Archive for 2008

12 tags of Christmas

"On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me..." I gotsded tagged by Missy. Thank you. >:3

1 EMBARRASSING MOMENT: All right, Internet; you asked for it. I could just lie and say I don't have one, but I've told random people I barely know about this incident before, so I may as well share it with the people that read this. I peed my pants in school...the kicker was, I was in 8th grade. In English. It was reading time, and all I could think about was how I had to go to the bathroom...stupid boring book! Why couldn't I have been reading something a bit more suspenseful?

Sigh.

Wince and laugh inducing, isn't it?

2 BEST FRIENDS: Cody! and my sisters are who I'd pick for the other. Can all 7 count as one? (Don and Andrew, you guys are awesome too...>_<) 3 THINGS I BUY REGULARLY: tomatoes, hummus, and CHOCOLATE! I have to buy the cheap, almost "why did I buy this, it's not that good..." chocolate so I don't gorge on it and have to buy it more than tomatoes.

4 PLACES I WANT TO GO: Japan, France, NYC, Hawaii

5 GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR: I suck at goal-setting because I always forget about them, but here goes: Keep the computer desk cleared off for my Cody, learn all the lyrics to "One Week" by BareNakedLadies, read a whole book per month, actually post things in my Etsy shop regularly, and manage my time better.

6 THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: I'm addicted to Super Smash Brothers Brawl, I like to give away cookies, procrastination is a way of life I seem to embrace, I get really nervous about almost all social situations, I miss sticky hands in vending machines, and I think I'm gonna cosplay Rogue from X-Men (if Cody sticks with his idea of being Gambit or Wolverine) at next year's San Diego Comic Con.

7 THINGS I WOULD NEVER SAY: "Cody, let's not talk." "I love showering!" "Bark louder and wake up the neighbors, Truff! DO IT!" "Let's eat Jell-O and play ping pong." "The Signs game is the best game EVAR!" "I went on a five-mile hike this morning before going to the gym for three hours, eating a 100% bran muffin on the way and thinking about ways to decrease my simple carb intake." "Cody, I totally understood all that stuff you just said about programming!" Ah, that last one's a little sad. I'm catching on some, but I feel like I need a class just to get the gist of what he's talking about.

9 THINGS I SAY TO MY KIDS: I'm gonna go with Missy and say I'll get back to you once Truffle morphs into a human...or y'know, after Cody and I have a cute little tot.

10 THINGS I DO A LOT: make food, take Truff out, text message, look at things and think "I should do something (clean, de-clutter, fix, sew...the list is long) to that...", check the internet for new updates, ack! 5 more things? uh...make the bed, do laundry, do dishes, play SSBB (as already mentioned, I have an addiction), and read.

11 THINGS I WOULD RATHER NOT LIVE WITHOUT: Cody, my family, the gospel, my friends, Truffle, the internet (oh, I love you, Inty!), Cody's sense of humor, my sense of humor, good food, great entertainment, and hot water.

12 PEOPLE I TAG: Whoever wants to do this. I doubt there are 12 people reading this, anyway. :P

Edit 12-30-2008 I FORGOT DAY 8! Thanks to Richard for pointing it out...here it is now (although it's a bit late...)

8 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS SEASON:
cheesebowl!!!, singing Christmas carols at church and at home, Cody gets time off of work, pretty lights, English Toffee, making/buying/receiving presents (it's the most fun when you make something for someone and they actually like it!), the smell of cinnamon that permeates the front of stores, and I love the focus on the Savior's birth the season brings. It's always nice to have an extra reminder of what a miracle his birth and life was for us, even if we don't celebrate it in the right month. ^_^

decembering

Quiet anticipation used to fill the classroom in December, classmates talking about what they wanted for Christmas, the teacher instigating snowmen, wreaths, and other appropriately un-church-oriented art projects that were also a bit festive...my most vivid classroom for Christmas was Ms. B in first grade. She somehow scrounged extra funds to get us all a box of crayons and some clay that smelled like lemons. I ate a little of the clay...but it didn't taste like lemons.

At home, the house would be filled with smells of fresh pine; sugary delights like fudge, cookies, caramel, splintzle (uhhh...that can't be what it's called. We'd take decorative irons on wire sticks, dip them in batter, and deep fry them, then coat them with powdered sugar...they're delicious but I can't remember their name); and the hearty winter fare my mom always seemed to turn out once the weather started enforcing a coat-worthy forecast. Some years the tree would be up the day after Thanksgiving, some years it wouldn't get put up until Christmas Eve. Most years it was a half-and-half attempt, the tree getting put up in early December, the lights around the 15th, and the ornaments in time for us to open our presents. I used to think giving my siblings things like $1 trolls I got from the vending machine at Fred Meyer's was the best gift I could ever come up with...

I love December, but now it's a little different. We have a teeny 2' tree that I'm perfectly happy with, no extravagant treat plates to hand out, and there's all sorts of minutia to accomplish before the 25th. One of Cody's presents arrived in the mail today, and I look forward to wrapping and labeling it tomorrow, and putting it on the below the tree in the bookshelf. There's less to stress and get excited about, but at the same time, there are bigger stresses. It doesn't matter. Christmas! The hope and thought of Christmas makes everything better! ^_^

What about you? Which Christmas or holiday is the most vivid in your memory? Do you have a favorite tradition?

don't mind me...

You know what sucks? When you’re ready, you’re willing, you’re capable of helping or of doing something for someone and they don’t want you. They think they don’t need you. The very fact that you offer yourself, you want to be there and be helpful to them seems to be overlooked, unappreciated. It’s fine if there are one or two or even three instances like that. I understand that there are issues that other people will be better confidantes for. I realize that I might not understand or that I'm not what people are looking for when they’re looking for a sympathetic ear. I don’t blame them. It’s just that I feel so…useless, and like I keep putting myself out there without any acknowledgment or reciprocation. Like I said, I don’t expect everyone (or anyone, really) to want me as a helper most of the time. It’s not a big deal. The issue is that if I’m supposed to be a friend, or to matter; shouldn’t my effort and willingness to be that listening, sympathetic person be appreciated or at the very least acknowledged?

At this point, it doesn’t seem to be. I’m not sure if it’s an issue that should just be ignored or if I should keep it in the back of my mind to be aware of. Does this person realize what they are doing? Do they know they’re pushing me away, is it intentional and planned or a by-product of too many other things going on?

Right now, I feel like I don’t matter, that my time means nothing; that their word is losing its potency and this friend isn't someone I can rely on or place hope in.

That makes me so sad.

Edit 11-26-2008
This isn't directed towards anyone who might chance upon this blog. ^_^

free book!

On Oprah yesterday, they announced that snapfish.com would be doing free 20-page books with your own words, art, and pictures. Go! Go now to this link, if you want one! The offer is only good until tomorrow, but if you sign up for the offer you have until Sunday to create your book and submit it.

Thanks to Diane for the heads-up! You're the best Diane I've ever met.

dressing up isn't just for freaks

I'm not saying we're not freaks, I'm saying that people that aren't freaks dress up, too! You can assume we are or are not freaks as your personal feelings dictate.

Here are some pictures from today and Cody's work Halloween party for your viewing pleasure:




Cody's boss and some guy dressed as a sumo woman:






spookiness!

Happy Halloween, everybody!

This is who I'm supposed to be dressing up as, Ruby Heart from Capcom vs. Marvel (video game):

but it's not going to turn out quite like that. Partly because I'm lazy, and partly because I couldn't find a hat anywhere! :(

Cody's going to be Urahara (same guy he was for the anime convention we went to in July), and Truffle's going to be a princess! Possibly Princess Peach!!

I'll upload pictures tomorrow. Maybe.

What are your plans for today?

again?!

I guess it hurts to try and stay up with blogs. I've been ignoring them for a month now, and now that I'm back, trying to pay attention...I got tagged again! O_o This time, my cute cousin Rachel tagged me.

Well, here goes. I'm supposed to go to the 4th picture in the 4th folder of my pictures and write a blog about it. Aren't you excited?

This is a model apartment in Layton Cody and I looked at one weekend while we were living in Cedar City. The appeal? It allowed pets, it was about 1/2 a mile away from the Davis Extension of Weber where Cody was transferring to, and they served us warm chocolate chip cookies when we went to look at the clubhouse. Oh, and the clubhouse had a pool and gym, yay. Plus the cookies...did I mention there were cookies?

Downsides...money. I think it was about $800/month plus a pet deposit and pet rent, which after paying $425/month in Cedar was hiiiiiiiiigh...anyway, we found our nifty little condo in Centerville for $500/month and everything turned out peachy keen.

I won't tag you, but you can tag yourself. Ha, I'm a party pooper! :P

tagged like an empty warehouse

My cute sister Sarah -- who hates being tagged, by the way -- has tagged me. I know you've been dying to know random facts about me (haha)...so here goes.

8 Favorite TV Shows:

  1. The Office
  2. Cowboy Bebop (anime...)
  3. Invader Zim
  4. Middleman
  5. Chuck
  6. Big Bang Theory
  7. Heroes
  8. Bleach (more anime)

8 Favorite Restaurants

  1. Cafe Rio
  2. Spin Cafe
  3. California Pizza Kitchen
  4. Zupa's (TRY IT if you haven't!! It's fabulous!)
  5. Bajio
  6. Olive Garden
  7. Burger King (they have veggie burgers! Bless them.)
  8. Noodles & Co.

8 Things that happened yesterday (I'm sick, so this should be SO entertaining.)

  1. Couldn't get to sleep, so I got up at 12:10 am, thought up random street art ideas (like tying apples to orange trees) and emailed them to my friend
  2. Chatted with another friend for a couple of hours
  3. Tried to go back to sleep, and succeeded around 4
  4. Stumbled out of bed around 10 and took blessed drugs (OTC, of course!)
  5. Took Truffle out to visit nature and got the mail on the way
  6. Made a grocery list of "sick food" for Cody to bring home
  7. Wrote a haiku for pieku time (...um...I'll explain this if you want)
  8. Made myself some ramen Cody brought home for me and watched a bunch of Big Bang Theories we had saved up. Funny show...but my cough makes it hurt to laugh, so it was sort-of a win/win/lose situation. ^_^

8 things to look forward to

  1. Snow
  2. Cody's birthday
  3. Christmas
  4. Long hair
  5. 2009 trip!
  6. 5:20 pm every night when Cody gets home
  7. Tuesday night anime, Thursday night manga
  8. Getting over this cold!

8 Things I love about Fall

  1. The leaves
  2. Crisp air
  3. Pumpkins
  4. Honeycrisp apples. Best apples, ever...
  5. Sweaters!!
  6. Wearing jackets, beanies, gloves, coats again
  7. Soups and stews
  8. How the weather is perfect to go and be outside most of the time
8 Things on my wishlist
  1. More time with Cody
  2. A yard
  3. Motivation
  4. A 4-quart stainless steel stockpot
  5. Perfect skin, like my sisters have. ^_^
  6. More creativity
  7. Cute, fashionable, preferably non-leather flat boots (it's almost impossible to find 2/4 items!)
  8. Less self-consciousness and more self-awareness.
I'm supposed to tag 8 people now, but meh. Do this if you want to, and I for one will be excited to read it!

arizona

I had the privilege to go and watch my oldest sister Mary and her husband Paul's 4 cute kids for 10 days in Arizona while they were on Fall Break from school.

These first pictures are from Schnepf Farms, a big Wheeler-sorta-Farm thing south of where Mary and Paul live. It's a real working farm, but they had a merry-go-round, roller coaster, mini train ride, petting zoo, miniature golf, and a fun pig race.
Junior climbing the difficult level wall. He got about 2/3ds the way up. Jewel climbed too, but I didn't think to pull my phone out to take a picture of her until too late.


Face paint! I thought I'd gotten pictures of all the kids, but nope--just Jewel and Junior. Jasmine got a pumpkin like Jewel's, while Justice had a ghost.
Potbellied pigs!
This goat liked the taste of my pants. That reminds me...I still need to wash them...
Jasmine riding the airplanes that Justice wanted to go on. He got all buckled in and it was too much for the poor little fellow, so Jasmine braved it alone. Justice was happy to not be whirling about.


Jasmine got some mud on her shoes, but Mary's resourceful and got her cleaned up in no time.
Sitting at the pig race. The host was very entertaining, and even got Mary to come to the front and help do a special "pig" race. You should ask her about it sometime.
The ladies having to please the crowd with their "soooooeeeee."


Playing on the playground at the farm. The kids loved the wooden train and the hay bale maze with John Deere trikes.









At the Phoenix Zoo. Holy crap, a lion!









Justice sporting what we thought was a fake Pirates of the Caribbean tattoo. It wouldn't wash off, though...fishy.
Dancing in the mist by the orangutan exhibit.
I'm hopped up on sugary pumpkin bars...
Younger 3 waiting for Junior (he's indisposed at the moment...)


At the playground. The kids played here for a good 2 hours, having a blast making tunnels in the sand and playing tag. They brought balls along to play with, but I'm not sure how much they got used.














Me at a Mediterranean cafe in the downtown Phoenix area. I asked to use the car for a night out, drove around and got gloriously lost...I ended up by the zoo, which is in Tempe I think! I passed a Haiku Grill and thought about stopping there--but grills aren't great places for vegetarians, and by the time my friend suggested I go into the restaurant and order in haiku I was way past being able to find it again. Stadiums, warehouses, auto dealerships...there was a lot of random but normal city stuff I passed trying to find my way to the big buildings.

Finally I got downtown by heading in the direction I thought it might be on side streets instead of sticking to the freeway. It's easier to text message people while you're at a stoplight, and my situation was funny enough to merit texting a few people about...anyway, I passed the art museum and saw a bit of downtown before I decided to try and find a mall to shop and eat at.

Then, seeing a sign for gelato, I immediately pulled the car into the nearest parking lot and ventured to the restaurant next door for some real food before I indulged. The cafe was...small...and I was the only customer with the owner and his helper hovering over me. The food was delicious, and I had a pleasant time despite the arrogance of the owner (He told me, "Everything I make is good, you're going to love it!" and I heard him talking to his worker, saying "I really am the best!! Wow, taste this!" That's confidence.)
After the delicious falafel wrap and tabbouleh were safely in my belly, I got myself a huge serving of pistachio gelato. It was easily 3 scoops worth at Belllisimo in Bountiful, but it only cost me $2.50 in Phoenix instead of the whopping $8 Bellisimo would have charged for that serving.

I want to go back and get more...

Anyway, that was my last night in Phoenix. The next day, Mary went to work while Paul and the kids drove me 2 hours to the Tucson airport. It was a delightful trip. ^_^