life is good

Past week's happenings:

#1. I was sustained as the Relief Soceity President in my ward! Yikes! I found out about this calling about three weeks ago. Needless to say I have been spending a lot of time on my knees and in the scriptures. I have gained a deeper appreciation for the power that can be found within the pages of The Book of Mormon and challenge anyone who is searching for peace or joy in their life to take the time to loose themselves within that book.

#2. The weeds in our backyard are OUT OF CONTROL!! We are in the process of finding a yard maintenance company willing to tackle the jungle that is our backyard. Any suggestions?

#3. I highlighted my hair.

#4. My roommate Jen, got married! Hence the reason...well, one of the reasons...why I am the new RS Pres. Jen was the president until Garret decided to pop the question and sweep her off her feet.

#5. I made a bet with my best friend that I could lose 20 pounds by the time she comes to visit me for my birthday in July. Actually we made a bet with each other. Whoever looses 20 pounds by July 14th owes the other one $50. Here's to no more sugar and trying to excercise more...

when the 80's attack

So last night I went with two of my roommates (Elaina and Sabrina) to a multi-stake YSA 80's dance. I know you're surprised that I, of all people, went to a YSA activity, but I did! And it was really fun! The dance started at 7 but we didn't get there until 8 and everyone showed up around 9. It was kind of lame at first because there was noone there but the music was good, and the costumes were even better! The 80's rock man!

Elaina and I getting ready...

Sabrina, me and Elaina...

"Girls just wanna have fun..."

The best part of the night, however, was Elaina teaching the moves to "Thriller". That was awesome!

weekend learning

What I learned this weekend:

1. Saturn has rings. I've seen them! We went up to my grandparent's cabin in Overgaard, AZ and set up the telescope Saturday night. My dad and uncle found Saturn and we were actually able to see the rings around the planet. How cool is that??

2. "Don't put your finger on the trigger until you're ready to shoot." Some sage advise from my grandpa.

3. There is always way too much food at the cabin!!

4. Avoid fatal accidents. The highway was closed down last night due to a fatal accident. We ended up having to be detoured around Saguaro Lake. It took us an hour and a half longer to get home, but at least we weren't the ones involved in the accident.

5. You can die from mayonnaise?? We had a conversation on the way home about a suspicious looking bottle of mayonnaise found in my grandma's refrigerator. The expiration date was May 2005...dad threw it away.

6. Don't verge. In your language it's best not to find yourself verging on inappropriate.

7. There is a wrong and a right way to ask a question. For example:
Dad at 7:30 am Sunday morning: Why don't you girls think about getting up?
Me: If all I have to do is 'think' about it, I'm going to say no.

8. It is illegal in the state of Arizona to let a donkey sleep in the bathtub. Did you know that? Now you know!!

abc's

A-attached or single? single
B-best friend? Kristy
C-cake or pie? tough decision, but I think I'm going to have to go with cake
D-day of choice? Saturday
E-essential item? cellphone
F-favorite color? red
G-gummy bears or worms? bears
H-hometown? Mesa, AZ
I-indulgence? pedicures
J-January or July? both...January (weather), July (birthday)
K-kids? not yet...need a hubby first
L-Life is incomplete without...my family!
M-marriage date? sometime in the future :)
N-# of siblings? 4-J.R., Steven, Faith and Julia
O-oranges or apples? oranges
P-phobias or fears? dying in my sleep, sleeping with the closet door open
Q-quote? "I am coyote"
R-reason to smile? *NSYNC
S-Season of choice? Spring- the reason I live in AZ
T-tag 3 people- nobody
U-unknown fact about me? I want to one day travel to Mars
V-very favorite store? Target
W-worst habit? wasting time at work surfing the internet (shh...don't tell)
X-x-ray or ultrasound? never had an ultrasound so I can't make an informed decision on this one
Y-Your favorite food? Mexican
Z-zodiac sign? Cancer

what's that?

I arrived home tonigt at about 6:30pm and had the following converation with my roommie, Kristina:

Kristina: Wanna go to the Easter pageant with me?
Me: Not particularly.
Kristina: Why not?
Me: Because.
Kristina: Are you sure you don't want to go?
Me: Yeah. Why?
Kristina: Cuz I don't want to go by myself.
Me: When is it?
Kristina: 8 o'clock, but I'm leaving in about 10 minutes to get a good seat.
Me: Uh...okay. Sure.

15 minutes later in the car on the way to the temple...

Kristina: *starting to chuckle as she's driving*
Me: What?
Kristina: You realize tonight's the Spanish version, right?
Me: *silence*
Kristina: I couldn't tell if you knew and just didn't care or if you had no idea.
Me: How would I have known it was the Spanish version tonight?
Kristina: I just thought you knew.

There was silence in the car for a few seconds as we got off the freeway and headed towards the temple...

Kristina: I can turn around and take you home.
Me: No, it's fine.
Kristina: I'm serious. I'll take you back. I don't mind.
Me: You should be able to feel the Spirit no matter the language, right?
Kristina: Right.
Me: Hey, at least I have something to blog about now!

Below is a text conversation I had with my brother J.R. while sitting on the temple lawn waiting for the pageant to start and smelling the Arby's the people we're sitting next too are eating. Mmmm....Arby's...

Me: So I'm at the Easter pageant with my roommate. Funny thing is she forgot to inform me it was the Spanish version tonight. This should be fun.
J.R.: Are there spanish protestors?

Kristina insisted on reading what I wrote and informed me later that she didn't really care about going by herself. She just said that cuz she wanted me to come and didn't want me to be home alone. To which I replied, "I am perfectly fine with being home by myself."

Note to Kristina: Next time it's Spanish night...let me stay home! (In all actuality, it was fun listening to it in Spanish.)

Conversations between Kristina and I waiting for the pageant to start...

Kristina: Que hora es?
Me: What's that?
Kristina: What time is it?
Me: 7:25

Kristina: Que hora es?
Me: What's that?
Kristina: What time is it?
Me: 7:42

Kristina: Que hora es?
Me: What's that?
Kristina: *laughing* What time is it?!
Me: *laughing* 7:51. That should be the title of this blog: "What's that?"!

insert cash or press "pay with card"

Only problem with that? There is no "pay with card" button!!!

"Let me 'splain...no, there is too much. Let me sum up"

I went to Wal-Mart this morning with my roomie Elaina to get a few random items and a Money Order for our March rent. The line at the Customer Service desk was about a bizillion people long, so I decided to use the machine they have where you can pay for and print money orders automatically. So, figuring this would be the quickest route, we stepped up to the machine and started placing our Money Order order. I had the majority of the rent amount in cash, but had to pay for some of it with my debit card. I fed all the cash I had into the machine, one 20 at a time, then when I got to the end of what I had the machine said: "insert cash or press pay with card." But...as previously mentioned...there wasn't a "pay with card" button. In lieu of missing button I swiped my card on the pinpad, thinking that would work. It didn't.

We pushed the help button...and waited.

We asked an associate to call someone...and waited. She then came over and said to just swipe my card. I told her I already did that, but did it again. Surprise, surprise...it still didn't work.

A cashier came up...we explained what we were trying to do she said to just swipe my card. I told her I already did...twice...but she said to do it again. I did. It didn't work. She then somehow managed to cancel the transaction, making the machine print out a piece of paper telling them to refund the cash I'd already fed in. She stood around looking at the receipt with this blank look on her face for a while then pressed the cancel transaction button, effectively locking the machine.

She went into the office and had some other lady come out...then walked away.

Lady #2 again stood around with a blank expression on her face. I explained the situation to her saying I either needed the Money Order or my cash back. and then decided to call over an assistant manager.

Assistant Manager comes over. I explain the situation for the third time. She tells Lady #2 that she needs to refund me my cash from the money they keep in the office. Lady #2 then walks back into the office and dissapears for about 3-5 minutes while Elaina and I stood waiting in the Customer Service area which, by the way, was now empty. (If I had only waited in line for another ten minutes I could have avoided this whole mess.)

Finally Lady #2 comes back out with a handful of cash. I counted it, just to make sure, and had to sign two different pieces of paper. Assistant Manager then helps me get the Money Order I need. Finally!

Bottom line: Don't use the Money Order machine at Wal-Mart. It sucks!

random thoughts on a thursday morning

Things I hate:

*Morning Traffic...Baseline is reduced to one lane at the 101 (which is ridiculous) forcing me (and everyone) to take an alternate route--Southern. What used to take me twenty minutes is now taking me thirty.

*Weeding/Yard work...my backyard is out of control! I hate yard work with a passion. I wish I would have taken pictures last weekend before we sprayed so you would believe me when I say we have an ocean of weeds taking over. It's ri-dic-u-lous!

*Forgetting to take the trash out the night before it's supposed to be out...why am I the only one who takes the trash out?

*Dieting...but with summer coming it's a necessary evil.

Things I like:

*American Idol...I'm in love with David Archuleta. I hope he wins. I voted 7 times for him this week.

*Writing...I started writing a story at the end of last year. It is now over 100 pages (which is a personal record and which, I think, classifies it as a "book" now instead of just a "story").

*My new mix CD...some Onerepublic, Midnight Run and Rooney, a little bit of Paula Abdul, Blake Lewis, Mika and Collbie Callait, with a dash of N SYNC thrown in and you've got a great CD to dance and sing along to in the car (while stuck in morning traffic).

*My new nickname at work..."Alpha Geek"

*Chocolate chip cookies...I'm having a craving. I'm going to have to make some on Saturday.

Things I don't understand:

*Smokers...how in the world do you get anything done when you're getting up to go outside to light one up every thirty minutes? And, I especially don't understand why you would want to be a smoker here in AZ. Why, when it's 100+ degrees outside in the summer, would you want to go outside and suck even more hot air into your lungs. Something's wrong with that picture.

*People who get engaged and then wait FOREVER to get married...case in point: a guy I work with got engaged to his girlfriend before Thanksgiving (they've been living together for 5 years). I overheard him talking to another co-worker that the wedding is tentitively set for June of 2009! What's up with that?

*Quantum Physics...I'm not even going to go there...