Cara Leigh

Remotivation.

2012-01-22T22:09:00.000-08:00

Remember how I posted that 5 week challenge about 6 weeks ago? Well, I didn't do very well. I worked out some and was semi-positive but really- not my best work. SO I am starting anew. I will begin again tomorrow, January 23, and conclude on Sunday, February 25. My workout goals include:

-1 hr of cardio, 5x weekly

-Yoga 2x weekly

-Glutes and Abs class 1x week

-Sports Conditioning class 1x week

-Zumba as much as possible!

The treadmill and stairstepper are my favorites for cardio (I download shows on my ipad which is amazingly motivating- favorites lately include PanAm, Law & Order SVU, and Gossip Girl).

I despise lifting weights on my own, so any class that includes weight lifting I am all for. There is the most amazing sports conditioning class in Orem- the teacher (we call her Beck-buns-of-steel) combines intense cardio (aerobics step, jump roping, jumping lunges etc) with weight lifting for an hour. This is seriously the best workout I have ever had. After all that, Zumba is my reward. I don't even really count it as exercise (even though it totally is) and if you have never tried it, you MUST!! Seriously it is so much fun. My goals may seem excessive but I'll be honest, my social life is not-so-hot as of late. And I am FINE with it! I really enjoy working out and going to classes at the gym, and don't we all spend our free time doing things we enjoy? Plus Ais and my mom come with me to most of the classes which makes it even better.

Did I mention that Ais and I dressed like twins all weekend? I had to pick someone up from the airport on Saturday morning and take them to Provo. Aislinn met me at my moms later that day and we were both wearing the same pants, sweatshirt, coat and UGGS.

Great minds think alike!

Also, don't be too jealous that my evenings look like this:

I credit the $1 McDonalds diet coke for getting me through.

Oh, regarding my post "What's wrong with the Grenny girls".... I didn't mean to sound so bitter! I was mostly trying to portray that it was really funny.

Christmas in the sun.

2012-01-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

I am a girl who likes a white Christmas. I like the snow, the traditions, the meals, the movies, just the general festive feeling one can have during the holiday season. That being said, apparently we chose the right year for a Christmas vacation. I am glad I didn't miss any blizzards or snowy nights where Christmas lights twinkle under fresh snow on trees and rooftops. Instead we had Christmas lights on palm trees and Tahitian dancers performing semi-sexually explicit dance moves next to our dinner table. Which was amazing.

The first few days were spent on the main island of Tahiti. We drove around the island and saw several waterfalls, beaches, and botanical gardens. Seth's girlfriend Jess was able to come on the vacay and Seth proposed at one of the waterfalls. I hid with my camera and took photos.

See my sneaky hiding spot between the flowers?

Pretty cool place to get engaged, right?

One of our favorite things about Tahiti was going to "the docks" for dinner. Food at our hotel was pretty expensive and less satisfying than the decadent food we are used to around the holidays. The docks are basically where food trucks park and make anything and everything you can think of. Our favorites included chow mein, steak frites, and banana and nutella crepes. So delish.

Ais devouring some chow mein.

We were lucky enough to meet several of the companions my Dad had when he served his mission 30 years prior to this trip. Our last day in Tahiti one of his companions took us on quite the adventure. He had an open back truck with seats on the sides and drove us up into the mountains in the middle of the island. We drove for about an hour or so, stopping to see the most amazing things along the way.

There were hundreds of eels in the water above. You know the evil eel in Little Mermaid? Eels really are that scary in real life.

Our final destination on the drive was this natural waterslide. We had to hike up a trail (which was actually more like an overgrown path on the side of the mountain) to get there, but it was totally worth it.

We rented scooters and rode around the neighboring island to Tahiti- Moorea. We rode to several view areas which were so beautiful.

We left Tahiti after 3 days and headed to Bora Bora.
Jess, Seth, and Ais on the boat to our hotel.

It was pretty rainy when we arrived in Bora Bora, and stayed overcast and rainy for the following day as well. We relaxed in our rooms, played cards, and watched movies.

The sunsets were AH-MAZING. I have to write it like that because they were so indescribable.

One morning we took a boat around the island to swim with the stingrays and sharks. We didn't prep poor Jess with snorkel training of any kind so it was a little scary for her. Otherwise, it was totally amazing. The reef and coral are unlike anything you have ever seen with florescent greens, purples and blues. The fish look fake and the water is incredibly clear and blue.

This is a very attractive shot of all of us at breakfast one morning.

We went parasailing on Christmas Eve and it was so beautiful. However, the guy left Aislinn and I in the air for what felt like 3 1/2 hours and we both got slightly nauseous. Other than that it was super cool.

My Dad's hair provided constant entertainment throughout the entire trip.

Christmas Eve

The sexy dancers.
I might have stayed in Bora Bora pending a proposal from the guy on the left in the next photo.

My parents set up quite the scavenger hunt for us on Christmas morning. Below we are reading one of our clues very enthusiastically.

Bora Bora is the most beautiful place ever. Seriously.
This trip was one of my favorites to date!

What's wrong with the Grenny girls?

2012-01-05T17:14:00.000-08:00

There have been many things I have been meaning to blog about this new year. My trip to Tahiti, Christmas, New Years Eve, new year resolutions etc etc etc. However, I can't get to those things until I record an experience I had the other day.

I was walking into the gas station and saw a neighbor from the ward I grew up in. Our families are pretty good friends and know the general status of each member of each other's family. As we chatted side by side filling up our fountain beverages, he (of course) asked me if marriage was on the horizon for Aislinn or myself. I responded with the usual disappointing response (I think others are actually more saddened by our single-hood than we are). Then I replied with a quick and cheerful "Seth got engaged! So that's good!" All he had to say was "But what happened to the Grenny girls? You were always so cute".

???????????????????????????

Yes, it took me a few minutes to process this comment and take in the full meaning. What happened to us? Something tragic, that's for damn sure. Not finding husbands in our early to mid twenty's? OMG this is craziness! And are we no longer cute so our options are shot? Something is seriously wrong with us. Seriously.

And that's all I am going to say about that.

Moving on, Tahiti was absolutely incredible. It deserves a post of it's own which will come later this week (being a better blogger, new year resolution #24).

New Year's Eve was pretty fun. Aislinn and I threw a little bash at our house for a few friends and their significant others. We were eachothers' significant other (Aislinn's kind of bf was out of town and my most recent date tried to tickle fight me which I wasn't having so that was my reason for being solo) and the night turned out to be pretty fun. Food was eaten, games were played, hats were worn, pictures were taken... you know all that stuff. Here is some evidence of our shindig.

Usually I couldn't care less about the new year, but for some reason this year feels different. I am really grateful for new beginnings, new goals, and a chance to reevaluate what matters and the way I live my life. I know the experience I told at the beginning of this post was an exaggeration on our culture, but sometimes (okay most times) that is the feeling I get. Not just from others, but from myself! Sometimes I feel like Charlotte from SATC: "I'm nice. I'm pretty, and smart! I'm a catch! I've been dating since I was fifteen! I'm exhausted! Where is he?"
In 2012 I am focusing on refining the qualities I have that need work, acquiring characteristics I wish I had, and leaving behind those qualities that are not so good.
Happy New Year!!

Light at the end of the tunnel...

2011-12-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

It's almost over. That being my first semester of Grad school. And can I say I have never been more glad to be done with something? Uhhh these last few weeks I have been running on majorly high stress levels and just barely have I been returning to normal. With only one presentation left, one paper to complete, and 4 classes left to attend, I am feeling soooo over it. The good news is that I can completely comprehend the future of my studies and the direction I am heading. Two months ago, even one month ago, would have been a completely different story. I will practically have an entire month off before returning to school in January! Woooohooo!

I plan to do the following:

-sleep in

-attend my favorite evening gym classes I have been forced to miss

-Christmas shop

-clean out my closet

-much needed lunch dates with friends I am missing

-pedicure before Tahiti

-spend plenty of time on pinterest

-read a few books

-go to all the movies I have not yet seen (Breaking Dawn... yeah I know, little late)

-take plenty of mid-afternoon naps

A few weeks ago as I was cruising pinterest, I came across this:

I thought this was just fantastic. And as cliche as New Years resolutions are, I am totally adding this to my already growing list. I love that it is not just about challenging your body but also your mind. In addition to the fitness aspect of this challenge I am going to attempt to challenge my mind to avoid all negativity (a lofty goal, I know). Small things like not getting pissed about the traffic and the fact that practically every other treadmill at the gym is broken- to the bigger things like forgiving someone who hurt your feelings. Anyway I am not waiting until January 1st, I am starting now (although there will be a slight intermission whilst I am on my vacay) and will continue into the new year. Can't wait!

Do not think that I completely forgot about Thanksgiving- I didn't. I just had NO time and could not bring myself to update with the little free time I had. However, we had a fantastic day with too much food, lots of family, and the movie ELF to put us in the Christmas mood. My dad may have become a little too excited...

We decided he must always leave the hat on while wearing his Buddy the Elf costume, for fear of looking like a molester without it.

Here:

my Thanksgiving food baby

Life lessons.

2011-11-07T16:14:00.000-08:00

You know what I have always been confused about? Why being nice and holding a standard to how you should be treated as a human being seem to be so intermixed. To me, it has always been pretty clear. If your boyfriend cheats on you, it's over. No excuses, no second chances, nothing. Because if he did it once, he will do it again and if you marry this person and a couple kids are thrown in the mix, it will mess up their lives- not just yours. Now this doesn't mean to hold a grudge and never forgive him. It just means you have the ability to accept a standard of how you will be treated and what you will and won't tolerate. Obviously this comes with maturity. Being young means learning these lessons and deciding how you will let people treat you throughout your life. Letting any old guy you go out with make out with you at the end of the night is a choice. And maybe you will end up marrying that guy and he will be great and it will all work out fabulously. Typically this is not the case. You end up feeling stupid when he doesn't call you, maybe a little used, and if it happens enough, you may even develop a bit of a reputation. So perhaps while saying "no" to more than a few guys may make you look "mean", your standard of how you should be treated or what you want is still upheld. In my opinion this standard holds true in any relationship throughout life. Including friends. Of course friends come and go, life changes, people enter different stages of life, you find less in common with someone who used to be a great friend etc. But there is always a standard to how you treat someone you call a friend. The golden rule pretty much sums it up; do unto others as you would have others do to you (yes, I am singing the song in my head). Simple. Would you visit a good friend in the hospital after she has given birth? Would you attend a tedious bridal shower of a friend who attended yours? Would you care for a friends child because you know they would care for yours? Of course! Most every person would do these things out of simple consideration to someone they care about, a friend. In a perfect world I think these are the type of people we would all love to be surrounded by, and wouldn't it be great if we could claim to be this type of person as well! This type of person would definitely be called nice. The nicest of the nice. But would they allow themselves to be treated poorly for the sake of being nice? I do not know the answer in even the slightest degree. However, I do know that I prefer to surround myself with people who are real friends. Who I know would work out a problem with me instead of waiting until it destroyed our friendship. I am not unaware that I am a hard person to talk to- believe me, I have been told time and time again. When you have a fault that you are 100% aware of, that you have tried all your life to overcome, and someone points that out- it can hurt. But you know what? It can also be helpful. It can make you realize that maybe you should work a little, probably a lot, harder at that fault. And another thing it does? It makes you realize who your real friends are. And that can be a pretty great thing too.

Yep. It's here.

2011-11-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it is already here? I can't. But can I say I am glad? I really am. This is the winter time I like. I like the cool crisp mornings and the first snowfalls that are so fresh and beautiful. I love the Holiday season and listening to Christmas music and having lots of family for Thanksgiving. I also love that I have roughly 4 weeks left of my first semester of grad school! I am so glad I decided to go back to school. It has been so great learning new things and meeting new people.

With the departure of October also came the conclusion of our Saturday morning training runs. Which I am a little sad about. But I am mostly happy because what we were actually training for went fabulously. The Halloween Half Marathon. Jeni explains it perfectly and I refuse to compete with her descriptions, so go here to read about our experience. It was my favorite race to date.

The other day I completed a take home test that took me close to TEN hours. Yes, you heard me, TEN HOURS. It was pretty horrible. However, to celebrate I rewarded myself with some mind numbing online shopping. Okay, more like online browsing because nothing was purchased. And I became obsessed with Anthropologie's earrings. I am a sucker for earrings and will always choose them over any kind of necklace or bracelet. If I had an unlimited amount of money to purchase jewelry, here is what I would buy:

Have I mentioned where I will be spending Christmas this year?

Can not even wait.

Break it off.

2011-10-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

Fall break:

Sleeping in

Fall decor

Exercise classes

Naps

Long runs

Movie nights

Shopping

Eating

Vegas w/ Jeni:

A short drive down

An expensive grilled cheese

Sleeping in (in a castle!)

Forever 21 (most enormous store ever)

H&M

Max Brenner deliciousness

Walking, walking, walking

Slutty ladies on buses (this is the correct spelling-it looked wrong to me too...)

Footloose

Laying poolside

People watching

A long drive home

This week:

Teaching at UVU (anxiety)

2 presentations

3 papers
Zumba

2 Airport drives

A half marathon

Just slightly addicted...

2011-10-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

No, I am not talking about diet coke. This is the next best thing. Pinterest. Seriously I am obsessed. All sorts of things can be found on this amazing sight including: craft ideas, recipes, home decor, inspirational quotes, kid activities, etc. However, I choose to focus more on the fashion/outfit aspect. And it is just so much fun! Here are some of my favorite outfit inspirations as of late.

Really, if you haven't checked it out yet you need to. You can find ANYTHING!

Loveeee her.

2011-10-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

This is pretty much my permanent response too, Adele.

I am happy to be like her in any way.

The latest and greatest.

2011-10-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

The most interesting blogs are those with pictures, wouldn't you agree? And since I have been a pretty awful photographer over the last few months I figure my blog posts would just bore people right out of their minds without some photos. SO. Here are some of events of my life according to my iphone camera:

Much reading is required in grad school which enables me to look like this most of the day.

Aislinn's cats like to be near me since I am home during the days and they like to nap on my homework. Sure, a piece of paper is the perfect place to rest.

I went on a little Yogurtland date with Olivia and Jeni last week. Olivia was telling me all about their ski lift ride to see the leaves which you can read about here. Jeni is one brave mama. And Olivia is seriously smart.

I made the most delish guacamole the other day! You may think this is quite silly but I never make anything. Seriously, my aunt is flabbergasted that neither Aislinn or I cook, but why would we? I really just don't see the purpose in cooking for one person. And because we both have opposite schedules, cooking for two is nonsensical as well. If ever I need to learn to cook for more than myself, I will.

With all the cold weather on it's way, I decided it was time to go through my boots. After dumping out the bin that housed them this past summer, this is what I found:

Excessive? Maybe. But keep in mind, this is my collection over years. And boots are expensive. So of course you have to save them because most likely, they will come back into style someday.

Jenn, Aislinn and I got massages a few weeks ago in celebration of Jenn's big day. We went to a cute little place called "The Kora Door" in downtown Salt Lake. My dad was actually given a pretty hefty gift certificate here from a client a few years ago and never used it (why they would think he would want $500 to a spa is beyond me), so Ais and I inherited it. It was totally amazing.

(before & after)

And finally, Jenn and Tyler were married in the Salt Lake temple this past Friday. They had their reception in my parents backyard and everything turned out beautifully. Jenn had her dress made and it was absolutely amazing.

Ais, Jenn, me and Chels at the dinner the night before.

Aubrey did Jenn's hair and makeup. She can literally work wonders.

Mr. and Mrs. Neal!

Oh and I have fall break next week! Which means after Thursday night I won't have class until the 17th! Wooo hooo!

Wendover. The city where dreams come true.

2011-09-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Actually I don't know if Wendover even qualifies as a city. I am pretty sure it doesn't. And also, dreams definitely do not come true whilst one is visiting. However, I did venture to this fine place over the weekend. Whatever expectations I had, they weren't high, so they were actually fulfilled throughout the night. The reason for our little "getaway" to Wendover was for my good friend Todd. He is getting married on Friday and was celebrating his last weekend of bachelor-hood. Aislinn, Jenn and I were invited. The evening consisted of watching the BYU and Utah games (don't ever try to tell people you are "kind of" a fan for both schools. It does not fly), eating some delicious nachos (or were we just really hungry?), reminiscing about old times, and sitting in a casino filled with stale cigarette smoke. Did you know smoking indoors is still legal in Wendover? Craziness.

I had to include a photo of the classy restaurant where we ate.

I met Todd after I graduated from high school while living with Ais and all her friends. He is a seriously great catch and one of the best guys I know. I am a little sad that we will no longer be the kind of friends we have been for the last 7 years (let's face it, it's slightly inappropriate for girls and guys to stay close friends after marriage), but more happy that he found such a cute, nice girl to marry. And I love weddings a lot. So YAY!
P.S. I think I really am a fan of both BYU and Utah...

Oh hey September!

2011-09-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it is already September? This summer literally flew by. And I have to admit, I am sad to see it go. I feel like the past few summers have gotten shorter and shorter! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we have still been having blizzards in May, but 3 months is just not long enough! The good news is that I absolutely LOVE fall! I have already gotten a little taste of the nip in the air on my early morning runs, the leaves in the canyon are on the verge of changing, and fall fashion is all around! What is better than throwing on an oversize sweater, leggings, and boots? Nothing I tell you, nothing.
Anyway, as of late you would never know that I am no longer a Utah County resident. I have been spending A LOT of time at my parents. Here is why: I am so bored in Salt Lake. School has been low key up until this point and after doing my assigned readings, I have NOTHING to do. We haven't had internet or cable until yesterday, I don't really know anyone who can hang during the days and since my classes all start in the late afternoon, I have ALL. DAY. BY. MYSELF. Seriously, it's kind of depressing. I get up, work out, shower, get ready, read, and it's 10am. Over the next few weeks I know school will get crazy so I am sure I will be busy, but man. I love my alone time- but I don't like to be alone all the time. Catch my drift?
School is going really well. I like it. There is a lot of pressure to decide what area I want to focus on for my actual Master's project. They encourage us to know the general population we want to focus our studies/projects on right away so we can work toward the bigger picture without wasting time. Since my emphasis is in eating disorder and obesity prevention, I can choose any specified population that deals with those issues. So pretty much anyone. I want to be specific but not too specific, ya know? I am thinking of focusing on 20-30 year old women and their view on body image, or same age group focusing more on eating disorders and substance abuse combined. What do you think sounds more interesting?

Amazon thanks me for this order... seriously textbooks are the worst thing to spend money on.
Did you notice my cute new header? Thanks to my creative friend Jeni- she's the best.

Satisfaction guaranteed.

2011-08-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

In anticipation/preparation for the Halloween half marathon this October, Jeni and I ran 8 miles on Saturday morning. It was a beautiful run, perfect really, with a slight breeze and great conversation. Usually this is the only time throughout the week when Jeni and I see each other and we save up all our stories/gossip for our run. It's the best. After our run we reward ourselves with large (for Jeni) and excessively large (for me) diet cokes. I have to say, a fantastic diet beverage along with the endorphins makes for a very productive Saturday. However, I must also add that I was absolutely starving for at least 24 hours afterward. And I ate. A LOT. And yet, nothing satisfied me. I ran errands, ate a breakfast sandwich, cleaned my car, ate pasta and a smoothie, went to the pool, ate yogurt and granola bars etc etc etc. Still hungry. BUT THEN..... Aislinn (my date), Jenn, Tyler (Jenn's fiance), and I went to the Bees Baseball game. After much deliberation we decided on the food stand called "Authentic Mexican". Sounds promising right? Oh, it was. I ate my entire authentic mexican burrito and didn't even feel bad about it. To make the night even better, they had a soldier man surprise his family on the field after returning home from Afghanistan (did you get all that?). It was practically like watching an episode of Extreme Home Makeover. And to sum it all up, there was an amazing fireworks show. I had physical satisfaction (the burrito), spiritual satisfaction (the heartwarming soldier/family reunion), and mental satisfaction (the fireworks of course). What a night.

Tyler, Jenn, me, Ais, Ariel, her date.

Amazeeee

I finally got around to hanging my frames. I wanted to do something a little different this time around. What do you think?

Our new place is starting to feel much more like home. Although we had a crazy, crazy, crazy storm a few nights ago which "fried" our power lines. Who knew that could happen? Our landlord felt so bad and made them come replace them as soon as they could. It just wasn't before the contents of our refrigerator went bad. A day and a half without power is slightly inconvenient...

So that's that.

2011-08-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

I am not good at new things. I get comfortable doing what I do and changing what I do freaks me out. A few years back when I started student teaching, I literally made myself sick with worry. I was worried the students would hate me, worried I wouldn't be prepared enough, worried I wouldn't know the answers to certain questions... but then it all worked out. And I ended up loving it. And being pretty good at it too. And the actual physical sickness that came along with the new experience eventually went away. All of those same feelings came back when I started teaching in my own classroom last year and then dissipated once again. And of course with this whole move and starting graduate school, I have experienced these feelings in the extreme. So I guess I have come to terms with the fact that any change in life really freaks me out. But then it gets better. Sometimes it takes months, maybe weeks, but lucky for me this past round it was only a few days. After attending all my classes I felt soooooooo much better. Yes, my classes are hard and unlike anything I have really done before. But my professors are extremely helpful and smart, I have met some cute girls to study with, and I can tell I am really going to like it.

On a different note, this is the season of weddings for sure. My good friends Todd and Jenn are getting married in September- not to each other- and I cannot wait for them! Also a few weekends ago Drew, Mitch and I ventured up to the beautiful town of Huntsville to attend Rachels wedding. It was amazing. Her family literally lives on the edge of a lake in a beautiful home with lots of property surrounding it. Aside from the perfect location, it was the perfect celebration with a seated dinner for all guests, dancing, cake, and of course a photo booth. So much fun. Drew is heading off to San Fransisco for school :( so it was kind of a last hurrah for us (Drew and I went on one date in 2005 and I broke a rib. We have been friends ever since).

I am for sure the worst blogger.

2011-08-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

In my blogging absence I have been stalking salt lake craigslist housing listings like mad. Looking for a place to live is a serious nightmare. Initially I thought an apartment would be ideal, but after reading reviews of noisiness, drunkenness, and dirtiness, I concluded that a house is a better option. So after 3 weeks of touring houses, meeting their owners, making a valiant effort to prove that I am in fact the best tenant choice, and getting denied time and time again, I started to feel like I was on a continuum of horrible dates. Luckily, I tickled the fancy of a retiree named Bob and he selected me as his latest renter. It's a good thing too because my self esteem was really starting to falter. Oh, and the house is absolutely adorable. Roomy, kitchy, and practically perfect for our needs. We move this weekend and once we are settled I will give you the ultimate photo tour. For now, the outside:

Cute, right?

For the past few months moving and school starting has seemed so far into the future, I haven't dwelled much on it. But now that it is here, all the changes have been a constant on my mind. Now I know it is surprising, but I am a serious homebody. I have kind of turned into the party pooper type. Not because I don't like to have a good time, but because usually the events that are supposed to bring fun and excitement (ie. parties, get togethers, dates) most always disappoint. Anyway, obviously I know this needs to change. I know I need to be more accepting of new things and new people. And what better way than to surround myself in an entirely new atmosphere? I am definitely expecting it to be a challenge. Missing my mom, family, and friends, not to mention gym classes, canyon activities, favorite gas station drive-thrus.... everything. But I really am excited. And did I mention I will continue living with Aislinn, Kate, and a new addition Courtney! Very fun.

On a different note, and to prove that I am still pretty fun, Jeni and I attended the Tim McGraw concert on Saturday night. It was a postponed celebration of her 25th birthday, and a pretty great one if I do say so myself. Tim came out in the middle of the crowd about 15 feet from us and sang a few of his very best songs. It was AH-MAZING (I wrote it like that bc there is really no other way to describe it). The rest of the concert was just as good really, and you can't leave without being totally and completely in love with Tim. There really is no sexier cowboy. See for yourself:

It was fantastic.

We had a family reunion with my moms side of the family a few weeks ago. There were many organized activities, one of my favorite being a hike to Stewart Falls. I have been before (when I was about 3, which I don't think really counts) but a new experience was in order. Once we reached the top I couldn't believe I hadn't been doing the hike multiple times each summer. It was so pretty at the top, especially this year with how green everything is. Totally worth it if you haven't done it. My 74 year old grandma made it and so can you! haha

My mom and her enthusiastic start to the hike.

My grandma is the best.

Of course I am still missing my little African kiddos so much. I think about them all the time. They changed my perspective on so many things, I could never explain it in words. On Sunday we watched a documentary called Invisible Children. It is about the children in Uganda who have been affected by the LRA(the rebellion that abducts children ages 8-13 and trains/desensitizes them to murder their own people), and those who are trying to avoid abduction. I just bawled throughout the entire thing thinking of the children I know who have been child soldiers or been affected by the LRA. It is one of the most tragic things going on in the world today and the movie really opens your eyes. It sounds depressing, and it really really is! But it's amazing too. Anyway, I totally recommend it.

So as not to end on that depressing note:

On the 25th of July Kate and I ran the Speedy Spaniard 10k, which took place in the beautiful town of Spanish Fork! Kate and I were really fast (for us), and it ended up being one of my favorite races.

Uganda post #2.

2011-07-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today in church we were talking about eternal families. We discussed how lucky we are as members of the church to know that we are a part of an eternal family or that we can be someday. It was really hard for me during the lesson to keep the peace and not yell "What about the orphans in Uganda? What about Fiona and Mary and Peace and Ivan? They don't have a family to be eternal with!" Don't worry, I didn't say anything like that. But it really made me think about the concept that our entire gospel is based upon, family. Eternal families. I have always loved this and completely believed it, never doubted it. I still don't. It is just so much more complicated for these kids. Explaining to them that they will be able to be with their families seems a little odd since they don't have the traditional family unit. However, while I was there I noticed how they are each others family. There is no nurturing, loving parent that comforts them when they get hurt or sick, but they do have their friends. And they are all friends. While there, we were able to attend their Sunday prayer meeting. There were no adults presiding over the meeting, the kids did it all on their own. They sang, danced, had a sermon, and prayed. And the whole time they were together. Some of the older kids were with the younger kids, best friends were dancing together, it was amazing. If I had to rank the experiences I had during my time, this would be number one. For sure. Toward the end of the meeting one of the older kids had Sam come to the front so everyone could pray for him. They knew he was leaving and wanted to thank him and say goodbye. For their personal prayers they stand, put their arms in the air and close their eyes. Then they all pray aloud. All the children said something different with their eyes closed so tight while we just watched. I started looking around at all their faces and every one of them had tears rolling down their cheeks. I can't even describe the feeling in the room. The spirit was so strong and there was complete peace. The kids have so much faith in God, even after so many awful things have happened in their lives. They are the happiest, most cheerful kids and it is just amazing. The song Families Can Be Together Forever kept coming in my mind during the whole experience, and even though none of them are LDS I felt like it applied so strongly to them specifically. After the lesson we had today I thought a lot about this and how they are all a family. We are part of that family. It's hard knowing how much different our lives are and how blessed we are to have that traditional family unit when they don't have it. But as I saw during their meeting, they are not alone. They are being watched over and comforted just as much as we are by our loving Heavenly Father.

Anyway, I swore I would never do the whole testimony/religious/weird/uncomfortable thing on my blog. So I apologize if anyone feels weird/uncomfortable. This was just a major moment for me and since it is my blog, well you know.

Sooooooooooo I will now introduce a few of the cutest faces ever:

This is Peace. She is 8 years old and has the most outgoing, funny personality of any of the girls her age and definitely speaks the most English. She has twin brothers that are younger, and 3 older siblings that are also at the orphanage. They are so cute together and totally look out for each other.

This is Goretti. She has Aids and was really sick when I first got there. Occasionally she will gain enough energy and feel well enough to come out and play. Which is why the following pic is one of my very favorites.

This is Fiona. She is 11 and the sassiest, funniest girl (which is really saying something). She won me over the night we arrived and we had so much fun while I was there. This pic just makes me happy.

Here is a video of Fiona and I making our dancing faces. I love that it doesn't even phase any of the kids around, they are used to her craziness.

Don't get too sick of my Africa posts... more to come!

Uganda post #1.

2011-07-13T20:30:00.000-07:00

I have been debating a strategy for posting my Africa experience so as not to give an overload of details that are uninteresting. I kept a pretty detailed travel journal so recording every fact here on my blog is pretty unnecessary. However, this blog is about my life and this trip was pretty life-changing, therefore I will highlight my experiences and the things I loved most (and maybe a few un-pleasantries as well).

First and foremost let me say, getting to Africa is a pain in the freaking butt. And for me (admittedly a pretty spoiled traveler) it was pretty close to the most awful travel experience ever. After being delayed in SLC and missing our connection in Chicago, we were rerouted to Amsterdam and then on to Entebbe, Uganda. This added an entire day on to our already long 30 hours of travel. By the time we reached our final destination I was beyond exhausted and just wanted some clean clothes and a bed. We went through and hour and half customs line and headed to baggage claim.... where of course our bags were not waiting. After attempting to track our bags with the ridiculous 1970's system they have going on, they claimed they would deliver our bags to Kaberamaido, the location of the orphanage. We headed out the next day on a bus that barely fit all the participants and our luggage.

One bus breakdown and 12 hours later we reached the orphanage. And you know what? It was all worth it. We pulled in around 11pm and all the children were waiting for us. They were running along side the bus yelling "Sam's sister! Cara! Sam's sister!" They were singing and dancing and following the bus to where it stopped at our dorms. Of course by this point I was so overwhelmed with exhaustion, stress, and anticipation, and these sweet children were SO excited to see me, I just started bawling. My lost bags and dirty underwear were suddenly completely unimportant. It was a pretty great moment.

Sam was seriously the best initiator. I could tell that since the day he arrived he completely embraced the experience and the children, and they were just in love with him.
Sam and two other interns, Samantha and Eden, have been teaching at the school where the children attend (there were about 100 kids at the orphanage while I was there and they make up about 15 percent of Achilo Corner Primary School). The day after I arrived I went to the school with them and got a P6 (12-14 yr olds) English class to teach for the remainder of my stay. There were about 90 kids in my class which was extremely intimidating. The kids who are P4 and above are taught all their classes in English so they can understand the material if it is enunciated clearly. Most of the people in the area speak their tribal language and English, which made it much easier for me. It was pretty funny because "hello" in their tribal language is "yoga". Everyone is so friendly and every person you pass on the street says "Yoga!". They don't see many white people in such a remote area, so we were pretty fascinating.

(above) Sams P7 Math class.

Sam, Eden, Samantha, in typical after school fashion-surrounded by the children.

Sam and I in front of the school.

Some of the girls after braiding my hair. Aren't their uniforms cute?

One day after school we decided to take the bicycle taxis to a market a few towns away. One of the staff members at the orphanage told us it was about 20 minutes away... It turned out to be an hour and half each way- yes our bums were unbelievably sore, and yes it was worth it.

Every evening when the children came home from school, we would play soccer, dance, and hang out until about 10. It was so funny because the first day I was there they would just stare at me and touch my hair and face and fingernails (to say they were obsessed with my nail polish would be an understatement). One night they had a dance party with Ugandan music. They are such amazing dancers, the girls can shake it like no other.

It is a school guideline for students to keep their heads shaved, so boys and girls are hard to differentiate in pictures. In real life it is pretty easy to tell from what they wear.

Most of the kids have dealt with something extremely difficult or traumatizing, and all of them have lost their parents. But it was so amazing how much they loved each other and what good friends they are. And especially how much faith they have. They are so positive and happy. I will introduce you to some of the kids I became closest with in my next post so stay tuned!

Love these peeps.

2011-06-19T13:31:00.000-07:00

can. not. wait.

2011-06-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

This morning I was sitting here drinking my delicious diet coke, and I couldn't help but think how much I will miss my daily diet beverage while in Uganda. But then this guy:

was online and I got to chat with him for a while. And you know what? I don't even care about my diet beverage one single bit anymore. I just want to get to Africa and hang with my awesome brother and those cute kids. It is so crazy how things are put in perspective for you and how easy we all have it. Here is an excerpt from his latest email I just have to share with y'all.

"Back to the kids, being with them is honestly the greatest joy I have ever felt. Every night when I have to go back down to the intern house it takes me at least an hour to pull myself away from them and when I finally do I immediately just feel sad and it seriously hurts my heart. All I do all night is think about them and look forward to playing with them the next day."

I just think Sam is amazing. He says the kids ask him to stay for a year and I really think he would if he could! He says he never wants to leave. Anyway, I know I am so lucky to have this opportunity and I cannot wait to meet these kids. I leave in less than a week woo woo!

Spice up your life!

2011-06-12T21:42:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about change a lot lately. Not like the money kind, but the kind that is necessary. And sometimes hard, and scary. The kind that can sometimes make you really sad and nervous but that can also make you very happy. Obviously we all need change in order to progress in life, and when we are feeling like we are at a standstill and maybe living a groundhog day, only we can decide to make that change. I have seen a few people make these hard changes lately. Watching them make these hard decisions, has helped me begin to make changes I need to in my life. And it makes my hard things look much easier.

On a lighter note, sometimes we can simply change our surroundings only a bit, and it can make the biggest difference. One thing I absolutely love to buy is house decor. If I ever lived in a place longer than a year I would love to paint and do projects and save for cute pieces etc. But since I am on the never ending rental plan, I have to do what I can. I got lucky this year for my birthday because Aislinn surprised me with this baby:

How amazing is this rug? It is the cutest thing ever.

I had also been wanting to start collecting all the old Penguin Classics from Anthropologie. Lauren gave me Withering Heights last year and I thought it was the most adorable gift ever. But every time I went to Anthro, I couldn't bear to drop 20 bucks. Then one day I was surfing Amazon and found all the classics ranging from 8-12 dollars! I ordered my faves and wa-la! New desk decor.

Have you ever been to the journal section at Barnes & Noble? I spent a good hour browsing all the cute fill-in-the-blank activity books and journals. There are some really good gift ideas... like I was going to get my Dad this book for fathers day where you filled in different reasons why you love them etc, but the more I looked at it the more it seemed better fit for your significant other rather than your father... so I opted out. But if I had a significant other, I definitely would have purchased. I ended up leaving with this book:

It's called Listography. I am a pretty lousy journal writer but I love lists! Which makes this book perfect. It has every topic you can imagine (I will probably be skipping page that has you "list the strangest places you have had sex"... there are 20 lines. That's a lot of strange places...?) and I am sure it will be so fun to go back an read.

And since deciding to spice up my life (as the Spice Girls would say), I have been so happy. Making those changes, big or small, make life happier! I know my new rug makes me happy every day!

nostalgia.

2011-06-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

Toward the end of the school year I told my students about my trip to Africa. We talked about how most of the children in the orphanage would be their age and the ages of their siblings (initially I think they were imagining 3 year olds). I gave them the option of writing a letter to a child in the orphanage. I didn't know that any one would really take me up on my offer since it wasn't a graded assignment. But you would not believe the letters they turned in. They are so insightful, with questions about school, siblings, sports, and their lives. It's the cutest thing ever. But since there are 140+ kids in the orphanage, and I only got about 60 letters, we decided to turn the letters in to a book. The students had permission for me to take their photos and we will put them with their letter in the book. I also had them address an envelope to themselves so they can receive a return letter and photo from a child in Uganda. I am so excited about how it is all coming together and with definitely share the finished product with you.

But without further ado, let me introduce you to some of my favorite/most colorful students:

For sure my two most talkative students. Can you guess who the infamous student is on the left??

I don't think I told you what happened in my 8th grade PE class a few weeks ago. It was traumatizing to say the least. I have some very rowdy boys (not to mention cocky) who were celebrating a goal in indoor soccer. One of them pushed open the metal door and ran out (I guess showing off? I don't know boys are so weird) and his friend followed close behind. Well as friend A was about to walk back in, friend B slammed the metal door smack into friend A's face. Totally an accident. Well I went walking over kind of laughing bc it was pretty funny, and friend A had his hand on his head whilst laughing as well. I asked if he was okay, and he said he was fine- then he took his hand off his face.... gushing blood. Seriously running all over his face- practically spurting onto the floor. I about started dry heaving and immediately sent him to the nurse. He had to get 8 stitches and was fine. But ohmygosh I almost lost it. SO gross. The girls and I felt bad, but then started discussing who in class almost deserved it... we came up with at least 5 names... haha not really. We were just joking.... kind of...

I love these girls. So sweet and chatty, always wanting to fill me in on everything- which I love!

Seriously when I tell people I taught Jr. High they act like they can't think of anything worse. But I just loved it. Yes, there were the days I was over it, when student called me the B word, when my 7th graders literally could not control themselves, when I was exhausted. But I can honestly say for every bad day, there were 10 good ones to make up for it and remind me why I am so glad I chose the career I chose. I will really miss my students this summer and I will miss teaching in the fall. But I am so glad I can always have it as an option and remember this experience as being pretty incredible.

Also, don't these pictures just scream Jr. High? haha so hilarious.

Ahhh June.

2011-06-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

June could not have come soon enough this year. Our spring was a total bummer with rain, snow, rain, and more snow. The sunshine has never been more welcome. One of the biggest bummers of a cold spring is not being able to wear old and new spring attire! I love fashion for all seasons, but spring is maybe my favorite-all the bright cheerful colors are an automatic mood booster. This month when Anthropologies' June catalog arrived I was swooning. Here are some of my favorites:

Lusting all of this.

Check out the whole spread here.

they are all crazy.

2011-06-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

Can I say that I am so glad that I am a girl? Like seriously. This weekend I headed down to St. George (along with the rest of Utah County) with some friends. I ended up being the only girl with this particular group of fellas. Now, keep in mind this is something I would normally never do- but people, I was absolutely starved for some vitamin D. So I went. The first night they decided to play some sand volleyball. In my mind I was like I'm pretty decent, I taught 80+ students how to bump, set, and spike. I can totally contribute... WRONG! Ohmygosh. You have never seen a game of volleyball like this. It was in a sand pit and under the sand was cement. You may think this would hinder the diving, jumping, falling etc. Nope. After the best of 3 turned into best of 5 and three hours later, there were swollen ankles, bleeding knees, and bruised hands. Thank heavens I had the excuse of being a girl so I could drop out of the game early-(I'll be honest, I didn't play at all).

After the competitive v-ball game we went to the hot tub. Which was locked, so naturally we had to "hop" the fence. I felt like I was 16 again, which wasn't the best feeling. This next part is really gross just fyi. So we were all in the hot tub which was surrounded by a wooded area. I was sitting on the edge and felt something on my shoulder. I brushed it off and ignored- since it was dark and all. Then it happened again but this time I caught a glimpse of what had landed on me. A cockroach. Yes it's true. I jumped into the hot tub screaming we all look on the side where I had been sitting- cockroaches EVERYWHERE. Seriously. They were like 3 inches long. So huge and so disgusting. I still feel like they are crawling all over me.

The next day I woke up and went to visit Ais and Jenn who were staying at Jenn's sisters. Can I tell you how nice it was to walk outside that first morning and have it be toasty warm? I had the windows down and was almost too hot. Almost. I went to the pool most of the day, came back and watched sports for like hours with the boys. Boring. What if you were friends with these dudes that loved sports and you just had to pretend to love to watch golf? ugh it was the worst. And then the boys continue to talk about the sports they watched for hours after they are done watching. Wow.

Anyway I can safely say I know what boys ages 13-28 talk about. And it's all pretty much the same. Sports, girls, sports, food, girls, and that's pretty much it. Unless you are Carlos, who always loves the hypothetical questions. A sample of the latest:

"Ms. Grenny, if you had to choose whether to get you brains blown out or you face blown up, what would you choose?"

"If you had to force yourself to do a drug, which one would you do if you had no choice at all?"

"Wanna make some money Ms. Grenny? I will give you a nickle to smell my shoe!"

He is a crazy one. But I think I might miss that craziness.

In my 25 years...

2011-05-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

Every year on our birthday my Dad asks us the same question: "What was the main thing you learned while you were 24?". This year my birthday was a little chaotic and he didn't ask me (he also forgot my birthday on the actual day.. but that's okay because he made up for it by bringing cupcakes to my class and singing happy birthday). You would think that 25 was a big year, that I would have quite a bit of wisdom to share, but I had to think long and hard to come up with some of the things I have learned. Here is what I came up with:

Progression is an odd thing. Over the past few years I have set goals to do well in a specific class, get into better shape, learn to manage my money and so on. After graduating, habitually going to the gym, and saving money, it is only natural to set new goals. The thing is, I never thought at this age my goals would still only involve just me. Before I graduated I thought "I will never graduate, and if I do I will be married for sure". Then I graduated. And I wasn't married. You know what? It was weird. Of course in Utah Valley I am turning into an old maid, but in actuality, I am young! And since it is still just me I have to think about MY life, my future, and sometimes it feels selfish. I learned to accept the fact that my life hasn't necessarily turned out the way I envisioned it, but it is good! I have so many opportunities to travel, learn, meet people, serve, teach, and NAP! And I am so happy. Yes, of course I want Mr. Amazing to walk in to my life at some point. But I am feeling pretty content and lucky to be where I am.

U U U UTAH!

2011-05-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

Soooooooo I got in!

I could not be more excited now that I know it is real! Come August, I will be relocating to Salt Lake City! I just hope my brothers still let me sit by them at the BYU games....

Losing my mind...

2011-05-10T23:15:00.000-07:00

Don't ask me why I said my mom's birthday was three days after Mother's Day... I am losing it. MY birthday is 3 days after Mother's Day this year and hers is the following Wednesday. So 8 days. Whatever, everything has been a blur these past few weeks so you can't really expect me to keep everything straight! Plus, in my old age I am bound to get a few things wrong...

The blur consists of the following:

*My parents house has been in the process of getting packed up to ready them for their move. It has been a bittersweet experience- mostly bitter- dealing with all the movers, unfinished parts of the new house (basically the whole thing), and of course the sentiments of moving out of a house you have lived in for over 21 years.

*Samuel decided to do an internship in Uganda (with the same organization I am going with in June), and had to be ready to leave within just a few days. He left yesterday, which means we wont see him for about 2 months.

*I have been stressed. Not knowing what I am going to do this fall is absolute torture. I am a total planner and like to know what my future holds in advance. Soooo the fact that I don't know if I have been accepted into my preferred masters program is weighing heavily. Plus, I don't feel like I can avidly look for a teaching job not knowing if I will even be able to accept.

Phewwww. I feel better already! Thanks for reading through my worries and concerns...

And now for a sneak peek at a few of my favorite things in my parents new house:

Last but not least:

Where I will be spending the majority of my free time this summer!
Come to the Parade of Homes if you want to see more!
(But I will probably post more pictures for those of you who do not plan on attending)

And the sun is shining.

2011-05-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been so beautiful here in Utah Valley. I have absolutely loved taking my students outside for PE to a sunny sky. We have been playing wacko-ball (pretty much baseball with a tennis racket and tennis ball), and I have been working up quite the sweat whilst completing my pitching duties. Is it weird that I am feeling sad to think that school is ending soon? I have enjoyed these last few months so much and I'm going to miss my students, like a lot.

You know those people who are really hard to shop for? Well, my mom is one of them. And it's doubly hard in May because it's Mother's day and her birthday. And this year they are 3 days apart. By a stroke of luck, I found the most adorable website. It's called A Vintage Poster. I am a total sucker for inspirational/cutesy quotes and wall decor, so you can imagine my excitement upon finding the site. The girl who makes the posters customizes everything she does with color, font, etc. Another plus? She is located in Provo and hand delivered it to my porch so I would have it for Mother's Day.

Here is the print I ordered for my mom:

Cute, right? Plus it matches the fabric in my parents new kitchen.

I of course had to order one for me too:

Frames are from Michaels, 40% off this week!
I also ordered a print from this little etsy shop.

Can you tell I was in need of some new wall art?
I went to this movie last night:

It was disappointingly annoying with a few funny parts in between.
Oh, and I hiked the Y at 1:30am. Totally uncharacteristic but totally amazing. If you have never hiked it at night, I recommend it.

My students asked me why I never wear my hair down... You know if 13 year old kids notice, there is a problem. I'm gonna work on it.

10 things.

2011-04-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

10. I went to lunch the other day with some of my best friends from high school. Of course our lunch turned in to a two and a half hour chat session and I was still left wanting more. Amazing how we all have very different lives, but can relate to each other so well.

9. Saying I am itching for summer is an understatement. I am DYING for it to come. I love the smell of wet grass from the sprinklers and warm summer nights. Plus everyone is just cuter.

8. Just like any other girl, I love me some celebrity gossip. But I just don't care about the royal wedding. Sorry Will and Kate, I will be saving the 2.99 on any mags you grace the cover of.

7. I have lost my favorite brown wedges. And I am depressed. Not because I spent a ton or anything, I purchased them at the rack. But they were the magic shoes. Tall and so easy to walk in. Pray for me to find them.

6. The stair stepper is my new best friend. And I am getting pretty good. However, I realized I may need to cut back when I was jumping into my favorite skinny jeans the other day, and they ripped. Right in between the legs. I am really grateful it was in the comfort of my own home instead of a public restroom or something.

5. Yogurtland recently graced Orem with its presence. Thank the heavens above because it has literally provided Kate and me with post gym nourishment for the past few weeks. Red velvet yogurt w/ reeses. Duh, I have to reward myself for working out!

4. On my way to church last week, I had to slam on my breaks so as not to run over two dead cats in the road. Their deaths were obviously a recent thing and it was a traumatizing sight. I practically hyperventilated in my car and may have shed more than one tear.

3. My parents are moving in a few weeks and we have been going through a lot of our old mementos. We have had many fits of laughter over notes, journal entries, and pictures from years ago. My mom was so good about saving things we would find important later in life. Especially without being a pack rat. I am trying really hard not to think about leaving that home. We have all grown up there and experienced many of our firsts there. It is going to be a really strange, sad thing to leave it behind.

2. My parents new house is going to be beautiful and fun and I am sure we will create so many new memories there. But still. Sad.

1. So as not to bore you with the whole story, I will majorly condense this last bit. I had one of my most shameful experiences this weekend as I hit on a 21 year old. Yes he was fresh off the mission and I felt like an iddddiiiioooootttt. I am not saying I am above dating someone 4 years my junior, I am pretty sure it will come down to that for me. But when you are discussing the basics like school, work, and life, and his responses end in "You are graduated?!" and "You like teach school?" you begin to feel like a freaking single 40 year old. I wanted to say "Listen buddy, take it down a few notches..." sheesh. I blame the whole encounter on the wedding reception and the fact that I was feeling uncharacteristically positive about love.
Don't worry, the whole night wasn't a bust. We had lots of fun on the dance floor, decorating the car inappropriately, and monopolizing the candy bar.

playing catch up.

2011-04-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

I am, without doubt, the worst blogger of all time. And I carry some serious guilt over this people. Because the thing is, I still read all of your blogs. I just completely neglect my own. So to turn over a new leaf, I will commit to one post a week. Really this is just for me. I am recommitting to myself (because let's get real- I am not doing much committing elsewhere) to become a better blogger. So without further ado, a quick catch up:

For the first weekend of spring break my family went to California for my cousin Erik's homecoming talk. He just returned from a mission to Mexico and is seriously the cutest boy ever. For the first time in forever every member of my family could go, which was really fun. We flew in to LAX, rented a minivan, crammed 7 adult bodies in, and drove up the California coast. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. My cousins live in San Lois Obispo in the most gorgeous house on the top of a huge hill. They have an ocean view and the best yard ever. We ate food, hung out, went to the beach, and had so much fun being all together.

The weekend after California I went to St George with Ais and Jenn. It was so great. To say it was a blast would just be completely the wrong adjective because really, it wasn't. It was so so so nice and relaxing. We did absolutely nothing. We stayed with Jenns sister and her family and practically didn't leave their house all weekend. Jenn cooked several meals for us, we played with their cutest baby ever, went to the St George temple, and layed by the pool. One of the best weekends ever.

We also agreed that Aislinn should probably become a mom very soon.

I had to teach the Monday we got back and several of my students told me I looked orange. I could have been offended but I cut them a break since they are 13 and are used to seeing my paleness. One of my favorite students also guessed that I weigh 105 lbs which was extremely flattering until I told him he was wrong and his next guess was 150 lbs. After I told him my real weight, a girl sitting nearby said "that's how much my dad weighs!" Also not the most flattering thing for me and probably for her dad as well.

I just finished up my human development/sexuality unit and ohmygosh you will die. The past few weeks have been some of the most entertaining of my life. But that deserves a post of it's own.

Here is a sneak peek:

This is the worksheet I had my students fill out during the anatomy part of my lesson. The next day Carlos (one of my favs) came up to my desk with his worksheet and said "Ms. Grenny! I showed this picture to my little brother and it really freaked him out!"

TO BE CONTINUED

Oh to be tan again...

2011-04-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

I came across this photo on my parents computer. What I wouldn't give to have that tan on my pasty white skin right this very second.

Good thing I am going to St George tonight!

I love New York.

2011-04-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

New York was so much fun.

We took the red eye last Wednesday night and arrived on Thursday morning. You would have thought we would be exhausted but we really weren't (thanks to ambien and almost 5 full hours of sleep). I think the excitement of being there and having the entire day ahead of us helped too.

The first day we went to Norma's for breakfast. It was the most delicious food ever and kept us full most of the day. After breakfast we went to Time Square to get play tickets for that evening. We lucked out and got Phantom of the Opera Tickets for 66 bucks! We were very lucky to have Jenn with us, she lived in NY for a summer and was very Subway savvy. That night we went to a delicious dinner at Union Square Cafe and then headed to Phantom.

I hadn't seen Phantom for years and it was so amazing. The Phantom was the most talented I have ever seen. His voice was so soothing, it practically melted your heart. I didn't remember the story being as sensual as it was, but seriously, we were all in love at the end.

The next day we headed down to Soho to do some shopping. We walked around for probably 7 hours straight that day, only stopping for the most amazing lunch at Cafe Habana. Their corn on the cob was to die for.

Jenn's brother in law works for a company that has offices in the Empire State Building. He got us VIP passes to get to the front of every line and to get to the very top lookout. It was great because it was free!

If you haven't been to Dylan's Candy Bar in NY- you have to go. It has every bin candy in the world and is super cute. It is also right around the corner from Serendipity. We decided you should skip the food but get the Forbidden Broadway Sundae. So divine.

Later that night we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. It was freezing, but so pretty.

We went to Sushi Samba for Kristin's 25th! It was so yummy.

FAO Schwartz. Playing on the big piano.

All in all it was such a fun trip and so nice to get away. New York is the most beautiful city- if you have never been, I definitely recommend going!

change.

2011-03-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

After finishing my application for my masters program of choice, I can't help but feel mild anxiety about not getting in. There are only a certain number of openings and I can't decide if I am under qualified... Either way I feel as though this is such a transitional time in my life. I live in Provo. I am too old to attend the regular get-togethers (seeing as how TWO of my younger brothers and their friends are regularly in attendance). I love teaching sooo much but it is a pretty isolating career-meaning I never meet anyone new. Admittedly, I am pretty close minded to any opening liners from men around these parts since they always end up being newly returned missionaries, or total weirdos (did I ever tell the story of the creeper from my GRE prep class?...oh my gosh worst experience ever). I need a change of scenery.

Is anyone as excited for summer as I am? I can't wait. My parents new house will be finished, I will only have one job, and I am going to Africa! I will be working in an orphanage for a few weeks and am so looking forward to the experience. The orphanage is in Uganda and the program looks really cool. Does anyone want to come with me? Pleaseeee? Let me know. Seriously.

After two weeks of listening to J Bieber constantly, I have gotten over my initial obsession. I currently have this song on repeat and am seriously obsessed. Download it. Now. You may as well download her whole album for it is ah-mazing.

I am leaving for New York in 4 days! And I can't wait to hang out with these girls for the weekend!

See you suckas later!

Motivation.

2011-03-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

Since I have basically abandon my blog as of late, you can probably only assume my lack in the subsequent heading. However, it is just the opposite. I have somehow found a new motivation in many aspects of life.
Examples:

*Applying for grad school. I do not think there could be a more annoying task in all the world. It is all about jumping through annoying hoops. And don't even get me started on the GRE.... the last math class I took was in 2005, and seriously you have to know every word in the English language in order to feel confident about the verbal section. Would you think that "the word or phrase that is most nearly the opposite" NICE would be IMPRECISE? Me neither. Just a sweet little taste I thought I would share...

*Getting to the gym. Let's face it, staying your desired weight is a lifelong fight and probably pretty unrealistic. And getting into my mid-20's is not helping much. This year I decided to focus less on how much I weigh and more about how I feel. This has made a huge difference in the way I work out. I feel like going to the gym WAY more than I ever have before. I have started mixing up what I do and I really enjoy my workouts. Oh and another thing that has helped me: downloading episodes of shows to watch while doing cardio. An episode is typically 45-50 minutes which makes it easy to stay on the treadmill/stair stepper/elliptical for that long. My current fav:

It's seriously hilarious.

*Spring cleaning. Some people dread this task but I have thoroughly been enjoying it. Every Saturday I take an hour or so and work on a different area. I open my window to let in that delicious spring air, turn on some tunes, and clean out drawers, closets, tubs, etc. Somehow I accumulate lots of stuff every new place I live, I have no idea how. I am practically done this year and feel like a new girl!

*In school I am starting the Human Development unit. I am trying to figure out fun and interesting ways to teach concepts like the menstrual cycle, STD's, etc. I really hope to make my students completely comfortable so they feel they can participate and ask questions.... we will see. They act as though they are pretty comfortable, evidence being that I witnessed this conversation the other day:

Matt: Carlos you love Ms. Grenny

Carlos: NO I DON'T! I DON'T!

Matt: You think she is hot...

Carlos: Oh cmon, I have seen WAY hotter girls in Vegas!

Pretty funny stuff.

On a different note, I am going to New York next week for a girls trip and cannot wait. Thanks to Jenn we have a fantastic itinerary full of eating, sight seeing, shopping, and eating... can't wait for the SHAKE SHACK! Photo's will definitely be posted of this vacay.

Anyway just because I have stopped blogging doesn't mean I don't read all of YOUR blogs! So keep updating and I will make a more valiant effort as well.

It is a happy valentines day!

2011-02-14T16:06:00.000-08:00

I am not one of those single girls who hates Valentines Day. Probably because my mom always gets me a little surprise and my grandma gives me a cute little valentine and sticks 5 bucks or so in the envelope. That is 5 diet cokes people.

My bank account is also seriously struggling lately so it's nice not having to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a gift for someone. Not that I wouldn't want a special someone, of course I would, duh!But I am just not sad about it.

Today was great. And I will tell you why: I spent it in a Junior High. Do you remember Valentines Day in Junior High? Well it is a big deal. During my prep, A1, I listened to the boys choir going classroom to classroom singing valo-grams. Renditions of "I'll Be" and "Grenade"(romantic? or suicidal? I'm not sure) were heard many times throughout the morning. As my students sauntered in to class I spotted many red roses, balloons, and stuffed animals. One girl brought in a life-size teddy bear. No joke, he sat at his own desk throughout the rest of class. The highlight of this class was the note I confiscated from one of my male students. Melo-drama is an understatement. This girl just bore her soul through this note. Phrases like "every moment we have spent together has made my love for you grow" and "If I had never met you I would not still be on this earth". But then she didn't sign it....so it was anonymous. Said student was confused to say the least. I told him if he ever found out who it was to RUN.

My last class is 8th grade PE and they are my favorite. This was the class where I reeled in the goods. One girl gave me a dark chocolate Lindor ball, another a home-made heart shaped sucker. My favorite gift was from Omar. He reminds me of the kid on Sandlot who kisses the lifeguard. He gave me a rose. No, not any ordinary rose, only about 2 inches of stem and the actual flower. He couldn't afford the long-stemmed roses which was just fine with me.

Oh yeah, and the thing that makes this day the best Valentines ever? My friend gave me free, yes free, Sarah Mclachlan tickets for tonight. Can't wait!

Happy Valentines Day!!

Ramblings from a girl at What's Hot... yep I still work here.

2011-02-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

Isn't it funny how sometimes when you are super busy, you would give anything for one whole day off? I swear lately I haven't had a second to breathe, but freakishly, I am enjoying it. It seems to make me feel so much more productive. And forget about sleeping problems, once my head hits the pillow I am out. This morning I was able to sleep in til 8 and it was fantastic!
I am getting a little restless with this freezing weather we have been having and scraping my windshield could not be more tedious. I dream of warmer days. The other day when it hit 40* I rolled my window down. It was downright balmy.
Online shopping/browsing is my current obsession. All the new spring stuff looks all too appealing. If I order all my current favs, spring will come faster, right?
Am I being completely irrational when some dude invites me over at 10pm (on a weekday) and when I decline, he acts offended? Like he just keeps trying and trying and I just shut him down. Hellooooo text me at say 7 and I will actually consider your invitation.
Never in my life have I actually enjoyed work. Not that I hated it, Mariposa and Trafalga definitely had some good times, but I never LOVED it. I absolutely love teaching. And the best thing about part-time is that all the tedious, repetitive parts are things I don't have to deal with! It's so great.
Apparently I am "pretty fast" as my students like to tell me. I am always the target for any of the tag games we play. Oh yeah, did I mention that I have started dressing like a real life PE teacher? Yep, sweats, tennis shoes, t-shirts, even a sports bra. That is how intense my classes are.
I ate an entire bag of Reeses Pieces in my class last night. 450 calories, don't mind if I do! At least they helped keep me awake.
I am heading to New York at the end of March with some girl friends and I could not be more excited. I am saving all my monies for some majorly good shopping. Want to know the weirdest thing? Alpine School District pays monthly which is fine, but I won't get paid for January until Feb 28, wont get paid for Feb until Mar 31 etc etc. Weird/Annoying huh?

Have a fabulous 9th day in February.

Happy LOVE month!

I love little babies.

2011-02-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

Yeah that's right, I love babies.

Are they not the most amazing, wonderful thing ever?

My friend Rachelle had her second baby boy this past weekend and I really think he is one of the cutest babies of all time. Probably because he was 9 pounds and super chubby! If any of you know Rachelle she is tiny. 4'11" to be exact. And yes, she had a 9 pound baby. The birth was not the smoothest but maybe she will tell the story on her blog. Anyway, that is not the point. The point is that I think it is incredible what moms do for their babies, especially in order to birth those babies. And yes, seeing a baby that is brand brand new makes me slightly emotional. Kind of like at weddings.

Did I mention I am taking a GRE prep course at BYU? It is twice a week for 4 hours which is pretty much the worst thing ever. The good news is I have already learned A LOT. So that's good. And it will end with February which is a major relief.

Oh yes, here is my blond-ness.

back to blonde.

2011-02-02T21:24:00.000-08:00

When I was in high school I died my hair dark brown on a few different occasions. My mom told me I looked like a Spanish senorita every time. I learned the painful lesson that blond is a much better color for me. Which is why the hair I have now is VERY dark for what I have had the last 6 years or so. See for yourself:

Tomorrow I am going back to my blond self. Let's face it, February is a hard month. I need some brightening up in my life and being a true blond will most likely do the trick. Perhaps something like this:

Candice Swanepoel everyone. (Ummm she is amazing btw)

Oh yes, and do not think my above comment about Spanish senoritas was at all racist- have you ever been to Zumba? I have never wanted to be a senorita/latin lover in all my life! Those girls can shake it!

Student comment of the day: (I went to bed w/ wet hair last night and it was flat/wavy this morning so I left it down-not my best look) As Maximillo (real name, I couldn't bear to change it)was looking at me with great curiosity, he asks:"Ms. Grenny, have you done something different with your hair?" I only wish you could hear his inquisitive tone. He was sincerely curious.

One more thing: Lot's of people have asked me how my hair grew so fast... To me, it wasn't that fast. But I did get a Brazilian Blowout this past September. For those of you who don't know, a Brazilian Blowout is a protein based, straightening treatment. This enabled me to blow dry my hair FAR less and literally the photo of me above is the first time I have touched a flat iron since September. SO it is pricey- but I would highly recommend this treatment to those with annoying natural waves. It works wonders!

Say what?

2011-01-31T15:07:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh, my students crack me up. I have been around my fair share of 13 year olds and never have I laughed so hard. Maybe it is because I am more at ease around my students than I was last year (not being critiqued every second helps mucho), or maybe it's the combination of personalities in my classes. Whatever the case, they say and do the funniest stuff.

(names have been changed for my protection...haha)

Example #1: Billy is practically my favorite student ever. Remember how I said I love my oblivious students? He is one of them. I have him in Health and PE. Today in Health we talked about peer pressure. We always start class with a journal question that has to be answered within the first 5 minutes of class. The journal basically asked if they have ever experienced any form of peer pressure and how they handled it. Well, Billy wanted approval on his response and showed it to me. It said, "Everyone wants me to hug girls but I don't want to so I just run away." So funny. After the lesson I had them do skits on different ways to deal with peer pressure. Billys group proceeded to act out his exact journal entry with an addition of Billy yelling "I DON'T HUG GIRLS BECAUSE THAT IS PHYSICAL IN-TIM-ACY AND I DON'T DO THAT" and running out of the classroom. He totally pronounced intimacy wrong but I caught it and I was on the floor. After class he came up to me and said "It is okay if I tell the girl everyone wants me to hug that I would rather be friends with her than hug her, right?" Seriously, this kid is the sweetest.

Example #2: We are playing basketball in PE and were doing some simple drills when I notice Omar holding his head looking like he was about to cry. I asked him where it hurt and he said "my brain, I can feel my brain! I can feel my brain through my hand ya know. This can't be good." You know those times you really shouldn't laugh but it is soooo hard? This was one of those. Of course I didn't want to laugh in his face but his description was priceless.

Example #3: Last week a student was talking when I was talking so I made him share with the class what he had been saying. He got really embarrassed and then responded "I was just saying that I don't like girls that are too skinny or too fat. I like them right in the middle." I didn't even know how to respond so I just moved on. But I was dying.

Anyway I am sure I could devote this entire blog to these examples but I will only share the really good ones in the future.

Sundance, Celebrities, and 12 year olds.

2011-01-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we headed up to Park City to wander the streets during Sundance. Normally this would be too much hassle for me, but Kate and I stayed at Courtney's parents house in Park City which made the conquest much more convenient. We took a bus to Main Street to avoid parking (I recommend this system-parking is a nightmare) and walked the busy streets. It is a pretty exciting atmosphere but it was freezing cold. Like 5 degrees. So we went in Main Street Pizza and Noodle to warm up. This was quite possibly the best decision ever made for this reason:

Yep. We saw James Franco. In real life. He is seriously sexy. We have no proof in picture or signature form and I wish I could say it was because I wanted to be a nice, respectful fan. But honestly, he was at an unapproachable table and it would have been really, really obnoxious. Needless to say, we made some intense eye contact for a total of 4 seconds and I am pretty sure he was looking for me all night.

As for my new job, I love love love it. What could be better than every other day, two or three days a week? It's the best. And my students are hilarious. After I told them my age they asked me if I was married. When I told them I wasn't, they sincerely said "that's SAD!" Oh I love a good pity party. You know those kids in junior high who had weird little habits like sucking on their shirt or eating paper? I have a few of those and they are SO oblivious to their peers. But their peers like them. I haven't seen any teasing or bullying. Granted, I am only around 130 students or so and I am sure it goes on, but I guess I just got the nice kids. And those oblivious kids are my favorite. They don't even know how funny they are. Anyway, the only time I felt a little frustrated was when my PE class got super noisy and I wanted to yell "Gosh are you guys 12?" but then I remembered that they actually are. My favorite part so far? At the end of the day when they yell "See you next week Miss Grenny!"

Ahem, a little announcement...

2011-01-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

Last Friday I got a call from the teacher I student taught for at Lakeridge. He informed me that there was a position opening part-time, for a Health and PE teacher. Initially I was pretty excited because, let's be honest, being a part-time teacher is much easier than that full time work and my life needs some serious spicing up. So I called the school, left a message for the principal, and didn't think much of it the rest of the weekend (a pretty easy feat when dealing with an embarrassing allergic reaction, and many drives to and from the airport). Much to my surprise, I received a call this morning and went into Lakeridge to hear the details. I was pretty much sold from the beginning, but the deal just got sweeter! I will be teaching every A day, one Health class and two coed PE classes. I start tomorrow! Call me crazy, the pay is pretty terrible and everyone thinks Junior High is so awful, but I love it! And I can't wait. So tomorrow I will be Ms. Grenny. I may be whistling a different tune every so often on here, especially if I have kids coming into my class with handfuls of orange chicken, pants literally falling to their ankles, and F YOU written across their knuckles, but hey I can look on the bright side until reality hits.

hives and a rash, don't mind if I do...

2011-01-15T13:52:00.000-08:00

As I was getting ready for the evening last night I realized I left my makeup at my parents house. Driving over there was really last on my list so I opted to use some of Aislinn's old stuff. After I had brushed some light bronzer on my cheeks, forehead, and nose, my face began feeling hot. Then it started itching. I looked in the mirror and sure enough, a rash of sorts began to appear. Red and inflamed is how I would describe it in the beginning stages. After an initial freak out I washed my face. After washing, white hives began to appear all over my face. This is not an exaggeration. Being in the dead of winter here in Utah I was pretty generous with the bronzer. My friend Todd is a pharmacist and I began calling him incessantly. Finally he answered and told me he had a histamine blocker at his house. I went over asap and took the little pink pill. It was magic. Immediately the hives went down, the red disappeared and my face resumed it's mid winter sallowness. However, it basically knocked me out and I'm afraid I was not too fun a companion for our nightly activities. Oh well, I am just glad I don't look like this anymore:

It was not pretty.

(We pretty much figured out what happened. Aislinn's last cat LOVED her makeup brushes, and we think he got his mouth and paws on the brush I used. And since I am allergic to cat dander.... I pretty much rubbed it all over my face.)

I guess that's the job.

2011-01-14T16:38:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday morning I was driving home from the airport (for the 5th of 10 times this week), the sun was shining, my heat was blasting, a new playlist playing, diet coke in hand, and I couldn't help thinking how much I love my job. I get a good chat in with interesting people one way, and some alone time the other. I was feeling lucky. And then Thursday night came along. My client's flight came in at 10:02pm and I would be home by 11 for a good nights rest before returning to the airport at 7:30 the next day to drop Sam off. Around 9 I checked the flight status for my pickup. delayed until 10:50... ugh. Around 9:45 I checked it again, 11:47. I left at 10:45, got a large caffeinated beverage, and headed up. At 7200 S my client texted me and said they still hadn't taken off. By the time I got to the airport and checked the flight arrival time it was for 1:50am. Said client didn't walk out until 2:15. I climbed in bed at 3:30am only to be awakened at 7 to return yet again to the fateful airport.

The moral of the story is that bad comes with the good, but mannnn that was a bad night.

On a brighter note, Bryn and I went to see Country Strong today. I am seriously obsessed. Yes it received horrible reviews, but I for one and completely confused as to why. I absolutely LOVED it. Maybe it was my mood, I don't know. But Gwyneth was amazing, Tim McGraw great as always, and this new guy Garrett Hedlund has a crazy good voice. Not to mention Leighton Meester who is gorgeous and talented. If anyone hasn't seen it, I am definitely in for a second viewing experience.

And if you really want a sneak peek of my favorite part, go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwhYSgqF47I

(you have to turn it up really loud)

ha ha ha happy new year!

2011-01-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

I am imagining you reading the title of the post like Gus Gus on Cinderella saying ha ha ha happy birthday! Remember that?

Anyway, the New Year is always tainted for me. Mostly because New Year's eve precedes the actual holiday and it always seems to be a let down. However, this year I actually started thinking about how excited I am for the new year! It is a time for new beginnings, new goals, and new ideas. Plus how cool is it that it's 2011?

I also have a new personal outlook on my life that is really not all that insightful, but has taken me quite some time to realize. So I am excited to implement it into my daily activities and decision making.

You may think I am sounding uncharacteristically (wow longest word ever?) optimistic. But maybe it helps that I had my one and only successful New Year's eve celebration! Does this mean that the man of my dreams pushed through the crowded party and kissed me on the stroke of midnight? Of course not. However, I had a blast dressing up, hanging with good company, meeting some cute new guys, dancing with some hil-arious ones, witnessing dysfunctional crushes/relationships, having a sleepover with my girls, and sleeping in until 11(never an occurrence for me).

Oh yeah, and I was trick-kissed. What is trick-kissed you ask? Well I will tell you. When someone pretends they just want you to kiss them on the cheek and then they turn real fast so you kiss their lips. That's trick-kissed. And even though I don't even like the guy at all- I'm glad someone wanted to kiss me!

Here's to 2011!

See ya later, alligator.

2011-01-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

Two-thousand-and-ten was good to me.

I learned A LOT. A LOT A LOT.

Like how to be a teacher.

How to make Health class fun.

I learned that so many kids have it rough. But they are so cool and resilient. And so dang funny.

I learned I love teaching.

I learned how to live with people I didn't know. Earplugs and many cleaning supplies help.

I graduated from college.

I moved into my 9th home since 2004.

I recruited an additional person for my driving service and now I am set.

I went to Florida, Vegas, New York and Mexico.

I decided I want to get my masters.

I trained and ran my first half marathon.

I adopted my brothers kitty.

I was asked if I was a gymnast (bc of my thick strong legs...), and consequently have added a resolution for next year...

it actually is a funny story. the ups holiday help at work was not very tactful. one day when I was wearing leggings he asked me if I was a gymnast. the rest of the time he was there he kept commenting on my "buff" legs. I'm pretty sure it was a mild form of sexual harassment.

So long 2010 legs- bring on 2011!

last christmas...

2010-12-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

we were here:

and it was adorable and amazing and magical.

and this is why...

2010-12-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

I am currently sitting at work literally freezing my butt off. Our heat apparently is not working- that or I am not sharp enough to figure out to reset it- whatever I just need to type to warm up my fingers.

The other night I ran into an old friend whom I hadn't seen in a few years. We chatted and finally he asked if I was dating anyone. Obviously I said no. His next comment caught me so off guard I had to actually stop and think. He said "why not?" .... My friend quickly covered for my silence by saying "oh Cara is just soooo busy" or something. Now that I have had some time to think about it I have come up with some reasons:

(keep in mind some of these are reasons, others excuses, but they still are all WHY I am not dating anyone... read on)

I am not the type of person who is willing to do anything for free stuff. Meaning, if someone I don't really like asks me to go to a Jazz game with front row seats, I will say no. To me the experience is not worth the company. That sounds mean, but it's true. Now sometimes this can be confusing. A few months ago I went to a BYU game with this guy who seemed pretty nice. When we got there he started making fun of the lady in front of us. Literally saying she had a big butt. She was a 60 year old woman who probably had 8 kids. I was so shocked. It was kind of like he was trying to impress me by saying it or something but I was so turned off. So this guy who seemed nice turned out not to be nice. And I so would have preferred doing something different with my time.

Another reason I avoid dating is because feelings usually get hurt. As much as guys say they aren't expecting anything at the end of a date or a few dates, they are at least hoping you will say yes again. And really what is a tactful/nice way to say no? "oh hey I really just didn't have that much fun last time so you should probably ask someone else", or " I don't see this going anywhere, sorry." There really isn't an option that doesn't hurt feelings. And what if he acts like he had so much fun, says he will call, then never does? It is the same on both ends. I went out with the cutest guy everrrrr seriously. He is a senior at BYU, super smart, cute, normal, tall.... we had a good time. He texts me literally every three weeks, and every three weeks when he texts me I think he is going to ask me out again. And then every time he texts I am dissapointed. It's like he is just checking in, asking me how I am and what I am up to. With an abrupt end to the text session and never an invitation for dinner/date. It is becoming annoying!

I know, I know, I sound like the biggest Debbie Downer ever. The thing is it's not like I wouldn't date if it was worth it. I am willing to take risks but there definitely has to be interest there. I will never be the type of girl who says yes to every date she ever gets asked out on.

So there is my basic logic on dating. I guess I could have explained that all to my friend. But I don't think that is why he was asking "why not" and he probably really would have regretted asking the question.

the ghost of Christmas past...

2010-12-18T20:31:00.000-08:00

I was pretty entertained by some of these old Christmas family photos and thought I would share.

How adorable are my mom and grandma?

I can't remember if Ais and I made these pj's, but I am pretty sure my mom finished them... How cute is Ais in this? Pre-teen.

Seth looks like a crazy person in the photo above. I am obviously not as "cool" as Ais in my nightgown.

Remember those curlers? And you slept in them? I have no idea how I slept with those things attached to my head.

I think this is the Christmas I thought the American Girl doll, Kiersten, was for me. I was sadly mistaken. You could see how I would be confused since Aislinn didn't even wish for one.

Rachelle, Ais, me. Sooo cute, huh?

This was a cousin Christmas which were always the best. Kirk got a pogo stick.

Christmas eve nativity.

I am pretty sure I am holding a necklace with bubbles in the charm. So cool. And that is most definitely a Cabbage Patch doll on the couch. But it was not mine- all Seth wished for this year was a Cabbage Patch and a candy cane. Simple wishes.

This is the age of awkwardness. I avoided a few years around this time...

How cute were (ok...still are) my brothers?

I love this photo.

Aunt Cami as the donkey/Inn Keeper. Aislinn is Joseph and I am Mary.

The end.

Furrrrrrr...

2010-12-15T22:26:00.000-08:00

So obviously there are many a trend that one must skip while shopping. I know there are for me. For example, ankle lace-up boots. There could not be a more unflattering shoe for my body. Except maybe flat, over the knee boots but we will not even go there. Or maybe some trends are not practical for your lifestyle. Like an expensive sequin dress. Or one too many dry clean only items. I realize these are shopping rules I need to abide by or I would be wasting money right and left.

However, I have wanted a fur coat for years now. Like really really wanted one. But I kind of always thought it would be silly- me walking around in a fur coat in Provo, Utah. But you know what? I just don't care anymore. I got a screamin deal and I am going to rock my fur coat like I live on the upper east side and am bff's with Serena and Blair.

Plus, it is freezing for 5 months of the year where I live and fur seems the best option for keeping warm, right?

PS This fur is not real animal fur. I don't really know my stance on that but I really don't think I will need to be figuring that out any time soon.

Neglected.

2010-12-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

I have actually started about 5 blog posts over the last few weeks, only to leave each one unfinished. So yes, my blog has been neglected. BUT I have a few things to share so read on:

First things first. Brandon Flowers.

I went with my friend Bryan. This is where the story begins. Bryan didn't realize the concert was at The Depot which is an over 21 venue. So naturally he didn't bring his ID. He doesn't carry it on a regular basis and didn't have it with him. (Did I mention he was driving? Yeah NBD... Also as a sideline- he got pulled over a few months ago w/ no insurance, registration expired, and no ID and drove away unscathed- no ticket. And they say girls can get out of tickets....) Anyway they for sure were not going to let him in without it and we were already in Salt Lake. SO he came up with a solution. Borrow his friends-mission companions ID. Makes sense since this is the one person he knew living in SL. We picked up the ID and Bryan memorized a few facts about Russel I think it was. We thought they wouldn't look twice bc they rarely do. Well of course they did. I got through the door and was waiting on the other side while Bryan had quite the long conversation with the bouncer. I thought we were done for. BUT after insisting the picture was of himself when he was 16 (and by a miracle) he got through. It was actually pretty hilarious watching him sweat it out and I was glad that he suffered some consequences... BUT the concert was amazing. Which is really the important part. I only go to concerts if I really really like the musician bc I get annoyed far too easily (hard to believe I know) but this concert was seriously one of the best.

Go here to watch my videos (don't mind the drunk guys arm in every video..)

On a completely different note I just got home from Cabo. It was SO warm. We went with my Grandma, my mom, me, and Ais. Our days pretty much consisted of snacking, laying out, reading, and walking along the beach. We couldn't have asked for better weather. I didn't take very many pictures but here are a few:

I look obese in this photo I am aware.

This was at The Office. It is a restaurant on the beach. Your feet are literally in sand. It's really cute.

Our prom photo.

This little man had these huge iguanas you could hold and I was the only brave one!

(My mom left a few days early so she wasn't in many photos)

One of our last nights we saw the most amazing sunset- so we had to get a self time photo. It only kind of captures how pretty the sunset was.

Here is my opinion on some of the books I read while getting tan:

Never Let Me Go was really interesting. I loved the writing style and you don't really figure out exactly what is going on until almost the end. I LOVED it. There are a few questionable parts but really nothing too offensive. I was crying poolside while finishing this book.

Half The Sky is about oppression women face all over the world TODAY. Not in history, like current. Pretty much being a women in many other countries is awful and the authors of this book tell real life stories from women they have met all over the globe. This book is hard to stomach but VERY informative and interesting. It opened my eyes to what other people face every day and how lucky I am.

So, I had read Hunger Games but hadn't even started the other two. It was one of those things where I knew it would consume me so I didn't want to start it until I had time to devote my life to them. And I loved them. I guess. I loved reading them but was anyone just so sad at the end? I don't know what I expected but I was bothered for a full day after finishing.

I read Saving CeeCee Honeycutt last and I have to say it was almost my favorite. It was SUCH a fun read. I laughed and cried and just loved the characters. Seriously buy this (or borrow it from me!), you will just love it.

Anddddd that's all folks.

he seriously called 911...

2010-11-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

I am babysitting Hyrum. Yes, Hyrum is 15 so why, you may be wondering, am I babysitting him? My parents are in Europe until Monday. And fine, it is more like I am a bystander to whatever he chooses to do and I just have to be available to give various rides and cook him meals. Except I don't cook and I don't drive. I just have to be present in the car while he drives (he got his permit in August-sooo weird). This is where the story begins. This morning I had to check him out from school to go to the Tmobile store. His phone was not charging (which is a disaster since that is our only mode of communication from 7:30-9 at night when I am beckoned to wherever he may be to be driven home by him... confusing?) and we needed to solve that problem ASAP. After we had solved the monumental phone dilemma we were walking out of the store and he asked me if he could drive. I said "Noooo.... well actually Okay" (really it is kind of nice to get driven around instead of always doing the driving). As I walked to the passenger side of the car I had to wait for a guy to get into the car next to me. Then we went on our merry way. Hyrum has been driving for about 3 months now and he is pretty competent, BUT he looks like he is going on 13 for sure. After we turned on to University Avenue Hyrum goes "what are you supposed to do when police lights are flashing behind you?" He had not run any lights, was not speeding, hadn't cut anyone off... So we were both confused. After TWO cops pulled up behind us, lights flashing, the officer came to the window said "We got a complaint that you were driving erratically." I said "What? No he wasn't." The officer then asked for Hyrum's permit/my liscense and asked me how old I am. "I'm 24. My parents are gone and I am staying with him." Then it all came together for me. I said "Did the complaint come from a guy in a blue jetta? Bc when we were leaving the store, he walked out after us and heard our whole conversation about me letting him drive." The policeman confirmed that the complainer was the guy with the blue jetta who had parked next to us at the store. Pretty much the guy thought Hyrum looked too young and called the police. Wowww. I don't know why he didn't just question us in the parking lot if it bothered him so much. Then he lies and says Hyrum was driving erratically? I was annoyed.... to say the least. Good thing the cop was cool and just let us go. He actually seemed bugged too, like it was a waste of his time. I am all for being a good citizen, but can we please focus our efforts on drunk drivers and drug dealers instead of straight A students who happen to look young for their age?

P.S. I know my blogging has been booorrrrrinnnngggg lately. No photos etc. BUT I am going to Brandon Flowers tonight and plan to document the entire thing!

Ramblings from a girl at What's Hot: take 2...

2010-11-15T16:25:00.000-08:00

Indeed, another rambling session is in order. Here goes:

After a year of having the navigation screen in my car literally blind me at night, I made a discovery. Yes, there is a night setting. Reading the owners manual really came in handy and improved my quality of life x100000.

In Glamour this month Katie Couric does an interview with Fergie. She asks her how she stays looking the way she does. Fergie responds with "I work out all the time." I just love her honesty!

Is it weird that Florence (Aislinn's new kitty) likes to stand on the edge of the tub and watch me shower? Is it weirder that I let her and talk to her the whole time?

There's this guy I have reallyyyy been trying to like for the past few months. Probably trying to like is not an effective way to like someone- but cmon at least I'm trying! Anyway, there have been a few strikes against him like sarcasm at the wrong times, kinda sorta making fun of mentally retarded, always texting, "or not" or "ok...never mind" if I do not respond promptly to a text. BUT he is a pretty good guy so I decided to give it another chance. Last week we were watching Baby Mama and halfway through I begin hearing gagging noises. I look back into the kitchen to see if it's his roommate but no, the noises were coming from this guy. He is literally dry heaving during the ultrasound scene. Yeah, the one where Amy Poelher is barely even showing.... Our conversation is as follows:

me: Are you okay?

this guy: Oh pregnancy just makes me so sick. Like, look at her.

me: .....(long pause).... are you serious?

this guy: yeah I just think it is sickening. I can't take it, I don't even know what I will do when my wife is pregnant.

This is pretty much where the conversation ended bc I was speechless. Way to win a girl over, pal!

While waiting at the airport the other day, I saw the cutest couple ever. Their reunion was basically straight from a movie and it made me want to be in love just so I can get picked up from the airport.

Do the employees at Gold's Gym really think the best way to influence you to renew your pass is to literally scream your name from the front desk? And if you pretend not to notice, they chase you down at your treadmill and tell you why you need to renew RIGHT now or you will never get that screamin deal again? If it weren't for the classes I would be SO over Gold's.

The last few days I have had the runniest nose everrrrr. It's like a faucet. When I was driving my client to the airport he made me laugh and well... I may have blown snot straight into my lap. Hopefully he was looking out the window or something bc if I saw that I would be seriously disgusted.

I have found two future husbands for myself via facebook stalking. They don't know it yet but I am going to marry them. Well, one of them.

I love when people are like "I am so poor, I have no money." And then they buy something expensive immediately following their previous comment. When I say I have no money, I really have NO money. Like maybe five dollars to my name.

I-15 will most likely be the death of me.

People who have been married less than a year should not be allowed to call a photoshoot with their spouse and maybe their dog "family pictures".

I want to move to Salt Lake. Like tomorrow. But I think I will have to wait until next summer. But I really want to. I am over Provo.

And so it continues...

2010-11-12T10:03:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have the days or even weeks when you feel so incredibly busy, and then you look back and try to figure out what the heck you did? That is how I have been feeling lately. I guess if you looked at the mileage on my car you could guess that I have spent a great deal of time in it. In fact, just in one week I have put 1100 miles on it... Thus is the life of a limo driver (as I like to call myself-but only to myself, not to others). I also went to Bear Lake this last week with a bunch a friends for a weekend getaway. It was a much needed break and so fun. We four wheeled, ate, played that wii game where you dance??, and played a four hour game of Catch Phrase- Boys vs. Girls. Of course the girls won.

Before Bear Lake was Halloween. Which meant my half marathon. It was awesome. In a very very painful way. During our training we were consistently running down the canyon, but let me say-running from Aspen Grove all the way down the canyon is a completely different story. The first 5 miles or so were SO steep. My last mile was SUPER challenging because my calves literally felt like they were going to snap. I did finish and I have never been so proud of myself for completing something so physically challenging (except Anasazi, but that's a different story). Now, I highly doubt a full marathon is in my future but I would not be opposed to another half. Plus it was so much fun training with my friends and sister.

(I stole these photos from Jeni-and I am aware they are horrible. But really how are you supposed to look after 13.1 miles?)
After the half marathon we went home and slept for a few hours. We then attempted to go to Salt Lake and attend some Halloween parties. BIG mistake. We were all so exhausted we couldn't even think straight. After only about 30 minutes at a particular party we called it quits, had a mini photo-shoot (obviously we couldn't let our cute costumes be a complete waste), and headed home for the night. We are just loads of excitement.

The next month is one of my favorite of the year. I just love the end of fall when it starts getting cold and you have to bundle up when you go outside (disclaimer: I love this until the end of January and then I practically hate my life until May). November includes the beginning of the Holiday season with decorations, festive food, family, music, events, and shopping! It also doesn't hurt that I am heading to Cabo for the week following Thanksgiving!

Oh to be 14 again.

2010-10-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

I know everyone acts like junior high was the worst/most traumatizing time in their entire lives. It wasn't paticularly awful for me- not pleasant- but not awful. But think about it: If you could go back knowing what you know now, would you? Im not sure I would but I love 14 year olds! I subbed at Lakeridge today and it was a blast. I'm serious- these kids are a crack up. I forgot how much I enjoy being in the classroom. I was supposed to sub for the teacher I student taught for and he has a student teacher right now. She was in several of my classes in the Education program at UVU and is so cute. They made me go into a different classroom for second period where there was no teacher. Apparently it was an emergency and the teacher hadn't left any information on what to do during class. I reviewed their study guide with them for like ten minutes and then we just ended up playing heads up seven up. Remember that game? Well it is still just as fun as it was in 5th grade and we played for an hour and half straight. Kids that age are really smart. They are witty and so hilarious. I just crack up. Toward the end of class their real sub came in (an 85 year old woman I swear..) and they all begged me not to leave. I went back to the classroom I was supposed to be in and she was teaching STD's. It was such a fun lesson to sit in on. She first passed out Hershey's kisses to everyone. Then she had every student trade their kiss 4 times. They had to write down on their paper the names of everyone they traded with. Then they unwrapped their kiss. She had switched some of the kisses for Hugs (white chocolate). She has those who got Hugs stand up. They read all the names on their card and those students had to stand. Then they read their names and so on. Obviously it showed how fast STD's can spread etc. It was so creative and fun! Plus she created an environment where the students felt totally comfortable asking any questions-- and they did! Wow sometimes I wonder if parents teach their kids anything... haha. Anyway I loved it and am seriously dying to get into a classroom of my own. Cross your fingers for next year!

a rut , a rut, a rut

2010-10-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

A rut. That is what I am stuck in. Do you ever feel like that? There is no good reason for me to feel like this, and yet I do. I feel like I do absolutely nothing. But I am quite busy. It's weird.

I am doing the same thing I have been doing for about 4 months and it is getting oldddddd.

Yes, I went to New York which was fab. Seriously fab. I love that city. I wish I was brave enough to move there. I feel like I need a reason and there is not a good enough one I can think of.

I went to Vegas with my fam last weekend too. I got some much needed sun. That was good.

I am training for a half marathon. I have been running for about 3 months now consistenly and I feel amazing. I ran 11 miles on Saturday- NBD. I really feel so strong bc my body can just do it. It just pounds out 11 miles. I think it's pretty cool. I know they say you cannot go into marathon training wanting to lose weight- and don't get me wrong, that is NOT the reason I am doing it. But seriously I run 20+ mile weeks and have not lost a pound. I feel like I can complain about that. Again, I will continue running even if I gain weight bc I feel so good... but still.

My love life is non-existent. And it is pretty much my fault. I have been offered multiple set-ups which on occasion I am up for. But mostly I hate them. I think they are an awkward way to offend people.

I am not saying I just want to get married- which of course I do! BUT hello, a relationship of any kind would be fine! I literally go months (not like 2, try like 8) with no physical contact at all. But sometimes a girl needs some love. I do not advocate the random make-out/hook up. I think it's stupid. BUT does it count that I once liked this person, like a lot, and just wanted to see if we still "connected"? Okay, I know it doesn't and it probably makes me slutty, but I am okay with being slutty once a year.

Work. I often feel like someone who is unemployed. When in reality I have 3 jobs. It is probably because I sit on my fanny at What's Hot, I sit on my fanny while I drive to and from the airport, and I sit on my fanny while I substitute. I sit on my poor fanny all day long- almost everyday (with exception of yesterday where I was actually lying down watching Law & Order for a few hours... while doing laundry- okay it was productive TV watching). hmmm maybe that is why all the running is doing no good.

I need some ideas on getting out of this lame-o rut!

Or some motivation to "Spice Up My Life!" -as the Spice Girls would say.

Thanks for letting me complain complain on here. Or at least thanks for reading this boring-ness!

this is so not okay.

2010-10-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wonder what you look like when you are extremely excited/happy? Well I no longer need to wonder...

This is not an okay face for me to make on a regular basis. And the sad thing is: I caught the bouquet! I was pretty excited. And this is my reaction? Let's get real, it's hideous.

Go here for all of Chelsey and Chase's wedding pics. They are gorgeous.. with exception of this one.

New York, I love you.

2010-09-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

Come Monday I will be in this beautiful city and I cannot wait.

My dad is speaking at Radio City Music Hall at the World Business Forum.

Yeah, it's pretty cool and I am bragging.

On the agenda: jogging in Central Park, shopping, watching my dad's speech, shopping, eating, eating, eating... and shopping.

Oh, and I finally get to see this:

See ya later Utah.

jilted lovers & broken hearts...

2010-09-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

(Do not watch the annoying interview at the end...)

I am obsessed with this guy.

Brandon Flowers. He is the lead singer of The Killers. His album is ah-mazing. I have been driving to the airport A TON this week and have been listening to it non-stop. It doesn't hurt that he is super handsome and Mormon... too bad he is married...

On Sunday my stake put on a fireside. The girls went at 6 and the boys went at 8-seperate. It was that kind of fireside. It was very insightful for me though and I decided that I would be more frank and honest with guys, and that I would not drag anything out that was just not happening. So the outcome of my lesson learned was not that fantastic. Remember this? Well I really hate to admit it but I still crush that guy who just never got back to me. Don't worry, it is not as pathetic as it seems. I was over it for about a month but then I started hearing from him again. He always initiated the hangouts which within the past month were daily- seriously. I am not delusional. I do not see things that are not there. But ask anyone who was around he and I at the same time- they will tell you he seemed interested. And the thing is, I really like him. He is witty, smart, funny, athletic, outdoorsy... and he notices the same things I do about my surroundings (mostly people). Anyone who knows me knows that I am observant and rarely forget characteristics about people or things they have told me. He is the same way. Plus he gives great commentary in sunday school, and does it in a way that shows zero self righteousness. So that is why I like this guy. Anyway, after the fireside I decided to get the guts and finally say something. After a lot of peer pressure, I basically told him via text message (people-I am not nearly brave enough to do this face to face) that I have a crush on him. I really don't know what I expected the outcome to be. But whatever my expectations were- they were not fullfilled. He pretty much said he was flattered and that he is just not sure how he feels. So after all that I am back at square one. Wondering and hoping. hmmmm awesome. I felt like an idiot- to say the least. You know how when you wake up during the night everything seems worse? Well that happened and I slept a total of three hours. I kept thinking about the fact that I had to face him the next day at our ward opening social. Yep, I had to see him the very next day. After some major avoiding, a totally awkward encounter that involved a football being thrown at me, and an even more embarrassing wave on my part- he came and talked to me and Ais. He totally broke the ice, gave me a hug, and chatted for a good 15 minutes. Which of course reminded me of what a nice guy he is and why I like him in the first place. Great. When I think of my bravery I am not proud that I confronted the issue at hand, I actually shudder with embarrassment. Thanks to my stake presidency for thinking being proactive is a good idea...
On the brighter side- I ran 6 miles on Saturday and it was not the hardest thing in the world. This week is 8 and I am a little freaked out about that.

2 for 2...

2010-09-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

About three or four months ago I set these two up:

Kristin and I graduated together this last spring. She is seriously the coolest girl. She teaches all sorts of gym classes at 24 and Golds. She got a teaching job in Salt Lake at a charter school and is the sweetest girl ever.

Andrew was in my ward this last year at Belmont. He is the nicest guy. He is the type of person who you can tell anything to- like the best listener ever. He is a very sincere person and teaches the most amazing Sunday School lessons (a difficult feat..)

I would never set two people up just because he's single, she's single. It just calls for an awkward uncomfortable date. HOWEVER, Andrew had taken a class from Kristin at the gym and did a little research to find that she and I were mutual facebook friends. He asked me a little info about her and I started thinking... these two could be pretty compatible. SO I gave him her number. And these few months later they are ENGAGED! I could not be happier for them. They are perfect for eachother.

(I hate to butter my own bread but I called it since the beginning. I knew they were perfect!)

About 4 years ago I set up these two:

They have been married for 2 1/2 years now.

That makes 2 for 2.

So you see, I am an expert setter-upper.

Then why? you ask, is it so difficult for me to find someone compatible for myself. Because let's be honest, it's about time for me to be thinking about myself and not focusing on others. (joke). But really I want to start having some cute babes. My grandparents departed for Africa for the kazillionth time today, and I told them to bring me home a little Ethiopian baby.

Seriously?

And not to be shallow but have you ever seen a more beautiful bunch?

Ethiopian people are amazingly gorgeous.

But back to babies. I don't care if the baby looks like any of the above. But wouldn't that be funny if my grandparents really brought me one home? A girl can dream.

Moving on to real life...

I am training for a half marathon at the end of October. My friend Jeni convinced me. It is something I have always wanted to do but I have never really had the motivation. Well now I do. And I have convinced my roomate Carolyn to do it as well. Aislinn is pondering the idea. We have gone on several runs in the canyon and it is beautiful this time of year. It makes it so much more bearable. Ais and I were running the other night and it started getting quite dark. Longboarders were passing us right and left. The remainder of our run we discussed what our plan of action would be if we were attacked. We figured we could take two skinny guys, but probably not one large muscular guy. We will now carry a whistle and pepper spray with us. In all seriousness we wouldnt want someone like this to attack us. Too scary.

Please, no one hate me if I look like this within the next few months.... I mean it isn't that much of a change.

ramblings from a girl at What's Hot....

2010-09-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I will sit at work and have to pee so bad. And yet I continue sitting until I am about to die. Then I walk the 15 steps to the bathroom.

On occassion I will break out an old cheer dance. Usually to Beyonce's Crazy in Love. This makes Aislinn physically ill.

Last night I ended a blind date by saying "Thanks for paying!". Seriously.

I save old shopping bags and only use them if I have to. I haven't quite embraced the concept that they were free.

If I get really bored at work I will literally lay down on the couch and sleep.

Sometimes I start thinking it is normal to document your whole life on a blog. Like when I read others (ok blog stalk) and I am like "yeah it is totally normal to take photos of your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Should I start photographing my meals?" It really is not normal to be sitting at a restaurant, pull out your camera, and snap a photo of your salad. (I realize I have a choice to read these blogs or not and they do entertain... but sometimes I do wonder...)

How have some girls been engaged multiple times? I understand one time maybe... but honestly why are all these guys proposing if they are not sure it is really going to happen? It is a difficult concept for me to understand.

A guy I know recently told me a girl he knows dropped the "H" bomb. What bomb is that exaclty? Hell?... hmmm

Online shopping gets me everytime. After 2 hours of browsing I have to cut myself off.

I want a baby and kids eventually, but I realize my patience will have to dramatically increase.

If someone brought me a diet coke and the occasional meal, I could lay poolside all the day long.

I love depressing music.

I get obsessed with foods. Right now it is avocado. Last year it was mushrooms. No matter the time or place, I could always eat Mexican. (not eat a mexican, eating mexican food..)

I love cats. and dogs. Just over the last few years have I discovered this love.

I dance in my car. Or imagine myself doing a really awesome dance. I also am known to belt out any musical there is. Rent, Les Mis, and Mamma Mia are a few favorites.

I hate when people like a band because they are unknown, then when they become famous the person doesn't like them anymore. Maybe that is because I love all trendy music.

I am basically obsessed with fall. Weather, clothes, activities, holidays, cool mornings and evenings. Bring it all on!

I get super excited for trips I am taking. And I am excited the whole time I am on the trip. But I always love coming home.

I love my friends. Especially the ones I know are real.

Another one, two, three, bite the dust....

2010-09-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

For the past two Saturdays I have attended two of my good friends bridal showers. Chelsey had her shower in Salt Lake at the Beehive Tea Room. We had a little tea party with Italian Soda, scones, sandwiches, and yummy dessert. It is the perfect place for a shower because they take care of everything. We all just got to sit around and chat and watch Chels open her gifts. She and Chase met on Facebook. She added him as a friend and chatted him first too. They are the cutest couple and perfect for eachother. Kristin and I filmed Chase answering questions about Chels and we showed it at the shower. It was so fun and cute.

Ashley has been my good friend since 7th grade. We had sewing and PE together. We always laugh because I was so un-athletic compared to her and she and her friends would kick my trash at whatever subject we were studying in PE. Ash is an amazing basketball player and played for San Diego State and BYU. She met Jacob last summer doing summer sales and they started dating last fall. Ash lived with me at Belmont this last year until April and it was fun to get to know Jacob. They are so cute and I could not be happier for Ashley. Her shower was so cute- her sisters and mom are AMAZING cooks. The food was so good, I made what should have been finger foods into a full fledged meal. So yummy. She let me go to her dress fitting the other day and it is GORGEOUS. Seriously, you really can't beat a tall, skinny bride. Can't wait to see them wed!

(Ash, Mari, me, and Jess at Graduation- I don't have any decent recent photos)

Carolyn and I were in the same ward this past year at Belmont and became good friends this past winter while commiserating over our similar circumstances. She met Brock at a birthday party in the spring and they got engaged last week! They are so cute and in love.

So, needless to say, I will be attending a wedding in September, October, and December. I am so very excited for them!

I guess it's a good thing I love weddings!

You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream...

2010-08-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, so in reality this post has nothing to do with you making me feel like I'm living a teenage dream. But, is that song not fantastic? And in all honestly I do miss the days of daydreaming about my schoolgirl crush. I mean, not having to think about things like "is this guy a college grad? could he provide for a family of 4?" or "what would my future really be like if I dated and married him?". No, in those days I daydreamed about our interaction in the halls of MVHS and if he would be at the football game on Friday. Oh the simpler times....

I did interview for a teaching job at Springville High School this week. It was the kind of thing where I wasn't sure I wanted the position-so I wasn't really all that nervous. I went in for my interview thinking, "it could be a good experience but I don't have strong feelings either way", and I came out of the interview thinking, " I WANT THIS JOB!". It was for a Resource Language Arts teacher. The principals who interviewed me were SO nice. Like, unbelievably nice. They made me want to be a part of their staff so badly, and being in a school again made me realize how much I want to teach again! Anyway the story has a happy ending, just not an I got the job, happy ending. They hired a "gal" (exact words from the principal) who had her certification in English (obviously more qualified than I). They were so complimentary and gracious and it was a very positive experience. So, after that long drawn out story, my future aspiration is to work at Springville High. It was a reminder as to how rewarding teaching can be, and why I want to do it!

Anyway,

I got this dresser about 5 years ago from Four Chairs. I have gone back and forth deciding if I should paint it, but since it was professionally done I knew I wouldn't be able to do nearly as good of a job. Hence, the knobs. I love Anthropologie's hardware but it is so expensive I have vacillated on whether to purchase new knobs. Luckily when I stopped in the other day they were having a sale! I saved about 40 dollars and could not be happier with the outcome.

(it would be an understatement to say the original knobs were difficult to remove..)

Kind of fun, huh?

Can I tell you how excited I am to be living with this guy again?

Having the constant sniffles and waking up with swollen eyes is totally worth the entertainment Mister (Aislinn's cat) provides. Remember him?

Changes, changes...

2010-08-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

51.1. Multiply that by 12 and you will have the number of miles I put on my car last week. Yep, I drove to the airport 6 times (1 to drop off, 1 to pick them up) and I drove back from the airport 6 times (after dropping them off, after picking them up). Quite the lucrative week for me. But it was kind of exhausting. Thus my lack of blogging. I also began moving on Friday- not too far from where I already am. It is a much better deal and so much bigger. I am pretty excited. Plus I love the girls I am going to live with. One of them being Aislinn, the other two girls I met this last year at Belmont, and my friend Kristin. The only negative thing is the actual moving part. I am becoming a pro at this since I have done it every year since I was 18. Nevertheless, I still hate it. While I was doing some heavy lifting on Friday I pulled my back. I was really sore but I tried to ignore it. When I woke up on Saturday, I could not move. It was a miracle I made it to my parents. My dad took me to Instacare and the doctor prescribed me some muscle relaxers, ibuprofen, and percocet (which I rarely dare take- I am a nut on any kind of narcotics). When I went to pick it up at the Walmart pharmacy the girl said "Okay, I have 5 prescriptions for you". Turns out I had some refills from my dermatoligst at the same time. I was kind of embarrassed. Anyway the muscle relaxers have worked wonders. The Doctor at Instacare said if I didn't see any results I would need an MRI.... so I am quite glad my condition has improved.

This morning was my cleaning check at Belmont to complete my residency there. I cannot believe it has been a year since I moved in. This past year has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding years of my 24 years so far and I really did enjoy living there. I loved my ward, met a ton of new people, got engaged and married....oh wait that was my roomate... watched my roomate get engaged and married, completed my last semester of classes (19 credits), completed my student teaching, and graduated! I feel like I have grown more in this past year than ever before in my adult life. So Belmont has been a successful place for me to reside.

Last night my mom hosted a baby shower for a girl in my home ward. All the baby talk made me pine for one of my own.. of course I don't want all the pooping, crying, late nights, getting fat, emotional breakdowns, nipple infections, etc.... but eventually I would take all that to have a cute little bebe. I guess first I need a lover and that is obviously a challenge for me. It's okay little baby, we will meet soon enough.

And I will definitely be needing one of these after baby comes:

That's right. My Brest friend. My back with thank me.

I am sure many of you have seen these Brest Friends before, but I had not.

Hilarious.

(I am sure they are quite helpful as well)

fall wishlist...

2010-08-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

With fall just around the corner (realistically about 2 months away), I have been obsessed with online shopping. I guess my job of sitting at a computer contirbutes to this not-so-healthy behavior, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. Here are some of the must haves (meaning needs) for the season.

I am in love with both of these. Which is cuter? (the one on top is slightly cheaper)

I love the detail on this cardigan. It is such a basic color, you could wear it with anything. I am a sucker for puckered sleeves.

I love dresses. Anyone that knows me is aware of my impulsive dress purchasing problem. I am just waiting for this gem to go on sale. Crossing my fingers!

This vest from J.Crew is amazing right?

I have wanted over the knee boots since last year (thank you Kardashians), I just didn't think I would wear a heeled pair. I love these. They are flat and practical. Plus the back takes a dip so as not to give your thigh a fat roll.

I know I will be living in these comfy Alternative Apparel flashdance sweatshirts. We sell them at my work in every color imaginable-if you are interested come in and get one!

Is anyone else loving these crazy lighting/thunder storms we are having? I'm obsessed!

creative outlet...

2010-07-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

As of late I needed a little distraction from my oh-so-stressful life... (or lack there of), so I made these cute little throw pillows. They were pretty easy/simple. You can bet your bottom dollar they wont see a couch until I move next month. The pillows on my current couch are not looking so hot.

Did I mention that I got another job? It is kind of a real job (although not the real kind of teaching job i want-I hate this economy..). I sit at What's Hot (a boutique on Center street in Provo) and read/shop online/facebook/blog. It is great. (Except this last week when a questionable looking fellow came in. He tried on three pairs of pants but was in the dressing room 25 minutes... do not ask me what he was doing in there. I was actually kind of scared. He finally left and the clothes he tried on were soaked... so gross.)

Did I also mention I have a crushy crush? Well I do, and it is not going anywhere. Which is half the reason I am trying to find things to distract myself with.

It is not working.

Obsessed...

2010-07-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

Love this...

2010-07-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

mmmm best kiss ever.

Does anyone else miss Friends as much as I do?

Seriously???

2010-07-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

Guess who???

C'mon Britney. You can be better than that!

Inspiration...

2010-07-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

From the title of this post you may be thinking I am going to write about something spiritual/religious that has occured as of late. You would be mistaken. Including that as one of my biggest pet peeves in the blogging world, I will simply avoid. (ok ok not ALL religious talk but you get it)

I was inspired by a friend of mine to recall all of the awful/awkward/horrific dates/encounters with the opposite sex in my recent dating years. Now, you may think these things have been pushed into the back of my mind or completely forgotten. Oh no. I remember them more clearly than my first kiss. The reason I share this info with you (readers, if any) is because one of my main purposes of starting/having a blog was to keep in touch with my married friends. Most of whom participated in 1-3 years of dating after high school before tying the knot. So with my 6 years, I figure you deserve to relive my experiences as you read.

Being friendly to random chatters in the halls at UVU is not my strong point. However, at different times I have made the decision to be more open in my accepting of others. William (granola boy who seemed super hot at the time) seemed charasmatic and pretty normal. Following a few conversations here and there, I invited him over to watch a movie. Several other people were there so I thought it was pretty casual- a get to know you a little better kind of thing. Apparently he thought differently. Trying to hold my hand whilst pulling on my sleeve (while arms are folded mind you), whispering sweet nothings in my ear (he literally said "I am whispering sweet nothings in your ear), and ending the night with a molester hug rubbing my back/butt area, did not bode well for William. I avoided him like the plague from that time on.

Blind date #1: Cameron came to pick me up in a Von Dutch hat and Von Dutch shirt (red flag 1). I made the mistake of following him out the door. He had quite the agenda planned. First we went to Chiles. Cameron was obviously a busy fellow. He had his cell phone out the entire time (red flag 2) responding to emails, texts, and yes- phone calls. Conversation was pretty stagnant. He continued the date with a Kalai concert. We were early, so we were there about 4 hours- waiting, waiting, waiting, listening, and FINALLY leaving. Imagine my despair when he announced that bowling was next. Then ice cream. Oh yes. In my earlier days I went along with things like this. Nowawdays I would have excused myself to the bathroom at dinner, never to return.

Blind date #2: Justin. We went to a carnival where he wanted to fight all the kiddies (red flag 1). Seriously. Did I mention he was shorter than me (red flag 2) and drove an enormous lifted truck (red flag 3)? He then took me to Saw 2 (red flag 4). Such a romantic.

(these are just 2 blind dates of MANY, hence the reason for no more)

Blake. Met through friends. All he did was talk about his ex girlfriend(red flag 1). The. Whole. Time. Her annoying habits, love for shopping (which apparently made her superficial- i knew it wouldn't work out after that)(red flag 2), and her horrible family that was just TOO close.

Josh was a summer security guy(red flag 1). These guys aren't all bad- but it can be a warning sign. The entire evening was spent with him attempting to setup his awesome big screen/blue ray/high def TV(red flag 2). I don't think he asked me one question about myself. He was more intersted in the owners manual than me. To wrap up our engaging time spent together, he said, " well this was nothing to write home about".

My thoughts exactly.

love, cara

2010-07-11T16:28:00.001-07:00

dear driving,

thank you for the break that has been this weekend.

i am usually not sick of you but seeing the cities of northern utah (ie Roy, Logan, Tremonton) really took it out of me.

But don't worry, singing loudly to the same playlist over and over and over again will resume again shortly.

dear roomates,

leaving the air conditioning on whilst having the sliding door open is NOT SMART. I mostly like you but please STOP that.

oh and if you could refrain from cutting hair in the kitchen where we EAT that would be greatly appreciated.

dear REAL soccer game,

thanks for the first decent date in years. it was a blast. the fireworks contributed quite nicely too.

dear I-15 construction,

i HATE you.

please construction workers- finish quickly so my drive can return to 40 minutes once again.

dear Eminem,

why is it that I LOVE your new tune?

dear Anthropologie,

please stop tempting me with cute dresses. my bank account is not looking too healthy lately.

dear all my friends with boyfriends,

i am happy for you kind of. but please can we hang out sometimes?

dear little babies,

stop being everywhere I go. i already want one of you and you are not in my near future.

dear extra 10 pounds,

thank you for visiting my butt and thighs, but please leave now.

dear new grown up job,

i know you are out there, please find me so i can once again feel like a responsible, contributing member of society.

dear summer,

I love you oh so much.

drama, drama, drama

2010-06-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

Actually, my life really is not very dramatic as of late. I pretty much do what I want when I want (when I am not chauffeuring peeps to the airport). However, Aislinn and I did have a minor catastrophe during our weekend of leisure. For my birthday trip I decided Newport would be the perfect little getaway for a few days. We are familiar with that area and had some specific things we wanted to do. We woke up super early, got on our plane, landed in CA, and got on the shuttle to the rental car place. This is where the catastrophe came in to play. I had reserved our car through Budget on Priceline. After filling out all required boxes (including age) it gave me the grand total of $82. When we got to the counter the fellow helping us informs me it will be closer to $200 bc I am an "underage renter" (keep in mind I am not made of money and really wanted to have some extra cash for shopping). So we decide it only makes sense for Aislinn to be the driver and then it will be $82 again, right? Oh no, they do not "cross-reserve" at Budget car rentals. There was no way they could switch the reservation, even though I (the reserve-er) was giving permission. Anyway, I checked around and most of the other car rental places were sold out of cars that day. I fervently refused to spend $200 on a rental car for 2 1/2 days. So, long story short- we did not get a rental car.

We ended up getting lucky though. Our hotel was literally 25 steps from the Nordstrom at Fashion Island and that is where we spent the majority of our time.

We shopped, ate, slept, laid by the pool, went to the beach, Balboa Island, ate frozen bananas etc. It was a pretty relaxing, fun vacay.

So, the moral of this story is: Do not get your rental car from Budget. They are mean there.

all the single ladies

2010-06-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

"Are you dating anyone?" -the first thing I hear from anyone I don't normally see/converse with. It really is nice that they are asking and that they want to know. But believe me, if I was dating someone awesome you wouldn't have to ask! I would volunteer the information.

Dating. Ugh. The word actually turns me off automatically. And this is not just from personal experience. I have friends that hate it as much as me and they are much nicer (hard to believe?). Yes it is true. I am pretty cynical. I think the chances of being set up and falling in love are slim to none. I think your chances of meeting someone at a Provo party are even smaller. So why do these things seem like pretty much the only options? Because they are. Okay okay, student/single wards really are the best bet- but still- chances are not high that you will meet in sacrament meeting and hit it off.

Here is my latest frustration:

I meet this boy during a ward activity. He seems normal, cute, funny. All the things you can tell right at once. We hang out with friends a few times, watch a few movies etc. Conversation always flows and seems natural and fun. The last night we hang out nothing weird happens, I didn't disclose too much information, I even found out a little something that could be a deal breaker. But I would have given it at least a few more tries. Oh no, never heard another word. No text, phone call, nothing. It is just baffling. It is probably time for me to watch "He's Just Not that Into You" and face the fact... I really wonder what would be easier, having someone tell you they really aren't interested and why, or just never hearing from them. So weird.

I am a little nutty...

2010-05-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

Why do I find the most horrific/awful things fascinating? I know this sounds like the oddest thing, but other peoples traumatizing experiences I find very interesting (hence my fascination with the Elizabeth Smart case, Lori Hacking etc).
For example:
When I was little I always wanted to get the mail so I could look at those "Have you seen this child?" postcards. You know, the ones that had the child and their alleged abductor? I always tried to memorize their faces in case I saw them at Walmart or the gas station.
I love Law & Order SVU. I always have. The scariest things happen on that show and yet I never turn it off. I have seen practically every episode (thank you Tivo) since 1999. I am spooked for days, and I still watch it incessantly.
We went to St. George for a few days this last week and you always have to pass that Polygamist town on the way. Ever since I read Carolyn Jessops book Escape, I have been captivated by their way of life. It is CRAZY what happened to her. Probably some polygamist communities are not so extreme-but sometimes I wish I could be a fly on the wall and see what really happens.
This past week I read an extremely disturbing book. I did not know it was going to be so bad when I purchased it (seriously everything bad you could imagine happening to someone-happened in this book) and I could have put it down at any time- but I finished it. And I have had the heebie jeebies since.
The worst part is, I have the urge to share with people what I know. And let's face it- murder, kidnapping, incest, and polygamy are low on the list of dating conversation.
Why I am still single I will never know...

Have you seen this?

2010-05-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

We watched this on Sunday in Relief Society.
Aren't we lucky to have men like this leading our church?
Gives me goosebumps every time.

What now?

2010-05-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

I think I have mono.

I have been waking up and going to the gym around 7:00 every morning which may sound very early to some (it is not early when you go to bed around 10 or 11 every night- yes, be jealous of my social life..). Around noon I am literally EXHAUSTED. Like I have to take a 2 hour nap. Then when I wake up I constantly have a Diet Coke by my side to rejuvenate me throughout the rest of the day. My mom thinks it is my addiction to the good stuff but I doubt it... I could give it up if I had to. I just don't want to... EVER.

Anyway, I have had the most fabulous week. I went to dinner the other night with Brooke and Jeni which was so fun. Most of the time I am the odd man out listening to talk about husbands (I don't have one), pregnancies (I want to be soon-though it's not looking good), children (I want some), and babies (I REALLY want one). But the thing is I don't mind that type of conversation at all! I love them and I love hearing it!

I also turned 24 which is really not exciting. Kind of the opposite in fact. (I think the last birthday I was actually excited for was my 18th.) But my day was fun and my parents gave me an all expense trip for two. Not to ANYWHERE- maybe San Fran or San Diego. Just a couple nights but still SO FUN. What do you think about me asking my crush (still not sure of his name)?... haha no, Ais got lucky cause I am taking her!

And last but not least....

I got my diploma in the mail! It is very exciting- though now I am REALLY feeling the pressure of becoming a grown up and getting a real job. Boo. I really didn't want this day to come!

(I am making a conscious effort to blog more. Even if no one really reads my posts, it is fun to go back and read them. So get ready for more- more often!)

What do you think...

2010-05-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Diaper shorts?
Also- who is hotter?

I have been watching Dawson's Creek and cannot seem to figure out why everyone acts like Dawson is so great. My vote goes to Pacey.
(Yes, I know. Watching Dawson's is not the best use of my time...)

April Showers....

2010-05-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

bring May showers and snow storms apparently. Is anyone else sick of this weather?
Earlier this month Aislinn, Britney, and I decided to get away from the crappy weather in VEGAS! Saying it was just nice would be an understatement. Not having to grab a jacket (or coat) was sooo great. We got some major sun and some major sleep. Seriously, we went to bed every night at 9ish. We are LOADS of excitement.

We went to Serendipity (overrated/terrible service), shopped A LOT, and spent some (quite a bit of) time in the sun.

We stayed at the Trump which was really nice, it is directly across the street from Nordstrom which came in handy.

This past week was the tulip festival at Thanksgiving Point. I have never been and my grandma wanted to take us. Ais, me, my mom, my aunt and cousin all headed up. It was SUPER windy, but totally worth it.

They were gorgeous!
AND last but not least... Graduation was on Friday. I didn't walk in the main commencement, just my convocation. It was kind of long but totally worth it. Kind of crazy to be totally done! These are some of the girls in my major. We ALL did student teaching and we ALL survived! These girls are so fun and it was so nice to be able to relate to them weekly about our experiences! Yay for being done!

Time Flies...

2010-03-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

When you are having fun... or just when you are really really busy.
I feel like I have not had ANY spare time in the last few weeks. I went to California last weekend with my mom, Hyrum, and Seth. We went out for my cousin Casey's homecoming. My Grandparents were there and some of my other cousins and it was such a fun little getaway. It was so beautiful when we got off the plan in Santa Barbara. The sun was shining and it was so warm! It was surreal when you are so used to it being so cold. Anyway we had a lot of fun shopping and eating out while the boys went to the beach and watched the game. It was FAR too short but worth the travel time.

Lately I have had a string of events where I have been extremely irritated. Let me share:

I am a visiting teaching supervisor in my ward and I have to remind the girls in my group each month to do their visiting teaching. I know it is super annoying to get mass texts but, let's be honest, wouldn't you rather get a text than a phone call? So I send probably two texts a month to these girls. Well NO ONE EVER responds which means that I have to stop by each apartment and try and visit them. This is SO time consuming and annoying for me and them. Anyway the other day after I sent the text, I got a response from one girl that said (and I am quoting directly): "Stop FREAKING texting me. I don't live in Utah anymore." Seriously?
I got a ticket a few weeks ago for having snow on my car. Yes. Not on my windshield, windows, back window... just on top of my car. The officer pulled me over for running a red light (it was yellow and he was on the opposite side of the street where he couldn't even see the light) and then cited me for having snow on the top of my car. Who knew? Apparently you have to scrape the snow off your entire vehicle FYI.
I don't normally get home until about 8 in the evening. Lately there has been an H2 parked in my parking spot. If any of you know the parking situation around King Henry/Belmont area you know parking is coveted. Which is why it frustrates me (meaning I get super super pissed off) when someone parks in my spot! When I actually see the guy who drives the H2 and he is decked out head to toe in Ed Hardy it does not improve my mood.

Don't get me wrong, my life is not only full of irritating things. I actually have a lot to be grateful for/look forward to. For example:

Aislinn recently turned me on to these new little cheeses. That may sound silly but they are a little piece of heaven. And they are only 50 calories each. Yum.
I am heading to Florida with the fam on Monday to do a little pool going, Universal Studios, Disneyworld, shopping and eating. Fun fun.
Graduation is in one month and I am SO ready to be done! I was looking through my documents on my computer and I have SO MUCH STUFF! It is crazy.
And last but not least I AM DONE TEACHING IN 2 DAYS! It is going to be so weird to not have to wake up at 6:30 every day. I am so relieved. After everything that I have done in school, every paper I have written, test I have taken, I have learned more from being in the classroom for the past 3 months. It is crazy how much work being a teacher is and how little they make!

Anyway that is a little update on the going-ons in my life. I will probably be better about updating now that I have some spare time...

Cannot Wait...

2010-03-13T07:28:00.000-08:00

To be here...

4.5.10 Could not come faster.

4 weeks & counting...

2010-03-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I will admit I am no longer counting the remaining days of my student teaching- maybe just the weeks...
There are a lot of things I like about it.
I love hearing the funny stories my students share.
I love watching them interact with each other.
I love/hate remembering where/how I was at that age.
It is funny because it is a very selfish age, yet so many of my students are SO kind to each other. Of course, every class has a different dynamic (and when I say different I mean DRASTICALLY) but most of my 8th graders are good friends with each other. I see them come in to class and go out of their way to talk to those who are sitting alone. I have been so impressed with some of their knowledge (and sometimes surprised by the lack thereof), and interest in the topics I teach. It has turned out to be a really good experience and I am SO lucky I was placed at Lakeridge. Not that I am by any means finished, I just am EXTREMELY happy to have a large chunk done.
I also have to go to the grad fair this week and buy my cap and gown. It is surreal that I will be done with school FOREVER after April 2nd. I. AM. SO. EXCITED. to say the least. It has taken me a little longer than I expected, but I am so glad to have chosen a major that I love and have a passion for.
This is my classroom. Kind of cute, huh?

Things I love...

2010-02-13T12:27:00.000-08:00

Since it is Valentine's Day and I do not have a valentine, I am going to do post on the things I love/need/want.
This suit from JCrew. Love it. (Now if only I looked like that in it...)

These springy oxfords. They are perfect for Utah transition weather (which hopefully is coming soon).

I knew I had to have this skirt when I first saw it online. You can't see in this photo but there are little airplanes on the waist detail. Isn't it fabulous?

LOVE this spring color. It is weird but it brightens my dreary student teaching days every time I look at my hands.

I am OBSESSED with these soups to-go style. I eat/drink one every day for lunch. Plus, they come in low calorie choices-none over 100 calories. My favorite: Chicken and Stars.

I saw both Dear John (mediocre) and Valentine's Day (pretty funny) but I am MOST excited for this:

I love Celine.
Also student teaching is getting A LOT better. I really like the kids-mostly... The preparation blows but I am practically halfway done! YAY!
I hope everyone has a FABULOUS Valentine's Day!

Why I hate March...

2010-02-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

..... well I actually hate both February and March.

Here is why:

February is still winter. I never expect spring weather in February, therefore I am never let down.

The only thing I like about February are the chick flicks released around Valentines Day.

(perhaps one good thing is that my dear friend Rachelley was born Feb. 8)

Here is why I hate March:

It teases me. I always think there will be a few warm days and rarely do we get any. I usually have to wear my Uggs through April and all I really want to be wearing are sandals.

What I really am looking forward to is APRIL! Here is why:

Student teaching will be over!!!!

Florida with my fam

Graduation

Warm weather

Spring clothes

etc etc etc

So there ya go.

January thus far.

2010-01-30T16:37:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I posted... and I realize I still have not done an update on Germany (it will come...eventually). The reason for my blog neglect is this:

Student teaching.

Maybe I am a huge baby-that is not uncommon for me. However, it is the hardest thing I have ever done. Literally. Yes harder than Anasazi (that was almost 8 years ago!). I think it is the combination of changing my schedule, lesson planning, having very little time for myself, and having to be in front of hundreds of students each day. It is A TON of pressure. I just finished my 4th week (hooray!) and I have 8 more to go. I really am counting down. April 2nd could not come sooner.

Okay, okay. Now that I have vented a bit... there are some good things that come along with the whole experience. I really love getting to know the students. It is unbelievable what some of these kids are going through in their personal lives. The first unit I taught was Mental Health so I got a lot of feedback and personal experiences from many of the students. It is so interesting hearing about the things they have had to deal with already in their lives. They are only 13! It has just made me realize how important good teachers are, because for so many kids school is the only place they receive support.

Anyway, it is hard to wake up so early in the morning, hard to prepare lessons, hard to have such long days... but I know I will learn so much from this experience! So I guess I am glad to be doing it! Even though most of the time I feel like this:

P.S. I hope everyone enjoys February! The month before the worst month of the year! (in my opinion)

Wishing I was somewhere warm....

2010-01-16T15:29:00.000-08:00

Came across these gems today....

I need the sunshine in my life!

In with the new...

2010-01-10T12:53:00.000-08:00

So a lot has changed since 2009! Brittany and Bryn moved out of our apartment while I was gone to Germany. Brittany is getting married in less than a week (which I am happy about, but also very sad to be losing her as a roomie) and Bryn moved home to save money (I did get two new roomates (twins) from Mesa who seem normal so far).

We had a shower for Brit on Wednesday which was so fun. She got the cutest stuff for her apartment and A LOT of sexy lingerie! She and her fiance are really the cutest couple and their wedding is going to be gorgeous.

Most of the decor in our living room was Brit's. When I got home from my trip our apartment was super bare and I decided to spruce it up a bit. Here are some photos from our newly decorated place.

The living room.

The mirror was my great grandmas. It weighs like a hundred pounds, my Dad had to come hang it for me. The plates were all on sale at Anthropologie and I LOVE them.

Our kitchen was really struggling. There is a huge gross yellow stain on our linoleum (yes we have linoleum..so ug) so I bought a red rug to cover it. The tablecloth is Anthro, center piece and picture on the wall are from Target.

Anyway it is just a little face lift, but I love it.

Also, I know I have neglected doing a Germany post but it is on its way! Here is a sneak peak:

I observed classes this whole week and I start teaching tomorrow. Pray for me!

Thanks 2009...

2009-12-31T11:30:00.000-08:00

You were SO fine!

It's over it's over it is...

2009-12-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

Does anyone remember that Lisa Loeb song?....

Anyway. Finals are FINALLY over! I cannot begin to express my relief. This semester has basically been hell. Definitely the hardest semester of my life. BUT the good news is that it was the last real semester I will ever have. I took my last final EVER. To reward myself, I bought myself a massage. Apparently I have been carrying my stress in my upper back because I have been having extreme pain in that general area... My massage was amazing and a perfect way to spoil myself.

Sadly, I think my stress will return shortly. I begin student teaching on January 5th. I went in to talk to my cooperating teacher about the classes I would be teaching etc. He began throwing the following scenarios in my face asking me how I would react:

"What will you do when the kid with Aspergers syndrome starts crying uncontrollably?"

"What will you do when students talk back to you or swear?"

"We have one kid who gets up randomly and wanders and flails... what will you do in that situation?"

Think about it, what do you do? "Hey kid, pull yourself together?..." I do not think that would fly.

So needless to say, I am OVERWHELMED.

Soon, I'm sure I will have some entertaining stories.

I actually am excited. I think it will be challenging, but fun. I guess I don't need to think about it for a few weeks...

Especially because I will be HERE:

(Germany)

Merry Christmas!

Student Teaching...

2009-12-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

Friday I found out where I will be doing my student teaching. I had been anticipating the meeting forEVER and was nervous and SO curious. I could only request my top districts, so I could have gone anywhere from Payson to Alpine. To my relief and EXCITEMENT I am going to.......LAKERIDGE JR. HIGH!

I am excited for many reasons.

1. It is only fifteen minutes from my apartment, meaning I won't have to drive far to get there.

2. Lakeridge has won best of state for years.

3. The teacher I am teaching for is GREAT.

4. I am a Lakeridge Leopard Alum myself.

5. After I am done, I will be DONE! woo woo!

Nap time.

2009-11-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

Everytime I lay down on my mom's couch to nap, her cat lays right on my feet. It's okay with me though.