I think we all realize that there's only so many things that we can get done in a day or in an hour. I realized today, however, that I limit myself. These limitations are crippling sometimes as I convince myself that I'm confined to my box of knowledge, gifts, and talents without the ability to stretch beyond it.
I've been looking at my barriers all wrong. Barriers should be motivation to climb, to reach beyond myself. They're not confinements; they're challenges. For instance, all through my college experience, I've told myself that I'm not good at speaking out loud in class. Instead of seeing this barrier as an opportunity to improve my speaking skills, I refrained from talking in class. I convinced myself that it was better to let other people make their observations, even if I didn't agree.
After having several wake-up calls this week, I'm appalled at how many times a day that I tell myself that "I can't do this" for whatever reason. I'm appalled at how lazy I've become and how many mornings I tell myself that I have no reason to get up that day. Of course, the realization hurts. Defenses start coming up and it's tempting to justify my actions and thoughts, but then I have to be honest with myself and I realize that there's just no excuse that could save me from the truth.
The motivation that comes from being honest with yourself is empowering. It saves me from having to justify my thoughts, feelings, and actions. It takes up energy to keep a lie going, even when that lie is to myself. It feels good to let that go.
Don't get me wrong, it takes energy to be honest and be able to admit when people are right, but the nice thing about being able to do that is that I can do something about it much faster. I don't have to wait until I can't ignore it anymore, I can do something about the problem right when it happens.
But I think my favorite part about being honest with myself is that it's much easier to be happy when you're not beating yourself down.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Books
I always knew that I got into things that I'm doing, particularly watching movies and reading books. I knew that if I watched a scary movie, I'd be inevitably clinging to the person next to me, freaking myself out more than the movie was. I still don't watch scary or intense movies because of this fact even though I know have Ashton around to cling to. I remember the first time watching such a movie with him and surprising him at how tight my grip was.
I knew that I got into books as well, displaying my emotions out loud whether or not there's someone else in the room. I even go so far as to mumble my opinions of the plot and/or characters at any given moment. I'll shut the book at intense parts, not wanting to go further until I've calmed down, but then I have to know what happens so I whip open the book again and read on, tense with anticipation. It's all so stupid, but I can't seem to help myself.
Well, for Ashton's birthday, I bought him a couple of books, one being the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer in audio form. I had foolishly thought that it'd last him a while if he only listened to it while in the car on the way to and from class. Yeah, I didn't count on getting into it myself and making us listen to it almost every night and while we were in the car. By the end of Saturday night, we had gotten to the 6th CD out of 11. We skipped Sunday and anxiously, we started listening to it again yesterday. Well, we finished it last night at 2 in the morning.
Both of us listened to it in the car, me on the my way to Nate and Anjanette's, and Ashton on his way to his class. We were both pretty anxious to listen to more and we started in again while we ate dinner. We probably would have stopped after the 8th CD, but by then it had gotten particularly intense. I found myself half sitting in Ashton's lap as that CD ended, grabbing his shirt. After partway through the CD, Ashton wouldn't let me hold his hand anymore. My death grip had hurt his hand so he offered me his arm only for me to discover that I had left some serious imprints on his arm from me gripping it so tightly with both hands. We're talkin' some good dents where you could rub your fingers over it and tell the difference between his arm and where I had grabbed it. I guess I just don't know my own strength.
Anyways, I knew I could be able to sleep if we stopped there so we listened to the next CD, too. I tried to control myself and not hurt Ashton by accident with my super human strength. (Snicker all you want, the next time I watch or listen to something scary, I'll grab your arm.) We continued until 2 AM because I had to keep listening until the story had resolved itself and by then we were almost done so we just finished it up.
So now, I don't know what to do with myself. We bought the books and those won't come in until next week. So, I guess until then, I'll just twiddle my thumbs or try to start a different book.
I knew that I got into books as well, displaying my emotions out loud whether or not there's someone else in the room. I even go so far as to mumble my opinions of the plot and/or characters at any given moment. I'll shut the book at intense parts, not wanting to go further until I've calmed down, but then I have to know what happens so I whip open the book again and read on, tense with anticipation. It's all so stupid, but I can't seem to help myself.
Well, for Ashton's birthday, I bought him a couple of books, one being the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer in audio form. I had foolishly thought that it'd last him a while if he only listened to it while in the car on the way to and from class. Yeah, I didn't count on getting into it myself and making us listen to it almost every night and while we were in the car. By the end of Saturday night, we had gotten to the 6th CD out of 11. We skipped Sunday and anxiously, we started listening to it again yesterday. Well, we finished it last night at 2 in the morning.
Both of us listened to it in the car, me on the my way to Nate and Anjanette's, and Ashton on his way to his class. We were both pretty anxious to listen to more and we started in again while we ate dinner. We probably would have stopped after the 8th CD, but by then it had gotten particularly intense. I found myself half sitting in Ashton's lap as that CD ended, grabbing his shirt. After partway through the CD, Ashton wouldn't let me hold his hand anymore. My death grip had hurt his hand so he offered me his arm only for me to discover that I had left some serious imprints on his arm from me gripping it so tightly with both hands. We're talkin' some good dents where you could rub your fingers over it and tell the difference between his arm and where I had grabbed it. I guess I just don't know my own strength.
Anyways, I knew I could be able to sleep if we stopped there so we listened to the next CD, too. I tried to control myself and not hurt Ashton by accident with my super human strength. (Snicker all you want, the next time I watch or listen to something scary, I'll grab your arm.) We continued until 2 AM because I had to keep listening until the story had resolved itself and by then we were almost done so we just finished it up.
So now, I don't know what to do with myself. We bought the books and those won't come in until next week. So, I guess until then, I'll just twiddle my thumbs or try to start a different book.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
...And the Rains Came Down...
During the past week, parts of Salt Lake City have been completely washed out due to heavy rainfall (and probably poor city planning and overcrowding, but those are topics for a different day). No matter how much we hoped, however, we never got more than a few drops in our neighborhood. The wind would blow, and the air would cool as if we should expect a storm, but it would invariably fail to drop anything. Wednesday night, we even got some lightning--I was trying unsuccessfully to fall asleep, but as soon as the giddiness from seeing a few flashes through the cracks in our window blinds wore off, I was out cold.
I've loved rain, and thunderstorms in particular, for as long as I can remember. I used to lie in bed as a child, just listening to the pattering of the rain against the roof. If there was any light to be had outside, I would watch as the lines of water running down the window continually twisted and changed the profiles of the houses across the street.
During the summer in Boulder County, we could expect a storm nearly every afternoon. My brothers and I would ride our bikes to obscure corners of our town (boys with bikes are always on some mission or another), and race home as soon as we felt the first drops of rain. Every time, we would pull into our driveway looking half-drowned.
When I got older, I would drive to the top of one hill or another as the clouds rolled over the Flatirons, and just wait. From that vantage point, I could see every bolt of lightning. On Independence Day, a bunch of us gathered on the roof of the movie theatre where I worked to watch the fireworks. We were able to see several displays throughout Boulder Valley, and I decided that the roof would be a good place to watch the thunderstorms as well. Not long after, I started calling lightning, "God's fireworks."
I think my subconscious remembers these times, even if I don't think of them. If there is any real amount of cloud-cover and I hear any kind of "boom", my ears instantly perk up, hoping to hear the next crash of thunder. All too often, the sound I hear isn't related to lightning, but is a neighbor falling down the stairs or something. So I was a little startled when, while sitting around and visiting with my brother and his family, I heard what was unmistakeably a crash of thunder. A little while later, we all heard another one, about the same time that the rain started.
My niece was afraid of the sounds, and wouldn't go near the patio door. My brother and I tried to convince her that lightning was really a beautiful thing, and nothing to be afraid of. She may not have believed us, but I'm sure she wanted to--she tried to tell us that it was the stuffed penguin she was holding that was afraid of the thunder. Maybe some day she'll appreciate it as much as my brother and I do.
When the thunder stopped (it didn't last long, just like my niece had prophesied), she started a game of hide-and-seek, evidently completely forgetting her previous fear. I wish I had a picture of Zarah folded into the space under our desk. She informs me that I'll not be getting such a picture.
I've loved rain, and thunderstorms in particular, for as long as I can remember. I used to lie in bed as a child, just listening to the pattering of the rain against the roof. If there was any light to be had outside, I would watch as the lines of water running down the window continually twisted and changed the profiles of the houses across the street.
During the summer in Boulder County, we could expect a storm nearly every afternoon. My brothers and I would ride our bikes to obscure corners of our town (boys with bikes are always on some mission or another), and race home as soon as we felt the first drops of rain. Every time, we would pull into our driveway looking half-drowned.
When I got older, I would drive to the top of one hill or another as the clouds rolled over the Flatirons, and just wait. From that vantage point, I could see every bolt of lightning. On Independence Day, a bunch of us gathered on the roof of the movie theatre where I worked to watch the fireworks. We were able to see several displays throughout Boulder Valley, and I decided that the roof would be a good place to watch the thunderstorms as well. Not long after, I started calling lightning, "God's fireworks."I think my subconscious remembers these times, even if I don't think of them. If there is any real amount of cloud-cover and I hear any kind of "boom", my ears instantly perk up, hoping to hear the next crash of thunder. All too often, the sound I hear isn't related to lightning, but is a neighbor falling down the stairs or something. So I was a little startled when, while sitting around and visiting with my brother and his family, I heard what was unmistakeably a crash of thunder. A little while later, we all heard another one, about the same time that the rain started.
My niece was afraid of the sounds, and wouldn't go near the patio door. My brother and I tried to convince her that lightning was really a beautiful thing, and nothing to be afraid of. She may not have believed us, but I'm sure she wanted to--she tried to tell us that it was the stuffed penguin she was holding that was afraid of the thunder. Maybe some day she'll appreciate it as much as my brother and I do.
When the thunder stopped (it didn't last long, just like my niece had prophesied), she started a game of hide-and-seek, evidently completely forgetting her previous fear. I wish I had a picture of Zarah folded into the space under our desk. She informs me that I'll not be getting such a picture.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Happy Birthday Ashton!
Today is Ashton's 28th birthday. The nice thing about Ashton's birthday is that in Utah, he gets the day off from work and school! It just happens to be Pioneer day, which is not celebrated anywhere else I'm betting except for in Utah. It's fun though because there are parades and fireworks.
The fun thing about having a birthday is that I got to try my hand at cake baking again! It was quite the adventure last year and I was hoping that this year it would go better....or rather look better. I think I was fairly successful and it tasted good at any rate.
Since we're going up to Park City for a barbecue tonight, we decided last night that it'd be good to do an early celebration with cake and candle blowing. He did get to open one of his presents, too. My favorite part though was lighting the candles. The only matches we could find were in our 72 hour kit and there wasn't a thing to strike the matches on. So, I tried to light the matches using our electric stove. It actually worked! I just heated up the burner a little bit and put the match against it and poof! Instant flame. Totally didn't think that it'd work. I love fire.
Anyways, here some pictures!
There he goes!
Almost there...
The fun thing about having a birthday is that I got to try my hand at cake baking again! It was quite the adventure last year and I was hoping that this year it would go better....or rather look better. I think I was fairly successful and it tasted good at any rate.
Since we're going up to Park City for a barbecue tonight, we decided last night that it'd be good to do an early celebration with cake and candle blowing. He did get to open one of his presents, too. My favorite part though was lighting the candles. The only matches we could find were in our 72 hour kit and there wasn't a thing to strike the matches on. So, I tried to light the matches using our electric stove. It actually worked! I just heated up the burner a little bit and put the match against it and poof! Instant flame. Totally didn't think that it'd work. I love fire.
Anyways, here some pictures!
Not too bad for my second attempt at cake decorating.
The best part was making Ashton blow out the candles. He looks like he's concentrating...
There he goes!
Almost there...
And done! Good thing there wasn't more candles.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
100 Random Things About Me
Although I haven't written a 100 posts yet, Lindsay has suggested that I write a list of 100 things. So here it goes.
1. I was born and raised in Maine. Somehow I came away without a very noticeable accent. Some people think that it's weird that I don't have an accent. I just shrug.
2. I asked Ashton out on our first two dates and had to steal him away from an apartment full of girls. Yeah, they hated me for a while and him, too. They got over it though.
3. I play the oboe, piano, and the organ. I haven't played the oboe in years, but I had played it for 8 years. I think I still remember how to play it...
4. I have learned how to play the violin and guitar as well as attempting to make sounds on several instruments. I haven't really kept up with any of them, but I've tried them.
5. I have played soccer for as long as I can remember. I played in high school and intramurals at BYU. My favorite positions are midfield and forward.
6. I tore my ACL my freshman year of high school playing soccer and had to have surgery. I have pictures for anyone who is interested.
7. In Middle School I locked my knee by sitting down after the Pledge of Allegiance. I had to be rolled down the hallway in the teacher's chair as they hadn't gotten their wheelchair yet (it was coming the next day). It also happened to be the same day that Mom and Dad went to Mexico so Jacob had to come pick me up.
8. I love shoes, but hate wearing them. If I have to wear shoes, I'd much rather wear sandals than sneakers. Barefoot is the best though.
9. I love gardening. Weeding, planting flowers, shrubs, trees, the whole works. I used to spend several hours a day, almost every day, taking care of my grandparent's gardens.
10. I took a black and white photography class in High School where I learned about how cameras work, got to take pictures, develop the film, and make prints. If I had to re-do my college experience, I'd probably change my major to photography and do Spanish as a minor instead.
11. In High School, history used to be my favorite subject (other than my photography class).
12. I own a leatherman and I know how to use it.
13. I didn't own makeup...besides mascara...until last year. I only began wearing mascara my senior year of high school.
14. I own rock climbing shoes but have never been rock climbing.
15. I've been ice climbing once and besides being wicked cold, I had a good time.
16. I check people's blogs multiple times a day to see if they've written anything. So, if everyone could start writing multiple times a day, I'd really appreciate that.
17. My second toe is longer than my first on both feet.
18. I'd rather have pie than cake for my birthday, especially if it's pumpkin pie.
19. I love sports, except for baseball and football (although football has grown a little on me) and just being outdoors.
20. I'd rather play sports with guys than girls especially if I'm playing competitively.
21. I hate playing guys vs. girls. I think it's petty to continually try to prove guys or girls are better than the other. There's no reason to prove anything. We all know who's better.
22. When I'm trying to concentrate doing something, I stick out my tongue. I used to do it a lot playing the piano and now I do it for anything that takes a lot of effort and concentration. It sounds crazy, but it helps.
23. I think that people are funny to watch especially in social settings. I used to watch people in the WILK on the BYU campus all the time. It's amazing to me to see what people will do when they don't think that they're being watched.
24. I used to kill my own bugs until Ashton came along. Now, I can only kill my own bugs if I'm by myself. Yeah, I know. I'm pretty ashamed of myself, too.
25. My favorite color is blue. Although, if I had to pick a next favorite, it'd be green.
26. I used to wear a hunter's orange sweatshirt in high school and my freshman year of college. I still have that sweatshirt and wear it sometimes around the house.
27. I can almost never just watch a movie or TV show. I have to be doing something else while I watch even if it's something like playing a computer game. It makes me feel better and like I'm not wasting my time.
28. Whenever I get eggs out of the carton, I have to take them evenly from both sides so that the eggs left are in the middle. This is so they are balanced and less likely to fall when I'm carrying them. Ashton finds this funny and will sometimes purposely make them uneven so I have to fix it...and I have to fix it.
29. I don't like calling people. I used to hate it and refuse to pick up the phone and call people. I'm better about it now, but I'm always afraid that I'm going to interupt something that they're doing. I make Ashton do the majority of the calling.
30. Since we've moved into our recent apartment, I've felt more like a cook. I'll actually make stuff now instead of doing things out of a box. My most recent, favorite experiment has been with smoothies. I used to do them with ice cream, but I have since switched to yogurt to make them healthier. I'm working on perfecting my strawberry banana blend.
31. With both of us big readers, we have so many books that we need a new bookshelf. We don't even have my books, which take up one of those big plastic tubs, out here.
32. I check out the outside of other people's houses when I drive by out here. I like looking at a house and comment on whether I like the style or not and what I'd do differently to make it better. I'm just figuring out what I like so whenever we get a house...someday...I'll know what I like. Ok...so I've been watching a little too much HGTV recently.
33. I have good and bad days for heights. Some days, I can deal pretty well with heights. Other days, I can't even watch someone stand on a ladder. If I feel secure, I'm fine. It's probably the lack of security that does me in.
34. Ladders scare me. Generally speaking, I can get up on them. It's just when I'm up there doing something on them where I have to lean (like painting) or if I've used it to get onto a roof and then have to try to turn around and get down. I'm always afraid that I'm going to fall to my death.
35. I actually enjoy painting houses or rooms, but I dislike painting the ceiling. It's such a pain in the neck...literally.
36. I hate having my picture taken. They rarely come out good, which is why I like being the one with the camera.
37. Whenever I play the piano, I have to put music back where it was in the folders. What is weird about this is that the music isn't in any particular order. I just have to put it back where I found it. I blame this on the many years that I sneaked food and in order not to have any notice, I'd have to put the container or package back where I found it so no one would suspect.
38. I can't stand to have it too quiet. More often than not, the TV serves as a noise maker.
39. I only really like shopping for clothes when it's online. I don't like walking around and looking through tons of stores. If it's one or two stores and I know what I'm looking for, I don't mind it. It's just not something I do for fun. Don't have the money for it or the stamina.
40. I like to sing, "I'm just a little black rain cloud" from Winnie the Pooh. I do it occasionally. (Ashton wants it to be known that I do it all the time...I don't know what he's talking about...)
41. I like playing with power tools and I know more about sanders and sand paper than Ashton. I spent a lot of time last summer putting together most of our furniture.
42. My favorite animal is the penguin and I will forever be getting presents with that theme in mind. Good thing I like penguins a lot. Hooray for theme gifts!
43. I like putting picture frames together...or rather taking an empty picture frame and putting the matte, pictures, and any other decorative items together inside the frame.
44. I have an obsession with ice cream...strawberry ice cream to be more specific, but I'll eat almost any other kind. It's probably partly the reason why I gained so much weight. Twice a day helpings of ice cream probably isn't the best of ideas. Mmmmm ice cream...I think I'll go have some.
45. I eat ketchup on my french toast. I'll also eat french toast with syrup (instead of ketchup), but I prefer ketchup.
46. I still like coloring in coloring books.
47. I'm listening to Simon and Garfunkel right now.
48. I like to think. I spend most of my days just thinking about life and how I feel about it. Sometimes it gets me into trouble because I'll over think something, more often than not, something that Ashton did.
49. My Adaptation Theory class has changed the way that I watch movies now. I can no longer simply watch a movie, particularly when it's an adaptation from a book. Now, I have to analyze it and how it's taking things from the book and reshaping it to fit into the film.
50. I talk during movies. Yes, I am one of those. However, I'm less-inclined to talk if I'm in a movie theater and/or if it's a movie that I haven't seen before. If I've seen it quite a few times, yeah, I'll talk during the whole thing sometimes giving my analysis of it.
51. I've spent so many years trying to hype up my writing with academic words and phrases, that I have a hard time toning down my less than academic writing.
52. I actually like writing again! I loved writing when I was younger and would write all the time in my journal and everything. I thought that I was pretty good at it. Then in high school and the beginning of my college career, I had some teachers who hated my writing and didn't like anything that I wrote. (I did have one English teacher in high school that I really liked). After taking an advanced writing class last fall, I found out that I could actually write well and that most of my previous teachers were just making me write according to their unfounded pet peeves. I've since gained the theory that most English teachers just don't know how to teach people to write without teaching their style of writing, which is why I've only had 2 (maybe 3) writing/English teachers that I like and respect.
53. It's still funny to me to see people out here planting their grass with squares of sod and grass that comes in big stacks. It looks like they're laying carpet.
54. I like country music and listen to it while Ashton is not home.
55. I think that fireworks should be considered a sport like football is a sport. I mean, it has a pep rally (the parade on the 4th of July), social gatherings (barbecues, pre-fireworks gathering), a little bit of watching of action (sparklers, occasional firework going off in other places), half-time show (the fireworks), more talking (after the fireworks), and traffic rush. I mean, that sounds like a football game to me.
56. I like to crochet and knit. I'm better at crocheting than knitting just because I do it more.
57. I can never suck on hard candy. I always have to chew it just about as soon as it enters my mouth.
58. I like to pick things up with my toes. Actually, I like to do a lot of things with my toes. I grab things that are out of reach, turn off lights, I've even typed with my toes. Mind you, it was the hunt and peck method with just one toe, but I still did it and even spelled the words right.
59. I've never been pulled over by a cop for anything. I'm just that lucky.
60. I like rain mostly because I love jumping in puddles.
61. I prefer the summer to winter. I hate being cold and would just rather be hot.
62. I don't have a favorite book. I like a variety of books. I guess my favorite books are the ones that I could just read over and over.
63. I tend to keep a lot of stuff that I don't need. I keep stuff that I like, things that hold memories, but mostly just things that I think that I'm going to need or might need later. It's this last category that gets me in trouble the most. I've had so many experiences where I've gotten rid of things that I had kept for a while, and then needed it a short time later.
64. I have a sad addiction to Arby's. Something about the roast beef and melted cheese just gets me every time. It's ok...it's under control...maybe.
65. I apparently have found a new talent in making posters for Ward activities. I'm still not convinced.
66. I think that reality TV shows, particularly the ones where it's a bunch of people living together for a period of time, are stupid. If I wanted to see things like that, I'd go out and socialize with people.
67. I am deathly afraid of snakes. I can't watch them on TV or anything. I can't even listen to people talk about them sometimes. It just freaks me out.
68. I'm not a big fan of cities, well big cities anyways. I don't mind going into the city when I have to buy stuff, but I don't like living in the city. I'm much more of a country girl.
69. I chipped my two front teeth my freshman year of college (freshman years apparently aren't very good to me between the torn ACL and chipping my teeth). How I did it probably will be very amusing to all of you so here it goes. It was in October and still fairly warm out so a bunch of us decided that we wanted to play ultimate frisbee. We tried playing in the field behind our dorms, but it was too dark. So being the bright college students we were, we decided to play in a nearby parking lot. Well, I get very into games, especially when I'm playing with a bunch of guys. So, I was going for a pass that was high and instead of where watching where I was going, my eyes were on the frisbee. I think you can tell where this is headed. Yup. I ran smack into a car. Not even the side of the car, the windshield. I was wicked embarrassed. I spat out the parts of my teeth and covered my face with my hands, refusing to let anyone see. To make matters even better, the guy that owned the car happened to come while I was still lying on the ground. Yeah, it was great.
70. I lived in Spain for about 2 months while on a Study Abroad with BYU Spring Semester 2006. It was one of the best times I've ever had. We took classes during the week and traveled on the weekends. We got to go to Barcelona (we got there the night that Barca won the Champions League...it was crazy!), Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, as well as lots of other places. During this same trip, me and a few others girls went to Morocco for a day.
71. I've also spent a couple of weeks in Costa Rica in High School on an exchange program. Although I loved the culture and the climate, most of the people that went on the trip with me ruined the experience and I couldn't wait to go home.
72. Sticky notes save my life. I seriously wouldn't have gotten through college without sticky notes all over my desk. They have been pretty much replaced by a white board. Either way, I'm so much more likely to remember things if I actually write it down.
73. I also wouldn't have survived college without my planner. It housed my class schedule, all of my homework, Church activities, dates (yeah that didn't take up too much room), birthdays, and everything else. Now I use a calendar because I don't have so much stuff to put in there. Those squares aren't that big.
74. I own a lacrosse stick. It's even a girl's stick.
75. I don't like drinking apple juice by itself. I don't mind it if it's paired with other fruit. I think it just reminds me of being sick.
76.The same thing happens to me with chicken noodle soup. After years of mainly just eating it when I'm sick, it's hard to think of it without memories of throwing up.
77. I don't own any pink clothes. I used to have a few pink shirts, some of which were forced upon me, but I've since outgrown them and haven't bought any more. I'm definitely not a pink girl so I'm not too heartbroken about getting rid of those shirts.
78. I hate being late. I end up leaving earlier than I have to because I'm afraid I'll be late. That makes me almost always early for everything by at least 5 minutes. The only time I'm semi-alright with being a little late is when I'm going to some activity (like Enrichment) where I don't know anyone. Even then, it's really hard for me to do.
79. I've always wished I could figure skate. It just has always fascinated me. They just look so graceful out there on the ice. I'm not graceful...at all especially on skates. Ashton shows me up every time.
80. There are many things that I don't like about Utah, but on the top of my list is that I have to put on lotion after a shower and every time I wash my hands. That's one thing I miss about humidity.
81. I hate tangled cords. I always have to untangle them and tie them back. Dangling loose cords don't bother me as much, but I still have to fix them.
82. I actually don't mind cleaning when I can keep up with it. It's when I get behind that it gets troublesome and I put it off because I don't want to do it. I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense because it'll only get worse the longer I put it off, but that's how it works. Maybe I just hope that Ashton will do it for me.
83. Popcorn is my newly rediscovered snack. The greatest thing about it is that I don't have to share it with Ashton because after working for several years in a movie theater, he doesn't like popcorn anymore.
84. I love water balloon fights or any kind of water fight. There's nothing better on a hot summer day than running around soaking wet.
85. I hate bathroom scales and have resisted buying one until I needed it for a class. I tend to get a little obsessive about my weight when I have one readily accessible.
86. I feel bad for my kids, particularly the boys. Looking at my family and then Ashton's, yeah there's not much hope that my boys will have a lot of hair. I hope that they can live with that.
87. Duct tape is my best friend. When I was in Middle School, I made a lunch bag made out of duct tape. I used it for years.
88. I prefer to let my hair dry on its own rather than blow drying it. The only times I'll blow dry it is when I'm actually going to do something with it (that's usually on Sunday or if we're going some place where I feel like I should look nicer) and during the winter. It gets a little too cold to let it air dry. Why should I spend hours on it every day when its just going to get messed up anyways?
89. I'm my harshest critic. I beat myself up for hours after doing something that I think is stupid. I have to work hard to think positively and let things go.
90. I have recently had an obsession with Lisa Loeb. Her music is usually the first thing I play on my ipod. Not only is her music fun, catchy, and just very good, I can actually sing to it!
91. I always sing in the car, especially if I'm by myself. I don't care if I can't hit the notes, I will sing it anyways. Maybe that's why I should use the A/C rather than rolling down the windows...
92. I actually like decorating our apartment. It's nice to be able to decorate things how I want them...Ashton gets a little input. It's fun to make a place cute and homey.
93. I drink whole milk. I hate skim milk, which is what Ashton drinks now. I really teased him a lot when he first started buying it. I'd tell him that it was just water with a drop of milk and when I'd ask him what he wanted to drink at dinner, I'd correct him saying that his milk was really water. If I had to drink anything less than whole, 2% would probably be all I could do.
94. I'm starting to get into crafts. For years, I didn't think that I was creative enough and I probably wasn't growing up. I couldn't visualize how it'd look finished and I definitely did not know how to color coordinate things. Well, I've gotten better about visualizing some things, but I think that I've just gotten more experimental. I think I just know now how to fix stuff so if I don't like how it turned out, I can make it look better. That and I now know what colors look good with what.
95. Speaking of color coordinating, my lack of matching colors was primarily clothing. I always had to ask Amaryah or Jacob if this shirt went with that skirt or pair of pants. You know you're really bad when you have to depend on your brother to match your clothes. Sometimes I would come downstairs and Mom would look at me and either tell me that I wasn't matching or just say "Huh."
96. I'm thinking of starting a new hobby for Ashton so I'll know what to buy him for Christmas and his birthday. He is so unhelpful when it comes to gifts. My friend Tara suggested that I buy him friendship bracelets...or maybe I'll buy him a pink shirt and tell him he has to wear it at the next family gathering.
97. I've always wanted a pet monkey...like a little chimp. I just think that'd be the cutest pet ever.
98. I don't like winter sports unless I'm watching them on TV. The thought of purposefully freezing myself outside while skiing or snowshoeing sounds crazy. I don't mind building forts or throwing snowballs as long as I'm playing with kids. Somehow that makes it better.
99. I can't wait for kids so I can buy an apron I saw that says, "Who are these kids and why are they calling me Mom?" I could buy it now, but it'd be funnier if I actually have kids.
100. I always jiggle my foot. I do it when I'm nervous, happy, bored, singing, on the computer, in bed, just all the time. I have happy feet.
1. I was born and raised in Maine. Somehow I came away without a very noticeable accent. Some people think that it's weird that I don't have an accent. I just shrug.
2. I asked Ashton out on our first two dates and had to steal him away from an apartment full of girls. Yeah, they hated me for a while and him, too. They got over it though.
3. I play the oboe, piano, and the organ. I haven't played the oboe in years, but I had played it for 8 years. I think I still remember how to play it...
4. I have learned how to play the violin and guitar as well as attempting to make sounds on several instruments. I haven't really kept up with any of them, but I've tried them.
5. I have played soccer for as long as I can remember. I played in high school and intramurals at BYU. My favorite positions are midfield and forward.
6. I tore my ACL my freshman year of high school playing soccer and had to have surgery. I have pictures for anyone who is interested.
7. In Middle School I locked my knee by sitting down after the Pledge of Allegiance. I had to be rolled down the hallway in the teacher's chair as they hadn't gotten their wheelchair yet (it was coming the next day). It also happened to be the same day that Mom and Dad went to Mexico so Jacob had to come pick me up.
8. I love shoes, but hate wearing them. If I have to wear shoes, I'd much rather wear sandals than sneakers. Barefoot is the best though.
9. I love gardening. Weeding, planting flowers, shrubs, trees, the whole works. I used to spend several hours a day, almost every day, taking care of my grandparent's gardens.
10. I took a black and white photography class in High School where I learned about how cameras work, got to take pictures, develop the film, and make prints. If I had to re-do my college experience, I'd probably change my major to photography and do Spanish as a minor instead.
11. In High School, history used to be my favorite subject (other than my photography class).
12. I own a leatherman and I know how to use it.
13. I didn't own makeup...besides mascara...until last year. I only began wearing mascara my senior year of high school.
14. I own rock climbing shoes but have never been rock climbing.
15. I've been ice climbing once and besides being wicked cold, I had a good time.
16. I check people's blogs multiple times a day to see if they've written anything. So, if everyone could start writing multiple times a day, I'd really appreciate that.
17. My second toe is longer than my first on both feet.
18. I'd rather have pie than cake for my birthday, especially if it's pumpkin pie.
19. I love sports, except for baseball and football (although football has grown a little on me) and just being outdoors.
20. I'd rather play sports with guys than girls especially if I'm playing competitively.
21. I hate playing guys vs. girls. I think it's petty to continually try to prove guys or girls are better than the other. There's no reason to prove anything. We all know who's better.
22. When I'm trying to concentrate doing something, I stick out my tongue. I used to do it a lot playing the piano and now I do it for anything that takes a lot of effort and concentration. It sounds crazy, but it helps.
23. I think that people are funny to watch especially in social settings. I used to watch people in the WILK on the BYU campus all the time. It's amazing to me to see what people will do when they don't think that they're being watched.
24. I used to kill my own bugs until Ashton came along. Now, I can only kill my own bugs if I'm by myself. Yeah, I know. I'm pretty ashamed of myself, too.
25. My favorite color is blue. Although, if I had to pick a next favorite, it'd be green.
26. I used to wear a hunter's orange sweatshirt in high school and my freshman year of college. I still have that sweatshirt and wear it sometimes around the house.
27. I can almost never just watch a movie or TV show. I have to be doing something else while I watch even if it's something like playing a computer game. It makes me feel better and like I'm not wasting my time.
28. Whenever I get eggs out of the carton, I have to take them evenly from both sides so that the eggs left are in the middle. This is so they are balanced and less likely to fall when I'm carrying them. Ashton finds this funny and will sometimes purposely make them uneven so I have to fix it...and I have to fix it.
29. I don't like calling people. I used to hate it and refuse to pick up the phone and call people. I'm better about it now, but I'm always afraid that I'm going to interupt something that they're doing. I make Ashton do the majority of the calling.
30. Since we've moved into our recent apartment, I've felt more like a cook. I'll actually make stuff now instead of doing things out of a box. My most recent, favorite experiment has been with smoothies. I used to do them with ice cream, but I have since switched to yogurt to make them healthier. I'm working on perfecting my strawberry banana blend.
31. With both of us big readers, we have so many books that we need a new bookshelf. We don't even have my books, which take up one of those big plastic tubs, out here.
32. I check out the outside of other people's houses when I drive by out here. I like looking at a house and comment on whether I like the style or not and what I'd do differently to make it better. I'm just figuring out what I like so whenever we get a house...someday...I'll know what I like. Ok...so I've been watching a little too much HGTV recently.
33. I have good and bad days for heights. Some days, I can deal pretty well with heights. Other days, I can't even watch someone stand on a ladder. If I feel secure, I'm fine. It's probably the lack of security that does me in.
34. Ladders scare me. Generally speaking, I can get up on them. It's just when I'm up there doing something on them where I have to lean (like painting) or if I've used it to get onto a roof and then have to try to turn around and get down. I'm always afraid that I'm going to fall to my death.
35. I actually enjoy painting houses or rooms, but I dislike painting the ceiling. It's such a pain in the neck...literally.
36. I hate having my picture taken. They rarely come out good, which is why I like being the one with the camera.
37. Whenever I play the piano, I have to put music back where it was in the folders. What is weird about this is that the music isn't in any particular order. I just have to put it back where I found it. I blame this on the many years that I sneaked food and in order not to have any notice, I'd have to put the container or package back where I found it so no one would suspect.
38. I can't stand to have it too quiet. More often than not, the TV serves as a noise maker.
39. I only really like shopping for clothes when it's online. I don't like walking around and looking through tons of stores. If it's one or two stores and I know what I'm looking for, I don't mind it. It's just not something I do for fun. Don't have the money for it or the stamina.
40. I like to sing, "I'm just a little black rain cloud" from Winnie the Pooh. I do it occasionally. (Ashton wants it to be known that I do it all the time...I don't know what he's talking about...)
41. I like playing with power tools and I know more about sanders and sand paper than Ashton. I spent a lot of time last summer putting together most of our furniture.
42. My favorite animal is the penguin and I will forever be getting presents with that theme in mind. Good thing I like penguins a lot. Hooray for theme gifts!
43. I like putting picture frames together...or rather taking an empty picture frame and putting the matte, pictures, and any other decorative items together inside the frame.
44. I have an obsession with ice cream...strawberry ice cream to be more specific, but I'll eat almost any other kind. It's probably partly the reason why I gained so much weight. Twice a day helpings of ice cream probably isn't the best of ideas. Mmmmm ice cream...I think I'll go have some.
45. I eat ketchup on my french toast. I'll also eat french toast with syrup (instead of ketchup), but I prefer ketchup.
46. I still like coloring in coloring books.
47. I'm listening to Simon and Garfunkel right now.
48. I like to think. I spend most of my days just thinking about life and how I feel about it. Sometimes it gets me into trouble because I'll over think something, more often than not, something that Ashton did.
49. My Adaptation Theory class has changed the way that I watch movies now. I can no longer simply watch a movie, particularly when it's an adaptation from a book. Now, I have to analyze it and how it's taking things from the book and reshaping it to fit into the film.
50. I talk during movies. Yes, I am one of those. However, I'm less-inclined to talk if I'm in a movie theater and/or if it's a movie that I haven't seen before. If I've seen it quite a few times, yeah, I'll talk during the whole thing sometimes giving my analysis of it.
51. I've spent so many years trying to hype up my writing with academic words and phrases, that I have a hard time toning down my less than academic writing.
52. I actually like writing again! I loved writing when I was younger and would write all the time in my journal and everything. I thought that I was pretty good at it. Then in high school and the beginning of my college career, I had some teachers who hated my writing and didn't like anything that I wrote. (I did have one English teacher in high school that I really liked). After taking an advanced writing class last fall, I found out that I could actually write well and that most of my previous teachers were just making me write according to their unfounded pet peeves. I've since gained the theory that most English teachers just don't know how to teach people to write without teaching their style of writing, which is why I've only had 2 (maybe 3) writing/English teachers that I like and respect.
53. It's still funny to me to see people out here planting their grass with squares of sod and grass that comes in big stacks. It looks like they're laying carpet.
54. I like country music and listen to it while Ashton is not home.
55. I think that fireworks should be considered a sport like football is a sport. I mean, it has a pep rally (the parade on the 4th of July), social gatherings (barbecues, pre-fireworks gathering), a little bit of watching of action (sparklers, occasional firework going off in other places), half-time show (the fireworks), more talking (after the fireworks), and traffic rush. I mean, that sounds like a football game to me.
56. I like to crochet and knit. I'm better at crocheting than knitting just because I do it more.
57. I can never suck on hard candy. I always have to chew it just about as soon as it enters my mouth.
58. I like to pick things up with my toes. Actually, I like to do a lot of things with my toes. I grab things that are out of reach, turn off lights, I've even typed with my toes. Mind you, it was the hunt and peck method with just one toe, but I still did it and even spelled the words right.
59. I've never been pulled over by a cop for anything. I'm just that lucky.
60. I like rain mostly because I love jumping in puddles.
61. I prefer the summer to winter. I hate being cold and would just rather be hot.
62. I don't have a favorite book. I like a variety of books. I guess my favorite books are the ones that I could just read over and over.
63. I tend to keep a lot of stuff that I don't need. I keep stuff that I like, things that hold memories, but mostly just things that I think that I'm going to need or might need later. It's this last category that gets me in trouble the most. I've had so many experiences where I've gotten rid of things that I had kept for a while, and then needed it a short time later.
64. I have a sad addiction to Arby's. Something about the roast beef and melted cheese just gets me every time. It's ok...it's under control...maybe.
65. I apparently have found a new talent in making posters for Ward activities. I'm still not convinced.
66. I think that reality TV shows, particularly the ones where it's a bunch of people living together for a period of time, are stupid. If I wanted to see things like that, I'd go out and socialize with people.
67. I am deathly afraid of snakes. I can't watch them on TV or anything. I can't even listen to people talk about them sometimes. It just freaks me out.
68. I'm not a big fan of cities, well big cities anyways. I don't mind going into the city when I have to buy stuff, but I don't like living in the city. I'm much more of a country girl.
69. I chipped my two front teeth my freshman year of college (freshman years apparently aren't very good to me between the torn ACL and chipping my teeth). How I did it probably will be very amusing to all of you so here it goes. It was in October and still fairly warm out so a bunch of us decided that we wanted to play ultimate frisbee. We tried playing in the field behind our dorms, but it was too dark. So being the bright college students we were, we decided to play in a nearby parking lot. Well, I get very into games, especially when I'm playing with a bunch of guys. So, I was going for a pass that was high and instead of where watching where I was going, my eyes were on the frisbee. I think you can tell where this is headed. Yup. I ran smack into a car. Not even the side of the car, the windshield. I was wicked embarrassed. I spat out the parts of my teeth and covered my face with my hands, refusing to let anyone see. To make matters even better, the guy that owned the car happened to come while I was still lying on the ground. Yeah, it was great.
70. I lived in Spain for about 2 months while on a Study Abroad with BYU Spring Semester 2006. It was one of the best times I've ever had. We took classes during the week and traveled on the weekends. We got to go to Barcelona (we got there the night that Barca won the Champions League...it was crazy!), Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, as well as lots of other places. During this same trip, me and a few others girls went to Morocco for a day.
71. I've also spent a couple of weeks in Costa Rica in High School on an exchange program. Although I loved the culture and the climate, most of the people that went on the trip with me ruined the experience and I couldn't wait to go home.
72. Sticky notes save my life. I seriously wouldn't have gotten through college without sticky notes all over my desk. They have been pretty much replaced by a white board. Either way, I'm so much more likely to remember things if I actually write it down.
73. I also wouldn't have survived college without my planner. It housed my class schedule, all of my homework, Church activities, dates (yeah that didn't take up too much room), birthdays, and everything else. Now I use a calendar because I don't have so much stuff to put in there. Those squares aren't that big.
74. I own a lacrosse stick. It's even a girl's stick.
75. I don't like drinking apple juice by itself. I don't mind it if it's paired with other fruit. I think it just reminds me of being sick.
76.The same thing happens to me with chicken noodle soup. After years of mainly just eating it when I'm sick, it's hard to think of it without memories of throwing up.
77. I don't own any pink clothes. I used to have a few pink shirts, some of which were forced upon me, but I've since outgrown them and haven't bought any more. I'm definitely not a pink girl so I'm not too heartbroken about getting rid of those shirts.
78. I hate being late. I end up leaving earlier than I have to because I'm afraid I'll be late. That makes me almost always early for everything by at least 5 minutes. The only time I'm semi-alright with being a little late is when I'm going to some activity (like Enrichment) where I don't know anyone. Even then, it's really hard for me to do.
79. I've always wished I could figure skate. It just has always fascinated me. They just look so graceful out there on the ice. I'm not graceful...at all especially on skates. Ashton shows me up every time.
80. There are many things that I don't like about Utah, but on the top of my list is that I have to put on lotion after a shower and every time I wash my hands. That's one thing I miss about humidity.
81. I hate tangled cords. I always have to untangle them and tie them back. Dangling loose cords don't bother me as much, but I still have to fix them.
82. I actually don't mind cleaning when I can keep up with it. It's when I get behind that it gets troublesome and I put it off because I don't want to do it. I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense because it'll only get worse the longer I put it off, but that's how it works. Maybe I just hope that Ashton will do it for me.
83. Popcorn is my newly rediscovered snack. The greatest thing about it is that I don't have to share it with Ashton because after working for several years in a movie theater, he doesn't like popcorn anymore.
84. I love water balloon fights or any kind of water fight. There's nothing better on a hot summer day than running around soaking wet.
85. I hate bathroom scales and have resisted buying one until I needed it for a class. I tend to get a little obsessive about my weight when I have one readily accessible.
86. I feel bad for my kids, particularly the boys. Looking at my family and then Ashton's, yeah there's not much hope that my boys will have a lot of hair. I hope that they can live with that.
87. Duct tape is my best friend. When I was in Middle School, I made a lunch bag made out of duct tape. I used it for years.
88. I prefer to let my hair dry on its own rather than blow drying it. The only times I'll blow dry it is when I'm actually going to do something with it (that's usually on Sunday or if we're going some place where I feel like I should look nicer) and during the winter. It gets a little too cold to let it air dry. Why should I spend hours on it every day when its just going to get messed up anyways?
89. I'm my harshest critic. I beat myself up for hours after doing something that I think is stupid. I have to work hard to think positively and let things go.
90. I have recently had an obsession with Lisa Loeb. Her music is usually the first thing I play on my ipod. Not only is her music fun, catchy, and just very good, I can actually sing to it!
91. I always sing in the car, especially if I'm by myself. I don't care if I can't hit the notes, I will sing it anyways. Maybe that's why I should use the A/C rather than rolling down the windows...
92. I actually like decorating our apartment. It's nice to be able to decorate things how I want them...Ashton gets a little input. It's fun to make a place cute and homey.
93. I drink whole milk. I hate skim milk, which is what Ashton drinks now. I really teased him a lot when he first started buying it. I'd tell him that it was just water with a drop of milk and when I'd ask him what he wanted to drink at dinner, I'd correct him saying that his milk was really water. If I had to drink anything less than whole, 2% would probably be all I could do.
94. I'm starting to get into crafts. For years, I didn't think that I was creative enough and I probably wasn't growing up. I couldn't visualize how it'd look finished and I definitely did not know how to color coordinate things. Well, I've gotten better about visualizing some things, but I think that I've just gotten more experimental. I think I just know now how to fix stuff so if I don't like how it turned out, I can make it look better. That and I now know what colors look good with what.
95. Speaking of color coordinating, my lack of matching colors was primarily clothing. I always had to ask Amaryah or Jacob if this shirt went with that skirt or pair of pants. You know you're really bad when you have to depend on your brother to match your clothes. Sometimes I would come downstairs and Mom would look at me and either tell me that I wasn't matching or just say "Huh."
96. I'm thinking of starting a new hobby for Ashton so I'll know what to buy him for Christmas and his birthday. He is so unhelpful when it comes to gifts. My friend Tara suggested that I buy him friendship bracelets...or maybe I'll buy him a pink shirt and tell him he has to wear it at the next family gathering.
97. I've always wanted a pet monkey...like a little chimp. I just think that'd be the cutest pet ever.
98. I don't like winter sports unless I'm watching them on TV. The thought of purposefully freezing myself outside while skiing or snowshoeing sounds crazy. I don't mind building forts or throwing snowballs as long as I'm playing with kids. Somehow that makes it better.
99. I can't wait for kids so I can buy an apron I saw that says, "Who are these kids and why are they calling me Mom?" I could buy it now, but it'd be funnier if I actually have kids.
100. I always jiggle my foot. I do it when I'm nervous, happy, bored, singing, on the computer, in bed, just all the time. I have happy feet.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Craft Fun
The other day, I went to Enrichment. It hardly happens. I think that was the third time in all the years I've been going to Relief Society that I've gone to Enrichment. Yeah, I'm not very good about it. Anyways, I went because I liked the activity we were going to do and I had to pay for it, so I kinda had to go. We learned how to make the plaques with sayings on them. They had different ones we could do that we had to choose before hand. I did 3 small ones that say "Live Laugh Love" each word being on a different board. I was talking to Mandy about it and she said that I should post how to do it, so here it goes.
Really you could use any board. The ones I have are just three 2x4s. I'm sure you can probably buy blank plaques at a craft store. I'm planning on checking them out because now I'm obsessed. I'll let you know if I find a store that carries them. Anyways, now comes the fun part: painting the board. You can probably use any paint that you want, but we used the craft paint that comes in the small bottles. Less of a mess. It takes about 15-20 minutes to dry, but if you're doing a second coat you can probably just wait 10 minutes. (Helpful suggestion: If you mix paints to get the right shade, make sure you mix enough...it's hard to get the same shade again.)
If you want, after the paint dries, you can take sand paper and lightly sand the edges it make it look more worn. I decided against it, but it's an option.
So now, you get to put on the lettering. We used vinyl, which I'm not sure how they did except I guess vinyl cutters exist that are hooked up to the computer to be able to choose font size, color, and everything. It was basically like a sticker in between a laminate paper, so we just peeled off the backing and stuck it to the board. Then we rubbed the lettering to make sure it stuck than peeled off the paper leaving the vinyl. Sorry I'm not more help with this step. For those of you with a Kinko's nearby, they might be able to do it. By the way, you can do two layers of vinyl. Like if you wanted your family name and then "Established in ...." under that. I think it's just a matter of deciding what you want on top of what.
Anyways, after putting on the lettering, putting on a glossy coat of spray paint helps everything look less homemade. It also helps things to stay put. It's probably the easiest step because you just spray and leave it to dry. I'd recommend two coats for an extra gloss. It only takes about 5-10 minutes to dry. Might take longer if you're in humidity.
And there you have it! A takes a little bit of time, but definitely cute and fun. (If you don't want to do it yourself, I'm thinking of making this a hobby so I just might do it for you.) To show you what mine looked like after I was done, here's a picture (by the way, the boards are all separate...this is just how I stacked them):
Really you could use any board. The ones I have are just three 2x4s. I'm sure you can probably buy blank plaques at a craft store. I'm planning on checking them out because now I'm obsessed. I'll let you know if I find a store that carries them. Anyways, now comes the fun part: painting the board. You can probably use any paint that you want, but we used the craft paint that comes in the small bottles. Less of a mess. It takes about 15-20 minutes to dry, but if you're doing a second coat you can probably just wait 10 minutes. (Helpful suggestion: If you mix paints to get the right shade, make sure you mix enough...it's hard to get the same shade again.)
If you want, after the paint dries, you can take sand paper and lightly sand the edges it make it look more worn. I decided against it, but it's an option.
So now, you get to put on the lettering. We used vinyl, which I'm not sure how they did except I guess vinyl cutters exist that are hooked up to the computer to be able to choose font size, color, and everything. It was basically like a sticker in between a laminate paper, so we just peeled off the backing and stuck it to the board. Then we rubbed the lettering to make sure it stuck than peeled off the paper leaving the vinyl. Sorry I'm not more help with this step. For those of you with a Kinko's nearby, they might be able to do it. By the way, you can do two layers of vinyl. Like if you wanted your family name and then "Established in ...." under that. I think it's just a matter of deciding what you want on top of what.
Anyways, after putting on the lettering, putting on a glossy coat of spray paint helps everything look less homemade. It also helps things to stay put. It's probably the easiest step because you just spray and leave it to dry. I'd recommend two coats for an extra gloss. It only takes about 5-10 minutes to dry. Might take longer if you're in humidity.
And there you have it! A takes a little bit of time, but definitely cute and fun. (If you don't want to do it yourself, I'm thinking of making this a hobby so I just might do it for you.) To show you what mine looked like after I was done, here's a picture (by the way, the boards are all separate...this is just how I stacked them):
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Good News!
After about a month of being jobless, Ashton has finally got a job! He had a couple of companies interested in him about the same time, but he choose to go with a company in Maryland. No, sorry that doesn't mean we'll be moving back East. The company is actually building an office in Salt Lake City; so he'll be telecommuting until that gets built. The company is called The Summit Consulting Group. We're not sure what exactly he'll be doing. We're just happy that he got the job especially since he starts tomorrow. Guess I'll have to clean out that second bedroom faster than I thought.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Good Movie
So, last Saturday we did something that we haven't done in a long time. We went and watched a movie. It wasn't even at the dollar theater; we actually went to a real theater and watched a movie. It was a lot of fun. It was nice to get out of the house and everything, but what made it really great was that it was a good movie. Getting out of the house, I've discovered, is really only worth it if you're going to be doing something that you enjoy. Otherwise, it's still good, but doesn't really feel worthwhile.
The movie we saw was Wall-e. I felt a little weird going to see a kid's movie without any kids, but it was still fun. It's entertaining to listen to the different comments that kids make during a show. "He's lost!" "Uh-oh!" "What's he doing Mommy?" But the greatest thing is hearing them laugh. There's nothing better than kids laughing.
The movie itself was great. It's clean, fairly original in its plot line, funny, and very well-done. Of course, with the recent animated movies, it's nearly impossible to miss some of the political/economic/environmental threads. This one just wasn't overt. It got its point across subtly while still making a fun movie that's great for everyone. I enjoyed every moment of it.
The movie we saw was Wall-e. I felt a little weird going to see a kid's movie without any kids, but it was still fun. It's entertaining to listen to the different comments that kids make during a show. "He's lost!" "Uh-oh!" "What's he doing Mommy?" But the greatest thing is hearing them laugh. There's nothing better than kids laughing.
The movie itself was great. It's clean, fairly original in its plot line, funny, and very well-done. Of course, with the recent animated movies, it's nearly impossible to miss some of the political/economic/environmental threads. This one just wasn't overt. It got its point across subtly while still making a fun movie that's great for everyone. I enjoyed every moment of it.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Pictures from the 4th of July weekend
I hope that everyone has had a great 4th of July and everything! Since I've had more free time, I've been willing to indulge more time to my hobbies. More specifically, I've been carrying around my camera more and thought that I'd share some of my favorite pictures from the 4th. Hope you guys enjoy!
Grandpa and Katelyn on the swing
Ashton and Katelyn on the swing. Katelyn really liked the swing and kept wanting to swing more.
She also enjoyed picking flowers and giving them to Ashton.
(Sorry Grandma Gail!)
(Sorry Grandma Gail!)
There's a public trail behind the garden and this is one of the views from it.
"I'm gonna getcha!" "No way!"
A little bit later, "Go away! Poor Ashton."
A little bit later, "Go away! Poor Ashton."
Katelyn won!
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