A Miracle!!

Oh my goodness. You will never believe it.... A serious miracle has transpired!! I never thought this day would come to pass. I walked in this morning, and I almost passed out. The Sisters came into town last night and crashed on my couch. We arrived at the apt after 11:00 pm and dear sweet Roommate Becca was once again "organizing" her piles of.... stuff.... and watching her latest Netflix. The mess was at its worst, I was boiling mad! I grabbed my bedding and busted out of there. She knew I was ticked! The Sisters and I chowed down on Cafe Rio while we watched "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", and heard remnants of Roommate Becca moving stuff around upstairs. Sometime after 1:00 am I trudged upstairs cause the floor wasn't working out for me. Roommate Becca was still awake... I was not in the mood, so I headed to Roommate Tricia's room. (She moved out last week, cause she has found her one true love and is workin' on her weddin' plans) I'm thinking it might become my permanent sleeping area for the next two months. Anyway, so here are some pictures of the evidence.

The BEST part!?!?! We have a floor!!!!!!!!! Happy Day :) Her desk is still a work in progress, but the progress has begun! (p.s. Seeing the pictures, I realize we need to vacuum...)

Love them, cannot live without them...

HEWARDS!! (this is me yelling)

My dear sweet friends, well, mostly Tena (I'll exclude her husband, he actually was jury summoned back in March and is coming up next Monday to appear in the court as a juror. Therefore, he knows my suffering.), encouraged me to register to vote. (I WAS registered in Washington County (I'm not that bad of a citizen), but I'm now located in Utah County and need to register again). Anyway, look what it got me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A jury summons. Just as Alan was, I'm on call for four months awaiting whatever it is to happen before I get the official summoning.

The Daddy Bench

Here is the bench. It has been designated, unspokenly so, as the official daddy bench. As families make the trek to the mall to attend to every whimsical desire by window shopping, occasionally making a purchase to satisfy the urge, one my stop and ask, "Where did dad go?" Just look outside the store, and there you will find him, chillin' on his bench. There are multiple daddy benches through out the mall. More than likely, they will always be occupied by a daddy. Some read books, others get stuck with the kids and wrestles around with them causing more co motion than necessary. Some chuck pennies to entertain themselves by watching little kids chase after them (you know who you are!), and others use the bench as a bed and take a nap. (I wanted to take more pictures to show the different dads, but I felt brave enough to have taken this one....)

Live every second like it was my last one...

No matter what you say about love, I keep coming back for more

Keep my hand in the fire, sooner or later, I'll get what I'm asking for

No matter what you say about life, I learn every time I bleed

That truth is a stranger, soul is in danger, I gotta let my spirit be free

To admit that I'm wrong, and then change my mind

Sorry but I have to move on, and leave you behind

[Chorus]

I can't waste time so give it a moment, I realize, nothing's broken

No need to worry about everything I've done

Live every second like it was my last one

Don't look back at a new direction, I loved you once, needed protection

You're still apart of everything I do

You're on my heart just like a tattoo

(Just like a tattoo, I'll always have you, I'll always have you, I'll always have you)

I'm sick of playing all of these games

It's not about taking sides, when I looked in the mirror, didn't deliver

It hurt enough to think that I could, stop, admit that I'm wrong

And then change my mind

Sorry but I gotta be strong

And leave you behind

[Chorus]

If I live every moment, won't change any moment

Still a part of me and you, I will never regret you

Still the memory of you, marks everything I do

Just like a tattoo, I'll always have you...

Fun on the Trampoline

Rain?!?!

Earlier in the week Greers had put together their trampoline. Aryn and Bekah wanted to have a sleepover party on the tramp, and invited me to join them! We began the evening doing tricks on the trampoline, and ended the night sleeping peacefully bundled up together in the middle of the tramploline. Little did we know there was more in store for us! We were awakened rather rudely at 2:30 am to the crack of thunder, the flashing of lightning, and the drip drop of rain! Hopefully we can get a second chance later in the summer!

Sunday Afternoon with the Cousins

Aryn got a new hair cut!! It is super cute, I LOVE it!! Big sis Courtney tried a few hairstyles for the new do. Good practice for the dream career of a Hairstylist!

Pretty Girl!!

Sisterly Love

(holy huge shoulder)

The Bedroom

Warning! This post isn't for small children, or for the weak at heart. The follow images may bring on nightmares, and possible retina damage. You have been forewarned...

You are about to enter, The Bedroom. The room void of all comfort and tranquility. A room where you can go, and lose all sanity. After spending fifteen minutes in this room, you will begin to have a shortness of breath, you will feel weak in the knees, and may even have the urge to run and hide in the bathroom. This first picture is what you seen as you enter through the doorway. The first piece of furniture you see, is Roommate Becca's desk. Great first impression, right...? Just you wait, there's more. I am going to take you on the grand tour of The Bedroom. Please remember, you have been warned.

As you enter in The Bedroom, and you look to the right you fill see our beds.

As your eyes sweep to the left, they will rest upon Roommate Becca's humongo desk. Next to the overflowing trash, you will find our dresser which is usually barricaded by dirty clothes.
Continuing over to the left, you find our closets and my desk. Oh, you can't see it? If you kind of squint your eyes and turn your head a little to the right, you should see it there in the corner behind some luggage... Did you find it? Well, don't you worry, I'll give you a closer look later on.

Here in the corner you will find a nice little nook. The shelving unit is actually the Roommates. It comes in quite handy. There on the wall is my little project that I am quite proud of. :) As missimaries we would decorate our apartments with cut-outs from the Church Mags. I found it to be a fun skill, thanks to Sister Chanda Rose for teaching me! Ok, so that's the room.

I also wanted to point out the lovely floor decor. As you can see, in between the piles of movie stubs dating back 3 years, and the cute hand-outs from Mary Kay, you can see our walking path, or rather, its more of a hop skip and a jump sort of path.

The sisters came for a visit a month or so ago, and were stumped at how I get up onto my bed. As you can see, it's been put up on cinder blocks to provide extra storage space. No, I don't jump. (which by the way, is how Maly got up on it...) I use the cinder block as a stool.

Here's my closet. I love it! It's the best quality of the room. Tons of shelves for my dear books. (Empty hangers, hmmm... I need to do some laundry... maybe at the Greers...) :)

I wanted to do a little comparison of the desks. Here is mine, and as you can see its just ample enough for a laptop. But! If I was to add a textbook to study from, it gets a little tricky. I've gained some sweet balance skills.

Here's the Roommate's.

And finally, my sweet wall collage. Thank you joining us today on the tour of The Bedroom. I hope you didn't become too nauseous as you came along for the ride. Sorry for wasting these last 3 minutes of your life... you will never get them back! Bwa ha ha!!!!!!!

New Fave- LOVE it!!

"Featured on more than 100 bestselling albums, Jenny Jordan Frogley is the most recorded voice in inspirational music. After launching a successful solo career in 2005 with the release of her self-titled debut, Jenny Jordan Frogley is back! Beautiful Life showcases Jenny's positive outlook on life and has an upbeat rock/pop sound everyone wil love. So embrace the day and enjoy your Beautiful Life.

Come buy it at Deseret Book. You will recieve two extra CD's for FREE!! Yes, that is correct, FREE!! AND, 2 discount tickets to Lagoon. You will save $12 per ticket. Sweet deal, right? Do it! You know you want to.... again I would suggest coming Monday, Tuesay, Thursday, or Friday, any time from 10-3. Or even on Saturday, say from 3-9 pm. Just a suggestion...

Pooh?

For real? The best they could come up with is the name Pooh? Why....

People Watching

Sitting at the kiosk, I have a front row seat in the avenue of life. People watching has become my new past time. I have already commented on a few things. (kid leash, parental units, child punishments) The story I have to share is a good one, its funny. Well, I think so. A mom and her son, who I would guess is around 3 years old, walk up to the kiosk. Unbeknownest (made up word) to the untrained eye, the lovely kiosk builders, made the counter of the kiosk at kid eye level. Every single child in the mall is drawn to the cart, they see something shiny and bright, and of course want to touch it, right? So mom is checkin' out some necklaces, and the little boy starts reaching for the shiny objects in front of him.
"These aren't for little boys to touch. Only mommy's touch."
He continues to pick up earrings.
"I said, these aren't for touching. Only mommy."
"But I'm pretending to be a mommy!"
Ha! Smart kid :)

Yesterday there was a lady chillin' on one of the benches in between the kiosks. She had just purchased a sweet chocolate cream cake slice from The Lion House. If you haven't tried it, you are so missing out! I wish I could find a picture of it, but I can't. It's a three layer chocolate cake with whipped topping layers in between and a thick fudge frosting. So good! Oblivious to the world around her, this lady proceeded to eat her cake. As she took each bite, she would seriously make out with her fork! Making sure she didn't miss one morsel or potential crumb! Again, not a pretty sight. Lesson learned? Be aware of your surroundings.

Lastly, its another complaint to parents world wide. I understand the purpose behind it, like the leash, but really, is it necessary?? Squeaker shoes. Some smart person realized the burden that is placed upon parents to keep their kids rounded up. The little ones seem to mysteriously and silently go missing. Often. Why not put a little squeaker in the heel of their shoes.... Potentially brilliant, but to the rest of the outside world, ANNOYING!

The Second Job, part 2

Here is the little kiosk. To the left is the Disney Store, and to the right is Deseret Book. (Farther down in this post you will see the Lion House Pantry sign) I know this isn't that exciting, and some of you are probably say, who cares? But, this is the life that is mine...

Check out the sweet jewelry. You know you want to come, say on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or maybe a Friday night, and pick out some sweet jewelry... just a thought....

Ok, so there is a story behind this lovely tarp thingy... It is a very particular piece of equipment. There is only ONE way to put it on. Believe me, I know. The first night I worked, I was trained by the manager, China Jenny (she's super nice by the way!) We finished all the closing procedures in like five minutes. Naturally, I figured, with only one person it should only take say, ten minutes to close. Mall rules, we can't really begin to close before 8:55, but Jenny and Shawn want us clocked out by 9:00. Anyway, here I am the next night, closing up shop by myself. I'm stoked cause at Deseret Book, we are stuck there closing up till 9:45- 10:00. Tangerine job, I'm out at 9:00! I had everything under control, and by 9:00 I had half of the tarp up. There are four corners to the cart, obviously, there would be four corners to the tarp. I hang it up on all corners, (p.s. see that dinky chair? I have to climb up on that to reach the metal hooks that the tarp hangs on. I know it's not a pretty sight for all passer-byers. Sorry!) and I get to the end where it has a zipper. All I do is zip it shut and put the lock on. Fifty-Five minutes later.... yes, that number is correct, 55. It was awful. I learned every single possible wrong way to hang that stupid tarp. You could consider me the kiosk tarp expert. Everyone at Deseret Book left before I did. I felt so lame. The Mall manager kept coming by to check on me... "Don't worry dude," I thought to myself, "I got it. Don't worry about not offering to help me....". For real, he never did. Just asked how I was doing, and would comment when it looked like I had made progress... Geez

The new phrase of life this week: You Live and you Learn. So be it.

The Job

I've had a few of you bug me about posting pictures of my work, cause you are too lame to come see it for yourself. So, here ya go! When I made it into a collage, it mixed up the order of the pictures. You'll have to mix and match the correct tag with each picture! Have fun!

* View from the book shelves
* Front view. Check out the yummy pies
* Behind the counter (didn't know you were going to get the backstage tour, huh??)
* Inside the kitchen where masterpieces are created (check on my ipod on the counter, oops...)
* Me! (mom hates picturs without people in them. this one's for you mom!)
* Delicious cookies (see the bottom ginger cookies, I kinda goofed up on them...)
* Back storage space behind the walk in fridge and freezer (this is where i hide to text, don't tell!! I sit on the little ladder)
* Me, again (I'm demonstarating how I sit on the ladder)
* To the left of Sariah you will see the walk in fridge. Oven to the right.
* Sariah out front (again, a people pic for the mom)
* Cowboy Jed helping out with the trash. He's a good kid (and single, ladies! but he's preparing for a mish)
* More delicious desserts!

Movie Stars

I'm missing a few pictures of the other movie stars we met, but here's a good group

Hello my little friend!

Bekah, watch out! Don't run into the wa-all, er, I mean the dinosaur :)

Oh, sweet Wall-E

Check out Courtney's neck...

Fun and Fancy Free

Recent developments in the life that is mine has provided me with the opportunity to reevaluate my life's goals and my focus in life. Earlier this week I was able to hang with the cousins and have a carefree day. Here are some pic's from the day. Thanks for helping me smile!! :)

Auntie Burlene and Cousin Beckah roasting their toesies

Awaiting our turn. Micah was too pre-occupied texting the Human Boy

Can you tell who is who....? There appears to be some Duncan and Jones influence. Aren't they pretty?? Pedicures always take the "ugly" away, and make you feel, oh so much better!

Uh oh...

"Didn't you notice the two BIG signs on each side of the highway??Once you go under the over pass, the speed limit changes to 55. You were crusing along at 70."

"Um, actually, no. I was on my cell phone."

"Ok, I need to see your license and registration please."

"Alright ma'am. Just start paying attention to the road signs. Especially when there are TWO. Have a good night."

"Oh! Thank you sir!"

Thank goodness...

My Curls are Gone!*

* You will probably never see my hair quite like this again . . . You know how those hair dressers have a magic touch.

So, I wanted a change, something new. Erica at Remidez was kind enough to give me a new do, and I LOVE it!!!

Disney: Where Dreams Come True

So, this has been rolling around in my head for a long while, and has moved to the front of the list this past week. Across the hall from Deseret Book, is located The Disney Store. In the middle of the hall between Deseret Book and The Disney Store, is the Tangerine Jewelry kiosk. Where do I work? Deseret Book and Tangerine. What do I have the privilege of listening to day in and day out?? Screaming children. On the days I work at the kiosk, I get to watch first hand how the kicking and screaming begins. When I work in Deseret Book, I am able to see the irritated and fuming faces of the parents as they drag the screaming child through the length of the store. I have had many thought processes stem from this continuous occurrence.

First, why set your child up for disappointment? I watch these parents bring their children in all sorts of restraints being forced and cohered into seemingly endless amounts of hours patiently awaiting the promise of a treat, or perhaps a trip to the Disney Store. All through Deseret Book we are "blessed" to listen to the screaming previous to entering The Disney Store, and the screaming following a trip to the Disney Store. They usually end up at The Pantry in search of the magical cookie to ease the child's displeasure.

OK, so speaking of restraints, what do you think of the kid leases? I just don't know how I feel about them... I probably see two of these a day. One time I saw a dad pulling along his little daughter. As they were passing the Disney Store, Dad saw someone he knew and they stopped to chat. Naturally, the daughter walked up to the TV sets that are playing clips of Disney movies. The Dad's conversation ended and he proceeded to walk away, I guess, assuming the child was going to follow. As you may guess, she didn't, and ended up sprawled out on the floor and was drug a foot or so before Dad realized she wasn't coming. He pulled up the lease, expecting her to jump right up on her feet. Dad showed no remorse. Yes I know, I don't have any kids, so I don't have any true opinion, but still....

Another thought process I had, was of the true magic that seems to emanate from Disney. As I sit at my little kiosk, I am able to participate in the game of People Watching. I have found it very intriguing to see each persons' reaction as they pass the store. It doesn't matter how old the individual is, grandma to teenage boy, they always pause. It's the smallest pause, but it still happens. Your heart starts to swell, and when the magic starts, all sorts of feelings come rushing back at you. The Disney Classics have taught many life lessons, and have touched us in ways that have changed us. We learn to wait for our Prince to come rescue us, we learn that Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind. We learn that good always triumphs evil, whether that evil is a giant sized octopus, or a raunchy step mother. Nowadays, frankly, the cartoons suck. We've lost the dreamy magic of Mickey and Minnie, and have found ourselves surrounded by people with triangle shaped heads called Phineas. Hopefully that Disney Vault will continue opening up so our future generations will be able to see the true nature of Disney and that the magic can continue! Thanks for listening to be blab!

Scrum-dili-ocious!

One Year Ago

June 2, 2008 marked another milestone. I've been thinking about it this past week, realizing the greatness that comes from the Gospel. I've seen it within my own life, and within those I was able to meet and teach in the great state of Oregon. During the last six months of serving in Oregon, I was in Santa Clara (no, not in Southern Utah :)). It's a suburb of Eugene. There we had the blessed opportunity to meet Milo and Kym Wiltbank. They were a part member family, whose Home Teachers referred them to us. We began teaching them, and had some of the most spiritual and heart warming experiences. It wasn't until June 2007, after I had returned home, that they were baptized. Because of some very dear friends of mine, I was able to return and witness it. Milo was able to baptized Kym, and their son Austin. In the coming year, their daughter Hailey will be turning 8, and I hope to once again return and visit. It was so fun to stay a few days and see other dear people who have touched my life in more ways than one. A part of my heart will always lie in Santa Clara, OR. I am happy to hear that they are continuing forward with the goal of attending the Temple and receiving their patriarchal blessings in the coming months. I love you Wiltbank family!!