the long and short of it...

Party

2012-02-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

We had Elsie's birthday party at my parent's house the Saturday after the big day.

She was super cute of course.

I was so proud of her for leaving her shoes on the ENTIRE time.

Apparently parties maker her tired

Elsie hanging with her newest Aunt

Some party decorations

Reading one of her cards with daddy

Elsie did a decent job at opening gift. Hopefully she'll have it down by bday #2.

Elsie got a princess 4-wheeler, she couldn't even wait for the box to be removed to take her first ride.

Elsie was mesmerized by the flame

Elsie's "Dude, what am I suppose to do now?" face

Loving her cupcake

She devoured the whole thing

Thanks to Camilla for the photos

ONE

2012-01-17T16:55:00.000-07:00

Elsie had her 12 month well baby appointment yesterday. She was really good but she is definitely starting to get weary of strangers touching and poking her. The doctor declared her "very healthy."

Here are the stats:

Height: 29.5 inches, 57th percentile
Weight: 21 lbs. 3 oz., 48th percentile
Head Circumference: 46.5 cm, 84th percentile

Elsie has grown up a lot in the last few months. She is very mobile and loves to get into stuff. Here is the list of new or newish Elsie talents:

flushing the toilet
walking behind any movable object or while someone holds her hands
standing without support, she use to sit down as soon as she noticed she wasn't holding on to anything but she has started gaining confidence in herself
clapping
high fives
brushing hair
eating anything and everything she can get her hands on
drinking from a cup- with proper motivation (aka chocolate milk)
getting down from mom and dad's bed without assistance
growing teeth, she has 6
responding to questions like "Where's your dad?" and "Point to the fish." by pointing
waving
turning the pages of books

Birthday Weekend

2012-01-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

Elsie turned one on Sunday. I was really really excited about it. So, I declared it birthday weekend and informed Elsie and Isaac that we were going spend time together, have fun, and celebrate all weekend long. Which, of course, mostly involves a lot of delicious food. It was great.

On Sunday I woke up early because I was too excited to sleep and started working on Elsie's cake. Once Isaac and Elsie got up it was time to start Birthday Day. You know as opposed to birthday weekend. We called everything we did "Birthday ________" whether or not it was a special birthday only event. We started with birthday breakfast (German Pancakes). Then moved on to a special birthday movie (Finding Nemo). Then finally a birthday bath.


Elsie loves bath time.

After all that Elsie needed a Birthday Nap. When she awoke we had birthday lunch (Pulled Pork Sandwiches and Cole Slaw). Then, finally, it was time for the highlight of the day, Birthday Cake.

Of course Elsie didn't know how to blow out the candle or make a wish but her Dad was willing to help her out.

Not so surprisingly Elsie loved eating her small piece cake. I had never seen her high chair tray as clean after eating as when she finished her cake.

The rest of the day was filled with relaxing and resting. Oh, and if you were wondering what we had for birthday dinner it was Birthday Leftovers.

Happy Birthday Elsie! Mom and Dad love you lots!

Here is a short little video of the Birthday Girl. We were trying to get a video of her standing skills but she was always too distracted by the camera. This is cute anyway.

October

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

On October 17th Elsie had her 9 month well baby check up. Here are the stats:

Height- 28.25 inches (66th percentile)
Weight- 20 pounds 2 ounces (67th percentile)
Head Circumference- 44.75 centimeters (67th percentile)

Elsie is growing up a lot. She can now pull herself up to a standing position against virtually anything. She is also really loving finger foods. A few days after her 9 month birthday we started sleep training her (crying it out... ugh) and she started sleeping better after a few days. She still wakes up at most nights but generally puts herself back to sleep after a few minutes. Does anyone have any sleep tips? Like getting her to go to sleep easier/earlier, stay asleep, etc?

Anyway,

Elsie was a cow for Halloween. It was super cute. Sadly we only had about 5 trick-or-treaters so not many people were able to behold the cuteness. Here are a few pics:

And here is a short video that shows some of Elsie's enthusiasm. And to answer your question, yes, the camera was set to video mode with out me realizing. Why do you ask?

Sharing

2011-10-16T11:52:00.000-06:00

Isaac said this is blog worthy so I had to post it :-)

Update: Crawling

2011-09-28T21:33:00.000-06:00

Since my post last week Elsie has started to make full fledged crawling her main mode of transportation around the house. She still army crawls quite a bit but she is starting to notice the advantages of being on all fours.

Here is video proof:

I'm sure she'll get more graceful with time :-)

Times Flies

2011-09-21T15:52:00.000-06:00

Elsie is growing up so fast! She turned 8 months old last week. The last few months have gone by too fast. I'm starting to get worried that one day I'll wake up and be surprised to find that I have a toddler on my hands. I suppose I should make sure to enjoy every stage while we are in it!

Here is some new (or newish) stuff going on with Elsie:

She can army crawl like a maniac. She has even regular crawled a few steps.
She is starting to get more hair- I wouldn't even call her bald any more.
She can sit on her own like nobody's business and can even get into a sitting position all on her own.
She loves to explore, especially the kitchen and bathrooms.
Her favorite thing to play with are cords to any electronic device, paper, and anything that makes a crinkling noise. She sometimes gets quite upset when we take those thing away from her.
She loves looking at herself in the mirror. She will lean in to touch her "friend"and knock her head on the glass instead.
On Sunday she got her first tooth!
She loves playing in the bath. Smacking the water is her favorite.
She is starting to love eating solid foods. She gets more exited for squash than she does for nursing!

Earlier today we went to the green belt to enjoy the last of the good weather.

Elsie love to attack the camera.

This one is from about a month ago. Meal time isn't always this messy but it is always this cute!

She's a mover and shaker

2011-08-25T16:07:00.002-06:00

Elsie can move around like crazy these days. She isn't quite crawling but I'm sure she'll get there soon.
Here is a small sample of what she can do:

*I used an old Sudoku puzzle book as bate. I wish I could claim that she is actually motivated to move by my presence, but she isn't.

Another Side-by-Side

2011-07-19T12:33:00.001-06:00

I just did the math and Elsie is 2.5 times her birth weight.

19

2011-07-18T11:35:00.001-06:00

Left: Elsie at 3 months
Right: Elsie at 6 months

Today was Elsie's 6 month well baby visit. She saw a whole new doctor at a whole new office in a whole new state. She was very good the whole time- until she got her shots. Poor thing.
Here are the stats:

Height- 26.5 inches, 67th percentile (+2 inches since last dr visit)
Head- 43.5 cm or about 17 inches, 64th percentile (+~.75 inches)
Weight- 19 pounds, 90th percentile (+4 pounds 3.5 ounces in just over two months!)

One Half

2011-07-15T09:10:00.001-06:00

Elsie turns six months old today.

Meaning, when people asked how old she is she could, if she were able, shyly lift half a finger and say, "This many."

Of course, as every parents says, time has just flown by.

Here are some new (or sort of new) things going on with Elsie:

She can roll anyway she wants to (back-to-front, front-to-back, to-the-left, or to-the-right) easily. She often moves across the room before I even notice what's happening.
She is very close to being an accomplished sitter. Currently she can sit upright but is normally quite wobbly and is prone to tipping over.
She enjoys spending time entertaining herself and doesn't always want to be held, as she did in the past.
Her hair is starting to grow in a little longer and thicker but she is still pretty bald.
She takes 2-3 regular naps a day. She has also gotten a lot better at falling asleep at night with out much fussing and normally sleeps 5 or more hours before waking up.
She has been enjoying rice cereal for about a week now.
She spends a good portion of her day blowing very very wet raspberries- even when she is eating her cereal which can get very messy.
She smiles and laughs a lot, especially when her dad is around.

Last night we went out to take some 6 month pictures. Although I might try again today or tomorrow (or both) so I might post some more. Here are the results:

I had a little bit of trouble getting her to smile, but she's still cute as a button.

She will, of course, smile at the person NOT taking the pictures (Isaac).

She really loved pulling up the lawn.

Keys are her new favorite toy. I think it is because they are noisy.

She likes to examine them...

... and put them in her mouth.

Coming soon: side-by-side photo showing her growth since 3 months, and, for next week, the results of her 6 month well baby visit.

Kitchen/Laundry Room/Patio

2011-07-11T14:59:00.001-06:00

As promised here are some pictures of the house, which obviously everyone is dying to see ;-)
This will hopefully become a series of posts as we complete cleaning and organizing different areas of the house.

Kitchen as viewed from living room area

Wider view

Kitchen and Dining Area as viewed from the Laundry Room

Modern Miracle #1: DISHWASHER!!!!!!!!

Full Sized Pantry- I keep telling myself that I'm going to organizing it, we'll see if that ever happens.

Dining area with view of sliding glass door

Modern Miracle #2: Laundry Room- in my own home with no need for quarters!

Patio

Let me just say, I love love LOVE my kitchen!

Here is one more picture, just for fun:

I love her even more than the kitchen, if you can believe it!

Cakebott

2011-07-08T00:29:00.000-06:00

So, I have a really talented sister-in-law named Camilla.

Well, actually, she is more than my sister-in-law. She is my best friend, my former college roommate, and confidant. And we just happened to marry brothers. Which wasn't planned- no matter what you've heard.

Anyways, back to the point. She is good at a lot of stuff. I mean a lot of stuff. She's way creative, which is something I've always envied. (Like the green faced, pouty kind of envied.) She can cook, she can decorate rooms and make them looks awesome (even on a budget!), she can draw, and even make cool logos. Oh, and this is kind of a secret but she has even wrote a few very hysterical short stories especially for me- isn't that rad?

Once again, I digress. What I really want to talk about are her major baking skills. For a while now Camilla has been making and decorating amazing cakes, cupcakes, and other goodies for her family, friends, and acquaintances. Many people, including myself, have tried to convince her to start taking orders from a larger market but she's been a little shy about it. Recently, however, she must of had a change of heart because she just launched her web site, Cakebott. Which is a play on her name, get it? Funky cool, am I right? Oh, and I should mention that everything she knows about cakes she learned from me*. Okay, really, I need to start staying on topic.

What I really want to say is that if you have a special occasion coming up, or even if you are just a fan of having pretty cakes in your everyday life, you should really consider ordering a cake from her. Seriously, check out the web site, you'll want to eat them right off your screen.

Oh, and just to be clear, these creations don't subscribe to the idea that looking good precludes tasting good. They are good in every way. Way good. Especially the cupcakes. And that's coming from a life long cake hater.

Here is that link again, in case you missed it: www.cakebott.com.

*Okay, I admit that statement is ANYTHING but true. However, I did make her wedding cake, so maybe there is such a thing as cake talent osmosis?? Come on, MAYBE there is :-)

Closed

2011-06-25T00:02:00.000-06:00

We closed on our house today.
We have the keys.
We have a house.
These things are hard for me to believe.

Pictures coming soon.

Things that are on my mind.

2011-06-02T00:52:00.000-06:00

Here is a brief list of somethings that are on my mind:

Choosing a doctor is hard to do. I need to find a new pediatrician for Elsie before she is 6 months old. There are quite a few options covered by our insurance but I have no idea which one to choose or what criteria I should base my decision.
I can't sleep. I don't know why but I know it is going to cause me problems when tomorrow comes.
I need to find a hobby. And then I need to find motivation to participate in that hobby.
How did I get so lucky? I have a way awesome, hard working, and supportive husband and I get to spend my days with this cute thing:

I'm going to go try to sleep now.

Life in Idaho

2011-05-27T16:51:00.000-06:00

Earlier this month we moved to Idaho, which isn't something I ever imagined we'd be doing. Goes to show what I know.

Isaac graduated from college this month. He so amazing and smart. I love him. Last week he started his brand-new professional job. The consistent schedule of a full time job is definitely a welcome change from the out of control student schedule he's had for the last few years. He is doing awesome, of course, and I think he enjoys the new challenge.

Elsie continues to grow and change like crazy. It seems like she picks up a new trick almost every day. Most recently she has started laughing a lot, playing with toys like a pro, and rolling over about 90% of the way. She has also started tolerating tummy time, which makes me very happy. Overall she's a joy and we love her very much!

Probably the biggest most recent new for our little family is that we found a house and put in an offer, which was accepted!!! We should be closing and moving in around the end of June. We are so excited!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Four Month Well Baby

2011-05-06T13:31:00.001-06:00

Elsie had her four month well baby appointment today. Here are the stats:

Weight: 14 pounds 12.5 ounces. 75th percentile. That means she has grown 2 pounds 12 ounces in less than 2 months!!
Height: 24.5 inches. 50th percentile.
Head: 16.25 inches. 50th percentile.

Isaac has a birthday and gets an A-pin!

2011-04-16T14:33:00.002-06:00

Let me start off by saying that I am married to the world's most wonderful guy. He's amazing. I love him.

Wednesday was Isaac's 24th Birthday. We celebrated by going to an awards ceremony to see Isaac get his A-pin, going to dinner, and watching a movie at home. It was grand.

Here is Isaac receiving his A-pin from the dean of the school of business. (You can't see the pin in the picture, just the certificate.) To earn this award a student has to have two consecutive semesters with a 4.0 while taking 15 or more credits. It's pretty darn prestigious. I'm so proud of him!!

Isaac and Elsie on her first trip to campus. Aren't they both cute?

I love you Isaac!!!!

Three Months

2011-04-16T13:50:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was Elsie's 3 month birthday- time has sure flown by!!

On the left Elsie is 6 weeks old and one right 3 months. She seems so grown up to me these days!

!!!!

2011-04-12T18:16:00.003-06:00

Elsie just laughed her first real laugh!!

Arches/Conference

2011-04-05T15:05:00.000-06:00

This past weekend we went down to Elmo to visit my sister and brother-in-law. It was tons of fun! We ate delicious food, went to Arches, and watched conference.

The drive from Logan to Price/Elmo was Elsie's longest car ride to date. She did awesome.

Isaac was kind enough to carry Elsie. I swear she was perfectly happy most of the hike. I think a combination of hunger and wind did her in as we reached Delicate Arch.

It was so windy up there I though my hair was going to whip me in the face so hard that I'd bleed. It didn't. Also, I'm really afraid of heights.

Family photo at Sand Dune Arch. Our Favorite.

Jen, Bother-in-law Isaac, and stranger at Sand Dune Arch.

Elsie watching conference. It was her first but she caught on to tradition really fast :-)

Thanks, Jen and Isaac for the great weekend. We had a blast!

Elsie Happenings

2011-03-28T13:21:00.001-06:00

Here are some of the things going on in Elsie's life:

She is now able to hold her rattle for longer than 2 seconds at a time. I don't think she really knows what she is doing yet but progress is progress.
She grows more independent everyday- she has even let her mom make dinner uninterrupted... once.
She goes to bed earlier and earlier every night.
She eats an average of every 3 hours during the day, a nice change from every hour and a half :-)
She can move her fist to her mouth readily and easily.
She takes fewer longer naps.
She makes lots of non-crying noises- sometimes a coo just to get someones attention. A couple of time she has made noises that sound really close to laughs. And don't worry, she is still very good at making crying noises.
She loves, I mean, LOVES going rides in the car and stroller. If the weather would cooperate then we could go for more walks.

Some March Photos

2011-03-28T12:50:00.001-06:00

Cute thing 3-20-2011

Nap on the couch- I wonder how much longer I'll be comfortable doing this? 3-35-2011

I like to put Elsie in summery outfits... even if it is snowing. 3-27-2011

Drunk baby face. 3-27-2011

Genes

2011-03-17T14:46:00.003-06:00

Do you think Elsie looks like me?

Elsie 3-16-2011

Lauren 1989

I do. She's cuter, of course.

Well Baby

2011-03-15T16:46:00.002-06:00

Elsie had her 2 month Doctor's visit today. Her last appointment was at 2 weeks. At both visits the nurse weighed and measured her. Here are the results:

January 31st: 2 weeks
Weight- 8 lbs 3 oz 50th percentile
Height- 20 3/4 inches 70th percentile
Head- 13 3/4 inches 25th percentile

March 15th: 2 months
Weight- 12 lbs 1/2 oz 85th percentile
Height- 22 1/2 inches 55th percentile
Head- 15 1/4 inches 50th percentile

Elsie foot prints- the top is from the 2 month visit and the bottom is from the 2 week visit

First time wearing a dress 3-13-2011

Clearly exhausted after her dr's appointment 3-15-2011

I love this baby...

2011-03-14T18:47:00.001-06:00

...especially when she sleeps 7 hours straight. When she finally wakes me up it takes me a few seconds to figure out what I'm suppose to do. Bliss.

Elsie's Arrival

2011-03-08T23:57:00.002-07:00

They say no one is pregnant forever and I am pleased to say that goes for me too. Elsie Joan was born January 15th 2010 at 7:44 pm. She weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces and was 20 inches long.

Here's the story for those who are interested:

My 40 week doctor appointment was the day after my due date. The exam revealed that I still hadn't made much progress. I was dilated to a 1 and about 75% effaced- these numbers had been constant since my doctor had first checked me at 36 weeks. The doctor didn't seem to think I was likely to go into labor anytime soon- and neither did I. She explained that there were risked associated with letting a pregnancy continue for too long and scheduled an induction for the 20th (41 weeks). I really didn't want to have to be induced but I figured my doctor probably knew what she was talking about.

I spent the rest of the morning and the early afternoon feeling really sorry for myself, hating that I was still pregnant. I felt a little bit crampy but that was normal after my doctors appointments. I asked Isaac to take me on a date to lift my spirits a bit. We went to dinner at Cafe Sabor (chimichanga, delish!) and then went to the grocery store to buy ice cream for banana splits. While at the grocery store I noticed that the cramp-like sensations where growing much stronger. It was uncomfortable to walk around. We got home around 6 and started watching a movie (The Scorpian King- awful but funny). During the movie I started paying attention to how often I felt the boughts of crampiness using the DVD player's display. They were about 8-10 minutes apart.

I realized that I was probably having contractions. I also realized that didn't necessarily mean anything. I figured they would probably stop before they became regular. I tried to ignore them which, obviously, was futile. I became more an more uncomfortable every hour. Isaac and I went to bed around midnight. I tried to sleep but couldn't. Every time I almost fell asleep a contraction would make me wide awake. After a while I couldn't stay in bed anymore. It was pretty unbearable to stay still through my contractions. By 2 am I felt like I should go to the hospital but the contraction were only about 6 minutes apart. I waited. By 5 am they were closer together (3-5 minutes, like the doctor said!) and I decided that I really should head to the hospital. We were checked in by 5:30. The nursed checked my progress. The good news: completely effaced. The bad news: only 3 cm dilated. I was disappointed. I was sure that I was at a 4, at the very least. They strapped the monitors on me and we waited. After an hour or 2 and a shift change the checked me again. Nothing had changed. The nurse said we would probably have to go home since, according to my cervix, I wasn't yet in active labor. The doctor decided that he could break my water instead of sending me home in the hopes of getting things moving a bit quicker. I decided to opt for the second choice because I couldn't imagine going back home. After that I made some progress but not a ton.

By noon I was dilated to a 6. I wasn't making the progress that the nurse and doctor seemed to expect. I was in a lot of pain and I was very very tired. (Remember how I got zero sleep?) I decided to get an epidural. I was really not planing on getting an epidural but I knew that if I didn't get some rest I wouldn't be able to push when the time came. I'm glad that I made that decision. After that I felt much much happier and more comfortable but I still wasn't making much progress. After about 2 hours I made it to a 7. Then nothing happened for a few hours. I was getting nervous and it seemed like the people around me were getting nervous. The fact that I had developed a fever didn't help matters. Finally the nurse told me I was fully dilated. Not long after I began pushing.

The time went by fairly fast to me but in reality it was pretty slow going. After nearly two hours the nurse informed me that the doctor would do a c-section if the baby wasn't born after 2.5 hours of pushing. The deadline was something close to 7:55. At seven there was another shift change for the nurses. My new nurse changed my position slightly and I pushed like crazy. Suddenly things started progressing a lot faster. It got to the point were the nurse told me to stop pushing. The baby was about to pop out and the doctor and the baby nurse had not yet arrived. The nurse didn't want to deliver the baby on her own because Elsie had pooped prematurely and they were concerned that she would aspirate the poop. Once the doctor arrived I was able to push her out and they whisked her away to clear her airway and to make sure everything was alright.

After a few minutes Isaac and I were finally able to see and hold our baby. It was very surreal. And all three of us were VERY tired. After introducing Elsie to her grandparents, aunts, and uncles she went with Isaac to the NICU for tests and observation since I had a fever and I went up to the recovery room and ate a very delicious turkey sandwich. Elsie was perfect and healthy so after two nights and one blood transfusion (for me) later we were able to go home.

Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment:

Belly pic on my due date (January 13). It is clear to be now that this shirt no longer fit at this point in my pregnancy.

At Logan Regional Hospital January 15 around 5 pm, about 24 hours into my labor. I was pretty happy at this point because we had just found out that I was FINALLY fully dilated and I was just waiting to start pushing.

Elsie about 2 hours after birth.

Elsie and her dad the morning of our last day in the hospital.

Elsie and her mom right before leaving the hospital to go home.

3 day old Elsie.

February 9th: Elsie napping in her swing


Growing like a weed! On the left Elsie is 2 days old getting ready to leave the hospital. On the right she is 6 weeks 1 day old getting ready to leave for church.

39 weeks 5 days

2011-01-11T20:03:00.001-07:00

My due date is on Thursday. I know it isn't uncommon for babies to come well after they are due but I'm really hoping she'll decided to come sometime around then. It would be nice for Isaac to have a chance to spend some time with her before school and work get too busy. I think (hope) she'll decide to cooperate with this request since it isn't nearly as selfish or as materialistic as want her to come early so we can qualify for a tax credit.

Isaac started classes today. It the first day of the last semester of his undergrad. So, yeah, kind of monumental. He left the apartment at... well... sometime before I got out of bed (I won't say exactly when because it is embarrassingly late), came home for about 15 minutes to eat, and probably wont be back until after 8. This semester he is only taking 12 credit, as opposed to the 17 he had in the fall so I'm pretty psyched. But, of course, he is still going to keep himself busy. He has two jobs this semester. The first is working as an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow at the university, which means he teaches an accounting lab on Thursday nights. For the second he is returning to Liberty Tax as a preparer (where we both worked last tax season). And of course he is still involved in more on-campus clubs and organizations than I can keep track of. I think he is pretty much a way cool and impressive dude. He stays really busy and productive yet still manages to get straight A's.

Last semester I officially finished earning my associates degree. I'm glad I have something finished from all the semesters I've been in college. I do plan on finishing a bachelors degree eventually. However I don't have any idea when, where, or in what. We'll have to wait and see. Right now I am officially doing nothing- just waiting for the baby to come. It's really weird to have no job and not be in school. Not that I mind.

Anyway, thank for reading this!

I never procrastinate.

2010-11-01T19:04:00.001-06:00

Sometimes when I have something unpleasant to do I suddenly realize how much fun and interesting stuff I need to get done before I can do the unpleasant thing... ok, actually it's more like I distract myself with things that I'd rather do.
Right now I should be working on a paper for my English class. It's due tomorrow night at 11:59. It needs to be 6 or 7 pages long. I currently have about 1.3 pages. I think I'll finish it tomorrow around 11:30, just to be safe.

Still a Girl.

2010-10-27T19:31:00.001-06:00

On the 19th I went in to the doctor's office for another ultrasound. They just wanted to get a look at some parts they didn't look at the last time around. Thankfully, everything looked perfectly normal. Right size and everything. And in case you were wondering (because I definitely was) she is still a girl. She even has hair growing on her tiny head!

Now, on a different yet related note I am totally in my 3rd trimester now. Boo-ya.

GOAL

2010-10-25T10:56:00.000-06:00

I have a new goal and I'm making it public (if this counts as public) so I'm somewhat accountable.

I am going to stay on top of the dishes.

I hate doing this dishes but it's always so much worse when I wait an entire week to do them. The dishes smell and it takes me multiple long dish washing sessions to get through them. I'm tired of it. So, I just have to overcome my naturally lazy self and do the dishes everyday... or every meal if I'm really ambitious.

Our Trip to Emery County

2010-10-18T21:29:00.001-06:00

Last Friday was fall break at USU so we decided to take a trip. My sister Jen and brother-in-law Isaac were kind enough to let us stay at there house in Elmo, UT. They were also kind enough to take us on a scenic tour of their geologically rich county. Here are a few pictures:

Isaac and I overlooking the San Rafael Swell. This was my first time seeing this geological feature up close and it was awesome. (As a side note this is what I look like at 27 weeks 1 day in to my pregnancy.)

Jen and Isaac M. at Goblin Valley. This isn't the best picture of the two of them (considering Isaac obviously didn't know I was taking it) but it's all I've got.

The Isaacs walking along the formations. It wasn't raining but the umbrella was great at providing shade.

Jen and Isaac B. Climbing up the side of the cliff the "hard way."

Resting after climbing up the cliff the "easy way" which was still hard for me!

Overlooking Goblin Valley. Cool, right?

We had an awesome time and on the way back to Logan we stopped in Salt Lake. We had lunch and went to the zoo. Sadly my camera battery was dead at this point so we have no documentation of this particular part of the trip. I thought all the animals were really cool, especially the baby elephant. Isaac like the reptiles but wished there were more of them.
All in all a good weekend trip!

Summer

2010-09-03T16:30:00.002-06:00

Summer break is officially over. It was fairly uneventful. Isaac spent his summer working and I spent most of mine puking. And here's why:

August 24th, 2010

Yep, that's right, we're expecting a baby girl January 13th, 2011. Here is a list of some of the mile stones, mostly so I don't forget:

Saturday, May 8th, 2010: I pee on a stick. Two lines appear.
Sunday, May 9th, 2010: Isaac and I break the news to our families.
Sunday, May 16th, 2010: Morning sickness begins. And continues solidly for 3 months.
Monday, June 7th, 2010: First doctor's appointment. Ultrasound reveals an embryo measuring 2.02 centimeter which translates to 8 weeks 4 days into my pregnancy. Ultrasound also reveals a tiny heart beating at 181 beats per minute.
Thursday, July 15th, 2010: At 14 weeks I finally enter my second trimester.
Monday, August 2nd, 2010: While laying on the couch reading, at 16 weeks 4 days along, I feel the baby move. Around a week later Isaac is able to feel the movement, when he is patient enough to wait for it.
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010: The big 20 week (or in my case 19 week 5 day) ultrasound. The technician reported that everything seemed normal and that the fetus was measuring the correct size. She also surprised me by reporting that we were having a girl.
Thursday, August 26th, 2010: Officially hit the 20 week mark, which means half way through!
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010: Latest doctor's appointment. All appears normal. Tiny heart now beats between 140 and 150 bpm.

In other news fall semester started this week. Isaac has a ton of stuff going on. He is taking 17 credits, is actively involved of more clubs than I can keep track of, and is an undergraduate teaching fellow. This is Isaac's final year as an undergraduate student and I think he is trying to make the most of it. I am taking 12 credits and will be getting my associates after I pass English 2010. The rest of my classes are just for fun... and to give me something to do.

Fail: in the Kitchen

2010-05-03T19:29:00.000-06:00

So today I attempted to make a Dulce de Leche cookie recipe that I found on a blog. The actual dulce de leche turned out really yummy (it would be so so tasty on ice cream or fruit or basically any food in the world). That is the ONLY good thing I can say about it. The cookies themselves are really gross. They are worse than cake and you know how I hate cake. Blah. Yuck. Gross. Maybe when Isaac gets home he'll try them and like them, but I doubt it. Because they are so gross. Have I told you that these cookies don't taste very good? Anyway it seems like lately I've been in this I-really-really-stink-at-cooking groove. Sigh. Although, in this specific case I don't really think it was my fault. I followed the recipe perfectly and managed not to burn anything, at least. So I blame the recipe. I was even credited as being from Martha Stewart. For shame, Martha.

The most interesting thing that has happened to me in the last 5 months

2010-04-24T09:51:00.002-06:00

You know when you get a text from a number you don't know but the person who sent it obviously thinks you do know who they are?? I find it pretty awkward. If I AM suppose to know who it is then why did I get rid of the number? And how do I ask them who they are without being rude? Ok, so it isn't THAT big of a deal but it is still awkward.
So, to get to the point, back in January I got one of those text messages. Here is the unedited transcript of what ensued, with explanatory notes in (italics)

Unknown Number: I have been called to serve in the china hong knog mission! I will be leaving april 21 :)

Me: Congrats! Sorry, I'm not sure who this is, i recently got a new phone and lost some numbers in the process. ("recently" as in like 8 months)

UN: Ha thats OK, this is brittany your old roommate :) (I DID have a roommate when I lived in Florida named Brittany but as far as I knew there was no way in the world that she would be called on a mission.)

Me: You're going on a mission?

UN: Yes i am :) to china

Me: Is this Brittany S********? (Name withheld to protect identity)

UN: No brittany c****. The one from florida (What the??)

Me: I'm really drawing a blank. I'm really sorry. When were we roommates?

BC: Did you go to florida and work at disney world?

Me: Yes

BC: Do you remember melissa and stephanie and michelles stinky food in her drawer?

Me: This is funny but I don' think I know you. This is lauren degraw. I did work at disney (spring 2008) and I had a roommate named brittany but she isn't lds.

BC: Haha thats way funny! I worked there the same time. Do you live in france?

Me: Never... this is really funny. Where did you work? Where are you from?

BC: I worked in entertainment as "friends" of the characters. And i live in utah now. What about you?

Me: I did food service and i live in logan now. This is really crazy. Who's number did you think this was? I wonder how this happened.

BC: I thought it was lauren douce she was my roommate from france :) Haha this is hilarious! I live in cedar city.

Me: Well congrats on the call. But I think this has to be more then a coincidence.

This is where the conversation kind of fizzled out so I'll spare you the word for word. I'll just tell you right now that to this day I have NO idea how she got my number. We ended up becoming facebook friends and we tried to figure it out but we weren't able to. She even claimed that the had talked to her former roommate, French Lauren, using that same contact RECENTLY. We both lived and worked at Walt Disney World at the same time, she had a roommate named Lauren and I had a roommate named Brittany and she had my number in her phone. I've seen pictures of her and I am 99.9% sure I have never met her or seen her (even at church). Weird, right?

PS Does anyone know if it is correct to say (or write) the word "texts"? I say it but it is really awkward sounding (go ahead, say it out loud). If I spend any amount of time thinking before I talk I say "text messages" so avoid the possible mistake.

This is what I woke up to...

2010-03-23T12:52:00.000-06:00

It's mostly melted now but I found it quite shocking to look out my window this morning and see snow.

The Joys of Being an "Adult"

2010-03-14T08:07:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I am shocked by what an air head I am. On Friday, a full one week past my 21st birthday, I came to a shocking realization- my driver's license expired on my birthday. I have been driving around for a week without a license!!

Nostalgia Mania

2010-02-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

Occasionally I'll go through bouts crazy insane nostalgia. When this happens I get all sad that I' don't get to chill with the people I use to chill with back in the day or that I'm not doing what I use to do or that I am am not very good at keeping in touch with people. It makes me frustrated that I don't fully enjoy things while I'm doing them. I tend to look to the future and think to my self (or say out loud to the nearest person), "I can't wait until..." or "Once [such and such happens] I'll be happy." But seriously I need to start enjoying where I'm at in my life while I am at that point, right? However in my current state nostalgia I am going to take some time to pay homage to days gone by... specifically Disney College Program days gone by. Enjoy.

After high school came a semester of college then a wonderful semester in beautiful, warm, fun Florida...

With A completely awesome roommate who didn't leave me behind and move to a much more desirable apartment when she first had the chance, despite my awkward, unsociable behavior. (Including not responding to her pre-program email. Clearly she is some sort of saint.) And who took me with her to the pirate and princess party and didn't even stop hanging out with me once my insane treasure obsession and pirate accent were both revealed.

An entire apartment full of WONDERFUL ladies who took me out to dinner and made a huge deal out of my birthday even though I had only lived with them for a few weeks. Roommates who would drive me to the doctor when I was too sick to even realize I should see one. Roommates who drive me to the mall and help me pick out clothes (which I'm terrible at). Not to mention hanging at the parks on days off (or days we call in.)

Some pretty chill co-workers....

Especially....

Lacey!!! The kind of friend that stares into the various bodies of water throughout disney just incase there is something to see, and sometimes there is...

If only the winters in Utah were like the winters in Oregon, slightly chilly with rain.

2010-01-14T17:42:00.001-07:00

Over Christmas break Isaac and I went on a week long trip with my parents to the California and Oregon coasts. We left the day after Christmas and drove through Nevada to Sacramento. The next day we drove through San Francisco, which was quite a feat considering we were towing my parents 30 foot travel trailer. (Good job, Dad!) Sadly and quite surprisingly we couldn't find a place to park. We then spent the rest of the week heading up the coast enjoying all the marvelous attractions we came across.
Here are pictures of a portion of the trip. I will add more as they become available to me:

It was really wind at the beach, which made it fun in its own special way.

Anther illustration of the windiness.

Mom was there getting blown around too!

Pretty, right?

The most awesome and spectacular Oregon Coast Aquarium! I recommend it to anyone who is ever in the Newport, OR area. It was recommended to me and I will be forever grateful.

Yeah, we are totally in the middle of all those fish. And Isaac's face is blurry. He was THAT excited.

Same tank, different angle

"Don't touch the sharks or they'll follow you home and pet you while you're trying to relax. You wouldn't like that, now would you?"

(Ok, so no one said anything like this but I figure that is what they would have said if I had thought to ask)

Now I'm blurry!!! I must love those gigantic crabs behind us.

I don't think we noticed the huge shark behind us yet...

Ok, I think we figured it out.

You'll never guess where we are so I'll just have to tell you....

The Tillamook Cheese Factory!!!

Another must see stop of Oregon's historic highway 101.

Yes, they do give FREE samples.

And they have wonderful Ice Cream.

My dream job: Cheese Slicer Machine Operator aka professional cheese cutter (get it? eh, you do get it, right?)

And on that note....

This seems very wrong to me

2009-12-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

According to my Wii there is only a two degree difference between the temperature here in Logan and the temperature at the South Pole...

I've had 6 majors

2009-10-29T11:24:00.001-06:00

I recently (just moments ago) uncovered this gem of an unfinished post that I wrote for this blog but never posted.The date on this was June 2008.

"I have a really big problem about not being able to make a choice about what I want to do. Especially when it comes to the long term things. You may have guess what I am talking about... SCHOOL. Anyone who know me knows what a problem this is for me... I am just incapable of being normal. Everyone else seems to have it figured out while I am floundering around like a character off That 70's Show. (Minus the pot and beer.) So, to get to the point... I have decided to just commit"

I have NO idea what I had decided to commit to. Since that date I have been registered for classes at the University of Utah as a hospitality management major, took a semester off school to work, returned to Utah State with a new major, AND changed my major twice since coming back (yeah, twice in less than two semesters)... so, obviously it didn't actually commit to anything. And the killer part about all this is I am still not sure what the heck I want to do!!! I am currently a Family, Consumer, and Human Development major with an emphasis in family finance and I am totally interested in that and mostly enjoy my classes. However, I still have an issue with "major envy". I look around at different majors/programs/careers/professions and I wonder if that is what I should REALLY being doing. I'm not sure if it's possible for me to be content in my studies. Right now I am considering the online major that is offered through my department. It is in Family Life Studies. It is a lot of the same classes as my current major but offered completely online. Sadly it is slightly less employable than family finance. On the plus side, I could do all of it online so I wouldn't have to worry about rushing through my schooling so I am done before Isaac is ready to go to grad school, which is the situation I am currently in. BUT maybe it's a good thing for me to rush through the rest of my undergrad just so I can get it over with...
Can anyone offer some advice or insight that would lead me down the right path?

TAMALES

2009-10-01T17:15:00.001-06:00

Lately I've had a bit of an obsession. I blame my sister Jennifer. She is the one that invited me to have lunch with her over the summer. She is the one that asked me to pick up food from Casa Del Rey. She is the one that recommended the tamales. See? It's all her fault. Since then I have had tamales at a few other places but my cravings were never satisfied. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I determined that the only financially sound thing to do was to make my own tamales. I put it off for a while, because I was a little bit scared that I would mess things up. Finally, two weeks ago I went online and got Alton Brown's recipe, then spent a while researching different tamales tips and techniques. The labor of love that was the process of making these treats took me around 7 hours start to finish. A lot of that was idle time, but still...
Here are a few pictures:

This picture is for all the people who have been to the tortilla factory in California Adventure park in Disneyland (and who have actually taken the time to watch the video before scarfing down you freshly made snack) just imagine the kid saying "Ma-se-ca!"

Yeah, I actually bought and used lard. There's a first time for everything.

Masa dough

corn husks soaking in hot water

The Filling: the recipe was for turkey, but I used chicken and less hot spices.

tamale assembly

more tamale assembly

in the steamer

So, In my rush to eat the little bundles of joy I didn't take any pictures of them finished or of them being enjoyed. By the way, they were really really delicious. I made a totally of about 35 and they were all gone as of yesterday. Yes, I ate almost all of them by myself.

Anyone who has experience making tamales or who knows someone who does I would really love to hear some tricks and/or tips. I am also looking for good ideas for fillings and recipes for sauce to got over them.

I'm blogging again...

2009-08-30T21:12:00.001-06:00

Alright, so no one noticed I stopped. That's ok, I'm totally fine with that. Completely don't care.
I've noticed that pretty much everyone my age blogs. It's the thing to do. So, of course I have to do it too. Besides I think it's only fair that if I get to read about other people's lives anonymously, they should get a chance to return the favor. I mean, like, if they want to.
Quite a bit has happened since my last post. In March, I got married in the Salt Lake Temple to the most awesome guy ever. (Sorry everyone else in the world, Isaac is the bomb.) I am still living in Logan, but it isn't cold, its perfect weather. At least for the time being. Over the summer we were living in Midvale, Utah. We moved down so Isaac could sell Living Scriptures. After half the summer we realized he wasn't making any money and it would just be better for him to NOT be gone 60 hours plus a week and have a little fun. And fun we did have. We went camping with both of our families, tubing at Lava Hot Springs, four-wheeling, and rafting below the Flaming Gorge Dam.

Isaac and I on the big day

This is my Dad floating down the FREEZING cold Green River. The rafting was a lot more tame than any of us were expecting and this was my dad's way of making it interesting.

Isaac, me, and brother-in-law Isaac making the river trip interesting. This water was seriously COLD.

It is cold.

2009-01-06T13:00:00.003-07:00

Really cold. I don't know if I can handle the rest of the winter. Oh, and it is snowing a lot. I like the snow, except the cold ruins it, as does the the fact that occasionally I have to drive in it. That is the worst part for sure.
So, enough complaining. I am actually way excited to be back at school. So far my classes seem really interesting. It is only the second day but I am going to have a good semester, for sure.
I think I need to develop some hobbies. Like a something that can be my "thing". I need some ideas. It would be really great to have one so when the teacher asks you to stand up and tell the class something about yourself I actually have something to say. That is my new goal, to get a hobby.

Back in UT

2008-05-26T22:25:00.003-06:00

I have a lot of things to blog about. Strangely, I seem to have forgotten all of them, so this is just going to be a jumbled mess. If that bothers you STOP reading now and go watch fun videos on youtube.
I have have been back in Utah for over a week now. I miss my roomies and my friends. SO MUCH. It isn't as if I need to see them everyday, but it is really hard not knowing when (or if) I will see them again. I can't imagine what my life would be like right now if I hadn't decided to go to Disney World. I learned so much about myself, what I am capable of (and what I am not capable of), how I relate to other people, and what i want out of life. Yeah, I bet you didn't know Mickey could do all that. Me neither.
It isn't as if I am sad to be home. I am really happy to be with my family and friends here. It is so so so nice to be reminded of what strong support I have. My friends in Utah are incredible. I honestly didn't fully realize that until I was about to leave for Florida when I got my first surprise party. (Dream come true, by the way.) And that realizations was reinforced the entire time I was gone.
So, I suppose, over all, I am really grateful for the many wonderful people in my life.
Okay, that is probably enough for now. Don't worry, I will be back.

check it out!

2008-05-01T19:41:00.001-06:00

Subject: Toothbrush

2008-04-20T22:49:00.002-06:00

I was given a gift. The gift of life. Thanks mom and dad. I was also given another gift, a toothbrush. Now, I bet I know what you are thinking... "Someone had to give you a toothbrush?? You are so gross! No wonder you only have two teeth left." Let me set the record straight. I had a toothbrush but as part of a strange (and still unexplainable) series of events (almost missing the bus, flying awkwardly into an Italian) it ended up on the floor of a PUBLIC restroom. It was immediately thrown out. I spent the entire day trying to figure out how I was going to brush my teeth. I don't have immediate access to stores, especially with the hours I was scheduled that day and the next. After trying to work out a plan or two I realized it was virtually impossible for me to obtain a toothbrush before my next work shift. I came home in a slightly down trodden mood to my awesome and kind roommate, Katie G. I was greeted by an excited exclamation of, "I think the tooth fairy came!" I ran joyously to my bed, lifted up my pillow, and found a brand spanking new toothbrush. Isn't she a good roommate?

If you happen to care, I'm sorry.

2008-04-10T08:32:00.002-06:00

I am a bad blogger. I haven't posted anything in over a month. (thanks for pointing it out, Alex.) Not to mention, my last post wasn't even a real post. It was an email forward put in a blog format. So I am pretty much way lame.

email survey

2008-03-07T14:00:00.004-07:00

-Can you see a phone right now?
yes, i try to keep it close just in case, by some freakish turn of fate, someone calls me

-What are you listening to right now?
the sound of silence

-Last thing you ate?
two blueberry muffins with butter... I have been craving that for two months

-What was the last thing you saw on TV?
rock of love, against my will

-Who was the last person other than family you saw?
my roommate Lauren G.

-When's the last time you saw your mom?
January 7th, 2008

-Song stuck in your head?
it changes every 3-8 seconds...

-Acoustic or electric guitars?
hard one... acoustic I guess

-Do you dance while getting ready for whatever?
I am always dancing

-What are you wearing right now?
jeans and a green T-shirt

-What is the greatest number of people you've been in front of?
not very many... just like a high school class, 30 maybe

-Have you gone skinny dipping?
yes, I have, twice. Not recently though.

-Have you ever taken a shower while you were drunk?
No, is there something special about that?

-Do you like techno?
I don't have very much experience, but I have enjoyed listening to a 3 hour techno song in my day...

-What was your dream last night?
Something creepy, I'm sure

-Have you ever made out on a plane?
no

-What do you see in front of you?
my computer screen, obviously

-Can you play an instrument?
no

-Have you ever sat on a roof and looked at stars?
I wish... that is going on my to-do list

-Ever done that while talking on the phone to a boyfriend or girlfriend?
guess

-Anything on your mind?
yes, lots of stuff... like work, school, friends, family, future...

-Anything bothering you?
yes, see above

-What's the closest red object to you?
a red mickey pen

-Have you recently gotten someone pregnant?
lol... a little bit yes and a little bit no

-What scent are you wearing right now?
la scent de alex (yeah, that is right alex, I borrowed a bottle a year ago and have been using it ever since)

-Are there any animals around you at the moment?
not directly

-Drinking anything at the moment?
Publix brand Spring Water

-Ever thought you were going to get married?
I hope so...

-Last person you hugged?
random stranger, jk, most likely on of the roommates

-Last person who told you they loved you?
same as above

-Favorite time of day?
whatever time I leave work

-What's your background on your desktop?
my doggie

-Favorite food?
mashed potatoes

-How do you feel about President Bush?
I do not "feel" anything

-Cat person or dog person?
dogs, puppies are sweet

-What's your favorite smell?
recently it has been jasmine... like the tea or tree, not the cartoon

-Who was your last text from?
The missionaries... yeah, that's right... they wanted to know if they could come visit tomorrow

-You're deserted on an island. What do you have with you?
lots of food

-What's the last book you read?
Her Untamed Heart by CB

-Biggest regret?
not being nice to people

-What do you want?
a real life

-Do you want children?
yes, i definitely do

-What is your theme song at the moment in your life?
The EPCOT sound track I listen to all day at work...

-What was your last alcoholic beverage?
mouth wash... but i just swished

-How is your mood today?
sleepy, a little apprehensive

-Who is the friend you can count on the most?
all of them or else they wouldn't be my friends

-What do you do all of the time in the car?
listen to the music I like

-Do you like anyone?
yes, of course

-Have you ever changed your clothes while in a vehicle?
yes

-What is the last thing you said?
"I think I'll take a nap before work." You see how that turned out

-Last person to make you cry?
Ben Franklin

-What's the largest age difference between yourself and a sibling?
8 years

-When was the last time you cried?
At the American Adventure show at epcot, wait maybe i shouldn't admit to that

-What is one thing you miss about your past?
good times gone by

-What is your favorite number?
8

-Is anyone jealous of you?
i wish

-Has a friend ever used you?
I am not really usable... you'd have to have something to offer

-Is there someone that relates to you on almost everything and is basically just like you?
no, we are all individuals

-Have you ever been in Love?
hard to say, I should write a post about that, jk

-Do you Miss Someone?
many people

-Are you afraid of Death?
I am afraid of people I care about dying

-Would You Take a Bullet for Your Best Friend?
I have to say yes...

-Would You Take a bullet for a random person?
no, i don't think so...

-What Guy Do You hang out with the Most?
Carlos... weird

-What Girl Do You Hang Out With the Most?
My roomies, I guess Katie

-Do You Like To Dance?
heck yes (do you remember dance off '08?)

-Who Is The Best Dancer that You Have Danced With?
I dance solo

-Do You Think Anyone will read this?
yes

-Why are you doing a Survey?
because I haven't ever done one before, and I love myself. It is my blog I'll do what ever I want

-Do You have sleepovers at your house?
not normally

-Where do you think You will be in 5 Years?
married with 3 kids or single with a cat

-Who is Your Favorite Actor?
none

-What did you do over the Weekend?
work, work, WORK

Something you probably don't want to know about me

2008-02-19T07:22:00.006-07:00

I can be a little obsessive compulsive. Not in an impacts-my-life need-a-prescription way, but I do think (stress) about weird stuff. I wish I had a compulsion to clean things or make my bed, but usually it is just to count things, line things up, or arrange stuff into groups of three. Mostly, in public at least, I stop myself from being crazy and I don't act on my compulsion. However, occasionally I break and just go for it.
The other day I was stocking the coffee creamer at work. Usually it is just thrown in the the little square container in an jumbled and hurried way. In the past I have always followed suit and stocked it in the usually manner. But the other day I was kind of bored, kind of tired, and kind of crazy I guess because I did something weird. I decided that I didn't like the way the creamer looked when it was so messy. I could just pictured them all nice and neat, stacked perfectly. I was about to dump out the container and go for it, then I stopped. That would be a weird thing to do, not worth my time. Imagine if someone saw what I was doing! Geez, that would be embarrassing. Then suddenly another thought popped into my tiny brain: I bet I could fit more in if it was organized. That was it, I was justified. Before I even looked around to check if anyone was looking the creamers were dumped out on the the counter. I stared to place them in the square tub. It was perfect, the creamers fit four in a row, four rows per level, four levels deep. A perfect cube and the perfect satisfaction to my obsessive mind.
So, that is just one recent example of how crazy I can be. I guess it wasn't a huge deal. It only took me a few minuets and no one even noticed. I did feel a little guilty after. I think I should be able to control myself. I mean how big of a leap is it from arranging creamers to tapping every door nob three times before opening it or saving every news paper for 30 years? I have been this way my entire life and it hasn't gotten to bad. I guess I will have to wait and see. I wonder if they have high-speed internet access in those padded rooms?

Is it the altitude?

2008-02-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

It is so weird when I find out I enjoy something I never thought I enjoyed before. It makes me question everything I think I am. OK, maybe not everything. Maybe not anything. It is just a surprise. Since I've been in Florida I have done a bunch of stuff I wouldn't normally do. And I have liked doing them. I guess it is just a matter of letting go and allowing myself to get excited and have fun.

Making it Offical

2008-01-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

I just changed the time zone on my computer. After three weeks of being in Florida. Wow, it seems a lot longer than that. It is hard to believe I'm living in the "Eastern" time zone. I am so classy.

just a thought

2008-01-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

Maybe I should write a post that doesn't contain a list?

Becoming more global.

2008-01-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

I have to learn a second language. I feel really behind right now. I work with a lot of diverse people. They come from all over the world including (but not limited to) Puerto Rico, China, and Brazil. They have there own languages in those counties, however these people have either learned English while growing up or learned it during their first few months in the US. They are bilingual, I am not. So, I feel like a spoiled, self-centered, uncultured American right now. Now I have a goal. I have to learn a new language. O-K, now I have stop take a few deep breaths, and start asking the practical questions:

1) Which language? There are a lot of options out there. Right now I have it narrowed down to either Spanish or French. Obviously Spanish is the more usable of the two. You agree, I'm sure. However, I am torn. I also want to learn French. I took French in high school and really enjoyed it. I feel like I have a base there. I think I would enjoy it more. Sometimes, I like to do the less rational thing.

2) How will I learn this language? In the last few minute, while writing this very post I've done a couple of internet searches. Initially, I was thinking the Rosetta Stone computer program would be a good way to go... until I saw how much it cost. Well over $100 a level, of which there are three. I headed over to Amazon and checked out some other programs, CD sets, and books. I found a few options that looked really good that are of a much more reasonable price. So, I think I'll go with one of those for now. This fall I will be returning to college as a full time student (or that's the plan, at least). Hopefully I'll be able to fit a Language class into my schedule.

3) Am I going to be able to stick with it and actually succeed??? I hope so, but there is really no way I can answer that question right now.

Now I must think.

Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming...

2007-12-23T00:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's almost here, the biggest holiday of the year (at least for christens, people who work in the retail industry, and other people who celebrate on December 25th).
Around this time of year I like to think about what Christmas really means to me. How does it effect my life? What should I do to make it more meaningful? For me it seems to break down into three basic categories: faith, family, and presents. The question is how do I maximize the positive aspects of all these categories without minimizing those of the the other two? Well let's take a more in depth view of each topic...

1) Presents: It has been said that it is better to give than to receive. I believe this to be a bogus statement. Of course, giving is great, but almost everyone would rather receive. If this wasn't the case then on a persons birthday wouldn't they get all of there friends and family members gifts instead of getting gifts themselves? My point is that gift getting is a HUGE part of the yule time holiday. It is fun to try to find just the right present but ultimately we all want to know what we are going to get. Will I get exactly what I asked for or, still better, something that is perfect for me that I never realized I wanted? So, in my mind this poses to problems, first selfishness, second the materialization of the season. Now, one might argue the point that they are being unselfish around Christmas because they are giving so much. That may be partially true, however imagine how drastically gift giving would increase if everyone knew they would get nothing in return... a lot don't you think? Now how is this problem meant to be solved? I assume you like getting gifts and I know I do... Should we remove presents as part of the holiday tradition? Should we place some sort of limit and the number of gifts each person receives? I don't think so. I think the only way to get around this little prob is to keep trying to convince ourselves that giving really is better than recieving, even if deep down we know it isn't true. That way we will still try to please ourselves by continuing to give while still happily and graciously receiving. Now for the problem of materialization of the season... this is a doozy... from gifts to decorating yards the material aspects of Christmas can really start to over run the season. How do we balance the worldly characteristics with the arguably more important aspects of Christmas? That thought leads me into my next category.

2) Family: Extended and immediate both play a huge role in the holiday season. It is important to find time to spend with them. However, as we all know, December can get very busy. We spend a lot of time preparing for the holiday, most of which is spent shopping. It can also be over run by other things such as work or other obligations. For many, myself included, Christmas is a very busy time of year at their place of employment. They work more hours and longer shifts than any other time of year. To further compound the problem a person my be inclined to spend more time working rather than not if given the choice due to financial burdens that tend to accompany the holiday. I think we should all be very careful around this time of year. I am defiantly no standard of perfection when it comes to this area. I struggle, but I need to think more about where my priorities really lie. Family or funds? Family or friends? Family or faith?

3) Faith: My third component of Christmas. A very important one to me. Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, savior of all man kind. As we all know and have doubtlessly observed and heard mention of by other that aspect of Christmas is easily and often forgotten or ignored. This is also an area where I am no where near perfect. My love, gratitude, and joy for the Savior and his birth are beyond expression, yet, how quickly I tend to forget in the rush of the seasons and it's requirements. This Christmas I plan to spend a great deal of time reading the accounts of the birth of Christ from the New Testament and also taking more time to contemplate the meaning and significance this event and and the events that follow in my life. I sincerely hope and pray that I, along with all the other Christmas celebrators around the world, will truly take these things to heart and focus on that which is truly important.

Advice and Ineptitude.

2007-12-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

The semester is almost over. I couldn't be more excited. It feels like I'm not even going to be able to make it through the last week. To be honest, this semester has been really crappy. It is hard to pinpoint the exact thing (or things) that make it bad, it must be a combination of things. However, I'm not writing this to be pessimistic, the opposite in fact. I am quite hopeful that things are going to get better. I've come to the realization that I need to strike out on my own and decide what I really want to do with my life and who I really am (gosh, that sounds so freakin' dumb and cheesy). And that is what I'm going to do. I'm going to Disney World for a semester to work. Okay, so it is a cheesy not risky way to do it but it is something, right? Well, I just know that I need to learn to put myself out there more. Learn to meet people and be friendly without depending on a family member or preexisting friend. Moving to Florida puts me in a sink or swim situation. I will have a choice to either be lonely and miserable for five months or improve my social skills and make friends. I think I'll do well, though. Survival instinct can get you through a lot and as my chemistry recitation TA, Dmitry, said today, "What doesn't kill you makes your stronger, your still alive so you must be okay, right." (It definitly sounds a lot better and wiser if you imagine it in his Russian accent) So, if I come back alive I'll come back better. Or at least that is what I'm counting on. Don't quote me on it, though. I've been wrong before and I'll definitely be wrong again.

I finally did it.

2007-12-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

After 3 months of complaining, I got my hair cut. Nothing drastic... just a trim but it actually happened...

The New Blog

2007-12-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know it is cheesy but this is what I want to do. A real blog. A serious blog. I like my old blog, but it is just a huge joke... I don't know if I have anything to say that anyone would be interested in reading. Who says anyone is going to read this anyway? I think I'll just use this as a way to say what I'm thinking without having to bother everyone around me by constantly talking about the pointless things that are bouncing around my head...