10.31.2008

happy halloween.

i'm not a huge fan of halloween. i don't ever really remember being super excited for halloween. it might be because i was the fourth child and by the time it was time to dress me up and take me trick-or-treating, my parents were over it. i know we dressed up. i mean, we had a box of costumes so we must have dressed up. but i don't ever remember getting a new costume. i remember using a lot of stuff i already had to dress up.

when i got to college and was able to attend the ever-amazing (that was supposed to be sarcastic) howl at utah state, i still didn't put much effort into dressing up. and when i started college, the howl was an unregulated, out-of-control, drunken fest. the first howl i went to scared the crap out of me. there were so many people, you couldn't even move and girls kept getting fondled in the crowd. it was seriously out of control. (anyone remember the howl that way?)

anyway, that's beside the point. i've only been to the howl three times (that i can remember) and all three times, i wore stuff i already owned. one year we dressed up as babies, my friend shannon and i. another year i dressed up as a doctor. and another time i went, my friend melanie and i dressed up as halls crossing fuel dock attendants (which is where we worked the previous summer, so we just wore our uniforms).

and i only remember dressing up for halloween one other time in my adult life. three years ago, i dressed up as static cling. that was my most creative costume and it also required me to purchase costume pieces.

is there something wrong with me that i don't love to get dressed up for halloween? this year is the first year that i actually sought out costume ideas because i thought that i would want to dress up...but then i realized i am working for halloween, so i will just dress up as a juvenile justice services counselor. but in all actuality, i don't think i was ever going to dress up.

i'm just rambling, i know...but i have been thinking about this all day.

regardless, have a very safe and happy halloween.

10.30.2008

code red.

my last political post (maybe).

it's down to the wire, folks. this whole thing will be over in a few short days. for some, this is a good thing. for others, it is the start of four years of lunacy. trust me, i'm not calling it...i'm just saying that either way, this is how people will perceive this election.

i just want to remind you all to educate yourselves before you vote. many people are very upset with the bush administration. i get that. but both of these candidates are dramatically different than president bush and his administration, just as senator mccain stated during the final debate. my biggest concern with this election is that people are so upset with the current republican president and administration that they will go and vote for the democratic nominee to spite the republicans. to me, this is not a wise way to choose a president.

that being said, here is my suggestion--make a list of the things that are important you. taxes, energy, domestic policies, health care, foreign policies, etc. maybe the personal values of a politician are important to you. maybe that aspect is at the bottom of your list. just make your list, compare your list to the two candidates and make a decision. please do all that you can to learn what each of these candidates believes and where they stand on the important topics. please don't vote out of frustration or spite. educate yourself and then vote.

please vote.

(fyi--this is why i say educate yourself.)

i wish everyone would watch these videos.
and for you conservatives, check this guy out...he cracks me up. he may yell, but he's educated.

and in case you need some assistance in educating yourself, my sister has posted some wise and interesting information on her blog (and yes, they are partisan posts). here are the links:

my nonpartisan political spiel. (it really is a nonpartisan post and there are links to websites with more information.)
consequential times.
politics 101, part 1.
politics 101, part 2.
life.
taxes 101.

and seriously, vote.
vote early and vote often.
hahahaha.
jk.
please only vote once.

it's on.

remember how i decided that i wanted to become crafty? well, i was pretty serious about it. the day after i posted that information here on my blog, i had a conversation with my sister and she told me i should check out sewing machines on ebay. and i did. and i found one. and i bid on it. and i won it. and today, the sewing machine arrived on my doorstep.

it all happened so fast, but i am pretty excited. i don't even know where i want to start. i have lots of ideas in my head. there are three things that are at the top of my list, so i am going to start with one of them. i will keep it all a mystery until i actually finish something. trust me, you all will be the first to know.

in the meantime, check out how stinking creative and cute my sister and her friend are right here. or you can click on the little icon over there on the right, at the top. and show all your friends. the more the merrier, i say.

10.28.2008

spt.

the challenge: have you got your 100 list handy? yes? fantastic! no? well, this is your chance to get one going! this month, we will consult our 100 lists. it's quite simple, really. on the 7th of the month post an spt about item #7 on your list. on the 14th of the month, post an spt about item #14. and so on. and so on.

28. i cannot stand chicken-in-a-biscuit crackers and fanta red cream soda together. the thought makes me want to vomit. i ate them everyday for lunch when i was in eighth grade. we were morons.

i'm not really sure how it came to be that these two items became our lunch menu, but for awhile during eighth grade that is what we ate. some days i would bring the crackers, other days my friends would bring the crackers. and we would get the soda out of the machine. and then we would sit on the front steps of the school. like we were cool, or something.

seriously, we were morons. there is no other word to describe that. luckily, by ninth grade, i realized the value of a balanced meal and ate in the cafeteria...even though that wasn't the coolest place to be. i didn't care.

and now, for the self portrait...i do believe that this was from sixth or seventh grade, but close enough to eighth. but you can still tell i was a moron...i mean, the matching shirt and shorts is a dead giveaway. (i'm on the right--those are my cousins on the left and in the middle.)

10.21.2008

spt.

the challenge: have you got your 100 list handy? yes? fantastic! no? well, this is your chance to get one going! this month, we will consult our 100 lists. it's quite simple, really. on the 7th of the month post an spt about item #7 on your list. on the 14th of the month, post an spt about item #14. and so on. and so on.

from my one hundred list:

21. i have always thought that i have a low tolerance for pain, but when i look back, i think that i have a higher pain tolerance than most.

when i was little, around the time i was in kindergarten, i had long, blonde hair. i don't remember the sequence of events that led up to my hair getting chopped off except for the fact that i hated having my hair brushed. i had a seriously sensitive head. i still kinda do. but that event led me to believe that i was a wuss.


but then, around the time i was 21, i started having serious back pain. like horrendously painful back pain. after several visits to several doctors and an mri, i was diagnosed with a herniated disc in my back. i was treated without surgery (thankfully) but i have always had some level of pain in my back. to me, it feels normal, but i am sometimes curious as to what the level of pain actually is...does that make sense?

then there was that whole gallbladder issue...which i survived.


and i have even deteremined i am able to handle the most painful of emotional pains and come out on the other side a better person.

10.19.2008

never thought i'd say it.

i have always thought of myself as the least crafty person in my family. usually, it doesn't matter if you are not crafty. i mean, most people aren't. the only reason that this is difficult for me is because my mom is the most crafty person i know.

and she's not crafty in the sense that she can paint a cute quote on a piece of wood and make it look rustic and all (but trust, she sure can do that). she's crafty in the sense that she can envision a beautiful quilt and then she designs it, picks the most fantastic fabric, cuts it out and pieces it all together and then...ta-da...amazingly beautiful quilt.

she also went through a cross-stitching phase...a phase that included her own business. she designed cross-stitch patterns, made kits and sold them all across the country. the best part of the cross-stitch phase was the name of her company...the graph goose. awesome.

anyway, i guess the reason that i feel like i am the least crafty is because i steered completely clear of all the arts and crafts. don't get me wrong, i know how to whip out a mean cross-stitch sampler...although i tend not to finish them completely (just ask my friends about their wedding gifts...girls, i still have them). and my sisters and i took a sewing class and i can stitch up a useful, but not pretty, piano-book-bag. i guess i steered clear of all the craftiness by not learning anything beyond the basics.

i think i steered clear because i know that there is no way possible that i could be nearly as talented as my mother. i would have to spend every day of the rest of my life working on quilts to even get close to my mother's skill level.

so, with that being said, i think i want to become more crafty. i want to learn how to sew cute dresses for my nieces. and fun gifts for my friends. but i don't really want to invest in a sewing machine, cause what if i don't really like it as much as i think i want to like it. it's somewhat of a conundrum. but there, i said it, i want to learn to sew. and maybe, just maybe, one day i can sew my own quilts, instead of begging my mom to make them for me. i guess we'll see.

10.17.2008

my only political post (maybe).

i get so frustrated with this election, but my sister has a way of easing my frustration and making the whole thing a little more black and white.

please, please take a few minutes and read her latest political post.

you don't have to have the same beliefs, but i think that it's important to understand the other point of view...and she states her beliefs (and mine) so plainly, it's perfect.

so, go. read. comment.

the beauty of the political process is discussion and helping others understand your point of view. and this is a good opportunity to ask some questions...i'm sure laurie would be happy to answer them.

10.16.2008

for today.

for today: october 16, 2008.

outside my window: the sun is shining...and i am stuck working. boo.

i am thinking: about how i don't quite understand the mind of a juvenile delinquent.

i am thankful for: awesome parents who were reasonable and understanding during the the crazy teenage years.

from the kitchen: i'm sure there is a mess in the kitchen at home, but i'll get over it.

i am wearing: jeans, t-shirt and a hoodie, of course.

i am creating: many blog posts. i've kind of been a slacker, so i'm catching up.

i am going: to hope for a quiet evening at work.

i am reading: more church stuff than i normally do.

i am hoping: for a clean kitchen and no more broken kitchen utensils.

i am hearing: the tv, typing and the other staff in my building.

around the house: there are still dirty boys, but the dirty boy messes kind of got cleaned up.

one of my favorite things: is fall weather and fall food and fall fun.

a few plans for the rest of the week: always work. i really want to get my laundry done. and i'm thinking about trying to get some pumpkins carved.

here is a picture thought i am sharing: i spent some time with my friends making dinner and this was the dinner. i just can't get over how easy and good it was.

10.15.2008

i can cook.

the other night at work, a co-worker/friend and i were discussing really easy meals. she shared this recipe with me and at first i wasn't quite convinced that it was going to be good. oh man, was that the wrong call. this is one of the yummiest (and, by far, the easiest) things i have ever made. and i just couldn't pass sharing it with y'all. (i hope you don't mind, linds.)


yummy-yummy goodness in bread (i'm not really sure what the name of this recipe is, but that is what i am naming it.)

1 pound hamburger
1 onion, chopped (optional)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
2½ teaspoons worcestershire sauce (total estimate--at least add 2 teaspoons, but i highly recommend tasting it before and then adding the sauce to your liking.)
cheddar cheese (whatever flavor you prefer)

saute the onion and then add the hamburger and brown. add all three cans of soup and the worcestershire sauce together in a pot. once hamburger and onion are cooked, add to the soup to the pot and warm through.

cut off the top of the french bread loaf (like they used to do at subway) and set that aside. now, hollow out the loaf. take the bread that you pull out and tear into pieces and add to the soup mixture (trust me on this).

mix the bread into the soup mixture and some cheese (whatever amount you desire). once mixed, spoon into the french bread loaf. top with additional cheese and the top of the loaf that you set aside. put into oven (350°) until the cheese is melted. cut into pieces and serve.


so, i did make one major change to accommodate the fact that i was only making this dish for three people. instead of using a whole loaf of bread i used bread bowls, which worked perfectly. also, we only used about half of the soup mixture for three people. because we only used half, i spooned out what i wasn't going to use into another dish. i didn't want to mix the torn up bread into the whole soup mixture because i wasn't quite sure how it would save. and for me, that works perfectly. i can now heat single portions of the mixture and put it in a bread bowl and have a meal for one.


i know it does sound a little weird, and i was quite skeptical about the dish...but good golly, it was fantastic. it is perfect for a cool fall night meal, promise.

and thanks again, linds...you're the best.

sliced finger...part two.

so, last saturday night, i was doing dishes and i ran my hand along the bottom of the sink to check if there were anymore dishes and there was...there was a very sharp knife and it caught my finger and sliced it right open. it's been so long since i have "injured" myself, that i kind of panicked, but i calmed down quickly. i grabbed some paper towel and put the pressure on and in no time the bleeding stopped. i bandaged it and it has been healing quite nicely. here's the evidence:

then, tonight i was at sara's house making dinner. actually, we were all done with dinner and we were getting ready to make some salsa. i was getting an onion ready to go in the food processor. i was cutting it on the cutting board that was set over the sink. the cutting board slipped and instead of cutting the onion, i caught my thumb. this time, it was a little bit deeper, it bled a little bit more and it took longer for it to stop.

when i finally had the guts to take a real look at the cut, i realized that it probably could use a stitch or two. but i didn't want to make that trip to the hospital.

instead, i was convinced by sara and dave that super glue would work just fine. i'm still not sure how i feel about the super glue, but my finger is all glued up. hopefully that does the trick.

and for the record, i'm not using another knife until these wounds are fully healed. i mean, seriously, twice in less than a week? ridiculous.

10.14.2008

spt.

the challenge: have you got your 100 list handy? yes? fantastic! no? well, this is your chance to get one going! this month, we will consult our 100 lists. it's quite simple, really. on the 7th of the month post an spt about item #7 on your list. on the 14th of the month, post an spt about item #14. and so on. and so on.

when i consulted my one hundred list to check out number 14, i wasn't quite sure what i was going to write. but after thinking about it for a bit, i guess i'll make a go of it.

14. i try not to be a judgmental person, but sometimes i catch myself being embarrassingly judgmental.

here's the point i was trying to make with this statement: i need to be more accepting of other people's faults and the things about them that are different from me. does that make sense? probably not.

let's do a "for example." so, for example, i live with some very dirty people. to me, they are dirty because they don't rinse their dishes the same way that i do or they don't pick-up after themselves as i would (trust, that is being gentle...but i'm just trying to make a point). because they don't have the same standard of clean as i do, i make assumptions that they are lazy and spoiled and inconsiderate. these things are surely not true about all the people i live with, but that is the judgement that i have made.

i catch myself doing this quite often at my job, which is a huge mistake. i once made a judgement about a youth's parents. i thought that they were going to be the complete opposite of what they were. i was totally shocked when i walked out to meet with them. i decided then that i really, really need to be careful about the judgements i make, especially in my work place.

so, that's what i mean. essentially, i make a lot of assumptions that i then run with...thus the judgements. it's definitely one of my flaws that i need to work on.

10.11.2008

insight.

i love the sound of: silence. i was lucky enough to spend friday night and the majority of saturday alone in my house. it was truly enjoyable to not have to listen to the shouting and yelling that occurs during ping-pong matches or the stupid bass line of guitar hero. sometimes i can hear the whole song, but most of the time its just the bass line.

i love the sight of: a sparkling clean kitchen. i played the magic kitchen fairy last night and cleaned the kitchen...which only took me two hours. i'm aghast at how horrendously dirty the boys are, but i shouldn't be. and the part that sucks the most is that they are twice as dirty as last year.

i love the taste of: a homemade meal. it's been months since i have used my kitchen to actually make a real meal. since i had a clean kitchen, i took the opportunity to make a delicious meal.

i love the smell of: my delicious fall candle and air freshener.

i love the feel of: bundling up, even though it is far too early to be freezing in my own home. i mean, i guess we could turn the heat on, but it's just gonna warm up, so why bother. in the meantime, wool socks, sweatshirts and lots of blankets will suffice.

10.07.2008

spt.

the challenge: have you got your 100 list handy? yes? fantastic! no? well, this is your chance to get one going! this month, we will consult our 100 lists. it's quite simple, really. on the 7th of the month post an spt about item #7 on your list. on the 14th of the month, post an spt about item #14. and so on. and so on.

luckily, i have my one hundred list handy. and when i read what number seven was, i knew i wasn't going to really be able to find a photo to go with it...but then i searched and i found a couple, kinda, so here we go--my number seven.

7. when i was 18, i went and worked in jackson hole for the summer and when the summer was over, i was adamant about staying and working there for the winter. i’m glad my parents didn’t let me do that. that would have been a train wreck.

my mom was the advisor to a church sorority group when i was in high school (and after--she ended up being my advisor, but that is another story for another day). one of the girls that was in her sorority was working in jackson hole for the summer. i had been trying to find a job in logan after high school and nothing was panning out, so we consulted about going to jackson hole to work and it was on.

i had just graduated from high school and hadn't ever been on my own. it was a good place to start, i guess. i worked at a little gift shop and folded t-shirts and organized shot glasses. i actually loved it. it could have been worse. i really loved the people that i worked/lived with. we always hung out after work and played a lot. there were a few people that lived there year round and i really wanted to do that. i hadn't registered for school at utah state yet and so i figured i would stay in jackson and earn some money. the 'rents were gonna hear of it. they got me an application for school and they promptly picked me up to take me back to logan on the pre-arranged departure date.

i'm not gonna lie, i was pretty mad they wouldn't let me stay. but now, looking back, i am so fortunate that they didn't let me do that. it truly, truly would have been a train wreck. i wouldn't have met many of the people that played an integral part of my growing into an adult, most of whom i am no longer in contact with, unfortunately. and i wouldn't have met many of the people i am friends with currently. and i wouldn't have met krissy, who went to jackson hole with me the following summer on a little day trip.

i know i had my camera while i lived there, but i sure can't find any of the pictures that i took then. so, instead, here are the pictures taken the following summer with krissy.




these were taken at teton village, which is where the jackson hole mountain resort is located. during the "off season," you can ride the tram towards the top of the mountain and take in the spectacular view...which we did...obviously.

10.01.2008

where did the time go?

i can't believe that it is already october.

i'm not really sure where the time has gone or what i have been spending that time doing. i remember back in march when i was on a family vacation, i thought that having to wait until july to spend more time with my family was so far away. and now that has come and gone and i feel like i really missed it.

i mean, i know that everyday i get up and i have stuff to do or i have to go to work, but it just seems like time is flying by. seriously, like whizzing by. next thing you know, it's gonna be 2009. i can't believe we are closer to 2010 than we are to 2000.

i wish that time passed like it did when i was a kid. school started and you couldn't wait for christmas. then after christmas break, you couldn't wait for summer break. and then summer break flew by way to fast and the next school year was there. but the whole school year itself creeped by, as slow as slow could go.

but, no, we have to grow up and the older we get the faster it goes. maybe that is why growing up sucks. except for maybe when we get old and sick, it'll be better if time flies. but i bet when we get old, time slows down. that would be a mean trick.

yeah, so it's already october. can you believe it?

for today.

for today: October 1, 2008.

outside my window: i can see the leaves changing on the trees, especially the trees on the mountains.

i am thinking: about how tired i am and how i have five more hours of work left.

i am thankful for: the cooler temperatures. i love, love, love fall and am so grateful for changing seasons.

from the kitchen: here at work, we got bean burritos, rice and coleslaw. nothing like a good old cafeteria meal.

i am wearing: jeans, a t-shirt and a zip up jacket. bring on the layering of clothes, especially hoodies. i love, love hoodies.

i am creating: scrapbook pages. i wish i had more time and patience because i love it.

i am going: to have to endure this night at work, because there is nothing much else i can do about it.

i am reading: lots of news on the internet. and lots of stuff about college football. i have to stay up-to-date with the goings on of college football so i can get into arguments and discussions with my co-workers. i had a doozy of an argument last week that ended with me getting flipped off and told i was full of $#!*. it was quite entertaining. but i have to admit, i think i won...the the bird and word led me to believe that, at least.

i am hoping: that i don't want to strangle anyone for the rest of the day. there is a good chance of that happening, but you just never know.

i am hearing: excuses, excuses, excuses. i'm over the excuses.

around the house: there are still dirty boys, but they are trying to control the dirty boy messes.

one of my favorite things: is hanging out with fun and entertaining people.

a few plans for the rest of the week: work. maybe some yardwork. maybe some cleaning. but mostly work.

here is a picture thought i am sharing: i don't really have a picture thought this week. but i have been thinking a lot about these two guys. i mean, really, who hasn't.