So, I absolutely adore the Twilight Series! (Who doesn't.) And I found this interesting link to find out which character I am:
Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!
Haha! I think it might be somewhat accurate. Even though I can't claim to be as angelic as Esme, I think I do have some of her qualities.
I've been tagged..twice.
Six weird and random things about me:
The rules are:
* Link to the person who tagged you (Rachel and David)
* Post the rules on your blog
* Write six random things/unspectacular quirks about yourself
* Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them
* Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog
* Let the tagger know when your entry is posted
1. My dad claims that my first word was Lamborghini (you can guess how much effort this took on his part.)
2. When I'm falling asleep at night I move my feet around a lot.
3. I made love potions for boys I liked in elementary school out of shampoo and bath pearls. Don't get creeped out, I always just dumped them down the sink. (Thank you Nikki for bringing this up at a recent social event, haha!)
4. I have a tendency to leave all the cabinet doors open. Drives Shaye CRAZY!
5. When I was a junior in high school I was over Junior Prom and I was so stressed that I gave myself an ulcer. Word wart.
6. I was totally fixated with "Sleeping Beauty" when I was a kid. I would run around my back yard pretending to be Aurora singing at the top of my lungs. My Mom said that people walking by always looked concerned. :)
I hear by tag:
Camille
Julie
and whoever else wants to.
Ever wonder why your English teacher was so ornery?? I'll tell you why. It was because she has to correct so many papers. Now, I'm not complaining; in fact, I love my new job teaching at DSC. But I've got to admit, the hours and hours of reading are a bit of an adjustment. Anyway, the gargantuan stack of papers I have been reading as interfered with my blogging. Now I'm back! :)
We went with my family up to Pine Valley this weekend and stayed at DSC's cabin (make that lodge...it was HUGE!) We watched general conference up there and just spent quality time together. All night Saturday we could hear the rain hitting the tin roof and we could smell the pine in the air. The whole weekend was a seriously good time!
My dad lets his guard down a little bit. :)
A brisk afternoon walk.
So pretty up there!
In front of the Dixie State College cabin.
The guys after priesthood.
The girls at our pajama party. Yey for matching pajamas!
Lately I've been reflecting about how life almost always seems to surprise me. Either I misinterpret my destiny, or God has a great sense of humor. (I think it's more of the second thing. :)) Here is a list of things that have surprised me:
- I married my husband. The man who took me on my first date. The man who gave me my first kiss. The man who left me for two years, and in the meanwhile I poured my heart out into letters. Even more surprising was that even after I gave him the shaft after his mission, he chased me. He never gave up. He loved me even when I was lost and confused. What a lucky girl I am.
- I have become an English teacher. From the little girl memorizing Alcott's "Little Women" and having lofty literary dreams, to a real-live teacher. (Trust me, it's not as glamorous as it may sound.) Even more amazing is that I have been able to earn a BA, and almost an MA (in December.) I was never that smart or dedicated in high school.
-Some of my best friends from the second grade are still my best friends now. Friends like Angie, Caitlin, Nikki, Jillian, and Nichole have been a comfort to me ever since I can remember. Some old friends never fade, that's for sure.
-I always thought I would get married young, and have babies young. And while the first happened, the latter has been complicated. I've always put so much emphasis on my worth as a maternal figure, that I never considered that God would want me to do other things with my life first. Like go to school, develop and career etc. Of course, I would give it all up if I could just become a Mom. It's just funny how God knows each of us and directs our paths, even in ways we would not have taken ourselves. But he knows best, and all works out in time.
- Though I have heard the saying "the older you get the smartest your parents become," I know now that it's true. What surprises me even more, is that...yes...I am turning into my mother. Like mother like daughter, apparently. (I can't think of a better lady to emulate.) :)
For all of life's surprises...at least we know who's in charge. :)
My Favorite Things (in no particular order)
1. The sound of a baby's laughter.
2. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate. mmmm
3. Autumn strolls.
4. A good recipe.
5. The smell of homemade bread.
6. Jane Austen novels.
7. Crossing off the last item on my to-do list.
8. Grocery shopping.
9. Quilting.
10. Christmastime.
11. Girl talk.
12. Cuddling with Shaye.
13. Getting A's.
14. Sarah Palin
15. Raspberry Herbal Tea
16. Cafe Rio
17. Seeing an old friend.
18. Holding a baby.
19. Babies in general.
20. Laughing my guts out.
21. Feeling the spirit.
22. Connecting to someone in a different culture.
23. Cooking.
24. The Twilight Saga.
25. Adele's music
26. The Beatles, any song
27. Rainstorms.
28. Being with my family.
29. Getting Bubble Teas with Angie.
30. Watching my siblings grow up.
31. American Idol
32. Crying (I know that's weird)
33. Realizing that I learned a new lesson.
34. Being a listening ear.
35. Being with Shaye.
36. Giving gifts.
37. Relief society.
38. Pep talks from my mom.
39. The feeling of warm sunshine on my back.
40. Lazy days.
41. Writing music.
42. When Shaye gets home from work.
43. Meeting new people.
44. Italy!
45. My iphone
46. Going to the temple
47. Feeling like I am where I belong.
Just to balance it out, here are a few of my most unfavorite things:
1. Endometriosis
2. Roger (those who know me well understand what this refers to.)
3. Bad hair days...or fat days.
4. Frustation and/or disappointment.
5. Obnoxious television.
6. Being misunderstood.
7. Waiting... and waiting....and waiting.
But( to keep it positive) if I've learned anything lately, its that I, and all of us, have to focus on the positive things to evade the negative. As Shaye always says, there is a good wolf and a bad wolf--the one that thrives is the one that you feed the most. I try to feed the good wolf, and hope that my problems will eventually be solved.
MAY YOUR DAYS ALWAYS HAVE SUNSHINE AND HALF FULL GLASSES. :)
As many of you know, I just started my new job teaching beginning writing (ENG 1010) at Dixie State College. Needless to say, this has been a huge undertaking for me--first, trying to prove to myself that I am ready to be a teacher, and second, trying to convince myself that I'm not still a freshman in college. :) It's also been stressful because I'm in my last semester for my MA degree with Northern Arizona University, and I was worried that I would not have enough time to get everything done.
But despite my fears, I am happy to report that my job is going splendidly. I LOVE TEACHING! What a relief after going through 6 years of college for this profession, that I actually do love what I went to school for. My students are bright, intuitive, and good people. I'm so exciting to continue teaching. Maybe one day I'll get my PhD so I can hang out with the cool kids (the higher up professors), and not only teacher ENG 1010. But for now, I LOVE IT!
So, you know that saying that people look like their pets. I really hope it's not true. Sure, I love my parent's dogs...but do I want a flat nose and curly tail... no! My sister bought this gross hair piece at the dollar store. It looked ridiculous on her... and even more ridiculous on the pugs! Here are some priceless pictures of Maggie and Millie. Seriously, 2 Qt 2 B 4gotten!
So, I know... I'm a dork. It's true. But I LOVE the Twilight Saga!!! My Mom and I went to the Breaking Dawn release party at Barnes and Noble last Friday night and had such a great time. Don't get me wrong, there were definitely crazies there, but nothing too scary. In fact, half my parents' neighborhood was there.
At midnight they made us all line up outside and they called us in in groups of 25. My Mom went and got in line for a wristband at 8 am, so we were one of the firsts to get the book!! YEY! We ran into the store and bought the book and walked past no joke, 1500 or more people waiting and for the book! It was such a rush.
SO... I read the book on Saturday, and I LOVED IT! (Don't worry, I won't spoil it for any of you.) The book has had mixed reviews, but seriously, when can you make everyone happy? Anyways, I loved it!
Just wanted to let you all know that my brother Jeff just opened his mission call on Friday! He will be serving in the Alabama Burmingham mission and is super excited! He leaves Oct 22. I can't believe that I have a brother old enough to go on a mission, it seems like yesterday that Shaye left on his mission. We all tease Jeff that he's going to come back with a drawl and weigh 300 lbs. :) Aside from his uncanny association with Forest Gump, he's REALLY EXCITED! YEY FOR JEFF!
We just got back from the most fun, exciting trip to Washington State. It was especially fun for me to be able to experience all of the things that Shaye enjoyed during his childhood in the Bellingham area where we stayed is his family's favorite vaca spot. The trip was amazingly fun because everything we did was centered around the outdoors. Every day we went on cool hikes, and saw the most beautiful places. I can't believe how pretty it is up there! It's good to be home, but I sure do miss those gorgeous, lush mountains!
The other day my Mom and I went to visit my Papa Joe (maternal Grandfather.) We had a pretty normal conversation, but for some reason he was extra nostalgic and he started talking about lots of family memories... many of which occurred long before I was even thought of. My Grandmama passed away last fall, and so Papa Joe has been really tender lately. All of the sudden in our conversation he turned to a corner of his living room and retrieved a beautiful, familiar thing--a tiny rocking chair that I used to sit in as a little girl. It was my special little place. My Papa Joe told me that he wanted me to have the rocking chair and put it in my nursery when I have
children of my own. As I took that little chair from his house, I was so touched. It's amazing how much nostalgia and emotion can be stored in a little, family artifact. For now, the chair sits in the closet until I have a little one to sit in it.
A little later I looked around our condo and saw so many other heirlooms that brought a similar response. I saw the Easter tree that my Grandmama gave me a few years ago. I know that its June, but I still haven't put it away yet. :) Grandmama always bought me the funniest gifts, and I could never fathom where she had found them. But this Easter tree somehow became very special. It is even more special now that she isn't here to give me advice or tell me about her brave life.
When I went into my kitchen, I saw the Christmas dishes that my Granny gave me. My maternal grandmother was such a special person, and passed away when I was 12 or 13. I remember a few months before she died she called me over to her house. She was lying on the couch and had her oxygen on. We knew she didn't have much longer. It was the last time that I was alone with her. I wrapped the dishes in newspaper and we talked about so many important things. The things Granny said were always important. Now I see those dishes and it seems that a little part of her still surrounds them.
Though I know that we can't take anything material with us into the next life, I am grateful for the blessing of heirlooms. Sometimes when I feel alone, or am missing a loved one, I have something to hold onto to remind me that they're not really gone.
This father's day I have been reflecting on the importance of fathers in our lives. When I think of my Dad, I remember him teaching me how to ride a bike, wash a car, and mow the lawn. I remember him pulling my first tooth and disinfecting my scraped knees. I remember him giving me priesthood blessings and teaching me how to pray. I feel so blessed to have such a great dad. I know when there's so many people out there who grow up without a father in the home that its rare to have such a lasting influence. I know that I take him for granted a lot! I love you Dad!
Moreover, it has been a treat over the past two years since I've been married, to see the influence that my father-in-law has had over Shaye. I'm grateful for such a strong man who taught my husband how to watch over a family with such diligent and gentleness.
Happy Father's Day to all those Dads out there!
Is it that time again? It's crazy how fast a year can come and go. Shaye just turned 24 on Thursday. Somehow that sounds so old. Birthdays are always an interesting event at our house because we were brought up with such different traditions. While my family makes a huge deal of birthdays; Shaye's family don't so much. So I always wind up planning some big party for him, and he feels uncomfortable with so much attention being directed at him. I love it! :)
This year, Shaye's family got the hint and we had a big party for him at his parents' house. We had the usual cake and ice cream and then chatted in the yard with Shaye's siblings and watched our nieces and nephews swim. It was one of those beautiful, perfect evenings. Happy Birthday, Bear!
Here are some fun pics we took at Nichole's wedding last weekend! Talk about a high school reunion!
Nikki, Me, Katie, and Marci
My friends, I finally made the plunge. For so long I've been thinking about cutting my hair short and have been putting it off. When it grew down to my lower back, I decided enough was enough and cut about 14 inches off last weekend. Wahoo! Marci did such a great job that I haven't even regretted in one bit! Yey!
This weekend, we did two fun things. First, I walked at DSC commencement for my BA in English. (Even though I officially graduated in December). And I went to Nichole Gardner's bridal shower. What a fun weekend! Here are some pics...
