Wanderings and Wonderings

Winter X Games

2012-01-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

If you are wondering what I will be watching for the next four days, here it is...

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26
Time	Event	Venue
10:30 a.m.	Men's Ski Slopestyle Elimination	Slopestyle
1:30 p.m.	Women's Ski Slopestyle Final	Slopestyle
2:30 p.m.	Snowboard Street Final	Street venue
7:00 p.m.	Snowmobile Freestyle Final	Snowmobile
7:45 p.m.	Men's Ski Slopestyle Final	Slopestyle

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27
Time	Event	Venue
10:30 a.m.	Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Elimination	Slopestyle
11:30 a.m.	Men's & Women's Skier X Qualifying	X Course
1:30 p.m.	Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Final	Slopestyle
2 p.m.	Men's & Women's Snowboarder X Qualifying	X Course
3:30 p.m.	Adaptive Snowboarder X Exhibition	X Course
6:30 p.m.	Men's Ski SuperPipe Elimination	SuperPipe
8:30 p.m.	Snowboard Big Air Final	Big Air
9 p.m.	Women's Snowboard SuperPipe Final	SuperPipe

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28
Time	Event	Venue
9:30 a.m.	Mono Skier X Qualifying	X Course
11 a.m.	Women's Ski SuperPipe Final	SuperPipe
12:30 p.m.	Men's Ski SuperPipe Final	SuperPipe
2 p.m.	Men's & Women's Snowboarder X Final	X Course
6:45 p.m.	Ski Big Air Final	Big Air
7:30 p.m.	Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final	Slopestyle

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29
Time	Event	Venue
12 p.m.	Men's & Women's Skier X Final	X Course
12:15 p.m.	Men's Snowboard SuperPipe Elimination	SuperPipe
2:45 p.m.	Mono Skier X Final	X Course
7 p.m.	Snowmobile Best Trick Final	Snowmobile
7:45 p.m.	Men's Snowboard SuperPipe Final	SuperPipe

I'm FAMOUS!

2011-12-02T09:29:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to be a dancer in a Killers music video. Our part took almost 10 hours to film but we had lots of fun in our down time! If you are trying to find me, sorry it's difficult because I'm so short, but I have on a white top, and the guy I'm dancing with has a bowler hat. (It's kind of like Where's Waldo!)

Old Lady Hobbies

2011-11-26T10:05:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of months I have been working on a set of quilts for my Dear Sweets and I. They were an early Christmas surprise, so I couldn't post pictures (even though I have been so excited about them) until I made my trip up to Provo. I had so much fun picking out colors and fabric for two of my favorite people. The idea started almost a year ago when I made a quilt set for my little sister Hailee. The pattern was fun and easy. Ashley and Leslie came down when it was almost done, and while showing them another quilt that I was working on (which is still not done) Ashley laughed and said she wanted one next. Little did they know that I had already started collecting fabric for both of their quilts I just hadn't decided on a pattern yet. When they said they liked Hailee's pattern, it was perfect.

I started cutting their fabric a few days after they went home. I wanted these quilts to be very personalized so I found fabrics and patterns that represented each of their unique interests and personalities.

I also added a fun little monogram on the bottom corner that included the initials of our nicknames. (Ashley=Baby, Leslie=Nestle & Me= Dear Sweet)

I also added a single row in the quilt that had the same polka dotted fabric so that each of us would have fabric from the other two quilts included in ours. I had soo much fun with these, and was glad that they agreed to open them a month before Christmas, because I couldn't stand waiting any longer!

I am in the middle of finishing mine, who knows when I will finish it.

Las Vegas Ragnar

2011-11-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

Goodness in Picture form...

I'm a Gryffindor

2011-11-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

I love Harry Potter. (Yes, I am an adult. No, I am not ashamed of this.) Upon discovering that Pottermore (if you don't know what Pottermore is click HERE) sorted you into houses, I started getting nervous. In all reality I thought I would be a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, and I was perfectly fine with this. I have always thought of myself more as a bookish or hardworking person as opposed to brave. But I was sorted into Gryffindor, and as such could be myself (wearing Hogwarts stuff) for Halloween. And I may or may not routinely paint my nails scarlet and gold just because. I was wondering though a friends blog this morning and found this... and thought I would share. I thought it was amusing... not necessarily true, but funny.

COMPLETE HOGWARTS HOUSE EVALUATION : 001. GRYFFINDOR

G e n e r a l - P e r s o n a l i t y
The traits stated for Gryffindors are bravery, chivalry and nerve. This stands very true deep into their heart, and their curse in life is that they really would die for something they truly love, or do anything they could to be sure they are safe. However, Gryffindors vary in their way of showing this passion. Some are up front, kind and caring though at times coming onto very strong. This is a loveable thing, though, and these are the Gryffindors that often are popular, having many friends and admirers. Then, there are the others, who are a bit rough around the edges. It doesn’t change what is in their heart, it simply means that they are more opinionated than most, and somewhere in their past someone told them that being as emotional as they are is a bad thing, so they hide it. They try to keep their emotions at bay and just show how strong they are, how incapable they are of breaking. These are the Gryffindors that put up a wall, and if you can connect with them, this wall falls easily.
P o s i t i v e - & - N e g a t i v e - T r a i t s
The most positive of traits in Gryffindors are their purity. This doesn’t mean that they are all around perfect and good, it just means they have high moral standards, and instinctively want to do the right thing. Whether the right thing is really theright thing, that is left up to debate, but it is what feels correct to them, and it works for them. The positive aspects of this instinct are their bravery and strong will, because Gryffindors are often doers, not thinkers. They will not sit and weigh the aspects of what is best for them, they only understand a need and wish to fulfill it, no matter the costs.
Gryffindors are, of course, undoubtedly loyal, and this is another positive aspect of them. They are not the type of people to give up on you and run away when the going gets rough, they will stick with you until the very end. If you are in a hard place and need someone to carry you through it, a Gryffindor is ideal to befriend. That said, this can also greatly reflect a negative part of them, as their need to stick with others and help them can cause them to forget themselves. A Gryffindor can only forget their own needs for a certain amount of time, before the lion begins to get restless, and the inner growing roar of their emotions begins to pool into their stomach. Gryffindors are probably the most emotional of all of the houses, so they need an outlet, and if they can’t get one, their impulsive attitude can back up on them, and they will lash out, doing and saying things they will later regret.
Gryffindors have a tendency to put their foot in their mouth, because they do not often think before they speak. Their intentions are not often to truly hurt another person, they are just the type of people the get caught in the moment, in the web of the environment, and this can cause them to do things they don’t really intend. Their regrets hurt them very often, because once they have time to actually think about them, their emotions take hold and their guilt is nearly unbearable. This is why lions often go nonstop, to make sure they don’t have to feel those unwanted feelings.
C o m m o n - S t a r - S i g n s
A very common star or sun sign for a Gryffindor is, you guessed it, a Leo. This is because the lions work well together, forming a family in your inner workings, in casing your heart in a shield of love, bravery and friendship. For more driven Gryffindors, Aries is also a common sign, as well as Aquarius and Sagittarius.
H o b b i e s
Gryffindors are unstoppable forces, generally very active in their ways. Adventure becomes them, and they are always looking for new and interesting ways to feel free and beautiful. They are often the first ones to give a go at more risky forms of fun, such as sky diving or rock climbing. They are also the most athletic of all the houses, especially when it comes to team sports, as they love the idea of collaboration and working together toward a common goal. The sports they very often tend to are basketball, baseball/softball, and volleyball. Other non-athletic hobbies that are common for Gryffindors are non-fiction writing (sometimes for publication, such as journalism), scary movie marathons and meddling into some household science.
F r i e n d s h i p s
Gryffindors can make some of the best friends, while simultaneously making some of the worst. They are, at their best, loyal and loving, willing to do anything for you. Friendship is a very important matter to them, as they consider their friends to be part of their family, and expect the very same in return. So, when they feel betrayed, it hits them hard, and their impulsive attributes can cause them to do things they don’t mean. They are the type to spread rumours that are untrue when they are hurt, or tell secrets you entrusted them with, simply so you can feel as hurt as they do. Though they may often judge Slytherins for it, Gryffindors are just as well adjusted to the ideal of an eye for an eye. They make fun friends, but keep watch of what you say, you may regret it later.
I n t i m a t e - R e l a t i o n s h i p s
The way a Gryffindor behaves in a romantic relationship is very similar to the way they behave in a friendship, but it is toned down slightly, rather than increased, as they hold friends above romance. They are often committed when happy, and will hold you high on their pedestal, loving you with all their heart. If you hurt them, they may lash out in a moment of emotional heartbreak, but once they calm down they will apologize and love you all the same, if you will have them. The problem with relationships with Gryffindors is that they are incredibly independent in their mindset, and do not think highly of the idea of sharing, which is ideal in a relationship. They also do not value romance as their number one priority, so if you want someone who is there for you and nothing more, it ain’t them, babe.
T y p o l o g y
The average typology for a Gryffindor is ESFJ (Extrovert-Sensing-Feeling-Judging). This varies for everyone, of course, but by nature Gryffindors are often outgoing and social, with high empathy levels and moral standards. They love others, but also hold themselves above the rest without realizing it.
A b n o r m a l - P s y c h o l o g y
Note: This section of the analysis is not diagnosis, just a common observation. Do not take it as a diagnosis, nor ask me to diagnose you. If you believe you may have a disorder of some kind and are concerned about it, please seek a professional.
Gryffindors can have a tendency to be unconsciously narcissistic, thinking they are superior and putting others down, whilst consistently patting themselves on the back. They are also very prone to black and white (borderline) thinking, simply believing what they believe, and coldly opposing of any opinions that are not their own. Gryffindors are more likely to have attention span problems, as they do not always find academics to their liking, and may space out thinking of things that concern them, rather than paying attention to what they need to know. Gryffindors are rarely prone to depression but when they begin to feel down, they become incredibly dependent, almost to the stage of being clingy toward their friends. If you know a Gryffindor acting like this, reassure them that they are loved and special, and ask them what is bothering them. If they are allowed to vent, their mood will improve tenfold.
R e l i g i o u s - V i e w s
Since Gryffindors are so strongly tied to their family, it is common for them to believe whatever it is they are raised into. Most people do this, but Gryffindors often stick with it, rather than moving along to their own path. They feel if they don’t stick to what they were told as a child to believe, they are betraying their family somehow, which sounds to them like first-degree murder. If they have doubts about the beliefs they were raised into, they will not voice them, simply settling into an agnostic view and staying comfortable in that manner, not choosing what to believe or not believe.
P o l i t i c a l - V i e w s
There will be no attempts here to try and sort any house into any particular political party, but simply how they act within parties. Gryffindors tend to be very political, as their views are incredibly strong and politics are an outlet for them to voice themselves. In fact, it is quite often that politicians are Gryffindors, as they feel comfortable with the debate and social media of it all. Regardless, Gryffindors thrive off of the controversy, and will argue with you for hours if you allow them to, and their opinion will never waver, though they may make you reconsider yours. They just like to watch you quiver, and make it known what they think.
C a r e e r s
Common career and occupational choices among Gryffindors are the ones that they can have socialization in, while remaining strong and adventurous in their mind. This means they can often move into fields either political, athletic, medial or sometimes, in law. Gryffindors unknowingly work among Slytherins quite often, because they work the best with one another, because they are naturally competitive with each other. They fuel each other’s fire, and the snake’s ambition keeps the lion’s blood pumping and this is how they work best. The more passive Gryffindor may also tend toward writing of the non-fiction or journalism category, because it is still an outlet for them to get their thoughts out there and keep others informed.
I d e a l - E n v i r o n m e n t
The ideal environment for a Gryffindor is one where there are many people of many kinds, ones they can work off of and therefore work to the best of their ability. They like places that feel like home, as while they do love adventure, they also need a security blanket. As far as literal environment, Gryffindors tend to warmer places, as it keeps their blood pumping and fuels their inner strength. They may tend toward cities, big or small, in hot to moderate dry places.
S e l f - P e r c e p t i o n
How Gryffindors think they see themselves and how they truly see themselves are two very different things. Gryffindors believe they are down-to-Earth, average Joes who want nothing more than to go through life and have fun. In reality, they view themselves as power houses, with a superiority complex on the side. They thrive off of the opinions of others, however, so they rarely take their self-view into account.
L i f e - M i s s i o n
The life mission of a Gryffindor is simply this: To make a difference, to be molded into history, and have plenty of fun midst the process.

Pretty Pretty Pictures

2011-10-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning off my camera, and found these....Enjoy.

At the Cabin over Conference Weekend

Lydia & I at "Bite of Las Vegas"

Colbie Caillat

Doodles on some of my white boards at work

Why I love October

2011-10-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Our office has a Sense of Humor

2011-09-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

I came in this morning to find this on one of my white boards...

This is my response.

Happy Banned Books Week

2011-09-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

This week is National Banned Books Week. Here is my list of books from the official LIST of Contested and Banned books this year that I have decided to read in honor of the week.

......................

The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz

Why I love Pinterest

2011-09-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

Look at the board these were placed in for both of these images. A hot guy was placed in "Little reminders for the soul". I die.

ESPN on Ragnar

2011-09-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

Ragnar Round 2

2011-09-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here we go again. My dad & I survived our second Ragnar Relay, this time in Napa. We flew up to San Francisco on thursday night. We spent the night in a retro looking hotel right out side of the scary red light district. We survived the night, and made our way across the Golden Gate Bridge to Exchange 6 where we waited for Van 1.

I was runner #8, so Heather left the Major Exchange with the baton after which she handed it off to me. My first leg was up what we came to call "The Hill of Death" (pictured below)

I will just say that the experience was joyful, and that there were ambulances waiting at the top and bottom of the HoD. :) Melissa was up next, and ran through some of the most beautiful forest I have ever seen. I would give a lot to live in a place with trees like that. After Melissa, my Dad ran. (yes he got to be a runner this time, not just a driver and this was all he talked about at dinner for months leading up to the race... not an exaggeration.) Parker (our secret weapon) took over after Dad. A quick side-note, Parker is a crazy fast runner. He runs an average pace of 6-7 min/mile, and can keep this up for a while. During our race, he was not feeling well so only ran an 8min mile, all the while his left arm was in a sling. Crazy? Yes. Parker while on his run passed all of the runners who had passed us earlier on the corse. Danny our illustrious captian for SoCal was runner 12. After Danny finished up, we handed off to Van 1 and found a Subway for a quick dinner and made our way to the next major exchange to try and get some sleep.

It is crazy how well a person can sleep in the middle of a major exchange if that person is tired enough. I swear, once you can finally fall asleep, it is some of the deepest sleep of your life. After 1.5/2 hours of sleep we woke up to start our second round. The night legs are usually fairly short and we ran them pretty fast. On our way to our last major exchange we found a great little cafe in Napa. By this point we were pretty punch drunk and breakfast was funny. We found our exchange and plopped down in a random field to nap.

Sometime during the night Heather (runner 6) came down with a stomach bug. She struggled through her last leg like a champ. I lucked out, and ran my last leg thought beautiful vineyards near Napa. It was hard to resist the temptation to hop into one of the fields and "sample" some grapes. The last 4 legs of the race (Melissa, Dad, Parker & Danny) were up these rolling steep hills, but they ran up them like the pros they are.We finished up our 200 miles in the little and picturesque town of Calistoga.

Getting to the finish line and receiving our two metals (one for Napa, one for running both California races) was amazing. We drove all of the way back to San Francisco (the straight drive took about 1.5 hours) where we all showered and headed out for a quick dinner at a Hamburger place Nick raved about called "Bots". Everyone had given up soda and red meat for the month leading up to the race, so the hamburger joint was a delight.

Amazingly enough, our total race time was faster then SoCal (our first race) and yet, the general consensus was that we were a lot less sore than the first time even though most of us felt like we trained less. The rest of the team started their 9+ hour drive home in the morning after a quick breakfast. My Dad and I didn't fly out until 6pm sunday night, so we were able to hang out in the city for the day. Dad and I got to ride on the outside of a cable car, wandered around the pier, watched street performers and wandered around the city. We caught our flight home and unpacked. I basically dumped my duffle bag straight into the washing machine, added 2x the amount of soap and washed the whole load twice and even then I wasn't sure if it was all of the way clean!

We took a week off and then started training for our Las Vegas Ragnar... let the fun begin.

Pottermore!

2011-09-09T13:19:00.001-07:00

I'm In! I got my email yesterday, and have basically spent every moment sense then thinking about or playing on Pottermore. Its amazing.

Lost.

2011-08-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

I seem to have lost my motivation. I don't know where it went, all I know is that it is not here. If anyone knows where it might be, please let me know. Thank you.

Yes, this really did just happen.

2011-08-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

I might have gotten early access to Pottermore, and I might be so excited it hurts.

Old Lady Hobbies

2011-07-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

Recently I have taken up quilting again. It is a tradition in our family, that when you graduate High School you get new bedding to take to college. So, as my graduation present to Hailee, I made her a quilt and some pillows for her bed up at school. I am pretty proud of myself for how well it turned out, although I had some serious mishaps along the way.

I feel kind of funny when I say that I like to quilt, because it makes me feel old. Not old as in 30, but old as in 60+. When ever I go into my favorite quilting stores, I am the youngest one in there by at least 20 years. I feel kind of awkward. Not because the other ladies are rude, just that I feel like they look at me and think, "Why are you here? Go home and come back when you have grown up." But, they are always willing to answer my questions, no matter how stupid they might be.

I have been home alone for the last couple of days, because my family went to Lake Powell without me (again), so I got a lot of sewing done. Friday after work, I came home and popped in a movie and quilted. I continued the movie/quilting joyfulness all day Saturday and on into Sunday. It was great. After I finished everything for Hailee's bedding I even started cutting fabric for my next projects! The following movies were a part of my weekend long Quilting/Movie Marathon....

-Newsies

-Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (x2)

-My Fair Lady

-10 Things I Hate About You

-West Side Story

-Moulin Rouge

I think that Q/M Marathons should happen more often.

Somedays, I worry about the intelligence of the people I work with....

2011-07-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Potter & Ms. Rowling,

2011-07-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

A few short hours ago, I watched the movie that was the finale to one of the greatest works of literature I have ever experienced. Even though I am no longer a child, I still find comfort, adventure and enjoyment in your pages. As an adult, the lessons that I learned are perhaps even more important than they were when we first became friends.

We were first introduced while I was visiting my Aunt Jennifer across the country. I was around 13 at the time, when my mom had bought Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for me. I started it on the plane, and finished late one night while listening to the pounding Georgia rain. I was thrown head first into a wonderful world that I could never have before imagined. Despite missing the first part of the story I was instantly inthralled. While there, my Aunt took me to a bookstore so I could get the the first book, because I was dying to know what happened.

This obsession for lack of a better term continues still. For more than a decade now I have been almost continually counting down to the next book or movie release date. I remember the day the third book came out, I was a the book store when it opened, and the sales lady didn't know what Harry Potter was, I had to wander the shelves until I found it by myself. How times have changed. I have not missed a midnight premier of a book or movie. (Except for a small problem incurred at the opening of the 3rd movie which was remedied after an all nighter, a small catnap and the first matinée the next morning.)At this last premier, I was teased slightly for wearing my Gryffindor tie all day at work, but for Harry… its worth it.

I am now on my second and in some instances third and forth copies of the books, because I cannot seem to leave them on my shelf. They come everywhere with me, in my backpack, purse, and car, to the lake, to the cabin, in bed, at the grocery store, at the dinner table, everywhere. I was in the middle of the Goblet of fire, and trying to get ready and read in the shower at the same time, it was not one of my most brilliant ideas. But somehow you have become so engrained in my life, that I cannot imagine it without you.

When we met, I was at one of the most confusing stages of life. Leaving childhood, and becoming a teenager was not the smoothest of transitions as my mother can attest. Like Harry and his first experience with the Sorting Hat, I didn't feel good enough to do or be anything special. But as I got to know the young wizards of Harry Potter, they showed me what it meant to be honest and brave and true. Even though I didn't know who I was, I knew who I wanted to become.

As we grew up together, the Harry Potter books became one of the most reliable friends in my life. While doing homework all through Grade School, I would take "Harry Potter Breaks" which unfortunately led to more than a few late nights.

During a particularly difficult couple of years in High School, you were one of the things that helped get me through. After long days of seminary, then school, and after coming home to family obligations and homework, I often curled up with one of the books and read myself to sleep. The adventures and struggles in your world made my problems seem more manageable. My personal world might have been holding on by a thread, but at least I didn't have to deal with a man like Voldemort on top of everything.

Once in collage, I started floundering again. I knew what others expected of me, but I didn't really know what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. And then because of my deep and abiding love of books, I sort of fell into begin an English Major. For me, this was like finding my "House". Here were the people who loved the same things that I did, and treasured knowledge and the written word even when it wasn't necessarily "cool". The "Dragon Lady", a professor who was scarily like McGonagall, lead me to friends I still treasure even years later and despite the hundreds of miles in between us.

These same friends helped me survive other dreaded classes that we nicknamed "potions" and professors whom we called "Bins". Harry Potter marathons were joyful and listening to the audio books made cleaning our apartment and cooking meals not only enjoyable, but something to look foreword to.

Harry, you are one of those characters, who had all of the makings of a good friend. You are brave even when afraid, and loyal, and fiercely protective of all of those who fall into your care. You taught me that even if I feel completely inadequate, with hard work (and the occasional help of "Sheer dumb luck") anything, even defeating one of the most evil men of all time, is possible.

I learned from Ron, how to rebound. You make mistakes all of the time, and have the "emotional range of a tea spoon", but still we love you. You might get mad, or fed up with the drama, but you always come back, and are always there when you are needed the most. While Harry and Hermione were arguing over Horcruxes and Hallows, you took the lead, keeping the group going.

Hermione, you and I have a lot in common. From our incurably bushy hair to a love of books that boarders on obsessive. You taught me that it is ok to love learning, even when it gets us labeled as Nerds. From one bushy-haired, bookworm to another, Thank you. Thank you for teaching me that being myself is a wonderful thing.

Oh Neville, you seem to be one of the characters that I gravitated to the most. Despite being a pronounced bibliophile like Hermione, I never felt part of the "In Crowd". Rather I lived on the perimeter and watched. Like you, growing up I was a bit chubby and a bit awkward. But you inspired me, because of all of the characters I think you grew the most. Yes, Harry defeated He Who Must Not Be Named, Ron matured, and Hermione blossomed. But you, you took your insecurities and inadequacies and became their equal.

It started in the DA when you were so determined to learn all that you could. When the announcement of the Death Eaters escape from prison came, you did not hide like some fully trained wizards did. You began pushing yourself, and working harder than anyone in the DA. And then when Harry needed friends the most, you were there to brave the Department of Mysteries, and the fight that waited… eventually facing the woman who was the very reason you grew up without your parents.

When the Trio didn't return to Hogwarts in your 7th year, you stepped up and became the leader that the rest of the students could look up to in their time of need. You stood up to the Carrows, even though you knew there would be dire consequences. And even though their punishments were often painful, you stood true, not only because it was the right thing to do, but because it would make it easier for others to follow your example. Despite everything, you became a leader. Someone who others could aspire to be. Someone who made even the fiercest of grandmothers proud. In the words of Dudley, 'We had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Longbottom*, and I wrote about you." (*slight name change)

Neville, you are the unsung Hero. You were brave when you could have hid, loyal when you could have run, and defied the status quo when it would have been easier to give in. You are truly deserving of the Sword of Gryffindor.

Finally, thank you Ms. Rowling. Thank you for being someone I wanted to be when I grew up. And now that I am "Up", I hope I can somehow do for others what you have done for me. I don't know how yet, but someday I will try to help someone see the good in the world and in themselves just like I learned from you.

Weekend of Dreams Round 2

2011-07-12T10:07:00.001-07:00

This last weekend's cabin trip has been a couple years in the making, and it was soooo worth it. Baby and Nestle came down from Provo, and I met them in the middle at the cabin with some Vegas friends. As we were all chatting and doing puzzles, it was funny to realize how small the world is. The conversation went something like this...

"Do you know _______"

"Yes! He/she is my roommate, cousin, friend, etc"

So funny. More highlights of the weekend included:

-Napping with Baby & Nestle squished in the recliner

-Puzzles

-the hike

-Danny jumping into the mud

-Late night Dance Party

-Baby painting my nails

-Trey balancing a chair on his chin

We need to do this again soon.

I Cried like a Baby.

2011-07-05T16:26:00.001-07:00

More Potter... oh the Joys

2011-06-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

I understand that I have been posting more movies than actual posts recently, and I blame it on the upcoming Harry Potter movie, which has to a large extent taken over my brain. Honestly.

I CAN NOT WAIT!

2011-06-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

The Joy continues.... Thanks Rowling!

I know you might think you do, but trust me.... I have the Worlds BEST Parents.

2011-06-22T16:44:00.000-07:00

Within the last 5 days we have celebrated Fathers Day, my Mom's Birthday, and today is my Dad's 50th Birthday. So, as an homage to my fabulous parents I put together....

Top 5 Lessons / Reasons I LOVE my Parents

1. Work hard and Play Hard. Obviously I like the playing hard part better, but learning how to work is something that I have come to value.
2. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. My mom is a good example of this, sometimes I can get overwhelmed by life in general, but my Mom always helps me put it in perspective.
3. Family First. Whenever there is an option to do other things, or be other places my parents have always chosen to spend time as a family. Growing up, this is not always what we wanted... but my most treasured memories are when my family was with me, not when I was off doing my own thing.
4. Forgiveness. We are not all perfect. Say sorry and get over it.
5. Be NICE! There is no reason to be unkind. Ever.

The NEW one!

2011-06-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

Tthe Newest Harry Potter Trailer!

Do you want to run a Ragnar?

2011-06-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

I laughed so hard watching this I almost CRIED. "It will be Fun!"

Admission, the first step to recovery....

2011-06-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

Summer!

2011-06-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

I have a reason to be excited about summer... Seminary is DONE! Not that I didn't love it ( Because I really did) but it will be so nice to be able to sleep in, and think about something other than the lesson that I have to prepare!

Interesting:

2011-06-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

God's MBAs: Why Mormon Missions Produce Leaders

This is an article from News Week.... Interesting.

Content vs Happy

2011-06-08T16:04:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been thinking a lot about the difference between Happiness and Contentment. According to the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) Content means satisfied or "enjoyment of whatever may be desired". Happiness, however is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Philosophers and religious thinkers often define happiness in terms of living a good life, or flourishing, rather than simply as an emotion; which to me seems to be more content as opposed to happy.To the best of my understanding, Contentment is a state of being while Happiness is a singular emotion.

I listened to a lesson in church recently on being happy. And I got to thinking while I am not always happy with my life, I am usually content. The teacher basically said that in order to be "Good" members of the church, we have to be happy (ALL the time). I might not necessarily agree with this, but I do think that trying to be happy is a good thing. And I thought that striving for consistent happiness in ones life seems to be asking quite a lot. (For example: half of the time I am proud of myself for making to Seminary awake and on time... and I am suppose happy at that time of the morning? Really?)

Because of my personality, I think being happy is going to take a bit of work. (Not that I am unwilling to try, it will just take a bit of effort.) So, while I am already mostly content with life, I will also strive to be happy.

Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.

- James M. Barrie

How is it JUNE?

2011-06-03T10:57:00.001-07:00

I would like a refund on the past 5 months, where did they go? I think it really should only be April(ish). I know people say that time flyes when you are having fun, but why does it fly the rest of the time? I have a list of goals that I made at the beginning of the year, (not resolutions... I never do those) and I realized that I have hardly started working on any of them. I am so not ready for June to be here. Summer: Yes, June: NO.

Magical

2011-05-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

Favorite.

2011-05-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

I have a new favorite nail polish, normally I am an OPI person, but this color by essie is Summer in a bottle. And when I saw the name, I had to smile.

Weekend of Dreams

2011-05-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

This weekend I headed to Provo to visit my Dear Sweets. It was amazing beyond words.

Nestle, Jessica, Allison (the Goddess of Zumba) Baby, Me

Smiling AND not tipping, we can multitask.

Oh yes, we steered ourselves through the tunnel perfectly, a display of our Amazing Canoe driving abilities.

Censored.

Can we sit on this?

When I grow up, I want one of these...

TheWeekend of Dreams included:

Dinner at Bombay House

Amazing People Watching

Wandering around Provo

French Toast from Kneaders

Zumba

Wandering around BYU & the BYU Bookstore

Campus Craft and Floral

The Belnap Ho-down at "Boogie Farm"

Riding in a Canoe

Not tipping before mentioned Canoe

Wandering through pretty houses at"The Compound"

The "Brokeback Moment"

Allison's Mothering Instincts

Creamery Mint Chocolate Brownies

Church with my Dear Sweets (more amazing People Watching)

Saturday AND Sunday naps with Dear Sweets

All things considered, it was absolutely perfect.

Evidence (Future Blackmail) of the "BrokeBack Moment"

Because it has been a while....

2011-05-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to blog about a few recent events, but life happened and I forgot. So.... here it is...

Friday March 25th- Saturday March 26th

Betsy & "Other" Shawn come to town for a quick visit.

Friday : They come into town, we have dinner at Sammy's Pizza, and Dessert at Max Brenner (Amazing) and wander the strip.

Saturday: Betsy and I go to breakfast and shopping while Shawn tests for the Henderson Fire Department, we all come home, they leave. :/

Betsy & I at Sammys... oh yum.

Betsy & Shawn at the Bellagio Conservatory

Did you take the Picture yet???

Saturday May 7th

RACE FOR THE CURE!

Then "Girls Day" with Mom, Hailee, Pricilla & I. Book signing, movie, shopping, dinner at PF Chang's, shopping & dessert at Max Brenner..... the second year of the girls day tradition was a HUGE success.

Friday May 14th-Saturday May 15th

Girls WEEKEND! The boys all went to Moab on a Jeeping trip, and the girls played! (we decided that they need to go out of town more often. Just kidding dad!)

Friday: Phantom of the Opera! Wandered around the Strip (Lydia had never been down there) and dessert at Max Brenner (do you see a trend here?)

Saturday: Quilting!!! I will post pictures as soon as I take them.

Hailee, Mom, Lydia, THE PHANTOM, Cilla & Me

The Phantom Auditorium and Chandelier "In Pieces, Showing here..."

The Girls waiting for our Car

At the Bellagio Conservatory

Waiting for the Fountains

PS I will post "The Weekend of Dreams" soon... very soon.

In my Dreams

2011-05-03T10:42:00.001-07:00

Here we go again...

2011-05-03T10:38:00.001-07:00

I think I just committed to my 3rd Ragnar this year. Oh dear...

Napa Valley: September 16-17 San Francisco to Calistoga

OhMyHolyGOODNESS!!!!!

2011-04-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

Adventures of a Seminary Teacher

2011-04-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

I was at General Conference a few weeks ago, when I was approached by a member of our High Council. He asked if we could chat, and I assumed he wanted to talk about activities, (which is my other calling) and said ok. We walked a little ways away from where our families were chatting (he is in my family ward so his family knows mine) and he asked how I was doing, and started making small talk. Finally he asked if I would teach seminary for the the last 2 months of the school year.

My outside reaction: What? Really?

My inside reaction: *@$&^@#*@&#!!!!!!!!! WHAT?!?!?! (I was obviously nicer than my thoughts, because we were on Temple Grounds)

And I said Yes. Mostly because I might have a small problem about saying "No" and because we were on Temple Grounds AND we had just sustained the leaders of the church. So basically I was ambushed, and now I teach seminary.

I am starting the third week, and surviving. (Which I am very proud of, considering I have never taught before in my life, and speaking in sacrament gives me minor stress attacks.) We are learning about D&C as well as Church History and the Prophets. And so far I have only had one lesson flop. (I have no idea why, I was prepared and it flowed well in my head...) And this morning as I was cleaning up my room, I realized that I might actually enjoy teaching. Go figure. This in no way means that I will be volunteering to teach next year, it just means that I might not cry IF they do ask.

Pros and cons of being a Seminary Teacher:

Being young and "cool": Pro (considering all of the other teachers are at lease twice my age)
Being young and having a full time job on top of teaching: CON
Waking up at 4:45 and having to be awake enough to teach before 6am: Con
Being awake and ready to start on my day by 7am: Pro
Learning cool new stuff about the D&C: Pro
Having to provide lessons (which are hopefully entertaining enough to keep everyone... including myself... awake) every day: Con
Having a dad and sister willing to help me: PRO PRO PRO

Everything considered, its not as bad as I thought it would be. Meaning that it hasn't killed me yet, and things are looking good... although that might be subject to change...

30 Hours and 200 Miles in Pictures

2011-04-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

The team line up at Bishop Leany's beach house. You can tell it's a "Before" picture, we are all too clean.

One more of the team, with my dad who volunteered to be a driver.

Car 2 (runners 7-12) at the starting line.

Poppy and me at the Starting Line...

Car 2 our window line up.

Our Ragnarly Tatoos... we are so cool.

Turn by turn directions, so we don't get lost.

Car 2, before the last leg. We are running on no sleep and less nutrition...

Ragnarly Line up at the last major exchange. (when car 1 hands off to car 2)

At the finish line! We DID IT!!!

Things I learned from Ragnar

2011-04-17T20:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few things I learned from running my Rangar SoCal this weekend... (More details and pictures to follow when I can think properly)

Running 200+ miles is not as bad as it sounds
Running long distances with stress fractures is never a good idea, this gets infinitely worse when climbing hills
Showers and flushing toilets are under-rated
After missing enough sleep short term memory loss is normal
The ability to form complete sentences goes after about 24 hours of sleep depravation
Living solely on PowerBar ShotBlocks, water, Gatorade and chicken pasta salad is not as bad as it sounds
"Bonking" is Bad
"Killing" is good
"Killing" a guy is GOOD
Baby wipes have a million uses
Once you and everyone else in the car hit a certain level of stinky-ness your nose stops noticing the smell
Reflective vests are annoying
When you live in a van with 6 other people for 30 hours personal space becomes a non-issue
When unpacking after a Ragnar, half the stuff in your bags isn't yours, and half of your belongings have migrated to other peoples bags
The medal that you get at the end makes it all worth it

Beee-utiful

2011-04-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my dear sweet Nestle, I was introduced to Pintrest. It is AMAZING. I also found these nails on there and would like some of my own....

Yes Please.

2011-03-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

When I grow up, I want a hammock in my living room.

One Man Disney Movie

2011-03-25T09:58:00.001-07:00

Black List

2011-03-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

Due to recent events, the following are Blacklisted until further notice.

Breckenridge (sorry Leslie)

Mexico

Cruises

The One Gentleman by Dolce and Gabbana

Orange VitaminWater

Big DJ style earphones

Cuff links

Purple Ties

Steak

Tron

Aston Martin Rapide

Jaguars

Red Wings

NHL in General

Barry Manilow

Bahama Breeze (restaurant)

Monster Energy Drinks

Silver Tundras

Cedar City

Southwest Airlines

Del Monico's (restaurant)

Love Sacs

Calamari

Breckenridge

2011-03-24T13:44:00.001-07:00

I might be in love with Breckenridge Colorado. Snow, Amazing. Mountain, Amazing. Vertical, AMAZING! Last week Aaron, my cousin Russ and I headed to Breckenridge for a week of Snowboarding and NOT working. (Our self proclaimed Spring Break)

We left Vegas Tuesday morning and flew into Denver, where we met up with Amelia (a friend of a friend from AZ who wanted to come... when it comes to snowboarding the more the merrier! We caught a shuttle to Breckenridge (about 2 hours away). We checked in with the rental company and watched as a Marti Gras Parade passed right outside of their office windows. They gave us handfuls of beads. (with out the shirt lifting part.... it was too cold for that nonsense.) After we got settled in our condo we adventured out to find dinner. We ate at Blue River (which was exceptional) while being serenaded by a live slide guitarist who was really good. After we stopped by the grocery store for supplies, and then walked home.

Wednesday was our first day on the mountain. We took it slow, getting to know our way around and letting Amelia get her boarding legs under her. It was a bit chilly and windy, and we had a few troubles with the tow line on Peak 8, but infinitely better than sitting at a desk. Breckenridge has this CRAZY tracking system that tags you on the chair lift which allows you to see not only where you went during the day, but also keeps track of your Vertical Feet. Amazing? Ahhhhh Yeeeeah!

We went home, (the condo is a "Ski In" so there was a groomed run right to our street) and soaked for a while in our Life Saving Hot Tub, and then walked into town for dinner. We found this really good Steak House off of Main Street. Although the food was great, our servers and dessert were my favorite parts. Our waiter had crazy curly hair and was so chill. The water boy was the perfect example of a ski bum. He was a lifty during the day (they rotate so all of the workers get a couple runs in every day... my kind of job!) and worked at the stake house at night. He had the world Most AMAZING goggle tan. When we asked if we could have more corn bread he said, "Aaahhhhh Yeeeeah." His reply to our another question was "Aahhh Heeeellllll No." Little did he know, but he instantly became the poster boy of our trip.

Vertical Feet for Wednesday: 15,234

It might have been a little cold on Wednesday....

Thursday we woke up to Blue Bird skies and minimal wind. It was destined to be a GREAT day. Amelia was not feeling it, so she headed over peak 6 to hang out on the Blues and Aaron, Russ and I did some warm up Black runs, then made our way to Peak 8 (only accessible by foot) because we had been eyeing it all day Wednesday, and were determined to test out the powder at The Top. It was not easy, because there is not a lot of oxygen at 12,998 feet.

After soaking in the hot tub again, we ordered dinner (most of the restaurants in town deliver... oh the joys) watched snowboarding movies on tv, and called it an early night.

Vertical Feet for Thursday: 16,455

Peak 8 (The tallest in the group) We heard the snow was better up there, so we HIKED IT! Was it worth it? Ahhhhh Yeeeeeeeah.

View from The Top. You can see other crazy hikers on the left (look for the girl in the teal)

Aaron on his way down

That sign says Snow White. Yes, those are two very nice Black Diamonds.

Thursday, it was CRAZY windy, and despite wanting to hike the peak again though we had better not. (I had no desire to fly away like Mary Poppins) So we road the Blacks on Peaks 8,9 & 10. (Without Amelia she was still not feeling it) My only "good" fall of the trip was right before lunch on the back of Peak 8 (the lift that takes you to the base of the hike to The Top) a lady cut in front of me on the really steep face and stopped. I'm not good enough to dodge people on a slope like that so the only thing to do was fall and hope I missed her. I did, and starfished all the way to the bottom. I was told that it was one of the more spectacular falls of the trip, and I was fairly proud of it. (I didn't loose any gear on my way down thankfully, just knocked the wind out of my self and did something to my shoulder) We stopped to eat our lunch early (the boys were nice enough not to mention that this was to give me rest and let the Advil kick in). After a very productive afternoon we headed back to the condo to soak again and eat the weeks left overs.

Vertical Feet for Friday: 17,494

Psychopath, Hands down the best run on Peak 9 and my personal favorite. (not just because of the Amazing name)

Saturday we packed up (I almost cried) and headed back to Denver.

My Room

The Living Room

Yes, that is Power Rangers on TV. (Who knew they still made those!?!)

Russ aka Russy Poo or Vegan Diablo enjoying "his chair" and Power Rangers

Awesome Front Door

Home Sweet Home

Buffalo on the side of the Free way on our way to Denver

Aaron aka Breck doing stretches / the Funky Chicken in the Vegas Airport... yes, it was THAT kind of trip.

Max Brenner

2011-03-23T12:34:00.001-07:00

I was introduced this past weekend to the Amazingness that is Max Brenner. I was blown away. Lets just say that if I could have Max Brenner every day, I would die a very round, very happy woman. (Thanks to Nick for the fabulous pictures via his pretty iphone)

TMI

2011-03-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

Working at a publishing company that prints Baby and Children magazines as a single person has been interesting. Over the past two years, I have learned more about pregnancy and childrearing with out having my own kids than I ever thought possible. Not all of this has been a good thing. Sometimes (a lot of times) ignorance can be bliss. But I am lucky considering my gender. Our office is pretty evenly divided between men and women, which at times can be pretty awkward considering the stuff that gets sent to us. This is part of an email from our (male) Art Director:

"Ok, so apparently "Booby Trapper" wasn't uncomfortable enough to have to say, now we've got the "Hooter Hider." ...I really need to talk to Scott about launching a more manly publication eventually. Something with monster trucks or things that explode. "

Yep, I love my job.

I Object.

2011-02-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

I have a serious objection to calculated tear jerkers. (ie all books and subsequent movies by Nicholas Sparks, Jack Weyland , and the song "Christmas Shoes") I hate them. I hate the way that they get you to like the characters and then systematically rip these poor peoples lives to shreds. I was coerced into watching "The Last Song" recently, hence this post. I like happy endings, I'm sorry. Stuffing a movie full of sappy romance just so that some one can die at the end is crap. I understand that characters NEED to go through some sort of journey/difficulties/growth, otherwise what would be the point of the story in the first place, but some people take it to the extreme... and I object.

Running a Ragnar

2011-02-10T11:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, I Alisha…am running a Ragnar Relay. "What in the … is a Ragnar?" you ask… let me tell you. Courtesy of the Ragnar So-Cal Website….

"PICTURE THIS: You and 11 of your buddies running relay style, day and night, in a 200-mile running event through Southern California. Starting south of Los Angeles in beautiful Huntington Beach your team of 12 runners will head south down the pacific coast. Along the way you will pass through Anaheim, Carlsbad, Del Mar and La Jolla. The race (and your stamina) will wrap up near San Diego on beautiful Coronado Island. This race had better make your running calendar; you really won’t want to miss it."

If some one would have told me I would run for fun and it would become a slight addiction, I would have laughed in their face and called them a big fat liar. But that is exactly what happened. Some friends asked if I wanted to run a relay with them, and I (not being a runner of any sort) said "Sure! Sounds like fun."

Well, I obviously didn't know what I was volunteering for, and when I looked it up, I about fell over. 200 miles in 24 hours, are you KIDDING ME? But, it was too late to back out and I am not a quitter, so I started running. And running, and running. This was about 2 months ago, and I'm hooked. I ran 5 miles before work yesterday, and have been running about that almost every day. (Although if its before work, I usually only have time for 3-4)

About 18 months ago, My Dear Sweet Leslie blogged about her love for running. Even though I love her a whole lot, I thought she might be a little crazy… ( or a lot crazy, but we won't go there… a marathon, seriously?) But now, here I am blogging about running and liking it. Just add me to the crazy list. Below are the pictures of my "Legs" of the race…. kind of scared, but kind of really excited too. (go figure)

There were FLOWERS on the tables at McDonald's

2011-02-04T13:59:00.001-08:00

There were FLOWERS on the tables at McDonald's. Yes you read that last line correctly, there were fresh flowers in little vases on the tables at McDonald's. I was grabbing a RedBox on my way home from work and walked in to get ice-cream, and there they were. Spider-mums all over. I about fell over in shock, I guess that is what I get for working in a crazy rich part of town.

Thank you for saying Thank you

2011-02-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

The other day I received a Thank You note, and decided that this is a dying art that I think we should revive. I have had my current church calling (Activities Chair) for almost 2 years now, and after our January activity (a trip to our cabin at Brian Head with another ward) I received my first ever Thank You note. And it was from a girl in the OTHER ward.

After all of this time, I sometimes get burned out… this leads to minor stress induced breakdowns which usually include a lot of lists, chocolate and occasional ranting about stupid irresponsible people who deserve to be ranted at. The cabin trip was one of these activities from ---- (fill in the 4 letter word), nothing was going right, the other ward had NO responsible help and I about quit on the spot. Everything ended up fine, as it usually does (well… as good as it can be when the "Special Souls" of the singles ward come out of their holes), and everyone went home happy.

A few days later, a little purple envelope showed up in our mailbox with a short Thank you note, and suddenly my day (and calling) suddenly looked a whole lot better. Someone appreciated all of the work that went into the trip, and amazingly enough a little note made it worth the effort.

I realized that despite the fact that I am grateful to a lot of people, I rarely let them know. Showing my gratitude is going to be a new goal of mine, because I am sure other people will be as happy as I was when I received my note. So, to people who show gratitude… Thank you for saying Thank you.

Front Page!

2011-01-31T10:18:00.000-08:00

I know this is not a BIG deal, but it makes me happy.... My Etsy treasury list made it to the Front Page! :) Claps all around. If you have any desire, you can see it here.

Trake him!

2011-01-19T15:35:00.001-08:00

I was reading an article on Chinese food today, and Chef Ming Tsai was talking about making Peiking Duck, he said "My favorite thing is to eat the spicy food. My favorite thing to cook and serve is the Peking Duck because it’s a labor of love, a 48 hour process and the most outrageous cooking technique I have ever seen. You’re essentially giving a tracheotomy to a duck. It really works. The fat does cook all off, and you’re left with a delicious, lacquered crispy skin and then the meat." I think I just fell in love with this guy (even though he is married with children) he, unwittingly just combined two of my most favorite things... cooking and House. Read it for yourself here.

New Eyes!

2011-01-05T15:46:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I get my new Eyes! (Well, not necessarily new... just vastly improved) I went running this morning in my glasses, it was not one of my better decisions. When they weren't bouncing off my face, they were fogging up because of the cold. :/ But, as of tomorrow at 9:20 I wont ever have to suffer through that again. Oh the joys.

Am I a nervous that they are going to use a laser to cut open my eyes then shoot more lasers into my eyes to fix them.... a little, but it will be sooooo worth it!

As if I needed another excuse to read....

2011-01-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

In the words of a friend of mine, Let me introduce you to my new boyfriend…Kindle. There is a new love in my life and I want to tell everyone about it. We met on my Christmas, and it was love at first sight. Kindle takes me places I've never been before, makes me laugh, cry, and think about things I've never considered previously. I can't wait to get done with work so we can spend time together, and cuddle up in bed together. Kindle has changed my life!

After discovering the joys of the Kindle App for my phone a year ago, taking books with me everywhere got a whole lot easier. If I was stuck in traffic, or a line, or where ever I could just take out my phone and PRESTO! a book! The only down fall to reading on your phone is that it is soooo small! As I was visiting my Dear Sweets in Provo this summer, Leslie showed me her Kindle, told me how great they were, and my eyes turned green (well, more green than they already are) and I started thinking about buying a REAL Kindle.

Then on Christmas morning after everything was opened up, my mom said she forgot to bring something out, she went back to their room, and came out with a KINDLE for ME! I squealed like a little girl and did a very enthusiastic "Happy Dance". It was a complete surprise, I didn't get many "wrapped presents" because my Birthday/Christmas presents this year is Lasik, but when my mom brought out that little box I felt like I was a little girl again getting my very first pink bike. It was great.

Because of my app, I had plenty of books ready to put on it and enjoy. I spend the majority of Christmas day cuddled up in my pajamas on the couch with my new love.

Today I ordered a pretty skin and case to protect him, because I cant seem to leave him at home. He comes with me everywhere, to work, in the car, to the cabin, in bed, everywhere.

Also, I need to think up a suitable name for him, I am thinking perhaps Grosvenor? (Pronounced Grow-vs-ner) or Winston? something studious….

Does 10 Pictures = 10,000 Words?

2010-12-30T15:44:00.000-08:00

Because I am feeling slightly lazy, here are pictures instead of a real blog post. Today, captions are as good as it gets.

Me, Aaron and Spencer snowboarding at the cabin Dec. 27th.... no he wouldn't take off the face mask, it's too cold.

Me, Carson and Spencer... Carson is getting so good!

Santa in a Big Red.....Truck?

My dear friend Pauli came down for NFR, we went dancing at Stoney's and found this jem in the parking lot as we were leaving. Yes it is a black Cadi-hurst with bull horns. I want one.

The owner came out while we were taking pictures of it, and asked if he could take a picture with us on it...

NFR!!!!

My friend Jon was a Not-so-Mean Roman Soldier in the Nativity.

In Recent News.....

2010-12-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

I turned 25. (Trying to think of a suitable quarter life crisis, let me know if you have any good ideas...)

I've taken up yet another "old lady" hobby….quilting. We made quilts for our recently released bishopric, and I did the 2nd Councilors. It turned out very nicely. I also have a quilt waiting to have the backing put on, and one that is still in pieces.

I got to go to NFR. (oh the joys of cowboys…) more on that later.

I bought my tickets to Denver in March. (Aaron and I and some friends are going snowboarding!)

Plaid Love

2010-11-22T13:51:00.000-08:00

I am still trying to put my feelings about Harry Potter into words, but until then...

This is a result of the cold weather and my recently renewed love of plaid.

Harry Potter

2010-11-19T11:50:00.000-08:00

It might be too soon to think about the overwhelming amazingness that was last night.

Zero Hour.... its FINALLY Here.

2010-11-18T15:55:00.000-08:00

My good friend found this and I believe it is a perfect summation of my feelings...

‎

"You studied with Hermione. You stumbled with Ron. You hid creatures with Hagrid. You laughed with Fred and George. You fought with Voldemort. You forgot with Neville. You got caught with the DA. You rebelled against Umbridge and Snape. You cheered on Gryffindor. You kept up the rivalry with Draco Malfoy and the Slytherins. You worked with Dumbledore. You stuck with Harry til the end. Now it's nearly over, and now all you can do is remember, and thank J.K. Rowling for the time of your life." -unknown.

Side note, I finished my marathon and cried through the last half of books 6 & 7. (not just little crying either, full on tears running, nose running, little hick-ups crying... I was up in the library finishing up the last few chapters of book 7, and my dad came in looking very worried and asked if I needed to talk about anything.... Love Him)

I am so excited for tonight it has been a struggle all day to focus on work. Also this morning I discovered a major oversight in my wardrobe... I don't own Harry Potter socks. I need some asap. Preferably a mismatched pair (because who wants two of the same sock???) with brooms on one and snitches on the other.

Too soon?

2010-11-05T10:57:00.001-07:00

My ipod might have been on shuffle this morning. A Christmas song might have come on. I might have let it play. Then I might have gone to my Christmas playlist and started playing more. Maybe.... I don't know.

For you.

2010-11-03T10:37:00.001-07:00

Order of the Pheonix

2010-11-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

My feelings about Year 5 can be pretty much summed up in a few words....

Con: Harry's whining (please...just spare me)

PRO: DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY

Happiness is Basketball

2010-11-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

OHMYHOLYGOODNESS!

2010-10-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

I realize that I have had my Harry Potter count down for a while now, but it honestly just hit me how soon it is coming out. Happy Day! I might have to start listening to the soundtracks just to get in the mood.

The Marathon is still alive and strong (although posting is a couple days late...sorry)

My Celebration of the Goblet of Fire will be a list of favorite Quotes....

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"
Harry spun around. Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret.
"I want to fix that in my memory forever," said Ron, his closed and an uplifted expression on his face. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret..."

______

Ron: "Who're you going with then?"
Fred: "Angelina."
Ron: "What? You've already asked her?"
Fred: "Good point. Oi, Angelina! Want to come to the ball with me?"

______

Ron: "I could've taken those mer-idiots any time I wanted."
Hermione: "What were you going to do, snore at them?"

______

"He's not even good-looking!" she muttered angrily, glaring at Krum's sharp profile. "They only like him because he's famous! They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that Wonky-Faint thing - "
"Wronski Feint," said Harry, through gritted teeth. Quite apart from liking to get Quidditch terms correct, it caused him another pang to imagine Ron's expression if he could have heard Hermione talking about Wonky-Faints.

______

"Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" said Hermione indignantly.
Ron gave a loud false cough, which sounded oddly like "Lockhart!"

___________________________

I love lists. And I LOVE Harry Potter.

The End

This makes me Happy.

2010-10-14T15:57:00.000-07:00

I got this today. It made me inexplicably happy, I love things when they are"Reserved Especially" for me. And I love this lady because she sent me a tracking number... I am a notorious parcel stalker. Happy happy happy.

The Airplane is for my Halloween costume. I am going as Amelia Earhart. (I also love Halloween, this might be another factor for my happiness.)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

2010-10-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

This is my FAVORITE HP book...EVER!

Monday are usually good list days, so here is my list of reasons why I Love HP3...

1. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot & Prongs

2. When the Marauders Map insults Snape

3. Harry finding a Family (of sorts)

4. Expecto Patronum!

5. Profesor Lupin...I might have a smallish crush.

What I Love about Harry Potter Round 2

2010-09-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

I LOVE it all! I love that the Trio is starting to really develop a sense of "team". I love being introduced to the Horcruxes... even if we don't know what they are yet.

Torture?

2010-09-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is my desktop. Yes I know it is September and No, there is no snow for me to enjoy. But soon there will be, and that is why I save up my "Sick Days".

What I love about Book #1

2010-09-09T14:37:00.001-07:00

I love meeting Harry and Ron, they are so cute I just want to hug them! I love finally making friends with Hermione whom I am pretty sure is my soul sister. I love being introduced (again) to this wonderful world were anything is possible and the mundane world seems to be suspended at the wrought iron gates of the school.

Harry Potter Marathon

2010-09-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

I am a proud member of the Harry Potter Fan Club.

There is only 70 days until the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. my excitement for this event has reached breaking point, and it is getting mildly out of control.

In honour of the upcoming movie, I am joining the Oh Great Harry Potter 7s marathon. Breakdown: 70 days, 7 years at Hogwarts = One book/movie every 10 days until the release. Let the fun begin.

A list revisited

2010-09-08T13:15:00.001-07:00

1. BYU Bookstore

Yep, It was real good, and it felt even better telling the hand out people in the walkways that I'M NOT A STUDENT!

2. Campus Craft and Floral

Also really good, got a very cute and rather large plum flower on a headband....made better by a random sighting of my cousin Chris.

3. JFSB

Holy cow the memories! It was bitter sweet, I miss the Mac Lab, but not living in the basement of that building.

4. MoA

No time

5. Provo/Springville Floral Boutiques

So good.

6. ZUMBA with Allison

I LOVE Allison's Zumba (I do not like my legs after Allison's zumba)

7. J-Dawgs ? (Still deciding...)

Nope...Brick Oven instead, a much better choice considering activities later that night.

8. Sami's

No time

9. Target with Nestle

Amazing. I still love pushing the cart and wondering around looking at everything BUT what I need.

10. Kawanis Park (also still deciding)

Bicentennial Park instead, reading in the park on a Sunday afternoon is one of the best things EVER.

11. OJHS (Ashley's classroom)

NO TIME! So sad...next time.

12. Visit Jenni (please don't die)

TWICE!

13. CUPCAKES! From that place in SF... If we can find it.

Cupcake tour of Provo= We can do better.

12 & 13

2010-09-01T12:16:00.001-07:00

12. Visit Jenni (please don't die)

13. CUPCAKES! From that place in SF... If we can find it.

P-Town!

2010-08-31T15:00:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would say this, but I am SO EXCITED TO GO TO PROVO THIS WEEKEND! I love lists, so here is my "Provo List" in no particular order:

1. BYU Bookstore

2. Campus Craft and Floral

3. JFSB

4. MoA

5. Provo/Springville Floral Boutiques

6. ZUMBA with Allison

7. J-Dawgs ? (Still deciding...)

8. Sami's

9. Target with Nestle

10. Kawanis Park (also still deciding)

11. OJHS (Ashley's classroom)

Thats it for now, but I am sure it will grow over the next few days.

New Love.

2010-08-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

I love finding new things. Especially tasty new things. I got this today at the store when I was suppose to be getting tomatoes and other things... I got the other things, just forgot the tomatoes. Opps. Needless to say, I am in love.

Tomorrow.

2010-08-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Ashley comes to Vegas.

Tomorrow I will be going here.

Can it PLEASE be TOMORROW yet?

Summer

2010-08-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

List of why I love Summer time.

1. The LAKE (I could stop here and still think it is a good list. That is how much I love the lake)

2. Swimming... I love our pool almost as much as I love the lake

3. Slurpees... good all year round, but amazing during the summer

4. Sun Sleeping

5. Not having to freeze in my office

6. Skirts & Sundresses (after taking a 10 year hiatus, they are back on my love list)

7. Watermelon

8. Sandals ... so I can see the cute colors that I paint my toenails

9. Grapes... On Saturday I had them for breakfast, lunch and dinner

10. BBQ

Temple

2010-07-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been a long time sense my last post, yes I'm sorry... & Yes, I have a good excuse. (I think)

My Excuse: I am going to the temple in exactly one week and I cant really think about anything else. Sorry.

iPad + Velcro = Love

2010-06-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

Now I really need one. Watch the clip ....amazing.

My Life will be Complete in July of 2011

2010-06-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Alright I'll admit it, I am a Harry Potter Dork. (and extremely proud of it) The trailer for the Deathly Hallows randomly popped up on a website that I was checking out for work, and I am pretty sure I watched no less than 10 times, before I could finally pull my self away.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a everyday wand waving sort of HPD, rather I quietly read and re-read the books more times than I can count, listen to the books in my car, and watch the movies when I am suppose to be productive. I know more random Potter facts and trivia that is probably healthy and kick butt at Harry Potter SceneIt like you would not even believe. But I refuse to wear a cloak (ever) and my wardrobe does not consist entirely of t-shirts sporting "Muggle" and "I Solemnly Swear" emblazoned across the front. (Although I do have a (note the singular) t-shirt for special events and a tie for Halloween)

That being said, I CAN NOT WAIT until November. Just watching the trailer gives me the chills and makes me want to bounce up and down in my office chair. I don't know how they are going to split the book up into two movies (although I am extremely glad that they are) and I know that those 8 months between the Part 1 release in November and the 2nd Part in July will be absolute torture.

I first discovered the amazing world of Harry Potter when my mom gave me the first book to read on the plane as I flew to visit my Aunt Jennifer sometime during the Summer of 1999. After inhaling it we made an emergency trip to the bookstore so I could grab the second book. And I was hooked. I was one of the few people anxiously waiting out side of the book store for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This was the start of the Release Party tradition, and ever sense then I have not missed a Midnight Release for a book or Movie.

With the exception of the Prisoner of Azkaban Movie release, because I was at grad bash… we went straight from our all night activity to the first matinée in the morning.

I probably should not have started this post while eating lunch because now I have Harry Potter on the Brain, and it will be difficult to be productive for the rest of the day. :/ But in only 142 days I will be ridiculously happy.

How to park

2010-06-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

This is a skill I need to acquire... soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYt8JDvWiT8&feature=related

The Best

2010-06-21T10:09:00.001-07:00

I have the best parents ever. My mom's birthday was Saturday, and my dad's is this Wednesday, but my dad had to go to Scout Camp ridiculously early Saturday morning, so we celebrated their combined birthdays and fathers day on Friday.

I know my parents don't read this (my mom cant ever remember how to get on, and my dad I don't think even remembers that I have a blog) so I don't feel as bad bragging about them .

Growing up, I thought my parents were great. They loved me, they taught us how to work hard and play hard, forgave me when we did stupid stuff (like blowing holes trough the roof with bottle rockets and golf balls etc.) and encouraged us set high goals. But now that I have grown up (kind of) I KNOW that my parents are amazing. They are still my parents, but they are also my friends and that is what makes them the best.

More than 1000 Words

2010-06-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day at the Lake

For Now

2010-06-08T17:03:00.001-07:00

Yes, I understand that I have not written for real in a while, but now I'm back… kind of. I survived the YSA weekend, and the crazy week of work that it proceeded. Soon I will post pictures of the weekend itself, and then of our glorious trip to the lake over Memorial Day. But for now, this is it.

Family

2010-06-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

Love

2010-05-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

I love sitting at a clean desk

I love the feel of carpet after a good vacuuming

I love waking up before my alarm

I love dancing (even if it is just around my room, or even better the kitchen)

I love tomato soup

I love paining my toenails crazy colors

I love the smell of books (new & old)

I love baking and trying new recipes

Baking with friends is even better

9 Days and Counting

2010-05-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know... I am planning the 2010 Regional YSA Conference that is in… 9 days. This is basically like Youth Conference but for "Big Kids" and encompasses the entire Las Vegas Valley. Oh the joys. And as the date has been looming closer, the sleepless nights and stress have begun. It has gotten to the point where I dream about it at night.

Last night I dreamt that John Mayer was suppose to sing at one of our events and the awful asian man from American Idol showed up instead… it was bad.

In previous years the schedule went:

Friday Night : Dance

Saturday Morning : Service Project

Saturday Night : Dance

Sunday Night : Fireside

Well, I thought we could do some thing a little different so, this is how this year is set up….

April 17th : Opening Fireside with L. Tom Perry & Kick-off for the Food Drive

Friday May 21st : Dance/ Karaoke Night of Fun

Saturday Morning : Softball Tournament

Saturday Night : BBQ/Carnival/Bonfire at a Ranch & Close of the Food Drive

Sunday Night : Closing fireside with Thurl Bailey (formally of the Utah Jazz)

Basically we are hoping to blow every other conference out of the water. But in doing so, I have kind of stressed my self out to the Max. Just so you don't think I am doing this nonsense just for kicks and giggles, our ward was one of the 3 wards who had yet to be in charge of a conference, so I though I might as well volunteer and get it done with, rather than being assigned to do it.

I think its a matter of perspective, choosing this has to be better than being told to do it. Right? At least that is what I keep telling myself.

So, if you happen to see me in the next couple of days and I am crazy looking and or tearing my hair out, you will now know why. Wish me luck.

Weekends

2010-05-10T12:00:00.001-07:00

Weekends have become a saving grace. Don't get me wrong, I love my job with a capital L, but it can be a bit on the stressful side. Two weekends ago, a friend and I got together on a friday night and had a "Baking Date", and oh man was it good. We went to the store to pick up ingredients for Upside-down Apple Pie (which we were attempting to make without a recipe) and a movie from RedBox. After picking up Cafe Rio we went back to his house and got to baking. The pie turned out Amazing! And we were so proud of ourselves.

This past friday, we got together again, but this time to look at Motorcycles. This was a bad idea.

Small side note: I am OBSESSED in a largish way with street bikes. When one drives by I usually stop and watch… I just cant help it. One of my dreams is to ride one up the PCH…driving or on the back, I'll take either.

First, at the insistence of Jon, we went to a Yamaha/Suzuki Dealership. Yes, they were pretty, but really not what I was looking for. After we were done, I asked if we could stop by the Honda store, just to round off our motorcycle experience. We walked in and found the bike that I have been dreaming about for a few years now. The Honda CBR6. Sigh. I sat on "my" beautiful black bike and had a hard time breathing. It is a good thing they don't allow test drives, or I might not have come back.

I literally had to drag myself away from the dealership (with no help from Jon) without the keys to my dream.

So, now after two really good weekends, I have the dream of upside-down Apple Pie and a CBR6 to get me through the week. Oh the joys.

Race for the Cure

2010-05-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

We ran (walked, meandered...whatever) the Race for the Cure this weekend and it was so much fun. The best part was all of the Survivors that were there. It made me so happy to see all of the ladies in pink who wanted to prove to the world that what was once a death sentence is now beatable, and that is something I would run for any day of the week. I had to keep myself from running up to these women and giving them all hugs, so I settled for hugging my mom...a lot.

Random Side-note: We decided on our way home that one of these years we are going to have the biggest private team in the Race. So if you want to join in the fun let us know... the first weekend in May is always great!

We got tired of carrying our goodie bags around, so I cinched up the bottom of my jacket and shoved them in. Well, it looked like I was prego and as we were running I kept getting looks and when we crossed the finish line I even had some one wave at me and call out, "You go honey!" It made me smile.

Along our way we ran into CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow. It was a good day.

Be the Silver Lining in Another's Cloud

2010-04-27T12:09:00.003-07:00

I opened a Dove Chocolate this morning (yes I was eating chocolate before lunch, no I'm not sorry) and found this lovely little quote. Thank you Janet from Streetsboro Ohio.

Family

2010-04-20T15:34:00.002-07:00

PS, I think I just fell in Love

2010-04-20T14:07:00.001-07:00

http://www.houseofturquoise.com/

Why the Y Chromosome is over rated.

2010-04-20T09:55:00.002-07:00

Yes, I understand that this post is a little contradictory seeing as I am a girl, but sometimes girls/females in general are over-rated and stupid. I hate the pettiness that seems to abound in the girl-world, where it not only flourishes, but is almost encouraged. This is stupid. I refuse to join in this nonsense and am really rather sick of it.

This rant kind of stems from two places, work and so called "friends". The work drama I can deal with (not that I really have a choice) because I can sit in my little office at my computer and, ignore the rest of the world. As long as I keep to my self, the drama doesn't really get to me, it makes the office kind of tense at times, but all in all…survivable.

The most recent and pressing reason that I am in my hater mode are so called "friends" (here after referred to as "The Stupid-heads") The Stupid-heads are turning out to be the model of all that is loathed in the Girl World, and I am done. I quit. I refuse to play their game and gossiped about. So here it is,

Dear Stupid Heads,

I give up. I don't want it any more. If this is what wanting it leads to, then have it. It is all yours. Thank you.

Sincerely, Me.

South of the Boarder and Back

2010-04-19T14:17:00.003-07:00

Some friends and I decided recently to go on a Cruise to Cabo. But this was not any cruise, it was an LDS Singles Cruise. (Yes... I am for real. Also slight disclaimer, I understand that my value as a human might have gone down because of my attendance, but let it be noted that this was not my idea.)

We met at a friends house Friday (April 9th) at 6ish and headed to San Diego, stoping for a quick In-n-Out break around Baker. We made it to San Diego around 11, and made our way to the Temple (with some slight backtracking) for a break. Sitting in the parking lot, we found a cheep hotel that would let 13 people crash for a few hours. Once we made it to our Days Inn (those poor people) we found our room and preceded to cram all of us onto two queen sized beds, a fold out couch and what ever floor space could be found. (the pillow talk that night was very interesting especially in our bed where Mike, me, Jon and Diana were all spooning in order to fit on this little bed…no, we did not stay that way for long)

Saterday morning we got up, got ready (also an interring experience sharing a small sink and mirror with all of those people) and started carpooling people to the Dock. (not fun) After finally getting everyone there with all of their stuff we got on the boat and settled in. Dinner was at 6 which is where I discovered that I was sitting at a table full of UMo's. (The seating arrangements at dinner had been shuffled around so that we could "meet more people"… oh the joys.)

A quick side note about UMo's (there were plenty on our boat): A UMo is a Utah Mormon who is not only a Mormon who resides in Utah but also has the certain "Molly/Peter" quality about them, to the point of being laughable. (This in no way applies to Utah Mormons who are normal, socially acceptable humans.) This over abundance of UMo's lead to one of my favorite people watching games while sunbathing…"Spot the UMo"

Needless to say, my Dinner time dining experience for the rest of the trip was… interesting. After dinner we headed to one of the lounges to partake in one of the ageless quintessential mormon activities… Karaoke. (this became a nightly activity after dinner as there wasn't really anything to do until later and getting drunk is not really an option.) After learning how good and awful some of our fellow boat mates were, we stuck around for a Comedy show that none of us realized was "Adult". Luckily, the only thing adult about it was occasional swearing. (I heard worse in the halls of High School) At one point the comedian was making fun of the Holy Land wars and said that they (the black community) had come up with the phrase Shi'ite long before the disagreements over who bombed who first started…

Person 1 "How's your shawty?"

Person 2 "Shi'ite"

Around midnight we headed to the Upper Deck to get cones of Soft-serve ice cream (another nightly occurrence) and then to Dancing at the "Night Club" on board for some dancing.

Sunday was what they called a "Fun day on Ship" I called it a day for sleeping in the sun. Lots of sleeping, lots of sun… all of it good. (with a small break to learn some country line dances that we already knew, which was surprisingly difficult on a rocking ship) That night was the "Formal Night" which turned out to be kind of like a prom for big kids. (some people came in floor length gowns and tuxes…wow) That was followed by more ice-cream and dancing.

Early Monday morning we pulled in the the bay at Cabo and got off the Ship. (we had to be taxied off of the boat because the bay was too shallow for our boat) After meeting up with friends we went snorkeling at Lovers Beach, then repelling/Zip-line fun further inland. (lots of fun)

Random Side-note #2 - Biting. On the beach one of my new friends Travis walked past me and bit me on the shoulder. Yes… bit, with his teeth. (I just got out of the ocean so I probably tasted salty, but I didn't want to ask) Having just met them through a friend the day before, I was a little unprepared for the "common" occurrence of getting bit while hanging out with Travis and Aaron. After a few times I kind of got use to this not completely unenjoyable experience. The biting continued though the week.

After we made it back to the boat and had dinner and our usually Karaoke/Ice-cream fix) we went to a Hypnotist show which was one of the funniest things I have ever witnessed. Our good friend Melissa Earl "Missy" was amazing to watch, she was so funny I had a hard time breathing.

Tuesday we went to shore and walked around a bunch of little shops most of which sold "authentic mexican______" made in China. We found a restaurant called "The Office" right on the beach for lunch. (I wish that was my office for real) Then I stayed on the beach for some amazing people watching while everyone finished their shopping, then we made our way back to the boat. That night was the "Adult" version of the Hypnotist show which was much more scandalous than the comedy show. I am pretty sure I blushed through most of it.

Wednesday was another day on the boat we slept a lot then spent some serious time in the Hot Tub (I have never been that pruney!) Then the usual Dinner/Karaoke/Ice-cream mixup and Dancing till all hours of the Morning.

Thursday we got off the boat walked through "customs" (which was a joke) and drove home.

Pictures and other random side notes will follow.

Please?

2010-04-07T10:53:00.001-07:00

Dear Days of the Week gods,

Can it please be Friday today? Please? I feel like I have had a week of Mondays and after all of this, it would be much appreciated if we could just skip to the weekend. I am Done. Please. Thank you.

Love, Alisha

What I love about The South…

2010-03-15T13:28:00.010-07:00

THURSDAY - March 4th

Las Vegas to New Orleans
Watched a crazy lady at the Las Vegas Airport
Ate Dinner at Oceana (soon to be on the Food Network)
Wandered around Burbon Street

FRIDAY - March 5th

Went to the 9th District - Huricane Katrina and Tom Cruse's "Make It Right" (crazy early so we wouldn't get kidnapped… really bad part of town)
Bignets (fried scone-like goodness) at Cafe DuMonet
Wandered Around the French Quarter - Lots o' Shopping
Lunch at New Orleans Hard Rock Cafe
Nottaway Plantation
Drove to Baton Rouge
Amazing People Watching at Wal-Mart and Applebees

SATURDAY - March 6th

Houmas House (My Favorite Plantation)
LSU Basket Ball game (Pathetic)
Aligator and Crawfish at Chimes
Dancing at Boutin's
Cheese Cake

SUNDAY - March 7th

Baton Rouge Singles Ward (Amazing)
Lunch at Whataburger (gives In-n-Out a run for their money)
Oak Alley Plantation
Drive to New Orleans
Fly Home

Random side-note about the picture below...yes, I know I am wearing Leggings, but I was not going to the Airport in just a sundress. Sorry my Dear Sweets.

Here are a few random tidbits from my 4ish days in Louisiana.

The Best People Watching Ever.

I got my first taste of Southern Amazingness at the Airport before I even left Las Vegas. I was sitting in the airport and this lady in a LOT of Bling sat down a few chairs down from me and proceeded to have a full blown conversation with the rat-dog that she had in a bag on her lap. She had such a deep accent that I could hardly understand her. (Not that I was eavesdropping and if I was I am not sorry.) But I was just so amazed that she was talking to the DOG on her LAP.

Then, Pauli and I went to dinner on Friday night and witness a superb display of Southern White Trash. There was a table of women, it must have been a "Sisters" night because they were all related and the "Mom" was one of my favorite to watch. But they were talking about not driving drunk, but "Sipping and Swerving", and how one of the ladies needed a new frier and how the "Piggly Wiggly" (a grocery store) had started carrying Wine. Oh wow.

The next morning we went to the "Waffle House" and when Pauli asked what I was having I told her I was thinking about having a normal waffle with Blue Berries, she laughed at me and said that the only fruit in the entire restaurant was the orange juice that came out of a dispenser. Its a breakfast place, shouldn't they have fruit?

Amazing Houses

This trip has solidified my desire to have a wrap-around porch when I (finally) grow up and get my own house. During our long hours in the car, we found some of the most amazing houses that would almost (note the ALMOST) make it worth living down there.

Holy Humidity

The humidity made my hair go crazy curly and kinda resembled a clown wig, but because it was so curly, it only took a few minuets to do. (which is a huge plus because when it comes to getting ready I am kinda lazy) And humidity = rain… which I love.

Hot and Spicy but Dang Good

The food was one of the things that I was most interested in trying while I was down there. We ate…

Blackened Shrimp pasta (so hot my nose ran and eyes watered)
Bignets - Fried Scone like things with enough powdered sugar to ski in
Fried Aligator - I kinda liked it
Hush Puppies - Fried Corn Bread…interesting
Shrimp and Corn Chowder - There is some form of Seafood in everything
Wataburger - Pauli had told me of its goodness and she was right

A Joyful bit of Random

2010-02-23T16:41:00.001-08:00

So, in accordance with one of my New Years Resolutions, (one of many) I am trying to Blog every week…we will see how it goes around April, when the gym finally empties. But the problem with this is, that I am having a hard time coming up with anything even semi-worth reading this week. All I have got is a few random side notes to life. Sorry.

First, I got my graduation pictures back, yes I did graduate almost a year ago. But I really like them (which is unusual..normally I HATE taking pictures) I will post some up later.

Next, I have decided that I really like Vegas "Winters". An average of 60 degrees in February is fine with me. I like visiting and playing in the snow, but after 5 years, I have decided that I don't ever want to live in it again.

Third, (My Dear Sweet Ashley this one is your fault) I like painting my fingernails fun colors. Before Ashley I liked nude colors and clear on my fingers, funky colors were for my toes were they were hidden. But now, I change them at least once a week and the colors range from gold to "I'm not really a waitress" red to "Sapphire Snow" blue and almost everything in-between. (I say almost because I have yet to paint my finger nails pink) And I mostly like OPI because of the Amazing names that they call their colors.

Oh I wish I was a Spy

2010-02-18T15:37:00.001-08:00

I was meandering through Barnes and Noble the other day, when I cam across a book titled, "If I told you l loved you, I would have to kill you". Needless to say, I was intrigued and bought the book. It tells the story about a girl at a prestigious boarding school for "gifted" students which is a cover for a spy school. Told with a very personable voice, the book was a joy to inhale.

I have always been a fan of spy stories, but never wanted to BE one of the characters mainly because the stories were about the killing/assassin sort of spy. This book however is more about the sneaking sort of spy, which I defiantly want to be. So, after finishing the book in 2 days, I found the second and third books and am defiantly enjoying them. Being a sneaking sort of spy some days sounds much more enjoyable than being an editor (even though I really do like my job). It makes me want to write my emails in code, and wear a watch that really isn't a watch but something much cooler, like a holographic Oxford English Dictionary that is always current.

Organized is not OCD

2010-02-16T16:10:00.000-08:00

I was talking to a friend last night who very kindly informed me that I am OCD. I told her I thought she was exaggerating "Just a bit". She said acceptance is the first step to recovery. Right. So I was thinking about this as I was on my way to work this morning (I have a longish sort of drive which leaves a lot of time for thinking) and she might have a point. Not that I think I am in any way OCD, but I have "perfectionist tendencies" that might not be normal to most.

-I have to make my bed in the morning because I don't like going to sleep in a messy bed. If I forget or run out of time in the morning I make it at night before I slip in.

-My closet is organized according to article of clothing, then color, then "length"

-Movies are alphabetized according to Title then Release Date

-Books are alphabetized by Author then Publication Date

-I don't like writing in pen because I can't erase mistakes

-I hate floating files on my computer

In my opinion, none of this points to OCD. I just like being organized.

Powder and Madness.

2010-02-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

Ok… So my lack of a post is being blamed on my CRAZY work schedule. We had all of magazines go to press in the same week (this only happens 2x a year thankfully!) and so the past two weeks have been kind of hectic. I didn't do a lot except work and sleep (a little) and dancing on thursdays (required stress relief). So there hasn't been much to share… I even had to work through a Rebel game. No good.

Although the weekend before the madness started, I got to go to Snowbird with my Dad, Hailee and Spencer, which made me crazy happy. After a week of rain in Vegas, and a week of snow in Utah, the powder was Amazing. And to make a great weekend complete, I got to have dinner with my Dear Sweet Ashley as well as Josh, Lanni and Jessica… some of the people that I have missed the most since leaving Provo. It made the whole weekend Perfect.