Oh, high school...

High School Tag...tagged by Emily. I can't believe I'm doing this... :)

1. Did you date someone from your high school?
Not really, no. There were a few fellas I thought I wanted to date, but in hindsight I'm pretty glad I didn't...(sheepish smile)

2. What kind of car did you drive?
I drove a Dodge Neon. It belonged to my parents. Still does, matter of fact.

3. Were you a party animal?
I have never resembled anything close to a party animal. Especially in high school...

4. Were you considered a flirt?
Nope. I'm not a natural flirt, and I've actually come a long way since high school...heh heh. My best friend from high school was Box Elder's finest flirt, interestingly enough...

5. Where you in band, orchestra, or choir?
Choir, baby.

6. What was your most embarrassing moment in high school?
So many to choose from. The one that comes to me is when I was walking out the glass doors near the offices--I was a junior and a cute senior I had a slight crush on was standing in the hallway with a bunch of his friends...I was trying to act all suave and stuff, but I totally fell short. I didn't push on the bar that allows you to open the door and I totally smacked my head on the glass. Really loud. I didn't have to turn around to know that my crush and his buddies heard/saw what happened.

7. Were you a nerd?
I was probably somewhere towards the middle of the "popular" spectrum. Maybe. (Like I even know or care any more...)

8. Were you on varsity teams?
Nope. I ran cross country but was nowhere near fast enough to make the varsity team. And I was okay with that. :) Oh wait, though...I was also on the Color Guard team. (Make fun of me, I dare you. We were military style and we were GOOD!)

9. Did you ever get suspended/expelled?

Umm, no. I kept the rules, thanks.

10. Can you still sing the fight song?

Bits and pieces. (I still know ALL of my elementary school song though...and that school has been torn down!)

11. Who were your favorite teachers?
Mr. Mecham for geometry. I actually enjoyed math that trimester!

12. What was your school full name?
Box Elder High School.

13. School mascot?
We are the Bees, and we are the Best, and we will conquer! Yeah, I'm a Box Elder Bee. And our mascot is purple and white. Long story...

14. Did you go to the Homecoming dance and with who?
I went to Homecoming with Brad Thornock.

15. If you could go back, would you?

NEVER! I enjoyed high school while I was there, but I would NOT go back, even if you paid me.

16. What do you remember most about graduation?
I remember thinking, before it happened, that I would be so sad. And I remember how I was nothing but excited and thrilled to be done with it! -The all-night party was a lot of fun, though...I won a TV in the raffle. A happy memory.

17. Where did you go senior skip day?

No such thing, I'm afraid...

18. Were you in a club?
I was in the National Honor Society...does that count? I also did YCC-Youth City Council-for about a year...somewhere in the middle of my high school days. (Maybe my sophomore year?)

19. Have you gained some weight since then?
Both, thanks for asking. I was really dang skinny in high school though...probably too skinny, looking back. So it's okay...although grad school wasn't necessarily good to me weight-wise. (I was totally at my chubbiest during grad school.)

20. Who was your prom date?

I didn't go to Prom, and I thought I was a loser for it. Seriously, I was bummed. No sweat NOW, but back then...so sad!

21. Are you planning on going to your 10 yr reunion?

Pretty sure I'm not.

22. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself?

Live life to the fullest--enjoy the moments as they come--follow your heart and know that you can do hard things. I don't think I'd change anything that I went through, though...I am who I am because of everything I went through.

four/four

I was tagged to open "my pictures" and find the 4th picture in my 4th folder. Here's what I found...

Seffers--up close and personal!
This was back in September.
I love this boy!

I tag Jamie, Julia, Becca and Amy O.

'tweren't easy...

Tagged by DeeAura. A while ago. Just discovered it today. :)

8 TV shows I love to watch:
1. The Office. I. Love. This. Show.
2. House
3. 3rd Rock From the Sun
4. Seinfeld
5. The Colbert Report
6. I can't think of anything else...
7. Maybe That 70's Show?
8. The Food Network!

8 of my favorite restaurants:
1. Famous Dave's
2. Cafe Sabor
3. Pita Pit
4. Bub's Subs (downtown Denali. Simply amazing!)
5. Zupa's
6. Probably Chili's
7. The Macaroni Grille
8. Red Robin. (And we're getting one in IF real soon here!)

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. I woke up an hour and a half before my alarm told me to. :(
2. I went to work.
3. I ate 3 meals. Plus a snack, I'm sure...
4. I watched a dumb old movie with Brooke because I got off work early. It was quite fun, actually.
5. I went to FHE and played the funnest game of Catch Phrase EVER.
6. My team WON the aforementioned game.
7. I practiced the dance I'll be performing on Halloween with my girls. (Hooray for Triple-LGB!)
8. I tried on my Halloween costume and felt happy about it.

8 things I'm looking forward to:
1. Halloween!
2. The end of the workday.
3. Aida (it's a play. We're seeing it in Utah Valley on Nov. 8)
4. Thanksgiving. Eating the deliciousness that my momma will make. Spending time with the family (including my adorable nephews!). Relaxing.
5. Josh getting home from his mission. (Josh is my cousin who lives in IF. He's awesome. He gets home in just over a week!)
6. Brent getting home from his mission...although I'm not exactly sure when that will be...sometime the end of January or the first part of February. Just a shot in the dark. CAN'T WAIT!
7. Christmas. (Obviously this isn't in chronological order.) I heart Christmas, and the fam will get to talk with Brent that day on the telly!
8. Getting my Christmas shopping done well before Christmas...hopefully before Thanksgiving! (I LOATHE Black Friday...with every fiber of my being, I hate it! And the shopping days that follow all pretty much suck as well.)

8 things on my wishlist:
1. An all-expenses-paid trip to Greece.
2. A husband. Tall, handsome, funny, caring, and so on and so forth...
3. Soccer mom-hood. For real. Minivan and all.
4. Time to read all sorts of books.
5. Time to cook real meals (more than every-so-often).
6. Patience. I have some...but not as much as sometimes necessary.
7. If I'm being completely honest, I wish I could apparate and disapparate. (Without any of that nasty splinching and whatnot...) It would save me a lot of money on gas and a lot of time as well. It'd probably save me enough time that it'd fulfill wishes 4 and 5!
8. My own home with a large library, a big kitchen and dining room, comfy furniture, and a nice yard with lots of grass and a small garden.

8 tagged fools:
1-8: whoever wants to play...

loverly...

Last year in the middle of October, my friends and I went to Island Park and Yellowstone. Looks like it's become a tradition, because we did it again this year.

I'm not gonna lie to you; I was nervous about the weather. Days before we left, it was so cold here in IF...and things get colder the farther north you go, in case you forgot. However...the temperature was pretty much perfect, and we had ourselves a terrific time!

PS "We" includes: Chris, Lisa, Brooke, Cameron and me...

Friday evening we hiked to the old, abandoned and decrepit fire watch tower.We did this over Memorial Day weekend too...I'm so grateful the weather was more agreeable this time around! Then we went back to Cameron's cabin to eat, relax and sleep...and then we went into the park.

I'll just let the pictures tell the story.

The watch tower...

Brooke, Lisa and moi...

Chris stayed on the ground...
(I pretty much love her stance here!)

A cool shot looking up on the way down...

Cameron jammin' on his guitar...

Mammoth Springs...
(at least that's what I think it's called)

Brooke, Lisa, Chris...and Cameron...
This picture just makes me chuckle to myself...
Oh yeah, this one was taken at Mammoth Springs.

Porking down the Hulk cakes Lisa provided...

Lower Falls...

The girls in front of Lower Yellowstone Falls...

Oh yeah...we went and soaked in Boiling River too!
-me and Chris-

Cute little Lisa...and Chris in the background

Mr. Bison walking beside our car on the road!
I could've reached out and touched him...
...if I really stretched.
Oh yeah, and also if I wasn't scared.

it's what I've been praying for...

Ladies and gentlemen, gas prices are below $3.00 per gallon in Idaho Falls! -And isn't it sad that I've been hoping for gas to be this "cheap"? (Gone are the days when I griped about having to pay a whopping $1.99 per gallon on a road trip to California with friends...)

I'm sure that gas prices will be on the rise again here real soon.

Until that happens, I'll consider this a blessing...

reading ROCKS...

I love to read. I think it was inevitable, being a product of my parents and all. My mother read to me all the time when I was growing up. Matter of fact (*she says shyly*) I still love it when my mom reads to me. And my dad...he gives the phrase Loves to Read a whole new meaning. It's almost a sickness with him. :)

Anyway, I enjoy reading, and although I don't have tons of time to read, I try to find time specifically for this activity. Daily. I usually fall asleep reading a book.

Why do I love to read? Well the act itself is a comfortable thing; especially when it's a cold day outside. (I LOVE curling up with a blanket and a good book in hand!) Also, it makes me think. I'm not one to analyze books--not intentionally at least. It just sort of happens--if it's a really good book, at least. (I remember being forced to analyze books and poetry back in the day of junior high and high school, and I wanted nothing to do with it; who wants to try to figure out why an author wrote what they wrote? I'd rather just revel in the thoughts and words and ideas provoked and inspired by what's written.) I also really enjoy a good story. And I totally appreciate an incredible author.

So yeah...I love to read.

In the very recent past, I've read:

*Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra-LOVE these books. The final book of the series doesn't come out till next year. :(
*Genesis of Shannara: The Elves of Cintra-Who knew I'd dig these books so much? I've made fun of my brother Vance for reading about Elves and their Swords for years. Anyway, this one is the 2nd book of a trilogy dealing with Brooks' previous Word and the Void trilogy. Good stuff!
*Because of Winn-Dixie-A quick read. An easy read. But a good read. Made me reflective or something...although I don't know why. It's not as if I'm from the south or had an ugly dog growing up or anything. What can I say, though? It's a Newberry book...

And I'm currently reading Genesis of Shannara: The Gypsy Morph. (I'm only on page 12 or something...fell asleep reading it last night.) I love this stuff! (I'm almost annoyed at how much I love these books...I like them enough that I've contemplated reading the actual Shannara books...a thought that had never crossed my mind before!)

I think I started this post with a certain idea in mind, but it has long-since been forgotten. (Hmm...what was my point?)

I guess I'm saying "Cheers" to reading.

I suppose... :)

the letter P...

Rule one: One word responses.

A second rule: All words must begin with the same letter. I will now roll my Scattergories dice to figure out the letter. And the letter is: P (seriously?)

P

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket

2. Where is your significant other? Pending

3. Your hair? Pulled-up

4. Your mother? Phenomenal

5. Your father? Paternal :)

6. Your favorite thing? People

7. Your dream last night? Perfunctory

8. Your dream/goal? Procreate (sheepish smile...well I want a husband first, sheesh! This game is harder than you might think!)

9. The room you're in? Personal

10. Your hobby? Playing

11. Your fear? Pain

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Pregnant?

13. Where were you last night? Party

14. What you're not? Petite

15. One of your wish-list items? Pacific-Island Cruise (couldn't condense it!)

16. Where you grew up? Peaceful

17. The last thing you did? Potty :)

18. What are you wearing? Pants
19. Your TV? Primitive (heh heh...not so old that it's black and white or anything:)

20. Your pet(s)? Pet-free

21. Your computer? PC

22. Your mood? Pleased

23. Missing someone? Plenty

24. Your car? Practical

25. Something you're not wearing? Polyester

26. Favorite store? Problematic

27. Your summer? Pronto

28. Love someone? Plural

29. Your favorite color? Plum

30. When is the last time you laughed? Presently

31. Last time you cried? Previously

HOLY CROW! This is rather difficult! Or prohibitive, if you catch my drift. I tag anyone who wants to play...and Hillary. (You didn't play last time, you have to do this one!)

fotos de san jorge...

I'm not gonna lie to you...I didn't take very many pictures of my latest Saint Georgian adventures. Neither did Lisa. Neither did Brooke. Shame on us, right? Right. But it's okay, because the memories live on forever...in my mind.

Mm-kay, so here's a few pix of what went down, way down south. :)

Brooke, Lisa, Gina and Janell
outside the St. George Temple after a session...

Forever friends...

I don't know if you know this,
but peanut butter m&ms are more fun to eat this way.
Squish the heck right out of 'em, baby!

For dinner one night we went to Texas Roadhouse.
(Lisa and Melissa...)

We LOVE Texas Roadhouse!
Here's a happy Lisa...and Melissa's BBQed fingers.

We met up with Brooke's ISU buddy, Beauregard
and a few of his buddies (Erik, Dustin and maybe Kevin?)

At the Tuacahn Theater for Les Mis...
It rained and was COLD!
Seriously, I was shrouded in my hood all night...

To give you an idea of the elements we were up against...
I'm up there in the green hoodie.
See how wet I was? That ain't no camera trick!
I just wish you could understand how cold it was too!

Over all it was a terrific time. I might've enjoyed Les Mis a bit more if my teeth weren't chattering from the cold and the rain...maybe. (It was dynamite, people!) A quick trip, but 'twas a good one!

stuff that i've done...

I was tagged by Hillary (who still hasn't done my last tag, by the way.) Anyway...I haven't posted in a while, and she tagged me a while ago, so I thought I'd do a quick post before heading off to work.

So here's the list I was given. I'm supposed to highlight the things I've done. Prepare yourself for the utter shock you're sure to experience. (Psych! My life ain't exactly thrilling... :)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Alaska
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Been to Disneyland
7. Climbed a mountain-lots of 'em!
8. Held a praying mantis-it was disgusting...
10. Bungee jumped
11. Watched a lightning storm
12. Taught yourself an art from scratch
13. Adopted a child
14. Had food poisoning-Most recent was on my trip to Moab last November. There's a story for ya...
15. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
16. Slept on an overnight train
17. Had a pillow fight-oh, the days of my youth...
18. Hitch hiked
19. Built a snow fort-a REAL one, for Jason and his birthday :)
20. Run a Marathon
21. Watched a sunrise or a sunset-I LOVE 'em! Especially sunrises.
22. Hit a home run-I've hit some RBIs and that's pretty good for me, thanks!
23. Been on a cruise
24. Seen Niagara Falls in person
25. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors-Scotland and England, baby!
26. Seen an Amish community
27. Taught yourself a new language-Does the language of Love count? Bwa ha! I jest...
28. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
29. Gone rock climbing
30. Seen Michelangelo’s David
31. Sung karaoke-and embarrassed myself in the process.
32. Seen Old Faithful geyser errupt
33. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
34. Walked on a beach by moonlight
35. Been transported in an ambulance
36. Gone deep-sea fishing
37. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
38. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
39. Played in the mud
40. Gone to a drive in theater-still haven't. Kinda sad...
41. Been in a movie-does "Cletus and Hortence" mean anything to you? Probably not...
42. Visited the Great Wall of China
43. Started a business-for tax purposes, of course. :)
44. Served at a soup kitchen
45. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
46. Gone whale watching-in AK. Sort of. On the Kenai Fjord Tour
47. Got flowers for no reason
48. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
49. Gone sky diving
50. Bounced a check
51. Flown in a helicopter-Nope, but I've sat co-pilot in a 10-seat plane. Twice!
52. Saved a favorite childhood toy
53. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
54. Eaten Caviar
55. Pieced a quilt
56. Stood in Times Square
57. Been fired from a job
58. Broken a bone
59. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
60. Published a book
61. Had your picture in the newspaper
62. Read the entire Bible
63. Visited the White House
64. Killed and prepared an animal for eating?
65. Had chicken pox
66. Saved someone's life
67. Sat on a jury
68. Met someone famous
69. Joined a book club
70. Lost a loved one
71. Had a baby
72. Swam in the Great Salt Lake-talk about itchy!!!
73. Been involved in a law suit

Well there you have it. My life is a party. :) I tag anyone who wants to play.

And...a shout-out to my roommate Lisa. It's her birthday today! :) And happy birthday to Lisa Thatcher as well! (I guess Oct. 14 is the day that Lisas were born...)

Lots of thoughts...

Okay, so this past weekend I went to St. George to spend some quality time with my buddy Janell. My roommates and I were southward-bound on Thursday evening after work and we met up with our dear Janelly-belly by Friday. Oh, what a terrific reunion! I miss that girl!

Anyway...we spent our time doing the girlie things, such as eating and chatting. (Living 500 miles away from our Janell means we had a lot of catching-up to do!) We also did a session at the St. George Temple, watched General Conference, and saw Les Mis at the Tuacahn Theater, which is what the bulk of this post will be about. (I'll tell you all about the fun times with Janell once I upload my pictures.)

Alright, call me uncultured or whatever, but I had never seen (or read) Les Miserables until Saturday, 4 October 2008. Still haven't read it, matter of fact. (I'm pretty sure that's going to take me a LOT longer than a couple of days to read. But don't worry, I've added it to my Bucket List, if you will...) Anyway...I'm familiar with a good portion of the music, and my roommates filled me in on the gist of the show on our drive Thursday evening. I had an idea of what Les Mis is about.

So yeah, basically it's an awesome story. But it's not even the love story between Cosette and Marius that really got me--although that is a sweet and necessary part of the story. No, I love this play because it's so deeply complex and it really made me think. And OH, how I felt for each character! I'm basically depressed for Fantine. My heart physically aches for Eponine. Javert makes me scratch my head; a lot of what he says is true--but what is justice without mercy? He's only halfway there! (Javert was played by one Jay Pierce who has a knock-out voice and although I hated his character, a part of me loved him. I think it was the voice...) I'm totally digusted with the sleaziness of Thenardier. (James Zanelli played the part so well, however!) Oh yeah, and I pretty much loved it when the college boys sang. Oh yeah...LOVED it. Marius (played by John Preator) was singing to me every time he sang. And his handsome friend Enjolras (a tall drink of water played by Kevin Goertzen) made me feel it when he led the revolt against the slimy government.

But I digress...

Anyway...my heart belongs to Jean Valjean. Seriously. I love him. Valjean was played by Timothy Warmen and he played the part so well! (It's true, I've never seen Valjean portrayed any other way, but DANG! My man Tim is awesome!) -My favorite scene of the entire 3 hour play was when Valjean sang "Bring Him Home." It brought me to tears, people.

Anyway, Les Mis makes me think. A lot. There are lots of references to God and to Christ's sacrifice to us. The Bishop, at the beginning of the play, gave Valjean a real shot at life, and it changed Valjean; he was willing to change. He becomes a great man; the potential was already there. Contrastly, when Valjean lets Javert go at the end, when he saves his life, Javert can't understand it; he is too focussed on justice and cannot seem to wrap his head around the idea of mercy. So amazing that the same act of love and kindness can be understood so differently...

LOVE is a key theme to this story. All kinds of love.

And the music is so beautiful and profound. (Okay, so "Master of the House" ain't exactly deep, but still...) Anyway, in the final scene, Valjean, Fantine and Eponine sing (in beautiful harmony, of course), "To love another person is to see the face of God." Somehow that really stayed with me.

Anyway, these are my rather scattered thoughts on the subject of Les Mis. I haven't quite decided if I love it more than Wicked...but I don't know that I have to make the choice anyway, right? They're both fantastic, and in rather different ways...