the knitting plans

Remember how I mentioned I had big knitting plans? Well, Project #1 is almost complete. I am hoping to finish it tonight. I will show some pictures when it is finished. I thought it would be fun to capture my knitting on my blog so I can see my progress...assuming that there will be progress. Let's hope so.

Oh, and I met a friend at church who knows how to crochet! I tried to teach myself and failed miserably, so Cortney is coming over Thursday night to teach me to crochet, and I am teaching her to knit. And she is about my age...shocking, I know. I found the impossible: someone who is young with old woman-like hobbies.

i want, i want, i need, i need

found here.

ballerina

This picture reminded me of my friend, Jill. She is an amazing dancer, and I liked the picture...and I like Jill. And I love her tutu...and I think Jill would too.

Hi, Jill.

how do you like them apples

a lot.

today

Today was the big ward party, and I am happy to say that it turned out great. I felt a little silly bossing people around but not actually doing much myself, but I didn't exactly want to tell people I was sick. The shish-kabobs were delicious, the prizes were a success and everyone was so helpful.

I was running errands earlier today and I was feeling sick and tired. I came home for a second to charge my camera and I found a little gift for me. I opened the envelope and just by the card cover I knew immediately who it was from (it's just this sense of humor we share). It was a joyful and funny card with a movie that is hilarious from my dear friend Kelli Bradshaw. She is such a gem.

Dear Kelli,

Thank you so much for the card and the movie. It was literally a necessity to my day. I was feeling overwhelmed and tired and your kindness was just the boost I needed. I keep looking at the card and laughing. And yes, laughter is the best medicine. Thanks for giving me my daily dose. And Baby Mama, need I say more? Nope. You know me oh so well.

Kelli, I stole this picture from your blog because, shamefully, I don't have a recent picture of you and I. However, I do have many of you and I in our most attractive girls camp stages...and most of them are of us flexing the muscles we don't have.

Thank goodness for friends.

what's your vote

I know it's a little early, but my brain won't rest until I make a choice here. Our next ward party is the Christmas one and I want a theme. Here is what I have so far. So, if you could, share your thoughts in a comment for me!! Thanks! You're the best!

A White Christmas ~ Everyone comes in their whitest attire to the party. Normal Christmas dinner food (you know, ham, cheesy potatoes, etc). The dessert would have to be white though, as well as the punch. White tableclothes and center pieces, the appearance of snow everywhere. I think this one would be very cost efficient because most of the decorations could be cut out of paper (like snowflakes, icicle streamers). Take branches and spray them white with light on them. You get the picture.

Feliz Navidad ~ Mexican food, mexican theme, Christmas fiesta style. Sombreros with candy canes as center pieces, bright colors, lots of streamers, maybe even pinatas. Mexican Christmas music...we wanted a mariachi band but we don't have the dough for that.

Christmas Candyland ~ Just the way it sounds. Bright, colorful and delicious! I am thinking candy everywhere, obviously, but really make it look like Canyland...Christmas style. Then there would be a gingerbread house contest. People can make them for FHE and then bring them to be judged. But what would we do for food?

Mele Kalikimaka ~ Christmas on Christmas Island! Everything Island style...You get the idea.








So, what's your vote? Any ideas?

lately

don't I look pathetic? Well, that's the point.

Well, I went to the doctor yesterday and found out I am suffering from Bronchitis. I am truly upset about it. Tyler and I are supposed to be throwing a Ward Party, our first one, on Friday. All the assignments I gave myself had to do with food, which I won't be able to do because I am contagious. Wonderful. Luckily we have some great people in the ward who are helping to pick up my slack.

I am finally at work for a half day today, first time I have been here all week. My desk is covered with anti-bacterial anything and everything along with a boc of kleenex. It's embarassing, to say the least. I am feeling better though.

I have gained a new appreciation (not that I ever lost it) of service. People who love to serve is where it's at. I have some people on my already tiny committee who don't return phone calls and it's obvious they don't want to serve. It makes a calling so much more difficult for everyone involved when there is a bad attitude.

Obviously, we all have fallen short in callings at least once. If there is anything I have learned from being in some kind of leadership (...not that's it's that leadership) position is that service is so important. Being a responsible person is important. Serving for the right reasons is important.

On the other hand, there are people who serve because they want to. I love those types.

Go serve someone today!! You never know, maybe they are sitting home with bronchitis and waiting for someone from the ward to pop in and clean there house, or make them dinner.

So here am I, wishing I was all better, wishing my mom was near by to nurse me back to health (Tyler does all he can, but his schooling keeps him super busy).

look what i missed out on...i mean, i was there.

This is Taye Lynn, my adorable little niece. She turned one and her parents threw an amazing party to be remembered. Only problem is, Tyler and I weren't there to enjoy it. I mean, yeah, I was there, totally.

These are Taye's new pink glittery shoes. It's so funny because she loves them and when she crawls she turns back to look at her shoes because they are so pretty. I saw her do it, because I was there.
And Alyse made these delicious crown cookies for the party. Man, they were so good. I crave them all the time...because I had one.

This was hilarious. Who doesn't love their own personal cake? Taye, apparently. She warmed up to it and made a mess, as any kid should. I mean, there was frosting everywhere!! I saw it myself.

Not sure where I was during this...

This is what Tyler and I gave her. She walked around with it ALL night, obviously her favorite toy. We were all like "I hope she stops pushing that toy around" because it was noisy, you know. I heard it because I was there when she was playing with it.

And it was funny because everyone had to wear a pink crown. It didn't matter if you were a man or not. I still have my crown...it's on my hat rack. I got one because I attended the party.

Mom and Tyson. I just thought this picture was so great. Special Ty Ty with Mom celebrating the birthday of Special Taye Taye. Isn't my mom pretty? I think so. She looks like a princess, how fitting.

Anywho, it was so fun to be there and celebrate. Happy First Birthday Taye Lynn!

labor day weekend

My parents came up to visit us for Labor Day weekend. Aaron came too! He suprised us by leaving after my parents did. No one knew and he drove through the night so he was exausted. He also left early, so between sleeping, homework and traveling, he somehow didn't make it into the pictures. I am so glad he came! It was so good to see him!

Saturday we went to Sundance because none of us had ever been. We opted to go on the ski lift and it was so much fun! Well...most if us thought it was so fun. My mom was a wreck. This picture will give you a good idea of what she was experiencing. She didn't know she was in camera range here:
My dad told us about his little brother Kevin. I guess Kevin went skiing at Sundance back in the day and he spent the whole day skiing with Robert Redford. He had no idea it was him until Robert invited him to lunch and they skiied right up to his cabin. I guess all the pictures and what-not gave him away. Apparently he is small, short and freckled.

In my mom's defense, we were facing some pretty steep slopes. Pictures don't do it justice but we can try.

Here is my dad's "Holy Schnikeys" face. And yes, he did actually say that.

Yeah...that's a drop.

Pretty views though

I think the sound of this paper blowing in the wind was adding to my mom's stress level. I took it away from her.

On Monday we set out to visit Midway for the Swiss Days. We got there to find out that Swiss Days only lasts Friday and Saturday. We were disappointed. So we decided to set out to Park City since we were already out there. We kept following the signs to Park City and before we knew it, we were heading over a mountain. It was so pretty and exciting! Except...my mom was nervous again. She's not fond of steep swirvy roads with ledges.

On our way over the mountain we went through an Aspen forest (my favorite) and saw this cute little cabin. We want one now.

This is at the top of the mountain. My camera is angled straight ahead so you can see how high we are by the clouds.

And here is a little treasure I would like to leave you with. And you all better watch it because it takes FOREVER to upload these things. I love you, mom.

Thanks mom, dad and Aaron for the wonderful weekend. We miss you already!!

work is like a slap in the face

actual pictures of the actual rule breakers

It all started when Gary, our maintenance guy, walked into the office. He told us about the jerk guys that were in the pool area. You see, we have to have magnetic locks on the pool gate so that only tenants with a pool key can enter. You need a key to get in and you need a key to get out. The rule is one guest per pool key. Do the tenants obey this rule? Not on your life.

We rent to a guy in a wheelchair, James, and he and his friends were in the pool today. Gary went out there to do some maintenance and found that these guys put some hair pins inbetween the magnetic locks so it would stay open. No suprise to us, Gary removed them. One of James' friends approached Gary and told him he couldn't do that. Gary went on with his business. Then James' friend, we will call him Homer (unless you can think of a more aweful name and insert it here), asked Gary if he's going to carry James over the fence, because he is in a wheel chair and can't climb the fence, and now they're locked in. I hope you are picturing Homer as a jerk who is loud and rude with no respect for anyone, because that would be accurate.

Right after Gary told us this ridiculous story I noticed that there was now a towel inbetween the pool gate lock. I calmly approached the door and removed the towel when Homer approached me just as he did with Gary, except with a little more frustration.

Homer: "Great! The genious pool guy didn't get it and now I have to explain it to you."

Me: "Excuse me?"

Homer: "How are we supposed to get out now? This guys in a wheel chair and he can't climb the fence."

Me: "Well, you shoudln't be climbing the fence anyway. It's trespassing. You need a pool key in order to get in and out of the pool."

Homer: " James has a key. He just lost it."

Me: " He needs to order a new key then. How did you get in the pool?"

Homer: "Some girl let us in, so we aren't trespassing."

Me: " Actually you are because there is only one guest per pool key and there are five of you here."

Homer: "Are you serious? You aren't going to let us out?"

Me: " I'm serious."

I turn to walk away and I hear him say "What a Bi---" . Yep. That's me. Just doing my job, B style. Actually, I stayed super calm the whole time and didn't provoke him at all.

I go up stairs to tell my boss how ridiculous people can be and we watch half the guys jump the fence. Then we hear them downstairs in the office talking to poor Ingrid. Cindy runs down the stairs (she was way fired-up because of what he called me) and starts in on him.

Homer: " One of your employees locked a handicapped person in the pool."

Me, as I am walking down the stairs, more calm than I ever: "No I did not."

Homer: "Shut-up!"

Cindy: " You are not allowed to talk to us that way. Do not talk to us that way."

Homer, face to face with Cindy now: "Shut-up!"

Cindy slapped him.

She slapped him right across the face. It was awesome and scarry.

Homer went loco. Lara (the boss) came down stairs and started trying to solve the problem. Homer wanted to be right and he wanted Cindy in a court of law. Lara held her ground and said he could press charges if he wanted but to keep in mind that he is illegally at Belmont (he is not a Belmont resident...shockingly as he fits the description) and we can charge him for tresspassing. Just for the record, we did let James out of the pool and scolded him for not having his pool key. He took it well.

Lara went upstairs after her yelling match and told us to call the police if he wasn't gone in 2 minutes. He actually encouraged us to call...but we ignored him. He walked out to the parking lot and did a reinactment of the slapping that went on for his friends...who weren't there to back him up because they all know he is crazy. About an hour later the cops showed up because Homer called them. The cop convinced him to just drop it because we could press charges too.

Now we have a fun joke floating around the office. Everything has to do with slapping. "Don't get Cindy mad, she might slap you". It's made work fun again. And I would like to send a shout-out to Cindy for catching my back.

This is Homer in all his rage. Why Cindy broke out the camera? We don't really know, but we are sure glad she did so it could provide for our entertainment. And why did Homer pose? We don't really know the answer to that either. If you look closely, you can see the craziness in Homer's eyes.

And yes, he had a hand print on his cheek when he left.

Update

Well, I know it's been a while. In my defense, our computer died a few weeks ago. I normally can blog at work, but until today it has been way too busy for that. For those who care, here is what's going on with us:

• I hate my job and probably will for the next month. I am sick of angry parents and their bratty kids. Of all the people who have complained about anything in this office, there has only been one person who has been nice and professional about it. So, I would say that is 1 in 10. I dread waking up in the morning because I have to go to work and get yelled at all day.


• We have a ward party we have to plan coming up at the end of this month and it is stressing me out.


• My parents came into town last weekend and Aaron even drove up! It was just what I needed and I hate saying goodbye to them when they leave. I will post about the fun weekend later, when I have a computer and can get all the pictures up.


• I made an amazing peach pie over the weekend, and I am craving it...but it's all gone. I made these delicious biscuits yesterday that usually turn out AMAZING...but they didn't turn out so great this time around. I noticed I get in a bad mood when my cooking doesn't turn out.


• I miss my Ingrid friend. She got married on the 30th and has been on her honeymoon in California since then. She comes back to work tomorrow!!!


• I have big knitting plans, but not the right size needles. I will be making a trip to JoAnn's this week.


• Tyler started another busy semester at school. Which means I am home alone 2 nights out of the week...Dear friends in Provo, call me.


• We have become addicted to the DVD series "Planet Earth". Do rent, you won't regret it.

In other words, life is busy, but I promise to post soon!!