Sunday, December 28, 2008

Loosing a love one - Ode to Joyce

The past couple of days I've been thinking about loosing loved ones on this earth. I'm surprised at how depressed and sad I become. But that does not last long when I think about the testimony I have of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his plan for us. I thought about the article that President Thomas S. Monson gave in the August Ensign of this year entitled, "May We So Live" I've read it again and great comfort has again been brought to my heart. I've quoted a small part below:


"Death eventually comes to all humankind. It comes to the aged as they walk on faltering feet. Its summons is heard by those who have scarcely reached midway in life’s journey, and often it hushes the laughter of little children. Death is one fact that no one can escape or deny.

"Frequently death comes as an intruder. It is an enemy that suddenly appears in the midst of life’s feast, putting out its lights and gaiety. Death lays its heavy hand upon those dear to us and at times leaves us baffled and wondering. In certain situations, as in great suffering and illness, death comes as an angel of mercy. But for the most part, we think of it as the enemy of human happiness.

"The darkness of death, however, can ever be dispelled by the light of revealed truth.

“'I am the resurrection, and the life,' spoke the Master. 'He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

'''And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.'

"This reassurance—yes, even holy confirmation—of life beyond the grave could well provide the peace
promised by the Savior when He assured His disciples: 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.'”

-Thomas S. Monson, “May We So Live,” Ensign, Aug 2008, 4–9 (Link below to read the entire article.)
http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=caace97864a6b110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1


10+ years ago my best friend, my grandmother, passed away of an unknown heart condition. I still miss her and think of her everyday.
A little over a year ago my grandfather also passed away, but we knew it was coming for he had been sick for a time. I stilll want to walk over to his house when I come home to say "Hi," & give him a hug and a kiss.
A few years back one of my co-workers died at a young age, along with her mother, in a car accident coming back to school from Thanksgiving break. I have a picture of her in my room to remember her.

I remember each of the memorials like it was yesterday and the thing I remember most was not the tears, but the laughter. We celebrated who they were to each of us. We remembered all the good times and thought not of the bad.
President Monson's article continues on to talk of celebrating life. Don't let a lost loved one bring you down and let you wallow. Let it inspire you to continue to do a little better each day.

I hope we all celebrate our own lives a little bit more this holiday season and remember that we will be with our loved ones again. Christ, who was born a mortal babe, died for us and was resurrected so we can live again. We will all live on...

President Monson ended his article with this statement:
"May we resolve from this day forward to fill our hearts with love. May we go the extra mile to include in our lives any who are lonely or downhearted or who are suffering in any way. May we '[cheer] up the sad and [make] someone feel glad.' May we live so that when that final summons is heard, we may have no serious regrets, no unfinished business, but will be able to say with the Apostle Paul, 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.'"

IN THE MEMORY OF
JOYCE TATE.
She was my mother in Utah.
May she rest in peace.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Boys.... (take 2)

So I did something..... Fred now knows that I like him and we are no longer hanging out. My choice. He was also kind enough, after some prodding from me, to tell me that he is not interested in dating me. He just doesn't like me in a romantic way. I do miss hanging out with him, but I feel relief and now I can move on. I'm still confused by some of the things he's done, but oh, well....

Thought you'd all like to know that!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Boys....

I am single. I've been single for 29 years, for crying out loud! I have wanted to get married for about 22 of those years... You'd think that I'd be able to understand a little bit of the opposite sex. Learn to read them and not freak out like I am. I'm almost 30 and yet boys get me all flustered.

I have never been so frustrated with one boy as I am now. Let's call him Fred....
I've know Fred for a little over a month now. I met him on his first Sunday in our ward while we were taking pictures for the ward directory, a few months ago. He was cute, but he didn't stand out from any of the other guys, so I forgot about him quickly. I remembered his name because I was the one making the ward directory, so I was looking at everyone's info over and over again.
So a month or so later he gave a talk in church and I noticed. It was a dang good talk. So I started watching him. (Creepy, I know.) So when I was having my birthday party, I invited him. We got to talking and found out he lives right behind us. Literally, our back yard. is 10 feet from his backyard cause we live in these town homes that are back to back. So he came to my birthday party on the 26th of October and I have had some sort of contact with him everyday since.
The thing that bothers me is that he talks about other girls around me. I have never gotten this jealous. I love being around him, but I don't want to be around him because I know he's not interested. He's becoming one of my best friends and yet he drives me nuts. I'm 4 years older than him, but oddly, I'm okay with that. He will say things that totally throw me off that make me notice him even more. I love so many things about him. We have to much in common it scares me. I'm very comfortable with him. If I don't hear from him, then I start to worry. When I do, I get so excited, I can't stop smiling. I know I need to get over it, cause he will never like someone like me, but I just love being around him. I'm only in the friend zone....
The thing is he's such a great guy. He treats me so well. Like last night, I was occupied and my roommate was changing out my laundry and I couldn't get my clothes, but I had one of my white shirts in it that needed to be hung up pronto. Fred volunteered to go get my laundry basket and take them up to my room. I did not ask him to hang up my shirt, but when I went up later it was hanging up. He is so sweet. I had a terrible week a couple of weeks ago and he just held me for a good while and didn't let go until I told him to let go, which wasn't very long (not touchy) but longer than normally with most people. And I liked it. I was sick last week and he came and gave me a blessing, and when I wasn't able to go to FHE cause I was still feeling sick, he came over just to be with me. I really like him.

I can't believe I'm blogging about this! He will never see this, BTW.

My roommate thinks I should tell him how I feel so I can start getting over it, or start dating him, if he wants. I just can't do that right now.
If you've read this whole rant, tell me what you think I should do... Advice is very welcome on the subject!!!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Your address, not mine... ;)

I'm in need of an address book update. Please comment with your addresses!
Thanks and best wishes to all of you.

In answer to recent questions.

I'm applying to a bookbinding school in Boston called North Bennett Street School. It only accepts 6 people per year. The next year starts in August 2009. But I am planning on transfering out to an Olive Garden there, but I have to wait 6 months before they will let me transfer. So the soonest I can move out there is April. And I find out if I made it in by April. So everything will be decided in April. But I might wait and go there right before school starts in August and save money in Utah. It depends on the next few months.

Let me know if you'd like to know anything else.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Power Trips

About a month ago I started working at Olive Garden as a server in the new restaurant that opened in American Fork. I got to be part of the opening crew. It's been fun.
Well.... as part of this new opening, they started interviewing for CT (Certified Trainer) positions. I interviewed only because I knew I would regret it. I really did not want the job cause I do not plan on staying with Olive Garden as a career. It is a good opportunity so that I can transfer to an Olive Garden in Boston, so that I can have a job when I go there.
So... they've made about 20 people CTs just this past Sunday. Some have blue cards- meaning they can help do managerial swipes for all of the lower peons that need help on their checks, combining checks and so on. When I saw the list, I was excited for most of the people that got the positions, but I cringed inside when I saw 4 of the people. I hate to say it, but this little blue card is giving these 4 a huge head. The whole part of being a CT (there is no pay raise, or more hours... just more responsibility) is that they are there to help with team work and lightening the load. These 4 people will remain nameless, but they have let this go to their heads. I have worked at this restaurant the same amount of time as they have. Now because they have a card, they think they can tell me what to do, even though I'm right and they are wrong. A simple example is soup: Sometimes when we ladel when the soup is low there is not any chunkiness left, just bits and pieces of what was there. So when it's full there's a lot of chuckiness and substance. So this new CT saw me getting bread sticks and saw my tray full of my 3 soups and saw that the Zuppa Toscana (sausage & potatoe soup) was really chunky. Mind you, this was from a full pot... She told me that I need to not dig from the bottom of the bowl so that when it starts to get low there will still be chunks in it. This was said very condisendingly... I looked at her and looked at the soup and told her to go look at the pot and see that I got it from the top, after mixing it. She huffed over and looked in and I could hear her say, "Oh..." under her breath. I was busy and needed to take my food out, so I left her there while I delivered my food.
My vent is this: If you deserve the promotion, kudos to you. But if you get it and treat people like they're idiots only two days after getting it, then you didn't deserve it to begin with. I am glad I'm not a CT, because honestly, I would probably let it go to my head and I don't want to be like that. I admit it. But 3 of the CTs do not deserve it and they need to step back and reacess who they think they are before going forward.
I have vented and I feel better.

Just so you know, I do love my job. I make crappy tips, but most of the people I work with are freaking awesome and I look forward to seeing them everyday. It will help me when I move to Boston because I will be able to have a job when I move there, which has been a worry.

I hope you all are doing fantastic and if you want to go out to eat at an Olive Garden, let me know and I'll go with to let you have my discount. ;)

Monday, November 17, 2008

summit ward talent show olympics

Fun stuff!! These guys are so funny!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The weekend before last was the General RS Broadcast. Our stake received tickets and each ward got 17... Since my roommate is the RS President, I got the hook ups.... Actually we do not have very many sisters in the ward, so I got one without any problems.
Since we couldn't take pictures during the conference, I took a couple of shots of all of us who came----about 15 minutes before it started.

Recap: I loved President Uchtdorf's talk. One of my friends has been having a hard time seeing her worth. She has only been a member of the church for a little over a year. She comes to us with many tears wanting to know if she is a good person. So when President Uchtdorf said, "Our spledid sisters focus more on what they are lacking and not on what they have accomplished...", we all looked at my friend and she was crying. Our leaders are inspired to share the lessons we need to hear the most.


Because of work, I was not able to hear any of General Conference, but we are so blessed with modern technology. I'm going to download as many talks as I can and put them on my iPod and listen to them while I'm doing stuff around the house.








Another event that happened a few weeks ago was when I went with my ward to the Sand Dunes at the Little Sahara Dessert. It was so beautiful. One of my friends brought up all of his toys, which included 2 mini dirt bikes. I have never ridden a dirt bike before, so I did not know how they worked. My friend taught me and off I went. I had not gone 20 feet before I fell to the right while going around a tree and my back tire went right out from under me and I landed on my right shoulder. This happened 10 minutes after we got to the Dunes. As you can see, I didn't fall very far, but it hurt.


My friend made a sling out of two ace bandages and I was pumping IB Profien for the next two days while we were at the Dunes. I actually had a lot of fun. I learned that I've taken advantage of having two limbs. I have since been to the doctor and found out that I did not have any broken bones, but damaged my rotator cuff. I got a real sling and let my shoulder rest for a couple of weeks.















I have since started at the new Olive Garden here in American Fork, UT as a server. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to start with my shoulder, but it just needed a lot of rest. It's still sore, but I exercise it everyday and it gets better with each day. I have been able to sleep and I love that I don't wake up in the middle of the night with pain because I rolled over on my right side. I'm a side sleeper, and I prefer my right side, so the last 5 weeks have been an interesting time getting used to my left side and my back.
I am also applying to the North Bennett Street School in Boston, MA. I hope I get in to start there next August. Wish me luck on that!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Little Sahara

Little Sahara
A few clips from this past weekend when our ward went to the Little Sahara Sand Dunes...
I forgot that I deleted the video from the site I was using and I didn't attach it again. I don't know why I just didn't do it before. Enjoy.

So this was the weekend of Sep. 12-13th.

Monday, August 25, 2008

It has been a long time! Sorry! I'm not doing good at posting in here, am I?
I do not have a good excuse, but my excuse is... that I joined Facebook. I have been distracted by that. It's not a good excuse... AT ALL!

Well, I thought you'd all like to see that I can look like a girl. My roommate Alicia has her beautician's degree and she loves to do our hairs. I tried to curl my hair myself, but it looked more like I stuck my finger in a light socket. This is the end result of Alicia's expertise... It's not going to be a common thing, that's why I took a picture.

As for my life.... I started working at a place called APX Alarm. I worked in the customer support department. I stayed for 2 months, but it was nerve racking. I knew I could not do it any more when a customer started baiting me and I got off the phone and could not compose myself because I was crying. It's a good company, I just could not continue there. So I'm currently looking for work...

I'm going to be going to Michigan for a week starting this Saturday until Sep. 7th. My niece, Alyssa, is turning 4 and I promised to go see her. I'm really excited about that. It will be nice to see Lynn too. She's grown so much since they've moved to Michigan. I know she's forgotten about her Aunt Jenny, but I'm bound to get her to love me again! That is my main task in going.

My business is going okay. It's slow, but I'm trying to get more things done. So let me know if you know anyone who needs a book made. Oh,........... I have been able to make a book for a movie. My roommate, Sonja, works on movies and she's been doing a movie about Boy Scouts. Her prop manager needed a small leather bound book for two scenes... It turned out so beautifully... Sonja told me I'll be on the credits and that I'll be on IMDB for doing the book for the movie.

So far, that is the most that has really happened in my life. Hope you are all doing well.

Monday, June 23, 2008

John Mayer - Say (The Bucket List)(acoustic) on iTunes

Not John Mayer, but I love this song. Enjoy.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Team Hoyt - Dick and Rick Hoyt

If you haven't heard of this father and son team, please watch this. It's 10 minutes long, but it will leave you wanting to see even more. INSPIRATIONAL!

To learn more about them, visit their site.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan

I think I would have like these guys the best out of the three groups, if they would have played. Enjoy. It takes about a minute for the vocals to start. They have a great sound though, so listen to the whole thing. And the video gets kindof crazy at the end.

Memorial Day...What did you do?

What did you do on Memorial Day?
Isn't this a great picture?
I was really surprised at the consistencies of all the American Flags that had been posted in the front lawns of all my neighbors. It was a great sight to see. God bless all those who have given their lives for our freedom. And my prayers go out to all those who have lost a loved ones. Although it's comforting to know that we will see them again.

I started my day by going to the new JCW's that opened up by Thanksgiving Point. I used to work there and my old roommate is one of the managers and so I met one of my friends there to eat lunch. It's much different from the other restaurant and it's so big and clean!!!

I actually had two BBQs that I was invited to. One started at 2pm and the other was at 6:30pm. I made the wrong choice of going to JCW's to eat too. One BBQ was in Springville and the other was in American Fork.
When I got to the Springville one, I found out that we wouldn't be eating til about 4pm. I didn't know how I would last eating again just 2 hours later. (I started to feel like a missionary all over again, who had booked to many member meal appointments.) We had fun playing games on the Wii and watching others play. I guess I have a funny laugh when I play, but I can't remember how I was laughing. I had fun running down scarecrows with a cow.... :)


Then a funny thing happened. I got a call from a long lost friend who asked me to go to a Death Cab for Cutie concert at Thanksgiving point that started at 5pm. I agreed and let my other friends know that I would be late to their BBQ. They were fine. It was a casual thing.
So I met my friend at my house (I had to get shoes, blankets and a jacket cause it had been raining all day.) I was concerned about the concert because it was at the outside venue (not the waterfall) at Thanksgiving Point. The concert was suppose to start at 5pm. We didn't get in till almost 8pm. Luckily Jeremy's (my friend who invited me to the concert) co-workers had gotten there extremely early and we were closer to the front of the line when we came. It was nice to get to know everyone there, but it was interesting having to wait to get into a concert for so long.

When we finally got in, we still had to wait. There were suppose to be 2 groups opening, Tegan and Sara, and Rouge Wave. Tegan and Sara (above pic) were great. (See posted video) I really liked their sound, and they got through their set really quickly. But Rouge Wave did not play. (I posted a couple of videos so you can hear their sound for yourselves...) Death Cab went right into their set. I have to admit I was really disappointed. Really....!
Jeremy and I had parked way out by the freeway and we walked across the muddy field to get to the line, so we decided to leave early to get back to the car, but we could still hear them as we walked. And when we had almost reached the car they announced that they were going to play the last song. What a gip. I felt bad for everyone who had paid to get in. Jeremy got his tickets through work. But I did have a lot of fun going to the concert. I love people watching and there are a lot of different types of people that went to this concert.

We then proceeded to the next BBQ (it was about 10pm) and we stayed there for a couple of hours. I was worried that I wouldn't have enough room for all the food I was going to eat, but I was glad for the concert cause I had a break and was really hungry after we got out.
All-in-all it was a really full day, but fun...

Tegan and Sara - Coachella - Nineteen

It was a lot colder, and they were wearing jackets, but it was a lot like this. I really like how they put this video together. The bass player is really hot too. I just really like their sound.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Top 3 laughing babies

The second one is the funniest to me...
Don't the quadruplets look like 4 "mini-me's"

Baby laughing at the Wii

Golf is funny to me..., Cute baby laughs though!!!

Laughing Baby

The things babies think are funny...

baby laughing

I cannot stop laughing at this baby. I wish I knew what language the show is in. I'm guessing that it's Spanish. Translations please...!
ENJOY!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Tagging......

Just so you all know, I have never been tagged before, so this is the first that you will all see from me. (Thanks Sally Cook if you get mad at me for tagging you, but I think these kinds of things are fun.) I got one via email that I might implement soon...

These are the rules:
A) List 7 habits/quirks/facts about yourself.
B) Tag 7 people to do the same. (Since I have a short list of people who read my blog, all of those who are in my links will be added to my list...)
C) Do not tag the person who tagged you, or say that you tag 'whoever wants to do it.'


1. I love the color Orange. Not the bright colors that let everyone know there is construction going on, but the deep rusty color that you can can look at without having to blink a lot when looking at another object right after. I've like orange for a few years now. It makes me happy. I have a lot of things in the color (thanks to my Mom and a lot of my friends), but I do not wear it very much. I tend to wear dark/muted colors with an occasional red or pink shirt slipping in. Yes, Sally, I said pink... Who would have guessed? ;)

2. I love turtles. I think I've loved them all my life because I love the story about the tortes and the hare. I know it's fictional, but I loved the meaning and have been in love with the creatures ever since. I have a lot of turtle figurines/stuffed animals (from friends and family) that have formed a large collection on the entire bottom shelf of my TV stand, but I still have more to unpack. I think my favorites are sea turtles.
While I was in Korea as a missionary I was able to be part of an apartment swap with a house of Elders in our area. They had 6 Elders living in an apartment big enough for 2 missionaries, while we had an apartment big enough for 8, while there were only 4 sisters living there. Well, these Elders had an aquarium full of these small turtles that don't grow bigger than the palm of your hand. I've wanted some ever since, but the only place that they can be purchased is California. I believe they are illegal, hence-I don't own any. I'll keep hoping though... Maybe someday I'll be an owner of tiny live turtles.

3. A habit I wish I didn't have, and I'm trying to get over, but it's very hard is that I snort when I laugh. I do it pretty consistently when I really get the giggles, but it is not lady like and they come from deep within... Some of my friends snort when they laugh really hard, but I laugh all the time, sometimes it's the only thing people hear.
There are three types of reactions of people who first hear me laugh. 1) They look at me like something is wrong with me, but don't know what to say, so they say nothing at all. 2) They hear it, but do not react at all, but you can tell that they heard it cause the tension can be cut with a knife. 3) They do a double take, point their finger at me and say, "You just snorted!"
It's annoying at times. It grabs anyones attention. I wish that I didn't have that sort of laughing response, especially when I'm in the Temple (happening more and more lately...really have to work on not being part of any conversation, cause it will get me laughing). It happens during sacrament meeting sometimes and there is always someone who tells me that they were so glad to know that I was in the chapel. Fun, I know. So you can see why it's not something I want to do.
But the cutest thing is that my niece, Alyssa, knows that I snort, so when she hears one, she always associates it with me. One of my favorite voice mails was when she called me and told me, "Hey Jenny, I snorted!" and then she began to snort. (She's almost 4, and she left this message when she had barely turned 3.)

4. I'm considering this whole thing to be my food/beverage preferences, so all will be included.
If I had to choose between sugary or salty tastes, I'd always choose salty. Hands down. I love tart flavors to. Some of my favorite chips are a Dill Pickle flavored Pringles. Salt and Vinegar is good to. I love potatoes in everything and anything, but I hate fresh onions.
I love Dr. Pepper. If I could survive on nothing but that, I would. I think I'm addicted. I also love cold water and milk. Oreo cookies are scrupcious, but they have to be the regulars (not fat free, cause the fat free ones are to hard), eaten with a fork and a glass of milk. Each oreo must be stuck by a fork (into the cream) dunked fully into the milk, held for a couple of seconds and eaten in one big bite, without dripping.
I'm not big on touching food with my hands. I've had to eat meals quickly, so this preference is overlooked a lot, but if I have the choice, I would eat a hamburger and french fries with a knife and fork.

5. I keep my fingernails short. I mean really short. Sometimes I cut them so short the skin tears away from my nail. Nasty to share, I know, but I just cut them yesterday and I can feel them getting raw as I type. I'm not blaming my Mom that I do this, but she did start me on it, but it was my choice to continue it. Even after I got horrendous ingrown toenails as a teenager, I still cut them short, although I'm much more careful as to how close I cut my toenails. I still get some sore toes when I cut them to close. Sorry I'm sharing such gross insites to my life, but I'm not thinking of very much more to share. It's late and I'm getting tired, so my sanity is waying...

6. I am a pack rat. I recently moved and in the move there were 5 truck/SUV's that were loaded to the brim with all of my stuff and I still haven't moved everything over. I've been a lot better in the past couple of years, with throwing things away, but there is still a lot of stuff I should be throwing away. I still have bins from when I was in Junior High. (Why they are in Utah with me, I could not tell you.)

7. I am a movie/TV junkie. I love them. My biggest weakness has to be that I could sit and watch movies all day long. Sometimes I put them on while I work so that I can have the background noise, although half the time I end up taking lots of breaks to watch a few minutes here and there. I love the site, www.hulu.com. Free TV shows online.

So there are some of my habits/quirks/facts about myself.

Now, I would like to tag:
1. Jennifer Anderson
2. Anna Frost
3. Dave or Megan Muhlstien
4. Jordan or Crystal Muhlstien
5. Rachel Melara
6. Aaron or Catherine Paget
7. Karen Pusey

Have fun. Hope to see your posts soon....

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Charlie bit my finger - again !

This is the cutest video. I could not stop laughing when I first saw it. The little boy's accent is so cute. Charlie is almost as big as the boy. Enjoy.

Cheescake Factory





Last night I went with a friend, Heather, and a bunch of our other friends to the Cheesecake Factory in Salt Lake City, for her (Heather's) birthday bash. It's a very popular restaurant and a couple of us went up an hour early just to wait in line. It was really busy. I didn't know how popular it was. I've only heard about it. I had no idea that they served anything other than cheesecake. Boy, was I mistaken!!! The menu is almost 20 pages long. (Lots of advertising.) There are two pages just for cheesecake, though. And I have to admit that the cheesecake was really good.

So, a funny thing happened to me while I was there.

As many of you know, I like to give servers a hard time when I go out to eat. When I'm with family, it's different, because my Dad takes care of that, so I don't feel a need to hassle them. But I usually am over polite to them to make up for the rudeness from my Dad. (He likes things the way he asks for them. There is nothing wrong with that.) Well....our server for the evening was really cute. I think his name is Corey. There were 12 people in our party, so he had a lot to do. But from the get go, I was giving him a hard time, but he was giving it right back... I was having fun. Then came the big mishap. He put my order in wrong and I didn't get any food. I didn't want any soup or salad, cause then I wouldn't enjoy my meal. We waited for a while just to get our food the first round, so you can imagine how long it took me to get my food. I had him put it in a box. I played tetris and even called a few friends. Then came the funny part. He came over to apologize (I had given him a really hard time about it... But it was all very sarcastic) and to tell me that he had gotten my cheesecake for free. It was the cheaper of the two. Oh, I forgot to tell you where I was sitting (it is key to the story). My back was to him when he came to take our order/fill drinks/ect.... So when he came to tell me this great news, I was so happy, that I took his face in both my hands and scared him and about half our group. I did it so quickly and with my positioning, it looked like I was about to kiss him, but I didn't. It was a hoot. Poor guy. I felt so bad. I still feel bad. I couldn't leave a big tip, cause they calculate the tip into it before giving the receipt, but I would have. But I left a nice note (just a note and not my number. How lame do you think I am?)(Don't answer that.) It was exciting and we were laughing so much. I needed to have a good time with everything going on in my life.
About the food. Even though I had to take my food home with me, I was able to get a few bites and it wasn't that bad. I got a buffalo chicken sandwich with fries and a caramel pecan turtle cheesecake. The chicken was kindof dry. I don't think I'll ever go there again. It was so expensive and the food wasn't really worth that much money. I did try the avocado egg rolls as an appetizer and they were really good.
Oh, and it was freezing. If you go, take a lite jacket to keep you warm.

All in all I had a good time.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

My Job

A few of you have been asking me what I do at my job, so I thought I'd let you see what it is that I'm making. And if you would like more details please go too the web site and check it out.The projection screens are inflatable. As you can see, this one is floating on a pool. From the size of the fence behind it, you can guess how big it is. These will definitely make your "pool" party a lot different with a screen that doesn't float on the pool.



We make a lot of different sizes. This one is specially made. (Who recognizes where this is....?)


The new place I'm moving to has a huge back yard. I'm planning on doing a movie party in the backyard. Hopefully it'll won't get to rowdy, but no promises. I believe this is the smallest size we make. Pretty cool, huh?

So.............any more questions?

Thursday, April 24, 2008

American Idol...I've decided to stay in Utah...

I know it's a random picture of Carly and Randy, but I really liked the one of Carly and I didn't have time to edit out Randy, so you get them both.
I was shocked that she got kicked off. I thought that she was fantastic this week. I didn't like her song choice, but she had an amazing vocal performance.
It was almost like re-living the moment Michael left the group. What a shocker!!!!

Although, I don't think anyone is happier then me to see Kristy leave. My roommate was looking online found the site that rallies all the anti-American Idolers and they choose the contestant that is the worst and they all vote for that person. It has been Kristy ever since that one long haired femmy guy was on. So it makes sense why it took so long to get her kicked off.

But now I can see what a big deal the voting is. It feels like voting for roles of the Senior class in the HS year book all over again. Sometimes the ones that deserve the great ones don't get picked because they're not the most popular.
Well, that's what I have to say about that....



I'm staying in Utah. I found a place in Lehi and will be moving there on the 1st of May. I'm excited to stay here, but in every change there is worry and fear. But I've decided to be happy and not be bothered by the bitterness of life's challenges.

I do have a full time job sewing blow-up projection screens. It's really interesting and I've been enjoying it. Originally it was going be just a part-time job, but room opened up for it to become a full-time position. My hours are really flexible, so if I get enough money saved up, I'll go back and finish school, and it will help out with being able to do the JP business on the side. I'm excited for the rest of the year and to see what other things life has to offer.

I am still going to try to do the car delivery service, cause it looks interesting and fun and my other job will allow me to do it.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Where do I go from here...

Last week, our landlord emailed me and said he would be raising our rent. Our contract is done in September, and the change won't happen till then, but he gave us the option of moving out before that date, without being a breach in contract.
I thought it would be easier to leave earlier, and it is, but a lot of complications have arisen because of it.
We will be moving out by May 26th. So 5 girls have to find a place to live before then.

I'm trying to decide if I should just move home to Colorado, or stay in Utah. I got two job offers that allow me to travel a lot, so paying rent would be a waste. Moving to Colorado would be the most logical of all choices.

Although there are two main reasons to stay in Utah. 1. I can still be an ordinance worker in the temple. (But I would have to stay in the Timpanogas Temple District to stay there), but I wouldn't be able to do one of the jobs I was offered, and 2. I would still be close to my Grandma.
Staying in Utah would also grant me a larger social life, but it's not like it's really been very big these last couple of months anyways.
Going to Colorado would allow so much freedom. I would be able to live in my Grandpa's old house, so I would have my own place. I would not have to pay rent, but I would probably pay some sort of utility bill. I would be able to come and go as I please and I'd be able to help out my dad with a few of the projects he's started.

So all in all it feels like my choice is made to go to Colorado.

I need to make the decision now. I'll be able to do what I need to do when I make my decision, but it is leaning more towards moving to Colorado.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

My American Idol Breakdown

Below is only my opinions. Enjoy. Anna thanks for yours!
1. David is so original. He takes risks that pay off, but the thing that really gets me is that he plays his guitar left handed. Most people who are left handed still learn the guitar traditionally, with the right hand. He's given so much thought to his music and I have loved every single one of his performances. Even though this week didn't go as well as his previous weeks, I think the "give back" he wrote on his hand gave it that extra kick that he needed. He's a Rock Start to me already. I secretly have a crush on him....!
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2. Jason has a sound that calms me. I would definitely buy one of his CDs for the sound. He's got some mannerisms that have only started to bug, but if I close my eyes, I can drift into a magical world where life is great and peaceful. I know he won't go to the top two, but he is my 2nd most favorite.




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3. David is so cute. From the get go he has impressed me. I love his voice. Oh my goodness, he has a great voice. I fear that his youth is getting striped from him because of this competition. I wish he would have at least waited till after he graduated high school till trying out. I think he will go far. He's inspiring in every song he's sung. You can't help feeling for him even when he forgets the words. Just don't grow up to fast.


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4. What a voice. When they announced the top 12, my hopes were not high for the women in the competition. I am also scared for Carly, cause she's starting to sing in a way that is easily forgettable. I hope she steps it up a notch and pulls through to at least the top 4, but my hopes are really high for that. She's got some issues with squatting when she sings. I wonder if it really helps her to get the notes out. Who knows. It would make me have to pee like none other.....

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5. I think Michael's best performance was in Hollywood week. He's got potential, but I really don't think he's going to win this one. His accent is nice. I'm just not a big fan of his voice. His personality gives him a lot of popularity. I do hope he gets a record deal. If I like his CD, I'll buy it.




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6. Brooke is a sweetheart. I agree with Anna on the modesty factor. Although I could wish for longer skirts/dresses in some of her choices. I would choose Brooke as the winner solely on personality cause she is great. She's also so beautiful. How can you go wrong with having her as a friend. As to her singing talent. I'm not a big fan. I feel like she is so timid/scared/shy, that it's holding her back. I'm waiting for her to let go and really sing it. I love her, but I don't think she's going to win.

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7. She's beautiful and has a great voice. I don't like her at all. I think her acting experience has given her a slight "fake" quality. I wish she would give her songs more of a heartfelt quality. She's just going through the motions of what she thinks people want. I think that's in her training. Hopefully she can change her singing to become something that shows who she is. Stop putting on a show Syesha and sing like no one is watching.


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8. Can America not hear that she's off during at least one part in every song she sings? She should have been one of the first one's kicked off. How did she make it this long. Does she know how to do anything else but tap her foot and hold out her arm when she sings. She's so stiff. Loosen up and get some real voice lessons. She is very pretty and I love the tom-boy aspect about her, but this is proof that this competition is based more on popularity then singing talent. The only thing I thought she sang well was her initial tryout when she sang 'Amazing Grace'. The only song she did well.

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I know that was a bit much for me to post my opinions of American Idol two days in a row, but I was inspired by my friend Anna's comments on yesterday's diatribes. If you want a slightly different opinion on this season's top 8 contestants, please check out Anna's comments from my post yesterday.
I'll probably post again tomorrow about who got kicked off, if it isn't Kristy. She really needs to go home.
Happy days. Have a good one!

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

American Idol

I have never (including this year) watched every episode of a season of American Idol.

Although this year I have been following the contestants more than ever.


Actually, I need to confess something. I voted tonight!!!
I know, I know, I'm crazy.... but one performance did stand out to me more than the others so I voted. It was really easy, and I don't have to worry about long distance numbers cause it is a toll free number I called.

I'm a big fan of David Cook. I hope he wins. But tonight I didn't vote for him. My favorite performance was Jason Castro's. (I don't think I spelt his last name right!)

Let me know who you like and if you've ever voted.
I'm not going to be ashamed that I have. Give me as much grief as you want... I won't feel bad.



I loved this picture and couldn't help but post it. I'm sure many people feel like tying up Simon. Although I'd like to see Paula in that chair more and more lately.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Temple

I went to the Temple to do a sealing assignment for our stake at 6am. As most of you probably know, I'm not a morning person. Yet this was so easy for me to get up and go. (Actually I didn't sleep. I just laid in bed for about 30 minutes and just could not sleep. So I just did things until it was time to get ready to go to the temple.)
It was great. That's all I can say. I was impressed with one of the couples there. They held hands the entire time we were there. I was touched. They really love each other and the meaning of what we were doing became much more evident.













Since it is daylight savings now, when I got out of the temple, the sun hadn't quite come over the mountains yet and I was able to watch the sunrise. One of my two most favorite things is watching the sun rise and set. I know the pictures aren't the best, but I tried to get it while I could and all I had handy was the camera on my phone. It was really beautiful!

Joseph Smith Movie

Last night for FHE, my ward trecked up to Salt Lake City to see the Joseph Smith Movie.

Since we were in different cars, so of us got there earlier than others, and some didn't even make it out of American Fork. But when we got there we all were able to find each other and make our way up to the theater.

I am a big crier so as we were walking up the stairs into the theater I saw a box of Kleenex on every corner of the railings and so I grabbed a whole box. Unbeknownst to me, everyone had been talking about getting some Kleenex to prepare for the out pooring of our fountains, when I did this. There was a big laugh and I put the box back. (After pulling out 4 for myself!)

I've seen the movie before, but I didn't remember everything. It was so great to see the life of Joseph Smith from the time he was a young boy to his death. I was overcome with emotion and those Kleenex came in handy.

I remember when I distinctly felt the truthfulness of the restoration. I was a missionary and my companion was teaching in the MTC about Joseph Smith. I have always known that he was a prophet of God and that he was the prophet of the restoration because I knew the Book of Mormon to be true and I felt that it was true, but I never really had that powerful feeling about Joseph Smith. I figured he was part of that package, so I must know all of the above.
So in the MTC my companion told us (I was in a three-some) that she didn't have a testimony of Joseph Smith. She really wanted one. How do you go about gaining a testimony of a gospel principle? Well fasting and prayer are always a good choice. But this sister did everything she could do. She bound her discussions with pictures of Joseph Smith on the cover. She would sing the hymns about him. She would pray constantly about knowing how to bear a testimony of him. She would not bear a vocal testimony until she felt like she knew it to be true, so she never taught that principle when we would teach it in the TRC, or even to each other.
Then one day, when we were walking up to the TRC (we had all the companions in one room), she asked if she could teach it. We knew what that meant, but I didn't know how much I needed it. Her testimony was simple. I gasped for air because of the power of the Spirit in the room. I even remember looking up and all of the other companionships had stopped to listen. That is when I first recognized that I knew too. Seeing this movie helped me remember that. I hope that you all will be able to see it someday. It's worth it!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

My cute nieces...

Are they cute or what?

Laurel Photography



My sister and her family moved to Michigan at the end of January and I haven't had a good chance to see them for a couple of months. It was still hard to get up to see them when they were in Ogden, but I was still able to see them. Now there isn't even the option and I've been feeling the emptiness of them being so far away. Luckily we have Skype and I've been able to talk to them through the net, with video feed. I turned it off right before Lynn reached up and grabbed the camera and tried to eat it. Wish I would have seen that!

So one of my sister's friends from HS lives close to her in Michigan and she is a photographer. Here are just a couple of great shots she took in a session she did on Monday.
Please go take a look at her site and leave comments on what you think, in her blog. I know none of you can take advantage of using her skills, but at least you can see what she does and be able to comment about her site on her blog. Please do so!! Please, please, please!

Look at how grown up Alyssa is getting. Crazy, huh? I was talking to her on the phone and she sounded like a grown up. She's getting to the point where she knows more than her Aunt Jenny. (Not hard!) She should totally be a child model!
And little Lynn is so big. Can you believe that she's tried to take some steps in the past few days?

When you go look at Laurel's site, on her blog she has posted a few more pictures of the girls and there is one of Lynn with her tongue sticking out. So cute. I just wish that I could me there to make her laugh.

Enjoy the photos. Hope to hear from you soon!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Which Cullen Family member are you?


I'm Jasper.
It fits, really. Only I'm not a vampire. Nor did I live back during the mexican war and have a million personal problems. (I'm sure some could argue the latter!)
I took the quiz on Facebook, so if you'd like to know who you are, then you'll have to visit my facebook page and take it there.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

The Sudoku Challenge - Puzzle 1:Easy

Rules to play:
-Each row must contain the numbers 1-9.
-Each column must contain the numbers 1-9.
-Each box of 9 squares (Bold outline) must contain the numbers 1-9.
-NO box, column, or row can contain any duplicate numbers.
Got it?

I've been solving Sudoku puzzles for the past few years, but it wasn't until the last couple of weeks that I've found they have been a bit more constant in my life. Certain aspects at work caused me to play all-day.... Don't ask. But I found it a bit more addictive.

Now here is the challenge:
1. Solve
No more.

I'm going to post them at random. I have a lot of variety. We can work on them together. I hope you have fun. I hope you'll let me know how you're solving quests go.

Monday, March 10, 2008


Life is a great big surprise sometimes. And then other times life gives you exactly what you were hoping for.
As most of you know. I started a business with a couple of my friends and we just got our logo done. Isn't it great? My partner did such a great job on it. I'm so excited to get it on everything we have. It turned out even better than I had hoped! Great job to Summer for doing it! The time she spent doing it was well worth it!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Pneumonia or NO monia.................?


I've been struggling with breathing the last couple of days and it felt like my chest was very congested and like I was getting sick. But I didn't have any of the normal cold symptoms, so I assumed it was pneumonia, or at least the beginning stages. I made an appointment to meet with my doctor and she was able to determine that I only have asthma. Crazy, huh? The last time I had pneumonia I was told that I have a slight case of asthma, but apparently it has gotten worse. I'm glad I do not have pneumonia, but now I have to carry an inhaler around with me all the time. The picture shows the inhaler I need to use for the next two weeks, but I'll be using the traditional L-shaped one after. Wow!!!
You win some, you loose some. A big plus.... I'm going to be able to exercise without breathing problems afterward!!!! Yeah!!

Laughing Yet?

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