New Moon

Does it make me juvenile that I heart the Twilight series? Does it make me pathetic that I am already planning a get together with a couple of friends to meet up in NYC for the premiere? Probably. But that's okay. Because I am good enough, smart enough, and doggonit, people like me. :] Here's some eye candy for you. Didn't think I would like Rob Pattinson as Edward but he is pretty yummeye.

We Can Do It! Yay!

March is Women's History Month. It is a time for us to celebrate the vast accomplishments of women and recognize the significant challenges women have overcome to break records, become pioneers and hold positions of leadership in industries that were once solely occupied by men. There are a lot of woman that have come before me that I admire. Women who have made a contribution to this world. Women who have qualities I admire and would love to acquire myself. Although they may not be perfect, they contributed in many aspects of life. Some names that came to mind: Emma Smith, Ruth, Esther, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, Anne Frank, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Susan B. Anthony, Mother Teresa, Marie Curie, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Rosa Louise Parks, Georgia O'Keeffe, Madeleine Albright, Billie Jean King, Helen Keller, Ella Fitzgerald, Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Audrey Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn, Joan of Arc, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Gilda Radner, Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth I, Mary Ann Angel Young and my Mom. I know! Random list. It isn't a complete list of all I admire but you get the drift. I admire the strength and conviction these women had to meet their goals, the talents they developed and shared with the world, and their desire to make life better for others in their own individual ways.

We have come along way. I remember watching Mary Poppins as a child and asking my Mom about what I called the "Votes for Women" song which was sung by Mrs. Banks (which is actually called Sister Suffragette). She explained to me about the right to vote and how women didn't always have it as well as equal rights with men. Before this conversation I had always liked that song and Mrs. Banks. She had a silent strength about her that I admired. As I got older, I more fully understood what the song she was singing represented. Here is the song for your viewing pleasure:

Now, before you men readers get your panties in a twist, let me clarify that I've never been what you'd call a Feminist. I get annoyed with those women who want to play on a male football or basketball team or who want to be in the Boy Scouts. It's called BOY Scouts people! Men and women definitely have different strengths and weakness. I'm not as physically strong (brute strength) as my husband and I don't pretend that I am. But I have strengths in other physical areas such as tolerance for pain. I know a lot of men who would never be able to handle "Aunt Flo" every month and what comes with it, let alone childbirth. It's a good thing we can or the population would have died out a long time ago. That is just one example of a difference. We are different! I don't care who you talk to and what they have to say. But that is the great thing about men and women. We were put here on this earth to compliment each other, not to separate ourselves. Which leads me to wonder why we have to have a Womans History Month or a Black History Month or Latin Grammy's or Ebony magazine. People talk about how far we have come but yet we still place labels on ourselves that separate us from everyone else. Also, if we get a month, shouldn't men? I feel it is unfair that men never get a month to celebrate. Men are wonderful people, too. But you would never see a Caucasian American Male History Day as a national or world holiday. Isn't that kind of inequality, too? :] We have come a long way but we have a bit further to go. Just a thought. (Sound of Nancy getting off her soap box) ;]

50 Guilty Pleasures

We all have them...those things in which we indulge in, partake of, use, purchase, etc. that brings a smile to our face and warmth to our hearts. And sometimes a bit of guilt. What are yours? Here are my top 50, in no specific order. Just how they came to mind:

1) Easter Candy...particularly Cadbury Cream Eggs (or as my HSLP and I call them, our fat pills) and Cadbury Mini Eggs (see pictured above)
2) Crunchies. I first had these in London, England while doing a study abroad and fell in love.
3) Snaps. They are delicious! (Snaps for Snaps!)(50 cool points if you know the movie)
4) Licorice, especially brown licorice. Although since they changed the type of chocolate they aren't as good.
5) Bit O Honey. A bit o yummy is what they are!
6) Rice Krispie Treats. Not just any kind. The kind that have Karo Syrup, sugar, peanut butter, topped with butterscotch and milk chocolate chips. Old family recipe. They are so rich but absolutely divine! (You just have to be careful not to eat too many in one sitting. Karo Syrup keeps you regular!)
7) Purchasing scrapbook supplies. I have to admit I love shopping for them as much, if not more, than the act of scrapbooking itself. Other than adhesive, I have enough stuff to scrap for a very long time. But that never got in the way before...so why stop now, right? ;]
8) Wearing Michael's BYU sweatshirt that I bought him for Christmas. It is so soft and cozy. Next time I will have to buy me one as well.
9) Watching Friends on DVD. I have now collected all 10 Seasons of the series and I watch at least one episode before I go to bed every night. It's my bedtime story. :]
10) Watching movies at the theater (or theatre if you are British). It's not just the show, it's the experience of going to the movies that I love, especially the ones I went to the midnight showing.
11) Reading with Michael. I love reading with him. I love his voice and the way he gets into the story and does voices. I love how we make predictions on how things will work out and then compare notes at the end.
12) Blog surfing/stalking. It's so interesting to read other people's blogs. It's fun to see what they think is blog worthy and it's interesting to hear someones "voice" while they are telling their story.
13) Buying movie soundtracks. Sometimes the best mixes of great artists come in the form of movie soundtracks. I always pay attention to the music in a movie and can usually recall what music has been in what movie. The music in a movie can either make or break my movie experience.
14) I love a clean bathroom! I know! It's a strange one. I don't get pleasure in the cleaning of it but having it completed.
15) The same with the kitchen.
16) Sleeping in.
17) Our cozy bed.
18) Taking naps with Michael on Sunday afternoon.
19) Going out to lunch with Michael and/or friends.
20) Sizzler's Steak and All-You-Can-Eat Shrimp platter. I eat nothing but shrimp there and take the baked potato and steak home for lunch the next day.
21) Staying up late.
22) Going on a drive through the mountains after it has rained.
23) Going to Barnes and Noble and finding a couple of books I want to read and an empty corner somewhere. I read the first chapter or two to see if it is good and holds my interest. If it doesn't, it goes back on the shelf.
24) Watching a really sappy chick flick while Michael is not home.
25) Quoting movie lines. My family can have full conversations in movie quote mode. It is hilarious!
26) Bursting into song and making up my own words to the music. One of Michael's favorites is, "Every time you go away...you take a piece of meat with you."
27) Dancing in public. Not just at dance clubs. The grocery store. The mall. Whenever the music hits me just right, I have to dance. I just can't stop myself. Many a roommate wished I would have tried a little harder. ;]
28) Reading the same books over and over again. And not just the Twilight series. I have a couple that I like to reread every couple of years.
29) Making people laugh. There is no greater joy in the world! It's like crack to me.
30) Steamed milk with hazelnut and cinnamon. Something my London Study Abroad professor introduced me to and I was immediately hooked.
31) Pepsi. I have being drinking Pepsi all my life and I have always loved it. I am sad to say that I have only had 3 Pepsi's since July. Ever since the miscarriage it makes me sick. Sadness and sorrow!!!
32) Facebook. I was sent an invite by a friend in England so we could keep in touch 2 plus years ago. And, as soon as I got on, I was immediately hooked.
33) Grandma Sycamore's Home-Made Bread. I could eat a whole loaf with nothing on it. It has made me into a bread snob. I have a hard time eating any thing else.
34) Overpacking for a trip. As anyone who has gone on a road trip with me can tell you, I bring everything I own, including the kitchen sink. Why should I leave it behind? I have tried to narrow it down to what I can fit into my 2 suitcases and my purse. I just like to have options for things to wear and things to do whilst gone.
35) Taking long, hot showers. I don't get to do this very often. But, when I do, I indulge. Especially since we got our new shower head. The hot water lasts longer.
36) Writing lists. It helps me to see it on paper. If it is written down, I don't have to keep it in my head.
37) Eating raw cookie dough So good!
38) Eating raw crescent roll dough. Yummeye!
39) Gifts shops. I love looking at all of the fun trinkets. I can spend hours.
40) Talking on the phone to friends. I am one of those people that like talking on the phone. I find it relaxing. Since starting my current job, I haven't done as much of it.
41) Texting. It is so nice to be able to send a text with a quick question taking 10 seconds that otherwise would have taken at least 10 minutes of phone time. (Yes, I realize this sort of contradicts #40. But sometimes you just don't have the time.)
42) Soaking in a Hot tub. Not something I get to do very often but I love it!
43) Playing board games. Between the two of us, we have quite the collection.
44) Playing card games
45) Getting cozy on the Love Sac with Michael.
46) Watching nerdy shows like Farscape and Stargate SG-1 with Michael. It is a frelling good time!
47) TV on DVD. We have recently rewatched some of the classic television shows of yester year. Netflicks is the greatest! So are our friends Curtis and Lesslie, our own personal video store. :]
48) Lemons. I love lemons. I cut it in half, sprinkle a bit of salt on it and scoop it out like a grapefruit. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
49) Staying up after Michael has gone to bed. He is a morning person and I am a night person. We read scriptures, pray and get cozy and then he goes to sleep. After he heads to sleepy land, depending on if I am tired or not, I get up and do my thing for a bit. Then I sleep in and Michael has his time. It works for us.
50) People Commenting on my blog. It is rewarding for me to see people enjoy what I've posted. Since chatting with a friend (whose blog I've been following for about 6 months) who told me she didn't realize I had been following her blog, I am trying to be better at posting responses on other people's blogs, too. If I haven't posted on yours, don't take it personal. I'll get there. :]

Hope you enjoyed the list. Thanks goes to m.writes for the idea and the picture.

How Close is Too Close?

Michael showed me this picture and I had to laugh:

I think we all have them...those friendships that are so close that people think you are "that" kind of friend. It reminds me of my friend Larkin. Here we are at my wedding:

We call each other our HSLP's (heterosexual life partners). I've never connected so quickly to a girl before. In the past I have had closer relationships to guys than to girls. Don't know why. It just happened that way. I have since made other gal friends who I'm super close with but no one can replace her as my HSLP. So when I saw this episode of Scrubs a year or so ago, I had to laugh because that was us! The episode has since become my favorite of the series thus far. Just thought I would share.

Question of the Week

What is the most obvious or hilariously stupid question you have ever been asked?

Do you ever feel like you are surrounded by people like this? Some days I feel like every call that comes my way is from a person belonging to this Society. Oh! The joys of working in Customer Service. I saw this while blog stalking and laughed and thought you might, too. Enjoy!

The Publicity Dilemma

I was on the LDS Church website and saw this statement regarding the hype involved in the upcoming episode of Big Love on HBO. From what I have heard and read, it apparently will depict most likely exaggerate and/or half truths about things we hold sacred in the Church. In particular, it will depict their version of our temple ceremonies. When I found out about it, I was pretty upset. But after reading the statement linked above, I agree with the leaders of the Church and feel it isn't worth any more of my time to fret. Instead, I will continue to try to be a good example of what we truly believe and leave others to come to their own conclusions. I hope you enjoy the article.

What Would Your Album Cover Be?

My Band Name: Desert Vixen

Album Title: Bright Loveliness in the Eternal Cold
First Song: Things That Happen to a Man

Make Your Album Cover Meme

1 - Go to Wikipedia. Hit “random”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote on the page is the title of your first album.

3 -Go to Quotations Page and select "random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
From the top of the page count your out your age in that many words. The next four or five words following your age is the title of your first song.

4 - Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

5 - Use Photoshop or similar to put it all together

I had fun with this. Hope you do, too!

Thankful Thursday...on Saturday ;]

Thankful: Gratitude, appreciation, or thankfulness is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.

I haven't done this in a while and I realized today that I really need to do it. It is a wonderful way I can look back and see all the blessings I have received over the last week. It's good to remember and show gratitude. It makes me less selfish and self absorbed.

1) I am thankful for my sweet husband. (Husband! -inside joke) He is so wonderful to me. Sometimes I don't feel like I deserve him. He is a good man.

2) I am thankful for my friends. I just have to say that I have the best friends in the whole world. So many of you have buoyed me up in my times of need. Thanks so much for your friendship.

3) I am thankful to have my laptop up and running. It has been a couple of months but I am still so grateful to have it working. I missed it while it was gone.

4) I am thankful for my family. It's amazing how when trials come, they don't just come, they rain down on us. These last few years we have definitely had our fair share of trials. But it is so wonderful to see that they have brought us closer to each other and the Lord. I'm thankful for their examples to me.

5) I am thankful for my job. Even though it can be stressful sometimes, I am thankful to have a job. I'm also thankful that I have been able to develop a thicker skin when it comes to dealing with the "spechul" people. Now when people swear at me I don't feel as much of an obligation to help them. I cut them off and tell them to respect me. And, if they won't, I disconnect the call and don't feel one ounce of guilt because of it. I don't let people manipulate me anymore as well. I demand the respect that every human being should give another. Is that so wrong? NO!! Anyhoo. This has made my job more enjoyable. That and gaining better relationships with people within different departments. I love when I get my buddies on the other end of a call. We laugh at the lame-o's or at ourselves, whichever is more entertaining. Also, can I just say how nice it has been this winter not to have to drive in the muck! SO WONDERFUL! And I only fill my gas tank 1 1/2 times a month instead of every week. So great! And who else gets to wear fuzzy slippers to work?! Gotta love it baby!!

Well, there's my list for the week. I'm glad I am doing it again. Hope you have a a great week!

Everything is Amazing But No One is Happy

I saw this and loved it! This is a clip from Late Night with Conan O'Brien featuring a comedian named Louis CK. This is so funny and so true! I hope you enjoy it.

You Know You Are Old When...

This is a picture of my niece Mikayla. She is a senior in high school. Wow. I was her age when she was born. Isn't she beautiful!!! She found out last week that she got into BYU. I'm so excited for her! Yay! Congrats Mikayla!! We're excited to have you closer so we can see you more often. Love you much!

Remembering...

Today was the day our twins were supposed to be born. I miscarried them in July after having them with me for 9 1/2 glorious weeks. It was the first time I had been pregnant and we were so excited! Those were also some of the hardest weeks I have had because I was so sick. It's been an interesting road since then, lots of ups and downs. As I look over the months since they went back to Heaven, I feel blessed for all the love and support I've received and the friendships I have gained and strengthened during that time. It has taught me a lot about life and I have learned so much about myself and the atonement as well. I'm also grateful for the time I had to be their mom. I couldn't let today pass without remembering them. They will always hold a special place in my heart and I will love them forever. Love you both!

Pay It Forward

The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a handmade gift from me during this year. When and What will be a surprise. There's a small catch though....Post this same thing on your blog and then come back and leave a comment telling me you're in. Remember, only the first 3 comments receive the gift.