My room is cleaned (minus my unmade bed and dirty clothes in the hamper). My bags are packed. I have a great book to try to keep me distracted while on the plane. My Christmas crafts are halfway done (which I must say is pretty good for me). The rest of my unfinished Christmas crafts are packed away to be finished in Maryland. I'm mostly caught up with work. And I get to leave in a half hour for a week and a half break. Hooray!

I may or may not post while I'm in Maryland. It depends how long my camera battery lasts and how much time I have to devote to blogging during the week I am home. I do promise to take pictures and maybe even post some (I know that I've promised that before but this time I actually mean it).

So just in case I don't post in the next few days/weeks...Merry Christmas! I hope you have as wonderful a holiday season as I am planning on having.

I watched Pride and Prejudice the other night. The only version that is worth watching. The long BBC version. The one where Colin Firth plays Mr. Darcy. Because unless Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy, then I'm not sure that I want to watch it. He seriously has the best stares ever. If you haven't seen this version, you are missing out. Watch it immediately.

Anyway, the amazingness of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and the need for everyone to watch the movie are two very good points but not the point I want to make in this post. So I will move on and pretend that everyone has just promised me that they will watch it immediately and now I have peace of mind.

So I'm watching the movie and it gets to the part where Charlotte Lucas accepts Mr. Collins' offer of marriage. In the past I have always despised this part. How could Charlotte marry someone as horrible as Mr. Collins? Why did she give up on finding love? It drove me crazy.

This time I found myself thinking...maybe Charlotte didn't get such a bad deal. She is married and has enough money to live well on. She has a house. She knows that she will be taken care of. And I seriously thought to myself...that doesn't seem so bad. It wasn't until after the movie that I stopped and really thought about this.

Have I reached the point in my life where I would do what Charlotte Lucas did???? As I've gotten older, I've certainly changed some of my marriage criteria and realized that some things are certainly more important than other things in the long run. I've realized that maybe you really do have to settle just a little bit (80% anyone?!?!) But would I settle for someone that I didn't even love just for the peace of mind of not being single anymore? Would I give up on the chance of finding a good relationship built on love just because I couldn't find it in my first 27 years of life? I certainly hope that I haven't reached that point yet. But it's scary that I suddenly think Charlotte's plot in life doesn't seem so bad.


**Footnote: I am not saying, in any stretch of the imagination, that I would settle for Mr. Collins. Because he is creepy. And gross.**

Ten Things You Just Might Not Know About Me

1. I have a brand new niece...born at 2:06 this afternoon (Maryland time). Her name is Molly Sophia and I bet she is adorable but I haven't been able to receive my picture message since I work way past the middle of nowhere. In the past 16 months, I have acquired four new nieces and 1 nephew with another nephew on the way. When my family decided to get going, the got going fast!

2. I'm always dreaming of my next big career move. Recently I decided that I should become a book on tape reader. I practice my reading skills while I read outloud to the kids during my weekly character ed lessons. I'm getting pretty good.

3. I hate shaving. I mostly hate it because I suck at it. It doesn't matter if I'm in the tub or in the shower or standing or sitting or using soap or shaving gel. I always cut myself. Always. I used to just let my hair grow out during the winter in order to avoid the dreaded chore but I recently made a goal to shave my legs daily. And even though the cuts might be more frequent, I do love the feeling of soft legs.

4. I have a serious addiction to shopping. I'm pretty sure that everyone in my family has the addiction gene. I just decided that rather than alcohol or drugs or exercise or whatever else you can be addicted to, I would be addicted to shopping and to eating. My shopping habits have been a little bit better since moving to the middle of nowhere but I try to make up for it whenever I go to a city.

5. I'm obsessed with random celebrity gossip. I can barely remember a thing from my undergraduate college courses but I know all about who is dating who and where they were seen and what they were wearing. It's kinda embarassing actually.

6. My favorite color of finernail polish is black. It's the goth side of me coming out, I guess. I just love the way it looks...especially on short nails. And my nails are always short since I have a serious nail biting issue.

7. I am super clumsy. Like ridiculously so. I spent most of my teenagerhood with bruised shins from falling up the stairs. Right now I have a cut on my wrist from dropping the back of the truck down on it, I have a cut on the front of my hand from scraping it on the ice that is still covering my car, I have a cut on my finger from where I cut it with a knife, a burn on another finger from the flat iron and then a reburn in the same spot for touching a hot pan, I have a bruise on my knee for consistently hitting it on the way out of the car, and I have 4 cuts on my legs from shaving. Seriously, I shouldn't be let out of the house.

8. I have some serious OCD issues. Like I hate when playing cards are put back into the box facing different directions. Or when pictures hung on the wall aren't straight. And I like things to be clean and organized. It makes my messy life seem a little more in order.

9. I love Diet Coke. And I drink way too much of it on a daily basis. But when you can get a huge refill for only $.52-why not enjoy it?

10. Sometimes when I get really bored, I practice being good at random things. Like I perform math equations in my head. Or stack golf balls. Or play random games. I also practice sudoku and crosswords like there is no tomorrow but that doesn't really count as random!

So there ya go, things you just might not know about me. Although I'm a pretty open person so chances are that you already knew all of these things.

My sister is having a baby as we speak. Or at least, as I write. And fine...she may not officially be in in labor yet. But she is at the hospital. Which means that hopefully sometime in the next 24 hours I will have a new niece!

Brittany went into the hospital yesterday morning (Utah time) or yesterday afternoon (Maryland time) to be induced. It's been kinda slow going but I'm super excited. Especially since the timing doesn't matter much to me since I won't be able to meet the tiny bundle of joy until Christmas Eve anyways when I fly into MD. **Speaking of which...can you believe that Christmas Eve is only 2 weeks and 1 day away!!! I'll be back in MD before you know it**

So right now I'm sending happy thoughts to Maryland and waiting anxiously by the phone for the phone call that the newest Nuse has arrived!

In Maryland, a wondrous miracle called a snow day exists. A snow day is when it snows so much that it makes driving dangerous so the school board decides to close down the schools for one day. Students everywhere rejoice and then put on their snow pants and boots and play in the snow until they can't feel their fingers anymore. Then they come inside for delicious hot cocoa and blankets and movies. Noses are red, toes are frozen, and hearts are full. It's amazing.

Apparently in Utah they have never heard of this miracle. Utahns believe that no matter how much snow there is or how dangerous the roads are, school should still be held. Because education is so important to them (is that why Utah is like number 48 on the list of funding for education?!? Because we care so much that we put our children in over populated classrooms with old textbooks?). This morning I woke up to what in Maryland, would have been a joyous sight. A foot and a half of snow that fell overnight and more expected throughout the morning. It would have been amazing except that it was only 5:15 in the morning and I was getting up to go to work.

The roads were horrible, we got stuck a few times, I prayed multiple times for my life. My beautiful snow day was ruined. Thanks a lot Utah. Thanks a lot.

This is making me smile today:



Want to know what else is making smile? The fact that I moved into my bedroom on Saturday. Which means that I've been sleeping on a real bed for 2 whole nights.

What's not making me smile? The fact that it is snowing outside and it is a Monday.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Well, okay, the truth is that I don't have a bed and I sleep on the 5 foot long couch in the trailer so I can't really wake up on the wrong side of it. But I think you understand what I'm saying.

First of all, I set my alarm for 5:30 PM...which is about 12 hours later than I need to get up in order to make it to work on time. So I didn't wake up until 6:10 when Angie got up and woke me up. Which means that I had to go to work with no shower and no make-up. My hair is a mess and I have a headache and I'm just not happy.

Then on the way to work I became fixated on the fact that no matter what I do, I can't seem to do the right thing in some people's eyes. I got angry, I vented to the ladies I ride with, then I felt guilty for talking. Which is ironic considering the whole reason I was venting was because people keep talking about me behind my back. And yet I'm the one who feels guilty. Story of my life.

I just hate it because I feel like I am doing the best that I know how to do. I wake up each morning and strive to be a little bit better. I do my best not to find faults in others. I forgive over and over. How is that not good enough?

Bah...for once I am really not looking forward to the weekend.

Dear Glee,

For the past few months you have made me laugh every Wednesday night. Even if I was having a bad night, you managed to cheer me up. Multiple times I have laughed so hard that I cried. Once I even snorted which is the real sign that I am amused.

But luckily my enjoyment wasn't just limited to Wednesday nights. I have rewatched some of your episodes multiple times. (Remember the football one and "Single Ladies" or the mash-ups) I have watched clips online. I have listened to your music pretty much exclusively since the first time I heard it. I'm pretty sure that the ladies I ride with to work are going crazy but I just can't seem to stop.

You make me wish that I had been in the Glee Club when I was in high school. Except that we didn't have a glee club. And I can't sing. Or dance. But every Wednesday night, I can dream that those things weren't so.

I am sad that I will have to go months without watching a new episode. I will have to find new ways to spend my Wednesday nights. I will have to find something else that can amuse me as much as you do. Please hurry back...I may not find reason to snort until you do.

Signed,
Snortless without Glee

PS...for those of you who are truly concerned about my sanity for the next few months, I should let you know that luckily I have a roommate who is just as obsessed (okay, probably more obsessed) than I am and has already pre-ordered the first season of Glee. So while I will be missing out on new episodes, I won't be missing out completely.

I love December. Listening to Christmas music. Wearing warm coats and mittens and scarves. The smell of pine trees and cinnamon and fires burning. Singing Christmas carols. Giving presents. Making snow angels.

Seriously, could anything be better? And this year, December started off with a bang. (Okay, fine...it was actually November 30 but I totally thought it was December 1st so it counts...don't fight me on this one). We, as in the Blanding single's group, went Christmas caroling. Which isn't my favorite thing to do so I fully intended on mouthing it the entire time. But instead I actually felt like singing. And sing I did. While riding through town on a hay ride. I felt like a little kid again. In a good way. Then we had hot cocoa and hung out by the heater until our little toes and noses warmed up and then we played a rousing game of Apples to Apples. I hadn't had that much fun in a long time.

The 2 days since then haven't been quite as Christmasy but they've still been pretty dang good. I've broken out the Christmas music and the sweaters (and soon my boots will be out and ready for wearing...they are still in storage so I have to find the time to search for them). I'm looking forward to the next 3 weeks leading up to Christmas eve. What are you looking forward to?

I wonder why the font on my last post is a different color than the other ones? I didn't change anything but somehow it changed itself. Odd.

So I went away for the weekend. Which was what I desperately needed to do. I talked for hours with people who understand me better than I sometimes understand myself. I felt understood and loved and accepted. I laughed and I cried and I just was. I didn't worry about what I was wearing or how bad of a hair day I was having. Because I was surrounded by some of the people I love most in the world.

I may or may not have eaten too much. And I most definitely spent way too much money. But today I woke up and I felt like me. I felt like me and I liked it. So I'll forgive myself for eating too much and for spending too much and I'll just be content. And that's a good place to be.

Yesterday may have felt a little bit like high school.  And not the good parts of high school either (wait, it's been too long, were there good parts in high school?).  Remember when you would find out that people were talking about you behind your back or that people were saying things just so that other people wouldn't like you?  I totally thought that was something that stopped when you left high school.  Bad news-it doesn't.  And that is lame.

But as I laid in bed last night thinking about how silly the whole situation was and yet how hurt I still felt, an 

old episode of HIMYM came to mind.  Honestly, it probably came to mind because of Rachel's awesome post which you can read about here.  Basically, a list is developed called the Murtaugh list which spells out all the things that Ted is too old to do. So, in honor of HIMYM and Rachel's own list and my lame situation, I laid in bed and came up with my own list.  

I'm too old to pretend to do something that I don't like to do just so I can "fit in".

I'm too old to try to compete for someone's attention.

I'm too old to wear clothes that make me feel uncomfortable.

I'm too old to let other people's opinions about me dictate how I feel about myself.

I'm too old to have acne (oh wait...that's just wishful thinking...and that is totally something I wish would have ended in high school as well!)

I'm way too old to stay up all night and still go to work/school the next day.

I'm old enough to realize that my family and my very best friends are the only people who are truly going to be there for me in the long run.  

I'm old enough to realize that the words we use can have a damaging effect on people and we need to be careful about what we say at all times.

I'm old enough to realize that forgiveness is incredibly important.  Forgiveness of other people and forgiveness of myself.

I'm old enough to realize that I will never be perfect and that is okay.

I'm old enough to play bingo on Saturday nights because, dang it, it's fun.

I'm old enough to realize that life is short and that sometimes you lose the people that you love way too earlier. So holding on to grudges or being angry just isn't worth it.

And I'm definitely old enough to realize and way too old to care about what other people say about me.  I may not be perfect but hey, neither is anyone else.  So boo to high school and boo to drama that makes me feel like I'm back in high school. 

For most of my life I have had a rigid set of guidelines for myself (and if I'm being completely honest, for others). Guidelines that dictate what I do in life, how I respond to things, what is acceptable behavior, where I'm going in life. Guidelines that determine whether something is a success or a failure. Guidelines that determine whether I'm a success or failure.

What is that you say? You have no idea what in the world I'm talking about (sadly that is a pretty regular occurence-people having no idea what I'm talking about, that is). Let me provide an example.

At some point in my childhood I decided that while in school, getting A's and B's was completely acceptable. Getting C's, however, was akin to failing. C's were worthless, they signified that I only knew as much as the average student. Except if we are being completely honest, we all know that the average grade isn't really a C...it's probably more like a B- which only strengthens my argument. To get a C would mean that I knew less than the average student. And in my mind, that was not acceptable. So guess what kinds of grades I got in middle school and high school-mostly A's with a couple B's thrown in. Guess what kinds of grades I got in college-mostly B's with a few A's thrown in (don't judge...I played a little bit harder in college than I should have and my grades showed it). Then I picked myself back up for grad school and got mostly A's.

Did I ever get a C, you ask? Sadly, yes. My last semester of my undergraduate work in a History of Philosophy class. It was boring and tedious and I was with a bunch of freshman. In other words, I had zero motivation. But don't worry...that C still wasn't acceptable. I'm pretty sure I told no one about it and convinced myself that it didn't really count. That's how I deal with things. Pretend they don't really count. But that's a whole other story. Back to what I was saying...

I have all these rules that I live my life by. I won't go into them mostly because there are way too many and they are a little too personal for the internet world. And plus I don't really want everyone who reads my blog to know how judgemental I can be of myself.

Anyway, I know a boy. He basically has absolutely no rules for himself. And he's my older brother. We are pretty much exact opposites, except that we are also pretty much the same. Like we are both know-it-alls who "know" that our way is the right way. So I believed that all these rules/guidelines/expectations that I had for myself was the right way. And my brother believed that chilling out and taking life as it comes was the right way. I can't even count how many times my brother has told me to chill out or relax. Probably thousands. Or millions. If I had a penny for every time, I'd be really rich. Which would be awesome. Cause then I wouldn't be in debt anymore. But alas, no pennies.

Okay, on to my main point. The other day my mother told me about an article that she had read that said that swearing actually reduces stress. (Sidenote...not swearing was one of my rules...just so you know). Like if you are driving along and you get in a car accident and you swear, it reduces your stress. At least a little bit. Until you see the bill to fix your car. Then you might have to swear a few more times. I thought long and hard about this one. And the other day I broke down and swore. Just once and for science. Except that I realized that it totally did reduce my stress level. Which made me swallow my pride and realize that maybe my big brother was actually right all along. Maybe I do need to relax just a little bit. So since that first swear word...I've been trying to not get so stressed or disppointed. Especially in myself. And you know what, I like it. It makes life a lot easier to live when there aren't all those damn expectations.

Yesterday I left my house/trailer at 6:10 am and I got home at 5:00 pm. That's usual for me. And it sucks. So I decided that instead of doing anything, I would sit around and lounge the whole evening. I caught up on the Amazing Race from Sunday. Speaking of which-anyone interested in going on that show with me? I know I hate flying and I get really ornery when I don't have a regular sleep/eating schedule. Still, I think it would be fabulous.

Then I caught up on the HIMYM from last week. Favorite show. Ever. Then I watched half of Biggest Loser but stopped to watch Vampire Diaries with Ang. I'd never seen it before but had been told repeatedly that I needed to watch it, like, now. After I heard that a couple times, I decided to start recording it. Yesterday I watched 4 episodes in a row. That would be all the episodes that had been recorded thus far. I missed all the beginning ones but luckily with CW shows it's pretty easy to catch on to plot lines. I love Stefan. And Boone...oh wait, I mean Damon. And remember how that witch girl's grandma is that girl that used to be on A Different World. It makes me feel really old that she looks so much older. Aging is depressing.

I ended my big night of TV watching by catching the latest episode of Big Bang Theory. That show is my newest favorite. It is hilarious. I even snorted last night while watching it. But don't tell anyone.

I seriously didn't even take a break to make my own dinner, Angie made me mac and cheese which we ate while still watching our show. Then Angie's mom cut us some apples with some butterscotch dip. I think I might have paused the show while her mom came in to give us the apples. It might look like a live a sad and boring life but it was a good night...a night I desperately needed. Now I can get back to reality and my busy non-tv watching schedule.

"I always pass on good advice. It's the only thing to do with it. It is never any use to oneself." -Oscar Wilde, An Ideal Husband

When I'm trying to get advice on a matter, I always try to find an expert in the field. Except that I don't know very many experts. And I rarely try to get advice anyway because once I have it, I rarely act on it. But last week I decided to seek some advice. Advice on how to deal with the opposite sex. Because as it turns out, I'm kinda retarded when it comes to dating.

For example, when I like a boy, I find it incredibly difficult to carry on any kind of conversation. But those boys that are completely unavailable somehow turn out to be my best friends. Like I said-I'm no good at the whole dating thing.

I decided who better to ask about boys, then a boy? So I turned to my bff of the male gender and asked what, exactly, guys are looking for. And he informed me that boys have no idea what they want. (Which explains about a million things). The trick is not to be/look/act a certain way. The trick is to convince a boy that you are, in fact, what they want. Good advice. But my question now is-how do you go about convincing a guy of that?

"In that one slight motion, I see the end of hope, beginning of destruction of everything I hold dear in the world. I cant guess what form my punishment will take, how wide the net will be cast, but when it is finished there most likely be nothing left.So you would think that at this moment, I would be in utter despair." — Suzanne Collins (Catching Fire)

I finally acquired a copy of Catching Fire and I finished it in a day flat (it helped that I was sick so I was laying in bed with nothing else to do!). I l.o.v.e. this book. Maybe not as much as Hunger Games but more than most books I waste my time reading. And I am officially in love with Peeta. I would marry him. If he was real and not in love with Katniss I mean.

The bad news is now I am lost without a book to immerse myself in. Any suggestions?

When the kids at school are horrible and my head is killing me, I try to remember that I am the aunt of one of the cutest babies ever. It makes me feel at least a little bit better.

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."- Anais Nin

Want to know what makes an amazing weekend? Friends visiting from out of town, an awesome Halloween party, and being sick. Oh wait, forget that last one. Being sick over Halloween was not awesome...but having friends in town and dressing up was awesome. And, as promised, I even have pictures to document.
Meet Kristin and Heidi-the bestest friends ever because they came all the way from American Fork to visit me. And ps...Heidi was dressed up as "blackmail"-she wore all black and had a piece of mail attached to her. A-ma-zing.And do you like my curly hair? I decided a fairy needed curly hair so I walked around all day with those little pink foam curlers in my hair. I felt like a little kid again.Meet Stacey. She dressed up as Alice in Wonderland. And she looked adorable. Her hair is naturally curly and it took me like an hour to straighten it. And it took me hours to get my hair as curly as hers normally is.Meet Ronald McDonald...oh wait, I mean Jared. He was creepy. Who knew that Ronald could be so creepy? And the best part...he had a dance off with a guy dressed up as a ninja. I laughed so hard that I coughed for a good 5 minutes afterwards.Meet Tina and Andrea. Tina looked creepy (she dressed up as her boyfriend and he dressed up as her...you'll see his costume in just a second). Andrea just looked cute as usual. Meet Shane, Tina's boyfriend. Also know as my best friend for life. He was obsessed with the fact that he was wearing girl clothes. And he tried to lick my face. I'm scared.And then here in all of our glory is the Blanding gang. You might recognize Angie's bat costume as the costume I made last year for Halloween. It still looked pretty much amazing. So there you have it, Halloween in Blanding in a nutshell. Don't you want to come visit now?

When witches go riding,and black cats are seen,the moon laughs and whispers,‘tis near Halloween.

Happy Halloween eve everyone! In case you are wondering, I did dress up in costume for school today. So I'm sitting here writing with my hair curled and wearing a tulle skirt and with black fairy wings attached to my back. Being in costume makes working just that much better.

Of course, it would be even better if I wasn't one of only like 10 people (including kids) who dressed up today. Where has all the fun of Halloween gone?

In order to truly celebrate the holiday I will be attending a haunted house tonight and then attending/throwing an amazing Halloween party tomorrow! Hooray for dressing up!

I'll post pictures soon, I promise. I just want you all to keep anticipating whether I really will ever post some.

"'What is the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures or conversations.'"-Lewis Carroll

Last night I had book club. I did not read the book. In fact, I never even opened the book and read the front cover. Once I thought about it and then did nothing about it. The cover didn't look very interesting and I am still reading the Mysterious Benedict Society so I wasn't in the mood to put that one down for this unknown book. Yesterday I thought about getting onto goodreads and seeing what other people thought about the book so I could pretend to know something about it when I got to book club. But I got distracted on goodreads and never got around to searching for the book.

I still went to book club. And the best part about it? We got a copy of our next book...Hunger Games. Which I've already read. But which I love and have been wanting to read again. I can't wait to start on it!

So after I didn't read a book and went to book club in order to get a free book, then I went to the temple to do baptisms with the ysa's. And let me just tell you, having someone younger than you baptize you is probably not the way too go. Those guys dunk you and yank you back up so fast that I thought I was going to have whiplash. It was all I could do not to break out in laughter right there. I tried to avoid eye contact with all people sitting outside the font. Because if I made eye contact, I would have laughed uncontrollably. Which is probably not a very good choice for the temple.

Oh and other good news from yesterday...our school got broken into and my office was trashed. Nothing stolen though because our burglars were really smart and packed up my lap top and then left it sitting in a bag still in the school. They also left their jackets and hats. I said that if they were smart enough to leave those, they might just be smart enough to come back in and ask for them. I suggested that we advertise that we have them and see who comes around.

"Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough."-Emily Dickinson

I rarely admit when I like a boy. Partly because I'm scared of what other people will think and partly because if I actually admit I like someone, then I open myself up to disappointment and hurt if it doesn't work out.

It's silly that I'm 27 years old and I still worry about what other people think, right? That seems like something you should get over when you are in middle school or something. Which reminds me of one of my favorite stories from middle school sleepover history. The Fab Five (my dad's nickname for the group of us that hung out in high school) were all at my house for our regular weekend sleepover. Which of course included talking about all of the boys that we were currently interested in. I don't even remember who I said I liked but Morgo responded with "Eww...he's not cute...his eyes are too close together!" Sadly, I still worry about the same things today. Like what if I admit that I like someone and my friends tell me that his eyes are too close together, that he's not cute enough, smart enough, or good enough? If I only admit liking someone to myself, then I can imagine that everyone in the world would think that he was as great as I myself do.

Then there's the other part of not admitting it. The part where I could possibly get hurt. And somehow I trick myself into thinking that if I don't admit out loud that I like someone, then the hurt will be less. Obviously not true but I like living under these lies that I constantly tell myself.

So the point is, I never tell anyone. And yesterday I admitted to "being interested" in someone. Now I just have to worry about convincing them to being interested in me!

I'm feeling a little homesick...

...to hang out and travel and talk to my mom

...and hold and kiss the most beautiful baby nieces in the world...and play games and hug and love on the cutest niece and nephew in the world...and hang out with and laugh with the best sisters and best friends that I have...and talk with and explore with the best brother and sister-in-law you could ask for.

Wouldn't you be homesick too?

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.-Dr. Seuss

I don't like doing things that I'm not good at. I especially don't like doing things that I'm not good at when everyone else is good at those same things. I doubly especially don't like doing things "just for fun" when I am not good at it and everyone else is.

Evidence A-Bowling
I know what you are thinking-how can I not like bowling? Isn't that un-American or something? Possibly...but the truth is, I hate it because I am bad at it. I am quite certain that my best score has never broken 100. In fact, my best score has probably never even broken 80. So it's the worst when someone says...lets go bowling...it will be fun. And I know that while it may be fun for those people that are good at bowling, it is rarely fun for me. The other horrible thing about bowling...I can't just sit on the sidelines and enjoy watching everyone else bowl because then I am suddenly a party pooper.

Evidence B-Volleyball
I learned long ago that there is never a "just for fun" game of volleyball. Especially if there are boys involved. (Oh, unless it is water volleyball in which case it can be "just for fun". Also, I learned this summer that I am pretty awesome at water volleyball so I do not hate it...because I hate the things I'm bad at, not the things I am awesome at). I officially quit playing volleyball my freshman year of college when I realized this sad truth. And if you are the one that is not so great, you are the one getting yelled at. And getting yelled at is never fun.

Evidence C-Talking in front of large groups of people
It's not fun, I'm not good at it, and I guarantee that at any given time, there are at least 5 people listening who know more about the subject than I do. This one I actually wish that I was good at. But alas, it is not the case.

So the question is...how do I learn to enjoy these things that I'm not good at? Because as much as I would like to never participate in any of them, I know that societal pressures will keep me bowling and "playing" volleyball and publicly speaking. Boo to societal pressures.

So much of life, it seems to me, is determined by pure randomness.-Sidney Poitier

Today I bought a handmade Navajo wedding basket...mostly because it was beautiful and I thought it would be a good reminder of my time spend on the reservation.

I thought I should take a picture of its loveliness and then I remembered that my camera is in my other purse. And even if it was, in fact, in this purse I still wouldn't be able to take a picture because the battery has not been charged.

I'm not really sure why I have had such a problem charging the battery considering that the battery charger is in the purse that I am currently using. And if I hurried and charged the dang battery, then I could post pictures of my beautiful basket as well as some other exciting things that are happening right now in my life.

I might even take a picture of my new haircut...because I did get it cut last night. After way too long of not getting it cut. And while I think the cut is super cute, I suck at actually doing it and I was disappointed this morning by the outcome. Please tell me that I'm not the only one that feels that way???

And I've been meaning to take a picture of my current living situation for quite sometime...but that is a whole other post completely.

So what I'm trying to say is that despite my best efforts to be optimistic and organized and on top of things...I seem to be failing miserably. At least when it comes to the blogging world (I'm doing okay with the work stuff but I wouldn't say I'm succeeding at that either).

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'-George Bernard Shaw

I had a dream last night that I was spending time in Tokyo. Ya know, because I've spent so much of my real life in Tokyo that I know exactly what it looks like. And I had to get on this elevator that was eerily similar to the great glass elevator in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But I was squished into this one corner with the bell hop (speaking of which...do bell hops even still exist in real life) because people kept getting on and no one would stop them. I literally couldn't move at all. Then the elevator started moving sideways and down and up all over Tokyo. I personally was headed to a metro stop where I thought my friends might be waiting for me, I have no idea where everyone else was headed.

Then the guy sitting next to me said we had to stop at this factory place so a worker could check out his glasses. Instead of the light in the glasses turning on, his glasses kept fogging up. Because those two things are obviously connected, and it is obviously necessary to have a little tiny light inside of your glasses. The lady couldn't fix the glasses though, sad news for dream man.

I got off the elevator but my friends were still no where to be found. Too bad I had to be squished in an imaginary dream elevator with way too many people for so long for no reason. Why can't my dream world be a little nicer to me?

Once upon a time, a game was invented called forest golf. Where you go deep into the woods and hit a golf ball off of random pieces of nature trying to hit it into a cup. It's pretty amusing and it doesn't matter if you have any golfing skill. Therefore it turned out to be a pretty awesome day.

Oh and the guy in the red, he totally made a hole in one teeing off of a tree stump. I didn't know that it was possible to get a hole in one in forest golf but James proved me wrong!

Where have I been the past couple of days you ask?

Working my butt off...it seems like no matter how hard I work and how many hours I put in, I never seem to be on top of things. Today comes closest to actually having most things finished but I guarantee that I'll show up to work tomorrow with a whole new list of things that I must, absolutely, positively get finished.

The good thing about being so busy is that the days fly by and I really do leave work each day feeling like I accomplished things which makes it much easier to enjoy my time away from work. And now that it is 6:39 pm, I'm closing up shop here and heading home.

I enjoy having breakfast in bed. I like waking up to the smell of bacon, sue me. And since I don't have a butler, I have to do it myself. So, most nights before I go to bed, I will lay six strips of bacon out on my George Foreman grill. Then I go to sleep. When I wake up, I plug in the grill. I go back to sleep again. Then I wake up to the smell of crackling bacon. It is delicious, it's good for me, it's the perfect way to start the day. -Michael Scott

Happy Office Day everyone! I can't wait to see what they come up with this season....

I saw a trailer for New Moon yesterday which reminded me...

I once totally saw a werewolf. People think I'm delusional and what I really saw was a huge bull elk but I know better...I saw the mythical werewolf (except I guess since I've actually seen it, it is no longer mythical because that implies that it isn't real).

Which reminded me that I am currently reading "The Last Olympian" in the Lightning Thief series and it is a-ma-zing. It makes me believe that other mythical beings might also exist in real life...and living above New York.

Which reminded me that I can't wait to read Catching Fire...the sequel to Hunger Games. I read Hunger Games this summer and I am totally obsessed. It was an awesome book.

Which reminded me that yesterday I had book club and we are getting ready to read Water for Elephants which apparently some people feel is a little too risque for a book club taking place in Blanding Utah. I loved the controversy so I'm even more excited to read it.

Which reminded me that Twilight is apparently also controversial in some Utah communities (trust me...I had a whole "conversation"/"argument" about this one).

Which reminded me that I can't wait to see New Moon. Because I'm hoping that it wasn't Jacob that I saw on the side of the road.

Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life.-Herbert Henry Asquith

Thoughts for a 4-year old:

-growing up isn't all it's cracked up to be so don't be in such a rush to do it...you'll have plenty of time to work and write checks and drive...enjoy having someone else doing those things for you

-life ususally won't go the way that you have it planned in your head...there will be a lot of surprises and a lot of changes (and a lot of them will be things that you might not want at first) but things turn out in the end...so have faith and keep pushing along

-life gets busy as you get older so take some time now to lay back and look up at the clouds...it's amazing how little time you have to do that as you get older and busier

-forgive others...and forgive yourself...there will be plenty of mistakes made but it isn't worth it to waste time being mad or hurt...forgive and move on

-friends will probably hurt you and boys will definitely hurt you...but remember that when good friends and good boys come along...the good outweighs the bad

-your family will always be there for you so hold them close to your heart...they might drive you crazy most of the time but never give up on people that love you the most

-have fun with everything you do...if you aren't having fun, then it probably isn't worth doing

-never forget to tell people how you feel...life is fleeting and you never know which day will be the last

-cry when you need to, laugh when you can, and smile all the time...life is good if you let it be

Happy birthday to my most favorite 4 year old in the world!

When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.-Francois de la Rochefoucauld

Love must be in the air. At least for everyone else, that is. Have you ever been enjoying your life, moseying right along, and suddenly you realize that you missed the memo to find a significant other?

All I'm saying is that I'm sitting at church on Sunday and I look around...and everyone has suddenly paired off! No kidding-I have one friend left in the Blanding/Monticello/Mexican Hat/Montezuma Creek radius that is still with me enjoying the single life.

Except that when there are only 2 of you that are single and you are always hanging out with couples, it isn't so enjoyable anymore. Unless my fairy godmother suddenly appears and provides me with my prince charming...I'm not looking forward to the next couple months of love-fest.

Children are our most valuable natural resource.-Herbert Hoover

Some thoughts for the week courtesy of the students of MXH Elementary:

-Your breath smells like candy (said at 11:00 when I hadn't brushed my teeth since 5:30 and hadn't had anything to eat since 7...I was incredibly grateful when he said candy and not something else!)
-Don't do drugs! (a 6th grader pretending to be me during charades...at least something is sinking through, right?)
-You look like you could be Mrs. Kensley's daughter. me-Really, why do you think that? Because you are both belagana (for those of you non-Navajo speakers that means white)
-You are my new favorite teacher because you are pretty and have sparkly earrings

You've got to love the honesty of the K-6 grade crowd!

Time is what prevents everything from happening at once. ~John Archibald Wheeler

I just found out that I have to stay at work tonight until 7. Which means that I won't get home until 8. Which means that I will have been gone for 14 hours by the time I actually make it home. At least I'll be able to get all my stuff done, right?!?! Please tell me that there is some positive to working 14 hours in one day without getting paid extra.

I still have my feet on the ground, I just wear better shoes.-Oprah Winfrey

Today I'm wearing a pair of cute blue shoes that cost me exactly $1. Did you even know that you can buy a pair of shoes for $1? I didn't until Monday morning when I stumbled across these gems. You know what else costs me a dollar...a bottle of water, a refill of Diet Coke, a movie if you live in Provo and are willing to face the crowds at the dollar theater, a loofah (I also discovered the price of this one on Monday), and anything off the dollar menu at those fast food places that exist in the "real world" (by that I mean not Blanding).

And I'm pretty sure none of those things will make me as happy as these shoes do right now.

When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. ~H.G. Wells

That's right people, I-who hates exercising-have purchased a bicycle. I thought maybe by buying a beautiful shiny new bike I could trick my mind into believing that I wasn't really exercising. And I'm happy to report that I have had some, though not complete, success. Our own minds are kinda hard to trick. But at least I now have this beautiful "toy" in my possession:

Where have the summer days gone???

It's only 10:30 on Thursday and I'm already wishing that it was 4:00 on Friday. It's hard coming back to school. I want to still be sleeping in and exploring new places and relaxing. I don't want to be commuting an hour each way and then working a full day. Why can't summer just last forever?

At least there is only one day after today and then I have a weekend full of camping and cook outs and preparing Relief Society lessons for Sunday!

Fun weekends and summers off just might make up for all the driving and working (oh and the paycheck each month doesn't hurt either).

True Story

I almost laid on a frog last night. After I had been laying in the sand for awhile, I saw something jumping up and down under my blanket, pulled it back (okay...I yelled for Angie and made her pull the blanket back...I had no idea what would be under there!) and a little sand colored frog was just hanging out there. Good thing I didn't squish him...I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have felt very good about that.

The only me I can be

Sometimes I expect more out of my kids than I do out of myself. I expect them to all participate in getting to know you activities even though I personally hate partcipating in them. I expect them to sit still and listen even though half the time I can't sit still for that long. And I expect them to look at themselves and see how wonderful and interesting and unique they are even though I look at myself and often don't see those things.

Tomorrow I start a lesson on what makes you unique. So I came up with my own list and decided to post it-feel free to add to it if you want!

I was born in Oklahoma City and have lived in 15 different houses/apartments in my life.

I don't have a middle name but I used to like to make up ones for myself...I thought either Pocahontas or Christine would make nice ones.

By this time next year I will have 6 nieces and nephews...last year I had only one and she wasn't even three weeks old!

I played golf in high school mostly just so I could hang out with my friend Kristin...I haven't even touched a golf club since high school.

I still keep in contact with people from all different times in my life...I even recently got back in touch with someone that I went to 3rd grade with.

I once had a piece of metal in my eye...and it hurt like nothing else when they had to remove it.

I can make a clover thing with my tongue...I can also curl it.

I've visited 46 out of the 50 states but I haven't seen much outside of the US.

I can't really whistle at all but sometimes I practice when I'm all by myself.

An Orange Grove

One time I stole oranges late at night in Mesa...and they were delicious. Last night I hung out on the tramp until way too late playing mash and discussing the intricacies of peeing in the woods. Today I am wearing a new "professional" outfit and my hair is actually done. Tonight I will hang out with my adopted Blanding family and try to get through the 800 page book we are reading for book club. Tomorrow I will wake up thankful for good friends and beautiful weather and the ability to taste fresh oranges and to see the "little ants" on the pages of my book. Yeah, my life is good.

Remember how for an entire summer I completely gave up blogging? Partly because I didn't have easy access to computers and internet and partly because I was just too dang busy.

Now I'm back in Blanding/Halchita working once again. I have a new wardrobe and a new attitude and I'm ready to go. I'm feeling incredibly optimistic about the year and what it has in store for me. I'm organized and my office looks beautiful. I'm attending a brand new single's branch and enjoying spending time with the friends I have already made.

It will be a good year...I feel it.

Myrtle beach-check
Touring DC-check
Hershey, PA-check
Amish Country-check
Gettysburg-check
Niagra on the Lake-check
London, Ontario-check
Detroit, Michigan-check

And you wonder why I don't have more time to blog?!?!

Stay tuned for pictures and anecdotes expected in early fall when I return to my regularly scheduled life.

A whole summer off with nothing to do...okay so there is plenty to do but at least I have a whole summer off.

And I've been slacking again. Slacking on blogging and on a million other things (exercising, reading, projects, visiting family).

But I've only been slacking because I've been so busy having an amazing summer. Chelsey's wedding was endearing, Hawaii was amazing, Phoenix and HSM the play were awesome, and visiting old friends and family in UT county has been priceless.

On Wednesday I head to VA where I will be picked up by Britt, Jerry and the kids and we will head directly to Myrtle Beach where we will spend the 4th. Then my friends from Blanding are coming to visit on the 8th and then on the 17th I'm headed off to Michigan (and Canada if my passport gets here in time) and then quite possibly back to UT before heading to Idaho for Lola's 1st birthday and then to Edmonds WA to welcome a new niece.

So you can't blame me for not writing more, right? I'll do my best to post (with pictures) while I'm in MD...and I'll be back full-time to blogging in the fall.

For now I'm just wishing everyone a happy summer and clear skies!

This is me. At the beginning of the year. Driving alone to Mexican Hat.

Remember how in August I hated being here? How I complained all the time about living in the middle of nowhere and having no friends? Well...I might still feel that way sometimes but I think that I've also learned a lot about myself this year.

I've learned that I'm stronger than I think I am and that I can handle pretty much anything life throws at me.

I've learned that I enjoy having some alone time and I enjoy having some people time. It's good to be friends with yourself first because it makes it easier to be friends with everyone else.

I've learned to appreciate the now. I tend to only look forward to the future and where my life will be eventually. I've learned to stop and enjoy what I'm doing right. at. this. second.

I've learned to appreciate absolute silence and not be scared (okay...so sometimes I still might be scared at night when I hear one little noise but that's normal, right? right?)

And I've learned to appreciate the amazing people who have entered my life at the times when I needed them most. Right now I'm especially grateful for the people I met in Blanding who may or may not have saved me from going crazy.

Usually Monday's aren't my favorite. I'm always tired, behind on my work, and depressed that Saturday is 5 whole days away.

I still feel all those things this Monday except for the fact that after today I only have one more day of work left. And only 3 more days until Chelsey's big wedding where all my family will be together. And only 7 more days until I'm on a plane headed for the beautiful and relaxing North Shore.

So while I may be more tired than usual (having a talkative 3 year old sleep with you doesn't bode well for a good nights sleep) and I may be more behind on my work than usual...there is an end in sight so I'm happy!!!

PS...I just might have spent some money on a cute new swimsuit for my vacation...and it just might look like this...

Yeah for Monday's that proceed 3 month vacations!!!!

Good news moment #2

And now for the good news moment of the day....tomorrow is this girls birthday:

(excuse the lame work picture...it's a sad thing when this is the best picture I have of the two of us!)

Meet Nicole...one of my bestest friends for about a million reasons. But since I don't have the time and energy to write a million reasons...I'll just come up with three.

1. She is the best listener ever...I can go on for hours when I'm with her and she never complains or looks bored. But she can also tell some pretty good stories. I love to hear about the drama in her family because it makes the drama in my family seem just a little bit more normal!

2. She never judges, ever. I could tell her the worst thing about myself and I think that she would still think the same of me. Doesn't everyone want a friend like that? It means that I can always be completely 100% honest and not worry that she'll think less of me.

3. She is a great example to me...she was working full time, finishing up her degree, and taking care of Riley and Cody while Cody was in grad school. And she still had time to come up with the cutest lessons ever for nursery. Because she is a-maz-ing. Someday I want to be the kind of wife and mother that she is.

If you ever get the chance to meet Nicole, you will be super lucky. Because she is the best. And we get to hang out tomorrow! Hurray!

Today is our special science day/night at school. In which I am kinda/sorta in charge of. Which means that people ask me a bunch of questions to which I have no answers for because I haven't actually made any of the arrangements. But since I'm getting paid to be in charge, I can't complain about the questions too much.

The main activity of science day is one of those huge blow up planetariums. Which is amazing. I mean, you get to lay inside on the floor and watch the stars zoom around. I'd rather be laying outside but I must admit that the no bugs/bats/scary rez dogs of the inside sky make me appreciate it a lot more. I'm pretty sure I want one of these in my own house when I become a millionaire. I'm pretty sure I'd never leave though so the whole house might have to exist inside of it.

This new dream of mine might work out fabulously with my plan to go to the UFO convention in Vegas to meet my future husband (inspired by the new Witch Mountain movie). Good plan, yes?

Hiatus =
1. a period of time where one is on a break
2. An interruption in the continuinty of an action
3. A natural fissure in a structure
4. What I have been on for the past few weeks

My life has been a series of ups and downs lately and I've been so busy trying to keep control that I haven't even thought about posting in forever.

And there have been so many things to post about like an awesome 27th birthday with some amazing friends, a fun camping trip to Sand Island in Bluff, a trip to Snowbird that included hot tubbing in the snow and an impending visit from my family, a wedding (not mine unfortunately), a move, and a trip to Hawaii!

Even though the next few weeks will be busy, I fully intend on posting so be prepared for some pretty awesome pictures once I get my camera working again!

Just a quick note....

I played basketball yesterday for like 15 minutes with a kid and today my arms are super sore. Sad, yes?

Maybe it is a sign that more working out is necessary.

(P.S. for those of you that are curious, I finished two more onesies yesterday-a dachshund and a little birdie...I'll post good pictures of all of them when I am completely finished!)

What would you do if you had a whole weekend with nothing on the agenda?

I decided to make a quick trip to Farmington (okay, I don't know if 2.5 hours each way can really be classified as quick) for stops at Target, Ross and Walmart. Then I spent the rest of the weekend crafting away.

Here are a few of my newly finished projects (and Nicole, if you are reading this, I really did just finally finish all the crafts that I have had since December!):


This is one of those crafts that I have had since December...Merry Christmas in April! I've wanted an advent calendar for a long time and I thought this one turned out perfect!


This is the project that I picked up for my friend Angie's birthday (she's obsessed with stars)...when I was finished I was almost tempted to keep it for myself.


I figure I can never have to many reminders to be better so I better get this one finished...I just need some ribbon to hang it up with and I'm finished!


These I created for Chelsey's little girl who will be born in August and for Brandon's baby Lola. I saw one in a shop for $30 and thought that I could make them myself. The picture isn't so great but I was super excited about how they turned out. My mom and Brittany now think that I should make a bunch and sell them online. Maybe that is how I will make my millions!

It was a good weekend.

I decided that my Friday posts are now going to be like good news moments in Relief Society. As in, I get a minute to share something that is good...or something that is making me happy. The good news for you guys is that there is just one of me so you won't be tortured with good news "moments" that could go on for a half hour.

The thing that is making me smile today comes from Jon Schmidt, an awesome pianist that I met late last year in Blanding when he performed at the high school there. He has something new out and it's pretty awesome. Enjoy!

Bonus-A new family

It's official everyone...as of this morning, these cute kids are now officially and legally my brother and sister!!

Happy Birthday

Remember sleepovers in the purple room? And sleeping bag fights? And all those years of early morning seminary? And Brookview? Remember how you have been there, by my side, through everything?

Yeah...you deserve the best birthday ever because you are seriously the best!

Happy birthday Morgan.

You may have noticed that I haven't been around the past week. That's mostly due to a nasty cold that is keeping me feeling pretty blah combined with crazy days at work and utter exhaustion when I get home. Today is the first day that I've actually sat down in my office before school is over.

The good news is today is the last school day of the week, the bad news is that I have training tomorrow and Saturday so this week isn't even close to over for me. Boo to tricky Thursday's that feel like they should be Friday's but in reality are more like Wednesday's.

I would like to rub it in your face, however, that in 6.5 weeks I will be laying on a beach in Hawaii looking forward to 2 more months of freedom. That's something to look forward to, right?

What do you look forward to when you are feeling down?

When I left UT county I knew there were some things that I would miss but I had no idea to what extent I would miss them. I had been visiting Provo since I was born and I just thought that I was done. But being away has made me realize how much some of those things mean to me. (I even miss singles wards...go figure)

As I am now in a position to reevaluate where I want to be next year or the year after, I realize that some of the things that drove me away from UT county are slowly pulling me back!

What I miss most:
1. Living close to my extended family and knowing that if I need them, they will be there asap
2. Having quick access to a grocery store, target, cafe rio, mall, etc. etc. etc.
3. Hanging out with friends all the time
4. Singles wards (I even miss fhe and ward prayer a tiny bit)
5. Being close enough to an airport that I can make it home every once in awhile
6. The opportunity to meet new people

Any thoughts on what I should do next year?

The Ultimate April Fools Joke

Working in an elementary school, I had about a thousand pranks played on me yesterday.

"Look, there's a spider above your head"
"Mr. Brewer (the principal) wants to talk to you"
"Quick, you have to go outside and talk to my teacher".

It was basically just a never ending day of craziness. Even Joe (my very soon to be adopted brother/nephew) got in on the fun by calling me and saying "You have a hole in your shirt. April's Fool". (So the joke didn't work quite as well over the phone but it was still pretty cute!)

But the ultimate April Fools joke...it snowed a little bit yesterday. In April. In the desert. Are you kidding me? I knew there was a reason I hated April Fools day.

Milestone

My car reached 66,666 miles...I look forward to these kinds of milestones in my life!


(It was a long drive...that's why I look about ready to keel over)

Bits of light

Right now I feel like my life is kinda a mess...I'm still living by myself in the middle of nowhere and I have no idea what my plans are for next year. I'm trying to stay positive but with no one to talk to and only myself to figure things out, I start to feel like the dark clouds are rolling in.

But every once in awhile there are little bits of light that poke through those clouds and remind me that things are going to work out the way that they are supposed to.

My lights this weekend:

-A visit with Nicole, an amazing person and friend who lets me be me without judging. Hanging out with her reminds me that I'm worthy of happiness and love (another bit of light...a conversation with her little boy that went like this: "when this caterpillar sheds his skin, guess what it will turn into?" "a butterfly" He looks at me like I'm stupid to which he replies "no, a butterfly")

-A simple text from a friend I hadn't heard from in awhile...it's always a treat hearing from old friends!

It's Official

My baby sister is officially engaged and will be getting married on May 21 in SLC. Hooray for weddings! And for being another bridesmaid (this will be my 5th time...is there a limit as to how many times you can be a bridesmaid????).

Here's a pic of the happy couple:



I'm officially the only single Rowley left...anyone know any good guys for me?

Does anyone else feel like March 25 is a significant day? I keep looking at the calendar and thinking "Oh no, it's March 25, that means...." And then nothing. I can't think of a single reason that March 25 sticks out in my mind. My calendar says that it is the Feast of the Annunciation but since I don't know what that means, I'm guessing that is probably not why today seems important to me. Any ideas? Am I forgetting someone's birthday?

One good thing on this particular March 25? Cute little Lola is still here visiting me...check out this adorable picture!

Mesa Verde

One of the coolest places I've ever been. It was so amazing to walk through there and remember the people who first lived in this country and the way they lived. This one consisted of a whole village that you could walk through (at least most of it) and explore.




Hopefully these pictures will inspire some of you to get out here and visit me!

It's cool to be in four places at once....

But other than being cool, four corners is not much to write home about. You pay a bunch of money to go stand on a little plaque and take pictures. Then again, it was probably worth it.

Just in case you wondered...

I am, in fact, still alive. The past week has been crazy with a trip to Mesa for work followed by a visit from my brother, sister-in-law and cute niece. We've been so busy that I haven't had a moment until now to even get on the computer!

Since they've been here, we've hit Goosenecks, Natural Bridges, petroglyphs in Bluff, Thin Bear, Monument Valley, and we've managed to eat at and explore pretty much everything else that is close.

I will be posting pictures just as soon as we get back from yet another trip (camping in Cortez, day trips to Durango and Mesa Verde). Look forward to it!

Happy birthday (a couple days early) to this gem...



"And we make a great team. We’re like one of those classic famous teams. (S)he’s like Mozart and I’m like...Mozart's friend. No. I’m like Butch Cassidy and (Megan) is like...Mozart. You try and hurt Mozart, you’re gonna get a bullet in the head courtesy of Butch Cassidy."
(quote courtesy of Dwight Schrute on the Office)

Why I'm feeling the way I do...

I spent the entire morning in a meeting which is not the most pleasant way to spend a morning. But then I went into the 2nd grade and taught them how to make origami frogs in order to work on their listening/following direction skills. And having an origami frog race is a much better way to spend the working hours.

I officially bought my ticket for Hawaii! I had a few moments of buyer's remorse but got over that pretty quickly thinking about how much fun I will have there.

I got two phone calls last night that really made me re-evaluate my life and what I'm doing with it. One of my very best friends just got some sad news about her sister and it reminded me how important my friends and family are and how precious life is.

I'm headed for a fun weekend in northern UT to celebrate some birthday's and get away from the land of nowhere! I can't wait to see old friends (and to see city lights).

The million dollar question (okay, more like the $322 question):

Should I go to Hawaii this year?

In order to answer this question, you might need to have some background information. I have gone the past two years because my friend Rachel can get us a great deal on some lodging (aka...free). She has invited me to go once again and at first I was thinking that I probably couldn't afford it. Then I found a sweet non-stop flight from Phoenix that would only cost $322 including taxes. Not that I can really afford that (that money should be going toward my mountain of debt), but I'm kinda thinking...with that kind of deal, can I really afford not to go?

And in case you need even more information to make your decision, here are some pictures of one of my favorite places on earth:

A girl just told me that she wants to be single forever just like me because boys are stupid.

And some part of me agrees just a little.

"You are like a great meal. You make me feel stuffed.....with feelings!!
Plus I don't need to unbutton my pants."

**This movie was pretty entertaining, just in case you were wondering**

Letter to a Kind Stranger

To whomever cleaned up the horrible mess from the rez dogs,

Thank you for your kind service. I really meant to clean up the mess but I kept putting it off for a few reasons. Like I was scared that the dogs would attack me. Or that spiders had built nests in the blankets. Or all kinds of strange diseases were brewing back there.

Mostly, I just really didn't want to go out there and do it by myself.

And then this morning I woke up to a spotless backyard of red dirt and nothing else. Bless your heart.

Since I don't know who you are, I can't repay your act of kindness but I can promise to never let it happen again. That way you are also safe from dogs and spiders and diseases.

Sincerely,

The appreciative teacher housing tenant

Story Time....

Since yesterday's time restrictions kept my description of the crash relatively short, I thought I should provide a few more details today.

Saturday morning, I decided (along with my friends Angie and Andrea), that we should make a trip to Cortez, Colorado. Cortez, while not a city of substantial size, does boast a Wal-mart and actual restaurants to sit and eat in. So we decided to make the 1.5 hour drive.

The morning went well..the Wal-mart run was successful, we caught a few volleyball games and had lunch at a Chinese place. Then in early afternoon, we decided that we should head back to Blanding.

As we came up over a hill, I noticed that there was a car stopped in the road, preparing to turn left. They had their blinker on and you could see the brake lights so I wrongly assumed that Angie (our fearless driver) noticed the warning signs as well. As we got closer and I realized that she was not stopping, I started yelling. At this point, she decided to swerve and veered left. (Sidenote-I still have no idea why she veered to the left but it turned out to be our lifesaver because on the right was a 30 foot drop which, as you can imagine, probably wouldn't have turned out so well).

So she veered left while the truck was still turning left. We missed the truck as well as the driveway they were turning into, and I realized that we would be hitting a 5 foot drop going about 60 mph. I think I yelled out something like "oh crap" right as we went airborn. We flew a little bit, landed hard, and then drove into a fence.

It was scary, it hurt pretty dang bad, but we are all safe. Looking back, I know that there must have been some divine intervention leading to some of the things that happened:

1. Angie's strange veer to the left...who goes left, across traffic, when the car you are trying to avoid hitting is turning left?
2. Apparently we hit the edge just right and we were going just fast enough to fly rather than do a nose-dive
3. Angie's dad was only 10 minutes behind us and so he pulled up and helped us take care of everything
4. And obviously, the fact that we are all safe in what could have been a pretty bad ending

I'm incredibly grateful that everything turned out okay and that we have someone watching over us. I do wish however that there was some video of what we did, cause I have a feeling it would have been pretty cool to watch.

If you think this looks cool


you would have enjoyed being in the car with me on Saturday.

Note: It was an accident, we are all safe, it wasn't my car, and yes, it hurt

Did you see how I did that?

In case you wondered, there is only one theater in Blanding. And it only has one "screen" and it plays one movie weekly. It may also close unexpectedly due to vacation, football season, hunting season, or anything else that brings excitement to the town.

The good news is that it is open again this week (the family was in Florida last week) and it is playing Bride Wars! A little late for Valentine's Day but I'll accept it.

Hurrah to girls night!