic in the household. Amazing what some yarn, a few hooks, and a knowledgeable teacher can create.

Garden of Eden

2008-10-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

Even though I'm back in the sunny state of Utah, I'm going to reminisce on my trip home to Mississippi. One of my favorite, and most-missed, things about home is my mother's garden. She calls it her church. And when I spend time there, something spiritual always happens. Peace and quiet just fills my soul, so I really do understand how my mom feels when she's out there.

For her though, and my dad, there is a lot more work involved. This little heaven on earth takes a lot of tending. Her plants are her new "children." She cares for them, making sure they receive the nourishment and attention they deserve, just like she did for my brothers and me when we were little. There's a lot of maintenance in a garden, and even more when in the summer when all of the food-bearing plants are thriving. Picking, weeding, pruning, and watering are all things that have to be done on a daily basis. And watering alone is enough to make you wonder why she does it. It takes a long, long time in the summer to water, and she does it all with hose in hand, starting at 6 or 7 in the morning, stopping for a while midday, and resuming in the afternoon not to finish until it gets dark, the only light coming from the stoplights.

So, my personal little Garden of Eden is in great hands. Thanks Mom for all of the hard work that you do everyday to make it beautiful. Thanks Dad for helping Mom out in all the little tasks that she doesn't like to do.

Just to note, gardens are amazing places to witness the creativity and humorous side of our Heavenly Father. There are so many different kinds of plants (and animals) and their seeds and mechanisms for reproduction are so thoroughly amazing and, sometimes, very creative.

Enjoy the pictures and picture yourself in the warmth and comfort of a little garden.

Back in Utah Again

2008-10-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been home almost a week, and I know all of you have been pining to see all of pictures of home. They're on their way. Be patient. It's the only way to be with me since I don't update this very often.

I can tell you that I had the most fabulous time. It was so nice to just hang out with my mom and dad, but mostly my mom in the garden. My dad and I did do a little of the old running around thing. That was fun, too.

I got to see some old friends, one of whom thought I was back in town for good, but I had to burst his bubble. I know he's probably heartbroken since he STILL won't get to see me at work every day, but I digress. I did get to see one of my old YW leaders who had moved back to the 'Burg, and I thought it was amazing to chat with her and learn that she's getting her master's degree. LOVED IT!

The hi-light of the trip, besides the AWESOME food (of which I have pictures :O)) was getting to see my niece and nephew for two whole days. How miraculous that they had some random wedding to go to and I just HAPPENED to be in town that weekend??? It was great, and I think they still know who I am. They're probably waiting for the pictures, too.

Hmmmm I should get on that. Friday PM hopefully they will be up, so check back.

Back in Mississippi!!

2008-10-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

How glorious is warm, comfy weather after you've been temporarily trapped in cooler than comfortable weather? Let me tell you - FABULOUS!!!

I'm home in Hattiesburg, MS, and I have to tell you it's great. I've already been here half of my time home, and I've had the wonderful opportunity to see my Grandma, some aunts and uncles, and some friends. I am so blessed to have so many people that love me. It's almost overwelming.

My plane ride home was better than any I've had recently b/c the flights weren't full. Although I have to admit, there were a lot of people in Houston wanting to come to Jackson, MS.

Home is almost just how I left it. The biggest difference is the garden. It's just so BIG and jungle-esque. I love it. Besides my family and friends, my mom's garden is the thing I miss the most about here. So, I'm going to take some pictures and post them a little later, and then y'all can enjoy them, just like me, only you don't get to smell the gloriousness.

Only 2.5 short days left, and then I'll be back "home" in southern Utah. I have to admit, I miss the wide open blue sky and orange mountains...

A Tribute to My Friend

2008-10-03T23:14:00.000-07:00

I'm a horrible person. I forgot both of my best friends' birthdays this year. Giuli was way too long ago, and I was in transition from moving, so I'm taking a freebie on that one. Sara, however, was just this past Tuesday, and I didn't even call or send a card, even though I have it to send.

So here I am, sucking up to her, if she even still reads my blog, to make up for my idiocy and slippery-ness of mind. I figured the best way to suck up to my friend was to let all of you out there in my world know my BFF a little bit better, and why it is that she is so awesome to me:

1. She's BEAUTIFUL

2. She's supportive (especially of her thoughtless friend and the strange plots that sometimes come out of said friend's silly head)

3. She's outgoing/sociable

4. She's faithful (even when it's sometimes easier not to be)

5. She's frugal (okay, so she's a college student and sort of has to be, but whatever)

6. She's honest (in a nice way, not like me...)

7. She's helpful (even to people who sometimes I wouldn't want to be helpful towards)

8. She's creative (check out her pumpkin-inspired bulletin board )

9. She likes ADVENTURE (this can be in any form: travel, new experiences, moving to new and "exotic" places (is snow exotic?))

10. She's hardworking (hello teaching)

11. She humors me in my wants (okay, this sounds wierd, but I mean, like going to Taco Bell at 2 am or eating breakfast at the Waffle House. This one mainly has to do with food...)

12. She likes the same food as me (except for that sauerkraut thing from Norway; I just don't know about that.)

13. She's a good example (like by following what the SPIRIT tells you to do instead of just hearing the implication loud and clear and doing nothing like me)

14. She understands my needs (again food and Coke, and we're clear here)

15. She has cool hair that's easy to manipulate

16. She has a good memory (like remembering people's birthdays PRIOR to their birthday...)

17. She takes nead pictures

18. She likes to go to Europe (GO NORWAY!!! GO EN-GA-LAND!!!)

19. She's literate (I know that sounds wierd, but I like booky people)

20. She likes the same movies as me (still haven't watched Shag...The Movie, sorry)

21. She has similar taste in music, and introduces me to knew music (like that Grill song)

22. She digs the IKEA, and who couldn't love her for that alone?

23. She likes my family, and how could I not love her for that alone?

24. Her family is rockin' cool, and sorta cooky (NO OFFENSE, but I love these people and their stories, and who's family isn't cooky somehow?)

25. She writes cool notes (if you haven't received a cool note, you're not lucky, maybe you should ask for one)

There you have it. Twenty-five great reasons my BFF is my BFF. I hope she reads this and is still my friend, even though I'm a space cadet and total frosted flake.

Happy Birthday Sara, even though I'm a little late.

I hope you enjoy some of my favorite pictures of you and us.

Sara graduates from college!!!

My all-time favorite picture of Sara, in, where else, the Big Easy.

Sara looks good, and me, not so much.

Sara, Red, and me in Las Vegas baby!!!

I'm the Worst

2008-09-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

I realize more and more that I really don't let you people out there know what's up with me. I've not been really busy, but there hasn't been a whole lot going on in my life. But then again, I did go to Las Vegas two weekends ago, and didn't even post about it. Would you like to know what I did? Probably not since that was like, two weekends ago, but I'll let you know anyway.

Sara lured me down to visit her with the promise of a hot air balloon show. I was stoked. I assumed that as I was driving into town that there would be balloons everywhere. Not so. There wasn't even one. It was early, too, and not windy, so there was not reason for there not to be at least one in the sky. (Incidentally, the first time I went to help Sara move in I did see a hot air balloon in the sky right after I exited the gorge. Let me say: AWESOME!!!)

This disappoinment was only intensified when we couldn't find the place where they were supposed to have the balloons lit up at night, like gianormous jack-o-lanterns. Very disappointing.

However, Sara and I did make it downtown to the M&M World place, so that I could buy something for a friend back home. (Don't you wish you knew what it was Renae???) And to Coke world next door, where I bought a Tee that reads: "Have a Coke and a Smile." I loved it b/c it's so true for me, and my mom, but we won't tell my bro, T.

Anyhoo, here are some pictures. I hope you enjoy!
M&M Race Car

What is it about the Green M&M's???

Coke smorgasbord...

Lots of Coke, if only it was real...

Up close & personal with Coke smorgasbord.

I'm Leaving, On A Jet Plane...

2008-09-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my great brother, I had an airplane ticket. So, with the holidays being the busiest time of year in retail, and my hopes of employment improvement dwindle the longer I'm alive, I decided to utilize this gift and travel home. So, if you don't here from me in a few weeks, that's why.

I'm coming home MISSISSIPPI!

Not that you've missed me, but I've sort of missed you, at times, like when it hasn't rained for a while. Or when I miss different looking plants. Or deep shade in the evening. Or eating mom's pot roast.

Okay, so in a few weeks, I'm so there. If anyone of my friends from home reads this, I'll be there soon.

Checking Out My Neighborhood

2008-09-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

And when I say my neighborhood, I mean ZION's National Park. Doesn't that just sound impressive? ZION's National Park.

Anyhow, the little fam, Cindy & Bob, and I all went up to the "park" to do a little hiking since I was fortunate to be off for another weekend. So in the pictures you'll get to see the hanging gardens by the Weeping Rock and those on the river that we trudged through.

That was probably my favorite part, the hike at the end of the bus ride, the Temple of Sinawava. So you take this leisurely walk down to the river, and then if you should feel the desire, you continue your hike into the unknown river upstream. We were go for hiking in the water, so off we went. Everyone was having a good time, and I was straggling behind b/c of the photog in me, but then I fell. Busted it in the river on some slippery rocks with VERY COLD water rushing past. Alas, the camera was safe. That was all that mattered. I went down, but the camera was OK.

Unfortunately for you there are no pictures of me and my wet self. People were concerned that I fell instead of evil photogs. So, if you want to see evidence of my wet self, you will have to go to Cindy's blog, over there on the right, or to C 'n R's blog. G0 check out their slides too b/c they have cool pix, too.

Oh, and I also ran into someone from Mississippi. She had actually found me by my little bloglette, and then realized who I was. At a national park, with hundreds of people around. After years of not seeing each other. Oh, the wonders of ZION's National Park.

The Dreaded Haircut...

2008-09-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

So, I told you that I would post some pix on here of my dreadful haircut, and I'm keeping my word. It really isn't all that bad. Mostly just a bad experience. We live and we learn, though, right?

It's probably good that I've cut my hair short b/c it's making me very proficient in the ways of hair drying and round-brush using. ;o)

The Salon Job:

This is actually the morning after I slept on it, so it's poofier than it was the day of the dreaded cut. It's still pretty straight for my hair, though.

Forgive me, I'm a little tired. It's sad that I'm posting this horrible picture of myself for all the world to see. Oh, well.

The Lynley Job:

It's back to its normal poofy self. That's my hair for you. Totally poofy. It's Poof-Tastic!!!

Dude, Are You Kidding Me???

2008-09-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

First there was Katrina. Then there was Rita.

This year, first there was Gustav. Now there's Ike.

Have you noticed they come in pairs? Have you seen the size of this thing? My mom chastized me for not keeping up with the news today. I asked her what was up over there in Mississippi, and she said that my bro and his fam might be coming to stay for a while. Last I heard, from my cousin who doesn't worry, is that Ike was like a cat1 storm. So, I wasn't really stressing it.

Now, however, he's huge. He fills almost the entire Gulf of Mexico stretching from TX all the way over to FL. That's big. That's a long drive in a car at 70 mph. That's a lot of land that this monster is covering.

I'm not cool with this. It's just like a few years ago, sort of. First there was one hurricane that messed with my parents, and then another a few short weeks later that messed with my brother. This one is sort similar, except I think my bro got more from the first one this time, and now he gets to do it all over again.

My cousin-in-law Chels said that it would be hard (or weird or stressful???) living in a place where this kind of thing happened all the time. It's just a reality for the people who choose to live there. I pondered it for a moment. It is sort of silly living on a coastline or living below sea level. The sea is a massive, crazy woman in the way she lashes out from time to time, reaching out beyond her borders to take back what was once probably hers.

But look at all of those people who build their houses on the sides of mountains, on fault lines, near lakes, on the open prairie. I would much rather live in a place where I know I can evacuate a hurricane than suddenly have to flee from a spontaneously formed tornado. (Not that we didn't get those, too.)

I don't know why it is that I love the South so much. I mean more the coastal south. I think it has to do with the great weather year round, even though it is humid. Also, there is the proximity to the water. That's always nice. There is also the greenness. I like green.

I hope the family is safe. This is sort of a ping-pong post, but it has helped release a little worry. Not that I'm stressing. I know my bro and his fam aren't stupid. They've evacuated. And if they have to, they can evacuate again. There home will be safe, maybe a little wetter for the ride, but safe. Or at least, I pray that it will be.

Anticipation...Of a New Addiction

2008-09-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

My favorite television show is coming back!!! I'm so excited. It's called Pushing Daisies, and it comes on ABC, starting October 1st. My mom hates the show, but she would watch it with me b/c she loved me. I hope that I will be able to watch it here, or at least record it and watch it afterwards.

I love the costumes. I love that what's his name is a knitting detective. I love the pie man. I love the restraint and tension. It's just a very creative show, and I love it!
Here's a link to watch it yourself and some of my favorite images. Enjoy!

Grocery Shopping

2008-09-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

I went to "make groceries" today. People don't say that here, but I got sort of used to it at home, and it makes me smile. :O)

I didn't really get to go to a grocery store, just the Evil Empire and Costco. Did you know that Costco didn't have chicken boobs in bulk that weren't wrapped individually wrapped? What is up with that? They're in a plastic bag, why do they need to be individually wrapped? I DON"T GET IT!!!

It's always so interesting to see people in the grocery store. I love "making groceries." I got it from my dad. Not that he loves it, but he always used to take me when I was little. We would go to a real grocery store, County Market, before the days of "One-Stop Shopping." It just made me happy, and it still does. Theraputic or something; taking me back to some simpler time. Hmmmm.

So, at the Empire, I picked up some basics, and as I was shopping I noticed all of these people with their children, which humored me. Little bitty kids just don't like grocery shopping; too much restriction, too many rules, too many temptations that aren't supposed to be touched. I learned this working for the empire a long time ago: little bitties and groceries just don't go well together in the store, at home maybe, but not at the store.

I'm not really sure what this post was supposed to be about, but I hope that it made you ponder for a moment. Thanks Dad for keeping up with me and for giving me shopping of the grocery kind. As my grandma says, "I have to eat, even if I am out here." And the only way to do that is to go to the grocery store once in a while, but I don't mind.

PS There will probably be more about this later, so it's getting it's own label.

Bad Hair Day

2008-09-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

I went to get my hair cut today. It wasn't a pleasant experience. I'm an idiot, though, for not requesting the more experienced students at the school I went to. It's not the receptionist's fault for giving me to some dude who didn't really seem to know WHAT THE HECK HE WAS DOING!!

But I'm just bitter. It's just hair right? I mean it shouldn't have taken 2 HOURS to cut my hair. It's already short. Shaving it would have taken less time, but I don't think I can go that drastic. I've had straight hair, though. That's been sort of interesting. I guess all you have to do is straight iron it for TWO HOURS, and it'll stay straight all day. And put really good-smelling product in it. Even though now it looks all greasy and dirty.

Hmmmmm. I guess I won't be getting it cut for a while, not that he really cut all that much off. He just thinned the mess out of it. I guess it growing out will be sort of interesting to watch. Those of you who read this, and see me on a regular basis, will have to tell me what it looks like when it gets all poofy on top and limp and thin on the bottom. Maybe Chels could trim a little off the back.

Word of advice: HAVE PICTURES OF WHAT YOU WANT. Don't just try to describe it. Communication is always a two-way street, and both parties need to be paying attention to avoid the car-wreck that is my head of current hair. Pictures will follow tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Another Hike! WhooPie!

2008-09-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

Little Family Getting Ready to Hike

I had the most relaxing time hiking with Rob, Chelsea, and Lachlan on Labor Day. We went to the St. George Temple Quarry Site. Well, it was the stone they used for the foundation. Rob and Chels said they heard in a talk that it took a really, really long time just to get the foundation set for building the rest. Like 40 years or something. Evidently the temple is built on very wet, acidic soil and the local lava rock is the only thing that couldn't be penetrated by it.

Lava Rocks

More Lava Rocks

Another cool thing about these lava rocks, other than their location on this mountain surrounded by orange rocks, is that they are totally color-changing. I couldn't tell that they would come out this brown. They were totally black at some angles of the sun. Then, a cloud would pass in front of the sun, and they would all change to this bluish-grey. At another time, they would be like slate grey. Finally, they are home to these totally awesome lichen things. Behold...

Cool Chartreuse, Orange, and White Lichens

This hike was awesome for a lot of reasons. It was easy first of all, and who doesn't like something a little easy every now and then. Then there was the perfectness of the day: slightly overcast, cooler temperature than usual for that time of day, and windy. It was PERFECT!!! There's just no other word for it.

Beautiful Green Valley

Then there was the greatness of the scenery. Can I just say that I "GET" why people hike in the mountains? I mean, you can see forever once you get a little ways in, or rather, up. I mean, it's so cool. Even though I'm not looking out across the Himalayas or Alps, I have to tell you, the city of St. George is quite beautiful. I love to see all of the trees from up high and the green, green fields. It's fascinating the contrast of the blue, blue sky; the out-of-place green fields; and the orange, coral mountains. Aaahhhhhhh.....

Fields in Bloomington

Enjoy some more pictures.

Little Family in the Distance

Lynley & Lachlan, Chillin' at the Big Rock

Coolest Little Family Ever!

GUSTAV, The Finale

2008-09-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

It's all over, now. And everyone is all safe and sound. I think my brother's in-laws had it the worst, losing some shingles off their roof and power for a few days, which could be bad as far as the refrigerator and freezer goes.

My parents only got a lot of rain. 8 inches or so in two short days. That's a bunch, and incidentally, more than southern Utah gets all year, I think. However, they are drying out now, and cleaning up the yard and out the house of all the plants and stuff that mom and dad had to bring indoors b/c of the wind.

It's weird. I really felt all along that things would be okay, much like during Katrina, when I knew my PARENTS would be safe. I knew the PEOPLE would be fine. And they were. Nothing happened except my dad going stir crazy b/c he couldn't get out of the house for, like, two days. (He's not really cool with being cooped up.)

So, I'm glad it's over for a minute. I understand there is another "Dude" hurricane out there, lurking, growing, broadening his horizons, and putting together his travel plans. I still have faith. I just hope those people in the path of Hannah are safe. We'll see, and I'll keep praying for them, too.

GUSTAV, part II

2008-08-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

I'm calling this part II b/c I figure my first post about hurricane Gustav would be part I. I've spoken with the family, and they are all set to ride it out. Brother and family are in TX somewhere waiting and watching, with electricity and no doubt of running water.

Mom and Dad are home, waiting and watching. Potted plants are secured in various locations: greenhouse, lil' blue house, and inside big yellow house. Outdoor furniture is secured or moved to a safer location. Plenty of propane for the grill. Food for some days. Water for some days for drinking and different water for domestic purposes in buckets in house. Medicines are full and good to go. Cash is on hand if necessary, which is nothing new since Dad doesn't do debit. Mom is worrying and Dad is not.

Other brother is fine far, far away.

Aunt and uncle and Granma are secured out on the country estate with generator and necessities mentioned above, only they'll probably have a refrigerator, too. Only wondering about all of the trees that surround the place. Good thing they thinned the forrest this year and so many were done away with by the last one 3 years ago.

Other aunt and uncle are safe in GA.

Cousins & friends are hopefully secured and prepared, although I know one friend who is very stubborn and not prepared with nearly enough food or water. But I digress.

FYI I'm not really stressing, yet. I'm worried, a little, but not nearly enough as I probably should be; not nearly enough as Mom. I guess I'm a product of my parents, sort of middle ground with the whole worriedness thing.

Unfortunately, I'm off for Labor Day, so I'll be in front of a TV or computer screen watching the demise of somewhere, USA. Where is Jim Cantore? If he's in your town, watch out my friends.

On A Lighter Note...

2008-08-31T12:38:00.000-07:00

I went to another Tuachan musical production. One word to describe it: AMAZING!!!

This time I went to see Les Miserables. The guy who played the main dude in The Sound of Music, played the main dude in this one, too, and he was so great. There were some off key moments by everyone in the cast, but his voice totally rocks. It must be so cool to have a musical instrument within yourself. I admire people who can sing b/c I totally cannot. I'm happy to sing in my car and the shower, and I will belt it out, but you people out there who can sing it out in front of the masses amaze me.

So, I wasn't really familiar with the storyline, having never actually read the book by Mr. Hugo, but I did know what was basically supposed to happen. And I was dumbfounded. I think Eponine (sp?) might be my favorite character. She's spunky, came from the wrong side of the tracks to be not-so-bad like her evil parents. Why is it that they didn't even notice her absence when she was deceased? I just realized that blogging. Hmmm.

But in this version there is a tie for my favorite characters: Javert was INCREDIBLE!! Did you hear the voice on that guy? OH MY GOODNESS! He was quite possibly the best singer in the whole production. (Well, Fantine and Collette were really quite awesome, too. I konw...the best male singer in the production.) Evil, but so good at it.

Then there was Thenardiers, who are technically two people, but act sort of as one. The woman is a flaming red-headed crazy person who persecutes poor little Cosette and helps her husband extort the general populous who are unfortunate enough to pass through their inn. Her husband is an even greater extortionist who robs everyone he can pointe blank. He is a very conniving character, and it's interesting to see him progress through the show. First an inn-keeper, then homeless in the streets of Paris, stealing from soldiers, and the somehow at Baron at the end, but I'm not sure how came to pass. Their costumes at the end were great. GIANORMOUS green dress and lime green shoes with bows and big, ratty hair. (Oh, and they were still stealing from the wedding party even then. Astounding.)

Since writing the above, I have checked some names online, and let me tell you, this book is going to have to be read by moi b/c there is sooooooo much that is different or left out of this production. Who would have thunk it?

I'm Worried

2008-08-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

All of you know that I hail from the land of Mississippi. It's a very faraway place to me now. Only a short plane-ride though. I have to remember that.

Something is coming. Its name is Gustav. I was very unhappy to learn about this progression of weather this morning after my BFF Sara called me to vent her worries and frustrations. She told me about its projected path, and how coincidentally it will make landfall near the time of its very destructive predecessor: Katrina. She also told me that it would be the same size when it hit, even though Katrina was downgraded to a cat3 when it hit, it had been bigger in the Gulf.

I'm not happy. I'm beginning to worry and stress. I know my parents are going to be fine. I called my dad and he's got the preparations under control. FYI there are some emergency preparedness things you may not think of in times of impending inclement weather. A list follows. It's funny how every year, at the beginning of the summer in RS we would discusss the same things: hurricane and emergency preparedness.

Some things to consider:
Food, preferably 72 hour kit or more
Cash money
Prescriptions filled to last a while
Gas in cars, and maybe an extra tank or two
Documents sealed and safe
First aid kit
Escape route, if necessary which leads to
Meeting/gathering point if separated

There are other things as well, esp if there are children and/or pets involved, like supplies and food for them, too.

I know things will be okay. I have faith. There are places that my family can go if they have to evacuate. I don't think they will go, though, and that makes me worry. We'll just have to wait and watch.

Hurricane Gustav - Track the Hurricane Live on weather.com

WHAT the Crap???

2008-08-27T06:05:00.000-07:00

Are you kidding me? Seriously, I don't know what Cindy has gotten me addicted to watching this incredibly frustrating ALIAS show. I can totally see how Lily, my BFF's sister, would freak out if she missed an episode, thus causing her to TiVo it in her many absences.

So, it took us a few weeks to finish Season 1, but only a little over two to finish Season 2. It's crazy. The more we watch, the more it leaves you hanging, the mor questions arise, the more questions that go unanswered, the more Cindy laughs at us for our ignorance b/c she already knows what's coming. GRRRRR.

This show is totally frustrating, but that's what makes it good, I guess. I mean, it leaves you thirsting for more. Cliff-hangers suck though. I have to admit that. Especially when, like last night, they twist everything from the previous season into some kind of flash-forward/backward thing. GRRRRRRR

Well, I shouldn't have expected anything more from the incredibly annoying guy who deviously keeps up watching LOST. Hmmmm. I'll meet anyone in the basement tonight who wants to watch, if the big screen isn't already booked.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

2008-08-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

This post is going to be about my past Sunday. You may be wondering why that is. Well, I haven't been able to attend anything other than work for the past 6 weeks or so. One Sunday I was able to attend Sacrament meeting, but nothing else. Three days ago was my first opportunity in a long time to sit back and enjoy the whole meeting.

I know this is probably kind of weird, but it really was a great day. The speakers were insightful, with interesting stories of their own (and not borrowed from someone else - not that those aren't good, too); the teacher in Sunday school was prepared and humorous and knowledgeable and open to questions; and reliefe society rocked b/c of group participation. I really felt the Spirit, and I know that that is where I'm supposed to be on Sundays.

Then I came home and looked through this neat book that Cindy has about the life of Christ. It was all illustrated by different people: works of art, church art, and more. It also had quotes from prophets and elders in the church. Very inspiring.

That evening ALL of the family was here in celebration of Bob's birthday, which was actually Thursday. It was great. Pot roast, my fave, salad, jello salad (courtesy of Chelsea - yum), and the interesting icing-repellant cake that I made. There was such a good spirit in the house. This family that has taken me in for the moment is so amazing. I wonder what it will be like in a few years to be here when all of the missionaries are returned, married probably, with more grandkids. Hmmmmmm. I bet it will be even more intense in the spiritual aspect.

Anyhow, then there came a brief exodus by me to do visiting teaching. Again, something I'm completely horrible at, but there has been provided to me this wonderful VT partner who keeps me on my toes and in line. Lori rocks! It's sort of humorous: Lori and Lynley you VT. Lots of L's. The Spirit at the woman's house we went to teach was great, too.

Then home to watch the end of the Olympics. Which made me ponder the freedoms those people had. Are they people who always get to do interesting things like that? I mean are they dancers and drummers and acrobats for their living? Or did they get sucked into some greater machine for this one occasion and will go back to their "normal" lives afterwards? Something on the broadcast made me wonder at how this whole Olympic thing really was for the people of China. Did they really get into it simply b/c it was on their home turf? Or did most of them just shy away from it and keep up their normal routine, unable to even watch it on T.V.?

It was a good Sunday, which led me to be able to finally return to the temple on Tuesday, giving me more peace than I could have asked for. I'm grateful for the gospel in my life. I'm grateful to whatever circumstances before my Earthly existence that made it possible for me to have it in my life today. I'm glad to be here in this strange place, loving it in a way that I thought I could only love "home."

It's neat to see the gospel in a new way, several new ways really, but that's for another post.

One Word! MEME

2008-08-25T16:23:00.001-07:00

one word - meme....try to use only one word (hard!)....give it a try....have fun!

where is your cell phone? bowl
where is your significant other? nonexistent
how is your hair? BIG
how is your mother? lonely (w/o me at home)
how is your father? happy (i'm gone)
what is your favorite thing? car
what was your dream last night? disconnected
what is your favorite drink? coke
what is your dream/goal? job
what is the room you’re in? den
what is one of your hobbies? traveling
name a fear: fires
where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
what you’re not? debtless
muffins? blueberry
one of your wish list items? kitty
where you grew up? mississippi
last thing you did? visited
favorite gadget? cdplayer
your pets? kittyinmississippi
your computer? imac
your mood? lazy
missing someone? parents
your car? full
favorite store? LUSH
like someone? like that? nah
your favorite color? yellow
last time you laughed? a.m.
last time you cried? friday

Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About You

2008-08-21T06:20:00.000-07:00

For you to get to know me better, I have answered these questions posed to me by my cousin. If you would like, you may post them on your blog so that I can get to know you better, too.

random facts about me:
1. I love to drive fast.
2. Dark chocolate ice cream is like crack for me.
3. Music, shoes, and sunglasses are never too numerous. (;O))
4. I allow words to have an impressive power over me.

places I'd like to visit:
1. Greece
2. Asia
3. New Zealand

current obsessions:
1. ALIAS!!!!
2. Using less plastic
3. Yard sale

movies I have watched more than once or twice.
1. Pride and Prejudice (pick a version)
2. Jane Eyre (again, pick a version)
3. While You Were Sleeping
4. Fools Rush In
5. Mamma Mia (okay, so not yet, but I will go see it again with Sara, and maybe the production, too)

goals I've set for myself:
1. find a job I LOVE!!!
2. write a book
3. be debt free (unless I like, buy a house or something...)

favorite foods:
1. Dark Chocolate Ice Cream (see above)
2. Avacodos
3. Mom's Pot Roast, Carrots, and Rice w/ Gravy
4. Apple Pie

fears:
1. letting fear control me
2. having to move home b/c of 1 or 3
3. letting people I care about down b/c i'm silly

tv shows I watch:
1. Lost
2. Pushing Daisies (please let it come back on, please, please)
3. anything Science channel (I'm a dork, just say it)
4. Jimmy Neutron (again, I'm a dork)

places I've visited:
1. Scandinavia (OSLO ROCKS!!!!!)
2. almost all 50 states (I can get a few more while I'm out here, hooray!)
3. Paris
4. Amsterdam

things I'm looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Being home for Christmas with babies and family
2. Getting a job I LOVE
3. Getting my life in order
4. Being able to JOG three miles

joys in my life:
1. My family, including these people in StG who seem to like having me around
2. Being able to work and accomplish things
3. Friends (including Kitty, even though I'm not with her right now...)

My First Hike

2008-08-21T05:06:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago now, I had the opportunity to go with my cousin, Cindy, on a hike with a group of VERY interesting cub scouts. (Was my brother like this when he was in cub scouts???)

We went on this very easy hike, but let me tell you, it was still amazing. The red rocks are delightful, and their contrast to the blue, blue sky is completely striking. I have to tell you that I fell in love. There isn't anything like it.

A Cub Scout Enjoying the View

Cindy, the formidable guide, was telling the boys all about things on the way. They were totally engrossed by the cliffs and the hidey-holes from erosion. They didn't really want to hear a whole lot about the natural effects of wind and rain, but I liked refreshing my geology brain cells. Then there was the whole mineral lesson of why there were white rocks and red rocks and even some black rocks.

Notice the Hidey-Holes

Let me tell you: God is AMAZING! I think there were times when he got bored or something and had to just get CRAZY with something. That something could be lichens, in an incredible, mouth-dropping array of colors. Or it could be the tenacity of certain plants to live in the most destitute of conditions, like in a crack on the side of a mountain. I wouldn't want to live without good, nutrient rich soil and lots of water to sink my roots into and then maybe the shade of another, bigger thing to make the heat of the day more bearable. But not these little plants. They are PSYCHO plants, and they enjoy the sport of living in not-so-favorable conditions.

Boys Being Boys - Rock Jumping

Then, as if these wonders aren't enough, we took the boys over to this other little place where they could hike up this thing called a "slot canyon." God had to be kidding. He didn't make these for people with boobs and bottoms, or people of a more zaftig figure. So the kids, except one, are all gone within seconds up this slot, but not me. The tightest squeeze, right at the beginning, totally got to me. Not only b/c I have boobs, a butt, and am overweight, but there was this total anxiety moment. I was like, "What?" The rational part of me was all good, like if I get stuck, I'll be FINE. But this other part of my brain was like, "You get stuck and you're DOOMED." Somehow, this part of my brain won out. It was like arguing in my brain btwn these two sides. (Does that mean I'm schizophrenic?) Anyhow, once I lose like 15 more lbs. or so, I'm so going back and shoving the girls on through. Don't worry, I'm not down for the count yet.

Little Person in Slot

Big Person in Slot

So, Cindy and her friend who was over the cub scouts had cameras, but I didn't have mine. But, I have confiscated some images that I think you will enjoy. Next time, and believe me, there will be many next times, I will have my camera, and you will all probably stop reading my blog b/c of the pictures. Hiking is awesome, and I can truly say that I am jealous of Cindy and her fabulous, rockin', totally awesome job. Hmmmm...

Addiction or Diversion?

2008-08-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Now that I have returned from the reading world, which is obsessive enough, I have been pondering just sitting in the basement for the next few days off and watching my newest obsession: ALIAS.

I have to say that now I can understand Lili's fascination with it a few years ago. She literally TiVo-ed it so she wouldn't miss anything. I also have to say that Cindy is not so cool in getting me sucked into the drama. I know I've already posted about this show before, but now, with my free time, it's all I want to do. Then there is Cody, this man I don't even know, who lent the DVD's to Cindy, and I don't know whether to thank him or throw them back at him. But seriously, I have to thank him, even though I know it can't be healthy to stop eating/drinking/socializing with the outside world in general, for bringing this incredibly intoxicating show into my life.

What more could I ask for in a show? It has all sorts of stuff for me to look forward to: woman kicking butt, check; incredibly good-looking men, check; sexual tension btwn said butt-kicking hot chick and good looking men, check; travel to exotic places, check; drama (understatement of my life) in the workplace, check; oh, and totally wonderful gizmo gadget guy, Marshall, check. Do I need more? And it even has bad/good guys, the distraction of who to really trust. Gotta love it.

Oh, and did I mention that this show has one kick glute soundtrack? OMGosh!!! There is this website that has ALL the music listed from the shows, and I have to say, I'm stoked to include them in my formidable collection.

http://www.alias-tv.com/

So, to my family that is enjoying watching me become reclusive: I'll see you in the basement!

Distraction in Its Highest Form

2008-08-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

I've been neglecting my blog. I have devotees to checking it, and I've let you down. I apologize. My only excuse is that I've been indulging in something completely selfish: reading. It all started weeks and weeks ago at Barnes and Noble when my cousin bought this book that I thought would be interesting to read. Well, when she finished it, she gave it to me.

There it sat for a few weeks, waiting patiently for me to finish editing someone else's book. Then I started reading it. It was so slow. I hated not to finish it, but I had to to be able to give it the respect it might have been due. It dragged for me. It wasn't even always good enough for me to read on my break at work. I finished it, though, finally. This books was The Host, by Stephenie Meyer.

My opinion of this book is sort of bland. It had great moments, but overall I felt it lacked movement and progression. I had a hard time with it. Nothing really seemed to happen. It was great on perpective though. I loved the duality of the main character(s). However, the relationships in the books were lacking in something for me personally, which made the characters hard to like.

Which brings me to my second distraction: Breaking Dawn, also by Mrs. Meyer. This book moved a lot more quickly, and it involved characters with whom I was already familiar and comfortable getting to know better. This book flowed better, at first especially, b/c who wasn't looking forward to these characters' marriage and forgive me if I'm wrong, wedding night??? I mean a vampire and a regular girl, doesn't that just make you want to know more? OK, maybe not, but whatever.

It intrigued me, but after that, my interest waned. I thought there was much too much. Too much insight, too much introspection, too much summing up instead of action. Overall, just too much. Like 200 pages too much, but I got through it, and I'm glad I did. It was nice to see a conclusion; one which isn't completely closed, but closed enough for now.

So I apologize for making everyone wait. There may be a lot of posts in succession, esp. b/c so much has happened in my life since the last two posts. Please forgive me and keep checking back, comment to me that you miss my insights or whatever, and make me blog! Or just email me to whip me into shape that way. :O)

To Run or Not to Run, That Is the Question...

2008-08-05T22:29:00.000-07:00

So, here is the deal. Everyone related to me would tell you that I am overweight. They may or may not be nice about it. Sometimes the truth hurts, and sometimes you just need to hear it.

C wanted to start "running." I am only into jogging b/c running sounds way more intimidating. C's big desire, right now, it to run a half-marathon. That is WAY intimidating, even moreso than running, I think. But she has inspired me to get off my toucas (???) again, and try something new-ish. We're trying a different approach, so maybe I'll be able to do what needs to be done to stick with this. This time. So, I guess my short-term goal is to be able to run 3ish miles. Long-term: lose weight.

The only bad things that I keep thinking about are my joints: knees, ankles, hips; and my spine. Does all this jostling hurt me? Or it better to me moving? Should I just be walking? I know I will get faster results with the running, but long term, what will be the cost?

Of course, then you see those 80yr old men running in marathons or whatever, and it causes me to wonder.

Anyhoo - if you would like to leave me encouraging tips or support, please do. I'm completely intimidated by this and could use any helpful advice you wish to give. If you don't want to post here, you are totally welcome to email me, which would be fun, too.

I'm off. Hopefully C won't get too upset when I prove an unfaithful companion b/c of my job and it's wonky hours. And maybe she won't laugh too hard while I huff and puff next to her. (She doesn't huff n puff.)

MAMMA MIA!!! Here We Go Again...

2008-08-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

OH MY GOSH!!!

So, this movie was totally AMAZING! What more can I say? I had the loveliest time with my totally groovy cousin and her two d-i-l's (my friends). i simply could not imagine that a musical about ABBA songs would be this endearing and entertaining. Hearing the songs that I have come to love, it's a long story, portrayed in such a new and fresh way was overpowering.

The storyline was very cute, and the ending perfect, even though I think there could have been a little more detail given, but I digress. If you have ever had experience with me, at work especially, "Dancing Queen" comes on, and I am shaking a tail feather. That song is just wonderful. However, the way that all of the songs FIT into this production are quite ingenious.

I laughed. I cried. I was AMAZED.

I am going to see it again, own it, and watch it at least 4 times a year. Sara, you and I will see this live and on the big screen, so don't fret. It's definitely a keeper and addition to both of our collections.

http://www.mammamiamovie.com/

PS, oh what I wouldn't do for my two best friends to be here to see this with me now!

Sand Hollow

2008-07-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

OK, so I didn't get to go the the austere and awesome Lake Powell with the fam, but I DID get to go to the local and awesome Sand Hollow. It's a nearby lake, and Robbie and Chelsea invited me to tag along with them since they were going, and it was my day off. What better way to spend one's day off than lounging at the lake?

Here are some pix, and no, we didn't catch the seemingly scary "Swimmer's Itch" that was posted as being a local epidemic. (Is that the right word? Pandemic? Epidemic? I get them confused. Let me know.)

Oh, and since I was tagging along with C n' R's family, I made myself useful as a family photographer for a moment. However, I'm not sure which of these pix is mine and which the totally awesome Chelsea took, so just enjoy and if they're really good, they were probably taken by her :O)

PS We didn't build the sand castle, but it was cool to take pictures with. We did enhance the moats and get the water in there, but we had to beware of the standing water b/c of the dreaded ... "SWIMMER'S ITCH" !!!!

The Best Way...

2008-07-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

I've recently discovered the best way to overcome homesickness. First, you talk to your parents or some really close family member, if possible. Then, you find your bestest friends and let them know what's up, and then get totally absorbed talking to them about their lives on the phone for over 45 min. at a time. (Thanks free mobile to mobile!) Finally, you just get busy doing something you love, whether that's driving incredibly fast on the interstate; driving incredibly fast down a dangerous, curvy road (SOOOO FUN!!!); shopping; temple work; crocheting funny hats; or working.

That is my cure. Seeing one of my bestest buds before she returned to the motherland was helpful, too. So is food from home, even though I have to make it now. Mom would be proud to know that I won't starve, and that I can make things that she does, even if it doesn't all jell together at the same precise moment like hers does. :O)

Thanks to my family and friends for not giving up on me while I was blue.

Sara's Big Day

2008-07-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Finally, the whole reason I went to Idaho. I know you've enjoyed all of the other pictures, but here are the best ones. This one's for you Sara. I miss you already.

This Is What I Missed Most from Lake Powell...

2008-07-29T18:29:00.001-07:00

This last one is my favorite. This is what I want to do most, besides the hiking and boating and jet skiing. This is it!!!

What Do You Think?

2008-07-26T19:58:00.001-07:00

So, I saw this on my cuz's blog and totally copied. I wonder if y'all'll think these things are true of me or not. (Some are the same as hers which makes me laugh b/c I don't think I'm anywhere near as cool as her.)(My commentary is in RED.)

What Lynley Means

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. (Hmm, I think NOT!) You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.(They don't know me very well...)Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. (Do y'all really wonder about me? I mean, in that way?)

You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. (Resent is a harsh word, and I don't think I'm that free a spirit. In fact, I'm probably very emotionally weighted down.)
You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. (Adventurous, yes. Surprising, no.)
You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care. (I really want to settle. I want to be settled. Really.)

You are very intuitive and wise. (Wise? I think not.)You understand the world better than most people.(Again, no.)
You also have a very active imagination. (I do tend to talk to myself a lot and create stories in my head that start with things that really do happen to me.)You often get carried away with your thoughts. (See above, these characters suck me in.)
You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. (Totally true.)You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. (Again, over-active imagination.)
You are friendly, charming, and warm. (Hmm. I think I could be way warmer and more charming, which is probably why there is no Prince Charming right now.)You get along with almost everyone. (I do try sometimes.)
You work hard not to rock the boat. (This is true, and it irritates my dad.)Your easy going attitude brings people together. (Doubtful.)
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible.(Spot on.)But for the important things, you pull it together.(I do try, honestly.)

What's" Your Name's Hidden Meaning?