Homecomings

Saturday night, I made the mistake of pulling up a bunch of these videos. Actually, I think I watched just about every one of them available on Youtube.com, including the "Man's Best Friend"-ones.

I'm a sucker for these videos and without fail, they make me bawl.

I posted this video because the very first one is my favorite.The little girl, probably not even two years old, throwing her arms around her daddy's neck and almost incredulously telling him "Hi, Daddy," a couple of times before saying, "I miss you," and a beat later, "I love you."

It makes me laugh, and mostly it makes me cry. (I watched it again, and have to get under control before I'm spilling tears onto my desk.) Sniff.

I can't believe how many fathers and mothers who volunteer to serve their country in lieu of being with their families. They miss the births, the first birthdays, football games, and any number of milestones throughout their children's lives as they commit to putting their own in danger for the sake of their families, yes, but also, for every American in our country. There are videos of fathers meeting their babies for the first time, six or seven months or a whole year later.

It's incredible.

And I can't help but watch these videos and see their sacrifices, and think that I should probably be taking their place. I don't have any aspirations to be in the armed forces, but at the same time, I don't have a family at home depending on me. I kind of feel selfish. And then I remember that I'd never make it through boot camp, and all my good intentions fly out the window.

So instead, I'll just try not to watch these for a while, so I can get a grip. And I'll be sure to make everyone in the armed forces know how much I appreciate the sacrifices they make on a daily basis.

God bless them and their families.

Birth Month 2011

Today is the last day of the month, so it's the last day of my month-long celebration of my birthday. Sort of. I'm not opposed to celebrating myself the rest of the year, but I just can't invoke anymore birthday rights (not that that has worked this month, at all when I really wanted it to).

The month started out really promising with a few dates with the same guy. And while the whole thing was a flourish into nothing, it was not without having some fun in the process. (Read: It basically ended before it began, but it was fun while it lasted.)

I bought books and clothes.

I went to Idaho to visit some of my most favorite people. And even though it was a flash trip, it was really fun. I made plans to go see them again for Thanksgiving, but was instead surprised with a ticket home for Thanksgiving! For my "birthday", we went and saw Breaking Dawn and went to El Sombrero. They didn't make me wear the sombrero though. My mom got me a new GPS, because my old one broke. It was a smart move, because it saves her a lot of time and hassle when I have an actual computer to find where I am when I'm lost. Being home was by far the best part of my birthday month.

Another unexpected surprise was the fact that we got a new bishopric! I'm pretty excited about the new regime. It was no secret that our old bishop didn't really like me... and I really think that the old YSA 142nd Ward could use a pulse check and shock into some new ideas and activities. I have high hopes for our new bishop and his counselors.

At work, the guys bought a cheesecake, the one without the bug. (Thanks, guys!) And then I went to dinner with a group of friends to my favorite restaurant in Provo: Thai Village. The majority of us got pumpkin curry, which is heaven-made squash in a bowl served with rice. I love it. I want some more.

Megan bought me a MUSIC BULLET, which is as awesome as it sounds. It's a battery operated speaker that plugs in to iPods and computers and such. It will be a great addition to our summer swimming, and until then, I will be happy to use it whenever the opportunity comes along. Thanks, Megan!

Tonight I'm headed north for pedicures and Cheesecake Factory with the FTC. Vietnamese tacos are just what the last day of my birthday celebration called for!

Home for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday. It probably has something to do with the fact that it always falls near my birthday (though, that has made my birthday somewhat less desirable sometimes) and the fact that it is about food and family. Not necessarily in that order. Our Thanksgivings are also like mini-reunions, since we used to all get together for Thanksgiving.

Of course, when I moved out to Utah in 2004, going home for Thanksgiving was out of the question, if I wanted to be home for Christmas. So I've spent the past seven years in Utah or California celebrating with different families and friends. It was always great, but never quite the same as what I remembered.

This year has been pretty tough on our family. We've had a lot of disappointments and heartaches and we are no where near the end of dealing with them. I don't think I've wanted to go home more for Thanksgiving. Although, I think that every year, it seemed important that I be there, and yet impossible on how to figure out how to get there. I toyed with the idea of charging a plane ticket... and then, I got an unexpected phone call from my cousin, KC, and he made it possible for me to fly home for the week.

It was so great to be there! Everything was perfect and it seemed like everyone who could be there, was there. My cousin who just got back from serving in Afghanistan was there with his wife and baby. My brother and his girlfriend were there. All of the cousins that I grew up with running around on Thanksgiving were there. They shot guns. We ate. We played cards. The rolls tasted better than I remember.

I was just so grateful to be there for a few days, to spend time with my family who I love so much. I miss their company terribly, and I really, really hate having to leave them behind.

Five days in Ohio is hardly enough time to do everything I wanted to do. But I started out the trip playing with Kelsie while Amy and Mom were at work. We galloped around like horses, fed cows on CastleVille and put on make-up. Then Amy and I took Kelsie to get her first haircut. She was so good by sitting really still, but I think she was more nervous than anything else. We didn't take off a lot of length, but we evened it up and got rid of the mullet.

Mackenzie had a basketball scrimmage, so I took the opportunity to watch her play. I am fairly certain that it is the first time I've EVER seen her play basketball. It was really fun. I don't know how to convince her that she needs to be more aggressive, though. When we weren't watching Kiki on the court, we were watching Kelsie make friends with the little boy that was near to her in age. They were having staring contests, and at one point Kels grabbed his little face and shook it back and forth. Dad yelled at her to stop and we explained that he didn't seem to mind, his mother didn't seem to mind so what was the big deal? "That's harassment!" he said. And we laughed.

I went to Friendly's with my friend from elementary school, Kate, and I got my usual candy shoppe sundae. Of course, I had to argue with the waiter about what the sundae was called, since they've changed the menu so many times since I've been away. Kate and I sat and talked for hours and it was great to catch up with her. The waiter happens to be the same guy Amy and our friend Esther often has when they go to Friendly's, and he commented on how Amy and I look alike and also how we drink water like it's going out of style. I probably had seven full glasses of water just because he continued to fill it up. At some point, it became a science experiment: see how long my bladder could hold out. I did want the waiter to think that he bested me, so I finished my glass and insisted that Kate and I get home quickly. It was a close call.

To celebrate my birthday, we (Mom, Amy, Chloe, Julia and me) went to go see Breaking Dawn. It was terrible as expected, but somewhat entertaining. Then we met up with my cousin KC and his parents and brothers at El Sombrero, a favorite Mexican restaurant in Troy, and had a birthday meal. The only picture I got was of Kelsie enjoying her sopapilla.

After dinner, we went home and had tons of desserts to make for Thanksgiving dinner. While we were making apple cheesecake, pumpkin and pecan pie, as well as apple pie, oreo dessert and heaven knows what else, Mackenzie and I decided we needed to give ourselves a little facial.

Brad walked in from work, so we told him to sit down and he did. He let us slather the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg concoction onto his face and then let it stay on there for the allotted time. He's a really good sport. Considering the ingredients, it doesn't smell as good as you would think. But I do love the way it made my skin feel after.

Thanksgiving day consisted of finishing up preparations. Rolling out rolls, and helping Mom in the kitchen as best we can. Then we drove over to my Uncle Craig's and the boys were already out shooting.

As I mentioned, dinner and family time was fantastic. The weather was great, so we were able to take some family pictures. Brad ate his entire dinner like a barbarian. He didn't touch his silverware.

It was so, SO great to see everyone and be home! I just can't believe I was there and I don't think I can ever pay KC back for his kindness. I miss everyone already.

With Bated Breath I Fly Home

Thanks to my very generous, very kind cousin, I had a flight scheduled to take me home so that I could attend family festivities for the greatest holiday of the year (Thanksgiving, folks). I have not been home for Thanksgiving since 2003, and so I am thrilled to be here. I hope it lives up to all my memories.

On the non-stop flight from Salt Lake to Cincinnati, I was assigned the seat 6B, which any frequent flier knows is a middle seat. Ugh! My luck with middle seats is not great. I usually end up between two very large, very smelly sorts of folks, and....

Honestly, I was just grateful that I had a seat.

I was the first to arrive in my row, so I sat down and waited, anticipating having to get up for the person who had the window seat. After a few minutes, a very cute bearded man with incredible brown/green eyes sat down with a friendly, "How's it goin'?" We watched as other people boarded the plane looking for their seat assignments, always targeting their glance further down the aisle. We were seated second row in economy, and so it was easy to see that each person was looking for a larger number than row six.

After a while, Beard mentioned that he thought that the passengers were likely to be all loaded, and we were not going to have someone sitting at the window.

I'm just not that lucky, and I told him so. I was going to wait a few more minutes, because they hadn't shut the door yet, and so it was very likely that the passenger was late, but most certainly on his way. The passengers were coming fewer and further between. And then they started coming in sucking wind, evidence that they had just run the length of the airport in order to catch their flight.

Every time someone appeared at the end of the first class cabin, my neighbor and I held our breath, hoping that we did indeed get to claim the extra seat.

"You've gotten my hopes up now," I commented.
"I think we're safe," he said.

I waited just a minute more and then moved over and buckled my seat belt. But the door wasn't shut, and there were still a few more passengers that had to find their seats. A Colts fan walked purposefully to our row and then looked around. We were certain we had his spot.

We held out breath again, waiting for him to ask me to move.

He moved on, and we both sighed in relief.

"I wish they would just close the door," I said.
"Any minute now," he confirmed, looking at his phone.

We talked about how he was a golf caddy, but currently it is off-season, so he just travels. He told me he was from Cincinnati, and asked why I did not fly in to Dayton instead of Cincinnati. We talked about the podunk airport he has to fly out of to leave the area of Oregon where he lives.

And then finally, they announced that the door was shut, and we were pushing off the gate.

Success! I broke out my Kindle, and enjoyed my window seat all the way home.

Thanksgiving Flowers and Toilet Paper

The other day my roommate walked in with these beauties just for me. It had been a hard week, and she was very thoughtful to think of me.

Not only are they beautiful, but they are very festive. Which is particularly important during this time of year. So many people are forgetting which holiday they are supposed to be celebrating. I LOVE that these are harvest colors!

Melissa and I have been having a lot of fun lately. It sort of started with a slumber party that kept us up until 5:30 a.m. a few weeks ago, and the giggling hasn't really stopped since. (We've decided that after last Sunday, we aren't allowed to sit next to each other in church anymore.)

A couple of months ago, we came up with the clever idea of starting a toilet paper roll collection. Of course, we had a very decided purpose. Our neighbor has issues with his roommate never, ever throwing away the empty toilet paper roll. He'll move it to the tank of the toilet. He'll move it out of the way. But he doesn't throw it away. It drives our neighbor insane. Knowing how he feels about empty tubes, we decided to collect them and when we had enough, we would do something like such as above.

He went out of town for the weekend, and felt that we had a pretty good stock pile. We tried to make a wreath, but it didn't work out well. We were lucky to have accomplished what we did, considering that Melissa sliced her finger after working on only three tubes.

We were going to make a "bead" curtain out of the TP tubes, but... neither Melissa nor I are very crafty people. We managed three rows, loved the way it looked hanging from Dustin's fan, and decided that was good enough. We sneaked over to our neighbor's place, had his roommate let us in, and we hung the sucker as well as left a trail of toilet paper tubes up the stairwell, and left.

I woke up to find a strand of it on my car, and was able to transfer it back on to his for a double whammy! the next morning.

I Loved this Weekend

This weekend was great. It was the perfect mixture of good weather, good company, stuff to do and getting things done. Saturday I woke up at 10 a.m., made breakfast and basked in the fact that I had cleaned my room on Thursday, so there wasn't anything for me to do. I pulled out a book, read a bit and then Melissa texted me and told me to come walking with her.

So we went for a lovely stroll around Carterville park and enjoyed the perfect fall weather with Megan and James. I ran small bits of it, making me feel like I was doing some good exercise and enjoying the day. Even though I was told by a trainer at Gold's Gym that I shouldn't be running, I decided a little bit wouldn't hurt me. When did I start enjoy running? Never. I hate it. A lot. But there is something about running that makes you feel like you've actually done something productive and now that I've been told that I'm "not allowed", it has made me want to all the more. Plus, running in the fall is the best time to do it.

Melissa and I came home and read dumb magazines until it was time to get spruced up for our play. My friend Meghan had bought tickets to see My Fair Lady at the Hale Center Theatre, but couldn't use them and didn't want them to go to waste. So she passed them on to me, and I invited Melissa to see it with me. I thought initially that we were going to see Mary Poppins, but this was MUCH better!

We decided to stop and get something to eat before the show. Originally, I was going to go to Cheesecake Factory, but that's on the other side of Salt Lake, so we opted to go to La Hacienda, a favorite Mexican place of mine, but! we were worried about time, so we opted for a place called the Saigoon Noodle House. I didn't know what to order and ended up with Vietnamese crepes, which were more like flaky omelets with weird meat and shrimp and bean sprouts. I think I was supposed to eat part of it wrapped in the lettuce leaves, but I'm not entirely sure. So I dipped the meat and the shrimp in the spicy red chili sauce and enjoyed it. Melissa was pretty sure that the server was laughing at me, but that's fine.

We made it to the Hale Center Theatre, only two blocks away, after sitting in a line of cars for half an hour. Which was fine; we still had plenty of time, and even had to wait before they opened the auditorium for us. We had great seats, though, I think nearly every seat in the place would be good. It was a circular theater, which I have never been to before, which made it all the more exciting.

I love My Fair Lady. Of course, I have seen the movie with Audrey Hepburn. I loved it ever since I watched it in elementary school for music class, or when we watched it in Latin. I love the story of it, and that it's based on the mythological story Pygmalion (so is Pretty Woman). The play is better, even though it was done almost exactly like the movie. The music was so great, and the only thing that would have made it better was to have Becca sitting next to me -- seeing as how we often sing and dance to two of the main songs from this play, it would seem fitting to have her there as well.

The actors all did a great job in their respective characters. The only thing that I would complain about is that Henry Higgins, supposed master of the English language used the word "hung" instead of "hanged" where he was supposed to. I don't know if that was the actor's folly or the script. And Mrs. Higgins, Henry's mother, was a little.... less English aristocratic than I would envision. I didn't like the way the actress played her at all. However, Alfie Doolittle's character was brilliantly done. Normally I do not like his side story at all, but the man who played Doolittle was great.

There was also technical difficulties after the ball and they had to raise the lights and no one really knew what was going on. But that was hardly a problem. The show was great and I am grateful I had the opportunity to go.

After the show, we made it out and headed towards home. I hate driving back from Salt Lake any time after 10:00 p.m., because the traffic is always beastly. I headed towards home, knowing that I didn't need to take the exit to Las Vegas, because if I kept going, I should still end up on southbound I-15. Only, instead of hitting I-15, we were magically driving around Sandy. How did we get from West Valley to Sandy without knowing it? It took us a while to figure out. We could have sworn we teleported. That is, until we remembered that we had been on I-215 instead of I-80, which has totally different consequences. After we got our McDonald's treats, we located the freeway and drove happily home. No traffic, at all. It was really quite amazing.

So today we made it to church and afterward, I had a meeting for my calling. I like actually sitting in alongside the leadership of the ward and listening to everyone as we try to figure out ways to become more unified and better serve each other. The meeting went long, but it was almost fun and I have some really good ideas on how to improve my calling on the Spiritual Living Council. I headed home and Melissa and I decided to take a walk.

It was HOT! Which is such a good thing. The weather was absolutely lovely, and we walked for well over an hour and enjoyed every minute of it. We did not, however, get any good pictures. After the walk, we stopped by "The Boys'" where they re-hydrated us, and then my visiting teacher came over and then I went over to Megan's for dinner. After dinner, I spoke to my mom. Had Dustin come over to watch Kid History. Headed to Ward Prayer....

and then found out that Dustin had hacked my Facebook account.

Over all, it was an absolutely perfect weekend!

Butterbeer Cupcakes

Butterbeer Cupcakes

I have admittedly been super-lax about baking and cooking these days. But every once and a while, I stumble upon some amazing recipes that I want to try, but I'm too lazy to make. Such is the case with the Butterbeer (yes, that's Harry Potter Butterbeer) cupcakes. When I stumbled upon it on pinterest.com, I just passed along the recipe to my friend Megan, and asked her to make me some.

Fortunately for me, she was excited to try them. And happened to have all the ingredients necessary! So today, she came over to my house and made me cupcakes.

As promised, these cupcakes are divine! They are seriously the best cupcakes I have ever tried. And it might have a lot to do with the fact that they are butterscotch flavoured....which I absolutely love. Luckily, Megan took her share away and I shared half of mine with some guys in the ward -- because I know I was tempted to eat them all.

I do not think that it is over the top to think that I will be dreaming of these things tonight!!

Butterbeer Cupcakes - from the Pastry Affair
Adapted from Amy Bites

Yields 18 cupcakes

Butterbeer Cupcakes
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cream soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a cupcake tin with baking cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and butter flavoring.

Fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, 1/3 of the flour mixture, cream soda, and then the remaining flour. Folding in these ingredients will prevent over-mixing and will result in a fluffier, less dense cupcake. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden and spring back when touched. Cool completely before frosting.

Butterscotch Ganache
11 ounces (1 package) butterscotch chips
1 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the butterscotch chips into the heavy cream, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before using.

Butterscotch Buttercream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup butterscotch ganache (recipe above)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
Pinch of salt
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Splash of heavy cream (as needed)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the butterscotch ganache, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt. Beat in the powdered sugar for 2-3 minutes, starting with 3 cups and adding more only if necessary. Add the cream a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved (I only needed 1 tablespoon).

To Assemble
Pour butterscotch ganache into a plastic squeeze bottle. Stab the tip of the bottle into cupcake and fill each cupcake with butterscotch ganache until it starts to overflow.

Fill a pastry bag with butterscotch buttercream and pipe onto the top of each cupcake. Drizzle on the butterscotch ganache. Lick your fingers clean if you just so happen to get extra butterscotch on them. If you have any leftover butterscotch ganache, it can be used as ice cream topping.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature (that is, if they don't get devoured immediately).

Meet Jeeves, My Chauffeur

A few days ago, Louise (my vehicle) decided she no longer liked her ignition switch. Now, sometimes during the winter, she didn't want to start up and resent the key being jammed into the ignition, and I understood that. It's cold in the winter, and I hate having to wake up, too. But in the middle of the summer? No, thanks, Louise. She already is temperamental about the driver side door -- which sticks and jams and is a general pain in the butt whenever it is over 90 degrees.

Anyway, as I was driving around, delivering cupcakes on Tuesday, Louise decided she had had enough. I couldn't turn the key in order to turn off my car. I left it running while delivering to the last houses, but once I got back to my apartment, I forced the thing to shut off, and couldn't get it to turn back on.

We called James and told him to come over and see if there was anything he could do. He could do something! He managed to turn the car on, not once but THREE times. None of the rest of us were able to accomplish even that much. He promised that he would drive me to work in the morning, or anywhere I needed to go until Louise straightened up and then returned for the evening.

When I went out to start Louise the next morning, I was hoping that she had gotten over her little grudge towards me, but no dice. I called my dad to let him know what was going on. I called my favorite mechanic in the Provo/Orem area: EP Auto, and I called one other mechanic recommended by EP. Of course, Dad can't help me from Ohio, and the mechanics both claimed they were too busy to see my car until middle of next week. So I called Andrew who has a fabulous mechanic. Up in Salt Lake.

As promised, James came over and rescued me. He got my car started so I could get gas, and then started it again at the gas station, and we headed up to see Bill of Rockport Auto in Salt Lake City. Bill recently broke several ribs and had only one operating arm, but he assured me that he could have the problem fixed by the end of the day or early today, and sure enough, he called me this morning to say that it was done.

Not only did he get it done in record time, but he didn't charge me very much, and for that I am very grateful.

While I was without my car, James dropped me off at work and then picked me up. Yesterday, he picked me up from work and drove me to dinner with the FTC. We met at La Jolla Groves. It was... good. But I won't say that it was the best thing I've ever eaten. The atmosphere is really cute (and fancy-ish). And it was fun to see Kati and Meghan...and then watch Kati chase Meghan with her (cute) pregnant belly.

If you ever need a personal driver, I recommend James. He has a pretty decent taste in music. He's very prompt. He will literally take you anywhere you need to go. He does drive like a Californian, so... be warned of that.

For a Thank You and for James' birthday, I took him to Thaifoon. I was super disappointed to find out that they had removed my FAVORITE dish. I didn't love what I got (some pineapple, mango chicken and shrimp dish... it was OK, just not the Mahi Mahi that I wanted). We had free appetizers and enjoyed the coconut shrimp and potstickers. James liked his Mongolian beef. And I liked our spring roll dessert. I got two more stamps in my frequent diner card, but I'm afraid that I won't get the rest... I just don't know. That Mahi Mahi is my favorite. Dear Thaifoon managers, please bring back the Lemoncrusted Mahi Mahi.....

Sigh.

After dinner, James and I walked back to our respective cars. I sat down and put my key in the newly graphite-d ignition switch, and....nothing. NOTHING! Oh no! What did I do? Did I leave a light on? I called James to tell him not to leave the parking lot so that he could come jump me. He turned around, confusing the parking attendants and proved his manhood by being able to put the jumper cables in the right spots and... nothing! EEK!

It took two tries and then.... I remembered. I had done something that I haven't done in seven years. The last time I had this problem, I was living at the University Villa and not one single guy there knew anything about cars.

Louise has this security feature, that if you remove, you are not going to get the car started. No matter what you do -- even if you hot wire her, she's not going to start. I had taken it out and put it in my purse.

Oops.

After I remembered, everything was good to go. Poor James. At least he doesn't have to be my driver... until Louise's next temper tantrum.

Jeeves, aka James

Administrative Professional's Day

I read a webpage somewhere that recommended a boss celebrate Administrative Professional's Day because his admin/secretary/assistant looks forward to it as much as an anniversary or birthday.

I kind of laughed at that, because the majority of us know that as an admin, the day probably wouldn't be celebrated without a little bit of probing and subtle (or not-so-subtle) reminders. Or maybe it is just like that in my office where I am mostly the only girl at work.

Regardless, I was surprised when Peggy waltzed in with a little gift. She got me something last year, too, but this year I wasn't as pushy about the reminders and the office is almost empty today. So I didn't expect anything.

The vase is beautiful! And I love tulips (there are a few in the arrangement). I hate having to draw attention to this day and say "GIVE ME PRESENTS!" But... I love presents! And it is nice to feel like an appreciated member of the team. I am really grateful for my job and where I have been working for the last year and a half.

Just... the best day!

Yesterday it rained practically the whole day. The street outside my office was flooding! Usually when it is so dreary, I do not like to be at work. I prefer to be tucked in my bed sleeping or reading a book. But yesterday, it was fine.

It probably helped that my dad called with some news. I knew that he knew I was at work, so I figured he wasn't calling to just waste time, even if it was around his lunch hour. He told me that I had some mail, and he wasn't sure what it was - though it was probably junk mail. I told him to open it, and immediately he started reading this:

When I received the news (over the phone) that I was accepted in to BYU, I cried. When my dad read me this, I was practically jumping out of my chair! I had submitted a story to Women's World, knowing that it was a long shot.

According to the magazine, and several blogs dedicated to romance writers wanting to make a little money on the side, millions of submissions go through Bauer Publishing every year. But I submitted, knowing that I was only putting out a few stamps worth of effort, and then almost forgot about it.

Occasionally, I would think about how I hadn't heard from them. I figured that they probably didn't like it. The story is a little different than most of the stories I have read in the magazine, and they probably didn't want to publish it in their magazine. I submitted in December (on my mom's birthday) and only heard back yesterday! But it was so worth the wait!

The best part, for me - besides the fact that I just made a little extra money and can now be considered a real published author (maybe) - is the little handwritten note at the bottom telling me that the story is "unusual and authentic".

I don't know for sure if they will publish the story, but they are buying it from me so they can publish it whenever they want. They can also edit it as they want.... I'll be interested to see what they do to it. I hope that this is just the beginning of my writing.... and that there will be plenty of stories that get accepted by Woman's World, and maybe a successful novel or two. It might be too much to ask, but while I'm riding this high, I'm going to go with the idea that it is a definite possibility!

I was giddy with the news - I told everyone. Or, I tried to tell everyone... When I told my boss that I had good news, he jumped the gun, asked if I was engaged and then told me he would be sad if my engagement took me away from the office. Once I explained that I was not, in fact, engaged, he got distracted...Oh, well.

I was overwhelmed with the congratulations that I got (even if it was a bit solicited) and so thankful that everyone is as excited for me as I am for myself! It's so nice, so THANK YOU, everyone! This is also probably a good time to mention my gratitude to Suesan and Meghan, who helped edit the story before I submitted it. (You two are the best!)

After work, the rain had stopped and Meghan and I drove up to Salt Lake for dinner and a movie. On the way up, we saw a rainbow, which just added to the magic of the day. The food at La Hacienda is really, really good. And we watched the new version of Jane Eyre at this little Indie theater. I am still not sure how I felt about it.... if anyone wants to watch Jane Eyre, I will recommend the Masterpiece Theater version. It is much better.

From everything else that is going on, it sounds like several of my friends received good news yesterday, too. So it was just such a great day!

LaConner, Washington

Roberta and I visited LaConner on recommendation from her brother, Chris. It was about 45 minutes away from where they lived, and to get there we took a little detour before getting on the right road - which allowed us to look at some really neat houses. Once we were on the right road, though, it was really amazing to see all the cute gingerbread farmhouses and tulip fields. Most the flowers weren't quite in bloom, but the lush green of what will be beautiful tulips (my favorite flower...or one of) in the next few weeks was exciting.

We passed one field that was covered in white geese.

LaConner is a quaint little seaside town with a ton of little shops. Roberta and I walked around and checked out the different boutiques, snapping pictures along the way. I think our favorite shop was the antique lighting store - who knew looking at all the different lighting fixtures would be so awesome? We also played a little with Edgar, the English Sheepdog puppy who was out of sorts because he had just had his first bath.

We stopped by the LaConner grocery store, where they said it was built in 1985, but their refrigerated section was being powered by something from the fifties.

We tried our hand at the lotto.

And we won!

We decided that it was time for dinner, so we headed to the LaConner Brewery. On the way back, Roberta was telling me about one of her many lovers who is particularly dirty and definitely wants her body. It was unfortunate timing, as an Orthodox Jewish man and his son passed us. I'm sure they thought Roberta was a complete whore - when in fact, she is as straight-laced as the rest of us. (Or should I say, as chastity-belted?) We thought it was fairly hilarious, though.

The restaurant wasn't necessarily something to rave about, but the quesadillas that Roberta ordered most certainly were. Pepper jack cheese is always delightful, but these quesadillas also had squash, cilantro, shredded carrots and chipotle sauce. They were fantastic!

We headed back home after dinner. Of course, we crossed the bridge and headed towards the unknown for a while, but once we got turned back around in the right direction, we stopped and saw the old log cabin (that was creepy, and open...).

It was an absolutely beautiful day the whole time we were at LaConner and we both had a really great time.

I didn't spend much time in Seattle, because I had a plane to catch. But Roberta and I checked out the Pike Street Market and had lunch at Cutters. Roberta was convinced that the waiter was totally "checking me out" and "flirting with me." I am convinced that she still had traces of her pain pills in her, clearly affecting her judgment. She thought he was holding back because he thought she was my mother. We get that a lot, and have just decided not to correct the assumption. But with Jacob, she suggested that I tell him that she was my Madam, instead of my mother. That way, he would know that I was available. I did no such thing - but I did laugh ridiculously hard. He was dangerously cute though, with his Texan accent and great-looking beard. The view in the restaurant was amazing, as it looked right over the water.

Over all, I am absolutely in love with Washington, and the Seattle area in particular. It had been years and years since I've been in the state, and I really want to go back soon! I owe Roberta a HUGE thank you for letting me tag along and taking to me to all the really fun, cool and beautiful places we got to see and I can't wait to go back.

Seven Reasons I Hate My Room

1. The miasma. Whether it is an antiquated Victorian belief or not, you tell when you are in a sick room. And I hate being in a sick room. Besides, I know that even though I'm covering my mouth when I cough, there are little seedy germs everywhere!
2. The fact that it isn't clean again. I haven't had the strength to carry up loads of laundry. I haven't had the inclination to fold and put away laundry, and so I am right back to where I started a week ago.
3. My bed. I've hated my bed from the very beginning. With two foam things on it, it is still the most uncomfortable bed I've had in my entire years living in Provo. There is no position, no spot, no anything that makes this bed comfortable except sheer exhaustion and drugs. And once those have worn off, you crawl out of bed feeling like an invalid. I can't tell if my muscles are sore from being sick or from just laying here in bed the whole time. Plus, there's no headboard, so every time I lean against the wall, the mattress goes sliding out of place.
4. There's no TV. Rather, there is a TV, but it doesn't work because it is so old. It just sits in the corner taunting me. I have officially caught up on hulu.com and netflix.com, and my head hurts too much to even think about writing. I'm bored. Plain and simple.
5. The temperature. Either it is too hot. Or it is too cold. I can't seem to balance it out. Well, I couldn't until about five seconds ago. Right now, my window is open about three inches and my hair is wet. I'm almost at perfect temperature right now.
6. No one can come visit me. I'm sick = quarantined = no visitors.
7. I have to be in here. Well, I guess I don't have to be. And I am about ready to go downstairs and sit on the couch for a bit. But I feel really bad. Because when I'm sick, I like to stay locked up in my room in order to make sure no one else gets sick. But, I can't take it anymore! Melissa just Lysoled the whole place, so I hope beyond hope that my disease does not contaminate anyone else.

Also, my hands are shaking right now. It's been really fun trying to type this out. I think it is low blood sugar since nothing sounds appetizing right now and I haven't eaten all day. Melissa has gone to go get me some soup and stuff for toast. She and Savannah have also opened their drug cabinet to me, and boy! am I grateful! It is great to have roommates that look out for you, even though when they were sick, I was fairly certain I kept my distance.

Now, I'm just going to go downstairs and enjoy the fresh smell of Lysol, the book I just got in the mail (for free!) and maybe eat some soup.

Thankful Post #3

Now pretend for a second that I didn't just post the most depressing post of my entire blog and switch gears to my Thankful Post #3.

I am thankful for Bishops. Throughout my lifetime, I have had some of the best bishops that have been called to serve.

When I was baptized, I was interviewed by Bishop Patrick. He was a great friend of my dad and my uncle and was one of the funniest people I knew. He was the * ONLY * person that I allowed to call me Shelli Belly. And he did so. He gave me my first, and only, taste of venison. His wife introduced me to snickerdoodles. But more, I remember siting in his office for my baptismal interview and him asking me about Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ and me being able to tell him that I had a testimony at that young of an age. And him telling me that he knew that I did and how he was very proud of me.

Growing up, Bishop Zelnick gave me my first temple recommend. He called me in just to make sure I was doing OK during a time when I was suffering from depression. He was wise and educated and encouraged me to get my degree at Edison and then BYU. He called me Daughter #5, and I spent my high school years using his home as my "summer home."

And then my dad was made my bishop. And I learned the inner workings of how the church is run. And I understood the constraints that a bishop goes through with balancing work, church and family. And I saw personally how the Spirit can influence someone and how the Lord blesses the families of His servants.Can I just say how much I enjoyed my dad being my bishop? He did my tithing settlement, gave me callings - sometimes officially and sometimes not so much - I could talk to him "as my bishop" and then switch it up and get counsel from my dad. He even wrote out my temple recommend before I left for college, and I still have that because I love that he could do that for me.

When I moved out to BYU, I was nervous and scared. I lived with girls who I at first befriended, and then we did * NOT * get along. They didn't like the way I worked graveyard shifts and they questioned my choice of friends. I picked up a swearing habit, and because of my work schedule, I didn't always make it to church on Sunday mornings. But Bishop Freestone directed me to Moses 5:10 "Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God." And he taught me that Heavenly Father is so above disappointment, that when we screw up, He only feels compassion for us. And we learn and strive to do better.

At the Branbury, I served with Bishop Zenger. Who was absolutely fantastic. At the time, I felt that no man loved a ward more than he loved us. I called him in the middle of the night a couple of times worried about my sister and he answered and talked me through it. He was funny and kind and the ward loved him as much as he loved us.

After that, I went through a series of Bishops that did not know who I was. In fact, on such bishop introduced himself to me no less than five times as if we had not met.

And then I moved into the Omni, and I worked with Bishop Hardman. And unfortunately, he was released. Bishop Marchbanks was put in, and he made the ward a fun, unified group of individuals. To the point where the friendships that I made in the Omni have long withstood the test of time and moving. No other ward was as close-knit as the Omni.

After the Omni, came Bishop Robinson. And surely he loved us more than any bishop... I really did love Bishop Robinson. He was so great and fun and... exactly what that ward needed.

At Single Tree, I tried my best to distance myself from the ward. I knew I wouldn't be there long, but Bishop Cummings wouldn't allow that. I had a calling that terrified me. And he really advocated reading the Book of Mormon. I started reading and studying better than I had in previous wards and I learned the strength and power that comes from reading daily.

And finally, there is Bishop Allen. Who called me into his office based off a prompting, and at the end gave me a hug. Which... I don't think he understands how desperately I needed that hug.

Bishops are called of God and inspired men. They are men... which means that they aren't perfect. But I do believe that God calls the right men for each ward. I'm so grateful for the relationships I've had with my bishops over the years and for the guidance they've given me and the way they have lived their lives by example.

President Hinckley gave a talk about Bishops and it is really good and embodies more of what I wanted to say in this post. Read it here: LDS.org - Liahona Article - The Shepherds of Israel

Thankful Post #2

I wasn't going to make this a daily thing, but as I was sitting there eating lunch I thought, I'm so grateful for the Columbian Exchange.

That might seem like a weird thing for most people. But it is not different than a math major doing crazy calculations for fun. Or a psychology major analyzing the people they come in contact with. Or... whatever, the Columbian Exchange is something we discussed in several of my geography classes and it was one of my favorite topics.

In the Church we talk about how Christopher Columbus was inspired and directed by the hand of God in order to "discover" the Americas and therefore set the path whereby the great US of A could be established allowing for the restoration of the gospel. But that was only one of the things that Columbus' contact began.

Before the Columbian Exchange, there were no oranges in Florida, no bananas in Ecuador, no paprika in Hungary, no tomatoes in Italy, no potatoes in Ireland, no coffee in Colombia, no pineapples in Hawaii, no rubber trees in Africa, no cattle in Texas, no donkeys in Mexico, no chili peppers in Thailand and India, no cigarettes in France, and no chocolate in Switzerland.

Can you imagine a world like that?

And since my ancestry comes from the Old World, without the Columbian Exchange, I would be stuck over there eating haggis... or something really nasty, instead of enjoying a delicious tortilla (New World) with black beans (New World) and sweet pork (Old World) smothered in cheese (Old World) and spiciness (Who knows?).

Thank you Columbian Exchange for my sweet pork burrito! And for all of the delicious, creative meals I eat and enjoy!

Thankful Post #1

I'm not being consistent with my Season of Thanksgiving posts. Season of Thanksgiving posts? You ask... well, it's just the latest blogging trend, and I haven't hopped onto the bandwagon yet.

So here is is... post #1, and I DARE you to watch this video and not bawl your eyes out. No, it's not Steel Magnolias and it isn't The Legend of the Fall or any such thing. But I can't make it through the first 15 seconds without tears, and about three minutes into it, my nose is running and I'm sobbing...

I think the first time I tried to watch this, I was at work and I had to turn it off because I was getting too emotional.

I think my favorite part is at 1:30 - 1:50.



I'm thankful to be living in this country. But more, I am thankful for the patriots, for the men and women out there serving to keep this country free and protected. And I'm thankful that there are mothers and fathers, husbands and wives and children out there that let their loved ones out there to fight for our freedom, knowing the risks involved.

I'm so grateful to the sacrifices that those in this video and the countless other - including my friends and family - who have put their lives on hold, who left their new bride, or went away before getting the chance to meet their son or daughter all for the sake of freedom. We owe these men and women are very deepest respect, the greatest honor and as many prayers as we can offer up.

Thank you.

*I'm still sniffling... how did you fare?

That Time of Year

Well, it's time for the annual car breakdown. And I'm happy to report that Louise (she's my car) was happy to oblige.

I drove up this weekend to attend my cousin's wedding reception. (Shout out to the family members I was able to reconnect with - Congrats Rebecca and Jordan!)

The new Mrs. Bartholomew, i.e. my cousin Rebecca

I was excited to see Amanda at the reception as well!

And then I was off to finish my weekend in Logan with my boys! Of course, it was raining the whole time, but it was nice to go and have a place to stay instead of driving all the way back to Provo that night. Jake cooked dinner and baked brownies and then we all went to bed. I woke up to breakfast being cooked and then I was on my merry way. (Pretty much, it  was like staying at a Bed and Breakfast with two very amusing hosts.)

Only, I didn't get far. Louise was acting up, and so I pulled over to check the tire - which was fine - and then almost immediately after, I lost my brakes. Not that they fell off, or anything. They just, stopped working. So I creeped my way off Main Street and parked the dumb thing on the side of the road and immediately called my cousin Andrew (bless him) who said he needed a minute to figure some things out. I let Jake know what was going on. And called my dad just to see if he would answer in the middle of church. He did. And then I sat in the car and read.

After a few hours, I heard from Andrew (seriously, he's awesome) saying that he was trying to get a trailer. And a couple hours later... I needed to get out of the car! So Jake and David came and picked me up, fed me dinner and I continued to read while they worked on homework.

(Also, David can attest to this - in fact, he commented on it SEVERAL times - I was in a perfectly good mood. After all, this is nothing new. Louise chooses to break down at will, and so I was just very grateful that I hadn't gotten out of Logan, hadn't been on the highway and that Andrew answered his phone! I was doing great! No ogress to be seen.)

Andrew getting the car onto the trailer. By himself. (We all tried to help, but I think we were mostly getting in the way.)

Louise looking pathetic.

It doesn't look like it is raining much in this picture, but once we got out of town it was BAD. Also, i t was cold and rainy and windy and Amanda and I braved it all out in the truck while Andrew showed us his manliness and toughed it out. Louise didn't fall off the trailer, and I am infinitely grateful for that. (But mostly only because it would have risked the lives of other people. I am slowly losing any and all affection for my car.)

Around 9:00 p.m. (eight and a half hours from original departure time) Andrew rolled up with a trailer (YAY!) and we drove through the torrential downpour back to Salt Lake. And we didn't die! Which I attribute to the copious amounts of prayers that Amanda and I sent up to heaven coupled with Andrew (because he's my hero).

We made it to Andrew's dealership - Select Motorsports -  where he gave me the keys to a Camero and let me go home. (YAY!) Which I did. I got home around 1:00 a.m. And my roommates were very pleased that I made it home alive.

Matti and Savannah. Probably a little sleep-drunk because it was well after 1 a.m. and we don't sleep in our apartment.

I drove the Camero around for the day and then after work (and FHE) I went up to Sandy and Louise was back in my possession. If she keeps true to form, we won't have any more major complications for another 10-11 months or so. Maybe I can get her sold before then? In the meantime, she has brakes again! (Albeit, in desperate need to be "bled" - terminology given to me from the menfolk, basically there is still air in the brake lines and I have to pump the brake pedal before I get any sort of response - and then she will be... ready for the next break down.)

Although it was freezing, we had to take advantage of the fact that I was in possession of a convertible. So we did.

It was Savannah's first time.

Over all, it's been an exciting week. With little or no sleep... so that is where I am supposed to be heading now. To bed! (YAY!)

And even though Andrew doesn't read my blog, I definitely wanted to send out another THANK YOU, because I have NO IDEA what I would have done if he hadn't come and rescued me.

The Copper Onion & Capitol Theater

Last week I had the opportunity to have a little night on the town with a good friend of mine.

Waiting for the Opera to start.

We left work earlier than we are both used to and headed up to Salt Lake for dinner at The Copper Onion. It had come recommended from a friend of William's, and neither of us had been there. I had taken a glance at the menu before going, but didn't know what half of what was listed on there actually was. We ended up ordering a salad (that, curiously enough, tasted like feet unless you got a bite of red onion, and then tasted actually kind of good) and bone marrow.

Yes, you read that right.

Bone marrow has the density and texture of... a slug.

It didn't taste bad... it just was interesting. And now that I've had it, I can safely say that I probably won't ever eat it again. The real treat, of course, was the entrees. William got the ribs (already off the bone) which was so perfectly tender and moist and absolutely, incredibly delicious. Probably meat heaven on a fork. I got the veal meatballs. And they were also very yummy. I should have gotten pictures of those dishes.

Next we were off to...

Capitol Theatre for La Boheme. It was my first experience at the opera and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I think more now that I've had time to reflect on it. I was too busy trying to take in the whole atmosphere, that I didn't really think about the actual opera until days later. I thought it was interesting that I enjoyed the female voices more than the male. (My preferences are almost always reversed to that.) And I liked the blended voices more than solos. Also, the song about the coat was weird, and pretty pointless. It was fun to see all the different characters that attend the opera. There was a pretty large age range, dress range and appreciation range. I found myself mostly surrounded by thespians, which is always interesting.

I have to thank William again for a pleasant evening. I really liked my first experience at the opera and I definitely hope it is not my last.

Salve Pater!

Dear Dad,

I just wanted to tell you that, when you asked me, "How are you doing?" tonight, it sounded so sincere. I just knew that you really cared and wanted to know. And I appreciated that, because I know that you don't like to talk on the phone for hours like I do.


Thanks for thinking about me and being SO supportive. I love when you text me about something you've read in my book and that you've done your part in trying to promote it. And that you tell people at work that you're reading a romance without worrying about what people think.

The love and support that I feel from you and Mom, even though we are 1500 miles apart, is the strength I need to do what I can to be a better person and try harder. No daughter felt so loved as I did tonight after talking to both of you. I love you both so much.

You're the best, Dad. 

I love you!

Graduation, Family Reunion and Kelsie

I just returned from our annual Armstrong Family Reunion in Winchester, Kentucky. This year was awesome because it seemed like almost everyone was there (we missed my Uncle Eric's family and of course, Bradley!) and the weather was practically perfect.

The trip got off to a rocky start, and ended up costing me more than I anticipated. Of course, I could have chosen to wait the extra day and waste a perfectly good work day... but I opted to buy a new plane ticket and get the dodge out of Utah and to Ohio on time. I'm glad I did it, but things are going to be financially tighter than I was expecting due to other unforeseen charges that I didn't know I had. Darn.

Anyway, after dealing with trying to find a flight that would get me to Dayton; a delay in Chicago and then having then board the plane only to turn around and empty it again in order to change a tire and then reboard -- and then leaving my luggage behind --; my mom getting pulled over for speeding at 1:30 a.m., etc. I made it.

Wednesday I spent the day watching Kelsie. And honestly, if she isn't the smartest, cutest baby in the world... well, there is no if. I mean, I'm sure she isn't like a prodigy or anything. But she's dang smart. And way cuter in person (which I didn't think was possible). I had so much fun playing with her and interacting and just watching her. She's funny, too. (YES! FUNNY. I don't care what people say, babies are funny.) Ashley came down from Columbus and I got to show her all the major landmarks of my childhood. She bore it well, and I was so happy that she was willing to come visit me. We went to El Sombrero's -- delicious.

Thursday I went shopping with Amy. She has a really cute figure, and so she can wear some really fun dresses. Kelsie went with us and entertained me in between Amy changing in and out of dresses. Then we went to Friendly's -- delicious.

Friday it was off to Wesley Woods for the reunion. The cabin seemed to be full by the time we got there, and people were taking other people's bunks and messing up what our family has done for years. Which meant, I got kicked to the top bunk. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. We ate like kings - like we always do and played Banana Grams. It was too cold at night to go swimming, which was different. And I was too lazy to change in and out of my swim suit.

My family is incredible. I don't know if I've mentioned that before, but they totally surprised with me with my very own mock graduation. Of course, we were at camp, so I looked like trash and that was really appreciated. Chloe distracted me by making me play at the playground with the kids and then when we came back up they had the graduation march going and made me sit and watch a video that Camille made. Craig emceed the whole thing and my Uncle David and Dad got up and spoke. I felt embarrassed and ugly and foolish and sorry for everyone that had to sit and watch the whole thing. And I felt completely overwhelmed with love and support. When I got up to accept my "diploma" I was, of course, crying. My family is just really awesome and supportive and proud each other's accomplishments and I like it.

When we got back from the reunion I tried to renew my license, but I shouldn't have been surprised that the system was down state-wide and I couldn't do it. So I went to King's Island instead and rode many rides, including the Flight of Fear, which is my favorite. We saw gross people, fat people and lots of white trash people. Seriously, we were the most attractive people there. There was absolutely no eye candy. Which means, even if I want to move back to Ohio, I can't. Because if there aren't attractive non-members, then there certainly aren't going to be attractive members of the church. Sad. Of course, King's Island isn't really the best sample of people seeing as how amusement parks tend to attract the unattractive. I don't know what it is...but it's true.

After King's Island, Sabrina took me to Bob Evans -- more delicious than I even remembered, which considering how I crave their cheesy potato soup and rolls on a regular basis, is saying something.

Over all the trip was too short, very pleasant and worth every penny. I just wish I had taken more pictures.

The Execution

By royal decree, official declaration and in general consensus within the mob, this textbook of statistics has been found guilty of committing crimes against humanity, inflicting unjust pain and suffering and inciting public disorder among the masses.

In full recognition that no amount of money made from ransom of this book will ever recompense for its crime, and in full understanding that simply throwing this book of statistics into the trash is too good a fate the following punishment has been decided. This book of statistics is heretofore released into the hands of the executioners who are free to inflict as much pain and suffering as was done by this book of statistics. Appointed executioners are to continue with sanctioned abuse and shall not stop until this book of statistics has been completely and utterly destroyed both physically, mentally, emotionally or otherwise, as was done to its victims.

This sentence is in effect immediately.

The Official Executioner

The Driver and Official Executioner

The Torture

The Fire