Christmas Card

Tis the season for Christmas cards. I've always wanted to send them out, and I never do mostly because I'm lazy. But also because Christmas cards are for 1) people who want to brag about their kids 2) new couples who want to prove that they love their choice of spouse 3) someone who has traveled around the world...etc. Since I don't fall into any of those categories, and because really, I blog and you are able to read about all of the things that have happened to me throughout the year... Shoot, I'm totally talking myself out of doing this.

I designed the "card" above. It's sort of my new favorite thing to do on Picasa. It's complicated, and I feel like I am tricking the system for what it is meant to do. I would rather have Photoshop - all it's cool features...sigh. So how do I want to do this "Christmas card"? A run down of the year's events? Ok.

January
The year started in Ohio, as I have been lucky enough to do every year since I moved to Utah. Since I had been out of work since November, this trip was a Christmas miracle and was completely due to a generous gift given to me by my awesome roommates - who bought my plane ticket home. I was living at the Omni with Ashley, Becca and Kira. We were partying it up, doing one-song dance parties in the parking garage. I was serving as the FHE Mom and having a blast with my family. This was also the beginning of my last full-time semester at BYU.

February
I became an aunt! Kelsie was born at the beginning of the month. I was sad that I couldn't be there, and felt completely left out of the loop because I could never get a hold of anyone, and when I did get on the phone with someone, Amy was so RUDE to be in the background yelling and stuff. Guess she was in pain or something. I really wish I had been there, still.

When I finally got my grubby hands on some pictures, I could tell that she would be pretty much the cutest little girl in all the world. I think I am a prophetess. All the pictures I have received thus far have proven me correct.

March
I don't remember March. We celebrated Becca's birthday by taking a party bus to Wendover, Nevada. Colin and I were still FHE parents. I was still in school, although, wrapping up the semester. I really did like all of my classes - they were interesting and fun and I had great professors.

April
I finished the semester amongst moving (typical) and organizing a ward video for the Stake FHE Oscar Night. Becca and I moved into a house by Seven Peaks with Roberta (Becca's Mom) and we fell into the lap of luxury, basically. More room - storage, a pantry, different rooms to put things! Stairs and a garage. I dropped off my car to be repaired - transmission leak - before I went home and met Kelsie for the first time. Amy held off the baby's blessing so that I could be there, and it was a very nice treat. I had found the ticket for so cheap that I used some of my loan money to pay for it. I'm still glad I did it, even if I have started paying back student loans this month.


May
May was a super busy month! I went to California one week to attend Kira and Reuben's wedding reception. I drove down with Levi and Colin and Aubrey met up with us. It was seriously a blast. Then the next weekend, I took off to New Mexico with the FTC and we spent Memorial Day weekend in Santa Fe. I was lucky that I didn't have to worry about getting off of work, and I was only taking one geography class because I decided to drop my stats class and sign up through independent study. I'm still sticking by my decision to do that...even if I could have been done about 700x by now. But that's mostly because I'm ridiculously stubborn. Becca and I established a party house by throwing a successful Cinco de Mayo party. 

June - July

Becca and I memorialized Michael Jackson by throwing a Michael Jackson party at our house. We also celebrated our one-year anniversary in Bear Lake. I can't keep everything straight, so sometime during these two months, my mom, Amy and Kelsie came out to visit and go to the Bollschweiler family reunion in Moab, Utah. I haven't been to Moab, and it was really cool to walk around instead of drive through. I was still in school and had to balance my time between the two. It was nice to have my mom around. We went up to Idaho to visit my uncle and his family. I contracted the piggy flu and was down for a day or so, and tried hard not to kiss the baby. It was impossible.

August Back to Ohio for the Armstrong family reunion. And that was the most exciting thing I did. It was so fun to be home with the family. I was very blessed to have my ticket paid for by my uncle, and then he allowed me to work for him for a week in order to pay him back. I was starting to freak out about money, so I was really looking for new jobs, toying with the idea of moving back to Ohio and not doing stats like I was supposed to be doing. I enjoyed a lot of laying out in the sun and reading. It was fabulous, really. 

September 

Stats is still not done. And since I didn't have a job, I took off to Idaho planning to stay a week. A few days in, I got a phone call from KMA, wondering if I were available for a second interview. So I headed on back. It was the smartest choice that I made, since I got the job. I also finished one of my tests for stats and did terrible. I started toying with the idea of going to Korea to teach English. I even got my passport! But when it came down to it, I had to have stats done...and well, you read the first sentence.

October
October is a busy month. I had to completely replace my brake system in my car. I officially started my job working at Kevin Madson & Associates as the office manager. I can't tell you how much of a blessing it was to finally have a job again. Plus, it's pretty much the best job I've ever had. I work with all guys - that are hilarious. Kevin has the biggest heart and is the best boss (not neurotic at all). It was hard getting back into the swing of having a full-time job. I maintained the sleeping schedule I've had for about six months (you know: wake up at 11am, do whatever, take a nap outside, go to lunch with the FTC, play and party, read, and then go to bed at 2 or 3 or 4am. Repeat). Having a job sitting at a desk is exhausting! But, if you do it well, you will get a raise within fourteen days - which I did. The best part of October is Halloween; and Becca and I made sure we did this with a bang. We threw an awesome party at our house, complete with formal invitations, test tube and dry ice drinks, a DJ and awesome decorations. The guys dressed up which was way sweet. I hit up a party at the Omni ward. And then Becca and I went to Salt Lake for another party.

November
MY BIRTHDAY MONTH! I made sure to celebrate all month long. Not really, but I did celebrate for a good two weeks. See previous post. We had an awesome sleepover when New Moon was released and that was a lot of fun. I went to Southern California for Thanksgiving. Work is still going really good.

December
I can't believe December is here already. And I can't believe that for the fifth year in a row, when I've thought that there was no way I was going to make it home (though I am always determined to go anyway) a miracle - in the form of relatives, roommates or this year, my boss - I am able to go. I've been trying to work out my finances so I could justify a plane ticket and when I looked I found cheap tickets, but hadn't talked to my boss about getting time off, and then the prices rise and I thought that there was going to be no way. But my boss called me into his office and handed me a check. "It's not much," he says, "It might be able to buy you a dinner for you and your boyfriend." But when I opened it, it was much more than that. It was enough to pay for an expensive ticket... which I didn't have to do, because the prices had dropped again. So not only did I get money that I wasn't expecting, I also got a great deal on my flight. Anyone who does not believe in Christmas miracles and answers to prayers are just not opening their eyes.

So that's the year. I can't believe 2009 is over! It seems absolutely crazy that I'm 24. And I know, I'm not graduated or married or working some high-paying job or even doing an internship in my major. But, I'm happy. I have great friends. My relationship with my family is good. And the Lord continues to bless my life, even if I am a complete screw up. This next year will be full of new things: I'll probably get my stats done which means graduation, hopefully I will leave the country and USE my passport, I'm definitely moving within the next month... and who knows what else!


Merry Christmas. I hope that your year has brought you as many ups and downs as mine (hopefully more ups than downs) and you've been able to learn and live and grow.





 

Just my 'magination!

When I have dreams they are easily the most vivid things that come to mind throughout the day. Last night I was talking to Amy and she was telling me a weird dream that she had had and it was very detailed. Very much like my own - when I tell people they usually have a response similar to this: "Also, I do not believe anyone has these dreams." - Kati

But I was thinking. Perhaps our vivid dreams are a direct result of our vivid imaginations we possessed as children. Whereby, as children, we created the Dream Machines.

Dream Machines were complex devices that Amy and I set up on an almost nightly basis where we would repair, modify and program the machines to ensure the best possible dreams. Sometimes the machines needed to be upgraded or if we had a scary or dissatisfying dream, there would be a long drawn out process of trying to figure out what was wrong with it because obviously it needed repairs. This usually resulted in the need to order new parts, which would inevitable be delivered bedside through chutes, tunnels, hydro-powered doors or winged, mystical creature. The repairs could take a while, during which Amy and I would talk about normal, everyday things as if we were really working on these modifications.

All of this was done as we were tucked in our beds, lying on our backs and making the could typing mimics in the air on our wireless keyboard. Everything was completely conjured up out of our heads. We both really loved those dream machines - and I think they have proven to continue to work now that we are adults. Else why would we dream so vividly?

This discussion then turned to the sad state of affairs that the younger generations face. I'm fairly certain that my thirteen year old sister has never conjured up anything remotely close to a dream machine. Part of it might just be that she hasn't had a playmate the way I was blessed to have Amy. We were so close in age, it made it very easy to play and have fun and bounce ideas off each other, and get in trouble...etc. and Mackenzie, for the most part, has had her own room and done her own thing. But the other problem is that generationally, Mackenzie has had Nickelodeon (and not the GOOD Nickelodeon of days gone by) and stupid Disney shows to entertain her. She watches Sponge Bob and youtube. She's never been dependent on her imagination for entertainment, but has insisted on other people entertaining her. Her friends all just want to go and walk around the mall. Whereas, Amy and I were creating and designing paper houses with people that had lives and stories. Even as we aged, we named the giant rock that sat on the river bed and presented offerings to it as we passed by. If it had been washed away, then we knew Gus accepted it. If not, we had to present something greater. There was something ridiculous in the way that we dressed up in sheet togas and covered our faces and then decided to bow to each car that passed us on the street, while chanting "Oh-na. Oh-na."

I don't think Mackenize (or Morgan or Hannah or Rachel) ever thought to do anything as cool as that! And as a result, they are bored. I'm sure I told my mom that I was bored at some point in my life - but now that I am older, I don't remember EVER being bored. We were always coming up with crazy games and stories and adventures. All because we used a little of our imagination. I feel sorry for the generations that are expected to be entertained by poor role models and monotonous laugh tracks on their stupid television shows (that are played on repeat for months at a time).

Birthday Pictures

From Movies

I'm experimenting with posting a video...ish, (slide show really) of the pictures from my birthday and it isn't working. You won't be able to watch it from an email or probably Facebook, but click to my blog [click here] and then click on the video, and it will take you to it. (Grandma, it's not really that complicated!)

Hey Kid! Quit playing Hot Cross Buns on my nerves!

Disclaimer: This post is random. And dumb, but I'm posting anyway because...it just fits with today.

I was walking around the store today and this seriously annoying kid was screeching out the lyrics to Hot Cross Buns. I feel like I have a pretty high tolerance level for kids (I'm lying right now) but this child was out of control. I came up with the phrase above, though, and was easily pacified.

I've been in a weird mood today.

I don't know how it started. Maybe it was because I had an enjoyably long shower? Or the fact that my breakfast consisted of Reese's. Maybe because it was pay day? Or even the fact that I am antsy and nervous and excited to be trying something new and made an advancement towards that by paying my deposit to my new place in Single Tree #5. (Sorry Amy, no pictures or website. I will take some when I get a chance.) Whatever it was, it came to when I went to lunch with Wein and Fern.

Anyway, I've gotten side tracked. The point is... this crazy mood has seen me throughout the day. I watched Glee on Hulu.com. Glee is the best show on television. That is until Chuck comes on in January. And I'm not discounting The Office... but yeah, it's hilarious. It made me cry. I love it. And work was good and busy, but not crazy so I could breathe. And I got paid. I bought some groceries, for the first time since I moved in with Roberta. (Like legitimate grocery shopping... like, I have lunches for work and stuff.) And I didn't do Stats - though, I seriously thought about it. I didn't get my laundry done. Or clean my room. But I did talk to my mom (x3), my dad, Amy, Brad, Mackenzie, my cousin Andrew (x2), my cousin Chloe and my aunt Elouise.

I really feel like this day is complete. Oh! And Roberta made me brownies for my birthday. They had walnuts in them. AND someone called me "hott stuff." I've lost my train of though again, so I am ending this absolutely pointless post with exclamation points!!!!!!

You Know You're in the Wrong Ward When...

...your ward Christmas party is an auction where the members can afford $300+ items.

I've lived in the boundaries of my ward since May of this year. It has been a difficult adjustment, because I really loved my Omni Ward. I blamed the fact that I was out of town for most of the summer. Of course, fall semester is almost over and I don't know many more people than I did when I moved in. Becca and I try to attend all our activities. We go to FHE (we have to, Becca is the mom) and ward prayer and choir and we both participate in our calling. The Bishopric (who are all awesome!) all knows who we are. And yet, we still don't seem to be fitting in.

For a while we pretended that it was just the ward. We had heard that it was a hard ward to get into. But we've watched several move-ins in the last month or so integrate themselves into the ward without a problem. So, basically, we know that it is us .

Somehow, even though we are the coolest people you could possibly know, we give off a stand-offish vibe and are, surprisingly, forgettable. We've had countless numbers of people in our ward re-introduce themselves over and over.

I don't know what it is. Maybe it is the fact that I just feel so uncomfortable in my ward. I'm easily the heaviest girl in the relief society. I don't wear clothes from Forever XXI or Banana Republic or wherever they shop. I don't have a nice car or flawless hair and skin. I don't make my own hairbows or own a pair of expensive boots - I don't even own a pair of cool tights and I definitely don't wear 4-inch heels. So it is clear that I don't look like any of the girls. I don't run marathons. I don't date. I haven't traveled anywhere really cool. I really just don't feel like I fit "in" with these girls. The guys in our ward go for the girls in my relief society - or, they do enough to talk to them....they haven't really gotten the dating/marriage thing down, or it would be happening more often. Whatever the case may be, I don't talk to many of the guys in my ward.

And after tonight, I must admit, I don't know that I ever will! I think of the quote in the movie Pride & Prejudice when Lizzie is protesting against visiting Pemberley because Darcy is so rich and her uncle says, "Why Lizzie, what a snob you are!" And I have to admit, I am sort of a snob against the rich. We went to our ward Christmas party tonight at the Spring Haven Lodge. They have been talking about this activity for a few months in ward council and whenever they did, I kept thinking to myself, "These people are nuts! No one is going to spend that much" or "You'll never get them to do that!" But boy was I wrong! After dinner we had a service auction, where we were to bid on the services offered by a ward member. Money bid would then be used to purchase money for the Utah Food Coalition. I've done things like this before. Services offered were like: bake a cake, clean the kitchen, a haircut or something similar. Granted, we had some of these things. (I offered to bake a cheesecake.) But this auction had items like: An overnight 6-person horseback trip in Wyoming, a weekend in Vegas at a house owned by the member, a weekend in a cabin with snow mobiles provided, an opportunity to volunteer in a Mexican orphanage, a day skiing at Sundance for six people, etc. etc. Basically, it was crazy. More crazy, the fact that people were bidding $300-400!

I don't know about you, but I don't have $400 laying around for a Fly Fishing trip. My measly cheesecake was no comparison. And I left feeling the same way.

I have a feeling that if the Christmas party was the first activity I ever attended, I would have gone RUNNING back to the Omni and not thought twice about it. As it is, I will only be in this ward for another month or so and then I am moving to try a more poor-college-student-friendly ward closer to campus. We'll see how that goes.