I dreamed a dream

Do you ever have a dream that is beyond annoying? and then you keep having it? well I do. I started having a dream that I am chewing gum and I try to throw it away and it gets caught in my teeth and then I spend the rest of the dream trying unsuccessfully to pull it out. In my dream I keep saying to myself, "I thought this gum was sugar free, why is it sticking like this??" After I had this dream 2 or 3 times I finally figured out that I only have that dream on the nights I wear my retainer to bed. So really its my retainer that is "stuck" to my teeth. So annoying. Mostly because now I know why I'm having the dumb dream but there is nothing I can do about it. I just know if I wear a retainer to bed I will have the gum sticking dream. Why couldn't I have been born with straight teeth like my brother? ;)

"oh the weather outside is frightful"

WHAT THE?!?! I just want to say I woke up this morning pretty happy and then...I looked out my window and what did I see THIS!! It is May 24th for heaven sakes and I woke up to snow covered roof tops. I had to dig out my boots just to walk from my car to work and I was still wet and cold when I got inside. not cool! Needless to say, I was in a pretty black mood this morning. Crazy stinking weather!

A child's Perspective

My mom was watching my 3 yr old nephew yesterday and this Disneyland add was on the table. My sister and her family are going to Disneyland next month so my mom pointed to the picture and said, "Brandon, what is this?" He looked at the picture for just a few seconds and very matter of factly responded, "That's Lori" I love that kid. As a side note, he was with us when we did my snow white photo shoot.

Creeper

There is this commercial...I am not even 100% sure what its for...it might be the I-phone or something. I'm pretty sure its a phone. Anyway, its super creepy. You know the one with all the gigantic cartoon drawings walking all over the city leering at everyone while Willy Wonka sings his creeper song. Then they all disappear as the guy says, "remember when you were five and anything was possible, well, happy 5Th birthday" then the freakish cartoon peers over his shoulder like a stalker...yeah. Its creepy. Not quite up there with the Tarzan song "look over your shoulder and I'll be there" ...but a creeper came up with it for sure!

na-na-na-na life goes on..

OH my goodness...I'm having a moment right now. I just enrolled in health/dental/vision benefits at work. How weird is that?! I'm having a bit of a hard time grasping the fact that I'm a grown up with a real job, paid time off and all. its great...but kind of abstract still. I guess in my own mind I'm still just a student but life goes on whether I'm ready to admit it or not. But at least this time it is going on in a good way! A really good way that is saving me quite a bit of money...yay! :)

Home, Home on the range...

For years now I have been convinced that I wanted to marry a cowboy. They epitomize manly-ness. But just the other day I was talking to two very good friends of mine and they helped me realize an error in my thinking. I realized I know a few true cowboys and they are not actually attractive to me. They tend to travel a lot and they are really really country. I am not. I like to shop and I work at the GAP for heaven sakes. It would never work out. I only like to pretend i'm country when its time for summer rodeos...but secretly i'm not. All my rodeo clothes are GAP- they are fakes. I don't wear Wrangler or Stetson. So I came to a new conclusion...I want a normal man who sometimes does cowboy things. Yes he needs to ride a horse but he also needs to wear a suit to work :)

Mystery No More

Back in January I wrote a post about my experience with the doctor at the insta care. Well, a few days after that post I started to feel better so I started working out. The very next day I was sick again. I felt exactly as I did the week before. Horribly sick for a day and then gradually got better. My mom and I decided I should probably not try and work out for awhile since I seemed to have a relapse each time. After a few days I felt a ton better...except that I was tired all the time. Now when I say tired I mean that I would be watching TV and at like 7pm I had to get in bed. Not just the "oh I'm tired" I literally HAD to get in bed. I was pretty sure I had Mono. too old or not. So I started taking it slower. If I wasn't at work I was resting. Finally at the end of March I decided to go get a check up with a real doctor. I had him order some blood work and he tested for a TON of things. Six vials of blood. ouch. Anyway, someone, either the lab or my doctor's office, lost my lab results. So from the end of March until today my tests were floating, unclaimed, in the world of hospital records. The MA called me today and informed me that my blood work showed 3 antibodies suggesting that my body had at some point been fighting mono. As of March, I had previously had mono. And since I've never had anything similar to that before January I can safely assume that I have solved the mystery of my exhaustion. hooray. And pox on that retarded doctor who did not do blood work on me because he didn't think my glands were swollen enough and who thought I was too old to have mono. Lame!! And thanks for Nothing!!

Nothing to see ..

Why do men have to look around so much when they are driving? Have you ever noticed that? I swear every time I get behind a male driver he is always looking out his window. Instinctively I look because I am asking myself what the devil he is looking at and I see Nothing! What are they looking at..I see an empty field, a parking lot, a house...nothing of note. They just drive slower because they are looking at everything BUT the road. At least while you are driving a motor vehicle please look at the road!

Don't ask..

I begin with an apology to anyone who is planning on being a broadcast journalist. But why do they always ask the dumbest questions?!?! I came home the other day and my parents had the news on. They were doing some coverage of the tornado ravaged cities..they showed footage of cities that had been ripped apart and the reporter asks, "wow, do these people feel lucky to be alive?" um duh. But I realized they do it ALL the time...anyone remember the Olympics... the capital of stupid questions..."you just missed the medal podium, how does that feel?" I mean for the love, what do you expect these people to say...think about your questions before you open your mouth!!

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"

Pants on the Ground

My last post (which was from an email my mom sent me) reminded me of an episode of American idol this season. I didn't really watch it but my niece and nephew introduced me to this particular episode. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, an older gentleman (62 yrs) wrote his own song titled "pants on the ground" it was pretty funny. So out of curiosity I looked on itunes and there it was. You can purchase "pants on the ground" for $1.29. It has a ton of downloads. What is our society coming to?! haha. In the words of Simon "I have a scary feeling that song could be a hit"

If you haven't seen it, look it up. "American Idol 2010 auditions- A crazy moment with "pants on the Ground" & General Larry Platt

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiQkGouzck4

FINALLY ITS BEEN EXPLAINED!

Strike 2 for UPS

So for a week now I've had a swimsuit sitting on my bed. Mostly it was there because it is too big and I need to exchange it for the right size. So today, I finally talked myself into taking it to the post office. I really really didn't want to go but I did. I took my mom so I'd have more motivation to actually get in the car. As I'm driving, I somehow manage to get behind a man on a joy ride. And I do literally mean he was joy riding. 20 mph in his convertible in a 25mph zone. (anyone who knows me well knows that I HATE slow drivers) so after several blocks behind him I finally get to turn into the post office. Low and behold it is closed. I must have missed the memo that says the post office is no longer open on Saturdays. BLAST. So my mom says, "well UPS can send it insured mail". Perfect. I drive over to UPS and no joke, as I am pulling into the parking lot I see the employee closing the door. I thought no way its only 2:54pm. They have to be open until 3pm at least. So I pull up right in front of it to see if I can find posted hours or something. As we sit there I see him pulling his gate across the counter to lock up the register. He really was closing for the day! I sat there stunned for a minute and gave up. I pulled out of my parking spot and as I'm pulling away from the building my mom says "wait a minute". I turn around and the employee has come out and unlocked the door. At this point I was so annoyed with him that I just blew him off and drove away. I mean seriously, did he really think I was going to do a 12 point turn in the parking lot. He couldn't have opened the door while I was still sitting in my parking space. Perhaps he is unaware that the economy sucks and he needs every one's business. Its Saturday. And this is Utah. Everyone does everything at the last minute. He doesn't get to close 6 min early. Or perhaps in his world he does...and in my world the US post office will be getting my business on Monday. What a waste of my time!! Strike 2!

PS ( in case you are wondering about strike 1-UPS messed something up at work)

Cast it in...

Fishing is an interesting thing...you bait your hook, you throw it out into a vast body of water, and you wait. You wait until a fish decides to bite. Then you reel it in...sometimes you keep the fish and sometimes you set it free. What does this have to do with anything? I will tell you...

ok the last couple of days I have had several interesting conversations with some pretty amazing friends. Specifically tonight I was talking to a friend. She's amazing, return missionary, strong testimony, gorgeous voice, smart- graduating from byu with a business degree, has a full time job lined up...she is a catch. She was expressing to me her frustration that all the guys she has been out with just want to be her friend. Specifically these boys will take her on dates, they call her, they spend hours talking to her about anything and everything-but they just want to be friends. I fully understand that a person has to be attracted to the person they choose to marry...so don't get me wrong. that's not the direction this ranting is going.

So during our conversation tonight she tells me that a guy she was on a date with last week told her that he doesn't want to marry a girl who is smarter than him. He wants a wife who needs him and depends on him. THIS is where I have a problem. So many guys don't think about their futures. I don't think he should marry a girl smarter than him but I also don't think he, or any other guy, should marry a girl who is not his equal. I think a lot of guys cheat themselves out of a really great relationship. I started thinking about the guys I know...and not all of them...but quite a few of them have settled for girls who don't encourage them to be better...and to keep progressing. on the flip side, I know too many girls who married the first guy who asked because they just wanted to be married. They wanted to be taken care of and start a family.

Again, let me clarify. I am not knocking the goal of getting married and having a family...in fact I am all about it. I am, however, not a fan of rushing into it. I am continually baffled that so many guys just want a wife that depends on them...they aren't thinking about the future. What happens if you can't provide for her anymore, what happens if work takes you away for awhile...will she be able to manage the household? If you pass away first, will she be able to balance her checkbook or pay the bills? Or will she suddenly be lost and insecure? That is where my confusion lies...I just have to ask myself how anyone can be truly happy that way. Let me see if I can explain my train of thought....

men: Don't you want a wife who is with you because she wants to be and not because she needs to be. Don't you want to know that she choose you for you..and not just because you could provide for her, because she needs you to take care of her. Don't you want to be with someone who understands you.

Women: Don't you want to be with someone you can have a conversation with, someone who isn't always telling you how things are but who asks for your input. Don't you want to know that you are helping your husband and not just adding to his responsibility.

I for one want an equal marriage or none at all...eternity is a long time. I once heard a very profound statement by a woman lawyer in DC...she said, "I will never love a man because I NEED him. But I will NEED a man because I love him."

And as for these boys and their "lets just be friends"- I say cut the cord. Lets face it...friendships with the opposite sex are not a lasting thing. (there are some exceptions) but generally as soon as one or both of you gets serious with someone your friendship is over- unless you are all friends but that is another story. The long walks, the chats over dinner...all those things are gone when you get engaged to someone else or at least they should be...so why waste the time...its sucks but move on to a smarter guy. Ladies...you don't want a fly fisher..you want a man who casts his reel and waits patiently, hooks a good one (you) and knows its a good one...If he doesn't know what he's got while he's got it...then he doesn't deserve to keep it. He deserves to go hungry.... :) too many metaphors? maybe? but you get my point.

Kicking my own butt!

Ok we all know how I feel about diets. And I think we all agree they are lame. So I'm going to share with you something that is NOT lame. Jilliam Michales (the trainer from the biggest Loser) 30 day shred. I'm going to confess that I laughed at my sister when she was doing this video. And last week I decided to try it myself. My niece wanted someone to do level one with her so I agreed. OH MY HECK! its only 20 min long....3 circuit's made up of 3 min strength, 2 min cardio and 1 min of abs. Sounds easy. I warn you...it is NOT. I have not been able to walk normal for a week now. I am not sure I'll ever make it to level two alive. So I'm telling you...forget the diet. If you want to lose weight and get in shape go to target/walmart and get this video. You will seriously kick your own butt!

What is the point???

I'm sitting at work yesterday and a co-worker says to me, "oh my gosh, only 12 more days of my diet. the end is in sight. I can make it" I didn't say anything but i'm thinking to myself, what is the point of a diet anyway? you deprive yourself of stuff for a month of two or however long the dumb thing is and then what...you count down till the end when you can eat all the crap you ate before. But you probably eat twice as much since you've been deprived of it for so long! completely pointless. diets are stupid. End of soap box :)

Not just for children...

Many of you have probably noticed that the title of my blog comes from a popular Dr. Seuss book. And if you didn't realize it...you are missing a vital piece of your education. OH the places you'll go is my favorite book. I am in love with children's books. But not just any children's book. I have two requirements for a children's book to be considered good...and a book has to meet at least one of them...and those that meet both are termed "favorite". If you are in the market for a good children's book here are a few of my favorites:

Oh the Places you'll go- Dr. Seuss -A book about life- successes and failures

The Spider and the Fly-Tony DiTerlizzi-Mary Howitts Cautionary tale about pretty words hiding not so pretty intentions. (the illustrations in this one are amazing)

The Paper Bag Princess- Robert Munsch/Michael Martchenko- no damsel in distress this princess saves the day and doesn't take garbage from anyone..not even her prince.

The Rough-Face girl- Rafe martin/ David Shannon-Indian folklore a story of looking beyond the outer appearance and on the heart.

The Tale of Three Trees- Retold by Angela Elwell Hunt-Three trees whose wishes come true but not always in the way they imagine.

Cinder Edna- Ellen Jackson-A story of what can be done without a fairy god mother, making your dreams happen all on your own.

Fanny's Dream- caralyn Buehner-not waiting for life to give you your dreams, but learning to work hard and enjoy the life you have chosen.

The giving tree- Shel Silverstein-Self-less love and service

A Christmas Dress for Ellen- retold by Thomas S. Monson-A story of service and love to bring a Christmas miracle to a little girl and her family

The Christmas Candle- Richard Paul Evens-The light of Christ helps us see things as they really are

Max Lucado- You are special, Because I love you, Just the way you are, I'll be with you always, and With you all the way- Religious themed about knowing who you are and of your worth.

These are a few of my favorite books with great life lessons for young and old.

Trying something different...

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Therefore I must be insane. I started taking voice lessons at the beginning of January and each month I choose a song to work on and then I sing it in master class and am critiqued by my fellow voice students. To be honest, the last four months I have chosen songs that I am already super comfortable with, songs well in my range and far away from my breaks. I wanted to make sure I sounded good when I sang in master class. I don't like to do things I'm not good at...so naturally I chose songs I knew I could sing well. But this month we are working on our recital piece. So I chose something a little more challenging. Good morning Baltimore from Hairspray. I will be working on this song until the end of April and I didn't want to get bored. However, while practicing this week I decided this song is too hard for me and I started flipping through my books to see if I could find something easier. And then I realized how totally insane that was. I mean, I am paying my voice teacher to teach me to sing...how can he help me through my breaks and teach me correct technique if I am singing stuff that doesn't challenge me or even require me to practice. My goal in taking voice lessons is to learn to control my voice and be comfortable singing anything anyone places in front of me....but that will never happen by singing the same type of song every month. I might be insane...or maybe just a big chicken. I am going to sing the song from Hairspray. I can do hard things and even if I mess it up completely, I will hopefully have learned something I haven't learned previously. Its time to try something different....

Happy Easter!

Could Easter have been any better?? Seriously, Easter is great in and of itself but because it was also conference Sunday I got to spend the whole day with my family! Spending a Sunday with my family has only happened about 2 times in the last year and a half and because of Easter there was even more family to be surrounded by! My brother, his wife Leslie and their five kids were visiting from California. Also joining the fun with my sister and her two kids, and my little brother, his wife Emily, and their new-ish baby Karra. So So much fun!! And to top it all off one of my very best friends from Idaho came down to see me!! Seriously- best Easter ever!! I hope everyone had an amazing Easter and enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed mine!!

You get what you expect...

yesterday I was driving down to springville and just before the University ave exit I suddenly found myself in bumper to bumper traffic. I thought this was strange since it was about 6:30pm and well past the more congested areas of I-15. I mean really...how many people live south of provo? Anyway, I had decided that there must be an accident. It was snowing pretty heavily. It wasn't sticking on the roads but visibility was pretty bad. As I continued to creep along the freeway I saw on my right a large construction sign that said "4/10/10 expect delays" Interesting. As it was only the 1st, I concluded the congestion could not be a by product of construction. As I passed the sign the traffic broke and I was once again going a normal freeway speed. I was glad that no one was in an accident. Still there was no explaination for the slowing...not a flat tire, a ticket, or a cop in sight. Everyone was told to expect delays and I can only conclude that because they were expecting them they actually created delays. Oh the power of the subconscious mind. I could be totally off on my conclusions but that's all I have....interesting but mostly it was annoying. I can't stand traffic as it is...but pointless traffic is even worse.

"I just haven't met you yet"

Last night my brother Dave, his wife Leslie, my mom, my niece, and I went to see Michael Buble at the E center in west valley Utah. first let me say, we were in traffic for almost an hour...there is one entrance into the parking lot and no traffic cops..whose bright idea was that?? plus it was snowing so no one wanted to walk the mile to get in. so after struggling to get into the venue we reached our seats and my feet were immediately glued to the floor. And I do mean literally glued to the floor. I have never felt a stickier floor anywhere!! The longer your feet were stationary the harder it was to lift them...That being said. The opening act- naturally 7 was actually really fun. They are an all male acapella group...normally I don't care for acapella groups but these guys were really entertaining and fun to watch. Then Michael himself came out...his opening was definitely an attention grabber. His live band was incredible. In case you are wondering...he sounds just a great live as on his CD and for the type of music he sings his concert was really entertaining. He was funny and definitely performs to his crowd. The only thing I was disappointed with was his occasional slip of inappropriate language...other than that the show was well worth the money. Plus my niece is crazy about him so it was entertaining just to sit next to her and feel her excitement at being at her first concert. So fun!!

An interesting thing happened as well...I was reminded that we as a society need to lighten up sometimes. I noticed during his 3 song encore that hundreds of people were rushing up the stairs to exit the venue before everyone else. As I watch this exodus I say to myself "you people payed good money to see this show and now you are rushing out before the man is even done performing" what a waste...I can't even imagine paying money to see some one's show and then getting up and leaving before they were even done...and for what?? To shave 30 min off your drive home? totally pointless. I stayed in my seat and watched through to the end and guess what...I still got home :)

Hitchcocks inspiration

Just a few days ago I was peacefully eating my lunch when my attention was drawn to something outside. That something turned out to be hundreds of black birds. They circled and landed in the neighbors yard for a few minutes then they flew over the fence and landed in our yard. I decided I needed a picture of this since I'd never seen so many birds in one place at a time. Unfortunately I only got about a 1/4 of them since they landed on the side yard. And even though I thought I was being stealthy as soon as I opened the screen door they all flew off at the same time...so the photo doesn't even come close to doing the swarm justice...but it will give you an idea... Hitchcock had it right....hundreds of birds together are very creepy.

Enough already

You would think after living in a place for 9 years...9 winters...that one would adjust. However, I am here to report that is not the case. I will never get used to being cold. I was talking to a good friend yesterday about how I was going to make up a post about being cold. Then this morning in the shower I realized I didn't need to "make up" anything I am truly and quite sincerely tired of shaving off goose bumps. I have decided that there is only one thing worse than being cold...being cold and WET. Yes I am through. enough is enough. let the sun shine and temperatures rise! I am ready for summer...

Just put a stamp on me!

Once upon a time, lets say March 4Th, I ordered a new voice book from amazon.com. In the past those books usually arrive at my house within about six days and in fact this one was scheduled to arrive at my house on March 9Th VIA USPS. When it wasn't here by Thursday I decided I was going to actually use that tracking thingy to figure out where it was. What I found was rather interesting...my package started in Arizona. From there it traveled to Colorado, to Ohio, to Kentucky, and is currently in Iowa. hum...isn't Arizona close to Utah?? I always thought so, but I guess if you choose free shipping as your option your packages get to tour the US. Does that make sense?? pay less and travel more...too bad the airlines don't operate on the same system as the unites states postal service :)

It's the LIttle things in life....or is it?

Has anyone ever noticed that TLC is obsessed with large families and little people? Every other show is "the Little" this and "the Little" that...couple, chocolatier, our little life, little people big world, 19 kids and counting, john and Kate + 8...I mean really I think the producers need to branch out just a little bit. Why must we only watch the extreme opposites...big families and "small" families...enough!! Now that I have made my feelings known on the subject I will descend from my soap box. Thank you.

your website is what??!

Today I was cleaning out my inbox and came across some old forwards...I'm not a huge fan of forwards but I will read them when they are sent to me..and the really good ones I pass on to those who I know will appreciate them...I decided I would post one of them here, just because. Enjoy :)

Web addresses: These are legitimate names of companies that didn't spend quite enough time considering how their online names might appear... and be misread. They are real..check them out yourself.

1. Who Represents is where you can find the name of the agent that represents any celebrity the website : http://www.whorepresents.com/

2. Experts exchange is a knowledge base where programmers can share advice and views. The website: http://www.expertsexchange.com/

3. Looking for a pen? look no further than Pen Island at : http://www.penisland.com/

4. need a therapist?? try Therapist Finder at : http://www.therapisfinder.com/

5. An Italian power generator company. The website: http://www.powergenitalia.com/

6. don't forget the Mold Station Native Nursery in New South Wales, : http://www.molestationnursery.com/

7. if you are looking for IP computer software there is always: http://www.ipanywhere.com/

8. and the designers at Speed Of Art await you at their website: http://www.speedofart.com/

why the long face??

I just thought this was so funny!! My niece came over this week and I sat her back on my leg ..she wanted to be standing up so she started to make a sad face...and it is so sad!! I almost died when her lip came out and her eyes welled up with tears...so cute!!

My babies growing up...

Since some of my siblings read my blog (I think) i've decided to put up some pics of my new-ish niece Karra (Car-a) for everyone's enjoyment. She is just about two months old now and still super tiny. She has chunked up a bit but now weighs ALMOST what I weighed at birth :) My brother and sister-in-law brought her over on sunday and we had a blast. It is really hard to get a smile...it took a lot of work from all of us to get her to smile...but we finally did it!

Hello??

I was working the morning shift today and let me begin by explaining that weekday mornings at the mall are not super exciting. There aren't too many people shopping right when we open. So to keep myself from being bored and having the day drag on I was working on running our new shipment. Anyway I was running out of hangers and there was one customer in the store with her two kids. I took the opportunity to run into the back room and grab the hangers I needed. Once I got back there the phone started ringing. Pretty typical...as soon as you walk away from the register the phone rings. I grabbed my hangers and as I opened the door back to the sales floor the phone stopped ringing. "cool, someone else picked it up". As I walked around the corner to the registers I realized yes someone else did get the phone..only this 'someone' was less than 3 feet all and probably 3 years old. As I tried to digest the situation and how to handle it I just looked at this small child saying "hello. hello. hello." And then I heard a woman's voice on the other side saying the same, "Hello??" I grabbed the phone explaining to the woman that I just wasn't fast enough and was relieved to find out it was an employees daughter...so funny and definitely a first!

How you say it...

I've discovered the very real truth to the statement "what you say is not as important as how you say it"...The last few days I have pretty much been addicted to the Olympics..if I'm not at work I am watching the winter games. I have discovered winter sports I didn't even know existed. One such sport is Ice dancing. I don't know how I missed it in the past, perhaps because I can't remember ever spending any time watching the winter Olympics....I am a HUGE fan of the summer Olympics but I somehow missed out on this other gem. Anyway, so I was watching Ice dancing with my mom last night and I said to her "if I could actually stay up on ice skates I think I would like to do ice dancing" to which she replied, "yeah I'm sure YOU would..its flamboyant" hum...interesting. Her voice inflection was amazing...I wasn't sure if I should take it as an insult or not..haha but its true...I like flashy stuff and I like to perform so I guess she's right but even though what she said was true..I would love it...the way she said it was somewhat insulting! Good thing she's my mom and I think she's funny!!

Playing in the snow!!

Back in November of 09 I got this idea to do a white on white artsy photoshoot. My niece is very blond and i'm pretty dark so I thought the all white costume in the snow would accentuate that difference. I also wanted our accessories to be opposites so Shelby became the silver snow angel and I was the gold. My vision of course required quite a bit of snow and unfortunately here in PG we have had only 2 really good snow storms. Both of which were days when I worked or had other previous commitment. This morning I realized that it is almost march and I am running out of time for snow. I had nothing pressing today so I texted my sister and we decided to go out and find some snow. So we took a short trip up to American Fork canyon and were pleasently surprised to find a perfect spot to make my vision come true. We froze our fingers practically off and I did slide down a hill on my backside...but we still had a lot of fun!! My sister took all the pictures--She is amazing!!

Farewell to Facebook...

so after some careful thought and soul searching...I have decided that I am going to end my very long relationship with facebook. What started out as a wonderful thing has slowly turned into an unhealthy abusive relationship. Walking away is going to be tough...there will be a lot of pressure on me to stay and continue to be controlled by this very popular social networking world...but I just can't do it. Sunday will be my last day on facebook for awhile. I am not going to say forever because I know someday curiosity will get the better of me and I will reactivate the account...but until we can agree to be 'just friends' I am going to spend some time away. What does that mean for the blog?? well hopefully it means I will be able to show a little more devotion in that area of my life...i'm hoping to update it more frequently but who knows...good intentions right?!

Mystery Diagnosis...

It is a commonly known fact that in my family, as far as the medical profession is concerned, we are never sick. And it is true that overall my family has a pretty healthy immune system and rarely experiences health problems. So none of us really every makes a trip to the doctor. So when we do swallow our pride and head in to have symptoms checked out it is usually a big deal. However, no matter what the symptoms, if a member of my family goes to the doctor, 98% of the time the professional analysis says "you are fine. there is nothing wrong with you". So over the years we have all just refused to go in...might as well suck it up and save the copay. right!?! I say this because two days ago I woke up with a sore throat. And not only a sore throat but I also had a headache, fatigue and soreness in my neck and the feeling like I had a gigantic cotton ball just sitting at the back of my throat. I figured it was just the beginning stages of a cold and if I took enough vitamins and got some sleep it would just go away. so I did, for two days I went to work and just hopped it would go away. Well, 48 hrs later it hadn't gotten any worse, but it also hadn't gotten any better which I thought was weird. After working 16 hours and not sleeping well I figured I would have been hit pretty hard by now. I brushed it off again until I was flossing my teeth last night. As I was flossing my back molars I happened to glance at my tonsils...and I thought...hum...they are huge, red, and have lots of spots...that's not normal. I had my mom look at it and she said I probably had strep. cool. or not. After another fitful sleep I work up early and headed over to get a test done. They swabbed, tested and surprise...it was negative for strep. The doctor said that another cause of my symptoms was mono but he was convinced I don't have that either since I am only moderately tired and had a temperature of less than 98 degrees. He said it was probably just a cold virus and should go away in 5-7 days. If you ask me that is just a generic way of saying I have no idea what is wrong with you so I can't prescribe any medication so just sleep it off. LAME! The truth of it being...my throat is not that sore, and ibuprofen seems to be working for the headache...but the swollen tonsils...SO annoying! I should have known better though...my sister with crohn's disease, she had "nothing wrong" for several months...did it ever occur to medical professionals that just because there are common symptoms doesn't mean that everyone has to display the same symptoms...I rarely have ALL the symptoms...for heaven sakes when I had my appendix removed the only symptom I had was pain. I had a very slight fever but other than that I was having quite a jovial time in the ER with my roommate...thank heaven for blood tests. oh well...guess I'll wait 7 days and see if my nothing disappears...and lets hope it does or I might go crazy trying to swallow every ten seconds. AHHH

She's Here!

She is FINALLY here....yep my baby brother is a daddy. crazy weird. At 4:28 pm today my sister in law, Emily, gave birth to a six pound six ounce bundle of joy. Which I must say is the smallest baby ever born from the Neilson blood line...which averages 8 to 9 pounds (Except for Hayden but he was premature so it doesn't count). She makes the 13th grandchild in our family and the 8Th girl...although, we haven't had a girl around in over four years so it was time! She is so cute, even swollen from the trauma of being born and already spoiled, and thanks to my fabulous discount, could be a poster child for baby gap :) After all, I have a title to protect, "favorite aunt". I know Emily's little sister Melissa is going to try and win my spot...and this time she may have the advantage, she is much younger and more hip than I am, but we'll see. I may be getting old but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. Either way I am ecstatic to have baby Karra in the family and I can tell that my baby brother is absolutely smitten with her already...what a fantastic Christmas present!

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury....

Verdict: Lori is officially crazy.
Yes, that's what I said. I must be crazy because there is no other logical explanation for what I have decided to do now. I know I know, I am always making plans and then somehow life gets in the way and changes things on me. And that may happen again...who knows. Why am I crazy? well because I have started studying for the LSAT. (the majorly huge 4 1/2 hr test you take to get into law school). Never mind the fact that it has been three years since I completed my undergrad or that I have no idea how I am going to pay for it...but I'm going. Law school was my plan while I was at BYU and somehow I got distracted. I think I was burned out, or maybe just lacking in confidence...I'm not really sure. So now all I have to do is study my butt off and pull a perfect 180 on my LSAT...haha...yep definitely crazy! ;)

"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown"

I have been the relief society president in my singles ward since February and with the calling came a brand new set of feelings. Try as I may to convey these feelings to others, I have come to believe that it is the kind of thing you have to experience for yourself to fully understand. Just a few days ago, I was talking to a friend who had previously been relief society president in a singles ward. We talked briefly and I asked her if she had ever felt the same, like she was friends with everyone but no one at the same time. She confessed she had and sent me a talk given by President Gordon B. Hinckley that perfectly illustrated one of my current concerns.

President Hinckley says in reference to President Richard Nixon, "As I looked at him, I thought of the terrible loneliness of leadership. True he has advisers. he has at his beck and call any number of men with whom he can consult; but when all the chips are down; he has to face the world alone, as it were. His advisers do not face the cannon fire of public opinion. That comes to the leader." (The Loneliness of Leadership, Nov 1969, BYU Speeches) I could not have said it better...no matter how many meetings I have, no matter how well planned, and no matter what I assign out to others- if something falls through , I am ultimately responsible. I am the one who has to answer the questions or face the criticism of the very people I am trying to help. Always, no matter how hard I try or how much sleep I lose, there will still be someone who is unhappy, who thinks that things could have been done better.

My other constant concern is the welfare of the girls in my ward. There are 60 of them and only one of me. Which means that when I'm not at work I am 'in' relief society. As William Shakespeare says, "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" (King Henry IV, Part II, Act 3, Scene 1, Line 31). Not a literal crown but one of responsibility. There is always a sense of concern and responsibility and at the same time the awareness that most of my concerns are out of my control. There is only so much I can do but so much I am responsible for which can and is frustrating.

Just a few days after I originally read the talk, a member of the stake presidency came and lead a discussion in relief society that struck me. The leader had us turn to Matthew 26:36-40 where we read and account of Christ in Gethsemane. It Reads: "then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" Christ had his disciples with him. He was not physically alone. he asked them to stay awake while he prayed. And in the end, they could not, and Christ, feeling alone, felt the weight of the world. As I sat listening, I remembered the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 122:8 which says, "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?" I realized at that moment, that my responsibility is heavy, I am not the only person to ever feel it. Nor will I be the last. Why should I be exempt from feeling loneliness that comes with responsibility? I shouldn't. There are hundreds of examples of prophets and leaders, Job, Abraham, Abinadi, Joseph Smith, Etc., who felt probably greater loneliness in their call to serve. Not that I even come close to those great men but I know that even if no one in my immediate circle understands how I feel, my Savior does. There are lessons I need to learn and things I need to refine within myself. "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience and be for thy good" ( Doctrine and Covenants 122:7).

My situation is not quite that bad, but its a nice reminder that all things, especially the hard ones, are for our growth and development. As Paul says in Corinthians : "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" (cor. 4:8-9). Loneliness comes but we are not alone. We can do all things through the strength of Jesus Christ.

Check off the Bucket List

Since I was in High school, maybe longer I've wanted to go to Disneyland for Halloween. So I got time off work because some friends and I were going to go but then all of a sudden no one could go anymore. I still really wanted to go because I knew I would not be getting anymore time off work until sometime after February. I asked around and no one could go, I started to get discouraged and decided maybe I shouldn't go. I had pretty much decided it wasn't going to happen and I was totally depressed. At almost the last minute my sister Shannon decided to ditch her kids and go on a road trip with me to LA. So we booked a cheap hotel and drove to Disneyland. I also happened to have this amazing friend who I've known since I was 14 who drove down and gave us free park hopper passes into Disneyland. So basically all my dreams were coming true...OK not all of them...but it was still pretty amazing.

It was so fun without kids. My sister and I rode all the big kid rides and skipped the lame ones like Winnie the pooh. We dodged the crowds, learned how to be fast pass whores, embarrassed ourselves, and walked until my feet were (and actually almost a month later one still is) literally bruised. It was a little on the crowded side, but since neither of us was there for the first time we only rode what we wanted and as many times as we wanted. The whole trip was pretty much unplanned...just do as you want for three days and then home in record time. It was just what I needed and I checked off a life long goal...Disneyland in October :)

This is Halloween

This year for Halloween I had every intention of once again being Snow White. However, about 2 days before Halloween, this image popped into my head of an idea for a photo shoot. The image is hard to explain but it was somewhere along the lines of 80s rocker meets fashion runway model. Unfortunately I didn't own most of the necessary items one of which being...a tutu. So I headed out to the mall in search of stripped tights and black lace gloves gearing myself up to the fact that I probably wouldn't find anything I was looking for because hello- a tutu...who has that?!? Once inside the mall I decided to just go straight to hot topic-a scary store but probably the only non-traditional store in Utah county. Much to my surprise they not only did they have a tutu, they had probably 15 different tutu's to choose from, multiple stripped tights, colored hair extensions, and multiple kinds of fingerless gloves...Jackpot!!! I ended up spending an entire hour in hot topic and left feeling pretty good about my accomplishment. I decided that Halloween was going to be a test run for the shoot. Sadly, I had to work until 6 and I had a party to be at that started at 8. That left me only two hours to clock out, drive home in some traffic, do my hair and make up, change, and drive back down to Provo. I knew that time would be my enemy and it was. I got the outfit figured out but my make up took about 45 min which meant the hair didn't quite make run way status, but the teal streak was pretty sweet...and after all that work I decided I didn't like my eye make up after all...but I guess that's why it was a test run. And on the not so down side of it...that means I will just have to dress up again to get it right next time :) And it gave me a legit reason to dress up...I would have done it anyway but at least this way no one looked at me weird for bowling in a tutu.

I saw the sign...

This last weekend I went on a road trip with my sister to southern California. On the 9 1/2 hour drive I kept seeing those yellow signs that say, "watch for falling rocks"...and I just had to wonder what the point of those signs actually is. Because if you are watching for falling rocks you aren't looking at the road as you should be..but a more realistic question I asked myself is, even if I do see a rock falling...is there really anything I can do about? At 70 mph I really am moving too quickly to avoid any potential damage from the falling rock. Or is it supposed to be one of those crazy word problems..."if the rock leaves point A on the mountain traveling as x speed and I see the rock at point B at my current speed of y, at what point will the rock irreversibly damage my windshield or kill me on the spot?" I mean really, those signs are pointless...the only use I see for them is for the state to avoid a law suit in the unlikely event that a rock does in fact fall from the mountain...then they can say, "we told you to watch for falling rocks even though there was nothing you could have done except to anticipate your demise" but still I just laugh when I see the sign

I'm sorry I can't hear you...

I realized today that over the last month of my life I was being taught a very valuable lesson. A lesson about personal revelation that I think I've always known...but somehow forgot. At one point in the recent past I got the idea in my head to go back to school and start dancing again. Which was something I was really excited about because I love school! I love learning and I LOVE dancing... thus making school the perfect answer. I started school and everything just started falling into place. I passed the auditions for my dance classes and made the back up tour team which was really satisfying to me since I hadn't even attempted to dance in 3 1/2 years. I started attending school and something inside me kept questioning if this was what I needed to be doing. I would pray about the decision I needed to make and several times I decided I was going to drop out of school. Then I would go to team and my technique classes and decide it was way too much fun to walk away from. so I put it off and I kept going to school. I kept thinking how weird it was that I hadn't gotten an answer to my questions. Finally, on the last day to withdraw from class I begrudgingly walked to administration and dropped all my classes. I am pretty sure I pouted all the way home and for several days following. I wondered if I had made the right choice. which was dumb because the choice to quit school had been made. Right or wrong I couldn't change it so I let it go and filled my days with other responsibilities. Several days later I went to Idaho to visit two really amazing people and came to several very important conclusions about my life. We drove to Idaho and Jackson Hole so I had a lot of time just riding in a car...which is one of my very favorite places to think. while traveling I reached several conclusions about myself and where I wanted to be in the future and what I really wanted to accomplish. At one point I realized that this was the first time in over a month I had been able to just sit and think. I was away from my work, family, church, and social responsibilities and I could actually relax and feel the spirit....and boy had I been missing out on a lot of valuable information! The other thing I realized while enjoying my scenic drive was that I had actually already received an answer to my school question. I had received my answer several times...it just wasn't the answer I wanted to hear. I can be pretty stubborn (surprise) and I wanted to be in school. I wanted to dance. I am good at both and just wanted to stay in my comfort zone doing what I love. I didn't want to accept that what I wanted wasn't what I needed. wow...talk about a slap in the face. I didn't recognize my answer because I wasn't willing to do what was asked of me. Amazingly enough, once I figured this out I felt really good about my decisions. I feel at peace with where I am and what I've actually decided to do with my life. I realized that although I don't know exactly how I'm going accomplish some of my goals I have peace in knowing that someday I will. As long as my stubborn will doesn't get in my way again....what did I really learn from this experience? First, that I need to step back every once in awhile from all the important things I'm doing in order to hear the voice of the spirit. Second, that once I hear that voice I need to listen and act. I am so grateful for personal revelation and I am so grateful that my Heavenly father loves me enough to give me time to figure it out.

leaving what's comfy...

So here's a quick recap on my life....I started school at UVU on aug 26th. Nothing major, just some dance classes to get myself back in the swing of things...I mean, it has been three years since i've been in school, I had to ease into it. I auditioned for an two advanced dance classes and wasn't sure how that would go since I hadn't even put my dance shoes on since leaving BYU. Well they went great, I got into both classes and got talked into auditioning for the performing ballroom dance company at UVU. I made the back up tour team which I felt good about since I hadn't practiced anything in forever. Well things went well I was remembering things pretty quick and really enjoying myself in my classes. Ahh I missed dancing SO much. I was, however, getting pretty worn out physically. My team class was at 6:40 every morning and then on mon, wed, and fri I had two more hours of dance and an institute class. Then I generally ran home to shower before working my 1:30-10:30 shift. So between class, work, and my church calling I found myself absolutely exhausted by the end of the day...If I wasn't at work I found myself falling asleep at 8:30pm. not super great for a social life :) A few times during week two I found myself seriously considering just closing my eyes for a few minutes when I stopped at red lights...that is a little unnerving and totally unlike me. It was at this point that I seriously had to think about whether being in school was the smartest thing for me right now. After some serious thought I realized that once it starts snowing I would have to wake up at least 30 min earlier to get to school on time. I also realized that with Christmas I would be working longer hours and I remembered that there are many nights I don't get home from work until almost 1am...not to mention all the practices and extra hours with team in preparation for concert in December...so somewhat unwillingly I withdrew myself from all my classes yesterday. I am still pretty sad about it...I loved being part of a dance team again and I love performing. Maybe I will do school again but it will not be this semester. Instead I have decided that maybe its time to try crossing off another goal i've had for years...but one that scares me to death. I am going to take voice lessons and start working on my goal of being in plays. If I learned nothing else from my time at UVU it was proof that I can do hard things, I can do things that are out of my comfort zone. By going to UVU for even those few weeks I learned that I could still dance, and I was still pretty good (not as good as I used to be) even after 3 years. And 8 years ago I didn't know how to dance and it was scary to compete and to learn but I did it then and I can do it now. I am going to leave my comfort zone and try something new....

"I want people to notice me...not my band-aid"...

Tonight my sister and I were having a good chat and I remembered an old commercial from the early 80s when clear band-aids were just invented...the model wanted people to just see her and not what was on her finger....as my sister and I continued to talk I got thinking how like life that is....people very rarely notice the real person because they are focused so much on the outside. I am not trying to say the outer appearance is not important, it is. But people shouldn't just stop there...and so often we do. I myself am guilty at times. It is easy to judge simply on what a person looks like or how they present themselves...it takes so much more effort to find the real person inside. This all came about because I was venting to my sister about dating and how I always attract the wrong guys. There have been one or two exceptions but for the most part I attract only guys who are either simply jerks or too lazy to really get to know me...they are attracted to the outside and that's all they want...which is super frustrating because I know myself really well and can say I'm a pretty cool person...yes I can be difficult...I don't open up easily...but when someone gives you a gift and the bow is tied real tight and its taped on every edge and it takes you 20 min to get into ...you don't just toss it aside and say "thanks for the thought, the wrapping is real pretty but I don't want your gift, its too much work to open"...I'm hoping someday I will find a man who is patient, sees past just the outside and knows that the whole package is worth the little bit of work it takes to get to what's inside. "I want to be noticed for me...not my band-aid"

From the mouth of babes...

After a very long very eventful Sunday I returned home to finally sit on my couch and do absolutely nothing. (which is not something I get to 'do' very often) Halfway through my perfectly boring evening my oldest sister, Jen, and her three kids came over to visit. before I go on, I must explain that my other sister Shannon is staying with us for the summer while her husband is out to sea. Along with her and her two children came their pet turtle, Jasmin. Jasmin has been in their family almost five years and is currently residing in a tank in my parents basement. And I tell you he is quite content most of the time. Anyway, Brandon (Jen's two year old) is obsessed with the turtle. He thinks it is the coolest thing in the whole world. Soon after Jen and her kids came by Brandon started asking to go down and see the turtle. We were busy talking so we all said "later Brandon". My dad took pity on Brandon and agreed to take him downstairs. About a minute later my dad yells up the stairs, "Shannon. your turtle is dead" we went downstairs to find the turtle upside down in the water with its front leg twisted and stuck in the filter tube. My dad picked up the turtle's limp body...yep he looked dead. none of us knew how long he had been like that...what a horrible way to die. To drown because you got your foot stuck in a tube...my niece was heartbroken and after she had cried for some time she made a suitable shoe box and we placed the turtle inside. We decided the funeral service would be held the following day after my dad could make a headstone to mark the grave. A few hours later my mom heard some thing in the box and found that Jasmin was not dead after all. He wasvery weak and with a broken arm but definitely not dead. After a nervous night, my sister took him to the vet and learned that it only takes about 30 min for a turtle to drown so he couldn't have been like that for long. Which means that had my dad not listened to the wishes of a 2 year old ,Jasmin might not have made it through...jas is not out of the woods yet but since I don't like funerals...of any kind, I'm pretty happy the turtle is still living.

Reaching Great Hights

There are those people in the world who can hike to Timp cave (or any cave) in 23 min. without stopping. Those people are amazing...but not what I want to talk about. The rest of us set off on our hike probably at a descent pace and as the hike gets harder and the mountain gets steeper and the air gets thinner we begin to get a little winded. We probably make it to the 1/4 way marker and need to take a rest. After a min or so we begin our uphill hike, this time we don't quite make it another quarter of the way before we need a break. And that pattern continues as we climb higher and higher. The mountain gets steeper and our breaks become longer and more frequent. Occasionally other hikers will pass us up, some looking as if the hike is the easiest thing in the world. We will probably give them a few crusty faces and wonder if the cave at the top is really worth all this work. You decide to keep moving and hiking upward, occasionally glancing about to experience the view from your elevated position. Finally you reach the cave (or the peak) and the sights are incredible. You experience part of the world that cannot be experienced from any other point. suddenly your hard work feels gratifying.

why do I share this...I share it because on occasion I have been told that I expect too much of people...that I have a tendency to make others feel like they just cannot live up to the expectation I have set. I gave this some serious thought. After much contemplation I realized that I do hold everyone to a high standard. I expect a lot from people...but I also realized I expect the same from myself. I hold myself to just as high, if not higher, of a standard. However, what I fail to communicate to those I associate with is that although I expect a lot from them, I do also realize they are not perfect. I know they will fall short of my expectation as I myself often fall short...it does not mean I love them any less or think less of them as a person. My expectation, my high standard, is based on the potential I see within and my desire to see it reached.

how does this tie into my hiking story? for me, and those around me, my expectations can feel like that mountain. I expect myself and those around me to be at the top, to be experiencing the incredible view from the top to have reached that great destination...and its true. who wouldn't want to be at the top and experience something beautiful?...but it doesn't mean I look down on anyone for catching their breath as they climb. Not everyone climbs as fast as another. The elevation can make it harder for one person to breath, someone else's legs might not be as strong...the point is ..everyone struggles up the mountain, every one's challenges are different. We have to climb at our own pace...but if the cave were not as high, if it weren't difficult to reach the top...if my expectations were lower...there would be no reason to push oneself. The beauty of the view, so easily come by, would not be appreciated. None of us is perfect, but the standard stays the same even when we fall short. But falling short doesn't mean we stop fighting our uphil battle...It takes great effort to experience and become something great...

"I simply remember my favorite things..."

Have you ever had those moments where you are doing something totally un-extraordinary, something very 'every day' and you realize you love that thing...that happened to me last night. And then, once I recognized it I started thinking of all the little things I absolutely LOVE and then I couldn't STOP thinking about it. Probably a good thing but I really wanted to go to sleep as well so I decided to write them all down. in hopes that I will never forget the little things that make every day so great!

These are a few of my favorite things...

washing my make up off at night

snuggling up when its cold

standing in the rain

long walks

star gazing

having long/good conversations with my roommate until we both fall asleep

dressing up

perfume

campfires

the smell of new babies

red shoes

flip flops and slippers

walking barefoot through the grass

back rubs

having my hair played with

the smell of Christmas trees

just out of the oven cookies

laughing until my stomach hurts

driving with the windows down and singing with the music

reading a good book

the feel of clean sheets

children's books with really good illustrations

when people need me...just to listen

kissing a baby's cheek just after they wake up

trampolines

the way I feel every time the national anthem is sung

sitting in the temple all by myself

the sound of the wind blowing through the trees

summer thunder storms

changing out of my work clothes into comfy ones

roller coasters with my family

road trips with my parents

seeing couples who are so happy they 'glow'

watching old couples who are still in love

when I accomplish something difficult

when the leaves change color

when babies put their arms around my neck

...

yep ...There is just something so calming about recognizing the things that make you feel good! If you haven't made even a mental list of the things that make you happy I would totally recommend it!! "I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel ...so bad"

Power hiking anyone?

Since we were up and ready to go my sister, my niece, and myself decided it would be fun to hike up to Timp cave today. when we arrived to buy our tickets I took my niece in to use the restroom and let my sister get our tour tickets. When I met her outside it was 8:20am she informed me that the guy at the desk put us in the next available tour which would be...at 8:50am. WHAT?!?! we had 30 min to get to the top of the mountain that takes most people and hour and half to climb ...a mountain that is 1 1/2 miles up at a 6% incline (steeper in some places). Well, no sense wasting time complaining... off we went...we basically sprinted the first half of the mountain. At the half way point we ran into my friend Kenzie and her mom, who is a volunteer there. Her mom radioed down and arranged for us to make the next tour group...ah relief. We still had no idea what time the next group was so we kept right on sprinting...we finally made it to the top in 45 min. I think we probably could have made it in 30 if we'd have had to...but still 45 min is not bad. But the real kicker...once we got to the top we gave the guide our ticket and she said, "oh, your tour is not until 10:20am. Your hike starting time was 8:50am." WHAT?!?! I ran up a mountain for nothing?! haha oh geez she let us squeeze into her tour anyway which was fortunate cause I sure did not want to sit up at the entrance for 2 hours. I guess that's what happens when the ticket guy is distracted and you don't read your ticket. oh well it was a great work out anyway. The cave was awesome, i've been a few times and its still pretty cool. And then down we went, in another 45 min we were in the car. Round trip time for the whole 7 mile hike...2 1/2 hours. I think that might be a record...considering the tour itself is 40-50 min. woohoo! Guess i'm not as out of shape as I thought...what a nice surprise :)

Holy Balloons!!

well it is the 4th of July...a.k.a my favorite holiday. And what else would I do on the best day of the year but wake up at 5am and head down to Provo. For the last 25 years balloons from all over the country gather to celebrate the day! At 6:30 am the national anthem played and 20 balloons filled up and rose off the field ...maybe that doesn't sound super exciting but I love it! If they all filled up and took off individually it would be no big deal, but to stand in the middle of 20 hot air ballons is incredible. it doesn't last too long, and it is kind of early, but I like to make the 4th of july as long a day as possible! Happy 4th of July Everyone!

use a pencil, not a sharpie

So....I did NOT start school in may. And I may or may not start school in the fall. I am registered for classes and so far that is my plan but as I was reminded today, while i'm busy making my plans, life is also busy making plans..and those are usually the plans that win out. So, I guess what i'm saying is, I have no definate plan. I will start school... unless something changes and then I will have to make some new plans :) which will be useless really but its nice to have something to work for anyway....