The Journey

New World. New Life. New Blog.

2010-02-04T22:32:00.002-07:00

I'm moving. You can find me HERE. It's http://sueharman.blogspot.com if that link doesn't work.

She's Back!!!

2009-12-28T14:02:00.006-07:00

The past week has been a complete blur, but a fabulous one! My baby sister (okay, she's really only 14 months younger than me so baby is a stretch) came home from her mission in Brazil. She's so tan and beautiful and taller than me but that happened long before she left. When we met her at the airport we were all tears and screams at seeing our Belle. I made t-shirts for my family to wear. On the front they said "Team Shelly" and on the back they said "All I Want for Christmas is my Belle!" They were so fun to wear for her and everyone at the airport was giving us smiles and telling Shelly welcome home- even people who didn't know us. These are some of my favorite pics from the airport:

This is my mom and me throwing ourselves at Shelly. She barely made it out of the walkway before we were on her crying and laughing at the same time.

All of the girls, we were so happy!

The whole family, now we just need our Joe and we'll be complete!

I had a hard time letting go of her. I just followed her around like a little puppy.

She told me my purple in my hair looks weird.

I couldn't stop hugging her! I almost couldn't believe it was her. I felt like I needed to hug to her make sure she was real.

Everyone wanted to have a hand on Shelly.

At this point I think she was just laughing at me for all the hugs but I think she liked it, too!

After Shelly got home we went back to my parents house and all afternoon people stopped in to say hi and hug our girl. She was so happy and laughing and tired from her full day of traveling. She was always smiling though. That night was Christmas Eve so Shelly and I filled the family's stockings for Santa like we always do and went to bed at the very late hour of 9:00. Everyone laughed at us but I hadn't slept the night before because I was so excited she was coming home and she'd been traveling and couldn't sleep on the plane. We were both exhausted! We still stayed up another hour talking because I just couldn't get enough of her. Eventually we fell asleep and I woke up Christmas morning to the phone ringing- it was Joe calling! Bright and early at 7:00 am but he was so worth waking up for! I was so great to be able to hear his voice. I can't believe how much he's grown up! He kept pausing to think of the English words he needed because none of his comps have spoken English so he doesn't ever speak it. It was pretty cute. Joe and Shelly finally got to talk after a year and a half without each other so they were both thrilled about that. Our Grammy and Granddaddy from Florida came out for Shelly's homecoming so they both got to talk to Joe. He had no idea that so many people would be there to talk to him at 7:00 am! Even Robby woke up to talk to Joe and tell him to hurry home. Only 135 days left for him! The rest of Christmas was wonderful because I spent it just soaking up more Shelly rays. We all got fun presents and watched movies and had a great family dinner. Shelly got to drive her car for the first time and she was pretty excited about that.

I have to say that this has been the best Christmas ever! I got my Belle back and I got to talk to my Joe. The only thing I want now is for my Joe to come home and then life will be complete. And I only have to wait 135 more days!

I'll share one more picture and then this very long post will be ended. This was taken at our family Christmas party. Notice that Shelly is very brown while my skin looks like the snow on the ground. That's my life. She's so beautiful and perfect and I'm so happy my baby sister is home!!!

Murder Mystery

2009-11-28T12:32:00.004-07:00

How to throw a Murder Mystery Party:

Michael (the chef), Rachel (the maid), Taylor (the creepy neighbor), Chelsey (the vegas-trash wife), Katelyn (the jazz musician), Jordan (the law student), Sue (the debutant daughter) and Jordan (the family lawyer). We all have motive. We all wanted him dead. We're all suspects!

Jordan & Katelyn

Taylor, the creepy neighbor, Connika Gothika.

Michael & Rachel

Sue & Chelsey

And Chelsey with her new boyfriend that I bought her for Christmas.

Kate Voegele

2009-11-09T13:33:00.005-07:00

Saturday night Chelsey and I decided to go to the Kate Voegele concert at Kilby Court. It was so much fun! There were maybe 100 people there and we were all crammed in to this tiny space but it was amazing. She was so fun and has a fantastic voice. We were only about 5 feet away from her and we both has a fabulous time.

After the concert Robby and our friend Jordan went with us to the Pie for a late dinner. It was such a fun night!

Party Time!!

2009-10-26T21:49:00.003-06:00

For Girl's Night this month we decided to have a Halloween Party! We all dressed up and of course we were super cute. Stefanie was an 80's Chick, Chelsey was a Spider Witch, Jeanette was a Hogwarts student, Amber was Ezra's Mommy (her costume got stolen), Ezra was a Pumpkin and I was a Pirate! There was no one here to take pictures of all of us so we took turns taking them. These are a few of my favorites.

It's easy to see who the main attraction was. Ezra make the cutest pumpkin I've ever seen. Especially when he was a pumpkin witch!

Halloween Town

2009-10-17T18:24:00.006-06:00

My sisters and I were bored and when that happens fun things usually are the outcome. This time was no exception! I had the idea to make a Halloween Town out entirely from candy. We got several bags of candy and lots of homemade frosting and set to work. This is what came from it:

My Halloween Town (do you like the fountain of blood in the middle?)

The sour patch kid accidentally killed some bears.

When questioned, the sour patch kids all claimed this was an accident. The candy corn just fell from the sky.

Okay, I'll Share

2009-10-09T02:37:00.003-06:00

But only because I'm so proud of how well my little ankle is healing itself. It looks sooo much better! Don't take my word for it, see for yourself:

And it's feeling a little better every day!

It's Been a While

2009-10-06T18:56:00.002-06:00

Well like the title says, it's been a while. I did not die or leave the country, although both were probably options at one point or another. I was informed by someone that the pictures of my ankle were gross and I shouldn't be blogging about them and from that I kind of lost my liking of the blog for a while. But I'm back now. I don't have much to say because I'm not sharing pictures, even though none of them are gross anymore. I'm off crutches completely and have been for a few weeks. I still wear my walking boot when I'm out of the house but when I'm home I'm allowed to take it off and attempt to walk like a normal person. At first this was a real challenge but I'm getting much better at it. The pain gets a little less every day and hopefully someday soon it will be gone completely! That would be so wonderful. I'm hoping that I can go running again soon but that may just be wishful thinking. I never used to like running until I couldn't do it. Now I can't wait to start up again.

2009-09-08T21:37:00.002-06:00

Remember that super gross picture I posted originally of my ankle? The one with the purple and yellow bruises that looked like I'd been mutilated beyond repair? And you probably all thought that I'd never recover? I took this picture today so everyone could see that I'm not actually going to die:

Doesn't it look a lot better? It still hurts most of the time but I'm working through it. I'm slowly beginning to walk again. I look like I would imagine a zombie looks when I take steps. It takes me about 10 minutes to walk down the little hall in our apartment. But I can make it around fairly well with just one crutch so that's a HUGE improvement. Life is looking up!

I Heart Flight of the Conchords

2009-09-06T01:51:00.002-06:00

"What have you got against Snoopy?"

"Not Snoopy, Snoop Dogg."

"I know he's a dog. I'm not totally in the dark ages. He's a lovable character."

A Little Better Every Day

2009-09-02T22:08:00.003-06:00

Well I'm sure you're all getting sick of seeing pictures of my foot but since my life consists of sitting in my chair and trying to walk this is all that's going on for me. My bandages are all gone so now I just have my walking boot and my crutches to help me get around. It's not very fun but it will get better. Today I made it through my first whole day without pain killers. Obviously I was in more pain today than I have been but it felt good to get that crap out of my system. Now I'm just working on learning to walk again. I feel like a little kid, but no one is here egging me on and clapping for me for taking two steps. It was a lot more fun the first time around!

A Less Gross Picture

2009-08-26T12:32:00.003-06:00

Well I've had some time to shower and clean my foot so I'll share the progress with you all. It's still very painful but Mark says I'm making great progress. I should be off crutches in 3-4 weeks so now I see the dim light at the end of the very long tunnel! Right now I'm working on moving my toes and my ankle. I'm not allowed to move it side to side yet, just up and down but I'll take what I can get!

A Hard Day

2009-08-24T12:38:00.004-06:00

Today was my first day back at school. To say it wasn't a good day would be an understatement. I knew that it wouldn't be an easy day but I didn't know what I was getting in to. Nothing too traumatizing happened so really I'm just complaining but it was more difficult than I could have ever imagined. Just walking from the car to my classes and back was the most exhausting thing. My classes turned out to be pretty interesting so at least I have that to look forward to. Hopefully I will get the hang of this quickly and the rest of my week won't be so difficult! And if you want to see a really gross picture, here's what my foot looked like when we took of the bandages. Yummy.

And if you're wondering about my surgery, this is what happened:

The inside bone broke completely off from the rest of my ankle and apparently it's pretty important. So Mark went in there and put 2 titanium screws that are 3 inches long to hold the bone in place and make it heal right. It's pretty painful right now but hopefully it will get better soon! I know this picture looks fake but I swear, this is my ankle!

Broken

2009-08-17T10:50:00.002-06:00

The title of the post gives it away. My ankle is broken. But not only is it broken, it also needs surgery. The inside ankle bone of my left foot broke completely away from the rest of the bone so I need to have a metal screw put in to hold it in place. We're doing it this Wednesday, no time to get nervous or worry, just jumping right in! Since I start school on Monday it's kind of important that I can get out of bed before hand. :) So for those of you who are wondering, I hurt myself on a wakeboard two days ago. The boot was too big for my tiny foot. My foot slipped out of it but got caught at the ankle and twisted just right to break the bone. So I'm banned from water sports for a very long time. Maybe for life. There's my update!

Sprained, Bruised or Broken

2009-08-16T21:48:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow I'll find out which. Isn't it pretty?

New Hair!!

2009-08-11T23:46:00.001-06:00

Okay, I know I just cut my hair a few weeks ago but I loved the layers and I decided I needed more. I also got bangs and we dyed it red! It's a dark red so it's kind of hard to see in this picture but I promise, it's super sexy! What do you think?

New Furniture

2009-08-09T11:20:00.003-06:00

Robby and I got new furniture this week! We got a new coffee table, side table and tv table. They're pretty, dark wood and they all match which is a yay for my OCD. A matching living room! Now we just need a new couch. But one thing at a time, right? And of course they are from Ikea. I love that store. Here's our new living room:

Invites

2009-08-07T23:33:00.000-06:00

Well, ignore the wording on these because no, Chelsey is not really getting married. She's just the one I picked to make these for. Maybe we'll go out and have a bachelorette party for her because technically she is a bachelorette! Anyway, I decided to make some cute, simple invitations. I work for a little paper company and I made these with cardstock we carry. I think they turned out pretty cute and they were so easy to make!

Writing for Charity

2009-07-16T19:52:00.004-06:00

This sounds like so much fun:

I think I'm going to go. I would love to meet all these authors and get professional writing advice! Anyone want to come with me?

Dress Up

2009-07-08T00:09:00.004-06:00

Who knew that my very own closet would be a great place to play dress up? I didn't. My husband was sweet enough to take pictures of all the outfits I came up with. Since my closets and dressers (yes, plural) are literally overflowing with clothes I only made him take pictures of about 1/6 of them and I'm only posting about 1/10 of the pictures he took. These are just a few of my favorites. Anyone want to vote for their favorite outfit? I think mine are the last two.

Ezra & Sue

2009-07-04T17:05:00.000-06:00

He has tons of blonde hair on his tiny head, I'm in love!

New Mommy!

2009-07-03T19:36:00.003-06:00

No, it's not me, so don't get all excited. I will not be a new mommy for a long, long, long time (maybe with a few more longs in there for good measure)!

My best friend Amber is a now a mommy though!! I'm very excited for her. She had her little baby boy today at 12:53 pm. He's 6 lbs 10 oz and 20.5 inches long. His name is Ezra Ardell Jenks. I get to go visit them tomorrow morning and I'm so excited, I can hardly wait!!

Girls=Evil

2009-07-02T19:33:00.000-06:00

My husband found a lot of humor in this. But I know where he sleeps.

If Ever

2009-06-27T00:49:00.003-06:00

If Robby and I ever have twins (and believe me, we are never going to wish for that!) this is what they will wear:

Eliza is One!

2009-05-21T22:52:00.004-06:00

Eliza turned one today. I can't believe how grown up she is! We had a barbeque in the park with all her family and friends and it was so much fun. For her birthday Linda and Mark got her a cake with the yummiest frosting I've ever tasted. She sure enjoyed it! I love you Eliza!

Claire & Ketchup

2009-05-18T15:56:00.002-06:00

Friday my mom and I went to lunch with some of her neighborhood friends and the cute little babies came along too. We made it through the whole meal without any major incidents. The babies ate french fries and Maggie ate apples and we all ate our own food. As we're getting ready to go we were cleaning up our food and not paying close enough attention to the babies. And Claire made a grab for the ketchup! The result was really cute... and kind of gross. :)

Faker

2009-04-30T21:52:00.002-06:00

Okay, it's probably obvious at this point that I've given up on BEDA. I just sort of lost my steam there. I guess I should make this last one good! Tonight I went with my mom and sisters to the Davis High Dance Company Concert. Our friend Rachel is a senior and danced in the concert. It was so fun to see her! She is such a great dancer and so great to watch. The seniors did a dance in the crowd jumping across the seats and running through the isles. It was fantastic. Anyway, at this point I'm just sick of blogging... I may not be on again for a while. But then again, maybe I will!

Something Wicked This Way Comes

2009-04-26T19:30:00.005-06:00

Since yesterday was my husband's birthday I didn't get the chance to post about Wicked. It was such a fabulous show. My favorite songs were Popular and Defy Gravity. Glinda was so funny in Popular, she was spastic and crazy and flung herself around the stage. She was perfect for the part. Defy Gravity was spectacular. Elphaba flying through the air and scaring everyone around her. She has such an amazing voice. We were in awe over it. The whole show was so great though. It was so much fun!!!

I would absolutely recommend seeing Wicked if you ever get the chance!

My Guy

2009-04-25T23:19:00.011-06:00

Today is my sweetheart's 23rd birthday. That's right, I married a younger man. He's my baby! To celebrate his birthday I took him to lunch and went to Wicked without him. He didn't want to go, so for his birthday we didn't make him go. Instead he went for steak with his parents. I think I got the better end of the deal, but he thinks he did. He can think that if he wants. I just want to tell you all how much I love my husband. He is wonderful. So today for his birthday I wanted to tell you all that I'm so happy he was born. And I love this man.

Recap

2009-04-24T23:21:00.002-06:00

Okay, to some people my life probably seems dull. But I sure love it! I've been going almost non-stop since I woke up. I had class this morning and then I went to work for a few hours. That part was pretty dull. But then it picked up! I went on a walk with my mother-in-law Ali and her golden retriever puppy Jackson. Jackson and I have been running together a lot this week. He's still in puppy mode so he has a hard time running but I'm teaching him that when he's with me we run. So when we go on walks with other people I don't hold the leash. I don't want him to get confused! Anyway, Ali and I had a nice long walk that was really fun. Then I went to a bridal shower for my cousin's fiance. I had to get her an inappropriate gift. It wasn't too bad, but I'm the only one who would, so I had to! And I got to end the day by having girls movie night with Robby's cousin Linda. She's so great and invited me over to just have girl time since our men weren't around. So even though this recap of my day might seem a little dull to other people I had a pretty great day!

Thief

2009-04-23T18:41:00.002-06:00

That's right, I'm a thief. I stole a picture from Tanya's blog to share with you all. I said before that we had a fun photo shoot with her on Friday. Well she posted some of the pictures from it (although not nearly all of them, she took 904!) on her photography blog and they are super cute. And yes, I'm bragging again. I have some freaking cute siblings!! Anyway, you should all check her blog out because she takes very fun pictures and she is fabulous and it helps that her models were darling!

Forgetful

2009-04-22T16:24:00.004-06:00

Well apparently I forgot to post yesterday. Oops. I'm just not good at this every day thing. Although I must say that I'm doing better than I thought I would. But still... Okay, just so everyone knows the newest episode of Family Guy is hysterical! It's called "420." Enough said. If you want to watch it click here. It was so funny.

My cute friend Tanya put up one of the pictures on her blog that she took during our crazy little photo shoot on Friday. We're all adorable (I have to brag a little, it's my blog!) so you should check us out.

I think the reason I forgot to post yesterday is I read Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Of course it didn't take me all day or anything, but I really love that book and just felt the urge to re-read it. I loved the movie. But the book is better!

And my last little blurb of the day:

"She always wanted what she never had, but never had what she needed so bad." Just a thought.

Finished

2009-04-20T22:01:00.003-06:00

I finished City of Glass and I was quiet satisfied with the ending. Even though I guessed it. It made me happy to know how it ended. I've started a new series though:
It's super cute! So I'm gone again.

I'm Busy

2009-04-19T22:34:00.000-06:00

I can't write much today. I'm way too into this book. And I want to finish it before I go to sleep. I'm almost done. Oh, and can I just say one thing? I totally knew what was going to happen. It's nice to make sure I'm right though.

April Showers

2009-04-18T22:37:00.006-06:00

My best friend, Amber, is 6 months pregnant now! We had a baby shower for her tonight that was so much fun. We had a mexican fiesta theme and served make-your-own quesadillas and 7-layer dip. And we had a pinata for Amber to beat up! It was so much fun!

We gave Amber a wrench to whack the pinata with. She said it's the funnest thing she's ever done at a baby shower!

Amber with the present I gave her. It says "Mommy's New Man."

We decorated blankets for baby Ezra. This one has little love notes written to the family and the baby. We drew pictures on the other one, including nursery rhymes.

Stefanie, Amber, Addie (Amber's step-daughter), Me, Jessi, Katherine & Cameron. The awesome party!

Preggo mommy posing like a supermodel!

Sue & Amber, I love this girl!

Addie, Jarom & Amber (baby Ezra is hiding)- The little Jenks family!

Family Fun

2009-04-17T21:46:00.002-06:00

Today Jordan, Morgan, Cori & I all went to Memory Grove with my cute friend Tanya and took a million pictures. Okay, maybe not quiet a million, but about 900. We're kind of dorks and Tanya just took pictures of us doing all our stupid little things we do together. We played Mission Impossible, Airplane & acted like monsters. These ones were taken with my new little digital camera:

This is my favorite of just us smiling. We didn't do very many of those...

If Morgan was standing up straight you'd be able to tell she's about 2 inches taller than me, but we were snuggling so you can't really tell.

This might be my favorite picture of the day. They're so cute!

Nothing

2009-04-16T22:36:00.003-06:00

I have absolutely nothing to say today. Seriously. It's been one of those days.

2009-04-15T14:36:00.001-06:00

Okay, the only thing I don't like about text blogging is I can't title it. But I can always edit that later. Snow has taken over Utah today. I was so irritated when I walked out of class today and there was snow on the ground! Usually when it rains I like to wear flip flops. I figure that regular shoes just get soaked through so my feet are cold anyway. So at least if I wear flip flops my feet will dry off quickly instead of being stuck in wet shoes all day. So this morning when it was barely raining I put on my flip flops and went to school. And when class was over I was the crazy girl wearing flip flops in the snow! Luckily I drove to school so I didn't have far to walk to my car. But I am so done with winter!!!!! Stupid snow.

11:50

2009-04-14T23:50:00.003-06:00

By the time I actually post this it will probably be April 15th but I'm starting it at 11:50 on April 14th so it counts! Plus I text-posted a few minutes ago because I'm cool like that. I could never get the text posting to work on my old phone. Now I have the iPhone. So all problems are solved right there. I love my iPhone! I can't say that enough. It's amazing. So the past few days I've been reading two different series. That's right, two at the same time. Yes, I'm a little insane, but I think we already decided that. And yes, I can keep them straight in my head. I love stories. If you teach me anything in the form of a story I will remember it. And I can keep all the stories straight. This is why I can watch 10 different shows on TV and remember tiny details from each one. Don't ask how I do it. I'm really not sure. But I remember the details.

Anyway, the two series I am reading are The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare and The Midnighters by Scott Westerfeld. They are both fantastic and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone who's looking for something great to read!

So I read a book a few weeks ago with a 16 year old girl as the main character. In the end of the book she "lived happily ever after" with her boyfriend and they were madly in love and blah blah blah. And it really irritated me that this author let these two be so in love at 16. And then I realized that it's a little hypocritical... after all, I'm married to the boy that I fell in love with at 15. So when I have a daughter and she's 15 and tells me she's in love with her boyfriend I can't say "No, you're not." Because maybe she really is. So there goes that plan. Anyone have a plan B for me? Cuz I can't even think about having kids till I figure this one out!

2009-04-14T23:47:00.001-06:00

Okay, even though my computer is open right in front of me and it takes longer to text than to type, I'm testing this to my blog because I think it's SO COOL that I can! Okay. I'm done now. I'll type like a normal person.

2009-04-14T23:43:00.001-06:00

I'm trying out blogging from my phone... Does it work???

Bon Voyage

2009-04-13T21:24:00.003-06:00

So apparently I'm really not good at this blogging every day thing. I know what you're thinking, I probably got kidnapped by aliens. That's the only excuse good enough for faltering on my blogging responsibilities. Well, you'd be wrong if that's what you were thinking. Unfortunately I can't claim anything like that happened to me, although I'd like to. What really happened is my husband let me get a new game for my computer. Yep. That's where I've been the past few days. Every time I turn on my computer it's to play this little game:
And now I'm off to play it again.

My Favorite Things

2009-04-08T22:09:00.004-06:00

It's time to get to know me a little bit better. Okay, most people who read my blog know me pretty well, but I got a new camera for my birthday (thanks mommy and daddy!) and Robby doesn't like posing for pictures so I'm forced to find other subjects for photographing. These are a few of my favorite things:

My MacBook Pro. The only thing this fabulous computer doesn't do is cook me dinner. I'm working on that one though.

My books. I love reading. Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows how much I love it. Nerd alert here: When I was little my mom would ground me from my books if I didn't do my chores. And it worked.

Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. To taste a bite of this is to taste a piece of heaven.

Letters from my sister. She may be a million miles away from me and I may not have seen her since last July and I may not have talked to her since Christmas day, but at least I'm getting letters from her! I miss my baby sister though. I'm looking forward to her being home. The end is in sight!

How To Dump A Man

2009-04-07T16:12:00.003-06:00

I read Maureen Johnson's blog this morning and near the end she gave some break up advice. I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair. So I've decided to share my own advice. Breaking up isn't easy. But it can be! Here is a fool-proof way to break up with a man. It might not spare his feelings but it will make your job easier. Just copy and paste this letter. And you're done!

Dear ________:

I regret to inform you that you have been eliminated from further contention as Mr. Right. As you are probably aware, the competition was exceedingly tough and dozens of well-qualified candidates such as yourself also failed to make the final cut. I will, however, keep your name on file should an opening become available. So that you may find better success in your future romantic endeavors, please allow me to offer the following reason(s) you were disqualified from the competition.
(Check those that apply...)

___Your last name is objectionable. I can't imagine taking it, hyphenating it, or subjecting my children to it.

___Your first name is objectionable. It's just not something I can picture myself yelling out in a fit of passion.

___The fact that our dining experiences to date has left MY wallet a little lighter, and YOUR pants a little tighter!

___Your inadvertent admission that you "buy condoms by the truckload" indicates that you may be interested in me for something other than my personality.

___You failed the 20 Question Rule, i.e., I asked you 20 questions about yourself before you asked me more than one about myself.

___Your legs are skinnier than mine.

___You're too short. Any son that we produced would inevitably be beaten up repeatedly at recess.

___You're too tall. I'm developing a chronic neck condition from trying to kiss you.

___I find your inability to fix my car extraordinarily unappealing.

___The fact that your apartment has been condemned reveals an inherent slovenliness that I fear is unbreakable.

___The phrase "My Mother" has popped up far too often in conversation.

___You still live with your parents.

___Although I do enjoy the X-Files, I find your wardrobe of Star Trek uniforms a little disconcerting.

___Your frequent references to your ex-girlfriend lead me to suspect that you are some sort of psychotic stalker.

___Your ability to belch the alphabet is not a trait that I am seeking in a long-term partner.

___Your height is out of proportion to your weight. If you should however, happen to gain the necessary 17 vertical inches, please resubmit your application.

___The terms "I don't know, I'm confused" and "Just give me some time" are the main staple of your communication skills.

___I am out of your league, set your sights lower next time.

Sincerely, ______________________

PS I think Maureen's advice might be better than mine so you really should check it out. It's at the bottom of her Tuesday, April 07, 2009 post.

Raindrops, Roses & Firedrills

2009-04-06T16:42:00.002-06:00

So today at school we had a firedrill. Okay, it probably wasn't supposed to be a firedrill. Because I don't know of any college that does that. But someone pulled the fire alarm. They might have been trying to escape class. I can't say that I blame them. But it reminded me of the firedrills we did in elementary school. We lined up in a line alphabetically and the teacher had to take roll 3 or 4 times. We had to know where our meeting place was and we got yelled at if we tried to make a move without permission. So when we all congregated on the lawn in front of the building I felt like the teacher should be taking roll and keeping us all in a little group. It's funny how things change in college.

Last week was rainy but today the sunshine came out. The weather guy says it's supposed to rain again all weekend so there goes my excitement about the sun. I'll try to enjoy it while it lasts... I'm so ready for summer. Walking home today I saw roses growing in my neighbor's yard and it sort of made my day. They're beautiful and remind me that it's supposed to be spring. I love spring!

"Raindrops keep falling on my head. La la la."

Fear??

2009-04-05T01:31:00.002-06:00

I'm cheating a little I think. I haven't gone to sleep yet so I'm posting super early instead of super late. Yay for my 5th day blogging! Hopefully this post will be a little less neurotic than my last one and people won't think I'm crazy. I got my books straightened out so they're not bothering me anymore. I can focus on writing now! Okay, so here's what's been on my mind the past few hours. (Warning: My head is a crazy place to be. Sorry in advance!)

What is your deepest fear?

Now my answer to this question... My top 5 will change sporadically, but my top 1 remains the same, with only a slight variation. My biggest fear is losing my husband. Since the day we got married that has been my biggest fear. He'll die young and I'll be left heartbroken and alone and everyone will expect me to move on and learn to live without him and maybe even be happy again one day. I just don't see that happening. I actually have nightmares about this about once a week. I wake up with tears on my face and a pounding headache and I can't go back to sleep. This is by far my biggest fear. The slight variation to this only makes it worse. I've started having the nightmare where Robby dies young, and a week later I find out I'm pregnant and I have to raise our child all by myself. Without the man who keeps me sane and makes me laugh and loves me enough to be with me forever. This probably hasn't convinced anyone that I'm not crazy. I promise, I only think about things like this when I'm incredibly tired. I have mild insomnia and that's when my fear-drive kicks in. And really I should be asleep right now, but I started thinking. I wish there was an off switch for my brain. Robby claims there is. I haven't found it yet. He doesn't get how I can lay in bed for hours without falling asleep. I think 1 minute is the longest it's ever taken him to fall asleep once he lies down and closes his eyes. He's lucky.

Now to distract myself from my nightmares... I have a new obsession...

This show is awesome. Joss Whedon makes my head spin. He comes up with the best shows. I hope he never stops. And Eliza Dushku is fabulous, too. She plays a different character every week. I can't imagine that would be easy, but it sure would be fun. I was hooked from the pilot and now I wait anxiously for Saturday mornings so I can download it on iTunes and watch it on my iPhone instead of being productive. Now hopefully I can get some sleep. If not I'll just watch more Dollhouse!

OCD a little?

2009-04-04T20:23:00.005-06:00

This has been on my mind today... To say that I'm a little bit OCD would be an understatement. I try not to tell many people about this because they all think I'm crazy. Maybe I am (just a little bit though)! I should just accept who I am though, so I guess I'll share. OCD is not a blessing. All of you who think it would be nice to NEED to clean, you would be wrong. It's definitely not nice. I have 3 great examples of how crazy I am. Please tell me I'm not really crazy...

I got home from lunch with my husband today and decided to go to the grocery store for a few things. When I got home I went to put them away in the fridge and ended up taking everything out and cleaning the entire fridge. Then I moved on to the stove. Then the dishes. Then the living room. And finally the bedrooms. When Robby called me after work I told him I spent the past 2 hours cleaning. And he asked me "Didn't you just do that? What needs cleaning?" I remembered then that clean to me and clean to my husband are two very different things. Poor guy has to live with me...

I found today that I have too many books to fit on my 3 big book shelves. I need a new one. Robby says I need to have less books. I think he's just jealous. The way my books look right now bothers me. There's just something not really right about how they're arranged. I'll have to fix that when I'm done posting. There's at least another hour.

Last night I went to a movie with some friends. The guy sitting next to me was scratching his girlfriend's back and the noise was so irritating to me that I had to move. Times like these make me wish I could relax a little easier.

If anyone has any brilliant ideas of how to relax and release the OCD bug into the universe please let me know! And please, don't think I'm crazy. I'm really not. I don't think.

Cheer Babe!

2009-04-03T20:28:00.004-06:00

She's amazing! That's right, my little sister, Morgan, made cheerleader this year! She's so excited about it. Cheer try-outs were this afternoon and she did so well. I'm so proud of you babe!

Mommy & Morgan after try-outs.

Morgan and me, isn't she a doll? I love her!

BEDA... Really?

2009-04-02T20:18:00.005-06:00

Okay this blogging every day thing is not so easy. And it's only my second day. But it's good for me to get in the habit of writing... right? Right. Last saturday my love Josephine turned 6 years old! I can't believe how big she's getting. When I was her nanny she was such a little thing. She's still quiet little, but so grown up at the same time! Here's some pictures from her crazy party with 13 6-year-olds and 3 8-year-olds trying to "help."

Josephine lounging around before the party starts. She looks super excited, right?

My Princess and me. I love her.

Josie's crazy cake. The frosting was 5 inches thick in the middle!

Josie with the present Katie and I gave her! Happy Birthday Princess!!

PS Good luck to my darling sister Morgan! She's trying out for Cheerleader tomorrow!!

The English Major

2009-04-01T23:54:00.003-06:00

The English major in me hurts. This one bugs me. So I thought I'd share!

It's actually pretty straightforward. The majority of the time you use affect with an a as a verb and effect with an e as a noun.

Affect

Affect with an a means "to influence," as in, "The arrows affected Ardvark," or "The rain affected Amy's hairdo." Affect can also mean, roughly, "to act in a way that you don't feel," as in, "She affected an air of superiority."

Effect

Effect with an e has a lot of subtle meanings as a noun, but to me the meaning "a result" seems to be at the core of all the definitions. For example, you can say, "The effect was eye-popping," or "The sound effects were amazing," or "The rain had no effect on Amy's hairdo."

Thanks to Grammar Girl for the definitions to share!

BEDA

2009-03-31T23:39:00.003-06:00

I'm joining an amusing little thing called Blog Every Day in April... or BEDA! I'm trying to get myself in the habit of writing every day. It's a new goal. I can't promise that my blogs will have anything of any meaning to say, or really be interesting at all, but I'll give it a shot. Happy April Fools Day everyone!

I Heart Authors

2009-03-31T11:58:00.002-06:00

I went to a book signing in Thursday for an author that I love, Laurie Halse Anderson. She wrote the book Speak which made me cry, and also made me want to be the best teacher that I possibly can be. The new book that she wrote is called Wintergirls and it's amazing! I also ran in to Sara Zarr who lives right by me. Her new book, Once Was Lost, is coming out in September. (I'm so excited!) And I met Emily Wing Smith who is a new favorite of mine. Her book, The Way He Lived, is quiet good. Needless to say, that night was awesome! I wish there were more chances like this, but it was such a great night. They all inspire me!

Be Free

2009-03-25T22:22:00.001-06:00

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose.

Painfully Beautiful

2009-03-25T00:17:00.003-06:00

Approaching Normal

Blue October

My Never

Zoo Fun!

2009-03-21T11:30:00.004-06:00

I love this girl! We play and laugh and smile every time we're together. Last Saturday Eliza & I went to the zoo with Ali, Bill & Elizabeth. We enjoyed the sunny weather and the animals who were out to see us. And of course, the girls loved every minute of it!

Song For...

2009-03-16T16:20:00.003-06:00

You know when you're with someone and a song comes on and every time you hear the song after that it reminds you of them? I have a lot of those. It's like a soundtrack to my life.

Josie: Listen To Your Heart by D.H.T.

Ruby: Punk Rock Princess by Something Corporate

McKenna: I Miss You by Blink 182

Declan: Kidnap the Sandy Claws by The Nightmare Before Christmas

Robby: Far Away by Nickelback

Shelly: The Way I Are by Timbaland

Stefanie: Wouldn't It Be Nice by The Beach Boys

Chelsey: Single Ladies by Beyonce

Jeanette: Fall To Pieces by Avril Lavigne

Jessi: Your Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Amber: Halo by Haley James Scott

Katie: Lucky by Britney Spears

... Of The Week

2009-03-11T16:12:00.004-06:00

Book of the Week:
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Everyone should read this book.

Song of the Week:

Just Dance by Lady GaGa

This describes my mood almost every minute of every day.

Show of the Week:

Dollhouse.

I'm totally addicted.

Quote of the Week:

You're not allowing natural selection to do it's work. You're like the guy who invented the seatbelt.

Dwight K. Schrute

Moment of the Week:

My husband bought me my favorite ice cream just to make me smile.

Picture of the Week:

The moments that take our breath away...

Amazing.

2009-03-07T00:09:00.004-07:00

My new favorite thing. Complete with Hot Pink Case. I'm in love.

Teaching

2009-02-23T21:39:00.002-07:00

Well, I love my teaching class this semester. It is the best class I've taken so far in college. The thing I love most about it is every time I go to class it gets me excited to be a teacher. That's all I've ever wanted to do. It's a hard job, especially living in Utah. There will be many days that I want to quit, I'm sure of that. But if I can make a difference in even one person's life, it will all be worth it.

THE ONES WHO ARE CRAZY ENOUGH TO THINK THEY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD ARE THE ONES WHO DO.

My Nook

2009-02-16T12:27:00.002-07:00

I decided I needed a place to share my writing that I do for my Literature classes. Being an English major, I do a lot of writing. So I made a place to share it: My Nook Go check it out!

The Fabulous Sara

2009-02-13T12:48:00.004-07:00

I got to meet the Fabulous Sara Zarr today! It was so great. I went to her book signing at the U of U bookstore and it was kind of a madhouse around us but I got to sit and talk with her for almost a half an hour. She was so nice and fun to talk to. I even got both of my books signed! I also got to talk to her about her stories. She writes beautiful, realistic stories. They're not the "Happily-ever-after, riding off into the sunset" stories. They're real. They could be about you or your best friend or your neighbor you grew up next door to. Either way, they're real and that is what I love about them. I'm really glad that I stopped in to see her though. She is amazing!

One Word Answers

2009-02-02T16:11:00.004-07:00

The rule: Answer the following questions using only one word. It's not as easy as you might think! (I cheated just a little bit) And if you're reading this you're now tagged!

1. Where is you cell phone? Purse
2. Your significant other? Spectacular
3. Your mother? Loving
4. Your father? Sweetest
5. Your hair? Messy
6. Your favorite thing? iPod
7. Your dream last night? nada
8. Your favorite drink? Dr. Pepper
9. Your dream/goal? Teach
10. What room are you in? Living Room
11. Your hobby? Reading
12. Your fear? Slimy Things...
13. Where were you last night? Eliza's
14. Muffins? Chocolate chip
15. Wish list item? Purses
16. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Teaching
17. Where did you grow up? Utah
18. Last thing you did? Kissed
19. What are you wearing? Hoodie
20. Your TV? Big
21. Your pets? Toby
22. Friends? The BEST!
23. Your life? Fabulous
24. Your mood? Smiling
25. Missing Someone? Belle & Boe
26. Car? Bug
27. Something you’re NOT wearing? Hat
28. Your favorite store? Barnes & Noble
29. Your favorite color? Pink
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. When is the last time you cried? Who knows?
32. One place you go to over and over again? School
33. Favorite place? Home with Honey
34. One person who emails me regularly? Belle & Boe

Girls Weekend

2009-01-19T11:28:00.005-07:00

I spent the weekend playing with Josie, Ruby & McKenna. They are so sweet and fun and CRAZY! Crazy would probably be the best word to describe them :) But that's why I love them. I taught them to be so crazy in the first place. I love them so much... how can you not love these faces???

(Yes, McKenna did her own hair today...)

Jello

2009-01-15T19:14:00.008-07:00

Well usually I'm terrible at "resolutions" so I don't make them. This year is no exception. I did however give myself little goals and things to work on. Totally different, right? Yes. Anyway, I started the new year with adding a little 15 minute very intense workout to each day. 15 minutes is about all I can take because I get distracted too easily... Anyway, it's been really good and I've actually enjoyed it and felt a little better about myself because of it. Well here I am feeling all proud of myself for exercising and then I go to my first dance class of the semester. Wow. It was so intense. My teacher, Tamara, is a very well known teacher and choreographer. She is amazing and from the minute we walk in the door to the minute we walk out of it we are dancing. I have missed it A LOT. But I wasn't ready for it. I left the class feeling like jello. And the feeling stuck with me all day! It made me feel a little bit pathetic that I was so wimpy. Next time will be better though, at least I know what to expect. I love this class!

Time to go dance!

Best Thing Ever

2009-01-09T23:21:00.003-07:00

I wanted to share pictures of my newest toy. This was my Christmas present from my sweet husband. He claimed today that I am the most spoiled person in the world. He might be right. Look how pretty!

Despair Inc.

2009-01-05T23:24:00.003-07:00

One of my favorite websites to look at when I'm bored is despair.com (there's a link to in on the side of my blog). It always makes me laugh to read the de-motivational posters that they make there. These are a few of my favorites.

PERSISTENCE: It's over, man. Let her go.

MISTAKES: It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.

POTENTIAL: Not everyone gets to be an astronaut when they grow up.

CONSISTENCY: It's only a virtue if you're not a screwup.

BEAUTY: If you're attractive enough on the outside, people will forgive you for being irritating to the core.

These are just my favorites, if you want to laugh out loud go check them out for yourself and find your own favorites!

I'm Craving...

2009-01-05T02:15:00.002-07:00

Balsamic Tomatoes & Mozzarella

Ingredients:

3 fresh tomatoes, cubed

1 ball mozzarella, sliced into bite-sized pieces

2-3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Fresh Basil

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and chill in refrigerator covered, 2-3 hours. Serve chilled.

I'm making this first thing in the morning!

2009

2009-01-03T21:21:00.003-07:00

Well we're 3 days into 2009 but already I am loving it. Wanna know why??

5. I had a fabulous party with my BFF's on New Years Eve, way to start the new year right! (And of course I kissed my sweet husband at midnight!)

4. I got several Disney movies from my mommy for Christmas and I've been watching them and remembering what life was like as a little kid!

3. I get to see Wicked in April, thanks to my mother-in-law for that awesome present!

2. The Utes not only won the Sugar Bowl, but they kicked some Alabama trash and sacked the quarterback more than once! Go Utes!

And the number 1 reason I already love 2009...

1. My Christmas present may have come after Christmas, but my beautiful new MacBook Pro was totally worth the wait!!

FINALS... finally

2008-12-16T20:57:00.001-07:00

If I make it through tomorrow I'll be okay.... only 2 more to go!

"Celebrity Playlist"

2008-12-05T22:21:00.000-07:00

I love the "celebrity playlist" feature on iTunes. I like looking at the songs that they like and seeing what we have in common- and what we don't. After looking at a bunch I decided to make my own "celebrity playlist" (although yes, technically I am not a celebrity, except in my own head, but whatever!) I wanna know what your playlist would be too!

1. Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden: This is probably my all-time favorite song. I've loved it since I first started picking out my own music.

2. Fall To Pieces by Avril Lavigne: It's very hard for me to pick a favorite Avril song, because she is my favorite artist and I love everything she's done. I can't think of one exception. But of them all this one is my absolute favorite. A few others of hers make my list though!

3. Caught Fire (In Your Eyes) by The Used: Everything The Used does has passion and power behind it. This is one of their few love songs (I'm a sucker for love songs, obviously).

4. Breaking The Habit by Linkin Park: Angry is the first word that comes to mind. But it's not just about anger. There's so much more there. That's what I love about this song.

5. Breath by Taylor Swift: It's a break-up song, but such a comforting, soothing song. I love it.

6. Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne: Never let go. Enough said.

7. River Flows in You by Yiruma: This song so beautiful. I could listen to it forever.

8. You're the Inspiration by Chicago: Of course, another love song. This one is so sweet. The simple lyrics and message with it are the heart of love.

9. Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven: When I hear this song I close my eyes and let me music take over. The peaceful feeling is unreal.

10. Bleed Like Me by Garbage: For everyone who's ever felt different.

11. Hold On by Good Charlotte: In high school this song kept me sane. When you think you're alone... you're not.

12. Human by The Killers: Human or Dancer? You decide.

13. When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne: Everyone has felt this way about someone. When they are gone your heart breaks.

14. Far Away by Nickelback: For Robby. This is our song. Right before we got engaged we lived across the country from each other and it was almost unbearable. But I always knew he loved me.

15. Giving It Away by Mae: This is for my baby sister Shelly. I can't hear this song without thinking of her.

16. Hold Me by Savage Garden: Every relationship has problems. Don't push the one you love away. Hold them to get through it.

17. Broken by Seether & Amy Lee: How it feels to lose someone you love.

18. Pieces by Sum 41: I've loved this song since high school. It has a personal history for me.

19. It's Been A While by StainD: Another one with a personal history. A beautiful song.

20. Inevitable by Anberlin: Not your traditional love song. It's perfect though.

PS These songs (for the most part) aren't in a particular order. I love them all. So what do we have in common? :)

When I Get Bored

2008-12-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I get bored I cut myself bangs. Other times I play with photo booth. I always have fun though!

I've Been Thinking

2008-11-28T11:59:00.001-07:00

i need a bigger bookshelf. the three i have don't hold enough. christmas music is a great mood lifter. i have no where to put my tree. that's not going to stop me from putting it up. i really should start my christmas shopping soon or i'll regret it. i wish one tree hill didn't take a break for christmas. i can't wait for antm to start again. i love my husband. he's amazing. i miss my shelly and my joe.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T23:37:00.000-07:00

Wisdom

2008-09-28T02:55:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite places to find wisdom are my Calvin & Hobbes books. For a six year old Calvin sure has a lot going on in his head. Sometimes it's just what I need to hear. And sometimes he just makes me laugh. Today this quote stuck out to me. He sure is a funny kid.

"I imagine bugs and girls have a dim perception that nature played a cruel trick on them, but they lack the intelligence to really comprehend the magnitude of it."

Beautiful Little Girl

2008-09-25T18:09:00.000-06:00

Need I say more?

I like this picture

2008-09-24T21:04:00.001-06:00

This picture was taken at our wedding dinner, but I'd never seen it until tonight. Better a year and a half late than never!

It's Great to be 8!

2008-09-14T01:02:00.001-06:00

My girls turned 8 on 9-11. I can't believe how old they are!!! They're so happy and helpful and grown-up now! Today Morgan and I went up to Eden today (well technically yesterday since it's early Sunday morning) for their birthday party and ended up spending 12 hours there! There were more than 30 kids at the party so it was a little bit crazy but we had so much fun. Here's a few pictures from the adventure...
Trying to help decorate :)

Kenna rocking out!

Ruby's beautiful smile

Two cakes for the twiners.

They had a pretty great day. I love them so much!

9.11.01

2008-09-11T20:20:00.000-06:00

Do you remember this day seven years ago? I do. It was such a scary, surreal day. Driving to school with my mom was usually a quiet time. She usually rolled straight out of bed and could hardly keep her eyes open, but for some odd reason my mom turned on the news that morning and there it was.
Two separate planes had crashed into the twin towers in New York City. I was so confused. How could this happen? My first class that day was psychology. My teacher was usually a little too dramatic but that day I appreciated it. She didn't think she could focus on anything (really none of us could) so we turned on the TV and watched the madness unfold.
We stared at the TV, almost not believing what was happening. There were two towers with two giant holes in them, smoke and fire were pouring out. We could see people running from the buildings when they gave close shots of the streets. No one knew what was going on.
And then it got worse. Right before out eyes both towers collapsed. It almost looked like there was an internal bomb or some kind of explosion. They fell right on top of themselves and so many people died. I remember I almost didn't believe it when I saw it. I almost thought it was fake. I never realized something like that could happen.
Then another plane hit the Pentagon. And on another plane the passengers revolted against the terrorists and took it down in the middle of nowhere, rather then hit it's target. What brave people they must have been.
The whole day was kind of a blur. A very terrifying blur. All I could think is what is happening to our country? Seven years later I still don't know the answer to that question. But it's a very scary thought.

My Belle

2008-08-30T18:31:00.000-06:00

My baby sister is so cute. And yes, I know that she's only a year younger then me but she'll always be my baby sister. I miss her so much more then I thought I would. And that's a lot cuz I knew I would miss her. She sent me some pictures this past week that I wanted to share. She is just so pretty!

School Starts

2008-08-24T23:38:00.000-06:00

So school starts again tomorrow and I'm hoping I still have my mind at the end of this week. I had to buy 17 books for my four classes! I guess that's what I get for being an English major...

Soundtrack To My Life

2008-08-04T02:33:00.000-06:00

Some of these have personal meaning and some are just songs that I like. But for right now this is the SOUNDTRACK TO MY LIFE:

1. Feel This (ft. Enation)- Bethany Joy Galeotti
2. Viva La Vida- Coldplay
3. Mistakes We Knew We Were Making- Straylight Run
4. Starlight- Muse
5. Headstrong- Ashley Tisdale
6. Forever- Chris Brown
7. False Pretense- The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
8. I'm Like A Lawyer With The Way I'm Always Trying To Get You Off- Fall Out Boy
9. Stop and Stare- OneRepublic
10. The Way I Are- Timbaland
11. Suspension- Mae
12. LoveStoned- Justin Timberlake
13. Falling Down- Avril Lavigne
14. It's Only Life- Kate Voegele
15. Fall For You- Secondhand Serenade
16. Apologize- Timbaland & OneRepublic

These are in no particular order. Enjoy!

It's Fun Being a Girl

2008-07-30T03:02:00.000-06:00

So this month for girls night Chelsey, Amber and I went to the Gateway and ate at Applebee's. Then I had the brilliant idea to go to Build-a-Bear. Amber had to leave before we took a picture but she mad a "Bat Bear." He was so cute in his Batman costume complete with cape and utility belt. Chelsey made a tinkerbell bear named Sassy and I made a girly bear named Claire. I love being a girl!

My Picture for the Moment

2008-07-29T02:24:00.000-06:00

Sometimes the simplest things in life bring the most joy.

Bye-Bye Belle

2008-07-29T01:46:00.001-06:00

My baby sister left this past week for Brazil. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done to watch her walk away and know I wouldn't see her for a year and a half. The rest of our family was smiling and waving and I was just glad I had my husband there so I had a shoulder to cry on. But I am so proud of her. Shelly will make an amazing missionary!

Girls Night is Healthy For You

2008-06-25T02:08:00.000-06:00

It's true. I began a tradition where one night a month my close girlfriends come over to my house and we play and laugh and eat (of course!) and really just enjoy each other's company. I love these girls and I'm so glad that I have them to talk to! Tonight we played three different versions of Scene It and then Apples to Apples for about 2 hours. It was so much fun!

Meeting Eliza

2008-06-21T01:17:00.001-06:00

Robby's cousin Linda and her husband Mark just had their first baby a few weeks ago. We went to meet her and we even made Robby hold her. She is so adorable. She has lots of dark hair and smiles a lot. We had fun visiting her and his cousins too! Robby was so cute with her....

Weekend with my Babies!

2008-06-21T01:03:00.000-06:00

I got to spend last weekend with my babies in Eden. I miss them so much. It was wonderful to see them and get to spend some quality time with them. We went to the grocery store about 7 at night after their day-time baby-sitter ruined dinner and we each bought our own food for dinner. We had pizza, corn dogs, fried chicken and fruit. And popcorn and gummy bears for dessert! The next day we spent several hours at the pool and then back to the house where we played. It was so nice to relax and play with the kids that I love.

TAG YOU'RE IT!

2008-06-11T12:25:00.000-06:00

If you read this you're tagged and you have to do it too :) It's very easy though so no worries! All you have to do is create a post and list 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Obsessions/Collections, and 3 Random Facts About Yourself. Enjoy!

3 Joys:
1 My Husband. He is amazing and my favorite person in the world.
2 My Job. That sounds lame I know but tell me how many of you love your job so much that taking three days off is hard for you? Not many I'm guessing!
3 My Books/Bookshelves. No matter what kind of mood I am in I can find something there that fits it.

3 Fears:
1 My brother and sister will not be safe in Argentina and Brasil.
2 Even if I try my hardest to set a good example to my younger brothers and sisters there's only so much I can do.
3 I will not be a good mother.

3 Goals:
1 I already got married and sealed in the temple to the love of my life but that was such a huge thing to me that I think it still counts.
2 Finish college. We're still working on the what in part.
3 Raise my children the best I possibly can.

3 Obsessions:
1 Fashion. Just look at my 2 closets, 2 dressers, 2 shoe racks and giant collection of purses.
2 Books. I can never get enough. I love to read and learn. One day I will have a whole room as my personal library.
3 My Computer. All of the awesome things it can do amaze me.

3 Random Facts:
1 I love Dr. Pepper. I can't give it up so don't ask.
2 I didn't really know what "Apple" was until my husband (at the time just my boyfriend) opened my eyes. Thanks babe!
3 I make up a lot of stories in my head. If I ever have a far away look and you can tell I'm not really listening to you I'm sorry but my stories just take over sometimes!

My New Haircut Again

2008-06-09T14:14:00.000-06:00

So to be perfectly honest my last haircut when I went short was not my favorite ever. So I decided that after 2 months of living with that one I was going to get a new style. This morning I went to a new salon that a friend of mine goes to and this is how I came out. I LOVE IT!

It's to that point...

2008-05-29T18:35:00.001-06:00

Since I have been married for over a year people automatically assume that I should be pregnant by now. I get that question a lot. At least every time I see my family or Robby's. And a lot of my friends from high school. Don't worry, when I am pregnant I will not be able to keep that in. I cannot keep secrets about myself. Other people I have no problem keeping secrets for but myself, well I can't seem to do it. (Robby knew every single present he was getting for Christmas last year long before he opened them...) So rest assured that you will all know when I'm preggo! But that is not the point of this post so moving on...
When I think about the future and having children I usually get pretty scared. Not because I think I'll be a terrible mother (well, I kind of do) but because I worry about raising children. I've seen many times parents do all they can to raise their children as best they can but in the end values are stomped on and thrown away. It's not even a religious thing. It's simply knowing for yourself the difference between right and wrong. Parents can teach their kids "right" but in the end there's nothing more you can do. You can't make people be good. It takes a lot of faith in someone to trust them.

There comes a point in your life when you realize that all you can do is love someone and hope they follow your example.

Yellowstone

2008-05-26T20:53:00.001-06:00

Robby and I got to go to Yellowstone with his family this past weekend and it was so much fun! I have never been there before so it was great to see all the nature and cute little animals there. We saw a few little baby animals too and they were precious! We took a bunch of pictures though and these are some of my favorites.

Joe the Missionary

2008-05-10T00:31:00.001-06:00

I am so proud of my little brother. He is such an amazing kid. And now he's on his mission! Saying good-bye to him was so hard to do but he will be a wonderful missionary and we know he's doing the right thing. I love my little brother.

Life for Now

2008-04-28T20:27:00.000-06:00

I'm totally aware that I go in the strangest spurts with blogging. Sometimes I just have to get it all out and sometimes it's nice to keep things in. I've been in a keeping it in mood lately. I realized long ago that if you say something without thinking it all the way through you could quiet possibly come to regret it. Hopefully not though. But it's for this reason that I sometimes keep my thoughts in instead of spilling them all out. Anyway, this is a lot of rambling and not a lot of sense-making. On to other things...

May is the time for weddings! And everyone who knows me well knows how much I adore weddings. I watched the movie 27 Dresses (which is coming out on DVD tomorrow!) and decided she may be the only person ever who loves weddings more then I do. My ideal job would be a wedding planner, but we do live in Utah and not many people use a wedding planner here. So I pass my time by re-living my own wedding day and helping friends plan theirs. We've received several wedding invitations for May so far and I am so excited for them all! Now if only the weather could figure itself out and start feeling like summer!

Amazingly Simple Home Remedies

2008-04-08T11:04:00.000-06:00

1. If you're choking on an ice cube simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.

2. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold while you chop.

3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.

5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you'll be afraid to cough.

7. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

Daily Thought: SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES. NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

Thanks to my funny mother-in-law for sending this to me!

A Little Wisdom

2008-04-07T12:02:00.000-06:00

The dynamics of inter-being and mono logical imperatives in Dick and Jane : A study in psychic transrelational gender modes. Academia, here I come.

Hobbes: Well, you still have afternoons and weekends.
Calvin: That's when I watch TV.

That's the problem with nature, something's always stinging you or oozing mucous all over you. Let's go and watch TV.

You can present the material, but you can't make me care.

My family is dysfunctional and my parents won't empower me. Consequently I'm not self actualized.

I don't need to compromise my principles, because they don't have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway.

Thank you Calvin & Hobbes!

My Princess turned 5 today

2008-03-28T13:37:00.001-06:00

Josie turned 5 today and we had her party at Build-a-Bear. She was so cute and had so much fun. It's just hard to see her grow up!
My Princess & Me

Josie stuffing her bear

Josie and her friends

Josie showing off the braclet I made her for her present.

Love you Josie!

I Chopped it Off!

2008-03-27T17:48:00.000-06:00

It's exactly how it sounds... I chopped off all my hair. 10 inches. I have never had it this short before! But I really think I like it!

She's going to Brazil!

2008-03-27T10:40:00.000-06:00

Shelly got called to the Belo Horizonte mission in Brazil. She reports to the MTC in Brazil on the 23rd of July!

Happy Birthday to Me

2008-03-25T10:58:00.000-06:00

Today I turned 22 and threw myself a little party to celebrate. It was so much fun! These are a few of my favorite pictures from it!

Happy Not Anniversary

2008-03-19T14:22:00.001-06:00

Today was the Not Anniversary of one of my best friends so we took her out to dinner! She looked gorgeous of course and we all got dressed up pretty so we could take cute pictures and stuff :)