100

This is my 100th post. Shocked? Me too! To celebrate 100 posts, I decided to make a list of 100 things that make me chuckle, grin, giggle, smile, happy, elated, ecstatic, and even some great memories. I may even end up including a few pictures. These are in no particular order. Enjoy!



1. My Family. Husband, siblings, parents, in-laws, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, parents, etc. I could probably get to 100 just naming all of you cool people that make my life great.

2. Friends. Including, but not limited to: Heidi, Nancy, Katie, Shelby, Shelly, Megan, Mandy, Abby, Leisha, Kelcie, etc.

3. Owning a home.

4. My mittens.

5. Looking out my front window.

6. Dancing.

7. Violin. (This includes teaching violin, and sometimes it even includes practicing!)

8. Exercising.

9. The old guy in the JSMB parking booth who laughs at me every time I stall, peel out, or freak out, on the exit ramp after work. He chuckles at me a lot.

10. Flowers. I love orchids, lilies (all kinds!), roses, daffodils, violets, purple tulips, daisies, bird of paradise, etc. I LOVE fresh flowers.

11. My restaurant job.

12. That time we lipsticked Andrew Walker's car. Which time you ask? All 5 times.

13. The all-out "prank war" that ensued after about the 3rd time we lipsticked Andrew Walker's car. Well, Andrew Walker's Parents' car. hee hee hee.

14. Watching my brothers (and sister) rock out to 80's music with their air guitars (and even their electric guitars) on Christmas in 2002 (in CA). How else would I have come to love and appreciate 80's rock music??

15. Being in the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

16. That time (when I was 16) and I had to show a 5th grader my driver's license to prove I was really 16 at the Olympics rehearsals. He didn't believe me, even when I walked to my car instead of the shuttle bus, and drove away. Then he told me my driver's license was a fake. ha ha ha.

17. The fact that even though I was by far the oldest Child of Light, I was not the tallest, and I am okay with this.

18. That time we got chased by the police after we toilet papered the Shultz's house. Sara F. and I got stuck in the alley and we couldn't possibly outrun the cop car, so we "turned ourselves in". Then we had to wake up Brother Shultz. That was awful.

19. Lip Sync presentations for the YM/YW talent show. N*Sync couldn't have done it better themselves. ;)

20. That time my car broke down at the City County Building.

21. That OTHER time my car broke down at the City County Building. The time when I had just come from an eye appointment and couldn't see anything. I was crying yellow tears. Yeah, that time.

22. I got to brag that my family pictures were taken at a beach in CA on Christmas Eve.

23. When my siblings still make fun of me for all the "dances" I made up in our living room. Andrew Lloyd Weber would have been so proud...

24. That time I painted my face like a tiger (and other various animals) with my Mom's stage make-up while she was out of town. Then I jumped out of the kitchen to "entertain" my sister and her friends. Rachel and Aaron have never respected me since. ;)

25. That time I picked out all the red licorice from the red/black mix and my sister thought it was her friend's bag.

26. That time I stuck grape bubble tape in my brother's belly button while I was playing "doctor".

27. Dancing in the living room (yes, I still do this). I can jump around more now, because nobody lives below us.

28. Getting my hair cut.

29. My trip to Austria with Mandy and Abby.

30. My trip to China with the WSU orchestra. Mandy was my roommate and Abby was my adopted roommate. What a blast we had.

31. Leisha Wiberg's laugh in the middle of orchestra. You could be having the worst day and if you heard her little chuckle, your day was instantly better.

32. Lava Hot Springs with Trent and Heidi.

33. Camping in snow with Trent and Heidi.

34. Sleeping in Temaire's car with Trent and Heidi--and getting busted by the cops--at 7:00 a.m.

35. Walking to the Capitol and back down on my lunch breaks with Nancy and Julie.

36. Being skinny.

37. Chelsea and Jordan. The girls I babysat for years! (Even if they did ruin my brand new Christmas outifit one time).

38. Going to lunch with my Dad. (lunch with my Dad=Costco for samples and sometimes a hot dog).

39. That time my Mom taught me how to make her awesome Orange Rolls.

40. When my Dad teaches me how to make the very best pie crusts EVER!

41. Hanging out with Mika and Jarom at my Mom and Dad's 3rd Sunday dinners.

42. Eating lunch at the COB. (With some regularity).

43. Pay Day!!

44. When I worked in the Snow Shack. I used to make some AWESOME tips. I am pretty sure it was the ribbon in the hair... I even got a few phone numbers and dates from working that job.

45. That time Mika came to visit for a week (we were in High School) and we made pajama pants and listened to Jimmy Eat World (and MxPx).

46. Boating with Natalie. I can't listen to Weezer's Blue or Green Album without thinking about that. We had such a blast! That was also the time I discovered that some soap floats.

47. That time I cut my thumb open at girls' camp and got all man vs. wild and tried to superglue my cut. Unfortunately, I superglued it OPEN. I didn't know you were supposed to hold the wound shut while it dried...

48. Baking. Especially cupcakes. Especially from scratch.

49. Doorbell ditching at the Grand America after the Chorale concert. hee hee hee.

50. Making my own lei in Hawaii.

51. Fresh fallen snow.

52. One night it rained so hard, and there were HUGE puddles, almost lakes, in the road. Josh and I ran outside in our clothes and just played in the rain.

53. That night that it rained really hard about 11:30 at night, and I was waiting up for Josh. There was the COOLEST lightning storm, and ran outside in my robe and just danced in the middle of the parking lot (at the apartment complex).

54. That time I was hanging out with Chelsea C. and the Hilary Duff song came on about dancing in the rain, so we pulled over and danced in the rain like a couple of crazies.

55. The day I got married. I was so happy, I couldn't stop smiling the whole day. My face was on fire all day, because I just could NOT stop smiling.

56. My great-aunt Jean and her husband Pal. They made such an impression on me when I met them in Florida. I LOVE them!

57. Naughty foods like Spaghettios, top ramen, muddy buddy chex, candy, sour treats, ice cream, sugar cookies (big fat ones with cream cheese frosting), cupcakes, my Mom's cakes (pretty much all of them).

58. My Mom surprised me on my birthday two years in a row! She brought a little treat basket to my office and had it "delivered" by a co-worker. My Dad circled the block while she ran up to deliver them. This last year, I answered the door when she rang the doorbell, she was surprised and disappointed. I was so happy to see her. She brought me the cutest cupcakes EVER! In a really sweet dish with TONS of skittles.

59. My friend Nancy baked me a cake for my birthday. It was in the shape of a tennis shoe (and decorated to match the colors of my running shoes) because she is my gym buddy.

60. I LOVE nachos from the gas stations. With that really awful delicious cheese! I LOVE those!!!
61. After Stake Conference one night we went bowling with Josh's Uncle (Mike) and some of his cousins. We went to Bountiful Bowl and it was a Midnight Madness somethingorother and they had flashy lights and played a bunch of music and it was like dancing bowling. That was a lot of fun. (Even though we were all stuffed from eating at Su Casa!)

62. When I graduated from High School, my Grandpa Lewis made me a "Hope Chest" with his bare hands. He asked me what kind of wood I wanted, and I asked for the pieces of our Cherry Tree we chopped down and he took home years before. He didn't have enough wood from the Cherry Tree to make me a Hope Chest, so he made me a jewelry box to go with it. It was fantastic!

63. I LOVED watching Rose Petal Place (movie) at my Grandma Lewis' house as a kid. Queen Nastina (the evil spider) always scared me a little.

64. I love having people over. I love to cook and bake and serve people at my house. I just LOVE having people over.

65. Josh and I used to go rollerblading when we were dating. I borrowed his sister's (Temaire) roller blades and I had to squish my fat feet into her rollerblades. I think we still have them and I still beg Josh to take me rollerblading. He's not to keen on that idea though...

66. The first year we were married, Josh and I used to go play "catch" at the Jr. High just up the street from our apartments. He taught me how to throw (again) and was very patient with me. I often "pitch fits" when I don't get something perfectly the first time. (no pun intended, but since it happened...hee hee).

67. In the Summertime, my Dad would take me over to the Northwest Multi-Purpose center and we would take our old plastic yellow bat, and the wooden bat with the chipped handle, and he would teach me how to hit baseballs/softballs.

68. My Dad used to take walks with me in the evenings during the Summer. I think there is nothing better than a nice walk in the cooling breeze of a Summer evening. Once we walked to Smith's and he bought some "Tigger Tails" (an orange and purple striped popsicle). That was awesome!

69. There was an ice cream shoppe that opened in my neighborhood when I was about 10-ish. It was called Flamingo Soda. It wasn't around for very long, but my Dad and I would walk over there and get ice cream. That was the first time I tried "Play-Doh" ice cream, and it was my favorite for a long time!

70. When I was younger, after violin performances my parents would often take me out for ice cream. I have SO many memories of going to Baskin-Robbins with my Mom, and I would ALWAYS get bubblegum ice cream. I never waivered from that flavor. I would also keep my little pink taster spoons to use with my barbies (even though they were half the size of the barbie...ha ha ha).

71. When I would visit my Dad at his office, he had a drawer with some little toy cars in it. There was a "mouse" named Templeton that lived in the drawer, and would lock the drawer so I couldn't get in it. I would have to call his name and ask politely and then he would unlock the drawer and I could play with the cars. It took me YEARS to figure out that my Dad was doing it simply by opening another drawer!

72. After we were married, Josh and I went to visit my brother Chris (the first time Chris and Josh met) for Thanksgiving. We had such a good time with them! Chris and Josh bonded over UFC junk, and we all just had the best time with his family.

73. Jeff and Emily and Ashley came to visit (when I was still living at home) and I remember Jeff asked if I had any candy for Ashley. He wanted to show me her new "trick". She has the cutest little voice (a little bit raspy) and she would say "canny-canny-canny" really fast. I thought that was SO cute!

74. My niece Jessica is thrilled now that she is finally taller than I am. Though I was never jumping for the chance to measure against her, she was always so excited!

75. Before Kevan and Sara moved last Summer, Jessie and I got pedicures together. It was fun, and she giggled because it tickled, and the lady just sort of laughed at her. It was really cute!

76. I love that my sister says her (brand new and super cute!) daughter looks a little bit like I did in some of my baby pictures.

77. I love getting together with my family and just laughing about the funny things we've done and the good times we've had together. I also love that my Mom inevitably falls asleep every time we get together and just can't bear to not be included, so she sleeps on the couch, or my duck, or one of us...

78. KLJ: "....SUCH a biznatch!!!"
CLL: "Biznatch?? What's a biznatch??" *innocent and bewildered look*

79. My Mom searched tirelessly with me for the perfect top for my Homecoming Outfit. We looked EVERYWHERE!!!!! It took us weeks to finally find something.

80. My Mom had dollar words. Crap was one of them. Shut up was another (well, "dollar phrase")

81. I love it when Josh gets sentimental with me. Once he bought me a watch that I had once before, but had been stolen. It was probably 2 years later, but he remembered and gave it to me for Christmas. I was completely shocked, surprised, and totally touched.

82. I'm still not 100% sure if a "Jackelope" is real. Only about 98% sure...

83. A lady on the bus sat ON ME! Not next to me, ON ME! I was totally shocked.

84. I changed my clothes on the back of a UTA bus once. It was about a year ago, and I was on my way to class. Everyone else was way up front, and there were only about 3 people on the bus anyway. I still remember what I changed into, and out of.

85. I never understood how hard my Mom worked at everything she did, but mostly with our music education. I couldn't be more thankful for all she did to make sure we were successful.

86. My Mom used to get up at 5:00 a.m. and do aerobics in our family room (the KUED 7 station. There were 3 women, on 3 risers. I totally remember it!) before waking me up for our 5:30 a.m. daily practice.

87. In my very first violin lesson at Weber State, I was so nervous, I started crying in the middle of my scale. I wasn't upset, just extremely nervous. My teacher made me sit down while he surfed a Chinese Website on the computer. Then he showed me the website, we talked, and then we finished our lesson.

88. Once I received "honorable mention" in a violin/flute/piano competition, and I actually won money. I was so shocked, and excited, my teacher made a color copy of the check, and cut it out. I still have it.

89. Sometimes, I still get butterflies when I kiss my husband.

90. I LOVE to travel.

91. When Katie F. moved out of the dorms at WSU, we bawled our eyes out. We listened to Evanescence "My Immortal" about a thousand times. We cried some more. Then she moved.

92. I had more sleepovers with Katie F. my Freshman year of college then I ever had my entire life.

93. A girl named Erica taught me how to play the drums.

94. Once, I fed Temaire's kids so much crap food, that one of the twins threw up on my carpet. I don't know if she knows that. (It wasn't sugary--it was like "Pizza Rolls" and chicken nuggets and spaghettios...)

95. I played in a quartet with my friend Mandy, her Mom, and some other dude, for the 100th birthday party of the company my Dad worked for. Then I shook the hands of all 3 members of the First Presidency (Presidents Hinckley, Monson, and Faust). Elder Nelson helped me carry my music stand, music, and violin in the ballroom (I kept dropping things).

96. I LOVE jumping on trampolines.

97. The very first meal I ever made for Josh once we were married, was Chicken Alfredo. His Dad came over and they were fixing the car.

98. I used to practice my conducting patterns in the car on the freeway while I was driving home from school. Did I mention I was top in that class? (I MIGHT have had the second highest grade in that class...)

99. There is no girl in the world I would rather be friends with than my sister. I have always looked up to her, and wanted to be just like her. Oh, and stole her gum. A LOT. hee hee hee.

100. I used to hide 12 packs of Diet Mountain Dew in the bottom of my closet in high school because my Mom would freak if she knew I drank that stuff. Plus, if she'd thought of it first, they would have been "dollar beverages".

Love you all, and thanks for reading my blog. I know I get boring. I hope this induces at least a chuckle. :)

Yours Truly.

The Wicked Witch of the West Side

So today I look like the Wicked Witch of the West Side. Two reasons:

1. I had the hardest time falling asleep last night! Not enough zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

2. I put this collagen filler somethingorother (that I re-found while cleaning out my room) on my face this morning (around my eyes) so when I went to put my eyeliner on I couldn't steady my hand on the outside of my eye. It was too slippery, so my eyeliner is uneven. Chunky, but thin, and a little crooked...

Put Your Hands Together...

for my Joshy! He found my mitten!!!! Yay!!!!!

Why do I love my mittens SO much? They're wool, with fleece inside, they're mittens (MUCH warmer than gloves), they have tassels, my sister gave them to me 7 years ago for Christmas, and because they're pretty much the awesomest things I have ever owned. I knew if I could think happy thoughts it would come back to me! I also knew if I had positive mental pictures of both of my mittens together, they would one day be reunited. So today, January 15th, will hereafter be known as "Mitten Day". SOOOOO happy!

Closed!

We closed and signed papers today. We are officially homeowners!! Woo hoo! We will be moving THIS Saturday (17th) if you want to come by. We are getting an early start, so hopefully we won't be moving ALL day. I'll try to do something fun for people who come help--you know--like guacamole and chips, drinks, leftover food from our wedding that is still in our cupboards--oh wait--we don't have any food from our wedding still... *guilty whitsling*.

Josh picked me up from work and we bought some new locks for the front and back doors, as well as house numbers, and caulk for the bathrooms. I think it's all we'll need for a little while. whew! Then off we went to the closing... and yes, I did turn a little white before we started signing (and through the first couple of pages...at least the ones with all the BIG numbers), but I'm better now. Though I did almost puke just now.

I'm still trying to sell our apartment contract for February. If you know anyone that needs an apartment and wants to move in fast, send them my way. We'll even throw in a washer and dryer!

A New Year Post

I have a lot of really great friends, and people in my life that I dearly love. Friends, family, strangers I've encountered that have impressed me, and so forth. All of these people are different. Some are loud, some are quiet, some are wise, some are street smart, some are book smart, some are positive, some are negative. Isn't this what spices life? Variety. I have learned though, that there are certain attributes of people I love, and love to be around. The people who find simple beauty in the world around them and in others, are the ones that I admire. The people who constantly find the good, and truly, wholeheartedly cherish life and the great gift that it is, are the people I love to be around. I need my dose of sarcasm and light laughter, but the people that have had the greatest, and longest-lasting influence on me are the people that enjoy life and see the beauty all around, in everyone and everything. This is the person I want to be. 

In 2008, a lot happened, but not a lot happened. Things changed around me, for me, and within me, and I'm happy for the year that I have had. 2008 was a busy year, for both of us, but it was great! 2008 is finished, and 2009 has begun (with serious sickness!) and I still haven't settled on some goals/themes for 2009. Tonight as I've been sitting here thinking about some of the things that have made me crazy this week (and last...), I think I've decided what I want to focus on in 2009. Toward the end of 2008 I've realized (as many have before) that life happens in stages. As much as I'd like to wish this stage of life away, I feel the need and desire to enjoy it, not just endure it. I also have felt that I want to stop and see the beauty all around me, in others, and in the world. Yesterday, I pretty much had a meltdown/breakdown and was near my wits end, yet all it took to turn it around was a simple walk outside. I left work and looked toward the sky. It was beautiful. The clouds were dusted in gold and the Sun's light was streaming through the patterned clouds. It was beautiful. In the middle of a week full of snow, and snow, and more snow, there was one day that reminded me there is golden Sun even in all of the wintry clouds. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE snow! I like to play in the snow, I love the way snow looks, I love how it frosts everything, and bathes the world in a blanket of purity. I just don't like to drive in it. So in my suddenly insignificant unhappiness and dissatisfaction with my day, there was that moment that turned me toward the beauty-even in the clouds. Thus, the second part of my goal/theme of 2009. My goal for 2009 is to Enjoy the beauty in everything and everyone. To me, "enjoy" doesn't allow for "rushing through" anything. To enjoy everything, I want to slow down enough that I am fully aware of all that is going on around me and still find the joy and beauty. I want to be aware of the things that are not fun, and yet find the good in it. I want this for 2009, and if I can do this for a year, I'm hoping it will become me, it will be who I am. My goals are not so much to lose weight, not to always have a spotless house, not to be top in my classes, not to be employee of the month, but to enjoy others, to enjoy life, to enjoy the stages of life I'm in, even if it's a particularly difficult stage of life. I think if I can accomplish that, other parts of life will fall into place. I want that beauty inside and out. I want that joy. So I ask you, help me to find the beauty. Enjoy the beauty with me, and let's have a peaceful, relaxed, and joyful 2009. 

Open!

So, we didn't close today. I'm a little bit upset, because the lenders were a little misleading (acutally, a LOT misleading, a LOT of times) about deadlines and dates. So, we didn't close today, and we are NOT moving Saturday. If you all rolled up your sleeves, lifted extra weights (to help haul the washer down the stairs) or prepped in any other way to help us move--it was in vain. We're counting on next week though. I guess we'll have to call the gas/electric company and postpone the date of shutoff...we'd like to have electricity and gas if we're going to be staying there past Monday. *sigh* I'm a little tired of all the up-in-the-air-ness going on, and I'm sure you all are too. Maybe I'll unpack the camera cord, and my hair dryer, and some towels...and some of those brownie mixes...

Closing Time

As of today, this very moment, our closing date is Thursday (yes, in 2 days) at 10:00 a.m. This means we will be moving Saturday (and I'll probably move a few things Friday night because I don't have to work). Hoo-rah! That means, you're all invited to a moving party on Saturday (the 10th). I'll provide something; pizza, treats, or maybe just the pleasure of my company. Whatever it takes to get a little help. So, calling all muscles!! We're going to start moving at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning. I know, it's a little early, but we want to get it done so our Saturday won't be totally shot. Yahoo! You don't know it, but I just did a little heel click. Now, I might go throw up as I remember how much money we just spent, and how long I will be a slave to my credit union. I'll try to post some pictures of the house tomorrow--oh wait--I already packed the camera cord. Sorry. You'll just have to wait. We are doing our final walk through tomorrow in preparation for the close on Thursday.

Seriously, calling all muscles. No really, come help us move. It will be awesome moving all our crap down 3 flights of stairs. We would LOVE your help. :) (To be technical, there is far less crap than there was a week ago. We have taken about 4 trash bags to D.I. already, and we're not done. So be thankful I'm not feeling sentimental and am ditching a lot of stuff.)

This'll be the last post for a few days...until then...farewell, and come help us move! :)