B.B.B. Day (Book Buy Back Day)

Today was the start of Book Buy Back at school. I do not remember how much money I spent on books at the beginning of the semester, but today I took 2 of the 4 books back to get money! And I got...

whole dollars.
I can't even fill up my tank with $35. Oh well...half a tank maybe!

Monster Tree

A few weeks ago (before "The B") I was walking to Sci 1101 and of course trying to save time took a shortcut through some building and a parking lot. It was a particularly nice day and I was noticing how all the trees were very green, so full of leaves and so much of nature was talking there little heads off. Then I looked up and saw this tree:

...it was completely out of place with not one single leaf. And it almost looks like a monster standing over something trying to be scary with it's arms outstretched. Creepy, in a really cool way. Well, I didn't have my camera at the time, but it was such a great moment, I went back a few days late and took the picture to share with all of you that read my blog.

Fed Ex Commerical

I was going through all the crap in my hotmail inbox and ran across and email from Anne with this video. I guess I didn't watch it at the time, because I would certainly have remembered. It's just so funny I had to (re)share.

Final Grade: Science

It's been an exhausting and simply dreadful semester. Alas, the end is finally in sight!

I have been fussing over my grade in science, trying to decide if I was going to take the final (it's optional). I figured I would be satisfied with a "C" (and contemplate taking the final), but was praying for better (and then for sure not take the final).

Well, grades are posted and...lucky me, I have a "B" ~ I am so excited.

...happy dance...happy dance...happy dance...

Pay It Forward

I'm participating in a Pay It Forward Exchange that I copied from my friend Kristen's blog.

Want to play?

I will send a small handmade gift to the first three people who leave a comment on my blog. You will receive your gift within a month from leaving your comment, hopefully! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog (or to 3 people in your life, if you're not a blogger). I hope you comment so you can enjoy the fun too!! To join, just cut and paste this on your blog and comment away. Keep in mind that if you want to get something from me, you have to give.

i am SO EXCITED

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

this was on television LAST NIGHT!

Slumber Party with Abbi

Last weekend Abbi came over to my house for a slumber party. We had a great time (even with a few minor uh oh's). I have posted photos here for your viewing pleasure.

And even though that site is photos only, I posted a little commentary.
Check 'em out

baby steps in the kitchen

Tonight I made tuna salad for my tuna sandwich lunch tomorrow. I think it turned out okay. Baby steps...baby steps.

Stephenie Meyer | Twilight Series

Many moons ago one of my BFF's (Charisse) got me hooked on Stephenie Meyer's series Twilight.


She is an amazing author and these books are incredible! Seriously...I have read and reread them so many times it is crazy! But if you have read them, you understand. Anyway...there is an update now about the movie...I am so excited, check it out!

AND the final book, Breaking Dawn, is coming out Aug 2...yeah!!! I am so excited I think I am going to reread the previous 3 books before it comes out.

Confessions of a tired girl...

Today I tried to make ham fried rice. I don't eat fried rice at any Chinese restaurant, so don't ask me why I felt the urge. I have not been sleeping well lately (despite my wonderful new mattress - blame it on the fact that I sleep alone) so I think that has a lot to do with Sunday starting to be more of a dread than my usual comfort day.

Anyway, back to the ham fried rice...about the time I realized I did not have any soy sauce was when I realized this was no fun. I had made a huge mess in my really tiny kitchen, dirtied the same number of dishes it would take to fix Thanksgiving dinner and the ham fried rice was gross. As I sat down to eat my mistake I realized...I do not like to cook as much as I thought I did. I like to bake, sure...but even that is iffy. I mean, I like to creative beautiful masterpieces with the cakes I have baked, but I don't even really like the process of actually baking unless it is something that gets created in the process, like cheese cake.

Maybe it has more to do with the dishes. Take today for instance; I had a kitchen full of dishes and no fruits for my labor. So not only had I wasted (yes, wasted...I threw the ham wanna-be friend rice away) all the ingredients, had a less than tasty meal and THEN I still had to do the dishes.

No, maybe it's the kitchen space. Or lack thereof! I have the smallest kitchen known to man. Ok, I take it back. When I lived in that studio in Sandy, Utah...that was the smallest kitchen known to man...literally...even the stove and fridge were pint sized. So let's take this into perspective...given this is 10 years later, I have the smallest kitchen known to a 33 year old (wo)man. The counter space is less than adequate and the lack of ability to stand in front of the sink while loading the dishwasher is more than irritating. If you are preparing anything you must utilize the space on the stove as well. ugh. You know, my friend Monika, who lives outside of NYC probably even has more counter space than I do.

So, I have simply come to the conclusion that until I graduate from school, have a better job and have moved into a home with a kitchen the size of my liking...I do not like cooking.


Carrying on with the tradition I borrowed from Charisse:

# of times I worked out last week: 2 (1 hour spin class)
# of times I ate after 8pm: 2 (not counting the weekend)

Photo Blog

If you click here...you will find I have posted some photos for your viewing pleasure.
If you want to see them in chronological order, start at the bottom of each post.
If you want commentary, read someone else's blog.
If you want MY commentary, check back after graduation.
Graduation ETA: Dec 2009.

Never Gonna...

...or not yet

See the fine print at the bottom of the article about Snoop Dogg becoming a Mormon.

Pretty clever April Fool's joke. Is that how Kenney Rogers, John F. Kennedy, Paris Hilton and Martha Stewart all became members of the church too?!?

Snoop Dogg Becomes A Mormon!

Recently returned missionary Sister Megan reminds us: "Remember the sons of Mosiah were among the very vilest of sinners beforetheir conversion."

Click HERE for the full details.

You Get What You Pay For

This past Sunday when I was home long enough to notice, I realized that my fridge was going into hibernation every hour or so. The power would be at about 10% and neither my microwave nor oven would work at the same time this was happening. I was thinking...this can't be good for my food and since I had not noticed the melting of frozen goods before then I figured something very bad was about to happen. Bad, very bad.

The following day (Monday) I called the office at the apartment complex where I reside and reported the trouble. I let her know "All of my food is spoiling and I can't use my oven or microwave...please fix this ASAP!".

Last night (Wednesday...that is day THREE!): My new goal of not eating after 8pm sometimes puts me in a pinch about when to have dinner. If I do not brown bag it and eat at school then I have to buy something (Dave Ramsey would not approve). So last night I skipped spin class to run home and eat. I get home to find that my stove is not working and my microwave, well it has a low weak micro with no wave but producing the glow of a soft nightlight. I check my freezer...not good. My ice cream is mush, my meat...quickly thawing and everything is a watery mess.

Lucky Ms. Shelly answered the phone at the office and promptly provided excuse after excuse about why it was not fixed "Rain, blah, blah, blah, rain". I reviewed the problems I was having and add to it that I think my A/C is on the fritz and let her know that IT MUST BE FIXED TOMORROW or else! (because i had an 'or else' sitting in my pocket)

So last night I come home to an apartment that is approximately 78degrees confirming that the air conditioner is indeed NOT WORKING! I open the windows because I can't wait to die in my sleep of allergies, or worse yet, be attacked by someone climbing in my window. I know, I know...I live on the 2nd floor, but it's possible!

Because it is after 8pm I guzzle down some water and get started with whatever it is I have to do before I go to bed. I check on the fridge a few times only to notice that the hibernating is occurring more regularly now and the thought of making my lunch for the following day quickly passes out of my mind. I finally get to bed and toss and turn from all the noise my fridge is making as it cycles on and off...on and off...on and off...on and off...! And not to mention all the noise from outside with the windows wide open and my sleep deprived imagination getting the best of me.

This morning I wake up and jump in the shower to luke warm no better yet johnny cool water. Why do I not have hot water? OH FOR THE LOVE...the hot water heater is on the same breaker that has gone bad and after I ran my dishwasher last night, I assume that there was no available power to heat the water for my shower. 3 minute shower and now to blow dry my hair.

Now, you see...yesterday morning my hair dryer would not work. It was cheap and I have a lot of hair, so it got a lot of use, even though it was not yet a year old. So I threw my hair in a knot and stuck in a few bobby pins and went to work. Last night I went to Wal*Mart and bought a better, more expensive hair dryer that would hopefully last longer. This morning, when I turned my new hair dryer on it was only blowing cool air. It was a lot of cool air, but it was darn right cold and not drying my hair one bit. I was so irritated, I thought for sure I had bought a "cool dyer" as if there was such a thing! But no, I checked the box and it was just a regular ol' hair dryer. And it even said something about a heat ring or whatever...so I knew the air was supposed to be hot. Then it dawned on me...maybe it is the outlet. I take my new hair dryer (which b.t.w. is silver) into my bedroom and plug it into the outlet there...WALLAH! Hot air! So I dry my hair in my bedroom (which I hate to do because I get hair everywhere) and finish getting ready.

Breakfast...finally, FOOD! So I venture to my fridge to get a frozen waffle (mmm...chocolate chip) out of the freezer. Luke warm! Not good. I squeeze the pound of hamburger - completely defrosted. Frozen strawberries...not frozen. Everything is mush and even warm mush. Even my milk is already sour and the butter...spread real nice on my bagel...because it was already melted! And it's not like I can turn on the stove and cook up all that meat to save it from spoiling...BECAUSE MY STOVE ISN'T WORKING!

At this point I am beside myself...literally on the verge of tears. I gather my things and head out, stopping by the office to DROP OFF MY RENT! and talk to the manager.

Once there I was told the manager was busy - oh, no she is not! Manager Melissa and I had a nice little chat where I reviewed all the problems AGAIN and asked where the money would come for replacing the contents of my refrigerator, paying for all the eating out I had to do and my therapy!? She printed her report and asked what was in the fridge...ha! I am late for work, have had the worst morning in a long time because of this ancient apartment that is so poorly maintained and you want me to list the contents of my refrigerator. It's all still up there...feel free to write it all down on your visit to my apartment!

So here I sit at work, my head spinning & unsure of what I will find when I return home. Doubtful that it will be a place I find peace...and I am sure it will stink.

Confirming, you indeed get what you pay for. And I am getting approximately $580 a month worth of poor management and maintenance.

# of times I have eating after 8pm this week: ZERO
# of times I have exercised this week: TWO
# of times I have thought of moving again: 7,951

invasion of the treadmill

Last year I moved into the apartment in which I now live. Because it is on the second floor it was decided that a few of my possessions were to stay anywhere not on the second floor. The treadmill had been a nice clothes dryer at my home in the past, so I asked John & Jamiee if they would like to "store" it at their house and get some use out of it. (Yeah, I know...they are both skinny little twigs, so what was the point?!)

Anyway, the treadmill was used some at their house, but really just took up space in the formal dining/play room. And I am sure if Jenna could talk she would have told me to get it out of there a long time ago.

Last week, after a torturous 1 mile respiratory test for HPS I cried to Mom about how out of shape I am and concluded the conversation with her volunteering to get the measurements for the treadmill to see if I can fit it in the back of my SUV and bring it here to my house, so I can make more of an effort to use it.

My wonderful parents went ahead and put the treadmill in the truck and tonight delivered it to my house. All of this while I was in class too!

So tonight I am eager to get home and see how I can move my living room around to make the treadmill work with the little space I have when I open my door and am seriously surprised by the enormousness that is my treadmill.

I don't think I remember it being THAT big. Maybe my apartment living room is smaller than I thought, who knows! All I know is: WOW! That thing is huge, hope I don't stub my toe in the middle of the night. I didn't have the energy to move the living room around tonight (back off! this was my second day in a row of spin class!). I will try to do it tomorrow, but no promises there either.

Anyway, thanks Dad, Mom, Levi & Kelly (i think you two helped) for moving that thing into my living room tonight...loves!!

1 month exercise goal: 30 min 3 times/week

1 month food goal: no food after 8pm

Mom's 59th Birthday: A Murder in Provence

A few weekends ago we celebrated Mom's 59th birthday with a murder mystery dinner:
A Murder in Provence

Good times...good times! I finally posted photos here, so go check them out.

Christensen in Doolittle Landscape...finally!

In a previous post I talked about my recent purchase of a Christensen in Doolittle Landscape print. I dropped it off to be framed about an eternity ago and I finally picked it up this past weekend.

Didn't it turn out great:

Will someone please come over and help me hang it!?

Sharing Time

Yeah...I know...it's been more than 2 weeks since my class was in charge of Sharing Time for Senior Primary and I have yet to talk about it or post any pictures. I've been busy, ok...stop buggin me ;)

Anyway...we focused our Sharing Time on examples of obedience from the scriptures and I made these really cute little hand-outs:

Are those not the cutest things you have ever seen!?! I mean, come on...why didn't we think of that before now?!? I can't take all the credit for how cute they turned out and technically it was Mom & Dad that saw one that had been made by someone in their ward; I just ended up doing it the best way I could figure out. Mom & I did apparently add the bookmark, as when we asked we were told it was not an on the original.

One Word Tuesday

One Word Tuesday!

1. Where is your cell phone? desk
2.Who is your significant other? MIA
3. Your hair? dark
4. Your mother? joyful/soothing/spiritual
5. Your father? dependable/knowledgeable/spiritual
6.Your favorite thing? family
7. Your dream last night? nightmare
8. Your favorite drink? water
9. Your dream/goal? graduation
10. The room you’re in? 3023
11. Your fear? alone
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? innumerable
13. Where were you last night? KSU
14. What you’re not? rested
15. Muffins? chocolate
16. One of your wish list items? debt-free
17. Where you grew up? outside
18. The last thing you did? study
19. What are you wearing? spinwear
20. Your TV? lonely
21. Your Pets? "TARA"
22. Your computer? well-used
23. Your life? over-committed
24. Your mood? exhausted
25. Missing someone? always
26. Your car? dirty
27. Something you’re not wearing? watch
28. Favorite Store? free
29. Your summer? Japan
30. Your favorite color? Red
31. When is the last time you laughed? today
32. When is the last time you cried? test
33. Where is the good life? Katherineland

Nicki stole this from her friend, I stole it from Nicki...steal it from me!