Confessions of an Organized Artist

Birthday Funness!!

2010-05-04T11:17:00.001-07:00

It was my birthday on Sunday. (I won't say how old I am now - suffice it so say I'm older than I feel.) Some people hate birthdays, but I love them! It's an excuse to go out and have fun with friends and family! I was truly spoiled this weekend, but I loved every minute of it! I came home on Saturday to find this gorgeous bouquet of flowers. I love them! I had a great day Saturday, running errands and loving the free time to do whatever I wanted. I worked on Destin's quilt that he requested for his birthday and then went to dinner at Red Robin with friends. Here are a few picks. It's a great place for parties. I hate being sung to, but since Destin and I have the same birthday, we both got serenaded and I just pretended like they were singing to him. The mouse-ear balloons to wear while being sung to were a nice touch as well. How fun. On Sunday after church I finished tying the T-shirt quilt for Destin and headed to my sis's for a lovely dinner and dessert. (The sweet pork enchiladas were rockin', by the way Mandy.) I got my "pip fix" for the weekend and had a good, chill afternoon. Luke helped me open my fun gifts and was more excited than I was for the cake and ice cream. Sunday night friends met for more cake and ice cream. There were really too many people for games but we had some good stories going and I had a blast. Destin loved his quilt (which made me happy 'cause lots of problems popped up with it and I don't care if I never see it again).
I felt very loved and very blessed for all my friends and family! Thanks for all your greetings and for helping make it a fun weekend!

Another Top Finished...

2010-04-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Another one down! I finally finished my blue triangle quilt. No laundry basket inspiration for the design, just simple triangles. It's amazing what can come out of old, outdated and (some) less-attractive fabrics when put together! This is a fun one - I'd be happy if someone gave me a quilt like this. This is the 4th one and I've got plenty more to do! I haven't actually tied any of them yet, but it's coming! I've been working on a T-shirt quilt for a friend's birthday, too. You'd think this is all I do!

A Happy Surprise

2010-03-31T16:33:00.000-07:00

I came home yesterday, tired from work and found a happy little card waiting for me on the coffee table. I was expecting to find a wedding announcement, but instead there was a nice little note from a reader (probably one of only 3 people who has read my blog lately) about the humanitarian quilts. In my first post about the quilts I mentioned that I couldn't buy any batting for the quilts and I would just be donating the quilt tops, but this note contained a check to pay for the batting!

Hooray!  (this is my happy face)

It truly made my day! I'm so excited to go buy the batting and to be able to give completed quilts! It's enough to buy batting for 4 quilts! Awesome!

THANK YOU!!!
(You know who you are.)

One More Quilt Down

2010-03-22T11:57:00.001-07:00

I spent my Sunday afternoon watching Anne of Avonlea and working on my quilt. What a great way to relax on a Sunday.

It's done! I finished it! This one is definitely my favorite so far. It's a twin size, unlike the other two which are doubles. I like it so much that I want to keep it for myself, but I won't. I made it smaller, though, so I have enough leftover squares to make a smaller lap quilt to keep. :)

I got the inspiration for the pattern from the side of a laundry basket at my sister's house. Isn't it fun?

Quilts for Charity & Clarity

2010-03-08T16:42:00.000-08:00

So, what's wrong with a new post every 6 months or so? It's about how often I write in my journal, too. That's how I roll. I'm not a writer.

I choose not to watch too much of the news anymore. There's tons of crazy stuff that's happening in the world right now - natural disasters, economic crashing, unemployment and health care and disease... and the list goes on. It's not that uplifting, quite frankly and I feel out of control and helpless to make anything better sometimes. Thus, when I do watch TV (at the gym) I watch shows like Cash Cab. Happy stuff that makes me feel like I live in some kind of normal and safe society.
On the other hand, I don't want to hide my head in the sand and pretend like nothing bad is happening. So, when I was down at my parents' house the last time my mom gave me 3 boxes of fabric that she was getting rid of and I saw an opportunity to do something for the world while finding my own place in the chaos of it. I decided that I would make quilts for the LDS Humanitarian Center. I like to sew and tying quilts is easy, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch. There are a lot of fabrics and quilts that get donated there that are UGLY with a capital U. I don't care if people are poor and destitute, no one deserves an ugly quilt. A quilt is something that brings comfort and love and warmth. It shouldn't be an eyesore.

So, I went through all the fabrics in the boxes and while some of them are pretty ugly and outdated, when put with other fabrics, they make a nice overall balance. I found that there are some fun patterns I can come up with that will hopefully make someone else somewhere in the world feel happy. I've finished two quilt tops so far and am working on a third. I have enough fabric for at least 6 more.
It may be a little simplistic and even cheesy, but somehow I feel better about the situation of the world and my place in it. I can't stop dictators or earthquakes single-handedly, but I can send someone a blanket sewn together with love and pieced with warm thoughts. It makes me feel like I have some control over something positive and gives me purpose in my hum-drum routine. Join me if you can in some way to help.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2009-09-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

Summer came later this year than I'd like and it's already starting to come to a close! In southeast Idaho you have to take advantage of it when you can. I didn't take pictures of everything, but here are a few of some of my favorite summer things from this year....

hiking...
hammock laziness......
fun family 4th time in WA.....

more hiking....
caribbean cruising......
friend party at the pond.....

yet more hiking....
my buddy luke and hamster alice.....
fun friends in Utah......

beach bummin' in CA.....
mexico trip to see Dr. C.......
day at Sea World......

It's been a good summer. How 'bout you?

Lazy, Rebellious or Lost?.... Finally, an Update

2009-08-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

I've been getting a lot of flack lately (ok, so for the last year), about how I need to post some more on my blog. So, here it is. Frankly, blogging is a lot like writing in a journal for me. I don't like doing it on a regular basis and I've been rebelling from it for a while. That's part of my excuse anyway. I also don't have the internet at home, just at work. I'm not supposed to do a lot of personal stuff on the computer at work, so there's the other issue. I like reading about other people's lives when I snatch a moment, though, so keep up all the good work, you bloggers!

I'll give you my life in a nutshell for the moment, and hopefully that will suffice.

I still work at that great little alternative health clinic as the office manager. I still love it and am abundantly grateful for my job. (most days) I can't think of another job better catered to me personally and I love the people I work with. (most days) We moved into a new building in January, which is so much nicer than the old place. I actually have a spacious and nice office space instead of the closet I called my own in the old building. We stay busy (most days) and I'm learning new things all the time about natural health. For anyone interested in checking out what we do, we have a website (that I organized and did, by the way): http://www.drdestinthayne.com/.

I live in a beautiful townhome, at least for the rest of the month. I've been there since just before Christmas. I don't really want to move, but change is good. Just as I've been feeling sentimental about my home the HOA put in speed bumps throughout the complex. You know, the big, plastic ones they patterned after Mt. Everest. Who wants to be jolted across the car three times just to go to the store? Not me. I'm no longer feeling melancholy about my move. At least my new place is speedbump-free.

I go to an "older" singles ward, which is great. I teach Relief Society and love my calling. Teaching once a month to a group of single girls that are always ready and willing to put in their two cents is maybe the best calling in the Church. I'm trying to stay out of my comfort zone and meet new people....a slow process.

I turned 30 in May - (sigh). I don't feel 30 (most days) and I don't look like a bassett hound yet, so I'm still on top of life, I think. Life keeps getting better every year, so I'm excited to see what life will be like when I'm 35...or even 40 if I make it. (just kidding)

I've turned over a new leaf for exercise and healthy eating in the last year. I've lost some weight (happy!) and I actually look forward to going to the gym now. I've made it a goal to participate and finish the Triathalon here next August. Who knew that the chubby kid in middle school that ran the mile test with the smokers in the back would enjoy exercise some day? It makes me smile to think about my younger self sucking wind to finish the mile under 15 minutes. If only Coach Smith could see me now...

What else? I went on a cruise with some friends in May. I went to celebrate making it 30 years on earth. Everyone else went just because. I pretended like they were celebrating me, though... We went to the southern Caribbean. 7 ports in 7 days. There were 10 people in our group - way too much for my liking - but it was awesome. Being my first time cruising, I can say that cruising is definitely the way to travel. Any vacation where they make my bed and clean my room twice a day and leave towel animals and chocolate on my pillow at night is on the top of my list. Not to mention the 24/7 soft serve ice cream machine. Awesome. I'll post more on that later.

So, hopefully this satisfies any curiosity whether or not I'm still alive. Still here, still kicking. Still blogging. TTFN (Ta Ta For Now)

My Reasons

2008-09-17T18:32:00.001-07:00

So I haven't posted in ages, I know. I sort of gave up for a while, but I'm back now. This is for those of you who haven't given up on me and still check my blog from time to time.....

For those who don't know, I decided to stay in Idaho after the summer. After living in the country, so close to two of my siblings and their oh-so-fun little boys, I couldn't go back to Utah. As it turns out, I'm meant to be here anyway because everything just kind of fell into my lap. I went to a bioenergetics practioner that my sister had gone to because I was curious about the whole body scan thing. As a result, I found out where the local "older" singles ward met, which was good. As a bonus, I found out that there was a job opening there a couple of weeks later. It all worked out, so here I am still. I hope to be here for a long, long time....

So, although I miss my parents and my friends in Utah, I'll show you a few of my reasons for staying. I'm sure you'll agree with me that this is my best place to be....

Reason #1: Nephews!

No need to say more... Aren't they so cute???

Reason #2: Stupidities with Tricia Lou......There have been so many in the past, and I guess a lot more to come...like going to the canyon for a campfire lunch and hauling all the stuff for chili and cornbread up the trail only to realize that I forgot the matches......(This is us eating our cold chili.....not super-delish, by the way.)

Reason #3: Gorgeous country....I live in the middle of fields on dirt roads. I wake up to watch the sun rise over the barley and potatoes and then go out for my morning walk/jog before getting ready for work. I can watch the sun set from the front porch anytime I want....I can go out and paint in the fields. It's quiet and beautiful.....Does it get any better? Isn't it beautiful?

And last, but certainly not least.....Reason #4: I have the absolutely best job in the world!!!! These two are the reason I'm able to stay here and enjoy all of the rest of this, but they're also the reason that I look forward to going to work every morning and the reason that I'm sad to go home at the end of the day. I work at a natural medicine clinic as a receptionist and it's just the three of us in the office.It's so fun to work without "grownups" around. Meet my newest friends! (Destin with the tongue, and Nathan with the "nice picture face." ) See what I mean? They're silly-crazy-fun and a little bit nuts, but that's why I fit in so well!

So, although it's not perfect, my life is so good! Things are great right now and I hope to be better about posting more often so I can share a bit of my goings-on with you. Don't give up on me!

Memory Game

2008-07-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. Enjoy!

Pinecones and Campfires and Bears....Oh, My!

2008-07-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post another blog this week, but I feel so lame posting without pictures since I haven't gotten my camera fixed yet. I guess I could find some free stock photos off the internet, but that takes more time and I'm lazy.

I went camping last weekend with my friend, Lou, and her family up by West Yellowstone, Montana and she sent me some pictures. Yeah for nice friends! As you can see, it was absolutely gorgeous. The weather was perfect, the landscape is breathtaking and I didn't want to come back on Sunday. I hadn't been camping for more than a year and I'd forgotten how much I love it. If it weren't for the lack of running water, I think I could live in the forest with a tent and a campfire forever.

We did the normal camping stuff- cooking over a fire, singing by the fire at night, (mostly just my friends since I didn't know most of the songs), hiking, swimming in the river and lake- (although, not so swimming by me since the river was frigid and I don't like swimming in lakes...icky water and I can't see what's in there with me...)- it was heavenly. Lou's family goes up there ever summer and I can see why. It's an awesome place to get away for a few days.

There were bear sightings in the area, but I didn't see any. I went hiking both mornings by myself and all I could think about were the horror stories of bear attacks and children being hauled into the woods by an aggressive bear. I kept shouting at short intervals and singing at the top of my lungs to let any potential bear-friends know that I was coming and to get out of my way. I think they were silently applauding my singing show within the cover of the trees, though, and were too shy to openly show their appreciation. My cousins that went camping in Yellowstone the week before had a bear come right into their camp and sniff their dinner on the grill, though. Luckily I was spared any scary incidents.

It might have been my smell that kept the bears at bay. There's something that happens to my normal need for cleanliness when I camp. It doesn't bother me not to shower for days as long as I have clean clothes to change into. I don't even mind latrines. I'm always amazed at how great it feels to get home and shower, though. It was a great weekend. Anybody up for camping with me anytime soon? I'm ready!

Upcoming Photos....or Not?

2008-07-16T21:53:00.001-07:00

I'm tired, it's the end of the day and I've been going nonstop. I decided before I crawl into bed with my fan blowing full-blast to read my novel that I should post a quick blog. You'll notice the lack of pictures on this post. I had so many nice ones on my last post about the hike after my camera was rescued. I love my camera. On Sunday after getting together with my sister's in-laws it stopped working. Sadness!!! It turns on for a couple of seconds and then the screen goes blank and it says, "Lens Error." Argh! The lens doesn't close unless I take out the battery and put it back in again. Does anybody know a good place to fix my camera (and my bad luck) that won't cost an arm and a leg? Please help!

Table Rock

2008-07-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that I like to hike in the mountains? I don't get the chance (more likely that I don't make the opportunity) to do big hikes very often.
"Big hike" in my mind = longer than 3 hours or 4 miles total.
I haven't done a big hike in a few years, so when some people from my new singles ward in Rexburg invited me to hike Table Rock up by Driggs this past Saturday, I jumped at the chance.

I hiked Table Rock a few summers ago with my sister and some of her in-laws, but I didn't go all the way to the top. It's a pretty intense hike, in my opinion. I think it's about 6 1/2 miles each way if you go the back trail. So to get ready for it this time, I upped the length and intensity of my exercise routine for the last couple of weeks. I felt pretty confident that I could make it to the top this time and hoping that I wouldn't embarass myself by being the last in the group, huffing and puffing the whole way.

So, all 7 of us that went met at 5:30 a.m., pumped and ready to go. It's a 90 min. drive to the trail from here, but we made it with plenty of time left in the coolness of the morning for the ascent. There were 3 very fit and trim people in the group and the rest of us were about my fitness level, which, if you know me, isn't super but it isn't the worst either. One of the fit people that kind of took charge of the whole trip decided that it would be better to hike the trail up the face of the mountain because it cut off 2 miles. "Uh....what?," I'm thinking. "I didn't prepare for that." Well, that's what we did, despite my doubts and anxiety.

Straight up the face we went. It was intense. It was brutal. It was a wake up call for how out-of-shape I am. I was sucking wind for a good portion of the journey up and wondering to myself how the heck I was going to make it to the top. Luckily, I wasn't the only one suffering, so we stopped often to catch our breath. The fit people held back for us, which I felt bad about, but I went as fast as I could. (Yeah, those three little specks are the in-shape people from the group, way ahead of me.)

It was really beautiful, though. Just breathtaking views with gorgeous wildflowers. It took 4 1/2 hours, but we finally made it to the top. I took a video spanning the view from all around. There was lots of snow and we even saw a couple of avalanches while we ate lunch from up there.

Going down was more exciting. We decided to take the back trail down, since it was less steep, but we didn't know where exactly the trail was, so we trail-blazed to find it. We crossed through a lot of snow and scaled some pretty steep slopes. (I fell down a lot and consequently have a lot of grass stains on the seat of my pants. Trail blazing isn't for the balance-challenged or the klutzy.) The scenery was even prettier off the trail and we stopped to take more pictures. It was also a good time to chat and get to know the people since I wasn't sucking wind on the way down.

After this lovely photo we started to move on in search of the trail. I lagged behind to take care of some "personal business" before rejoining the group. Although I didn't realize it until we got back to the car and were ready to go, at this point I left my camera (with 3 memory cards and two batteries) in my case by my make-shift restroom in the woods. By the time I did realize it my legs were shaking with exhaustion and my knees were screaming in agony. It was at least two miles up the steep mountain in a spot way off the trail and there was no way I could find it. I almost cried. Every picture I've ever taken on this camera, including all my England pics, were on those memory cards. I felt sick about it.

When I told one of the guys in the group what I'd done, he said without hesitation, "I can find it. No problem. I'll go back and get it." He took another girl with him, (they were two of the people in really good shape) and they went back. The rest of the group had to get back to Rexburg, so we left. Miraculously (and obviously), they found it. Bless their wonderful souls. They're amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you, guys!

On top of getting my camera back, I also got a pretty sweet sunburn. I brought sunblock with me, but most of the hike on the way up was in the shade. By the time I realized that I needed it way up there, it was all I could do to keep moving. I was afraid that if I stopped I wouldn't get started again, so I didn't pause to apply the sweet nectar for my skin. Hence, this is what I look like. I don't recommed it. Pain. Lots of pain. Dumb pain.

All in all, it was so worth it. The view was magnificent, I got some great exercise (despite how my knees feel now) both physically and mentally and I got to know some people better. A good way to spend a summer Saturday.

Hiking Makes Me Happy

2008-07-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

This is true. If I could, I would probably live in the mountains in a little cabin by a stream. Lately I've been hiking as much as I can. Unfortunately, there aren't that many trails to hike close to Rexburg. Cress Creek is just a 15 minute drive from here, though, and I've been going there 2 or 3 times a week. Calling it a "hike" is a bit of a stretch of the imagination since half of it is paved, but it's the closest I can get without having to drive forever.

Anyway, I like to take my breakfast and scriptures with me. I hike the trail a few times since it doesn't take more than 15 min. to do the trail loop, eat my breakfast and read for as long as I can in the peace and quiet. I'm usually the only one there at 7:30, so it's perfect. I highly recommend it.

The days that I don't go hiking there I like to speed walk (I'm not much of a runner) on the dirt roads around the house here. It's so nice and beautiful, especially in the morning when the air is still cool and the sprinklers are going in the fields. Heavenly! I keep telling myself that I'm not on vacation, but it's hard to remember with scenery like this all around me.

A "Blue Light Special," a.k.a. The Misdemeanor I Barely Missed

2008-07-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a while since I last posted, I know. I've become one of those bloggers that only randomly and sporadically posts anything and so you've stopped checking my blog on any kind of a regular basis, I'm sure. I have my reasons, though, such as: I dont get on the computer everyday.....and I have to share the computer with several other people.....and I'm just really busy......and..and......and...............ok, so I've just been really lazy, really. I promise I'll be better. I have ideas for several blogs swimming around that need to be let out. They'll be swimming along soon.

Some potential blog posts, however, don't need to be let out. They just come up and smack me in the face like a cold herring on a chilly winter morning. (Has that ever happened to anyone? Me neither, but it sounded frosty and unpleasant, as you can imagine, and which leads me into my story.)

So I've felt kind of weird all day today, which has to do with these herbal drops that I'm taking and which is another story for another post. Let me just say though that today feels like I've been on lots of tylenol or demerol or morphine or something. I've been really tired and out of it for most of the day. At least that's my excuse for being so blonde.

I went to "town" (the local term for Idaho Falls) today to shop for a few things and hang out with my sister and the Pip. I took my herbal drops with me so I wouldn't forget to take them in the middle of the day. I took them like a good patient and we went to run our errands. Pip had an appointment in Rexburg and in the rush to get everything done and get up there in time I forgot my drops at my sister's house. I didn't realize this until I was back in Rexburg. Argh! It's a 30-40 min. drive from here to her place and there's construction and slow down most of the way. I hate being an airhead sometimes!

Well, I wasn't going back to I.F.("town") for a week at least and my sis won't being coming back her before that, so I had to drive the 30-40 min. back to town tonight to retrive my meds. I had an assignment at the temple first, which I went to. I dropped off my temple bag at the house here and hurried back to town for the drops. Got the drops, on my way back to Rexburg for the second time today.....

I'm almost home, talking to my mom on the phone as I turn off of the highway. I didn't come to a full and complete stop at a stop sign (although, in my defense, I did stop enough to see that no one was coming) and a policeman who was sitting in the dark with his lights off flashes me the bluelight special. As I tell you this, keep in mind that I've been a licensed driver for over 11 years and have never had a ticket in my life. I've never been pulled over before. As I calmly wait for the officer to come over, I'm looking for my license, insurance and registration to show him. ('Cause that's what I've seen them do on TV.) It is at this precise and poignant moment that I realize that I've left my license in my temple bag at the house and I have no idea what my registration looks like, much less where it is. Oops. BIG Oops.

I sweetly and innocently tell the officer that I accidentally left my license at home and that I'm pretty sure that my registration is there, too. He runs my plates and info. and returns to inform me that driving without my license and proof of insurance is a misdemeanor and has a fine of $57.00 in the state of Idaho. And, as he's talking, I'm thinking in the back of my blonde little mind, "misdemeanor? really? mmm...that's bad. is that jailbird worthy? seriously? I don't have $57. I hope he'll take a check. I'm gonna have to return the camelback that I bought today. dangit! this is stupid. I'm glad no one is in the car with me. life is hard being an airhead."

As it turns out, he just gave me a firm warning and let me drive home with my tail between my legs. So embarrassing! I found my registration, P.S., and it's now in my car where it belongs. The one time I forget my license! This never would have happened if I hadn't forgotten my medicine in I.F. in the first place. Please tell me I'm not the only space cadet that's done this before.....

Me, Mother of 5!?

2008-06-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post about my day yesterday, but quite frankly, I was too exhausted and anxious to get in bed to start over fresh today.

I had a great day yesterday. I say that with all sincerity and with a light heart, but it was also a day that made me grateful to still be single; responsible for no one but myself. As any of you who read my blog know, I am living with a great family for the summer (my sister's sister-in-law's family) and tending their younger two kids while the parents are at work. The kids are fantastic, and as long as I keep them busy, they don't even bicker. The boy, (let's call him Rusty) is 9, and the girl, "Libby," (we'll say) is 7. I love kids and these two are really fun. My sister has been out of town on a fun trip with some friends, so I've had the pleasure of watching my 11-month-old nephew, "Pip" (as we call him) while she's gone. That's three kids, all great and fun to tend. Well, this week another sister-in-law in their family was hospitalized, so her two boys, "AJ," age 4 and "Walter," age 2, came to stay with us. That makes five kids.

I got up yesterday when "Pip" woke up. We went for a walk to wake up my body and my brain. (Not used to waking up during the night.) By the time I got back the other four kids were awake and ready for breakfast. Once fed, they took turns bathing and dressing, after which I put them to work doing a few chores. I realized that in order to keep chaos under control I would have to keep them busy, so I set the older three kids to paint while I put the baby down for a nap. "Walter" is very easy to watch, as he wanders around with his blanket hanging from his mouth, entertaining himself with anything he finds and never making a sound. Once "Pip" was down I finally went to shower. (It was sometime after 11 a.m. by now.)

While showering I received an inspirational idea to entertain the kids and clean up the tornado remains that were once tidy rooms in the house. When I showered and got ready I set all the kids down to explain the rules of our new game of "Maids and Butlers." We pretended to be cleaning servants in the White House and we went from room to room cleaning up the house to get ready for the President and First Lady, who were to arrive home later that day. I was surprised at how well it went over. They had fun, didn't fight and the house got clean. All I did was promise them cookies and movie after it was done.

Another sister came by after that to pick up "AJ" and "Walter," which was nice. It takes a lot of energy and patience to watch 5 kids from 3 families, all used to different foods, activities and parenting styles. I was exhausted. It was really fun to play mom, don't get me wrong, but I realized that I may not be quite ready for a large family just yet. (I also realized that, with their ages, all of those kids could be mine! Weird.) It made me appreciate all the moms out there, especially those with large families. Kudos to those of you that are mothers for raising good kids while keeping your sanity! I'll look forward to my own Mother's Days when they come, but in the meantime it's nice to be just me as I am.

"Viva la Vida"

2008-06-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

Is it weird that most of my favorite bands/singers are men? Or is that just the natural way of things? Is anybody else that way? There's something about the way that some of their voices sound that instantly soothe me, (like The Beatles, Neil Diamond and Paul Simon), make me happy, (like Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Neil Sedaka and Chris Martin of Coldplay), or are fun to try to harmonize with (like Paul McCartney, Elton John and Billy Joel). I could pretty much listen to any of these musicians anytime. Most of them are old, if not dead, so they're not really putting out a whole lot of new stuff, and I have to rely on the oldies but goodies.

On Tuesday my favorite contemporary band, Coldplay, released a new album, "Viva la Vida." I ran to Wal-Mart as soon as I could and snatched it up for the bargain price of only $10.00. I've listened to it several times already and I can say that I think it's their best album yet. There isn't one song on there that I don't like, and several that I love. They've moved into using new instruments and cultural influences, which I think is awesome. They're also from England, which of course only adds to my love and adoration. If any of you are fans, you need this CD.

I saw on their website that they're coming in concert to Salt Lake in November! I was so excited, but the day that the tickets were to go on sale, they weren't available. Does anyone know anything about that? Have they cancelled Salt Lake as a venue? I'm hoping to hear some good news soon. I can think of few singers or groups that I would love to see live more than Coldplay. In the meantime "Viva la Vida" will have to tide me over, I guess.

"Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?"

2008-06-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

I love the color green. It's one of my favorites. It makes me think of new life, growth and yummy salads. It's the color of leaves in the spring, spotted rooftops in England and Kermit the Frog... It's also the color of my bedroom for the summer. I'm not sure how much green I can handle for this long.

I'm staying in the younger boy's room of the family I'm living with. He begged to stay in a different room for the summer while I'm here, so I got his room. When they re-decorated his room a while ago, they splashed it with electric-lime green and great, big jungle decals. It's kind of fun....until it's so bright that the sun wakes me up at 4:30, beaming through the curtain-less windows and reflects off the verdant walls, nearly blinding me before I can form a coherent thought.

Lest you think I'm exaggerating, here are a few images of my new room6

Like the animal prints on the rug and bedspread? It's definitely not my style, but it's fun. I just don't picture myself spending a huge amount of time relaxing in here. I feel pretty safe about the lack of peeping toms out here since the only neighbors live a ways down the road- too far to see in my windows, but I couldn't handle the light waking me up that early in the morning, so I did purchase some chocolate brown curtains. I've decided it's going to be an adventure. (I'll just have to keep my immunization shots up to date.)

What's your favorite color? Ever been in a place that made you sick of it?

Best Friends, Nuts and Puzzle Pieces

2008-06-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

I'm a gypsy. Not the kind that live in tents in the forest and bang tambourines or befriend a excluded Quasimoto-esq hunchbacks, but the kind that never stay in one place for very long. I've never lived more than 4.5 years in one place in my entire life. I haven't lived anywhere for longer than 10 months in the last decade. I've lived in 11 different states, 3 countries (as an adult) and I went to 3 different high schools. It was an adventure as a kid- our parents would tell me and my three siblings that we would be moving to a new place and I could hardly wait to see what new things we'd find there and the new friends I would have.

After the first 5 moves or so, it became less fun. In junior high and high school the kids have their clics and aren't as open to letting new people in their groups. It was hard to have to sit by myself at lunch for the first while until I met some nice kids, if I did at all, and to not be picked for a team in P.E. because no one knew me. (Of course, that could also be attributed to my chubby/plump/ample phisique. One look at the new girl and they could tell that she didn't know much about field hockey or basketball.)

Despite the awkward times when I was the "new girl," I took comfort in the fact that three other people, my sisters and my brother, were going through the exact same thing at the same time. We could come home from school and talk about our day and play together without the fear of looking stupid or not fitting in. We were each others' best friends.

Well, I'm still a gypsy, I'm afraid. I get "itchy feet," as my mother would call it, after a few months and have to take a road trip or go somewhere new. I had planned on staying in Salt Lake for a long time and planting some roots when I moved there last summer, but plans changed. I'm in Idaho for the summer. I'll get to live a lot closer to my sister just older than me and my brother, and their families. It's gonna be a blast. I also got to spend some time with my oldest sister this weekend that lives out of state and I was reminded of how much I miss spending time with her.

I love putting jigsaw puzzles together. I love figuring out how the ugly, weird-shaped pieces fit together with the bright, fun ones to make a picture. I've discovered in the last year that when I get together with my family I make sense. All of the quirkiness and habits I have fit together when I'm with them. We're like a funny, nutty puzzle that comes together to make something great. If life is really and truly like a box of chocolates, than I'm glad I'm with these fruits and nuts.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2008-06-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

"When you wish upon a star.....
It's a small world after all....
Anything your heart desires....
Zippity do dah day...."

So I got to go to Disneyland for the first time in my 29 years and it was truly magical! I loved it! I'm gonna be working in Idaho this summer, living with a family and helping out with their kids and stuff. When they offered me the job, the threw in a trip to Disneyland as the "signing bonus." How could I pass that up?

We spent 3 days in Palm Springs at a condo with a super-sweet pool area. There were a couple of hot tubs, some waterfalls, two slides on the other side of this rock formation and two seperate pools. It was really fun. 6

On Saturday we went to Huntington Beach for the whole day. I, being smart, lathered on my spf30 sunblock before heading to the waves to play. I boogie boarded, body surfed and just had a blast playing in the waves with the kids. I didn't, however, reapply any sunblock in the several hours that I was in the ocean. So I ended up looking like a lobster at the end of the day. It was really painful for several days. It's one of those times that I wish I could walk around in nothing but a loose tanktop and shorts. (Some women do, but shouldn't. Nobody wants to see you flapping around in all your looseness. Just saying...)

Anyway, the last three days of the trip we spent in Disneyland, The Happiest Place on Earth. We had hopper passes between Disneyland and California Adventure, so we got to see it all. It was crowded, but not too bad. The longest I had to wait in line was just over an hour. There's so much to see and do there that even after 3 days I felt like I didn't get it all in.

Here were some of the highlights for me:

Rides! My favorites were the Brr River Rapids, Soarin' Over California and Tower of Terror in the CA Adventure side. I also loved Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion and the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters rides on the Disneyland side. There were a lot of great rides besides those. I was amazed at all the detail of everthing. There were a few that I'm glad I tried but I don't need to do again like Splash Mountain and California Screamin'.

Food! I didn't eat every meal in the park, because it was just too expensive, but I did sample a churro, a corn dog and, best of all, a dinner at the restaurant inside the Pirates ride. That dinner was the best money I spent the whole trip. It was awesome. I thought the food was great.

Atmosphere! It was really magical to see so much everywhere from all of my favorite movies as a kid. I went to Toontown at the end of closing on my last day and I felt like I was 5 years old again. I even got to meet Mickey! 6

It's good to be back from all the traveling and long days of extended good times, but it was a blast! I wanna go again! I'd love to hear about your experiences with Disneyland, too, so leave a comment and tell me about them.

"Not What I Ordered"

2008-05-18T16:44:00.000-07:00

So, I have this analogy about brussel sprouts and dating.....I came up with this a couple of years ago after a particularly frustrating bout with the whole dating scene.

Here's how it goes:

Dating is like going to a restaurant. Not just any restaurant, but one that all of my friends (married friends) have told me has the best filet mignon and creme brule. And I "just have to go." (Plus, it's a commandment, so I really do have to go anyway.) So I put on my best dress, pull up my hair, splash on my fanciest makeup and head to the restaurant with eager anticipation.

As I walk into the restaurant, the waiter seats me and I order my steak and dessert to follow. Meanwhile, I look around at everyone relishing their filet mignon and creme brule and my mouth waters in anticipation. Butterlies flutter in my stomach and I can hardly wait for the tasty treat. Finally, the waiter brings me my plate which, much to my dismay, is not filet mignon, but brussel sprouts! I HATE brussel sprouts! Sorely disappointed, I leave the restaurant to tell my friends about the experience.

"How did it go?," they ask, blissfully holding the hands of their spouses.

"Not well," I respond. "Not only did I not get the juicy, flavorful beef and the creamy, sweet dessert that I ordered, but I got slimey, puke-green vegetables that taste like dirt instead!"

"Well, that happens to almost everyone at least once," they say. "Sometimes you have to go back several times, but it's worth it in the end."

So I go back. The same thing happens again- brussel sprouts instead of my filet mignon! With stubborn determination I keep going back to the restaurant again and again, seeing the other customers enjoying their meals and hoping for some savory delights of my own. Unfortunately, the same result follows each time.

And although the green little devils are prepared in different ways each time, (because everyone is different), - in a buttery sauce, in a shower of paprika, or a la parmesano oregano- I still hate them. No gravy, sauce or spice can cover up the flavor of dirt.

Quite frankly, I'm just not hungry anymore.

(Side note: My friend, The Rookie, an English teacher and a fabulous person, is much better with words and she wrote this analogy down in her blog, so you may want to read her description here)

So that's my analogy about dating. I like it. I liked it so much a couple of years ago, in fact, that I made a print of it in my lithography class in college. (That's the picture at the top of the post.) I even bought the sprouts to draw from. Trying to have an open mind, I prepared the sprouts after I drew them to try them again.... Still hate 'em.

Well, (man this is turning out to be a long post), I went to that fabulous Single Adult Conference session on Saturday, just happy to be listening to the Schroders, when I was surprised by their topics. Sister Andrea Schroder's talk could have been entitled, "Not What I Ordered!" It was based around a similar analogy of her daughter, who had asked her mom for crepes with brown sugar for breakfast and got scrambled eggs and toast instead. "This is not what I ordered," she said. "Well," Andrea replied, "people rarely get what they ordered in life." Her talk was about how even though we rarely get the total happiness, good looks, wealth and adoring love that we "order" in life, we can find happiness and peace in our lives by turning to the Lord and relying on Him. We can find our place in the Plan of Salvation and know who we are, independent of anyone else.

It was awesome! Talk about a catered message for me! I was blown away. She talked about the trials that she has had, perhaps the biggest one being married to her best friend that not only didn't share her religious beliefs, but who was at times in opposition to the Church. She talked about how hard it was to take the kids to church by herself and how she gained her own testimony of her relationship with Heavenly Father from that. She said that, "amidst our trials, miracles happen." It was a miracle to her to see Rick's conversion to the Gospel and the Church.

Rick spoke about not being afraid to access our hidden talents and not letting others box us in. He said that we are always changing and have limitless potential and we need to "kick down the fear of not being good enough." He spoke of how the Lord reveals ourselves to us at different times and always has a helping hand; we just have to take it. There were several great quotes from him, but my favorites included, "Failure isn't the worst [thing that could happen]. It's lack of effort." He talked about not worrying how other people judge us because we can do many different things. He said that "it's not important how we're judged todaybecause it's only the Final Judgement that matters." He said that we "can make the right choices and still not get 'what we ordered,' but that doesn't mean we've failed. If we've tried, then we've succeeded." Awesome!

It was very inspiring to me, especially being an artist and having gone through being judged and boxed in at college in my art classes. I've struggled with feeling inadequate and small in my talents and abilities. Rick also quoted Theodore Roosevelt when he said, "Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground." I felt like I could do anything with faith and hard work. Watch out! Here I come! My favorite quote that he gave was one by Larry McMurtry, author of Lonesome Dove, which Rick starred in. He said, "Whatever you're looking for is looking for you, too." I loved that! Rick said that he realized as a kid that he could think about something and make it happen. We all can. Search for it and you'll find it.

So good! I could talk about this ad nauseum. They were some of those talks that really change me. I just wanted to share this experience. It was proof to me that the Lord watches over all of us. I just didn't expect him to answer my prayers and even dispel some of my doubts through talks by my first celebrity crush and his wife. It was amazing!... Thanks for reading.

First Love

2008-05-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today was one of the most exciting days of my life.....really. A lifelong dream of mine to see Ricky Schroder has been fulfilled. If I had to leave this world tomorrow I would be happy.

Yep, that's right- Ricky Schroder!!! Silver Spoons was one of my favorite shows when I was little. I remember in kindergarten going around saying that Ricky Schroder was my boyfriend. (So was Alfonso Ribeira and Michael Jackson, but Ricky was definitely my favorite.)

Rick and his wife, Andrea were keynote speakers at a Single Adult Conference in Salt Lake. I had heard rumors that he was LDS, but I figured that it was only just that- a rumor. Nope! It's true! When I heard about the conference, I absolutely HAD to go, even though I'm not yet old enough to be classified in the 31 & older Single Adult group. How could I pass this up? No way.

I'm so glad I went. They both gave powerful talks. Andrea has been a member of the Church all her life, but Rick didn't join until (I think) 7 or so years ago. They talked about Rick's conversion to the Gospel, which was awesome, among other messages. It was fantastic! It was kind of surreal to see one of my childhood idols talking about going to the temple, and listening to him quote from the Doctrine and Covenants. It made my heart very happy. I felt like both of their messages were catered to me. I'm really glad I went. It was awesome! So, yeah, I can die happy now. I'll write a bit more about their messages later.

(Just as a side note......he is still SO adorable! His dimples are as deep as ever and he has such a charming smile. He's very down-to-earth and humble as tells it like it is. He's funny and kind of emotional when he talks about his testimony. I can tell he's a good husband and father. And so cute!)

The grass really is greener on the other side

2008-05-16T09:39:00.001-07:00

I love spring and I'm really happy that the weather is getting warmer. I love to go for walks and see the trees and flowers in bloom. Utah is gorgeous this time of year when it's so green and before it gets too hot. It makes me miss the green of the U.K.

I'm sure everyone that knows me and would be reading this knows my deep and abiding love for anything British. I spent my last semester of college last year in England and loved every minute of it. I'm an American through and through, but there's a big part of me that stayed behind in the U.K. when I came back. I miss it a lot and hope to go back soon. I love British movies, books, music, tv shows...there's a special su'un in them that I can't explain. (When I say British I don't just mean English stuff, because I got to go to Wales and Scotland and fell in love with them as well.)

Springtime and rainy days make me homesick for the U.K., so I thought I'd post some of my favourite pictures that transport me to my happy place over the pond. Come with me, won't you?

Pembroke, Wales (looking from one of the castle towers over the town- so you can't see how green it is around, but aren't the little houses and streets fun?)
William Wallace Monument, Stirling, Scotland

Lyme Park, "Pemberley", England

My List of Words

2008-05-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

Most everyone that knows me knows that I have a quirky love/hate relationship with words. There are certain words that I hate because they make me feel gross when I hear them. On the other hand, there are certain words that I love because they make me feel smart or free or they're just fun to say. Unfortunately, when people know the words I hate they like to tease me by saying them around me whenever they get the chance. Hence, I shant list them here. I will list some of my favorites, though. Feel free to use these words (and names) as often as possible. They'll make you feel fun, too.

Fresh
Serpentine
Book
Posh
Raindrop
Careening
Schnockered (this is more fun when my mom says it)
Lotion
Penelope
Hydration
Salvage
Zinnia
Blast
Screw
Abergavenny (one of my favorite places in Wales)
Balderdash
Hockey
Loaf
Preamble
Refreshment
Cakes
Inebriated
Shelf
Octopus
Zip
Renuncula
Barf (not a happy word, but fun to say)
Yak
Twyford (a village in England where my friend, Kathi, lives)
Lush

There are plenty more, but these are all that come to mind at the moment. Feel free to share some of your favorites with me, too.

New Blog

2008-05-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

So, it seemed like time for me to start my own blog. Not that I have pictures of my cute kids to post everyday, because oh, wait, I don't have any! I may be single and living at home without a decent job, but random stupidities seem to find me on a daily basis and I thought it might be fun to share some of these random things and stupid stories as they come. So, read on and welcome to my world! Buckle your seatbelts- it may be a bumpy ride.