THIS IS MY LIFE

A New Year

2012-01-16T23:11:00.001-08:00

2012. Wow that is actually pretty weird to process. Than means the nineties was two decades ago. To be honest I have not had the chance to really vocalize any resolutions that I have palnned for this new year. I know that I want to accomplish a lot of things, no that I want it to be great. After all, this is the 25th year that I have been a l I've and I think that should stand for something. I would love to become more established in my career, with a job that I love, I would love to be more artistic this year than I was last year. Make more art, whatever it may be. I want to finally take that pottery class that I said i was going to take in 2011. I want to get back into my work out regimen that I got derailed from since my surgery. Read a certain number of books, perhaps build some credit? Buy a car? Anything is possible. As it is already half way through January, I need to be a bit more organized as usual and try to map all oaf this out if that is even possible. I want to have Joy in my life, not just happiness. Happiness is a moment I believe, and can come and go within moments, but joy goes a little deeper than that. Joy is more of a state of mind and is everywhere, not just a moment. bring on 2012 I say! A short recap of the holidays and what not, AWESOME as usual. I love he holidays because of all the time that I spend with my family, and if at the end I feel a little overwhelmed, it was worth it. Christmas, my birthday, New Years, it's an ongoing charade that I love, just when you think it's over, there is something else to celebrate. Awe had lots of family parties starting with Thanksgiving, ugly sweater parties at the neighborhood bowling alley, The Nutcracker ballet at Capitol Theater, and the list goes on. Looking back now it's a little weird that it's all over...again. Yet another year come and gone, and time keeps flying by.

Pictures

2011-12-21T15:59:00.001-08:00

A series of pictures to cover the last few months. In no particular order.

Unexpected

2011-11-26T20:31:00.001-08:00

Isn't it funny how life throws you curve balls? I sure have had an interesting string of them in the last couple of months. Most of you who read my blog probably already know what has been going on in my personal life, but for those of you less fortunate(haha) let me enlighten you. I have been plagued since I was 15 with something called pilonidal cysts. Without going into too much detail, they are basically very painful deep cysts that form at the base if the spine in the "pilonidal" region. This means anywhere along your bottom crack(gross, I know). Anyway, I have had about four of them since I was 15, one treated by a painful process of lancing, draining, then repacking daily. Up until that point in my life I had never imagined pain like that. The next few times I had it, years later, I was lucky enough to have the infection go away by taking antibiotics. In 2011 I have already had a reoccurring cyst twice. Once in February while attending school, and most recently beginning in October. What awesome luck i have. After numerous doctor visits, I knew that in order to hopefully prevent this horrible thing from ever happening again I needed to go under the knife. I had put it off for too long out of fear, but this time it needed to happen.

So in the beginning if October I noticed the familiar pain, and I went into the dr. To get some antibiotics. Long story short, I was given the wrong antibiotics, cyst getting worse by the day, go back into different dr, get on right antibiotics, cyst getting bigger and more painful. If I were to describe the pain I would say it feels like there is 10 tons of weight pushing from the inside out, mixed with sharp stabbing pains every second. Forget about standing up straight, say goodbye to sitting down, no laying on your back, taking baths is painful and walking is even difficult. I had now discovered a new threshold of pain. About 2 weeks had passed at this point. The doc told me that unless the cyst can start draining on it's own, I would have to have it lanced and drained again, while awake, and repacked every day until it heals, which would probably take about a month. Then I could start thinking about surgery. Well luckily, a few days later It finally managed to start draining on It's own, and continued to do so for the next couple of days. With the right antibiotics I was on the mend.

It was now time to schedule a consult with a surgeon. To be honest, surgery terrifies me. The idea of giving up all control and trusting completely a group of perfect strangers with your life is pretty overwhelming. A week later I was on the operating table. The procedure entails cutting open the area, injecting dye into the infected tunnels and cutting all of the "bad" tissue out and suturing it back up. In mu case my incision is about six inches long and went all the way down to the bone.it wasn't until later when I looked up "pilonidal skin flap surgery" that I understood the enormity of what was done to me. Recovery was difficult, but I have such a wonderful mother who was willing to take care of me for days on end. Lots of pain meds and sleeping and laying down. I had about 10 large sutures and a drain sticking out if my but. Two weeks after the procedure those were removed. Life was pretty miserable, bit in my opinion trials can be blessings in disguise.

Currently I'm still healing, still getting used to the scar, but i would say I'm about 85% healed. Surgery is such a big deal and it's amazing to see what your body is capable of healing from. Two months later, one job later, and lots of thinking, I'm ready to get back into a "normal" routine. Bit I have to be grateful for this experience, even though I would not wish it on my worst enemy. It has taught me a lot about myself and has given me some new perspective in which I would not have gained otherwise.

Summer Hiatus..

2011-08-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, i have seriously been slacking for the past couple of months. I was doing so good too. Its just that i have been so busy with family vacations, and camping trips, and galavanting with good friends around the city that i have been too busy to blog! Not to mention the job hunting(which is looking up)! I promise that once i get all my photos organized and have a nice hour or so to mentally process all the awesome things that have happened so far this summer, that i will try my best to entertain you with a fabulous blog post!

Also, sometime in the near future i would like to kindof steer my blog in the direction of skin care/esthetics/health. What are your thoughts? Would you be interested in hearing what little old me has to say on those subjects? would you read it? pass on the word? Let me know. K thanks!

XOXO

Post 14 Your dream house

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

Any of these would do

Day 12 A favorite quote.

2011-06-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

As far as quotes are concerned, i have never really payed much attention to them. At least the inspirational kind. I am more of a visual learner and remember things by seeing/hearing them, not reading them. I have come across many inspirational or touching or beautifully tear jerking quotes in my lifetime, but they just dont stick in my head.

Now movie quotes, however, i can rant about all night long! Me and my friends and family have this little game where we will randomly spout out a quote from a certain movie and the other has to guess. Its pretty fun and usually we can get it within the next five minutes.

There are far to many words in this world that i love, so for this post im opting out.

XOXO

Post 11 A favorite book

2011-06-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

Like all other subjects, books are the same, I have read too many to pick just one favorite! But one that i would like to share here and now would be of course...... Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Although i have many favorite books, this one left quite an impact on me. It is fiction, some may say "historical fiction" but i love it all the same. Diana has made this book into a 8? part series of books, in which spans about 30 years or so, give or take. But i would highly recommend this book for all you period lovers out there.

Post 10 A favorite food recipe

2011-06-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

Anyone ever heard of Potatoes and Hot Dogs? I know the combination sounds a little weird, but it is so delicious!! The recipe is not set in stone, and it has been passed from my aunt, to my mom, to me and my sisters, and who knows who else might pick it up? It is not the healthiest of meals, but it sure is easy to make and relatively inexpensive as well.
Potatoes, sliced
Hot Dogs, sliced
Seasoning (I use anything from salt and pepper, to seasoning salt, lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, really whatever kindof spices you like, or can get your hands on)
I like to use some diced onion, or diced garlic and fry it in a large skillet with some butter to begin,(this adds a ton of flavor) and then i stick the potatoes in as i slice them, peeled or not. Once the potatoes are all seasoned up and are a bout a third of the way done i throw in the sliced hot dogs. Cover the skillet and let them fry on up, turning them frequently. Add seasoning as you go to taste.
Once they are all cooked up, i like to add shredded cheddar cheese on the top and let it melt. You cant have potatoes without cheese right? I have tried Parmesan too, but i prefer cheddar. All done!
Mostly everyone puts ketchup on them, but i like Red Hot or Cholula on mine.
Enjoy!!

Post 9 A favorite movie...

2011-06-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

I have so many favorite movies! It is so hard to pick just one, but I will try to narrow it down.

Just to name a few.

Post 8 A favorite song....

2011-06-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Paradise Circus, Massive Attack

Its great.

Day 7 Something i want to buy...

2011-06-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

I think I have been in search for the perfect red shoe all my life. Maybe there isnt just one red shoe that would satisfy all of my interests. Abstract, classic, designer, summer, winter, open toe, close toe, mary jane, is there one perfect red shoe? I am still on the search. But i would take any of these.

Day 6 Something I Bought Recently

2011-06-07T11:55:00.001-07:00

I did buy these boots a couple months ago. I have bought some clothes since, but have no pictures of them. I am obsessed with summer dresses this summer. Cute little floral patterns and flowing fabric!

Day 5

2011-06-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Pet Peeves....
(in no particular order)

When drivers merge onto the freeway at a low speed.
When drivers dont blink before they switch lanes
When drivers see that your blinker is on, then speed up so you cant get into their lane.
Messing up freshly painted nails
Kitchen cupboards left open
People who wear clothes way too small for them
Loud chewing/chomping

Honestly i am having a hard time thinking of 10. Im pretty easy going, not a whole lot bothers me.

Day 4

2011-06-03T01:13:00.000-07:00

Something i crave...

Oh there are so many things and foods that i crave from day to day.

Salt bake pork
mochi
Green tea frappaccino
white chocolate mocha
fresh mango
salt n vinegar chips
bubble gum
sour patch watermelons
even wendy's spicy chicken sandwich.

But i think the thing that i crave most often is.....Cafe Rio Salad
I know many many people that would agree with me on this one. There is just something about it... enough said.

Day 3

2011-06-01T21:31:00.001-07:00

A favorite photo...(hard to pick just one)

The picture quality is horrible. This was taken about 4 years ago on my old Cricket phone. This is a picture of Sugarhouse and it is one of the most beautiful sunsets i have ever seen. It was pretty much one of those impulse pictures where you see an amazing sunset and you have to take out your phone and snap a photo. I think that this made for a pretty awesome shot. Even though it has a traffic light on it, you can see that it was taken before they tore down the buildings on highland and 2100 s. I just love it.

Day 2

2011-05-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

An accomplishment i am most proud of in my life and why...

I am proud of so many things that I have accomplished in my life that it is hard to sort them out and pick just one. I suppose the most recent would be graduating esthetics school. I feel like i have talked about that quite often lately and dont feel the need to go into it in detail yet again, but i really do feel proud of myself and that accomplishment. It once was just an idea, then a dream, then a plan, then before i knew it was in motion and i was living it, and it seemed challenging and exciting and difficult, and stressful and intense, but i did it. I did what i wanted and needed to do in order to live my life in a better way for me.

30 Day Blog Challenge

2011-05-30T15:27:00.001-07:00

So I have decided to do a blog challenge, in which i am going to make 30 posts(most likely not consecutively). I will do my best to do it as often as possible, but cant guarantee a post every day.

Officially this will be Day 1.

Something you are OCD about.

My personality is not very obsessive compulsive at all. I dont have a problem with things being out of order, or un-alphabetized. I leave clothes on the floor, dishes in the sink and products all over the bathroom counter.
The one thing that i can say that i am pretty obsessive or particular about is my bed. My sister Angie would agree with me that it needs to be perfectly comfortable. I dont make my bed every day, but when i do i make it good. Spoiled with a feather comforter and flannel sheets, it has to be fluffed and puffed before i can get into it. I think my mother has played into this a little bit, teaching me the importance of bed making. If anyone comes to sit on my brand new make bed, crushing all the feathers into a sinking hole, i get upset and am impulsed to make the bed all over again. Is this OCD? If so i guess i am guilty.

Update

2011-05-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I have seriously been slacking as far as the blog is concerned. And some would also say that the looks of my blog can use a little sprucing up. Maybe i will cave to that advice, but as for now, an update is in order.

Back in March i graduated from the Skin Science Institute of Laser and Esthetics! About a week after that i decided to start an instructors internship at my school. Basically it is another certification (300 hours) so that i may be able to get an instructors license, and then be able to teach esthetics. So that is what i have been doing for the last 2 months, and my last day is this coming Saturday. I could not be more pleased about that!

Meanwhile, during this internship(unpaid by the way..hehe) I have had to do lots of homework, prepare a couple presentations/lesson plans, help the current instructors with class, and a lot of miscellaneous tasks. It has kept me pretty busy. Even though a lot of the time i have been here seemed tedious and pointless, i am glad that i did it.

I have also been preparing to take the required state licensing exams in order for me to receive a professional license. There is a written exam, and a practical exam. Just yesterday i took the latter and passed both of them! All that is left for me to do now is send in the paperwork necessary for my license, and get a job!(Easier said than done).

As far as employment, even though i could start teaching right away, i think i am going to get some experience in the field first, so that i will be able to take those experiences and bring them into the classroom. Ideally i would love to start somewhere like a day spa, where i can learn some different product lines and protocols, build up a clientele, and work on my sales abilities. If any one knows of a good place like that where i can send my resume, let me know ASAP.

I am so relieved that i have all this behind me and that i can start doing something that i love for a career. Not many people are so lucky. I will miss Skin Science, and i have come to build a lot of awesome relationships in the 11 months that i have been here. I have learned so much. I cant wait for the next chapter!

Its Been a While

2011-02-15T17:07:00.000-08:00

My it has been some time since i have blogged, I guess i can blame it on being busy, because i have been. So what have i not mentioned in the last few months? Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, my birthday, and now Valentines day! When i think of all the holidays that have come and gone it really puts a little perspective on the time that has passed. I have been so engrossed in my school that i haven't had time to document the events that have happened. On a positive note, i only have 4 weeks left of school! I really cannot believe it. 4 weeks. The last time that i blogged it was in September and i had only been in school for 2 months. Now here i am on the home stretch! It has been such a wonderful experience for me, and i have learned more than i ever thought that i would. It definitely has its ups and downs, but overall i would say that it has been a very positive experience and i am glad that i chose to become an esthetician. Over that past few months my techniques have improved, my knowledge has improved, and i am more confident in what i am doing, more confident in myself as a person and i believe that i will be able to live up to my expectations of myself.

Here is a fun little detail.... Back in December I got another pilonidal cyst on my tailbone. I took some antibiotics for that and it went away. Well here i am again with another one two inches lower than the one before. This is now my 4th polonidal cyst i have had since i was 17. I don't know why i keep getting them, but i hate them! I am taking some more antibiotics to see if the infection will go away, and then when i graduate school i am going to see if i can have it operated on, where they will remove the area where the cysts occur to prevent them from coming back, even there is no guarantee that you will never get one again. Just hope for the best i guess. Man they are painful.

I also got some blood work done in December and my suspicions of having PCOS(poly cystic ovarian syndrome) have been confirmed. I need to go see an endocrinologist so he can tell me in more detail what is going on with all the hormones in my body and all that good stuff. The joys of being a woman right?

that is about all that is going on with me lately. School, gym, sleep, eat, school.
Ill update sooner next time i promise.

2010-09-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Well here I am again... not sure what to do with myself. i have been trying really hard to keep myself shoulder deep in school, but my emotions get the better of me sometimes. Once again i am forced to feel something that i am uncomfortable feeling, putting myself completely out of my comfort zone. Everyone tells me that this is good for me, that i will learn and grow so much from doing this, but i am wondering.. when?

I have been sneaking the time to read a good book now and then, witch gets me through those long hours that seem they will never pass.... alone with my thoughts. I have also been spending some time with my darling friends from school whom i love. I never thought it would be possible to click with girls that are so different in so many ways, but we are like a little Skin Science Family, amongst my other families. I am trying to be positive and to always look at every situation with a positive outlook which seems to help.

Whats new? School is always progressing every day... i am always learning new things, techniques and tricks. Currently we are learning some different types of more advanced facials, such as redness therapy, pomegranate(sun damage), acne, and vitamin C. We have learned to incorporate high frequency and galvanic machines, which are electrical machines that are beneficial for the healthfulness of the skin. We are learning different body treatments like back facials, body glow(exfoliation) etc.. And then there are some theory classes, professionalism... Oh and we just had our first class on introduction to chemical peels! The ones that we are learning now technically are not real chemical peels, they are just a mild peel, or advanced exfoliation.. But i am loving that class! Also I am still in the student clinic..

For those of you that are interested in getting a treatment done please come in and see me because we have been really slow lately and i really need the practice! My hours are kind of slim pickings, but i will tell you anyway... just in case

Mondays 9-3:30
Tuesdays 9-12
Wednesdays 12:30-4

You can choose between a number of different facials, all complete with massage!
Pedicure, manicure, back facial, salt glow, eye brow wax, chin wax, upper lip wax, leg wax, arm wax, pretty much any type of wax except for the brazz. OH! and all of my friends and family get facial waxing for FREE!!! That's right! FREE!! Please come in and see me! The spa prices are usually about half of what they would be at your average day spa. You can call in for an appointment at 801-983-0619....request me.

Now that i am done pleading...

I finally have some time!

2010-08-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

I cant believe that i finally have some free time to update my blog! This last week has been probably one of the most stressful weeks i have had in a very long time. I mean, i have stressful days here and there, but never have i had an entire week where my stress level was through the roof non stop. I had five or six test this week. i had 397 note cards due, and a couple more assignments due. I would come home from school, and just do homework and study from the minute i got home till the minute i had to go to sleep. Some people may be able to handle schedules like this, but i am not one of them. I was so exhausted, and i still am, but i am so elated that the week is over.

I am learning so much in school still, and will be starting in the student clinic on Monday, which means that i will be taking appointments from actual clients instead of just working on my classmates! I am pretty nervous for that, but everyone tells me that it is not as bad as i make it up to be in my head. I hope that i don't freeze up and that i can give a good treatment. I will be doing one of four things; European facials, pedicure, manicure, and any type of wax treatment except for a Brazilian(i haven't learned that yet). Now i will be learning chemistry, lash tint and lash extension, intro to chemical peels, and other stuff that i really cant remember. If you want to book an appointment just go to skinscienceinstitute.com, or just call the front desk!

Other than school, not much has been going on. I tend to kind of push things that bother me under the rug when i get stressed out, and deal with them later. I know that this is not a good way of dealing with stresses and problems, and it may hurt people along the way. All i can do is try the best i can to be the person that i want to be. One day at a time.

Today Naked cosmetics came into the school to give us a demo on their mineral, all natural, additive free, eyeshadow and foundation powders. AMAZING! I have had mineral makeup before, but i think that it still had a bunch of additives in it. this Naked stuff is pure mica, 100% pigment. It is also hypoallergenic and will not clog your pores. I think that if i ever had a business i would love to sell this product! I bought a 4 stacks today for a steel of a deal and i am going to have so much fun experimenting with all the fun things you can do with them!

Facials!

2010-08-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

So today was the first day that I did a complete facial! We have been learning them step by step and today was the facial mask step. I am so excited to know it all now! I still have to develop a flow and everything, but that just takes practice. I am still learning soooo much, and its starting to get a little overwhelming. I have a test to study for tomorrow on nails and its disorders, and i have tons of assignments due tomorrow, and more tests, but its going really well. I am just feeling exhausted and burnt out.
We have the chance to work with a really great product line called Dermologica. I am learning a lot about different products to use for different skin types and skin conditions. We always practice on each other as students, so my skin.... lets just say it is a bit overstimulated and having a bit of a breakout right now, which sucks, but i guess it gets worse before it will get better. That's what i get for having all these wonderful treatments done to me every day! There had to be a downside right?

Speaking of downside, I was on my way home from school today in rush hour traffic and right when i was about to get off the 90th south exit my tire went pssssssssflubflubflub.... FLAT! I waited for about a half hour until Tommy and the preciously nice maintenance guy to come and save me. It took a while and it is still not fixed completely, but hopefully will be tomorrow. I am feeling so stressed out and i feel like everything is piling on top of me all at once. I need a massage.

Im tired

2010-07-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

I know these are grose, but bear with me!!

School is going great! The first week i think i had some sort of rush of energy to get me through it but now it is only halfway through week 2 and i am exhausted! I really need to be getting to bed earlier. Its just so hard when i have been used to going to bed so late for the last couple of years! I am such a night owl, so it will be a struggle for me to be at peak energy levels throughout the day. However tired i may be, i am excited to get up in the morning and learn new things. Some things we have learned this week are:

How to wax legs ( lower leg)

How to do a spa manicure

all about acne

some about skin conditions ie: sensitive skin, allergenic skin, etc..

introduction to EXTRACTIONS! both with an extruder and an extractor. (For those of you who know me well you will know that this is by far the most exciting part! We havent gotten to do them yet, but we watched a cool video)

Step one in the basic facial: cleansing

decollete, shoulder and neck massage

arm hand and back massage

learning about some of the gazillion products that we use and what different skin types to use them on.

The list goes on and on. As you can see i am being kept very busy! I am glad that i have this wonderful time consumer to help me pass the time in what seems like the most difficult time of my life. I am getting along with all of my classmates. They are all interesting girls from all over and i love getting to know them.

If any of you guys want me to practice some waxing techniques on you, please let me know because i could use the practice. I usually get off around 5 every day. Gotta go write my facials essay!

Remove it!!

2010-07-13T20:04:00.000-07:00

Oh how i am loving school! I have only been there for 2 days and already i am learning so much! Every day of the week is something different, and then each week it starts over. There is one morning and one afternoon class each day, and a lunch of course. I love all my classmates. There are about 7 of us total. I am loving the teachers and how personable they are. Its nice to remember that they were once in my position.
Yesterday it was intro to massage where i learned how to do a simple scalp massage. Today it was Professionalism as an esthetician, and intro to Waxing where we are learning about general hair removal. Our instructor did a cheek waxing demo with soft wax, and a upper lip waxing demo with hard wax. I was the guinie pig for the cheek waxing! (for all of you who know me well,you know that my cheeks are pretty hairy.) We didn't have time to practice on each other today, but there will always be more time.
Once i am in school for 6 weeks then i will be able to do the student clinic,which is where actual clients come in and i get to perform what i learned on them! Seriously everyone, if you want a wax or a pedi or mani or facial, in six weeks just let me know and i will see when i am available, then call and book an appointment with yours truly!!
This dream is getting more real every day. I am really glad that i have chosen to be an esthetician!

Im a Student Again!

2010-07-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

So today pretty much made it official. As of Monday i am going to be attending the Skin Science Institute of Laser and Esthetics! I am so excited! I am so scared! I am so overwhelmed! I am nervous because i dont know what to expect from the whole experience, but i guess that i will just have to wait and see. Im sure it wont be as scary as i am imagining it to be. I am going to be a busy girl, something that i am not exactly used to. I just feel so awesome to be able to have this opportunity to get an education on something that i believe in. I am proud of myself for finally having the determination to do this after so many years of wanting to. Bring on the education!! I am so ready to learn.

2010-07-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

These past few days have a been a whirlwind of emotion. Confusion, despair, loneliness, numbness, anxiousness, loss, spontaneity, leaving me utterly exhausted. One thing that i know for sure is that nothing ever turns out the way you expect them to. Mundane day to day activities are never what they may seem. Your world can turn upside down in an instant, leaving you with the feeling of getting the wind knocked out of you.
I would just like to thank all of those who were there for me in this needy time of my life. You know who you are, and i am forever grateful for your kindness and hospitality.

Catch up

2010-06-24T12:19:00.001-07:00

So I have been itching to get into the studio again. My desire never really went away, just put on the back burner. I am having such a strong desire to create something from raw materials like clay. Not knowing what you will end up with when you begin is such a thrill to me. I want to get my hands and clothes dirty. I want to create something beautiful!

On another note, I submitted all of my financial aid forms for esthetics school and got an email back from the financial aid adviser yesterday ,telling me that i can qualify for a pell grant of up to $7,400!! That blows my mind! that means that over half of my tuition could be free!! I need to call him back today and discuss the details, but if all goes as planned i should be starting school on July 12th, or i could save up some more money and wait till September 13th, what are your thoughts? Maybe i should just get it over with, plunge in and start, or i could finish out the summer and start school when everyone else goes back to college. that would give me time to take a pottery class too... So what are your opinions on what you think i should do?
I'll tell ya what though, i am terrified, nervous and excited all in one. Big changes are in store for me, i can feel it, but i cant help being afraid.

Empty Nest

2010-06-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

This is the story of the birdies, from my point of view.
Daily I sit on the porch, and watch the birdies fly in and out of the trees, pecking on the ground and going about their merry way. The past few weeks have been great to watch their little lives ,but now i am left wanting. The nest that is 5 feet away from the front door is now empty.
I first noticed it was there when i saw a little egg that had fallen from above, down to its end- broken. I look up and lo and behold there is a finch nest nestled in a rolled up sun blocker. I thought nothing of it, but would check to see if there was any life inside every once in a while. A few weeks later i looked up at the nest and wondered if the little eggs had hatched yet. I sat there reading my book and all of the sudden the momma bird swooped in and landed on her perch just outside the nest. To my amazement she was feeding 5 little baby birdies with her own beak. I could see all the little starving mouths wide open,just waiting for there turn.
The mom and dad would take turns several times a day to come and do their duty to their children. I would sit and watch in awe at the beauty of what i was witnessing, one does not see that often. Once the birds grew a little older, one would come out of the nest and sit on top of its home, occasionally flapping its little wings, eager to fly away and see the world. It was a comfort to me to know that i was not alone on the porch, but had little feathered friends growing up.
One day it rained really hard and I couldn't help but think about the birds and how they were faring with the storm. The next day i looked up and saw no sign of them, no parent birds coming to feed their young, no little baby squeaks, just silence.
The nest is empty now, and i am so happy that the birds are flying and living bird life, but i cant help but feel a little sadness. I have the empty nest syndrome. But i am understanding it in a whole new light. Its a feeling of no control, hope for the best, make due with what is left, begin again.
The birds who, I'm sure, payed no attention to my life have just made the most profound difference in mine.

Oh the Beauties of Summer Flowers

2010-06-04T19:38:00.001-07:00

Ok ok... I know I went a little camera happy, but I just could not resist capturing the beauty that I saw today in my moms beautiful garden. She and my dad do such an amazing job at making that place look spectacular. I love flowers... if you cant tell.

Vegas Here We Come!

2010-05-31T00:13:00.000-07:00

We are going to Vegas! I am so excited! This will be my first official trip to Las Vegas Nevada. I did drive down the strip a few years ago when we were on our way home from San Diego. But of course that doesn't count. Me and Tommy are just finishing up some packing and are going to be leaving tomorrow morning. We are staying at Treasure Island, which i hear is nice. We plan on going to Cirque du Soleil Mystere... which i would be so excited to see because i love watching things like that. It makes me feel inspired and creative. I am excited for a vacation. I feel like i have not been on a real vacation in a really long time and i thing this one is much needed, and much deserved. I will take lots of pictures and come back with a lovely report for all of you.
Bon Voyage!

Energies

2010-05-21T15:01:00.001-07:00

Aren't these pictures amazing?
I get a different feeling from each one.

Today I was feeling a little blue, just blah. I knew that i needed a little pick me up somehow. I was just walking around the yard looking at the beautiful trees and then I looked down and found just what I needed to see. Toadstools! I know it may sound a little weird but I love finding mushrooms! I have always loved discovering things in nature that you normally would not see on any given day. I feel such a closeness with nature and to see things like this always puts a smile on my face. I had to brush some rocks and dirt off of some of them because they just literally shoot up from the earth. Who knows what made these grow in this particular spot. They were growing in between 2 huge box elder trees on the side of the driveway, right next to the garbage cans. I am glad they are there though. We also always find some growing in my mom's flowerbeds. Angie took the first picture. I think they look really cool.
I love the energy that i feel from nature. Trees are a big thing for me and i always love it when i get to see a really big old tree that has had a long life. It makes me feel happy. I love rain and thunderstorms, I love looking at beautiful clouds and sunsets, and i love that i live in a beautiful valley with gigantic mountains to stare at everyday and watch the life on them from afar: snow melting, trees thriving, from bare to green to red and yellow and orange. I love to admire all the nature around me and ponder about why it is there and who put it there. When i think about those things it always gives me a feeling of peace and happiness. There are days where that is hard to find, but that is something that i know will always be there for me if i am having a bad day.

In this picture you cant even tell that i dyed my hair, but at least there is a pretty tree behind me!

I Went Red!

2010-05-19T09:32:00.001-07:00

Its very hard to tell the brightness of the color in the dim light of this picture.. but in the right light it looks so cool! After 4 hours in the chair i got the result that i wanted. I have never really died my hair with such a bold color before so this will be a fun change. I will post some better pictures later when i actually take the time to do my hair. Loves

Crochet!!

2010-05-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a lot of crocheting as of late. I have found that it is a good way to deal with some of my vices, and an even better way to pass the time. I make this scarf for my mom for mothers day. Now all my sisters want me to make them one as well.

I plan to make a Grannie square blanket out of tons of little squares like these. It all looks difficult but really it is quite easy. It is really repetitive so as long as you know the crochet terminology then you are good to go. It is so much fun! I cant wait till it is finished!

Again, the picture quality is really bad.. apologies..

Craft Night!

2010-05-10T18:58:00.001-07:00

Last Friday me and the girls had a night of crafting and i had so much fun! These pictures are not the best quality, sorry guys! Natalie had an idea to make these cute little buttons. I am obsessed with crafting now. The last picture is one of the buttons that i made on Friday and the rest are ones that i made today. I taught my sister Angie how to make them and we went a little crazy. I highly recommend making these if you are down for some crafting. They are really easy. You can make magnets, earrings, hairpins, broaches, hair clips, necklaces, pretty much anything that you can think of!

New Things To Do

2010-05-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

Today i went to the craft store and bought a few things. Me and all my girl friends from high school are getting together tomorrow night to make buttons to put on hairpins, elastics, etc.. I bought some type of magnetized brad kit, so i hope that it works. And i will definitely post pictures of our adventures tomorrow night.
I also bought a spool of blue yarn, about the color of my text in this blog. I was inspired by my friend Melanie to make a little afghan throw blanket. I don't know if it will be a functional blanket, or just a decoration, but i plan on getting started on that soon as well. I'm always getting new inspiration for paintings, just figuring out when i am going to have the time to do them.
Another thing that i have to do before the end of the week is enroll for esthetics school. I have procrastinated too long about it and i just want to do it already! I think that i will be starting that in July. Plenty of time, but it will be here before i know it. I already figured out the school that i want to go to so there is only one thing left to do!

The past week or so has been a rough one. I have been on an emotional roller coaster and i am ready for the ride to stop. It amuses me how aspects of life can change in an instant. It reassures me that nothing is permanent, and everything is always subject to change. I believe things happen for a reason, and we, as human beings, must learn to adapt to the things that we have no control over. But when we do have some control in what happens in our lives, we can only hope and trust in ourselves that we are making the right decisions.

Pawit's Royale Thai Cuisine

2010-05-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

I have decided that i really like blogging about my food experiences. Here is my latest. Last Friday Tommy wanted to take me to this Thai place that he had eaten at earlier in the week because he was blown away by how good the food was. So we went to Pawit's Royale Thai Cuisine!

Tommy got the Larb, which is chicken cut up in really small pieces, with spices and other things it it, served with rice and lettuce. It was delicious!

I however got the Gang Kra Lee aka yellow chicken curry. It was the most delicious curry i have ever tasted! The portion sizes are really good too, there will always be leftovers. And on the plus side, the food tastes really good microwaved later. I highly suggest this place.

Pawit's Royale Thai Cuisine
1968 E Murray-Holliday Rd
Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Update

2010-04-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

The picture above is an artichoke that has bloomed. I am not a big fan of eating artichokes, mostly because i have never tried a fresh one, but i think that the flower is the most beautiful thing! Artichokes are actually in the thistle family, who would have thought? I think this has become my inspiration for a painting...
How is that for random?

I woke up the other yesterday morning to this. This is up on the east bench, and after i took this picture it snowed about more inches of fresh, compact powder. Good for all the snowboarders out there, but for me it was awful. Driving down to work took me an hour and a half. Luckily by the time i got out of work it was all melted and the sun was shining. Bring on may!

The other night i went to have some girl time with Janna and JaNae. I realized that i don't take enough pictures of me and my friends, so i thought i would share one. My camera has been dead for the past couple of months and this was taken from my phone but whatev. I always have such a good time when i hang out with these girls. They know how to make me smile and are a good distraction from the drama of life. I love that i have friends like these who are willing to put up with my crap. I don't deserve them sometimes.

On another note, my work was having a huge 50% off sale and i still got my 45% employee discount on top of that so of course i had to take advantage of it. I would be stupid not to. I ended up buying $439 worth of clothes for only $133!! I have never bought this much at one time in my life! But i must say that i do not feel guilty for the purchase at all. I spent my money on something that i can actually use for a really long time. I feel really good about my purchases. And now i have all these cute spring clothes! *sigh* Retail therapy really can be such a wonderful thing sometimes!

For those of you who want good deals on clothes stop by New York and Company. The 50% off sale is off the entire store and it goes till Sunday. ( I love that i just promoted right there)

LOVE TO ALL

Donovan's

2010-04-28T12:33:00.001-07:00

On Monday night Tommy and I went to the airport to pick up some of his vendors for the Overstock Summit that they have every year. It lasts about three days and they just have business meetings and talk about boring business stuff all week. Anyway, some of his vendors form Connecticut took us out to a five star restaurant in SLC called Donovan's on Pierpont Ave. This is supposed to be in the same category as Ruth's Chris, The New Yorker, and others. I have been to Ruth's Chris and it cannot hold a candle to Donovan's! They had the best fillet mignon i have ever had in my life, and it didn't look much different from the picture here! If you are down for a delicious meal, and willing to pay a pretty penny for it, i highly recommend Donovan's. The vibe they have going on is kind of like a 1960's gentleman's club, old world feel, Sinatra, Bouble, that type of thing. You will enjoy yourself. They treat you like gold. And i have nothing else to blog about except the food i have been eating. I am so boring.

Spring Is Here!

2010-04-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few pictures of the things that i see that interest me. They have beauty, life, and inspire me.

Izzy

2010-04-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

I am thoroughly enjoying the weather we are having today, despite how tired i am . I should be sleeping right now, but miraculously i have some energy. Every couple of months at work we have to do a new Metropak. That is where a few of us from work come in really early in the morning for a few days and reset the sales floor and bring out all the new product for the upcoming season. Today i woke up at 3:30 am so i could be to work by 5. It really is hard work, there is a lot of lifting involved, and you really have to be creative sometimes with how you place the product. Not all stores are built the same so we have to customize some things specifically to our store. It can be a challenge, but i actually enjoy doing the work. It is nice to be at my work not having to worry about sales for a change. Anyway, i got done with that today about 12:15, and am surprised that i have not slept since! I get to go back in tomorrow at 7 to do it all over again! Yay!! :/

After the Metropak i went up to Tommy's not knowing what he had in store for the day. He wanted to go to get some gardening supplies so he could rip out some dead vines in the front flowerbed. He has a big pot that we got some pansies to plant in to give the front porch a little color and life. They look very well if i might add! We took some time cleaning out all the dead leaves and pine needles from the flowerbed and sweeping the dirt off the sidewalk. I never knew that doing your own yard work could be so gratifying. I definitely left with a sense of accomplishment this weekend. But there is still more to do next week, although i think i will enjoy it :)

Last but not least for this post, Izzy! Here is the story. Me and Tommy have a ball python that is about 3 1/2 feet long now and has moved on from mice to medium sized rats. Last week we went to the pet store to get her one. Before he went home to feed her he made a stop at my house and i decided to check out the rat to see how big it was. I am pretty used to getting rats because we feed the snake every 2 weeks or so, this was any other rat right? Wrong! This was not an mean ugly white rat with beady red eyes that poops on everything. This rat was the cutest rat i think i have ever encountered! It did not try to bite me, it did not squeak when you try to pick it up, which after some research on rats turns out to be a very good thing. She is cute and black and white with brown eyes and a very long tail. Well i was holding her for a while and decided that this rat was too special to become food. I really did develop an attachment to this creature! So me and Tommy decided that we couldn't give her back to the pet store because she would just become food for somebody elses snake. We couldn't let her go into the wild because she is domestic and probably wouldn't survive. So we decided to keep her and her name is Izabelle, or Izzy for short. I really do love her and i enjoy getting to know the nature of rats. They are really intelligent creatures. I just wish everyone could get over the bad stereotypes that rats have. Domestic rats do not carry the bubonic plague fyi.

Ideas

2010-04-16T17:44:00.001-07:00

These are just a bunch of ideas that i have been having. I am planning to redecorate my room in the near future and i have been racking my brain about what colors and styles to use. I think that this would make a very cute room indeed! Dont mind the picture of me in the corner.. i ran out of pictures. hehe!

Finished

2010-04-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

So here is the finished project! This is the painting that i said i was going to paint for my sister. I think it turned out pretty good. It is definitely not perfect and maybe not exactly what i was hoping for, but Angie was pretty happy with it! I might add two additional side pieces to compliment it, but for now Its just a single. Im excited to continue to broaden this skill that i think i have... :)

Dog Farm

2010-03-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

I turned around today and what did i see? I thought this was so funny because usually at least one of them is doing something aubnoctious and this is a rare moment! I had to snap a picture and as soon as i did, Dudley, the one in the middle was down on the floor. I just love these dogs! My mom said the other day that 3 is so much more than 2 when it comes to dogs... and she is right!

On another note, i have been in such an artistic mood lately that I have asked my sister Angie to commission me to paint something for her new house. She gave me some ideas of what she wants and then i looked on the internet for some inspiration. I found a couple awesome paintings from various artists that I loved and would love to be able to create something along those lines. It will be a challenge that is for sure but i love to paint and i know that i could do it! Yay for art!!!

My Forever Passion

2010-03-22T20:55:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing that i know that i would be happy spending the rest of my life doing, it is pottery. Any kind of pottery, any technique, any style. there is something about it that for me is so soothing. Almost meditative. I love the dusty smell, the feel of the clay in my hands. I love all the possibilities that there are while working with clay. I love the science of the glaze. I just love it all. I love how messy it is. There is inspiration just about everywhere you look. Its something that i have such a huge passion for but don't get to do it nearly enough as i would like to. One night while i was trying to sleep i had this really cool idea of a big pot that i wanted to build. Then i started thinking about the class that i would have to spend almost $100 in order to accomplish it. I'm cool with that, but then it made me think of something better... Here it is: One day i am going to have my own personal pottery studio. Equipped with potters wheel, selection of glazes and stains, bags of clay in all verities, tools, wedging table, sink, work table... you get the idea. Why not right? It might take a couple years and a few thousand dollars to accumulate all of the essentials, but i know that i could do it! It is a life long hobby so why not? Just thinking about it excites me! For now though i am just going to have to take the class at this lovely little studio called Sugar Post Pottery in the heart of Sugarhouse. The class is $98 for a month. You get 25lbs of clay, access to the wheel or work room if you want, and tools are available. The class is once a week for a month. They also have open studio time during the week so you can spend some extra time working on your projects. I am excited! I want to take a class before June, which is when i plan enrolling in Esthetics's school. I plan on being very busy in the near future!

Theft

2010-03-19T18:25:00.000-07:00

Sometime on Thursday morning between the hours of 4-8am my car was broken into. Not just mine but my friend Melanie's as well. They broke both of our back side windows. Luckily all i had in my car that was of any value at all was a cd case full of random cds, which they did not take. they didn't even take my car cd player. All they took from my car was the change that i had in the center console! Really thief? was it worth it? Melanie's car however is another story. She had her back pack with her $200 Spanish book, laptop, and other school supplies taken, her ipod, and the entirety of her boyfriends belongings. No joke, all of his belongings were in her trunk and they are gone! Needles to say she is devastated. But that will teach her to leave anything of value in her car ever again. I have learned that important lesson as well.

I just cant stop thinking of how violated this makes me feel now. Im finding myself jumping at strange noises that normally wouldn't have phased me. If this happened once, it could always happen a second time and that is a scary thought. I am trying not to let the paranoia get the better of me though, and am trying to teach Tommy the same lesson. We just have to go back to our lives, with an extra caution. But for those of you who do leave things in your car, it is just a piece of glass for the burglar to break through. Its not worth it!

Pneumonia

2010-03-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

Being ill sucks. Last Monday I got off work and was walking out to my car and I was very winded. I was having trouble breathing and i felt like i was going to fall asleep right there driving my car home. When i got home i decided to take a nap and i was even having trouble breathing just laying down and i could hear a wheezing in my lungs... So my mom drove me to the Dr and sure enough, I had pneumonia. I have never had it before so i really did not know what to think about it all. But it was the most miserable week of my life i can tell you that much! I did a lot of sleeping, drinking water, sleeping...taking antibiotics..sleeping. It stripped me from any energy that i would normally have, as well as a social life. One good think about it though is that it helped kick start me to quit smoking! Its not a habit completely broken, but I'm definitely on my way to being a non-smoker. It is making me very irritable though and i don't like that at all.
Anyway, On top of the pneumonia, the past few days I have felt like i was getting a sinus infection. I went to the doctor again yesterday and lo and behold..a sinus infection. Isn't that just great? What else could i possibly need right now? I am feeling miles better than i was Monday last week, but I'm not completely healed. I need to get some good rest still and lots of fluids. I hope that this is the only time i get sick this year because i just couldn't handle any more trips to the doctor with no insurance. Booo!

Another Time

2010-02-11T23:28:00.000-08:00

I am having a recent obsession with fashion of the early 20th century! I would just love to get dressed up in any one of these gowns and go tromping through the town! Oh how i wish that these designs were still in fashion! I am also having an obsession with the hair of the time.. and the ornaments they would wear in their hair. I cant help but think that history is repeating itself a bit in that aspect... Enjoy!

The Latest

2010-02-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

Well its 2010 now. I still cant get used to typing or writing it. I swear time has gone by so fast. If i forget about time in general it still feels like it should be 2006. Not a lot has been happening in my life to be honest. Christmas was lovely... the family and Christmas part. But on the other side of the spectrum, the work part, was awful. I just felt like i could not fully enjoy the season at all because of what retail does to it. Working in retail during the holidays is so draining in every way. The funny part is is that i only work part time. That right there will give you an idea of it. But once it was over i felt like i could finally exhale. Christmas itself was a fabulous affair and i loved every minute of it! Spending time with Family and Tommy... just lovely.

Right now though i feel like life is getting a bit mundane and I'm ready for a change of scenery. I have always said that i have wanted to enroll in esthetician school but have never done it because of not having a job, not having a car, etc... but now that i have both of those what am i waiting for exactly? I could make another excuse and say that i am not making enough money.. but in reality i wouldn't have to pay off my student loan until after i graduated. So i think that is what i plan to do next. Saying it is one thing, i know, but i would really like to start. That way i can start looking for opportunities in the field that i am studying. I just need this! I must do it sooner rather than later.!

Other than that nothing much is going on. Except for the fact that i am still reading the Outlander series and i am on book four: Drums of Autumn.... *sigh* I just love it! Read it!

Dudly!

2009-12-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

Oh....my....gosh..... this is the newest member of our family! My mom came home from Layton today with this little guy! She bought him on a whim .. but i am so glad she did! I am speechless!

Scotland

2009-11-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

So I recently have this new obsession with Scotland and the highlands and the accents and everything.. due to a book that i am currently reading. I have always wanted to visit Great Britain but never as much as i do now! Also i think it would be so cool to go there because i have ancestors that come from those parts and i would love to be more educated on where i came from . I just love it!! That is on the top of my list of places to visit!

Halloween!

2009-11-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

Halloween was a very fun one for me this year. Mostly because this year was the first year in a while that i have actually taken time to find a costume of some sort and dress up! This year i was a Vampire, and i must admit i pulled it off pretty well. Me and Tommy and my friends went to a couple parties and had a grand time! There is something about Halloween that i love... and there are only a few people that understand how i feel about it.. you know who you are. It is a feeling i cant explain, but it just makes me feel magical somehow.. I love it! I still can not believe that it is already over and that Thanksgiving is on the way! Holy crow that is weird.. but oh well.. Here are a couple pictures from one of my favorite nights of the year.

Gabriel David Lundquist

2009-10-01T13:31:00.001-07:00

Isn't he adorable!!! He was born on September 28th at about 7:45 in the morning. I was there through the whole process! Saw everything! I mean everything!!!!! I'm sure Angie will post a blog telling the whole story, but let me just recap... Sunday afternoon our family took a ride up to Silver Lake in Big cottonwood canyon to walk around the lake. We were all joking around with Angie that this would induce her labor. When we were done with the walk Angie thought she felt something drop inside her... but she didn't think that it was her water breaking. We drove home and continued our leisure Sunday night. We were all literally getting into bed when i hear a scream and yelling from downstairs. Angie's water broke at like 11:30! Me my mom and Ang and Dal all went to the hospital. I am actually really glad that i was able to be there through the whole process because i have always been curious as to what happens once you get admitted to the hospital. It was cool to see how the nurses interacted with Angie, and the IVs and epidural and all that good stuff. Well 3:30 rolls around, and I ended up going out in the hall to try to get some sleep while we waited. I woke up again around 5:30 and went back into the room. Angie was awake and we were still just waiting for her contractions to get bigger and more frequent. Finally around 7 the nurses were saying that it was pretty much time to have the baby so they called the Dr in and at 7:49 he was born!! It was such an amazing experience and i am glad that i was able to be there. It amazes me so much that one minute Gabe was in Angie's belly, and the next minute he is in the room living and breathing! I love my nephew so much! I am going to spoil him!

51 Random Things....2

2009-09-18T00:21:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by Erin.... Lets see if i can come up with 51 random things about myself..

1- I am obsessed with pickles
2- I listen to the same CD over and over again and never get sick of it
3- I cant let my fingernails get long because i always have to bite them off.
4- Cafe Rio is my favorite food (but who doesn't know that?)
5- I am strangely obsessed with the Tyra Banks show
6- I cant go to bed early because i feel like i am missing out on something, even if i am just sitting at home watching TV.
7- If i am exhausted at 6 pm i am alive and kicking by 10 pm... night owl
8-my front 4 teeth are porcelain
9- I get really bad tension headaches in my neck/head
10- I LOVE reading
11-I, like my sister, love Gerard Butler
12- I have found the love of my life
13- I have a fascination with vampires and like to read or see different depictions of them.
14- I want to be an esthetician
15- I like to do things with my hands
16- I like to paint in my spare time
17- I have scary nightmares about demons like the evil guy on Legend.
18- I like to get consumed in TV series
19- I really want to get back in to dancing
20- I love to sleep in
21- I love old houses with character
22- I love rainstorms
23-I love cloudy skies and get upset if it is a hot sunny day
24- I enjoy cooking things for people
25- Sometimes i wish i was back in high school, life was so much less stressful then
26- I am glad that Tommy doesn't like sports, that way we can find more things to do together.
27-I work in retail, and am finding out that it is not as bad as people may seem
28- I continue to surprise myself everyday, and am always learning new things about myself.
29- I look forward to having children some day
30-Sometimes i love eggs, but other times i find them disgusting
31- Every time i go to Lagoon i leave disappointed.
32- Sometimes i feel like i am 27 years old
33- I hate it when people think i am still 18.
34- I think i am a pretty easy person to get along with
35- I am kind of obsessed with personal hygiene.
36- I am starting to love to accessorize my outfits
37- I am having a hard time with thinking of things for this tag
38- I love to connect one on one with each of my friends
39- I have had a pilonadal cyst (look it up if you dare)
40- I am not afraid of needles or giving blood
41- I do not have the personality of a sales person
42- I am a Capricorn and a tiger in the Chinese zodiac
43- Whenever i hear Irish/Celtic music i feel a pull at my hear strings
44- My favorite music to listen to is Zero7
45- I feel like i have a European soul
46- I love drinking water and i hate mi
47- I am always hot
48- I still sleep with a blanky. I have my mom make me a new one every couple of years
49- I love to snuggle with Tommy
50- Sometimes i just need to have some alone time in order to function
51-I have a major shoe fetish

Finally!!

I tag Carlye and Marni

Quite the Interesting Experience...

2009-09-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

So here is my story... I was in the Target parking lot after work on Sunday and I see this car pull in with a couple in it. The man was screaming at the top of his lungs and hitting the dashboard and steering wheel and i could have sworn that he was hitting the girl. I have never seen a man this angry and irrational in my life. I was probably about 100 yards away from them and i could hear the girl screaming and yelling occasionally but it was hard to hear anything over the man's screams. He kept hitting things and possibly her and i started panicking. I was on the phone with Tommy at the time and i had to quickly hang up the phone with him and call 911. I have never had to do that before but i did not know what else to do at that moment! I described my location and the car and the situation exactly as i saw it. Not even 5 minutes later while i was still on the phone with the police, a cop showed up and got the guy out of the car and took control of the situation. The cop came over to me and wanted to know what i saw and had me fill out a witness statement. After that he came back over to me and said that both the man and the woman denied that he ever hit her. Who knows that could be true, or it could be a lie. I at least know that i did the right thing by calling the cops because what if things were not ok? What if he kept hitting her? I honestly felt so bad for the girl and it made me realize how many physical abusive relationships there really are out there. Hopefully i made a difference in the one minuscule situation.

New Haircut!

2009-09-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

So i was feeling the itch to get my hair cut... so i did. it is an A-line which i have not done in a couple years, but i just needed to do something new and cute. I think i am going to cut a little more off the back so it doesnt hit my neck at that weird place... and so it is a little bit more dramatic... short in the back, party in the front... pretty much opposite of what a mullet is!! Ew gross. Ok then!

Art in Simple Things

2009-09-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

I have been noticing and appreciating artistic flares in daily life so here are a few photos that i have gathered that mean something to me.

So it may look like i am wearing eyeshadow in this picture, but in fact it is a reflection from a CD that just happened to land perfectly on my face this way. I looked in the rear view mirror and was shocked because i did not remember putting on that color eyeshadow that morning! I enjoyed this...

Some delicious sushi i had to take a picture of. Who knew food could be this way?

Rays coming through the clouds spotted from the freeway.

4th and Horses

2009-07-24T00:29:00.000-07:00

4th of July and Lagoon!

2009-07-24T00:16:00.000-07:00

Of course we went to Antimony this year again for the 4th as always. I had a delightful time indeed! We drove down to Ruby's Inn and browsed around, and partook in all the lovely festivities! Ont thing that we got to do this year that was extremely fun was take a long horse ride up Antimony Canyon. Mostly everyone got to go minus the kiddies and the pregnant woman(hehe). We got to see some amazing views and just had really fun time! Riding on horses is so cool because it is a huge animal that you have to become one with in order to have an enjoyable experience while riding. There definitely was some stubborn horses, but overall it was sooooo much fun! The best part was that it was rainy and overcast while we were riding, so we didn't roast. My kind of weather!

Me Tommy and Melanie also got to go to Lagoon for Overstock's company Lagoon day. We only got to ride about 4 rides total, but it was fun while it lasted.. I always have the mindset that Lagoon is going to be so fun, but when i get there i am disappointed because it is the same thing year after year. It gets old really fast for me, plus when the weather is hot i am utterly miserable. But it is always fun to do something new with the person that i love so that makes it worth while. Maybe next year i will opt out of Lagoon all together...hmmm

Adventure with Steve

2009-07-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

Well I have not posted in quite some time because i feel like i was dealing with so much and i was not in the blogging mood, so ill just try the best i can to recap the past couple of months.

Me and my best friend Steve have been hanging out occasionally on his days off, and had the opportunity to hang out in SLC before the weather got too hot. We went up to Liberty park for a while to take some pictures, and we also went up to the cemetery to take some awesome pictures as well. I just have to say that if you have not been up in the Avenues to drive around the cemetery then you have to do it immediately! It is just blocks and blocks of head stones, most of them being extremely old and unique. It is just a place where you automatically stop talking and just look around to see the uniqueness of it. There is definitely an eerie feeling when your up there, and it is soooo scary at night, but overall a very cool experience! I highly recommend it! I just like driving downtown to look at all the awesome houses and yards and quaint little neighborhoods, something that i know Nathan can appreciate! I love SLC and hope that one day i can buy an awesome house and settle down, even though that may be unrealistic to live downtown, but not for me!!! Here are a couple of awesome pics from our adventures!

Family

2009-05-05T23:39:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been spending a lot of time with my wonderful family. All of my nieces got baptized this month and there has been a good amount of family gatherings, which is unusual for the month of May. I am so proud of Sydnee Baylee and Rylee for getting baptized and making that decision on their own. They all have the sweetest spirits and i know that they did the right thing. I just cant believe that they are 8 years old! I was in 8th grade when they were born, and it just seems that time has flown by quicker than ever. I have so much enjoyed watching them grow up and become beautiful young ladies. I love them so much! They are all going to be heart breakers one day! Also last week all the family minus the Reids and Williams went out to see a movie and have dinner. I just love spending time with my family and knowing that no matter what they will love me unconditionally and stand by me through thick and thin. That is what family means though i guess, and i am so lucky to have such a good one. It just makes me realize how important family really is. They are there to lift you up when your not at your best, and give you advice when you need it. And i am grateful for all of my family who has given me such good advice and council over the years. I never cease to feel loved by everyone. Thank you all for being there for me.

Random Photos

2009-04-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some random pictures from the past. The top one is right before we drove down to UVSC to graduate from high school.. The second one down is at the yearbook stomp( although I'm not sure you could really call it a stomp). The third one down was in Antimony. Carlye i think that was the first time that you went down! Oh what a historical moment! And the last one was in Subway in Nephi i believe! Oh what lovely times indeed!

Antimony

2009-04-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

So this past weekend the family and I headed down to Antimony for some R&R. At first i didn't want to go because i had 2 job interviews that week and i didn't want to break my concentration on my job search(which is ongoing by the way). I am really glad i went though. For some reason in Antimony it is so easy to think about nothing at all, except for how relaxed, tired, and stuffed you feel. The only things we did were go up dry wash to gather a couple big rocks for Marni, and Visit Grandma's grave site. Getting rocks was fun, even though i was a little crampy. Its fun to watch the women take charge and delegate to the men what rocks to pick up, no matter how big or heavy they may be. The kids all had a lot of fun exploring and picking up little treasures of their own. The rest of the time was spent sitting around, eating, talking, and getting lost in my books. There was a lack of sleep however, as there always is in Antimony when everyone gets up at what seems like the crack of dawn. It was fun to spend some time with Grandpa. I would imagine that he would get quite lonely from time to time. I am so glad that there is a place on the earth like Antimony. It is just so serene and relaxing and whenever i go there i feel like i have re calibrated the elements of my life. And holy crap the stars! I have forgotten just how many of them are out there and it really pulls me back down to earth when i see beautiful things like that. I came home with a fragrant bundle of sage brush and hung it in my entryway. Every time i smell it i am taken to Antimony in my head. I just love that place! Nate and April and the Williams weren't able to come down, and what a bummer it was to have people missing from my wonderful family. We did get a really good opportunity to get to know little Avery(my niece) though. Usually when ever we have Sunday dinners, she is always scared of us and gets overwhelmed, but i really think that she got to know us all a little better and was giving us smiles all around. What a great weekend!
Now its back to the job search and what not! Life must go on!

Ode to Cafe Rio!

2009-04-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

This post is loooong overdue. A while back me and the girls -2 went out for our hopefully monthly night out to dinner. It wasn't even a question where we were going! Ever since we were in high school we would go there on a weekly basis. I love going out with my girls! It is just so fun to see them and catch up on everything that is happening in each others lives. We always knew that we would still be friends after high school and we are proving ourselves to be right! I love you girlies!
This particular night just happened to be the first night that i ever tried a Cafe Rio burrito! I can now say that i am hooked for life! Even the dessert is amazing! Here is to many more trips to Cafe Rio with you guys! Cheers!

Project

2009-04-04T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today has been an exhausting day indeed! Because Angie and Dallas are moving back into my parents house, there was an extra set of couches that were not going to be used... Tommy has had a large, ugly, stinky sectional for years and i thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to get rid of them! My mom called me the other day and offered me and Tommy to have them! So tada!! There they are! We took some time to clean the whole room and rearrange the furniture. We also rearranged some of the paintings and things on the walls. I really love it now! It just feels brand new again and i can feel the high energy that the room creates. Its not perfect but a step up from what it was.

Antimony

2009-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

These are just a few of many pictures taken in good ol' Antimony! These were some of my funnest times growing up! Me and Erin would come home from Antimony and go back to school and we were literally depressed because we weren't in Antimony any more. I think that is where all of our hearts truly lye...

Sisters!

2009-03-11T20:03:00.000-07:00

Angie this post is just for you. You have been complaining that i never post pictures of you and me, so i thought i would post a few. I love you sister! Now you have to find some good ones of us and post them on your blog!!

College Days

2009-03-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of our lovely days at Parkway Crossing! I honestly grew up so much living with these girls. There was never a dull moment in our apartment! The top and bottom picture were taken on Halloween before our way out to a UVSC dance. My friend Channing would always come visit me also. The other picture is just an idea of how creative we all can get when we are bored! I love you guys!

My Upcoming Career

2009-03-05T13:59:00.000-08:00

I have decided that I am going to attend the Skin Science Institute of Laser and Esthetics. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is pretty much skin care, on a broad range of things. I am so excited to be starting this! Yesterday i went into the school to have a tour of the facility to kind of get an idea of where i will be. I plan on hopefully getting my masters done in 8 months, if i go full time that is. If i need to go part time then it will be a 15 month program. Still that is pretty good. 15 months for a master licence? Count me in!! I still have to make an appointment with a financial advisor to see what kind of loans, or possibly grants that i can qualify for. I cant even begin to describe how happy this makes me! In the future, i will be your go-to girl for all of your pampering needs! Hurraaayy!!!

Neighborhood Boys

2009-03-05T13:48:00.000-08:00

So these pictures tell a story of the middle part of my life. All i can really remember doing when i was in middle school was hanging out with my girlfriends, Erin, Natalie, Whitney, Brittany, and Whitney H. All we ever seemed to do was hang around in my neighborhood with the local boys, Kyle, Devin, Garrett, Scotty, Corey, etc... Kyle Hansen was my childhood love and best friend(that is a boy). I remember Kyle and Devin coming over to my house randomly to chill, eat my moms food, and drink our dr pepper! I look back and would say that these are some of my fondest memories! I am sure that there are others who would agree with me! We had some lovely times on 2500 west did we not girls?

Good Times!

2009-03-03T11:44:00.000-08:00

Tommy finally taught me how to scan pictures onto the computer, so this is the first of the old pictures i will be posting. I cant help but smile whenever i look at old pictures. The two top pictures are of a very infamous night.. I was driving in my car, Carlye was in the front, Whitney in the back. We were at the light on 10600 s and redwood road my McDonald's. At the time there was a lot of road construction. We were sitting at the light, changing the CD to backstreet boys.. As soon as the music started, light still red, i floored the gas into the middle of the intersection. Now most people would have just gone straight through, not me... I stopped halfway through, and then proceeded to reverse back to where i was to wait for the light to turn green. During all of this, all three of us were screaming and laughing hysterically! It was one of my most favorite driving memories. ... The second picture is just another face shot taken in my bathroom.. I just love pictures!

Old Pictures

2009-02-22T22:35:00.000-08:00

Today I have been looking at old pictures and i love it! I honestly would have to say that it is one of my all time favorite past times. I love looking back at different stages of my life and seeing my friends and family. I seriously love pictures! They just make me feel all warm and fuzzy! But im kind of mad because i dont know how to opperate a scanner so i can do a weekly flashback post(compliments of Rachael!). So i am going to learn how to work one of those and hopefully have some fun oldies up on here pretty soon for your enjoyment! Wish me luck!

Be My Valentine!

2009-02-20T11:29:00.001-08:00

Me and Tommy really didn't have any special plans for Valentines day. I thought that as long as i got to spend the day with him, then all would be well. A couple days before the big day, I got a call from my friend Susan who works at Sierra West, where Tommy bought my ring. She told me that before she moved stores she was doing some complimentary cleaning and re dipping for free. I thought that this was great, so i went and turned my ring in and was told to pick it up on the upcoming Saturday, Valentines day. So the day rolls along and i asked if Tommy would come with me. We get there and when they showed my ring to me, automatically i knew that something was different about it, yes my eye is that good! Come to find out that Tommy had paid the diamond off and instead of a cubic zirconium, i was graced with my real diamond! I was so surprised! It really is like i got engaged all over again, except for the proposal! Sorry if i went a little picture crazy, I am just in love with my ring, and since i get to stare at it all day long, i will let you guys do the same! haha, Jokes.. Oh and pay no mind to my hairy, chubby fingers! Valentines day was great and i am glad to have shared it with someone that i love!

Memoirs of a Geisha

2009-02-10T15:40:00.001-08:00

I just recently finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha after wanting to read it for over a year. I must say that I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. It is a fiction novel telling of a young Japanese girl named Chiyo who gets sold into Kyoto to start the long journey of hopefully becoming Geisha. It tells of all of the trials and hardships this little girl experiences, and also about the traditional customs of Geisha. I thought it very interesting, and after reading it i was really surprised that it was fiction becasue the encounters and feelings that Chiyo has seem too real to be made up. If you know me, you'll know that i love to read, and this is the very type of book that so captivates me. It took me to Japan and i was in a whole different world for a week( thats how long it took me to read it). It has also inspired me to try to paint a geisha, but so far i have nothing but sketches. I love reading things that can inspire me, and I hope it will do the same for you if you havent already read it.

Ebony

2009-02-10T00:20:00.000-08:00

This week was definitely an interesting one. Last Saturday my mom was holding my niece Avery, and must have torn a muscle in her back because ever since then she has been in extensive pain. She went to the doctor and was told it could have been any number of things. He gave her some meds to fix her up, and I took care of her. Meanwhile, our beloved family cat Ebony, Ebby for short, got very sick. WE noticed it last Sunday when she was acting a little strange. She didn't seem to be walking around very much, and when she did it was at a very slow pace. We started looking at her and noticed that her third lid was a tad exposed, which is often a sign of a sick cat. Well we knew right away that something was wrong with her, so i continued to keep a watchful eye on her. Instead of taking her to the vet the very next day, we waited a couple days as i watched her progressively get worse. I'm sure you could imagine the tole this was beginning to take on me emotionally, considering that i was watching my cat slowly die. When we got to the vet he checked her out and said that she had some ulcers in her mouth, which is often a sign of kidney failure, and that she was very dehydrated. Unfortunately the doctor said there was nothing we could do for her, so he gave her some fluids and we took her home. My dad ended up taking her to get put to sleep on Sunday night. Even though it is sad i know that she is no longer suffering and in a better place. We all loved Ebby, and i am going to miss her so much! Here are some photos that i took of her a couple months ago.

Emma Mae Williams

2009-01-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

Well there is another addition to the Blair family! Her name is Emma and Rachel and Jeff just adopted her on the 8th!! She was born on the 7th and the next day we went up to the hospital to see her! I am so excited for the Williams family! I know that i love her so much already so i can imagine what they feel about her! She is just precious and she is going to be a very loved baby!!!

#22!!

2009-01-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

I know that turning 22 is no big deal, but can i just say that i am flabergasted! I cannot believe that i am that old, or young, depending on how you look at it. I still feel like i am a little girl at times. Where has all the time gone? It feels like yesterday that i was just turning 20. As i look at the past two years i am overwhelmed on how much has happened. Change, good and bad. I have definitely grown up quite a bit, and experienced things that i thought i never would. I am so happy that i have so much who love me and care about my well being. I thank all of those who have been there for me over the years to give me advice and who have just been there. I am thankful that i have someone in my life to show me what love really means. I sense change in the air and hope that the next 22 years of my life will be as exciting and rewarding as the previous.

On my birthday Tommy and I and my parents along with Angie and Dallas went out to dinner to one of my favorite places Cedars of Lebanon and it was delicious! For those of you who have not eaten there, i highly suggest that you do, you will not be dissapointed. We had a really good time and i would say that i had a wonderful birthday. These are just some pictures of how hyper we get whenever we go out to eat! Sorry Angie i just had to do it!!

Tagged

2008-12-14T22:18:00.000-08:00

I got tagged by Angela Lundquist
I am: kind of depressed i think.
I think: I need to get better sleeping patterns
I know: that there is more to life
I want: the car to be finished!
I have: the best family for me
I dislike:When people try to be something they are not.
I miss: Erin
I fear: that i will die unprepared
I feel: irritable a lot
I hear: the buzz of my computer
I smell: nothing really
I crave: Cafe Rio! all the time
I usually: can make people smile
I cry: when i need to let go of something. It really is a good release.
I search: for jobs daily
I wonder: If i will ever get a great job
I regret: quite a few things
I wish: i could be more diciplined
I love: Tommy, my family, My dog Mizu
I care:about my health
I always: want to be able to say i tried my best
I worry: every day
I am not: good at remembering things lately.
I remember: meeting up with Erin and Meg at school and then following Channing and David everywhere they went.
I believe: In the gospel.
I sing: not as much as i would like to. The pipes are quite rusty
I argue: Mostly with my parents, but i know i should listen more
I write: almost 20 pages In my journal every month
I win: hardly anything
I lose: my chapstick a lot
I don't understand: Racism. We're all people.
I can usually be found: reading, sleeping, eating, i wish i could say working..
I need: to buy some Christmas gifts
I forget:that there are people out there who care about me.
I am happy: When i am with Tommy
I tag: Mandy, Casi, Jamie

Thanksgiving

2008-12-05T00:51:00.000-08:00

This thanksgiving I'm sure that everyone can say, including me, that they stuffed themselves to the point of exploding. I had so much to eat! The food was so delicious. Most of my siblings were at the in laws this year, so mom, dad, Nate, April, me and Tommy had a quaint little dinner at the Blair home. I think that this is the smallest thanksgiving i have had in all my years of feasting. It was fun though. I made a really delicious cheesecake thingy that i got from Melanie and it turned out really good, but not as good as Melanie's. After dinner we sat around to digest whilst looking at the adds for Black Friday. I was planning to go with my sisters but when it came 5 in the morning that was the last think i felt like doing. Anyway later that night Aunt Deb and Uncle Brent and Dave came over to chit chat with the fam, and then Marni, Keri and their families came over so the place got a little loud. Some of us went down to the dungeon of a basement to play a little Guitar Hero World Tour and continued to digest. All in all it was a very good holiday.
I am so thankful that i have such an awesome family that gets along for the most part. I know that everyone has their stresses in their lives, i know i do, but it is good to know that at the end of the day i have a family and friends who love and care about me. I love you all!

P.s. For those of you that know me well you should know that all the silly words and phrases in this blog are part of my humerous personality. I was in quite a wierd mood while writing this one. So dont think i'm werid...hehehe

TWILIGT!!

2008-12-05T00:40:00.000-08:00

Ummmm..... what can i say? I know that everyone is probably so sick of everyone else obsessing over how much they loved the movie, but i have to add to this phenomenon. I loved the movie! I have seen it twice already and i just loved it. There are a couple things that i think they could have done better, such as sticking to the story line a little better, but all in all i think they did a great job of portraying what Stephenie Meyer was trying to portray in the book. I just wish that it was a little more detailed on the feelings of Edward and Bella themselves.. but hey thats just me. I cant wait for the other movies to come out! When i first found out that Rob Pattinson was going to play Edward i was outraged! I just could not see him being the beautiful being that i pictured in my mind while reading the books, but after the movie and experiencing his acting skills i think that he is perfect for the role. Most of the other characters i was happy with, however there is a few exceptions. Rosalie was supposed to be this goddess like creature, and i must say that i was not impressed. They could have done Alice's hair better, it bugged me the way Bella grunted while she spoke, Jacob needed to be cuter, but other that those minor details, i was thourouhly impressed with it.
My mom and sisters and i went to eat at Red Tobin and then went to see it, and it was a really fun night indeed!

Mom's Birthday

2008-12-05T00:25:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated in a while , so be prepared for two posts in one day! On the 21st was my Mom's birthday and she had a crazy idea that she wanted to go to the high school playoff game, Bingham vs. Alta at the U. We were going to go eat at the Hard Rock Cafe before the game, but had not anticipated the tanker leak on 2-15, so they got stuck in a huge traffic jam on the way to get me from Tommy's. By the time they arrived Angie and My dad were deliriously hyper from being in the car so long. It was funny to see them so frustrated! Anyway, it was too late to eat before the game so we just headed strait there. After the mile walk to the stadium we finally got there and sat in the freezing cold, enjoyed some delicious hot chocolate and watched Bingham lose! All in all it was fun though. Then after, we went to eat and can i just say that Hard Rock is ridiculously overpriced, and the food isn't even that great. (no wonder they are going out of business.) It was a fun night and although random, i think my mom had a pretty good birthday!

Hustle and Bustle

2008-11-13T20:31:00.001-08:00

Today Angie and I went on a little adventure. Well it was more like me tagging along with her while she bought the things that she needed. I had a lot of fun. I was really not wanting the holiday season to come, but after getting out and seeing how crazy all the shoppers are at all hours of the day, it got me excited, and now I think it is more believable that it is here. I really to love this time of year, once i fully get in the mood. I cant believe that Christmas is just about a month and a half away!! Me and Ang got our rings re polished , so I'm sure you can imagine how obsessive we were at looking at them today. We went to Tai Pan Trading and picked up some more Christmas deco's for Angie's house, and when that was all over we went to check out the sale at Layers Clothing. Can i just say that i have a new obsession!! They have the cutest dresses there and are so flattering on pretty much every figure! I will most definitely be stocking up on those this Christmas!! All in all i was a really good day. The best part about it was that i got to spend some quality time with the sissy... I love you Angie, lets do that more often!

High School Tag

2008-11-05T00:09:00.000-08:00

1. Did you date someone from your school?
Did Allie date? Ummm no i was waayy to cool for every boy in that school. hehe I did have some enourmous crushes however.

2. What kind of car did you drive?
Red Mercury Tracer. Man i miss that p.o.s

3. Did you pass your driver's license test on the first try? Yes.

4. Were you a party animal?
I was such a good girl in high school

5. Were you considered a flirt?
I was pretty shy

6. Did you play in band, orchestra, or choir?
Ladies choir sophomore year with erin nat and car

7. Were you a nerd?
I hope not

8. Were you on any varsity teams?
No i was not

9. Did you get suspended/expelled?
No

10. Can you still sing the fight song?
Bingham sons and daughters, Like the mighty waters FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT for Victory!

11. Who were your favorite teachers?
Ashley Marostica my dance teacher, Miss Patch, Ceramics, and looking back now, i really liked psycho Miss Lees

12. Where did you eat lunch?
Mostly in the cafeteria, but on occasion Wendy's

13. What is your schools full name?
Bingham High School, Home of the Miners

14. School mascot and colors?
Miners... Blue and White

15. Did you go to Homecoming and who with?
Never went. Stupid boys never asked

16. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
Some parts i would love to relive, like going to shows with meg and erin at the comedy circut.

17. What do you remember about your graduation?
Meeting at Carlye's house and taking pictures, then standing in the line at uvsc for like an hour before we walked in.

18. Where did you go senior skip day?
We didnt have one

19. Were you in any clubs?
Smile Brigade, but that was a joke.

20. Have you gained some weight since then? Sadly, yes

21. Who was your prom date?
Never got asked. How sad!

22. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?
It could be way fun, but only if all my girls came with me.

23. Did you have a job while in high school? Jamba Joooooce!!

I tag Natalie, Marni, Rachel Williams

Avery's Blessing

2008-11-03T16:21:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday we went down to Marni and Landon's for Avery's baby blessing. It was wonderful and good to see the family. It amazes me how one little baby can bring so many people together. She is so special and she is so loved my everyone! I feel so close to this baby. Its so hard to imagine that i could love my kids more than i love my nieces and nephews because it feels impossible. Its so hard to get a moment with Avery because everyone, and i mean everyone is waiting in a line until they can have their turn. I was able to take some adorable pictures of her making different faces, for the short time that she was awake. Enjoy! I cant stop staring at them.

Halloween Party

2008-10-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

Me Tommy and Melanie decided to throw a little Halloween/late house warming party last Friday and it was really fun. We had each invited some of our friends but we all weren't sure who would be able to make it. It was actually a great turn out, and we got to meet and socialize with people. Of course not everyone dressed up, not even Tommy! but me and Melanie went all out! It took us like 2 hours to get ready for it. I was a Harajuku girl, and Melanie was a burlesque-ish dancer... it was fun! Even Mizu was enjoying herself. I bought her a witch costume and she looks so cute! Hopefully after the real Halloween i will have some more fun pics to put up!

Carlye and Jacob

2008-10-13T00:30:00.000-07:00

One of my very best friends, Carlye Newbold got married weekend before last. I still cannot believe the person she married. Jacob Montague has been friends with our family for years and after years of being introduced to our friends and a mission and after Carlye had just gotten out of a long term relationship, they found each other again. They have previously dated in high school, so it wasn't much of a shock when i heard that they were dating again. I just can't describe my feelings on this matter. I am so happy for them and especially for Carlye because she has been through some things that i have also had to deal with. I never really realized it before, but when i think about it, me and her really do have a lot of things in common. I guess that is why we became friends in the first place. I was so happy to see her work hard to get sealed in the temple. It is just one of those things that gives me hope every day.... I just love her, and am so happy that she has found the person that will make her happy for the rest of her life!!! Congratulations you two.

THIS SUCKS!!

2008-09-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

So life is sucking right now. Today after i got off work my manager took me in her office and said that they had to let me go!! I was so shocked because things were going so well. There have been no problems so i thought that everything was fine. Apparently when i got hired my availability was open, but i must have said that i did not plan on working there for a year because there were other things that i wanted to do like go to school and maybe even get a better job with more hours and such... Because it is the end of the summer and they had to let someone go, my poop of a boss decided to let me go, and keep like 10 flaky high schoolers. Isn't that just a lovely boost of self esteem!!!!! I don't know what my problem is. I cant even keep a job at a retail store even when i am doing everything right. I'm so sad. All in all though i think it was for the best because i know that i am capable of doing something better. I got a call the other day from an office so hopefully i get an interview. I have to get another job fast. I just feel like i am back to square one. This sucks. I guess everything happens for a reason though right?

New Addition

2008-09-23T00:32:00.000-07:00

So last Saturday Marni and Landon added a new member to their precious family and her name is Avery Francis Reid! Me and Tommy went over to the hospital a little later and saw her and she is just sooooo cute! It makes me so excited to get to know her and introduce her to our crazy, lovely family. She is going to be one loved little girl that is for sure, as our all of my nieces and nephews! It is so bazaar that one minute the baby is in the tummy, and the next she is out for all the world to see! I still cant get over that. Marni and Landon seem to be just blissful. I have only seen her once so far, but cant wait to see her again! And Marni, if ever you need some help on my days off, i will be happy to come and assist you. What are sisters for anyway?

Employment thoughts...

2008-09-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

NO... I'm not going to quit my job like some of you may be thinking i might be thinking, but my job really is a pain in the you-know-what. I mean its great for a person that is in high school and wants to work part time, but for someone who is not going to school and needs to work full time to pay off some debts and what not, it does not fit. Don't get me wrong, i am so grateful that i have this job because something is better than nothing, but I'm just so fed up because there is no way that i can make a career out of Old Navy. The crappiest part is that they can only schedule me part time because I'm not a manager or anything. It is time to look for something that is more permanent and stable. Only this time i wont make the mistake of quitting before i get a new job like last time. That was a big mistake.
What i REALLY want to do is go to school to be an esthetician. That way within 2 years or less i will have a career in something that i really enjoy, and I'll be set for years to come if ever me and Tommy need the extra cash, so i must look into schools and loans so i can get that going. I just had to vent. I hope you all enjoyed. And if any of you have ideas for jobs, do let me know asap!!

L.A. Trip

2008-09-10T23:11:00.001-07:00

I cant even begin to explain how much fun it was to go to a different city. A couple of Tommy's business partners took us out there for the weekend and boy did they keep us busy. I was looking forward to a nice leasurly weekend, but I should have known that that would not happen. The first plane ride was pretty cool i must say. It was on a smaller plane, so that got me kindof nervous, but there was hardly any turbulence and Tommy did a good job at reassuring me everything was going to be ok. We landed and Marty, Jerry, and Kenny, three of the coolest Chinese guys i know, (besides Thomas of course) took us to a really nice Chinese restaraunt. I swear all we did there was eat. Then later Kenny took us on a tour of Hollywood Blvd, and Beverly Hills. I had some of the best prime rib in the entire world i am sure. The next day they took us on a boat ride to Longbeach to see the Queen Mary, and to the aquarium. That night we were so exhausted, but we had to get all gussied up again to go to the infamous House of Blues. All in all it was an amazing trip and i am so appreciative to those guys, more than they will ever know! It was so cool to get to know people from a totally different culture. I was hearing chinese in my sleep. Chinese people are some of the most generous and loyal on the planet.

I dont think that i would ever be able to live in that city however. It is so smoggy, and no matter what time of day it is, there is always so much Traffic! It is rediculous! At 2 in the morning there is bumper to bumper all the way in and out of Hollywood! I like my low key Utah thank you very much! But man, those guys sure do know how to party!

Los Angeles here we come!!!

2008-09-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

I thought that i would share with all of you that me and Thomaas are going to L.A. tomorrow till Sunday! I am so excited because this will be the first time EVER that i will ride on a plane. I know that most people think that it is no big deal, especially Tommy because he flies all the time for work, but for me, this is something that i have been waiting for all of my life, and i have always wondered what it would be like. So now i finally get to experience it! And it is always fun to go places that you have never been before, so i think that it will be quite enjpyable. I want to hit the beach, hopefully Venice, but who knows. And i would love to go to Hollywood and see the streets and stuff. You better believe that i will be taking loads of pictures because who knows when the next time i get to travel will be since my family doesnt do much of that, well... except to Antimony, and that hardly counts... Bon Voyage!!

New Employment!!

2008-08-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Well i finally got a new job at Old Navy... Im not really sure what i think about it quite yet. There is something about working with high school girls that rubs me the wrong way, but it is not that bad. I guess i have just found that i am picky when it comes to the girls i meat because i don't like drama and cattiness... but oh well. It feels like i am the newcomer, and sometimes i feel out of place. Everyone seems to be really close and it can be awkward when you come into the middle of things. The job is quite easy. Folding clothes is really an art form i have come to find out.. It gets old really fast and is quite monotonous, but it can pass the time. I don't want to stay there forever because i know that i am capable of having a job that actually requires neurons, but i am glad that i got this job because it will get me used to working again. I am going to continue to look for some more that will pay better so i can pay all the necessary bills, debts etc... For now this will do i suppose. It is better than having no job at all right?

On a different note, i have been feeling really anxious to get married lately. I just love tommy so much and want to start the next chapter of our lives together, but of course things present themselves to be more complicated than i would like them to be, so i guess i will let things fall into place as they may. Wow that was quite the run-on sentence!! Anyway, this is pretty much all that is going on in my life lately. Blah

R.I.P Little Guy

2008-07-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today is a very sad day. Last year Tommy and I bought our first pet leopard gecko named Little Guy. He was the best gecko ever. He was so bright yellow, will little specks of orange, and looked like he had green eyeshadow. He was always so healthy, and fiesty. A couple of months ago we noticed his tail, which is usually nice and fat, was getting skinnier. And he was not being as active as he usually was. His bright yellow skin was also getting very pale. This continued on until it made us so worried that tommy finally took him to the vet. They gave us some ointment to put on his eyes, because they were not opening very well. I guess the reason why he was so sick was because of the sand that we had in his cage. They sell the sand at the pet store for animals just like him, but what they dont tell you is that when the animals eat their food off the sand, they eat some of the sand, and it builds up in their little stomachs until they get sick. I am so sad!! I know that he was just a little gecko, but i have had so many fun little memories with him and feel awful that he is no longer here!! We will miss you little guy!!!

Baby Lucas

2008-07-22T01:43:00.000-07:00

Me and Angie went down to the hospital in American Fork today to see Erin and Dan's new baby boy Lucas Burr Johnson! He is so precious and Angie got so baby hungry! I am so proud of Erin and Dan for having the guts to raise a cute little family! It makes me excited for the day that i will become a Mommy, but trust me, i dont think that will happen for quite some time. Honestly i dont even want to think about having a baby, it scares me, but i know that is one of the reasons why i was put on this earth, and i am excited for it some day. It boggles my mind how one second you have a baby growing inside you, and the next it is in your arms and you are looking into its precious face! So weird! Life is awesome and im sure we are all so excited to get to know the little guy! Congrats E&D!!

Pretty Much Finished.

2008-07-22T01:35:00.000-07:00

I thought i would finally post some pictures of what the house looks like now that we got it all decorated, and most of the stuff put away. It has been fun doing this, and even though there is only one pretty room in the house, it makes it that much more enjoyable to be in. The things that Tommy and Melanie have collected make for good art, and i had fun painting some art of my own for the pretty red walls!!!

Independence Day!

2008-07-09T02:33:00.000-07:00

This year i had a blast in Antimony. We always go down there for the 4th of July and celebrate with family, which usually consists of everyone sitting on their butts and talking, eating, laughing, eating, and being exhausted because the birds wake us up at the crack of dawn. This year however, we did some pretty fun and adventurous things that aren't the norm. On the 4th and 5th we went fishing at Otter Creek and had fun. Even though we caught but one fish, it was still a good time. Well actually it was boring waiting for the fish to bite. We also took a drive up Antimony Canyon and walked for a bit up the river, and then me Nate Tommy and April had the most splendid idea to hike up the side of a mountain/cliff. By the time i got up to the top i was sweating and had scratched knees, but the view made it all worth it. I had fun doing that. We left the canyon in the nick of time to beat a heavy rainstorm. It was so cool driving on the really narrow road in the rain. I felt like we were in the jungle. Who knew that that little valley had so much beauty to offer? i would say that that was the highlight of the trip. Except for the horseshoe game with Angie, Erin, Dan, Dallas, and Grampa of course!! :)

Moving Sucks!!

2008-06-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend has been so exhausting! Me and Tommy spent most of the day Saturday cleaning up the Sugarhouse house and packing all the stuff into boxes. I didn't really realize how much could all fit into one house! There was still some big furniture that needed to be moved so he had to rent a Uhaul. His friend Josh came over and helped him load all of the heavy stuff into the truck and i am so glad that he did because i could not have done that! I was so exhausted and didn't smell to great either. Josh and his girlfriend Mandy had extra tickets to the Arts Festival that night so around 8 we headed downtown for that. It was fun to see all the awesome art that is in the city. Our friend Melanie's boyfriend Russel had a Capoera performance and we got to watch a little bit of that and that was really cool too. By ten o'clock i was so pooped and thought that it was time to go. Oh but joy, we still had to move everything out of the Uhaul!! It never ends i swear! Tommy finally finished cleaning out the old house, and it is completely empty. I have to say that i am sad that he wont live there any more because i have so many memories there. Oh well, there will be more to be made indeed! This next week i am going to go help him organize all the furniture and put everything in its proper place. Isn't moving just the greatest!!!

Tommy's New Place

2008-06-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

Tommy has been looking for a cheaper place to live so he can save a little money for quite some time and he happened to run into some luck recently. He found a house on 33rd south and about 3000 east. It was built in 1901 or something like that and has a lot of character. Unfortunately it needs some fixing up, as do all houses that are that old. It doesn't help that the tenant who lived in there before did not take care of it very well, and had a lot of animals to give it a nice pee must. Anyway, there is another downside, someone plans on buying the property in September only so they can tear the place down and build a dentist office or something, so it is only a temporary living situation. Well, instead of having him live in a crap hole we decided to fix up a few things. We have been spending the last week painting the living room wall bright red. It has taken a long time because the living room has like 15 foot ceilings or something like that. It has been fun though restoring it and it is all going to pay off because it looks 10 times better already and we just have the primer done! I cant wait till its finished!

Antimony

2008-05-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

I just got home from Antimony today for Memorial Day and i am exhausted. I had a lot of fun though. It was nice to just go down to some place beautiful and spend some time with the fam. It was relaxing but im sure all my family can agree that it is a lot of hard play and lack of sleep! I am so mad because i brought my camera and didn't take one picture! Ill know for next time to take some! We are going down for the 4th of July so it should be fun and hopefully the weather is warmer! Even though Antimony is fun it is good to be home in my own bed and not sleeping on a foam pad in the middle of the living room. Im going to sleep!!

Home Sweet Home

2008-05-16T02:02:00.000-07:00

I have been home for a little over a week now. It has been tough, I'm not going to lie, but i am realizing why they call home home. Not being here for the last year was an amazing experience, but now that i am back i feel like it is a brand new experience. I have been spending a lot of time with my family and i am really enjoying myself. My friend Megan went to my sister Angie's house last night and watched P.S. I Love You and all had coronaries over Mr. hot pants Gerard Butler. It was so much fun and i realized how much i miss just hanging out with the people that i love.
Don't get me wrong, it has been one of the toughest changes i have ever had to make, but even in the last week i have found that i am growing in ways that i thought i never could and i am so proud of myself for doing it. I think that it will be a wonderful thing for mine and Tommy's relationship. It is putting a whole new twist on things, and even though it is hard sometimes, i think that it is a good opportunity for us to grow together and get to know each other in a whole different way. I couldn't be more happy about it. I love him so much and am so glad to have such a supportive fiance.
My mom is so great. Even if we pulled down the moon with a rope i don't think that would match everything that she has done for us kids over the years. I am looking forward to spending more time with her. It's good to be home!

Finally

2008-05-06T23:21:00.000-07:00

Well i finally did it. I moved back in with the good old parents today. I was thinking about it all day, and i got a little squeamish, but i finally bucked up and packed up all my stuff and came home. I have not unpacked any of my things yet. I think that i will save that job for tomorrow. It has been a pretty emotional day, but i had a really nice talk with my mom and dad and i think every thing is going to be ok. I have a really good feeling about the whole situation. I just need to stay positive and stay around positive things. I am proud of myself. I know that this isn't the first time that i have moved back home, but i think that my head and heart are in the right place now. Onward to being happy!