Let the Countdown Begin!

Nine more days.

Nine more days until I'm back in San Diego, enjoying THIS type of Christmas:

And going to visit this place:

And have a marvelous time. Yay!

PS--I submitted my first graduate school application to UCLA. All of the recommendations are in. It's going to be so great!

Funny Story

I thought you would all appreciate to hear a funny story.

Last week was filled with so many activities. I ended up not getting much sleep. Friday came around, and we had the afternoon off due to Elder Wirthlin's funeral. It seems that I'm a security hazard.

Having the afternoon off gave me some much needed relaxation. Friday night came and while I was sitting in my pajamas, crocheting, I received a text from my friend Meagan. She was going to a game night and invited me to join her. Realizing that I have become a hermit, I decided to take the opportunity. I quickly dressed in real clothes, and drove to her house. A few more people joined us and then we drove over to Meagan's friend's house.

We played the longest game of Clue known to man (seriously. One game of Monopoly has to be shorter than that game of Clue), and my team lost due to someone else lying.

After that, we watched Elf, a movie that I have come to appreciate more.



My other friend, Marianne, was at the party and was concerned that she would fall asleep and began snoring. I had promised to hit her if she began making any noises. Unfortunately, it was me who fell asleep, and I awoke to my own snoring. Luckily, it wasn't terribly loud. But enough that Marianne heard me.

So now, I have a self-imposed curfew of 11 PM. I'm not allowed to stay out after that time, for fear of falling asleep and snoring again.¹

The lesson to be learned regarding this experience is to make sure you always have a snore buddy.

¹ And of course, I broke that curfew the next night. There went that bright idea!

Christmas Music

I love Christmas music. It's my favorite part of the holiday. I think it's because my singing voice sounds really good on Christmas songs.

A few years ago, my sister-in-law, Stephanie, put together a book that counts down the days until Christmas with a family Christmas memory, a scripture, a hymn and a Christmas story. I started it today, being December 1st. It was fun to sing the song of the day, even if I was all by myself.

When I was a missionary in Spain, we would gather together the week before Christmas and have a "Christmas Conference". Each zone was in charge of coming up with a funny song, and a serious song. The funny song was always the best part. One zone changed the lyrics to "Gaston" from Beauty and the Beast to "Watson" (the name of my mission president). My personal favorite was when my zone changed the lyrics of Adam Sandler's "Hanukkah Song" to "The Mormon Christmas Song", when we sang about all the famous Mormons.

But I did love Christmas in Spain. And some of the songs I learned were so entertaining. One is my absolute favorite. It's called "Hacia Belén va una burra, rin rin". I'll post the lyrics in Spanish, but the whole song is about all of the problems going on, and everyone expects Mary to be the one to fix everything, even though she is having a baby. It's entertaining.

I've added this video of some elders singing it, with a little change. I did not tape this--Elder Buxton did, and yes... the elders were being stupid at the end. You'll have to forgive them. And for those of you who don't know, my mission president owns a Chevy dealership.



Lleva en su chocolatera rin, rin (Bring in your chocolate)
yo me remendaba yo me remendé ( I fixed it, I fixed it)
yo me eché un remiendo yo me lo quité, (I missed a patch, I got rid of it)
su molinillo y su anafre. (okay...I don't exactly know what this means...)

Maria, Maria, ven a acá corriendo, ( Mary, Mary, come here running!)
que el chocolatillo se lo están comiendo. (They are eating the chocolate!)

En el portal de Belén rin, rin (At the site of Bethlehem)
yo me remendaba yo me remendé (I mended it, I fixed it)
Yo me eché un remiendo yo me lo quité, ( I missed a patch, I took it out)
han entrado los ratones; (the mice had entered)
y al bueno de San José rin, rin, (And to the goodness of Saint José)
yo me remendaba yo me remendé (I mended it, I fixed it)
Yo me eché un remiendo yo me lo quité, (I missed a patch, I got rid of it)
le han roído los calzones. (again...my Spanish=bad)

María, Maria... ven acá corriendo, (Mary, Mary, come here running!)
que los calzoncillos los están royendo. (no clue...Help?)

En el portal de Belén rin, rin (At the site of Bethlehem)
yo me remendaba yo me remendé (I mended it, I fixed it)
Yo me eché un remiendo yo me lo quité, (I missed a patch, I got rid of it)
han llegado Presi Watson; (President Watson arrived)
y al niño que está en la cuna rin, rin, (And to the boy in the manger)
yo me remendaba yo me remendé (I mended it, I fixed it)
Yo me eché un remiendo yo me lo quité, (I missed a patch, I got rid of it)
le ha regalado un Chevy Tahoe. ( He gifted a Chevy Tahoe)

María, Maria... ven acá corriendo, (Mary, Mary, come here running)
que el niño Jesús está conduciendo. (The baby Jesus is driving.)

Day In the Life Of

My brilliant idea backfired and I've completely failed in my efforts to blog every day until Thanksgiving. I'm pathetic.

As I'm bored at work right now, I figured maybe I'd try something else...

1. Put your ZUNE/iPod/MP3 Player/etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Name this after the last song.

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Let Me Sign - Rob Pattinson

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Another Layer - Jon McLaughlin

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Momentary Thing - Something Happens

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Rien de Rien - Edith Piaf

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Dreams - The Corrs

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Rosie's Lullaby - Norah Jones

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Be My Somebody - Norah Jones

WHAT IS 2+2?
New Classic (Acoustic Version) - Drew Seeley & Selena Gomez

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
The Second Star To the Right - Kerry Butler

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Money, Money, Money - Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski (Mamma Mia)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now - Hairspray

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Unbelievable - Josh Gracin

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
What's Wrong With That - Fred MacMurray and Lesley Ann Warren (The Happiest Millionaire)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Things That You Say - Jon McLaughlin

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Travelin' Thru - Jason Castro

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Run and Tell That - Elijah Kelly (Hairspray)

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Fortuosity - Tommy Steele (The Happiest Millionaire)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Our Last Summer - Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Are We Dancing - John Davidson, Lesley Ann Warren (The Happiest Millionaire)

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
I Have a Dream/Thank You For the Music (Hidden Track) - Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Let Me Sing and I'm Happy - Irving Berlin's White Christmas (not the movie)

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Time of My Life - David Cook

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Runnin' - Jesse McCartney

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Somebody Out There - David Archuleta

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Bella's Lullaby - Carter Burwell (Twilight Soundtrack) So what does that mean?

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Better Together - Jack Johnson

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Beating My Heart - Jon McLaughlin

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Make You Mine - The Corrs

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Someone to Save You - OneRepublic

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Day In the Life Of - Ryan Tedder

Thankful For... Post #4

I'm thankful for the gift of sight.

I love seeing things.

I love that I can watch football games, and movies, and see my nephews and nieces grow up (because seriously... I have the CUTEST, most GOOD-LOOKING nephews and nieces of ANYONE. I think it's because my sisters-in-law bring good genes to the family. But I could be wrong.)

I wish I was better at capturing life through a camera because right now, I stink. I hardly take the time to really see the world. And when I do? I'm always so humbled by how truly amazing it is.

Here's a picture I took on Sunday during my first photography lesson. Hopefully it shows you, a little of how I see the world.

Thankful For... Post #3

Today, I'm grateful for books.

I know that it sounds cheesy and lame, but books have been my best friends for many years. When I was little, and I woke up from a bad dream, I would turn on the lamp next to my bed, then pull out some books and just read. I would read until I was so tired I didn't care if there was a monster in the closet or aliens trying to get me. I could then fall asleep.

Once college came around, and I actually got serious about my schoolwork, books had to be placed on the back burner. But in the last four months since I moved 20 minutes from work, I've been devouring every book that comes my way. As you can tell by my list--I have found plenty of books to read, and my library continues to grow. I think one of these days I'll have to purchase a house with the intention that two whole rooms become my library (or at least the staircase, which is the idea that this person had:

I'm grateful for the adventures they provide, and the entertainment from the sheer boredom that would otherwise define my life. I've been able to meet the Greek Gods, sympathize with Anne Elliot in Bath, visit Concord, Massachusetts; and just enjoy life all from the comfort of my own home.

I'm grateful to those writers who have written the stories they wanted to tell, and to the publishers who purchased the books that I know enjoy. Because they are sure making a lot of money off of me!

Thankful For... Post #2

Today, I'm thankful for my friends.


Of course friends come after family in all lists--but seriously, I feel like my friends are my family when I'm away from my family.

They are the ones I call when I need a cry, or when I need a laugh, or I'm bored or happy. They're the best. I love all of my friends. The old ones from high school, the newer ones from college, the amazing ones from my mission, and the still newer ones that I meet every day.

I'm grateful to all of them. They don't see me always see me at my best, but they still like me enough to go take in a movie¹, or play games, or teach me about photography². I don't know how I would survive my life without friends around.³

So this year, and always I'm thankful for my friends.

Note: If there are any that didn't make it into the montage--that's because I don't have pictures of us on my Facebook page which means pictures were taken back before my digital camera era. But know that I still consider you a friend. If you have a picture of us, you can e-mail me and I'll post it up here. Besides, it can't hurt to have more pictures of me, right?


¹Thanks to Jenifer and Michelle for indulging me in going to see Twilight so that I don't have to go alone.

²Thanks goes to Meagan for taking on Sunday for my first photography lesson. I'm already starting to look at the world around me in a completely different way.

³Sadly, I know what I would be doing. I would be locked in my apartment watching Gilmore Girls or Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and probably looking pretty bad. So thanks for saving me as well.

Thankful for... Post #1

With Thanksgiving approaching, and to make up for the lack of happenings in my world, I decided that until Thanksgiving, I'm going to try and post once a day about something that I am grateful for.

I guess the best and only place to start is with my family.¹

Many of you haven't met my family, but I'm pretty sure all of you have heard about them. They make for great stories--whether they are dramatic, comedic, or just plain interesting stories. Being the youngest definitely gives an advantage when it comes to collecting stories.

But I don't think I tell them often enough how much I love them and how grateful I am that they're a part of my life. Even the ones that get "adopted" in through marriage (aka my sisters-in-law). I know that I couldn't be who I was today without their love, wisdom, teasing, and support. I wish I could tell them more often, but as most of you know--the line up includes six brothers and we don't tend to do a lot of hugging.

In the last General Conference, President Monson said,

"Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, "They do not love that do not show their love."

I know that even if we don't always show our love or say it aloud to one another, that I always have the best support system. It shows with a visit when they're in town doing college recruiting, or a visit when they are on vacation, or by friending me on Facebook. All of these things show me that my family loves me, and I don't think I could ever doubt that.

So, to those of my family that actually read this: I love you. I'm thankful that you are in my life--whether by choice on your part, or rather by sheer dumb luck on mine.


¹My apologies to my family, but I don't have a more recent picture of everyone... And it's too early to play with Photoshop.

GRE--Check! Grad School Apps--next on the list

It has been far too long since I've updated. My apologies. Things have been crazy around here to say the least. I've been doing some major cramming for the GRE, which I took today! Yeah!

I was very pleased with my scores. From what I've been able to gather--I'm a little high on my verbal score for my intended graduate major, and a little low on the math score--but not too shabby! I have to wait some time before I get my writing scores, but I'm happy none the less.


I also have decided on the three universities I will be applying to for grad school:

UCLA-- Go Bruins!

University of Washington-- Yay Huskies!!

San Jose State-- uh... I don't know the mascot. ha ha

UCLA has the first deadline of December 15th. I just have to write my letter of intent and send it the last few things and then wait. Yeah! I'm really excited to take this next step.

In other news, I am being considered for a new job at work. It's with the IT department giving support to a software program. They were not aware of my graduate school plans so I'm not really sure where that left us. Hopefully by next week I will have some more information and they'll will have decided whether to continue discussions with me about the job, or not. But I just have to say that the job description online says that the applicants need 7+ years of software, database and computer engineering experience. Obviously, I don't have that background and they are aiming high for HR stuff, but still. That's the job they're trying to get me for.

I hope everyone is well, especially now that it's fall. I'll try and post more often. Life just got a little simpler for me. Cheers!

Update on Change...

I know that a couple of weeks ago I blogged about how I wanted to change my hair. Well, a few things happened that have postponed that change. However, I came up with a new plan!

I'm going to donate my hair!

Pantene Pro-V has a Beautiful Lengths campaign that is much like Locks of Love, but Beautiful Lengths only requires hair to be 8 inches long, and it is guaranteed to be made into a wig that is given for free to a cancer patient. Locks of Love doesn't guarantee it.

I measured my hair. Currently, it's about 7 inches long. I'm going to grow it out two more inches and then get a really short cut. I'll let you all know how it goes, but this notice is so that you all don't have to ask me how my haircut went. It hasn't happened yet.

Cheers!

What to do when you're sick...

So, the past few days I've been sick. A really bad cold has kept me mostly indoors. I've begun to feel better thanks to Zicam, Robitussin CF, and water. But I've also learned how to use the hours of not being able to sleep to my advantage. So, here's a list of things to do when you're sick (or just when you're bored).

1. Studying for the infamous GRE.

I've been talking about it. I've signed up for it. And yet, no matter how many books or exercises I run through, I wonder if I'm REALLY ready for it. I only have three weeks left, so I guess I better be ready. But nothing beats study vocabulary or doing math problems that I haven't done since high school.

2. Cross-stitching.

I've taken a break from crocheting afghans and returned to cross-stitching. But I can't show you the picture because it's a Christmas present either this year or next year--depending when I finish it.

3. The Happiest Millionaire.

If you like musicals, I HIGHLY recommend The Happiest Millionaire movie to your lists. Not only is there music, romance, and some comedy--but you can't discount alligators and an Irish narrator. It doesn't get much better than this:




And if you don't want to watch that, as the election is on, I recommend The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. Democrats v. Republicans. What you've ALWAYS wanted to see.

More change...

So, I've been pondering this for awhile. I know that I already did something with my hair back at the beginning of the year, but now--I'm getting a little tired of my normal hair. It's a pain to work with, and I just feel like I need to make a change.

So, I've been pondering a couple of new dos. I'm thinking about coloring and doing some chopping. Here are a couple of pictures of the color I'm thinking of, as well as the cuts.

I just thought I'd show you all what I was thinking. It's a big change--but definitely could be fun. And different. Different's always a new experience.

Plus, it gets my mind off other things, like the GRE.

Let me know what you think. Should I stick with my natural blond, or should I be daring? Should I try for a really short cut? Or just get some more layers. It's just past my shoulders now (for reference).

Making Headway

I feel like I've been posting so much today. Probably because I have.

It's official. Tonight, I signed up to take the GRE. I've taken a practice test through Princeton Review's website, and got semi decent scores. And I haven't been doing a very good job studying. I'm hoping having a deadline will help cure that.

On November 15th at 8 AM, I will be taking the GRE.

All I need to do now, is get up the courage to write to a couple of professors to ask them to write letters of recommendation. And then ask my boss.

If you believe in God, please pray for me. I'm going to need it.

Tagged

....5 things I was doing 10 years ago....
1- Living in Encinitas, CA
2- Taking piano lessons
3- Entering my sophmore year of high school
4- Practicing my driving skills
5- Trying to figure out how to get out of Ms. Wiegand's Honors English class

....5 things on my To-Do list today....
1- Watch Bourne Ultimatum
2- Start Laundry
3- Crochet or Cross-stitch a little
4- Study for GRE
5- Read

.....5 snacks I enjoy....
1- Ice cream
2- Starbursts
3- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
4- Bacon (don't ask)
5- frosting

....5 things I'd do if I were a Millionaire....
1- Put 3/4ths of the money in a savings account
2- pay off some stuff
3- go to Graduate School and not take out a loan
4- buy a bigger television
5- buy a Tivo (ha ha)

.....5 places I've lived....
1- Encinitas, CA
2- Provo, UT
3- Barcelona, Spain
4- Alicante, Spain
5- Murray, UT

....5 jobs I've had....
1- Custodian at BYU
2- Security Guard at BYU
3- Customer Service Rep for BYU Broadcasting
4- Teacher's aide at East Shore High School
5- Secretary for the Liahona magazine

....5 people I tag....
1- Becky
2- Melanie
3- Michelle S.
4- Sara
5- April

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you’ve answered the questions on your blog.

Twilight Final Trailer

As you all know, I love Twilight. And I thought it would be nice to post the last and final trailer before the November 21st premiere. I'm THAT excited for the movie. Enjoy! And if anyone wants to go see it, let me know. I'll probably go 6-10 times. (ha ha!)

A Mission For Me and For You...

Every year, my friends Melanie and Montana go to the Forgotten Carols. It's a Christmas play written and performed by Michael McLean and various other people. Two years ago, they invited me to come along. And I was enchanted by the story. It was so sweet and it really got me into the Christmas spirit. Last year, for Melanie's birthday, I purchased front row seats for the three of us, but Mel and Montana were unable to come due to some circumstances. I took some other friends and it was fun.

Well, I have the chance to go again this year. I was a little late talking to Melanie and Montana about it, so I got a couple of seats a few rows behind them. Yes--you read that right a couple of seats. And so my mission for myself (and any of you who chose to accept it), is to find a date for said outing. And knowing my luck (it's been awhile since I've had a date--I won't mention how long, but it's been a long time), I probably need all the help I can get. I'll even settle for someone like this:

It's for December 3rd. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

That is all. Back to your regularly scheduled programs.

Another Recipe

So, I always like to try new recipes. And since it's conference weekend, I'm always up for cooking/baking more often than not. So, here's the recipe I tried today. It was TOTALLY successful:

Aloha Chicken

Ingredients

* 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

* 2 cans (8 ounces each) unsweetened pineapple chunks

* 1 teaspoon cornstarch

* 1 tablespoon honey

* 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce or soy sauce

* 1/8 teaspoon

* Hot cooked rice

Directions:
Flatten the chicken to 1/4-in. thickness. Place flour in a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken and toss to coat.
In a large skillet, brown chicken over medium heat in oil for 3-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Discard remaining juice or save for another use.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and reserved juice until smooth. Gradually add to skillet. Stir in the honey, teriyaki sauce and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 30 seconds or until thickened. Add pineapple and chicken; heat through. Serve with rice.
Yield: 4 servings

Buen provecho!

More afghans

As I posted previously, whenever one of my friends has a baby, I make an afghan for them. I like giving something I made. It feels heart felt. Well, I finished two in the last month. I only have picture of one (oops!). So here it is:

I'm going to make one for my friend who isn't married but still wants a blanket. That's after I start making scarves. I'm tempted to start making some blankets and selling them. I even found a website (www.etsy.com) where people do that. One girl was selling afghans for $200+. I think I see a good way to make some money.

If I ever get married...

If I ever get married, please let my future boyfriend know that this is (according to me) the perfect proposal (this is horrible quality, but you get the picture...):

Another One

Nothing has really happened in the last couple of weeks. Except for the fact that I'm trying to finish a baby gift by Saturday for a mission friend. That's basically where I spend my time. But I did get a chance to make the Honey Lime Enchiladas. They were SOOOOO good! In fact, I'm still eating the leftovers for lunch! Here's the recipe:

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (you can toss it all in a ziploc bag for the day or the night before). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

**I added some green onions to each enchilada and then on top.

Enjoy! This will probably be on my list of comfort foods. Cheers!

Creamy White Chili

So, every once in awhile, I like to try new recipes. Today for dinner I tried a new one: Creamy White Chili. I got it from the My Kitchen Cafe blog. It was DELICIOUS! I totally recommend it! Next time I'm going to try Honey Lime Enchiladas!

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon oil

2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth

2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 6 servings.

Intense Thirty Minutes

My goodness. I thought I was going to have a heart attack today. Watching the BYU versus University of Washington game, the last 5 minutes that took 25 minutes were excruciating. BYU had scored and UW had possession. BYU was winning by one touchdown. UW scored, and BYU blocked the extra point. I honestly think I stopped breaking.

I love football season. If you need me on Saturdays--I'm at home, in front of the television. Watching the game.<sup>1



1</sup>A special thanks goes out to all six of my brothers and my dad. Thanks for teaching me how to appreciate football. I'm now considered cool by many a young man. If only I could convince them to take me to a game on their dime. (And now's when the audience is supposed to laugh...)

Making Decisions

So, while I'm busily trying to prepare for the GRE (who knew you needed math skills?) and saving up money for that venture, I've also decided that I need to start traveling more. I posted previously of a bunch of places that I want to visit, some day. Well, I've narrowed down my choices, and if anyone (and this is a serious open invitation so that I won't travel alone, because the truth is--I won't travel if I'm alone) wants to come with me, you're more than welcomed to join. I don't have a date set, but that's all logistics.

These are in no particular order:

1)

That's right, Disneyland. I haven't been there since junior year of high school. And I personally would REALLY like to ride Peter Pan's Flight. I'm just saying.

2)

Spain. I haven't been back since my mission 2.5 years ago, and I think it's time for me to go back and visit with all of the amazing people there and see the country as a tourist, rather than as a missionary.

3)

England. Not just London, mind you. The Lake District, Bath, the countryside. I want to see it all.

4)

And probably the most probable after Disneyland--New York City. I think it's time that I see the city. I've navigated the bus and transit system of Barcelona, Zaragoza, Salt Lake City, and DC. Perhaps it's time that I graduate to the Big Apple. Maybe even take in a Broadway show. The question then is: Which show should THAT be?

Finding Joy

So, I know I've talked about how cool my job is at times. From knowing what will be in the magazines a year in advance, to having my name in the magazines for everyone to see, to having the occasional run-in with a General Authority--it's all pretty cool.

Today, though, was one of special moments. We had a presentation given to members of the magazines staff by the authors of the article, "Single and Steadfast: Lessons in Hope" from the August 2008 Ensign. You know... This one¹:

Christine Packard and Wendy Ulrich were the authors and they brought some of their research (although they admitted that it was limited and not very scientific) to share with our staff. It was very interesting. I found myself re-evaluating myself in so many ways.

They had interviewed and sent surveys to various young single adults in the Church. And it was amazing how much I identified with the things they said. The truth is--singles have a hard time within the church because the culture and society of the Church is so marriage-oriented that they feel as though they are failing because they can't get married. The survey revealed that 1) the Church doesn't understand singles and 2) The Church doesn't know what to do with its single members.

Now, I know many who read my blog are my family or married friends--that seems to be all who I hang out with these days, but may, just maybe someone else will find this and hear what I heard today.

Most women say that the reason they feel that they are single is because within the Church, there is too much competition. Every girl who walks into a ward can play the piano, crochet, make dinner, looks beautiful, has a college degree and we're all "a dime a dozen". How often I have felt this way--that I have nothing unique to offer. I have so often felt this way. One girl said something to the effect of, "Don't tell me I'm beautiful, intelligent, incredible, talented--so is the next girl--and the truth is, if I was really all of those things, I would be married by now." I almost burst into tears as they read that. It felt like I was saying it. I mean, sure I've served a mission and I work for the Church--but so many young women have now served missions, and it's almost like it makes boys more intimidated (maybe that decision was a poor choice on my part--just kidding).

The reasons why men aren't getting married is because they said that they haven't found someone that was worthwhile enough to commit to a relationship. This is because they have created unrealistic expectations, they don't know what they want, or they simply have no experience.

There was some other information, like how they talked about teaching returned missionaries that all the skills they learned on their missions can be reapplied to fit dating. I took so many notes and trying my best to process over the notes and come up with some goals with me. The truth is--the Mormon culture and especially Singles need to re-evaluate success as a single. Success is not defined by your marriage status. But then again--who am I kidding? I'd loved to be married. If only I could go on a date. (It's been awhile).

And lastly, I have to share a quote they used today from the March 1989 Ensign article, "To My Single Friends" by Elder John K. Carmack:

Challenges in life do not usually come equipped with a set of neat and orderly answers. Guaranteed programs that provide the answer to each question are neither possible nor desirable. Your own inspiration and intuition, as parts of a prayerful, temple-centered, service-oriented life, are probably more helpful than the well-meaning advice, criticism, and solutions offered by some who try to help you toward your goal of temple marriage.

But all of you know this already. That's why you're married.

¹ Just so you know, this cover has inspired many a young man (and some of their fathers) to write into the magazines requesting the name of the woman pictured on the cover. They were kindly directed to attend Institute. ;)

You Must Not Come Lightly to the Blank Page

As I mentioned briefly (like in a clause) in my last post, my friend, Michelle and I have started our own writer's group. Is really exciting to be able to share my thoughts with someone else and have her genuinely interested. Plus, she has become a great friend. She's been the intern here at the Liahona magazine during the summer and it's been nice to have someone that I can talk to about everything.


Anyways, I know there are a couple of aspiring writers out there, so I'll share some information that Michelle has shared with me. Our first assignment that we gave ourselves was to read the following book:

Orson Scott Card's Characters and Viewpoints

This book is all about how to write your character for your story, finding the right viewpoint and it is fantastic. I wish I had known about this book earlier. After reading it, I immediately began wanting to revise my novel that I'm currently working on (I'm close to finishing Chapter 8). I'm now debating a few things--one a major revision, but I'm hoping to really kick start into trying to finish the book.

I got some great ideas for plot twists all from Card's book. Not that I'm stealing the ideas, he just gave me thoughts to think about and as I did, I came up with good ideas. I'm ready to send out the first four chapters if anyone is terribly interested in reading and giving feedback. It might be this weekend that I start sending it out, as I want to make a few revisions. But if you're interested, leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail (laureltoosure@gmail.com) and I'll be happy to send it to you.

A New Place, New Start

Hey, everyone! As promised, I have pictures of my new apartment. I can't tell you how great having my own place is. I get to keep the kitchen clean--or at least I know who's mess it is! I've already had a movie night with some girls in my ward and the promise that it will definitely happen again. So, here are a few pictures.

Please forgive the mess in my front room, I'm still trying to decide where things go and my friend, Michelle, and I have started a writing group so I've been working on some assignment for that, and...well, I'll tell you about the third thing after the pictures:

So, this is my living room. That's a patio out through my sliding door, as well as a storage room.

This is my kitchen. There's a stacked washer/dryer that came with the place. It's great not having to wait for the washer and dryer!

This is my bathroom. I can't tell you how much I love not sharing the bathroom as it always ended up that as soon as I needed to use the bathroom, my roommate would lock herself in there for an hour long bath!

And lastly, my bedroom.

So, the third reason for the mess in my front room is that I'm looking into graduate schools. I'm thinking about going back to school to get a MLIS degree (or Masters of Library and Information Sciences) and becoming a librarian. After researching and talking about it with a friend who recently finished her degree in this subject, I thought it couldn't hurt to at least SEE what it was all about. I've gotten a book from the library about the GRE and I spent yesterday checking out different universities on the internet so I can get a figure for what it will take time-wise and monetarily. And that should help me make a more informed decision. Nothing's definite yet--I'm still gathering information, but I just thought I'd throw that info out.

Back Online...

I know you've all been so worried about me. I'm fine. Really. And alive. I've moved. But it took some time before I could be online again.

You see, I hit a pole with my car and ruined the fender, bumper, and headlight. With that having to go into the shop, I was worried about my financial situation and made due the last few weeks without the internet. I must say that I didn't realize how much I love the internet. But I've cleaned up most of my apartment, and my financial situation panned out that I got the internet again today. So, I will update soon with pictures of my new apartment and further explanations. But this is just to tell you all that I am alive and well. And living it up in Murray.

Cheers!

Plan for the next two days...

I have a plan for the next two days:

With packed car, drive to work-- CHECK!
Work for 8 hours.
Drive packed car to new apartment, check in.
Unpack car.
Drive back to old apartment, re-pack car.
Get ready for a party in Salt Lake. Check time.
Go to new apartment, unpack again. Go to party. (can be reversed if time does not allow for the unpacking.)
Go to old apartment.
Sleep.

Wake up.
Repack car. Drive to new apartment.
Unload.
Drive back to old apartment. Meet co-worker who is bringing her huge truck.
Load the last few items into car and truck with the help of roommate, roommate's mom, and co-worker.
Drive to new apartment.
Meet friends who are helping, and two boys from my new ward¹ and unload truck and car.
Give treats (I'm thinking about getting muffins from Costco).
Go into new apartment.
Start organizing.

¹ Brian. I accomplished the task you gave me to do. Now, what's my reward supposed to be?

Moving (The Before)

Everyone knows that moving is a pain. I understood that even more as I spent months trying to find a good apartment, and then decide if I wanted to move in by myself or with other girls, and lastly now that I'm in the process of packing. I've been sharing an apartment with two other girls, and my goodness--I have SO much stuff. Where this stuff has been for the last year, I have no idea. I've had the smallest room of all of them (it really should be a study rather than a third bedroom), but I still have lots of stuff.


I've taken a few pictures of my stacks of things. They're organized in the front room so that on Tuesday night I can pack my car to the max for the first of hopefully only 4 trips (one with one of my co-worker's trucks that she has graciously donated for my use). We'll see if we can do it. I'm hoping the move lasts 2 days, and then I will have 2.5 days to work at organizing.

Plus, I have to buy just one piece of furniture:
A couch. And I have one in mind. It's from Costco. And it's THIS:

Yeah. I'm excited. Only five more days.

I don't know what my internet access will be like at my new place--I'm waiting a bit before I get cable tv/internet to make sure all my bills are what I expected. But I promise to try and post as soon as I have semi-moved in.

Big News

I would put "late-breaking news" or something to that effect, but I'm pretty sure that it's not "new" news. As most of you know, I work in Salt Lake. I'm currently living in Orem, sharing an apartment with a couple of other girls. For various reasons (and mostly because of the price of gas!), I have decided to move closer to work.

After weeks of looking at apartments, etc, I decided on getting a one bedroom apartment and trying to live without roommates for a little bit. This again comes from personal experiences and because I just don't know any good single girls in Salt Lake City. I found a place in Murray, close to I-15.

So, I'm moving there beginning on July 23rd. I will be living within a mile of the Trax station, so I can ride a bike or walk, instead of using my car, during the nice weather months, and I will be saving on plenty of gas--which is good because I'm paying more rent! But I am thrilled.

Here's a picture of the floorpan of my new apartment:

It has a stacked washer and dryer that come with the apartment, plus I have a little patio out back (I'm on the first floor). I'm very excited to try a new experience. I didn't sign a full year's contract, in the hopes that I might find another girl in the ward who has a similar personality (or complimentary) to mine, or maybe even a husband while I'm out there (I'm not holding my breath or anything).

So yes, moving day begins on July 23rd, and runs through July 25th (or hopefully the end of the day on July 24th). I honestly can't tell you how happy I am. I'm currently in the midst of packing and BOY do I have a lot of stuff. I think I'm going to have to do some DI sorting (which I've already started to do!).

I'll post pictures once I move in, but this is just a word of warning that the next two weeks will probably not have as many updates.

Summertime

So, I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures from my trip home last week. It was a great time filled with afternoons by the pool (with a sunburn or two and some tanning), sleeping in, races, homemade ice cream--my only complaint was that it was just too short! But I had a lot of fun and it made me realize how much I miss being around my family and not have screaming kids or fighting or hyperactiveness. It was actually a rather fun weekend. So, here are the pictures I have. They're all of my nephews. But that's because my nephews are so darn cute!

Back at work...

Well, I guess that every vacation has to come to an end.
I'm not back to work and the routine. I'll post some pictures tonight or tomorrow about my time at home. It was oh so much fun! I wish it had lasted another week.

For now, I guess I'll enjoy work. And be doing a lot of this:


Cheers.

Presenting...

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of my family:


That's right. I got a MacBook.

You may be asking yourself why? Why would Laurel be buying a MacBook? She has a nice PC Laptop. Why whould she try to learn a new system. She's never worked with a Mac.

Well, a few things brought this about. 1) I use a Mac at work. Go figure. For the design and publishing world--it's all about the Apple computer.

And 2) my PC laptop is overheating like crazy and also is having some problems with cracking on the case. It's a tragedy that I have to retire said laptop. It's been with me for so long. Through my senior thesis and other such crazy experiences. But we all must move on. Plus, I need to get used to the Mac. Especially when I want to try and work at Real Simple. I need to become proficient in a few things so that I am more marketable. We'll see. But I'm very pleased with my purchase. No regrets.

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow involves:

And then at 5:55 PM, this:

And then this:

And them:

(Special thanks to Stephanie's blog for the photo as I don't have a recent one. But I will in 1.5 days!)

And this for 6 days:

I wish it was Tuesday at 2:30 pm already.

Baby Creations

So, a long time ago--okay, it was back before my mission in 2003 when my best friend, Melanie, was getting married. I had very little money, but I wanted to get her a good gift for her wedding. At that time, I was diligently attempting to make birth announcement cross-stitches for each of my nieces and nephews. With extra thread and a book of Precious Moments scenes, I began a tradition that has somewhat been consistent of making a cross-stitch for each of my friends as they get married. (PS--those who never received a cross-stitch, would you let me know? I'll be happy to make you one.) Here's a few examples of what I've done, but they aren't my finish products. I just found the pictures on the internet. Mine always have their names and the date of their marriage. Plus, the characters tend to have the same colored hair as the couple who got married:


So, after I returned from my mission, many of those friends who had gotten married while I was gone, decided to have babies. I'm not against that, it's just that I was tired of cross-stitching. You can only do it so much! So, I decided it was high time that I learned a new skill. And that became crocheting. (I'm sticking with the letter "c" for learning craft skills.) So, each of my friends gets an afghan for the birth of their kid. And usually I try to match the color with the baby's gender, but some people like to be surprised. Well, yesterday, I finished a baby afghan. It's a new pattern and I'm tickled by how good it looks. Granted, the border doesn't really match the rest of the afghan in color, but it's a baby--she'll never know! So here are some pictures of the beautiful blanket. (If I missed anyone's baby, please let me know. I'm HAPPY to make another one. They're easy.)