A wedding and a sleep over

Recently I traveled to a part of the United States I had previously not been too before. The strangest part about being in Nashville, TN was how surreal it was. (I love that word surreal, I learned it in high school. My english teacher described high school as a surreal hell. Yes he was my favorite teacher!)

It was surreal because I wasn't even sure I was in a different state. It was significantly warmer then Idaho and it was much greener. As green as it can be in the winter but you get the idea. Maybe.

I arrived after a very long flight from Las Vegas which apparently never has smooth landings. We actually fish-tailed on the runway. I kid you not. I mentioned to the lady next to me, "That was the bumpyest landing I ever had." Everyone was sitting up straighter in their sets as we hit the pavment. As if to magically move themselves as far away from the plane as possible. I could just see the thought bubbles going over their heads, "If I sit up straigher the crash won't be nearly as bad." Which in fact the corraner at the morge will be able to announce that every person in the plane had amazing posture.

The lady next to me made a comment that it was the atmaspher between the plane and the pavment. That it gets so hot the heat rising makes the wings shake pretty bad.

o_O

The flight from Vegas to Nashville wasn't so great either but seeing Motter at the baggage claim was AMAZING! She hadn't changed a bit except her hair was longer. She looked exactly the same. I swear I could have been on the mission again. (Except my clothes are sooo much cuter now then they were on the mission). We went back to her place and stayed up until 2 in the morning remembering the mission and how fun (and horrible) it was.

The next day I met the family (I arrived close to midnight so everyone was asleep when I got there). The house is still under a lot of construction. Most of it little details that needed to be finished up like triming and well the rest of the stairs.

When she said her house was huge I didn't really get the scope of it until I actually saw it.

O_O

Oh my gosh!

It is beautiful and they have so much property left over they could build three more houses like it. Maybe more.

I met the groom who I liked right a way. He's not charming in the "I'm so cool" sort of way but charming in the "I'm real" sort of way. I loved it. I think I would have gotten along with her mom really well given the chance but since we had a wedding to throw in less the 48 hours that options was not available to us. I spent most of my time balancing between getting to know the family and being a good guest and hiding away to keep myself saine. (Meeting new people is difficult for me especially a whole bunch of them, it's my introvert side showing.)

We went to lunch with the in laws and later we got ready to decorate the cultural hall.

This is when things started to get a little sticky.

Wedding plans are...difficult at best...but when you don't have little details worked out it can lead to...well a very crazy day.

Friday night wasn't bad just stressful because unfortunatley the groom, all be it charming, was also on crutches from a sprained ankle and couldn't help with the decorating. Motter, who plans things very nice and neatly, was stressing over the back drop where the wedding party would be stationed. Also where the pictures would be. It was a laddous with columns. Very pretty but lots of work to make it look gorgous without being tacky.

We had garland and lights. Four white christmas stress with blue christmas lights. A look that Motter fell in love with in California on her mission. Eventually we were able to get her to go home so myself, her photographer and brides maid (o_O please help me figure that one out people), and in laws stayed to finish up.

Ummmm...aren't the in laws suppost to drive the bride crazy not the brides friend from Idaho who's really just there to see her friend get married????

Yeah they took over and between the four control freaks in the room (myself included I will admit it) we came up with a slightly stylish but could have been better finished product. I felt like there were too many cooks around the pot.

But all in all it was a pretty finish and from what I understand Motter enjoyed it. And that is all that's important.

So we arrived back at her house (which is a half an hour away from the church. It is also and hour away from temple they were getting married in. This is important you'll come to find later)

That night I'm talking to Motter's mom and I ask some questions, "Do we have a guest signing book?" That was a negative. Ok that's fine that's something very easily fixed. I came up with the brilliant idea of using her mission book. Usually the guest book only takes up a couple of pages and it's something she actually will feel a strong desire to keep because of ALL the memories in it and not just one event in a string of events of the best day of her life. (I mean come on who really looks at the guest book later in life. Really?)

She went for it and then I asked a very important question. There was mention of make up there was mention of a dress, and there was mention of shoes. But no mention of who was going to do her hair in the morning.

So I asked Motter, "Who's doing you hair tomorrow morning?"

"We haven't really thought about it,"

Me: *blinkblink*O_O *blinkblink*

One of her brides maid (who was also the photographer, still not so sure about that one really) had the same reaction.

We of course decide to get it done the next day.

The person who was helping her with make up was an aunt from Utah. She does Mary Kay. Please let it be known that I love the Mary Kay product. I love how they sell there product. And I even love the little facials they give because they teach they do not apply it themselves.

But that's the problem! THEY TEACH!!!

Ever heard the saying, "When the time to perform comes the time to prepare is over."

The day of the wedding is the day to PERFORM especially when you have a tight schedule. All preparations, all rehearsals and/or practices are shot dude it's time to get it done a move on.

So when I saw her aunt trying to teach Motter how to put on make up I just about died. We still had to do her hair.

So I was getting ready. Put things in the car, make sure the flowers were there, make sure we had cameras and batteries, and memory cards and shoes, dresses, hair stuff.

But since I did not prepare for a hair dilema I didn't think about bringing two very important things that normally are in every house hold especially on the wedding day.

1. A curling iron
2. Hair spray

I don't use hair spray my hair doesn't need it and if I do I use my moms. I left my curling iron 2000 miles away in a different state.

We sent the family on the hunt for hair spray. Guess who had it. The uncle from Utah. Not the aunt but the uncle. The only person in 16,000 square foot house and it turned out to be a man.

Now I'm in a dress. I look cute and adorable. But I will tell you it was not the thing to wear that day because dresses do not straddle car seats very well when you are sitting backwards up front.

Yes, on the way there we met up with groom and best man who drove the two separate cars while Whitney and I worked on Motter's hair. We finished it seconds before arriving to the temple.

We get to the temple and no one is there.

No one.

No mom

No mom-in-law

No anyone.

But the temple was packed. Apparently there were stake temple days, baptisms, weddings, living endowments, and everything else you could think of going on that day.

Good grief. And I still had to put on my back up.

Of course I'm spending most of my time teasing Motter about what is going to happen to her after the wedding, (come on people newly weds with six hours to kill between marriage and reception how could I not?)

So the happy couple go off to meet with the temple president and I get all pretty for pictures. Eventually I make it back to Motter and we are in the brides room. I'm helping her get into her temple dress (she decided to do the wedding dress later for pictures, so practicle she is) and in the middle of it all I say, "Where is you mother? She needs to be here."

I mean come on! This is what the mother does for the daughter on the wedding day right????

So I go find the mother and when I tell her to go back to Motter she gets this, cool-I-need-to-go-back-there-for-some-reason nonchalant sort of thing.

Again me: *blinkblink*O_O*blinkblink*

Do these people know nothing about tradition!!!!

The wedding itself was beautiful.

There was a lot of personal reflection I got to experiene that I'll talk about later but just know it was amazing.

For now I'm going to end here and update about the rest of the wedding. Which is just as crazy let me tell you.

O_o

http://www.myheritage.com

And I posted the one without the old man on it!!! Can anyone help me put these kinds of the things are the sides of my blogg instead of in a post? So you can see it always?

My grandparents don't have enough to do....

As I'm sure you are aware from previous post there have been some huge remodeling going on around here. We finally have it mostly done. Even the little small details like...the existenes of walls....have been taken care of. Even more so we have base boards! Base boards are amazingly cool.

Yeah, they need to be cleaned or they don't look presteen white unlike normal stuff like...no...base...boards.

Um yeah.

Actually it looks beautitul and we are very happy. I'll get some pictures up.....eventually. :D

But why have we gone through all of this headach of not only remodeling but adding on...well...lots.

Basically my grandparents (mom's folks) have moved into the attatchment next door. They have a kitchen, living room, spare bedroom, two bathrooms, regular bedroom, food storage and a huuuuuuuge walk in closet. I can fit my bedroom in there. WITH my closet.

Sickening I tell ya.

So now that all of that work has been done and everything is slowing down my hyper active grandparents have devoted their time to...other things.

Take mom and dad's bed. I'm sitting in our new living room when my brother comes up and says, "Hey grandma has a job for you both to do." And he leads me to my parents room and my grandma is taking the comforter off their bed.

And you know what my grandma asks me?

Get this -

Do you know how to short sheet a bed?

I took one look at my grandma and said, "Oooooo they going to kill yoooouu!"

Of course knowing this still didn't stop me from helping her "fix" the best.

So mom and dad come home from dinner and a movie (btw this all took place on their wedding anniversary) and dad comes a little later asking about the bed.

I just say that it was grandma and grandpa's idea. They wanted to make the bed. They hadn't gone into yet. Nick and I just look at each other like, "This is going to be interesting."

Next thing I know my mom comes out of the room saying," Ok! I only have one question!"

Nick starts pointing at me! Like it's my fault! And I yell, "IT WASN'T ME!!"

Mom looks confused for a split second and then she gets that, I-was-worried-before-but-now-I-know-something-is-up look on her face and say, "What!" Which really meant tell me what's going on or I'll kill you!

I defiantly say, "Nothing, what's you question."

We do this for a few seconds before mom finally says, "Why were my parents in my room to even NOTICE my bed wasn't made?"

Dang it we could have gotten away with it!

So we had to tell them what happened. Fist mom says, "Those people don't have enough to do." and as she walks away says, "I'm telling dad on you."

When Nick and I are left alone to ponder the consequences of our actions like good children that get in trouble he says

"We really need to be better about sticking together when we get in trouble."

Cover ups need to STAY covered up!!!

Nick almost blew my cover!

Mom, Dad, Nick, and I were waiting around for someone to come back and tell us about my credit score (the reasons for this to come in a later post. Which will have to wait until after I get some pictures for those who will enevitably ask for them), when out of the blue Nick asks

"Mom how do I get a gift certificate off of iTunes?"

My heart dropped. It dropped even farther when she in an accusing voice said

"Why would you ask ME?!?!"

My heart was racing. Usually I'm prepared for these kinds of things but I just was NOT expecting Nick to ask about it. Usually he consults me first or something. Did he do that? NO!!!

He is so dead, I thought to myself. Nick very calmly said, "Well you use iTunes all the time. You know these things."

I looked her straight in the eye and repeated what he said (not as calmly) but I would not look away and the look of accusation on her face lasted just a little two long for my comfort. But I stood my ground!

Fortunately for us she was very sick and very cranky from waiting around for that guy with my credit score and just attributed her reaction to that and not to the laughable (but likely) idea that her children could possibly know about the gift certificates.

But now I have to be more careful with any other gifts I accidently open.

Bonnie and Clyde: The Marshmellow Version

My family has always loved toy guns. Of every kind. When we were kids we had these bright orange and green water guns that looked like hand held machine guns. We spray painted them black to look like real guns. No cowboys and indians for us. We were a modern family. It was all about gangster territory fueds!

So years later that love for toy guns has not gone out of us. Mom bought these marshmellow shooters for the kids at the office party. They never made it out of the house. Next thing I know I come home to see two bags of large marshmellows with dad and Nick shooting large marshmellows at each other.

After some experimentation we realized that only one of the guns worked. I myself got tired of shooting someone with a defective gun and just started throwing the little puffs of marsh at my family. We DID NOT throw them at mom. That is a big no no!

Or face the wrath of Dad!

We decided to start having family night. We don't do that often. But since we all are starting to spread out we are trying to do more stuff together. So my older brother and younger sister came over. And they joined in on the fun!

It was just like when we were kids. Mom would work around the kitchen while the kids with dad would run around through stuff at each other. This time it was all about the marshmellows. Of course with everything things started getting out of hand. Usually starting with someone getting mildly hurt. Like Brian throwing a marshmellow just a little bit to hard at my head. And then I go psycho and throwing marshmellow after marshmellow at Brian. My anger being gone long ago I just throw to teach my brother to never throw something at my head like that again. And I get some kicks out of it at the same time.

I know I'm evil >)

Eventually I'm stuffing marshmellows down my sister pants and rubbing into my older bro's skin. That's when I knew I had gone a little too far. I run and hide downstairs.

Now, I know the rules have changed in our family when I don't hear Brian chasing me. I know the rules have changed even farther when as I try to make my way upstairs after I wait in my locked bathroom that every corner I look around and every room and search is cleared of any sibling looking for vengance.

This is a whole new world I have to deal with. Now I don't know who to trust or if I should. I'm not going back into the great room because who knows what they'll do to me. I decide to hide around the corner in the hallway. Trying to over hear what they are saying. I hear my older brother saying he's got something planned for me and my mother is begging him not to ruin my bedroom. And you want to know why?

Because she was worried about him ruining the brand new carpet and door!

No family ties keeps us safe around here, I'm telling you!

I decide to hide in my parents room for a while and then I hear the dogs being let in. The first thing that happens to those dogs when they get let in is be put in the kennels. Do you know where the kennels are?

In my parents bedroom.

I rush to my mom's closet. It's a walkin and I quietly close the door leaving it cracked just enough for me to see and hear what's going on. My whole family is int here and I'm praying that mom won't need to get into the closet. I try to move around and hide behind clothes but there isn't enough room and it was making too much noise. So I'm not only stuck but in danger of giving myself away because I paniced!

Finally they all leave and I wait long enough to make sure no one comes back. I find out later that Nick did come back because he suspected I was in there. Good thing I waited.

I did sneak out at one point and mom caught me but she didn't say anything. Eventually I make my way outside because I was not going to get caught after all of that work. I know they aren't going to do anything to me. But I wanted to get a hold of the working gun before they got to me. I guess my absence was long enough that they felt I needed to be checked on. So I went back inside got the gun. And blew them away.

Well not blown away but they were surprised to find me upstairs in the kitchen. Having no idea how I got there.

And all because of a few marshmellows.

Scrapebook glue...not JUST for scapebooking!

Mom got a package today in the mail.

From iTunes.

Probably my favorite online store.

But you don't GET things from iTunes. Not in the mail anyway. It's all digital.

So of course seeing the package got me VERY curious. So....I opened the package. And found about six or seven white envelopes. One was empty...moving on to the next and what did I find?

A gift card for $50!

Crap! I just found $300 worth of Christmas gifts. How did I know this? The card actually said Merry Christmas love Mom and Dad.

I very quickly I put all the envelopes back in the package while my brother Nick looked at me like I was going crazy. I looked at him, smiled and tried to look innocent. Which means...obviously that I did something wrong.

He looked at the package I was trying to make look like it hadn't been opened and said as if accusing me, "You just opened a Christmas present didn't you?"

"No," was all I said, which of course meant yes.

Frantically I looked around trying to find tape and Nick being the brilliant kid he is said, "You need glue not tape!" But no glue was to be found.

I was wearing a blanket around my waist to keep my legs warm so I stuffed the package down my blanket. Heading downstairs to grab my scrapebooking supplies. Lots of adhesives!

But I came up with some problems:
1. I had to use my fingur to spread the glue in a convincing manner and couldn't get in off my fingure!
2. the glue had to dry
3.

Well, three didn't come to me until later. After I went back upstairs when Nick announced that he needed me to help him find the dried diced onions.

Yeah random. So he drags me downstairs and before telling me what he needed to know he says, "You're kind of slow on the uptake...you need to read my signals better." Yeah like dried onions are some kind of signal.

But my brother helped me with the conspiracy and told me to wait til tomorrow to slip the package in the mail cause mom already saw the days mail. She would know something was up.

So that's #3. Keep mom from seeing a discrepancy in the mail.

Scrapebooking saves the day! And my brother. What would I do without him!

Ain't she cute!!!

Cars are jerks...

One of my friends called me the other day. She has cancer. Thyroid cancer.

She's not dying or anything. She's going to be fine. But she asked me to help her out for a couple days while she was in surgery. So Monday night I babysat and helped her husband out while she was staying the night at the hospital.

They have a paper route to help earn a little extra money. They get up REALLY early in the morning to take off for this morning indevor. I went to watch the girls while David left for the paper route.

I felt it best not to stay the night so I arrived EARLY in the morning. Earlier then I should have. I didn't want to wake up David so early in the morning so I stayed out in my car for a half an hour (which is how early I got there).

I was driving my mom's car. It's a Prius and if anyone knows what a Prius is like they are VERY quite. Almost too quite. You're not even sure if the engine is on. Which makes sleeping very easy to do.

So while I was sleeping I all of a sudden hear this loud noise. I shoot up from my reclined position and look around expecting too see someone bouncing on my car and trying to get in. (It isn't the best of neighborhoods where my friends live).

I see no one around and look down at my car which is purring loudly. I realized I accidently hit the gas peddle in my sleep.

I give the car a dirty look and with a mind that is mostly asleep except for the little part of the brain that is perfectly aware that I just embarrassed myself is say to the car, "Jerk." Laid back down and went to sleep.

Cars and a novel

You'd think with how exciting my life gets that I would post more often. But alas I am lazy. That's really what it boils down too. Or maybe I'm just so busy that I don't have time to post hummmm? Well either way I don't post often enough.

But that's not what this post is about today. I've got some pictures so we'll start with those.........Ok so maybe no pictures today. Blogger.com is being dumb. But I'll try to upload some at another time.

So what's so exciting that I had to take pictures of it so everyone could fully comprehend the crazyness of what has happened to me?

Well I was in a car accident.

I'M ALL RIGHT!! In case you were wondering and please don't freak out. I'm am perfectly ok. My car isn't and after this is all over the other guys insurance primiums won't be ok either. He has a lot to answer for.

Luckily for me there were already police on the scene who saw everything.

What happened?

Well I was driving home from on the freeway on Saturday morning. It's about a thirty minute drive. I had just left my girlfriends home for a Friday Night Girls Night with my Hollaback Girls. Yes that's what I call them. They are some of the coolest people ever. We are very nerdy and it makes for a wonderful time.

So anyway back to the car crash. I was driving home and about 9:30 am I come across another accident that had already taken place on the freeway. Everyone was slowing down moving into the left lane of the freeway. Trying their best to avoid hitting each other but oh so trying hard to see EVERYTHING that was going on at the side of the rode.

Only problem is, the guy behind was the only one NOT trying to slow down. I see this and try to get out of his way but I didn't move fast enough and he hit my bumper on the drivers side. I spun around and was facing the opposite direction sliding into the median. The median is basically two car lanes wide of grassy, desert sort of land. So luck would have it that I landed in mostly soft dirt. And the luck wouldn't end there but my car did do one thing I didn't think it could do.

It rolled.

Twice.

I landed on my wheels by no engineering of my own. I sat there for a few minutes trying to figure out what had happened. I actually feared that I had gone as far as to the other side of the freeway with on coming traffic. I had braced myself for a few more hits but when none came I knew that I was still in the median. I couldn't tell because there was so much dirt on my car and in puffy clouds around me that I couldn't see anything.

Because of the other accident there were already policemen, firemen, and paramedics on the scene. The firemen arrived first and asked if I was ok and if I hurt anywhere. My back was killing me. It actually had been bothering me for a few days and I had every intention of going to a chiropractor that very day. Oh well, looks like that's not happening.

The firemen upon hearing my back was hurting would not let me move. My airbags did not deploy and the firemen warned me to keep my hands away from the front of my body. I guess they could go off at any moment and my hands would hit my body at a harmful speed. (What good are these things again?)

The firmen put a neck brace on me and lifted me out of my car (through my door mind you, no jaws of life needed here) and strapped me to a stretcher. I was handed over to my very own paramedics and they took me to St. Lukes Hospital where I stayed for two more hours waiting for them to tell me my back was not broken or fractored.

All the while I was trying to call my folks but gave it up when no one answered and when I realized I wouldn't know what to tell them anyway. I didn't know where I was going and when you called your parents after you've been in an accident you don't just tell them without giving them something to do. Sitting and waiting is not a parent thing to do, they need something to do. If I didn't have a place for them to go I wouldn't know what they could do to keep themselves from panicing.

So when I got into the ambulance I was informed of where I was going and called my lil' brother. He got a hold of my parents. My bro got there first and eventually I saw my mom. Dad and my nephew showed up later.

I got x-rays and a CAT-scan done. When they determined that all was well they realesed me.

I am going to a doctor today though just in case. A back doctor one of those that can really tell me what's going on. Or at least point me in the right direction.

On the plus side I changed my major. I'm back to english with a emphasis in writing. And ever since then the stories have been rolling into my brain. I already have an idea for a novel. I'm excited. :)

I get to go here October 17th!!

Thought you'd like to know :)

*Edit* October 18th, 2006

And it was amazing!!

Forgot something...

I was talking with Riri about our trip and had a hard time deciding on what was the best part of the different places we went too. We never came up with the best but we did come up with the best in certain categories. Since I've already talked about Universal Studios I'll let you know what we decided was the FUNNIEST part of the trip and it's something I forgot to mention in the last post.

Ironically enough it was also the "scariest" part of the trip too (besides the monsoon thing).

It was the haunted house. They took all of their scary movies, mostly Van Hellsing (which I haven't seen) and put them in a freaky looking house. There were things jumping out at us. Every dark corner had something scary lurking in it, with it's evil eyes watching, waiting. Whether there were actually people there or not sometimes we didn't know. They did such a great job in making this place scary that you THOUGHT there was something there even if there wasn't.

We were running away from anything that jumped out to grab us. The poor guy who was going through with us (someone we didn't know but happen to go through at the same time) didn't know if he should stay away, protect, or just laugh at us. We were nearing the end. We knew it was going to be the last room.

The last room is always the scariest room. It's the one with the freakiest creature who has the scariest roar (never a scream always a roar they are scarier), and there is always a strobe light. Why is there always a strobe light? Because it disorients you. And why do they want to disorient you?

BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU STUPID SILLY TO GET OUT OF THERE WHEN THE SCARY MONSTER COMES AFTER YOU THAT'S WHY!!!

So here we are facing the doorway to the last room. It's also the doorway to the room before we reach sunlight. Which means we'll be back in the world where things a normal and not scary. My left hand is pushing aside the strips of ragged cloth covering the doorway and my right hand is being held tightly by Riri who is frantically shaking her head at me insistent that she IS NOT going through that doorway. Well I decided we would have non of that and I pulled her through.

And I regretted it.

We are running and I'm trying to push Riri past me and I'm thinking we might actually get through this without the scary monster.

That is until a HUGE fury dark creature jumps in front of the strobe light (always in front which only causes you to be even MORE disoriented) and Riri is screaming.

I am too of course but that's not important. What is important is I lost my sandal. That is very important because this means I have to GO BACK to get it.

Now please understand the situation we were in. In reality the big fury creature is really a man in a costume. There was a lady standing there as a guide to help poor helpless people through and is probably CPR certified in case someone has a heart attack or in other events loses their sandal. But I was immersed in the fun of it all and was too terrified to realize what the reality was. All I saw was a big fury creature infront of a strobe light that made him even scarier and my sandal was inches away from me and I was terrified to go and get it like a normal person. You know someone who knows that the big scary fury creature isn't real and knows the strobe light is nothing more then a fast blinking light.

No I had to be as low to the ground as I could be, on the balls of my feet mind you not laying down, reaching as far as my arm would go without actually having to get any closer to the big fury dude. I'm reaching out, hold back, reaching out and holding back as if my hand would be torn off if I even think about grabbing my sandal.

In the back of my mind I saw the helper who knows CPR trying to get my sandal for me and I'm sure she just wants to fall down with laughter at me. But I think the sick part is I was actually enjoying the stupid silly scaredness I was in. Go figure

I finally snatched my sandel which is different from grabbing or retrieving? Why is it different? Because a snatch is quick and usually followed by a fast arm flailing run away from whatever is behind you.

Which is what I did.

And that my friends is one of the funniests things we did at an amusement park. The other funny part is later on in the week.

Captain Log: Star Date Part III Rest of Sunday night and Monday

Upon arriving to the home of our host family we were engaged from the get go. I told Riri all the details I could about the two girls and their parents. I said, "I won't be surprised if PGG (Princess Girly Girl) is sobbing in tears when you leave. She'll love you. PS (Princess Seriously) loves to tease and is boy crazy. And the parents well...they are amazing." I was being teased from every member of the family the moment we walked to the door (except PGG who likes to tease as well but was too excited about our arrival and couldn't understand why everyone else in the family was making us wait in the doorway insisting we couldn't come in). I always get nervouse about bringing strangers to this family, I get even more nervouse when I'm not in the room. I know the world isn't about me but this family is very good at making it clear that they love to find MORE reasons to make fun of me. In a kind loving way of course.

Luckily for me I make it a point to be open about the silly/annoying/airheaded things that I do. Laugh at your self first and the world laughs with you sort of thing. Also, neither Riri nor the host family have had much exposure to my various quirks quite yet. That I'm sure is yet to come.

The host mother and I have a love for Grey's Anatomy and since I haven't had TV for about three months I haven't seen many episodes lately. Even if they are being recycled right now I still haven't seen them all. So we stayed up for a while said family prayer, which, by the way, they make me say the first night of EVERY visit I make. Which makes me feel wonderful because they want me to feel part of the family but nervouse because I'm still very shy about praying in front of people.

It's good for me, builds character from what I hear.

So while Riri hit the perverbial hay, I stayed up with host mom to chat and watch Grey's Anatomy. And got some advice as well.

So we had every intention of going to Disneyland on Monday, California Adventure on Tuesday, Seaworld on Wednesday, the beach Thursday, and Universal Studios Friday (if we felt the need. It wasn't a priority).

When we got there the only part of our plans that stayed the same was our scheduled beach day. The people who I've stayed with every time I've gone down to California since returning from my mission were instrumental in the change of our plans. As they are So-Cal vetrans we heeded their every bit of advice and infinite wisdom. Well almost every bit of advice. When we didn't take their advice we always said, "They are always right. We need to remember that."

So the weather around there was a bit cloudy which equals cooler then usual. Since Universal Studios is more inland they suggested me do Universal on Monday and do Seaworld (which is close to the coast) on Friday. We took there advice and had tons of fun.

There's something about being in theme parks that just makes you feel like a kid. But when you are an adult, who thinks clearly and plans neatly without the fears of tantrums you can get though a suprisingly large amount of activities. We planned our day so well we only missed one or two attractions. The 4-D Shrek movie was awesome. The chairs move. Backdraft was cool cause this time around (I've been in once before) I actually got what they were trying to say about the fire. It was pretty cool and makes me want to watch the movie now.

The best though in my opinion was the Back Lots Tour. Everything else was cool but there's something about the special effects that makes it way cool. We also went on The Return of the Mummy. Which at one point makes you feel like you have sarub beattles crawling around your feet (it's all in the dark too) and I kicked my feet so much and so hard that I ended up needing a bandaid cause my little two was bleeding. It was no small cratch either a good hunk of skin came off. Only I have the talent to do that.

The rest of this post will show some pictures and I'm going to try and get a movie clip on here too.

Didn't trust anyone with my camera so we took seperate pictures. This is Shrek's home. That little girls is totally going to bust his chops for being late when he comes out.

I'll Figure something out...I always do

Some one asked her blog readers to write about a typical day in their lives. I happen to be one of her blog readers and decided to write about my typical day. "But," I thought to myself, "my days are not typical. They are never typical."

Don't get me wrong. I have the usual things that I need to do. But something always comes up. Take my day today for instance. But to really understand my day today I have to start with last night.

I have trouble sleeping sometimes, I'm not an insomniac I just have an overactive brain that won't let me sleep for an hour after I go to bed. I also like being on the internet doing this, that, and the other. But I am CONSTANTLY trying to put myself on a schedule. It starts with the night before being in bed by 10:30 pm.

To try and cultivate this habit I take a sleeping pill an hour before I want to sleep. Last night worked perfectly. Unfortunatly I was SO tired when I was heading to bed that I did not set my alarm clock correctly. Which means only one thing. I over slept.

My day (at least on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) should work something like this.

5:30 am - wake up get ready for school. (If I was motivated the night before I have a breakfast, lunch, and dinner made since I live no where near my school and will be gone all day. I also have my clothes picked out for the day, clean clothes).

6:15 am - out the door to beat early morning traffic any later and I'll be pushing to get to school on time.

7:15 am-10:30am - various classes I have during those hours (currently three)

10:40-12:oopm - I study, read textbooks, and do homework

12:00pm-12:30pm - I eat lunch. (Breakfast is eaten during my first class, my teachers cool that way)

12:40 - 1:30pm - last class for the day

2:00pm - 5:00pm - study, homework, and read text books

5:00pm - 6:00pm - work out mostly for sanity rather then health reasons. I have to go and do things.

6:00pm - 7:00pm - eat and go on the internet

7:00pm - 8 or 9 (depending on my mood) - more study (of course Friday is date night and must be more flexible. If homework is not finished I do it on Saturday)

This is actually what happened today

6:30 am - my eyes pop open and I notice two things that are not usual when I wake up 1) It's lighter in my room then it should be 2) I feel more rested then I should be. My eyes haven't cleared yet but I know my lock is not reading 5:30am.

Thing is my teacher for my first class made a huge deal about being late. She says if you are going to be late I don't want you in class. If you are leaving earlly don't come to class.

So I rush thinking, "No time for shower, no time for food, no time for nice hair. It's a hat and sweats today." And then I look at the time and think, "I won't make it anyway, I'm taking a shower."

So I miss my first class. It's only the third day of school. Dang it

8:00 am - get to school sit in car and listen to a book on my iPod. This turns out to be a big mistake that I regret for reasons to be disclosed later.

8:40 - 10:30 pm - go to my other classes have great time

10:40 - 12:00pm - grab a subway sandwich and find a place to get homework finished for my other class that's due today. Realize that I don't need to finish ALL of the questions just some.

By noon I have lots finished, I eat and get ready for my class at 1:40 pm. Wait 1:40 pm, that's not right, I'm sure you are all thinking that and you look back up at my actual schedule to see if you read it wrong. No you didn't read it wrong. I forgot when my class started. It's no use having a day planner I guess. If I don't remember no amount of writing it down will keep me from forgetting. I, thinking I have lots of time, go to the river and soak my feet in the water. Go to find my class and realize too late that I missed my class.

My teacher was in her office though and she accepted my homework and said, "I've heard every excuse in the book but not that one." And I left with her laugh still ringing in my ears.

Then I go to audition for a choir but didn't actually have to do anything, he just let me in the choir. I love it when he does that. I get some books and then head to do some more study. Decide I want to play some games on my cell phone instead.

Finally get to studying around 3:00 and get a lot done. Get ready to go to dinner around 5:00. Get in my car and it won't start. Remember how I said I stayed in my car before I went to class. Well, I have a little ritual that I do when I'm parking. I put on my emergency break, open my car door, HEAR THE CAR DING LETTING ME KNOW MY LIGHTS ARE ON, and turn off my lights. Well guess what I didn't hear this time.

Yeah, so almost 10 hours later my car won't start. I spend two hours trying to find someone to help jump start my car. I end up having to do it twice! At two different places. By the time I figured out that my battery was seriously dead and needed replacing it was time for me to go home. A whole day of studying wasted.

You see I make plans. But something always comes up. Always.

Captions Log Stardate-Sunday Part II

So eventually we made it to Las Vegas safe and sound. We stayed up (way too late in my opinion) waiting for LV Friend to put her cranky son to bed. It was nearly one before my head finally hit a pillow. I'm sorry but after driving all day I wasn't willing to do the polite guest thing and stay up to chit chat. But all the same the people were really nice and the kid was cute.

Sunday we decided to go to church. I found out from my So-Cal family that it was mearly 3 hours to get from LV to Riverside. So At 11:30am we went to church and decided to stay for all three hours. Which was enjoyable because I really do enjoy church.

But then Sunday school started. Not that the lesson was bad I just had trouble paying attention because of some guy that wouldn't stop looking at me.

I walk into the Relief Society Room and immediatly get approached by a guy that I smiled to earlier in the hallway. He was dark skinned, late 30's, and VERY friendly. A little too friendly if you know what I mean. He came right up to me, introduced himself (his name escapes me at the moment). I gave him my name (it's only the polite thing to do) and he responds with, "You are very pretty." Now this is not the polite you look nice you-are-pretty comment. It was the creepy I-want-to-touch-your-hair-you-are-pretty comment. I have to say I never kept my eyes from looking in just one direction so hard in my life. Nor have I ever had eyes focused on me for so long in my life.

We ended up back in the chapel for Relief Society since it was a 5th Sunday and combined with the men. We sat in the waaaay back. My admireer was sittting up in the front. He didn't look back nearly as much but...I could tell something was working in his mind. Sure enough he came up and made his way to the back of the chapel.

He sat down next to our LV Friend and after a moment of staring now not just as me but at Riri he leaned over and whispered something to LV Friend. I didn't hear anything but after some whispering between the Admirer which ended him leaving the chapel all together Riri found out what happened and said to me, "We should be thanking LV Friend after this. She just told him we both have boyfriends."

Though that did stop him from making any more advances it didn't stop him from staring. The elders were sitting almost directly to the other side of me and were laughing the whole time. I kept pulling funny faces and wondering how the heck this was going to end.

Luckily it ended with us leaving swiftly after church. We drove past the LV Temple. Never been there myself and it is very pretty. We hopped on the freeway and went crusing past the LV Stripe. That is we crused for about 10 miles when all of a sudden the traffic came to a dead halt. We CRAWLED our way to Primm. About 20 miles outside of LV and the last place to gas up before hitting California. You don't want to wait until after Primm cause the next stop it's WAY to exspensive. It took us TWO hours to get to Primm. Which was funny because we thought we'd be close to Riverside by that time. No such luck. We stayed there ate dinner at a crappy buffet and took off.

And ended up at Riverside near 9 or 10. Leaving our grand admirer behind. Luckily for us....

"M" Captions Log Stardate: Don't even know what that means...

*We'll just stick with Saturday Night Part I*

It was a dark and stormy night....

Oddly enough that's what it ended up being. But first lets begin at well the beginning. My ship mate, we'll call her Riri, and I took off from Boise around noon. She had enjoyed a blessed time at the temple and I was running around like crazy getting things ready for the coming week of frivolity.

We drove for a good long ways with no problems. We decided to take the 93. This goes through Nevada. The other way down would be to go through Utah. Which is the way I know. I hear there are many ways to get to California but I don't know them all.

That's where we were going. Southern California! 10 days of non stop excitment and fun. It was a two day trip down and back. We took my little car, er, I mean spaceship, that had never seen anything beyond Boise, Idaho. The poor thing was in for some shock.

You see, before we even reached Las Vegas, which was our first stop for the trip, my little spaceship went through something it had never endured before. Heck I'VE never endured it before. It was a...

!!!Desert Monsoon!!!

Who ever heard of such a thing? I hadn't. You see in Idaho the saying goes, "If you don't like the weather just wait 10 minutes and it will change." Apparently Nevada has never experienced that kind of weather before! So it's dark out, totaly pitch black because there are NO cities (we had passed a sign saying the next city wouldn't be for another 91 miles) no lamp post, not anything we could call civilization. And then the lightening starts.

That part was actually pretty cool though Riri mentioned it was blinding. I didn't have much problems with that and I was the one driving. But then the rain started. And it got harder and harder and harder until finally I had to pull over. I could not see a thing. This is when we figured we wait until it died down. At one point it lightened up a bit but once I got one the road it would rain harder again and I'd have to pull over.

The sickest part of the whole thing was the other cars. There weren't many of them but when they came back they came by FAST!! I couldn't believe how fast they were going. I kept thinking to myself, "I can't believe I'm afraid of a stupid rain storm. What is wrong with me?" Then we make a phone call to the friend in LV. We are using my phone because Riri's does not have sevice at this time. It went something like this:

Riri: Hey, we are about an hour or two outside Las Vegas but we ran into this horrible rain storm. Caption's pulled over and we are going to wait it out but it doesn't seem to be letting up. Can you look at the news and see what's going on?

Pause

Riri: A WHAT!?!

Pause
Riri: You have got to be kidding me?

Riri turns to me: We are in a monsoon!

Me: That can't be, aren't they tropical? They must be over exhaggerating.

Riri relays this messege to our LV friend.

Pause

Riri: No that's what the weather man is saying, it's a Desert Monsoon. We are in the beginning of the season. They GET THEM ALL THE TIME!

Pause

Riri: Great! (turns to me) we are in a flash flood warning zone and she says it's just staying where it is. It's not moving.

As Riri and LV friend discuss where we should meet once we get there (and Riri mentioning we might not actually make it alive) I weigh our options. Every few minutes a car comes by very fast. We could follow one, they obviously know what they are doing. "But you don't. You could get killed doing that." We could just wait until it's over. "Hello! Flash Floods, monsoon not moving remember?" But I can't see anything. I've already drivien on the wrong side of the road. I could get us killed.

I hear Riri finally off the phone mention something about the wake up strips along the sides of the road. I start forming a plan catching on to what she is saying. We'll go slow, stay on the wake up strips so I know I'm not going to get us killed by running into on coming traffic, and pull over when ever I see someone coming behind us. I Put the car in gear and we head off.

10-15 mintues later the sky is suddenly clear, the rain is gone competly not even a drizzle remains, and the moon is out. As quickly as it came it was gone. But we could see the lightening in my review mirror and Riri says, "Drive. Drive fast don't let that thing catch up to us." She didn't have to tell me twice.

Since I've been home I decided to do a little research on Desert Monsoons. Still a little skeptical they even exsist. Come to find they are very real. It has less to do with climate and more to do with geography. Who knew?

And that was our first night on the road. We knew it was going to be a very interesting trip.

More Remodeling Pictures

This here is one side of the house in our back yard-->
This is our back door as of two months ago

This is the other side of the house
The last pictures I showed did not quite do the exsentive work we are undertaking justice.

A Weekend Week

No one could be more lucky then I for I have had a weekend week.

What is a weekend week you ask? It's a full week of weekend activities.

Birthday parties both surprise and regular (for the same person no less), the rodeo, Tribond, dip dip, firesides, the air force, the Taliban, Red Robin, FHE, BBQ's, mosquitoes (all 19 bites, counted them all), parades, pony rides, bull ridin', bronco buckin', mutton bustin', cattle ropin', Pioneer Day, sun burns, pinices, attempts to set people up, wedding planning, and other such various activities.

Who wouldn't want to me after reading all of that?

I have not spent one night at home since last sunday without being out and about doing something until the very late hours of the night. Tonight is the first night that I have not gone out and done something with a bunch of people. I'm sure there was an activity tonight but since I dropped my phone in a cooler full of melted ice, a.k.a really cold water, I'm sure I would have gotten the invite. Or there was no activity because everyone is just as tired as I am.

I'm not that tired I guess because I'm still awake at almost 1 in the morning. Just finished reading Pride and predujice. I have to say there is probably no one that as had a better well rounded week then I.

I discovered that I enjoy being at the rodeo much more then one probably should but growing up in Idaho one can hardly blame me for it. Though I must inject that my favorite bull rider is from Temecula, CA. He got the highest score of any of the riders that night and he's from my mission. You can hardly blame me for professing nothing but undying love for him. Anyone that can ride a rampaging bull and live to tell the tale can hardly be considered unworthy of such devotion (I must remind my readers to read just about everything I put on here as if I speak with tongue in cheek. If I do write in a serious manner I will make sure to warn my readers before hand).

Pioneer Day was great. My dad and nephew were in the parade and my mom even ventured out. I must say having my dad be in the bishopric has been good for my family. They get out much more then usual. Though they complain a bit I remind them of the same things they used to say to me, "It's good for you. Builds character." It was awfully hot I guess it got to be 108 yesterday which for Idaho is very hot but I had the pleaser of helping where I was needed (that was the only real reason why I stayed after the parade, our ward was in charge for some activities) and I got to enjoy the pleasure of seeing a dear former companion of mine. It was one of the many tri-companionships I enjoyed. She and Sister Russell were the companions that took me in after I had been sent unexpectedly home from the MTC. I found out she is moving to Nampa and there was no end to my joy. I'm a little surprised that she would want to live here, but I guess she and her husband (who was a district leader of ours) liked it here that much when they served here.

The house is coming a long great though I am having trouble not being uneasy with the increase of bugs in our home. Flies are the least of my worries for I think I might have killed a hobo spider today. One of which I almost stepped on. If you do not know what a hobo is just know they are has deadly as black widows, almost as fear, and more in numbers. Ever since I killed it I've been feeling creepy crawlies on me all day.

Eich!

But other then that I have to say that my felicity (P&P words are great) knows no bounds at this present state I am at liberty to be in. :)

Rattle, rattle, rattle

Except it's very fast and consistant. What am I talking about? The air conditioner that is no longer outside but above my head is making anthing not screwed down tightly rattle.
That's right, for the next few months while we are remodeling we have the air conditioner in the room that is missing a wall. So we can continue to have a cool summer my room is going to hum and rattle.

My joy knoweth no bounds.

Remodeling and more drawing stuff.

Well it's official. There is no turning back. At least not for my folks it isn't. We've come to the point of full swing remodeling our home. Have some niffty pictures to post up. And then I recently did a drawing that I'm rather proud of. Now I forwarn you that a picture does not do it justice. It isn't the best thing in the world but it's mine and it at least resembles what I was trying to do. Whether you'll be able to tell what it is via the internet is yet to be determined.

Instead of going out last night I decided to get some homework done. Someone tried to ask me on a date but it's the same guy that's been trying to "just be my friend" but he's hopeful to a fault and it's time for me to back slowly away. So last night is when I did this drawing. Since we are remodeling we had to turn off our dish network *GASP* but we are surviving. Mom's watching old recordings of shows she likes to keep her sanity and I've been listening to lots of books on my iPod. Love that thing. So I've been catching up on my Narnia loar while I draw. Which has been wonderful. C.S. Lewis was a simple writer and gift most do not have. He knew how to say the right things is the best simpliest way. It's fanastic to listen to.

Alright here are the pictures enjoy!
So all of this remodeling is going on while we are living at home. And there might come a time when it'll be winter and it's still not done. We aren't for sure if that's going to happen. We'll see I guess.

Those three little words....

There are three little words in the english language that make my stomach tie up in knots, my knees buckle, and my face flush...those three little words are...

What is it?

You see when you are an artist (or someone who is trying to be one) and you draw something you hope that someone will recognize what it is. Well, unfortunatly I'm not as talented as I had hoped (which is why I'm taking this class in the first place right?)

Well now we are in the phase of value. The difference between light and dark or shading. Something I've always wanted to do. I can do simple things like outlining but when it comes to giving something depth...well lets just say I've been asked, "What is it?" a lot lately.

On the upside I see a difference in my drawing and my patience in myself as I'm drawing. So there ya go.