Happy Halloween

These are some of the reasons that I love Halloween so much:

(my cousin Tyler dressed as Napoleon Dynamite and wearing one of my grandma's old wigs!)

(The Osborne girls portraying some of Disney's best...and most wicked)

(And my uncle John wearing one of my favorite costumes ever...Elf)

Today I am wearing black fingernail polish and black eyeshadow and I've seen my fair share of witches and princesses and superheroes...and I feel happier than I've felt in a really long time. This day always brings a huge smile to my face!

So remember to take some time today and enjoy the fact that today we can be whoever we want to be and get away with it.

Today is Halloween Eve which I think should officially become a holiday. These are the things I love most about Halloween Eve:

1. My pumpkin spice candle which I have been using constantly for the past month which means that my little house now smells amazingly fall-y

2. Pumpkins that have begun to rot on my neighbors porch (which smell nothing like my pumpkin spice candle might I add)

3. Preparing for an amazing Halloween party (and preparing for the crazy costumes that my family will come up)

4. The great weather (usually this one would be said in a sarcastic tone except that this year it is, in fact, great weather)

5. And last but not least, the last minute shopping for Halloween candy because I have once again waited for the last second!

If you give a mouse a cookie

Today my wireless mouse stopped working and I'm not sure I know how to survive without it. On the same note, how did I ever survive without a cell phone, the internet, a GPS or an ipod? Technology is ruining me-one gigabyte at a time.

Simply Simple

Joe informed me yesterday that I should just get a job at his school as a counselor so that I could move back home. If only life were that simple...

Meet Joe, my foster brother/nephew soon to be my actual brother/nephew. He loves pre-K, his soccer team, any other sports, Scooby-Doo, seafood, and cars. He thinks he is way more grown up then he actually is and is always offering to work on cars or mow the lawn or whatever else he sees the "grown-up" boys doing.

Good news on the homefront...my mom is signing papers to officially adopt the kids. What would I do without these 2 being a permanent part of my life!

And good news from southern Utah...I actually did my make-up today and I honestly don't recognize myself when I look in the mirror. I guess all those make-up tutorials from you-tube really are helpful!

Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away

Apparently people weren't super excited about the pictures that I chose to use yesterday so in order to keep my friends happy, I am posting some of my favorites of these three!

Other news from yesterday:

I started my costume and it looks fabulous (plus it gives me something to do besides watch tv)

I talked to Nicole on the phone after not talking in forever...and thank goodness for friends who care about you no matter what

I made plans to go to Target

I watched like 3 episodes of Roswell and then freaked myself out during a wind storm and couldn't sleep

My dad called to say that he would be here on Friday to visit...hurrah!

All in all, a successful day interspersed with good news...I needed a day like yesterday!

Easy Cheese

Whenever I have hard days, I try my best to remember a good day and focus on that. Today, I am remembering an awesome sleepover at Sundance, a lot of spray cheese, a beautiful fall day/night, and good friends (and if you can't tell from the picture, we actually wrote our names on ritz crackers with the cheese).

It's memories like these that keep me going and remind me that no matter how far away we are or how long it's been since we've talked...we will always have amazing memories to carry with us.

Phone Calls

Yesterday after an incredibly long day, I got a call from this sweet girl:

Meet Alissa, my foster sister/niece and soon to be my actual sister/niece. She loves going for walks, swimming, wearing high heels, Sleeping Beauty, evil witches, and staying up all night. And when she calls on the phone, she has plenty to say (like how mom has too many shirts and what she's watching on tv and what Joe is up to) and she also mentions that she loves you like 10 times. How can you not love her back?

More on me

I've never actually done one of these tagging things but I don't have much to write anyway and since Laura tagged me I thought i would do it!

8 Favorite TV Shows:

1. The Office

2. How I Met Your Mother

3. Privileged

4. Real World/Road Rules Challenges

5. American Idol

6. Dancing Shows

7. Lost

8. 24

8 Favorite Restaurants:

1. Cafe Rio

2. Wingers

3. Rumbi

4. Twin Rocks Cafe

5. Rita's

6. Los Hermanos

7. Pizza Factory (just for the bread sticks alone)

8. Sweet Tomatoes

8 Things that happened yesterday:

1. Went to work after a week off (boo)

2. Watched old episodes of Roswell

3. Finished Inkheart

4. Made myself a grilled cheese sandwich

5. Talked to my mom on the phone

6. Thought about putting away my clean dishes and then decided against it

7. Played around on the Internet

8. Went to bed early (hey...life is boring out here...leave me alone!)

8 Things I Look Forward to:

1. Moving back to civilization

2. Figuring out what kind of job I really want and then going for it

3. A visit from my dad

4. Halloween and wearing my awesome costume (if I ever actually finish it)

5. Christmas time

6. May 23...when I can be near people again

7. Losing weight

8. Navajo Tacos today at our party

8 Things I love About Fall:

1. Taking long drives

2. The smells...pumpkin and apples and cinnamon

3. Being able to wear my jackets all the time

4. Decorating for Halloween

5. Chili in bread bowls at the annual Halloween party

6. Being near friends and family

7. Pumpkin Cookies

8. Fires

8 Things on my wish list:

1. Be happy

2. Make more money and pay off my debt

3. A trip to somewhere warm

4. No more stomach problems

5. Have my mom nearby

6. Find the most amazing job ever

7. Be extraordinarily good at something

8. Stop being scared of flying (it hinders my traveling)

8 People I am tagging:

1. Morgan

2. Texann

3. Bekah

4. Honestly...I don't even know if these guys will do it so I'll leave it at these three!

101 Things

For those of you that know Jackie, you know that she is incredibly inspiring. I learned so much for her freshman year and I feel like I became a better person just from being around her. Now, although I haven't seen her in years, I have her blog to help keep me on track! She compiled a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days and I decided that I wanted to do the same. It's a good way to actually get me going on all the things that I say I am going to do. Here goes!

Starting: October 10, 2008 (tomorrow of course...you can't start something new today!)

Finishing: July 7, 2011

1.Take a photography class
2. Write hand-written letters to the people that I love
3. Date an amazing guy (maybe even get married but I don't want to jinx it!)
4. Actually finish a cross stitch that I have started
5. Visit another country
6. Pay off 3 credit cards
7. Take a dance class
8. Create a 72 hour kit and some kind of food storage
9. Lose weight by exercising and eating healthfully
10. Finish the Book of Mormon
11. Find a job I love
12. Read Shakespeare
13. Learn to cook at least 1 gourmet dish
14. Keep a gratitude journal for a month
15. See another Broadway show
16. Finish making my own scripture cover
17. Leave a thank you note for a complete stranger
18. Learn to change a tire
19. Go to the dentist (without dental insurance it's hard to get there)
20. Build a fire and make my dinner over it
21. Memorize 3 hymns
22. Learn to play a song on the piano
23. Go to a classical music concert
24. Make a new life-long friend
25. Not gossip for a month
26. Take a jazzercise class (if they still exist when I move back to civilization)
27. Go to a movie by myself
28. Plan a surprise party
29. Go roller skating
30. Go to a session of general conference
31. Leave a $20 tip for someone
32. Plant a tree
33. Get a family picture taken
34. Go through the temple
35. Play my flute in front of someone
36. Write to my grandparents once a month
37. Perfect the art of cookie baking
38. Keep a dream journal
39. Work on my family history
40. Bear my testimony
41. Get together with my old college friends
42. Learn sign language
43. Win something
44. Buy myself a diamond (maybe with the money I win from number 43!!)
45. Make homemade pickles
46. Go swimming in the ocean
47. Paint my antique TV stand
48. Hike Mt Timp
49. Go to my 10 year reunion and enjoy it
50. Learn how to make amazing sweet rolls
51. Teach a holiday craft
52. Go to enrichment (at least once!)
53. Not buy anything new for a full month
54. Not eat out for an entire month
55. Find an old friend and reconnect
56. Write a letter/email to an old teacher/professor
57. Buy a kitchen table
58. Use my smoothie maker
59. Print off inspiring talks and compile them for easy reference
60. Write in my journal a couple of times
61. Give money to a homeless person
62. Join a group
63. Buy a bicycle
64. Dress up for Halloween every year
65. Read the Christmas story every year
66. Make my own soap
67. Take a road trip to somewhere I've never been before
68. Get a plant and keep it alive
69. Finish a drawing and give it to my mom
70. Make meaningful Christmas presents for those closest to me
71. Learn the basics of sewing
72. Not complain for a full day about my stomach
73. Take my medicine for a full month
74. Give blood for the first time
75. Learn to paint little flowers on my toenails
76. Watch a documentary on something that matters
77. Recycle
78. Watch a sunrise
79. Take the time to listen to someone who is having a bad day
80. Actively participate in an institute class
81. Decorate a cake...and I mean really decorate
82. Send a "just because" package to someone
83. Ride a train instead of taking a plane
84. Go camping...in a tent
85. Memorize a really good scary story
86. Go to a different church's Sunday service
87. Ride in a limo
88. Have a conversation with a complete stranger
89. Write a poem and share it
90. Get some counseling (I figure everyone needs it and I haven't tried it)
91. Ride a moped/motorcycle
92. Send flowers to someone
93. Do something I'm scared of
94. Make friends with people who aren't my "typical" friends
95. Visit an art museum
96. See a community or high school play
97. Go to a football game
98. Teach cat's cradle to a younger cousin
99. Visit a psychic
100. Repent for visiting the aforementioned psychic
101. Love myself

Disclosure: These are not necessarily in order of priority...I just wrote as they came to me

Coral Reef Scars

This morning I noticed that I still have a nasty scar from the coral reef (pictured below....isn't it amazing?!?) which made me wish that I was still in Hawaii.

I was commenting the other day that I don't think I have ever been as content as I was while I was sitting on the beach on the North Shore. If it wasn't so far away from everyone, I think I would have stayed there the first time I went. It's pretty much the exact opposite of the place that I ended up...which is kinda funny if you think about it! I heart Hawaii.

Something to think about

During my conference in SLC last week, I was fortunate to hear from Brene Brown, a researcher in the field of authenticity-shame and empathy. I was so impressed with the things that she talked about and her work. She even has a parenting CD which I would suggest for anyone who wants some further information on her work with children and compassion (great for school personnel as well).

Here is the link to her website...http://brenebrown.squarespace.com/welcome/

If you are looking for some interesting reading, I suggest going to it. I certainly learned a lot.

Brothers Birthdays and Bats

First off, happy birthday (yesterday) to my big brother...who is now officially old!

And in honor of his birthday (and per Bekah's requset), I will share the story about the bat in the Brunswick house! Unfortunately, I wasn't present for the excitment but I think I've heard the story enough times to tell it fairly accurately.

One year, my mom took me and my sisters on vacation (to Utah I believe) which left Brandon and my dad home alone. Since they never got to watch scary movies with us girls around, they decided to check out Dracula. They watched the movie in the scary Brunswick house (which isn't actually scary but it is really old and it would be more exciting for the story if it was a scary house) and when they finished, they heard noises coming from upstairs. They went to investigate and found that the noise was actually coming from the attic. When they opened the attic door, a bat flew down! Keep in mind that we have never had a bat problem and they had just finished watching Dracula. Needless to say, they didn't get much sleep that night thinking that Dracula himself might be living in our house!

I haven't seen a bat since...but for all I know, they still live in the attic and wake up at night to hunt humans!