Sunday, February 28, 2010

Visiting teaching

At church there is a women's service organization. In this organization we are assigned to visit each other each month and today, being the last day of the month, I went and visited them. It is something that I truly love doing because I meet and get to know some amazing women, some of which have become lifelong friends. I am grateful to know the influence we can have for good in others lives. It makes me happy.

Ragnar Relay Del Sol

Ragnar Relays are held in several areas of the country. Yesterday started the one in Arizona. It started in Prescott and ended in Mesa. Thats about 204 miles. I had friends that ran in it and each team needed volunteers. Insert me here. This morning I woke up at 4 and drove out to Fountain Hills (20 miles out of Chandler) to help at one of the exchanges. There are 12 runners on a team (350 total teams) and 36 legs of the race which meant 34 exchange stations. I was exchange 31. Due to some delays in the race, the first few hours of my 5-11 AM shift were uneventful but the first team got in about 8:30AM and from there they just kept coming. It was really exciting because all of the teammates were there for the exchanges and a lot of people had costumes etc.
My friend Janay ran in the race and after we were talking about all of it and what she experienced and I decided that I want to be on a team next year. So I think I'm going to commit to thinking about it. (Umm, p.s. this is big for me to even consider this since I over did it on the running a few years back and deal with the "fear" of overdoing it again. Small pat on the back... moving on.) I really think that I would like it. I mean, I saw people who had been up all night and hadn't showered laughing and cheering and still running. People twice my age still kicking it. Why wouldn't I want to join the madness?! Who's with me?

Friday, February 26, 2010

Bangs:)

Here they are. What's the verdict? I'm in favor.



Thanks V!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

new phone

Today I got a new phone! I am posting this from it right now and it has taken forever to just write this sentence. The end.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The Monkey

Forgive me for this being out of the 24 hours of the 24th but I was at a movie. Sorry to all you Twilight fans but if New Moon was better than Twilight, I need an explanation because I'm not sure how it was better in any way. It might very well be the worst movie I've ever seen. Hands down. I might have liked Napoleon Dynamite more. Geezzzzz!




Here is what made my night. I saw the movie with this one's momma. The kid is a crack up.







I tried really hard not to laugh in while I was recording because I was right by the mic and I was laughing really hard and he kept going because we were laughing at him. I think it was even more funny because he was in his birthday suit. There's just something about being naked, it can add to the humor.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Dear Pugs

and any other small dog,

I could take you down so please stay out of my way. I don't even fit on a normal human's lap, that's how monstrous I am.




I'm a 20 pound, rock solid kitty from the ghettos of AMP. Be afraid, be very afraid.

You've been warned,

Jumbo AKA Jumbo-lia AKA Jumbo-tron

Monday, February 22, 2010

oh yeah

I did talk to MG 10 hours after her phone call. Since I am the first to have a birthday between our close friends, she asked me if I feel old to which I replied "yes" followed by a heavy sigh. I sigh only because I didn't think I would. Anyway we chatted for a while about how at age 17 we thought we'd be different than we are now. Not better or worse but different. Then she said "one day I'll find that girl again who always was put together but now pony tails and showers every other day will have to do." I'm grateful for my friends who remember me on or around my birthday especially knowing that we all have busy lives. I am grateful everyday for the path my life has taken, even if I feel a little old, because I know that Heavenly Father has a great plan for me, I just hope he doesn't mind that I don't get a shower in everyday:)

The first real day of year #27

Today started out with at phone call at 7AM from my friend MG. I saw it was her calling toward the end of my phone ringing. I then proceeded to fall back asleep and dream that she was calling me from an ultrasound appointment because she wanted me to hear the heartbeat. Ummm... so she is pregnant but was calling to wish me happy birthday... not sure that she would ever call me to have me listen to the heartbeat over the phone. My dreams are weird!


My boss finds it necessary to have birthday treats; the woman loves sugar. She admitted to me at lunch today that she prefers a sugary thing to a real meal. Anyway, seeing as though today was the first business day after my birthday, weekend birthdays being no excuse, I made a birthday treat. I LOVE black bottom cupcakes. I love anything with cream cheese in it. They were well received, especially when I came into a meeting late today. (Read about migraine in previous post.)

Here they are... don't they look so good!?!?!?



And because everyone had meetings and work yesterday we had the family dinner tonight. My brothers usually request fancy places for their birthdays which I of course get to partake in so I feel like eating my favorite dinner at home is not selfish. It is something that my mom made a lot more often when we all lived at home because it was easy and cheap.





It might not look like much and that is because it is not. It is chicken over white rice and cooked carrots but the kicker is the sour cream sauce. I stuffed my self silly and then topped it off with another black bottom cupcake.




Sour cream and cream cheese will make any day a celebration! That's why I eat them everyday! What do you eat to celebrate?

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Starting off on the not so right foot


Above you will see a picture of my morning. I drove home from visiting Lisa for the weekend. Her husband was out of town and we celebrated birthdays. It was a nice weekend. We shopped, ate, talked and they threw me a surprise party on Saturday night. The drive home was nice. I just drove. I didn't listen to music or anything. I just looked out the window at the vast stretches of desert, enjoying the look of the fluffy clouds resting on the distant mountains.



Here is a picture of my afternoon. These are the papers that I was served. Boo. A few weeks ago I go a photo radar ticket and for some reason they wanted to bring the papers in person and much earlier than I expected. Now I get to spend my time tomorrow calling about it. Happy Birthday from the Mesa Municipal Court. Plus I have a migraine. I'm going to bed. It's 6:36. Here's to a better first full day of the 27th year tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

THE Announcement

I hope you're all ready for this!

As stated below, I've been thinking about this for some time. The actual "thing" is influenced/motivated/inspired by several things that have happened recently. They are as follows:

1. My friend Loli from France called and left me a message one day at work. Every time that it is about to be erased from my voice mail I re-save it. I have yet to contact her back in several months. I'm sure that many of you reading this might be able to exchange your name with Loli's and have it be true.

2. I've been reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (a good book so far) where a recent divorcee goes on a year long journey of self discovery in three different countries. She writes about moments (big and small) that have moved her, made her laugh or cry, help her understand her own self and what it is that she wants in life.

3. In April I moved home from France, broke up with the boy in May and it feels like ever since then that I've been getting back on track.

4. My friend from school RZ documented every day of her life for one month. I loved it.

5. I found my journal from study abroad and I wrote in it everyday. I loved looking at the simple things that I enjoyed so much.

6. At Costco pizza with my parents the other day I listed all the people that I haven't talked to in a while... and they were shocked. It hurt.

7. Thoroughly enjoyed Julie and Julia.

So now to the announcement. I'm sure you might be catching a drift. I have decided that in a goal to stay in contact with my dear friends, I resolve to blog once a day for an entire year. Now, with any goal (this seeming lofty) one must evaluate and re-adjust which I plan on doing after one month but starting Sunday February 21, 2010 which happens to be my 27th birthday, I will begin my journey. I imagine that it will be rocky at the start because I'm not quite sure that I've got tons of stuff to blog about yet, but I'll get into a grove. And aside from promoting connection, I hope to take the opportunity to always look for something to share. I hope everyone knows that I am really happy, and that this was not sparked by anything negative. I feel very positive and motivated about what great things this could bring, although I'm not hoping for book or movie deals like Julie got.

So prepare yourself for food, the pool and lifeguards, family, my random thoughts and much, much more:) I'm really excited!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Wait for it...

Coming soon! Hold on to your hats! It's going to be big.

I have an announcement (and I'm not getting married) that has taken a lot of thought the past couple weeks.

Check back soon!