Running to Stand Still

I. JUST. WANT. TO. GO. HOME. FOR. CHRISTMAS. ALREADY.

Tuesday is the big day. I'm trying to distract myself by staying busy until I can go. But work is making me want to wring my own neck right now. Lately, I've had dreams of finding a new job, but the realistic part of me (whatever part of it that's left...) says that's crazy and completely unnecessary, and it's just this time of year. It really is. Summer is insane, but November/December is like torture in comparison. :) Remind me to be thankful for the insanity once the summer begins again...

Lindsay and I went to the Christmas Tabernacle Choir concert last week. We stood outside in the stand-by line for an hour and fifteen minutes, but we made it in to listen to the glorious vocal styling of Brian Stokes Mitchell and the soothing storytelling genius of Edward Herrmann. Thank you, holiday season. :) And thanks, L.J., for forcing me to decide...heheh...

Also, for the two people who have asked (Trick and Mindy, specifically...) I finally have a picture of the puzzle that cased me so much grief. :) It's all framed and happy on the wall in my room. It makes me happy on a daily basis. :)

Ahem. Thursday night, I went to Body Worlds in Salt Lake with some of my favorite people in the world...and it was much cooler than I anticipated it would be. Cool info mixed in with crazy cadavers...I can definitely say I haven't been to anything like it ever before. Much at the beginning was about the heart where the info reviewed the chemical reasons for "love" as well as confirming it's entirely possible to die of a broken heart. Super. Truly uplifting... :) (It really was interesting, though...) We had a more normal picture of us there, but you get to see this one because I think it's more true to life... :)

I thought the neatest part there was the room with all stages of pregnancy to birth. The microscopic embryo forming to fetus, and don't worry...placenta was there for viewing at the end. They even had one from twins. Kind of a crazy way to see it all, but awe-inspiring, all the same.

Also, this is not an especially important note, and I know I'm not his only admirer (by far), but that same night, I became an instant fan of a very funny boy. Who will remain nameless for the masses. But I haven't enjoyed a boy that much in a long time. Years, actually. And only those of you who know me best will understand this part, but he stuck his finger up my nose. Twice! I know he didn't know why I was laughing so hard (in addition, of course, to my initial reaction to someone doing that to me in the first place...) but I told my mom, and she probably almost died laughing. That might gross the rest of you out to think that actually scored points for him (some major ones, actually) but it did. We Thompsons love trying to stick our fingers up each other's noses. Or maybe I just threaten my younger siblings with that on a regular basis...dang it! He also knew every word to Death Cab for Cutie's "I will follow you into the dark." Super. It's perfect that he's going to Iraq a few days after Christmas. For a year. Perfect! Really, this is awesome. This is me smiling. :}

Whatever. In other news, I went to a Utah Flash game last night with one of my co-workers. (Thanks, Jenna!) It was good fun...and it made me want to go get all crazy at a good Aggie basketball game. Oh, how I miss those! :) But a big thanks to Jenna for helping to keep me sane at work as well as outside of it. I sure appreciate this girl. Mucho. :)

Also, the funny Jessica Smith gave me a whole new level of Christmas present...and I laughed out of pure joy and disbelief. Please. See. Below. And yes. That is a JACK action figure from LOST. He comes with authentic sound clips from the show. And a full-scale replica of Kate's mugshot. "If we can't live together, we're gonna die alone." Jess. This is beyond words....and I am in love with him. :) (Don't worry, fellow LOST-watchers...I'm also a Sawyer fan. What girl could actually choose between those two?! Poor, poor Kate...)

She wins the prize. Hands down, the funniest gift I have ever been given.

Aubs is making BOSSTA tonight!!! It's okay that you don't know what that is. But what's not okay is that you've lived your life without ever eating it. Yummmmmm. :) Thank goodness for this best frenn of mine...heheh! Guys. You're missing out on this girl! I would like to know what you're so busy with that's more worthwhile. Really. I love Aubs, and oh, how I love that she makes Basta. *happy sigh* :)

While I'm on the subject of people I love, I'd also like to thank itunes for Ross Copperman, my new favorite. Thank you. Really. If you don't know him, you should. Look him up. You won't be sorry.

Okay. Enough of all this! Over and out. I have to go be responsible and fold my laundry.

*Crafty Dreams*

I just spent the last twenty minutes or so looking at this craft blog:

http://payperiodprojects.blogspot.com/

That's it. I'm quitting my job to become a crafty mother. Now I all I need is a husband and a few kids. Or just one. (child. uh...and husband. *ahem* One husband, children could be from 1-6 or so in number.) Whatever. Oh, and the craft supplies. So a budget for such things. That would also help. ;)

Thanks to Ashley, one of the girls I visit teach, I suddenly have an intense desire to make "fabulous crayons"by melting all my extra, broken crayons together. Hellllloooooo...that's an almost pointless project unless I have little tykes running around who need un-broken crayons. (I say almost because I do like to color, and it would be fun...hmmmm...) Also, I can't make a princessy tutu for myself. (Okay, I could, but it's no fun unless I have at least one little girl to dance around in matching tutus to the Nutcracker music.) Not that I do that. Very often. Or at all. Kreiky.

*heavy sigh* I'm just sayin'. And now it's back to my real life. Errr...work. My job. :)

(Also, I can already hear those of you who do have children out there laughing at my seemingly naive belief(s) that my children will be really into making these crafts with me, or that I'll even have time to do these things with all the changing of diapers, messes, laundry, mealtimes, etc. Fine. *laugh* I take it as a challenge. Or...aw, just let me be, okay?! Dream snatchers.)

100 things about {me}

1. I used to hide books and a flashlight under my pillow so I could read instead of going to sleep when it was "lights out."
2. I may or may not have done this clear until I graduated from high school.
3. I started baby-sitting when I was 8 years old, and did it almost every friday night until I graduated from high school. This was cool until about the time I turned 14.
   
4. However, it allowed my parents to go on a date every friday night.
   
5. It also allowed us to be WITHOUT our parents every friday night. :)
6. I used to make my brothers watch Anne of Green Gables. Frequently. They hated it. I didn't care.
   
7. I LOVE torturing my brother Daniel. Waaaay too much fun. :)
8. I love jeans.
9. And sweatshirts.
10. My dream job dress-code includes various combinations of #8 and #9.
11. I actually thought that job would exist in my future. :)
12. I also used to want to be a high school choir teacher.
13. Confession: sometimes, when I'm sitting quietly in church, I have visions of suddenly standing up and bursting into song. In these visions, I am always well-received and everyone is blown away/in awe of my extreme talent. :}
14. I used to play "Wizard of Oz" with my childhood friends. I was always Dorothy (of course), I had sparkly purple jelly-shoes, I had a stuffed dog with a purple sash tied around his neck for dragging purposes, and a basket. My friends and I would always run away screaming, "AH! IT'S THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST!!" whenever my mom came out the front door to tell me it was time to come in. :} She hated it.
    
15. My mom has thrown away two (count them: TWO) entertainment loves of my life: The movie "Sleeping Beauty" (because she hated Maleficent...and I watched it multiple times a day. I was a child, and I'm still suffering from the sorrow.) AND she threw away my first N'SYNC cd because I secretly bought it. aka: without her permission. I was 13. When I found out, I went and dug it back out. No shame whatsoever.
16. I never like the color pink when I was younger. I would avoid it. On purpose. Green or blue was always better. I hated that everyone thought I should love pink just because I was a girl.
17. Speaking of pink, though; I had a favorite item when I was little that was pink. It was a pink, plastic barbie suitcase with little purple slider latches to keep it closed. I actually used this whenever possible.
18. I avoid sports like the plague.
19. Because, as much as I would like to be coordinated, I am NOT.
20. Dates that include any kind of sport are my worst personal nightmare.
21. The only "sporty" date I ever enjoyed was rock climbing. And I only enjoyed it a.) after the fact, and b.) because the boy was really cute.
22. This same scenario will not work with any other sport. Guaranteed. No matter how cute the boy is.
    
23. I love homemade bread more than anything else in the world.
24. I want a sewing machine.
25. I taught myself how to sight-read by reading different parts of the hymns every day after school for almost a year when I was a sophomore in high school.
26. I played the violin for 4 years. Just enough time to get pretty good. Then I quit.
    
27. One of my very good friends came from an intense orchestra rivalry. Intense because he kept "challenging" me for first chair. Rivalry because he only won ONCE. Friend years later only because I quit orchestra after our director decided to quit having challenges and I got disgusted. Hahahahha. Probably the only time in my life i have ever been truly competitive.
    
28. Choir is the main thing that helped me survive high school. Okay, that and Sister Burt and Alaina Nelson. But choir saved me. I'm convinced.
    
29. I get tired of things pretty soon after I get a really good grasp of them. This could be good in the sense that I instantly pick something else I want to be good at, but bad in the sense that I don't continue on in that particular skill. I know it doesn't make any sense. I'm working on it.
    
30. I recently discovered a GIANT pet peeve of mine. But I can't talk about it because I've concluded it's not very nice. But seriously - ARGH!!!!!
31. While I don't have dating commitment fears (...at least I don't think I do...) I DO have life/thing commitment fears. BIG ones. I value my freedom. ie: graduate school, careers, monthly payments, etc. scare the crap out of me.
    
32. I learned how to ski when I was 8 years old.
33. While learning to ski, I have a distinct memory of standing (in my skis) with my class of about 10 kids, listening to our ski instructor, and suddenly moving forward, being unable to stop, and crashing into the "teens learning how to ski" class just down the hill from my small kid class. I wanted to die.
34. I don't love ice cream. 2 or 3 spoon fulls is more than enough for me. I also don't like plain chocolate like hershey's kisses or just plain hershey's bars. They need to have nuts or caramel in them. Unless the chocolate is European. Then it must be plain. :)
    
35. I used to hate pizza because it had tomato sauce on it, and I HATED tomatoes.
36. During my senior year of college, my roommate and I started a quest to learn to like our least favorite foods. We chose each others. Hers was olives, and mine was tomatoes. Ugh. However, I prevailed, and no longer pick tomatoes off my salads or sandwiches. This is HUGE progress, people.
    
37. I have terrible vision. I had to get glasses when I was 8. Contacts didn't come 'til I was 16.
    
38. I have only been in love twice in my life. Neither was "big love" (per the movie, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton) but love, nonetheless, I suppose.
    
39. I am incredibly sarcastic. Bad, bad news.
    
40. This usually makes me funny. Unless it doesn't. Which also happens frequently.
    
41. I love awkward situations. :}
42. My fingernails and my hair grows really fast.
    
43. I don't usually like wearing a lot of makeup.
44. I think shopping at the D.I is great fun.
45. My first crush was on a boy in my 7th grade German class. Until he filled my locker full of valentines presents that year; it 100% freaked me out. I was 12. Give me a break.
46. I hate sudoku. Because I hate math.
47. I would rather write a 100-page paper than participate in any form of statistical analysis.
48. Valentines day, 2007, I studied statistics for 9 hours.
49. I got locked in my apartment one time in college because the door-handle broke. A whole bunch of people were coming over to watch American Idol with me and my roommates, and they had to listen from outside the door for a good 20 minutes until we managed to completely rip the doorknob out of the door.
50. I didn't buy a computer until after I graduated from college. Thus, I lived in computer labs all through my undergraduate experience.
51. I love windows. Someday I will have a house with many of them. And I will wash them all myself.
    
52. Clean rooms make me happy. Messy ones irritate me.
    
53. I started out as a music major in college, got more than half-way done and decided to change. Thus, 7 years to bachelors. Yes. Seven. No wonder I have grad school commitment issues...
    
54. Sometimes I really want to get married, and other times (most of the time) I'm really glad I'm not yet! :)
55. If I find someone annoying, I get sarcastic so fast I don't even notice it until at least a good 5 minutes later.
56. I hate Wal-mart. Yet I continue to support it. Ugh.
57. Someday when I do get married and have children, my husband will help change the diapers, be capable of making his own food and getting his own drink, doing his own dishes, an his own laundry. I'm not saying I'm not happy to do these things for him, but when I see husbands (or wives, for that matter) who refuse to do certain things for themselves or for others, it makes me absolutely crazy.
58. Shopping for gifts stresses me out.
59. If I could pick multiple life-paths, I would be an interior decorator, a designer, an opera singer, a recording artist, a writer, a psychologist, an archeologist, a pilot, and a composer. But I'd rather be a mom than any of those things.
    
60. If I could be one comic-book character, I would be Rogue from X-men. I like her hair.
61. While we're on that subject, I think Staci London is secretly Rogue from X-men.
62. I get annoyed with 'know-it-alls.' Probably because I think I know it all. Lol. Yikes.
    
63. I have too many opinions. 90% of them should never be expressed. Hahha.
64. I have an undying love for sushi. It makes me drool just thinking about it.
65. I work with some of the funniest people on the planet.
    
66. Once upon a time, I was friends with a robot who masqueraded as a real boy. He was funny.
67. I like having my own room. I have always shared a room until just last year.
    
68. I have incredible friends that I probably don't deserve. But too late now! :) (uh...I hope...)
    
69. I think the most impressive people are the ones who don't know how impressive they really are.
70. This does not mean I don't value confidence.
71. I'm still trying to decide if I want to commit to grad school. But mostly, I'm scared I won't get IN to grad school, and I can't seem to find a program I loooove and want to have as the subject of my life for the next 2-3 years.
    
72. I should be more confident... :]
73. My singing range used to be almost 4 octaves. Maybe more. I have no idea what it is now. Not that!
74. I wish I would have done study abroad while I was still in college. Anywhere in Europe. Or the orphanages in Romania. Those were always more appealing to me than the ones in Ecuador; though I would have loved to go there as well.
    
75. I have moved to a different apartment about every 9 months since high school.
76. That's a lot of moving. However, it does mean I don't have much junk. I say much because I clearly still have some things I don't really need.
    
77. I become what is best described as "fussy" at about 10 a.m. every day. Hunger strikes. Must. find. food. The rest of the day, I'm fine. It's just that blasted 10 a.m.
78. I can't sleep in past 9:30 a.m. unless I'm sick and on drugs to help me get better.
    
79. I love Italian food more than almost anything. Sushi is a very close second. They might be tied...
80. When it's cold outside, I love going to coffee shops and getting hot chocolate because coffee shops have much better flavor options. 7-11 will do in a bind, however.
    
81. I just mean this in a general sense, but I love boys who drive trucks. love. them. But not the trucks with at that ridiculous lift gear on them. Because..c'mon...who needs a vehicle that takes a ladder to get into it?!
    
82. I hate it when people say "no offense" before they say something rude. Ugh. Yeah, right!
    
83. I really like studying the scriptures. But I should really do it more often.
    
84. I hate money.
85. I love country music, but I hated it until my freshman year of college. But that's because I started college in Idaho. :)
    
86. I wish I were a better friend: I wish I had the time to see every single friend I live by on a daily basis. It frustrates me that I don't.
87. I hate admitting it when I need help.
88. I am really good at changing tires. I can thank my college car's "luck" with crappy tires (a '92 VW Jetta) for that.
    
89. I have at least 12 physical journals full of stuff about my life. That's not including my mission journal, or the two journals I have on my jump drive.
    
90. Wilford Woodruff, consequently, is one of my biggest heroes. I cannot wait to meet him someday.
91. The only thing I have ever won (from a drawing, contest, etc.) was a printer/faxer/scanner/copy machine while I was on a date once. I didn't even have a computer, so, in spite of attempts from my date to claim my prize as his own, I traded it in at the local Staples for an mp-3 player. :} HA!
92. The first movie I remember seeing in a movie theater that wasn't a cartoon was "One Fine Day." I think I was in Jr. High and we had a school movie day at the theater. I remember especially liking it because the kids are watching "The Wizard of Oz" at the end, and that was one of my first favorite movies.
93. My favorite book I have ever owned was a hardbound complete collection of the works of Shakespeare that I had to purchase for a class my sophomore year of college. The pages were like scripture pages, and it had incredible footnotes and vocab explanations on every single page. However, my younger brother borrowed it once a few years later, and it got lost. I remember crying actual tears. (He didn't mean to lose it, though...)
94. When I was born, the gift of a baby blue teddy bear with a wind-up music box inside it was given to my mom/me, and I still have it to this day. He sits up on my bookshelf now, hunched over a bit, and his music-box no longer works. But he's just as old as I am, and I love him. I've always been grateful to the giver of the teddy bear for picking a blue one and not a pink one.
    
95. I have never been one to name my car or any other inanimate object. I guess that's weird because everyone always asks the name of my car, or you might be tempted to ask the name of my baby blue teddy bear: but they don't have names other than "my car" and my "teddy bear" or "little blue bear." While I sincerely apologize to those I may (and have) disappoint(ed), I am not inclined to change. :) Best wishes to you, though, in naming your cars, hammers, dolls, water bottles, and whatever else you would like to name.
    
96. I thoroughly enjoy singing in all languages with the exception of French. Give me German, Italian, or even Russian. Just. not. French.
    
97. My hair was so long (and blonde) in Junior High that I could sit on it. Easily. It has never been that long since; though it did come close after having served as a performing missionary in Nauvoo where we weren't allowed to cut our hair (so it would be long enough for buns and braids, I suppose). It will never be that long again!!!
98. On that note, however, I can never have really short hair. It makes me look sick, and I am not a sick-looking girl. Usually. :}
99. I have never traveled outside the United States. Never ever. :( Someday I will, though.
    
100. If I could choose one thing to drink (besides water of course) out of all the options we have in this world, it would be milk. But none of this skim milk crap people try to tell themselves is milk. That's just white water. 1% is the lowest I will go. Milk. It does a body good.
     

Holy crap. That was a lot of work!!! It took a very long time. (Jess, please read that in your mexican accent.) This list is completely useless. I can't think of one thing it's good for! HAHAH!! And it's not even all-inclusive...though...I don't ever want to write a list like that again!!! Lol. Okay, enough. If you have the time and the desire to do so...please. Write 100 things about {yourself.} Don't worry. That was NOT done all in one sitting. Many, many sittings.

Take me Away

I feel the need to explain myself. This is another one just sitting in my "drafts." I have no more words.

1. Put Your iTunes music player on Shuffle (or other music device/shuffle My Music).
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3.You must write down the name of the song no matter how silly it sounds!
4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.
5. Tag at least 5 friends.
6. Anyone tagged has to do the same, because pointless fun spreads like a virus.

• If someone says, "Is this okay?" You say? "Freshmen" Verve Pipe (hahahah)
• How would you describe yourself? "Across the Universe" Jim Sturgess
• What do you like in a guy/girl? "Wayfarin' Stranger" Tabernacle Choir {yeah. They're on my ipod. So?}
• How do you feel today? "Caught up" Usher {fur rill.}
• What is your life’s purpose? "I must have loved you before" Nashville Tribute to Pioneers {if you don't know it, you should find it. It's a neat compilation.}
• What is your motto? "No Such Thing" John Mayer {aaaahahahha}
• What do your friends think of you? "Be Still" Kelly Clarkson
• What do you think of your parents? "The best day" Taylor Swift {cute.}
• What do you think about very often? "If no one will listen" Keri Noble
• What is 2 + 2? "You're the Inspiration" Chicago {eh?}
• What do you think of your best friend? "Soon Enough" Constantines {oh.}
• What do you think of the person you like? "Decode" Paramore {sure.}
• What is your life story? "Free" Faith Hill {wham, bam, boom.}
• What do you want to be when you grow up? "Dirty Pop" 'N Sync {I...no.}
• What do you think of when you see the person you like? "I can't be bothered" Miranda Lambert
• What will you dance to at your wedding? "Situations" Jack Johnson {sweet. This probably means I'm getting married in Hawaii.}
• What will they play at your funeral? "Teach me to walk in the light" Jenny Oaks Baker {well look at that. It's even religious. Smarty little ipod!}
• What is your hobby/interest? "Lessons Learned" Carrie Underwood {clearly. school. err...}
• What is your biggest fear? "I'm through with love" Jane Monheit {BAM!!}
• What is your biggest secret? "You bring me down" Leona Lewis {hmmm...}
• What do you think of your friends? "Beautiful One" Jonny Lang
• What will be the title of this post on your blog? "Take me away" Avril Lavigne

Okay. I promise I'll write real things again soon. Wait. This is real. Ipods tell the future. Get with the program, yo. Also, Jess (the one I work with..): I promise I'm working on that 100 things list...you're right. Harder than it seems...there's just so many great things, I'm having a hard time picking the most important ones..... :)
You know. :)

High School Schmeischool

This was a tag I did...probably a few weeks ago. It's been sitting in my drafts, and I almost deleted it. But then...why waste all that effort? Yyyyeah...I was that bored. High School Tag. And yes, Aubs, I was so bored I read yours in its entirety. :) Really. I have things to do at work. I'm just spreading them out. It's the tail end of the "down" season around here...I'm perfecting this particular process before my life gets insane all over again. I have a ton of pictures, stories, etc. to share, but they're all on my computer at home. Clearly, I can't do anything with them while I'm at...*cough*..."work." :)

1. Did you date someone from your school?
Ooohahhahah...NO. There were boys I wanted to date, but...let's just say this: as I've had run-ins with most of these boys since high school, I continue to count my lucky STARS that I didn't date much in High School, let alone date someone in particular. Oh, crap. I take that back. I think I dated this one boy when I was a sophmore (who will remain nameless) for about a week. At the end of that week, I couldn't take the poor boy for one more second. After that, I just admired all attractive boys from afar. Plus, my parents succeeded in scaring off any and all other boys that tried, sooo...yep.

2. What kind of car did you drive?

Oh, that would depend on my mother's mood that morning. It was either the small, white neon, or my family's GIANT WHITE 10-passenger VAN. :) My choir teacher affectionately called it "the white buffalo"...wowee. Those were the days. :)

3. Did you pass your driver's license test on the first try?

Funny story. Yes. And I could parallel park like a champ. Except on the day I took my test. I choose to blame this incident on my teenage brain. There was some boy (I don't even remember who he was, to tell you the truth) who was taking the test at the same time I was (aka - we were in the same car) and he needed help with his parallel parking. He was terrified he was going to mess up. He knew I was good at it, so he asked me to help him. Ugh. So I did. I helped him pass that part of the test. And then what did I do? Oh, then he thought he could be helpful to ME when I did the parallel parking portion. Hahahah! And I actually listened to him!! Needless to say, I think our teacher could tell because he let me do it one more time, and this time I ignored silly boy altogether and did just fine. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

4. Were you a party animal?

Okay, no. :) Maybe I would have been more than I was if I had any say in the matter, but anyone who knew my parents when I was in high school pretty much knew the answer to me going anywhere or doing anything was basically a NO. You think I'm exaggerating?! HA! Unless I was hanging out with Seth Dilworth or Mike Leishman. Then I could practically get away with murder. Why? I have no idea.

5. Were you considered a flirt?

I don't think I'm even considered a flirt now, let alone back then!!! Hahah. No, I let my friends do all the flirting, I think. Maybe I did some, but it wasn't much, and it...uh...clearly didn't get me anywhere! Lol.

6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?

Oh, I was a choir girl. And loved it. That's what got me through High School, hands down!

7. Were you a nerd?
No? I don't think I was. But I guess that depends on who you asked. :) Maybe I was. Who even cares?

8. Were you on any varsity teams?
*Why do I hear my friends laughing already?* That would have required me to have at least one athletic bone in my body. I still avoid most sports like the plague. :)

9. Did you ever get suspended/expelled?

Nope.

10. Can you still sing the fight song?

I remember something about "Lily White"...I could probably mumble a few more of the words if someone else got me started...

11. Who were your favorite teachers?

Mr. Goldsberry, Yates, Bishop, Demonja, and Mrs. Bigler. History, English, and Music. Anything else was pretty much a nightmare. :) Especially Math...except for that one year in Geometry when I got my first (and last) "A" in math. Mr. Fairbourne performed this miracle. I still love him, to this day for that grade. :)

12. Where did you sit for lunch?

Ummm...either on a bench, by someone's locker, or many times in a car as we rushed back from our trip to the Yogurt Factory. Wherever I wanted.

13. What is your school's full name?

Box Elder High School.

14. What is your school's mascot and colors?

*AHEM* We were the bees. The purple and white bees. Don't ask. I have no idea.

15. Did you go to Homecoming and if so, with whom?

Nope. :)

16. If you could go back and do it again, would you?

No waaaay, Jose!

17. What do you remember most about graduation?

Haahahahehehhehe...for some reason, the thing I remember most is Reed Capener and his friends getting administrative "U"s for ripping open their graduation gowns and showing their superman, batman, etc. T-shirts underneath. The t-shirts were funny, yes, but they fact they couldn't get their diplomas until they physically worked off the hours for a U? *happy sigh* I thought it was a nice thing for the universe to do. :) Other than that, it was long, hot, and out on the football field. Oh. And I was in the choir and we sang John Rutter's "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." The end.

18. Where did you go Senior Skip Day?

I don't even remember having one. Wait - was that the day I went to audition for a scholarship to Ricks? Probably.

19. Have you gained some weight since then?

If anyone hasn't, I want to hit them.

20. Who was your prom date?

Matt Toyn. Bless the heart of his girlfriend at the time. It was a fun night, though. I successfully ripped the hem of my dress, though, when I stepped up on the promenade. Ugh! Why was prom such a big deal?!

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

Oh heavens. No, I don't think so. Maybe. I might change my mind in the next less than 2 years, but...it sends little shivers down my spine just thinking about it.

22. Did you have a job in high school?
Yyyyeahhh...I worked at Arbys. Gimmee a break. Everybody has to start somewhere!!! :)

I can't even talk about my eyebrows in this picture. I just can't. It's not my fault no one ever told me about tweezers until AFTER high school. Hahahaha. :)

A conglomeration of happy events. For which I am grateful. {Better late than never.}

(these events are listed in order of appearance. not importance. of course.)

Carrie Underwood + Little Big Town = {Carnival Ride Tour}

Boy, oh, boy! I went to Carrie Underwood's concert with my wonderful roommates (even though Jess has moved since then...she's still our roommate.) {the sad, tiny truth is that I found out Coldplay was coming about a week after I bought the Carrie Underwood tickets...and I may or may not have wanted to buy those instead....uh...lol...oh well!} HOWEVER, this concert was great fun anyway; and Little Big Town?! Oh, helllooooo!!! LOVED 'em! I was surprised at how much I really did love them! A big "thank you" shout out to them for having a real soprano, a real alto, a real tenor, and a real bass...AND for having great, rich harmonies. AH!!! It's refreshing to hear singers who really appreciate what they're doing. And Miss Carrie is impressive in her own rights with those pipes of hers! Two enthusiastic thumbs up to her power-singing abilities! AND...she joined with LBT for their own rendition of "Paradise City" and I was nearly blinded by their powers of awesome. :) The only suggestion I have for them is to learn from Kung-Fu Panda, and remember: "There is no charge for awesomeness or attractiveness." I should have been able to go to that concert for free. Mehe-heh-heh-heh. :)

[* Savior of the World* ]

This is the second year in a row I have gone to see this beautiful play. Last year, I went with Woahn, Bingham, and Rees and we cried and cried all the way through. The people and the music just took us right back to Nauvoo, and we just couldn't help it! I want desperately to find the time to even be a little angel next year. {Please, please bless I can!}

The message is so incredibly beautiful, and I am absolutely in love with the way it is portrayed. I love it when performing crosses over into the heartfelt testimonies of those on stage and brings such a beautiful spirit to the audience. I especially love the first half; the portrayal of the birth of the Savior always overwhelms me, and yes, I sit there with tears streaming down my face the entire time. This year, I went with Cali & Bryan and Jeni. Thanks so much, Cali, once again for getting the tickets! I love these people, and to be there with them was just as wonderful as the last time I went. :) Best part of the holidays. :)

{Gilmore Girls live here}
This is a short goodness: Wal-mart is selling the Gilmore Girls seasons for $15 each. Yes, that's right. You can judge me all you want, but I love that show, and the witty banter all through it. I have been too cheap in the past, however, to buy them. However, my dream of ownership has now come true, and I have started my collection. Zippa-dee-doo-dah!!! I can sit down and live in Stars Hollow now whenever I want. :)

*^* Thanksgiving: my favorite holiday above any other. {Even my Grandma agrees with me on this one.} *^*

I really love Thanksgiving the most. Of course I love Christmas. That goes without saying. But I love the food the most at Thanksgiving. I count down to the turkey, the yams, and the stuffing. I can't possibly wait until Thanksgiving to have pumpkin pie, though. Just ask my roommates. We made two as soon as they started selling canned pumpkin for just a little cheaper. {I think that was in October} and it didn't stop there. I can't explain it. There is no excuse. And my dad makes the best pomegranate salad on the planet. Yummmmmm. :) *happy sigh of contentment* I am grateful it only comes once a year, though. I couldn't possibly keep up with my love of it if it came even once more in a year. :) AND it's always so much fun to have my whole family together. I miss my siblings way way way too much, and most of all, I miss bugging my brothers. :) {They secretly love it. I know they do.} We took some fun family pictures that day as well. Just ones we took our selves. I suppose we could pay someone to take the pictures; that way, we'd probably have at least one where Adam isn't making a silly face...hahaha...but that just wouldn't be true to life!!! I love it just the way we are. My family is crazy and weird. And I love us. :)

* Moment of silence, please *

The only sad part about Thanksgiving was I missed having my Alaina friend just around the block. :( I know you're having a blast in Russia, dear girl, but could you just come home quick? I miss you most on holidays. :) I just wanted to go on a walk through the leaves still piled up everywhere, pass the Phippen's house at least once [for old times sake, of course!] and eat chicken quesadillas with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce while we caught up on all the crime shows with your mom. :) That's all I'm asking for.

[ ~ Pie - Face ~ ]

And, my friend Seth and his wife, Rachel, were in town through the Thanksgiving weekend. It was good to see them. I went over to visit on Sunday night; successfully interrupting their family scripture chase. Yes, I joined in, and yes, I won some tootsie-rolls. {So did everyone else. That's not the point.} Afterward, they had this miniature pudding pie-eating contest...I could only make it through two of the little pies before I thought I was going to puke. However, the third pie ended up partially on my face, and partially on Seth's little brother's face. [I still call him Turbo in my mind...I know he's growing up, and it doesn't fit as much as it did when he was little, but...give me a break. I still call the youngest Olsen child "Boy" in my mind too. Old habits die hard.] :)

[Framed and Finished!]

AND, my grandpa helped me cut the glass for my Nauvoo picture, so it's finally done!!! WOOHOOOOO!!!!! My dad helped me bind the back together as well, so I can now hang it on my wall, where it's been dying to be for months now. :) It's the best Thanksgiving present of all time. :) Could I be any happier?! I think not. :) I was going to post a picture of the final project for your viewing pleasure. But I've already put this post off long enough. Just trust me. It's beautiful. :) AND it only cost me a total of about $25. The prints are a good $300-$400. I feel pleased.

Today's distractions...

1. The semi-crazy lady with awkwardly good intentions who works on my floor stopped me today, once again, to introduce me to her son by saying "Sweetie!! Don't you think she looks like (insert a boy's name who apparently is one of her sons' best friends...yeah, you read that right.)?!?!??! The poor boy then tries to explain that I look like I could be in his bff's family. There are pretty girls in this family, he says. Stammering. While his mom continues to try to prove her point, much to his embarrassment as well as my own. Don't worry - this is about the fourth time she has made this comparison. Only...the first time, she tried to set us up on a date. Because she thought he would like me. Because I look like I could be his bff's sister?! Ack and ugh! REALLY!?!?! Hahahhahaa....
   
2. Whenever it rains, I just want to be curled up with a good book. Today is no exception. But hey - I have a job, I love it, and I should be/am grateful.
   
3. Today, I really need chocolate. Not a lot, but a definite store within my reach. And yes. For obvious reasons.
   
4. Along those same lines, the ice in my water melted really fast today. The audacity. Normal, natural occurrence, yes. So why was I irritated and felt it should have asked my permission!? Ooohoohooh, boy. :)
5. I caved and joined a gym. Finally!! It's been making me crazy, and it's far too cold for me to go running outside. I don't enjoy freezing. I also don't enjoy fighting the BYU masses in the teeniest, tiniest little gym I've ever seen. Even if it IS free!!!
6. FHE tonight. If I go, (and I will) this will make the second week in a row. Staggering stats, I know. But progress is progress. :)
   
7. Must. Get. Library. Card.
8. Jaylene brought chocolate milk today. LOVE her.
   
9. I can't wait for: Savior of the World w/Cali, Carrie Underwood concert (w/roomies!), THANKSGIVING (yams, stuffing, turkey..mmmmmm good!) All this month. :)
10. And for CRYING OUT LOUD, could BYU please just supply me with ONE graduate program that gets me excited enough to go back to school, but will let me keep my job at the same time?! I don't understand why this is so difficult. Makes me downright grumpy.
    

Halloween

This year, I felt like I had to be dragged to any/all Halloween festivities. Why? I have no idea. Other than I think my friend Bethany summed it up nicely: Halloween was way more fun when we were little. :) Or...at least it seemed to have more of a purpose. Candy, candy, and more candy. :) We had a great little work get-together with some of the best chili I have eaten in a VERRRY long time, and I successfully got donut icing in my eye during the donut-eating contest. Clearly that takes talent. :)
In other Halloween events, I did manage to get dragged to our ward halloween party by my very persistently social and stubbornly involved roommate, Shallie. :) (That's a compliment, Shall!) It was fun. I just absolutely did not care this year. Agh. Lame, I know. But I didn't feel lame about it! I did what I wanted to do. Which was practically nothing. :) It was a long week at work, so on the actual halloween night, I came home and watched "what not to wear" and "she's the man." I feel that was enough people getting dressed up in one night. :) Mehehehe...I usually care. Really. At least enough to put forth some real effort...like the year my roommates and I decided to absolutely destroy our hair and be treasure trolls. :) That was probably my favorite halloween costume of all time. And no, we did not go naked with little jewels on our tummies. Gimme a break! Khaki pants and skin-colored shirts complete with a jewel-shaped foam cut-out safety-pinned to my skin-colored shirt covered tummy. :) Thank you very much. :) I don't think my hair has ever been so ratted, pink, or high before. Or since. :) Ah, but it was fun!

I heart awkward. And most recently, WD-40.

This is a short story. And a funny one. If awkward = funny. Which...it ALWAYS should. :)

The nephew of one of our faculty just came in to pick up some materials for his aunt, who is a seminary/institute teacher. She couldn't make it down to get them, so she enlisted his help, since he lives in this very happy valley. From the approximately seven minutes I spent with him, he seemed nice enough and even nice-looking. But - uh - I was working (just to clarify) and was only trying to help him get all the materials she might need and load them into his truck. As is one of my many assignments. Go ahead: tell me what a dedicated employee I am. * listening *

However, I would like to say this certain gentleman went above and beyond on the receiving end. He was making nice enough conversation as I showed him the materials, and then I told him where he could bring his car around and I told him I would meet him at the back door with his materials.

He dutifully went to move his car while I enlisted two co-workers in helping me with a very uncooperative, WD-40 covered dolly so I could load the materials into his truck. Whatever. Anyway, I went and met him around back and started loading the boxes into his truck (still with WD-40 all over my hands, and in my nice work clothes, mind you...) when he starts with the awkward/funny.

"You smell nice."
"What's your perfume?"
(I didn't want to disappoint him by telling him he was just smelling a mixture of possibly my shampoo and most definitely the WD-40 all over my hands...)
"How long have you worked here?" & "When did you graduate?"
(aka - "How old are you?" - stealthy, secret code. Oh, I've got the translation. That's right.)

By then, I had finished loading the boxes into his truck (don't worry...he was helping in the meantime, not just standing there watching me slave away and talking about my personal hygiene and life/career path.)

I smiled, shook his hand (by this time, the WD-40 was gone, at least in substance...smell still lurking...but clearly this has a good effect...) and told him it was nice to meet him, tell his aunt hello, I think she's great, yada yada yada.

I tried to pull my hand away as he still held ON to my hand and while looking straight into my eyes, says,

"I'll tell her that."

...still holding my hand.....

Okaaaaay, thank you. Very much.

WD-40, ladies. Works every time. HAHAHAHHAHA. * wink *

BE GRATEFUL

Be warned.  This is another "DeeAura learned a life-lesson" post.  But it has much more substance than when I respond to, say, a tag.  :)

For those of you who somehow don't know, I'm a serious journal keeper.  I love it.  It keeps me sane.  (Aeh...as sane as I can be.)  :)

Okay.  Last night, I was reading my journal from my last year of college.  

This is usually something I avoid.  For two reasons:

1 - It was a year full of drama.  Drama that eventually led me in the "right" direction...

2 - But it was drama that I think actually and literally broke my heart.  

Sometimes, I wish I hadn't written about that year of my life.  However, I literally would not have made it through that year without writing.  I still look back and am astounded I came through in one piece.  Considering.  Clearly, Heavenly Father had everything to do with that.  To the average outsider, that could easily sound overly dramatic.  But to me, that doesn't even begin to describe the experience.  

*Big, deep breath*  I read it one time after I got home from Nauvoo, and it made me cry for about a week.  Straight.  Seriously.  I felt so completely hopeless.  And sometimes, I will be innocently living my life when up pops a memory from that year, and I find myself staring at my computer screen at work with tears streaming down my face.  Other times, I'm so determined to "move on" and get on with my life, I find myself pushing that year as far back in my mind as possible.

I've concluded neither one of these options is acceptable anymore.  

But - last night, I got really brave.  I've been really trying to put everything in perspective lately...since I'm a believer in the whole "there are no coincidences/there's a reason for everthing" theory.  But trying to piece that year together has been a...ahem...well, a challenge, to say the least.  

It's been more than a year since I last read through it, and more than two years since any of it actually even happened.  Last night, as I read through the entire journal, I was surprised.  I actually found myself being grateful!  I wish I could explain what a pure miracle that is.  Hahah!  No matter how much I wanted things to work out differently that year, the one thing I wanted the very most out of it all was to do the right thing; even though I literally did not understand why I felt the way I did at the time.  And that desire is what led me to Nauvoo, despite my very stubborn plans otherwise.  But it's not just about Nauvoo.  It's so much bigger.  It's about who I'm supposed to be, and who I chose to listen to through out that process.  I think it might have been the hardest time because I listened to what I felt like my Heavenly Father was telling me to do instead of what my heart wanted more than anything else at the time.  From that year, I learned that if we want, most of all, to do the right thing, Heavenly Father will help us do exactly that.  Even if He knows we will feel pain in the process.  "...I believe it is because He loves us so much more than He loves our happiness"  (James E. Faust, "Where Do I Make My Stand?" Liahona, Nov 2004, 18-21)

I'm so grateful for the opportunity we have to gain such incredible experience and to learn so much through out our lives!  I never never never in a million years would have chosen (by myself) the path I am on now.  Not that it's not a good path!  It's just...I wanted another path with every little teeny tiny piece of my heart.  Or I thought I did.  And there have been times I wonder what was wrong with me, or...(forgive me)...what was God thinking?!  But I now realize even more how little I know.  (Talk about a cliche.)  :)  

Anyway.  Unless you know me well enough to know what all that was about, this could all sound really general and probably muddled.  But...even if I'm the only person who ever really knows how crystal clear the whole situation is now, that's okay!  :)  I think there will always be a little part of me that wants to hold on to those few months, but - I guess that's okay.  I can't be who I need to be without taking with me where I've been, right?  

I'm sticking to what I've thought all along.  There's a reason for EVERYTHING, but only when we're doing all we can to involve God in the process will we ever be able to decode the message.  We get so swallowed up in our emotions sometimes, it can easily blind us to the truth He is trying to help us see: that He knows what we're going through, and He'll guide us through it safely...right exactly to where we need to be...if we will only let Him.  

The constant source of entertainment that is my family. :)

Okay. The secret is-my family has a blog now. I know. We basically rock. :) But the plain truth is; it's a highly-classified blog, and we can't have just anyone moseying around, checkin' us out. But I spent a lot of time earlier putting this post together from this past weekend, and...well, they're all my pictures, and...I freaking love my family. They're so funny and this past weekend was just one of the best in a long time. So...sorry, family, that you have a re-read on my blog. (Which...really...they're probably most of the readers here anyway...well...maybe not. They never comment. *hint, hint*)

Whatever. I give you: The October Thompson Bash of 2008!


We love Fall Break! My little brother, Ben came back from school in Wyoming. We were all super excited to have him around again! (Ben, I think we all got spoiled having you around a whole "extra" year!) Here's Ben and AubriAnna...probably hiding from table-setting chores...bwahahha! Kidding. :)

It's never October until the lizards hide in the spaghetti squash....SICK!!! Hahahah! Oh, stop squirming. It's fake. (the lizard, not the squash.)

My little nephew, Brandon, claiming his territory. :)

Kristen, helping Brandon with the dangers of the playground. :) She's such a good aunt! :)

Ahem. This is the part where Julia decided to slide her whole skinny self through the circular "monkey bars". And yes. She got stuck. Also, yes. We all just stood there and laughed (and recorded in detail, with my camera) while she struggled to get out. HAHHAHAHA! I would have put the video here, but - I don't have my camera with me at the moment. This will have to do. :)

Julia. Ruler of the trees.

Adam the gymnast.

heheh...clearly, Ben is a little more "monkey-bar" challenged than Adam....hahaha!

Hehehe...
I can just hear him "C'mon, mom! I've GOT it already!!"

Little Jennifer still needs a little help with the big, scary slide....

This is my absolute favorite picture from the whole weekend!!!

Look at how HAPPY he is!!! So ridiculously cute! :) (And you'll notice HE isn't scared of the slide...Jen...) hehehe

What a happy, handsome little dude! :)

And, of course, Kristen climbed to all the highest heights she could possibly reach - not limited to trees, of course! :)

Slides have just been so much harder for Julia since the accident....lol...

I just love how excited his face is!!! :)

I just love how excited his face is.....HAHHAHAHAHA! Hey. Dads can have fun too. lol.

Ben wasn't sure how this could possibly be termed a slide...since all it did was sit on the ground...

Run!!! run, run, run, run, RUNNNNNNNah!!!! :) It's okay, Anna...Dad probably pulled an Uncle Gooby on you and faked the starting time, huh? "Ready, set, tomato juice!" Seriously, Dad. :)

I love these two boys! :)

Best friends. :)

The crowd was hushed as the world-famous shot-put future champion flung forth his first projectile...

BAM!!!!!

This must be mom's idea of playing at the park...cell phone in hand, diet coke at quick disposal...hhehehehe....

What's a park without any trees? Uh - boring - duh! :)

Julia-boolia. :) I can't believe you're going to be 17!!!! Augh! Stop dating more than me. That's a direct order, missie!!! Lol. :)

I call this "Fiffer and Boo."

* Ahem. * I have three words for the picture above: stupid. wax. paper. Don't judge us for not making our own pie crust. We just didn't want to!

Of course, that didn't stop OUR family from eating it!!! hehehehe...

Thanks, everyone for a really FUN weekend!!! It was so good to see you, Benny boy! Yay for home weekends! :) (If you thought that was a lot of pictures, you should see the load I ACTUALLY took this past weekend. Freaking novel.) And maybe someday, I'll start posting all my pictures online somewhere...if I can find a site I like enough to start using. If anyone has a suggestion, go ahead and let me know. :)

Tags, tags, tags...

8 TV shows I love to watch:

1. Pushing Daisies
2. LOST
3. Gossip Girl
4. The Fringe
   
5. TLC's "What not to Wear"
   
6. The Office
7. Grey's Anatomy
8. American Idol/So you think you can dance

(listed in no particular order...but I HEART J.J. Abrams, so those are probably most-loved, and I think Pushing Daisies is so CLEVER...Gossip Girl is undoubtedly a guilty pleasure - judge me all you want. I don't care. And I love love love AI/Dance. LOVE. And Grey's...I...hehehe....just leave me alone, okay?!)

8 of my favorite restaurants:

1. Chile's
2. Bajio
3. Cafe Sabor
4. Zupas
5. Happy Sumo
6. Macaroni Grill/Olive Garden
   
7. Market Street Grill/Red Lobster
8. Tucanos
   

8 things that happened yesterday:

1. I stayed home to avoid dying of the common cold.
2. I ate ramen noodles for the first time in...at least a year.
3. I wanted a brownie, but never made one, and therefore never ate one. :(
4. My nose is still recovering from its kleenex/toilet paper abuse.
   
5. No, I did not take a shower.
6. Did I mention I was home sick yesterday?
   
7. I laughed out loud when last night's Pushing Daisies episode introduced the idea of a "frescort" service!!! (friend escort service) Hahhahahah! (even though I had a pounding headache...my desire to laugh overcame my need to save my head from exploding...) lol.
8. I slept. A lot.

8 things I'm looking forward to:

1. Leaving the cold season in the DUST!
2. The next Red Loster Fastage escapade - preferably in St. George with the bossiest girls I know. :)
3. Deciding on a Graduate Program. *heavy, heavy sigh*
4. I've decided this one is none of your business. :)
5. The day I can go running again without my stupid knees being such babies!
6. EVERYTHING about Thanksgiving! Pumpkin pie, specifically.
   
7. 5 p.m. today, a shower, herbal tea, and a big fluffy blanket.
8. Being 100% debt-free. :)
   

8 things on my wish list:

1. Go on a backpacking trip through all of northern Europe.
2. Being able to take a break from work, etc. to go volunteer at an orphanage in Romania.
3. To go on a mission with my hubby someday. (I know. I have a long ways to go...haha)
4. Go to Italy, Spain, and Greece.
5. To be rich. So I can stop worrying about paying bills and start traveling to all these places!
6. Win a $5,000 shopping spree with Clinton and Stacy...without having them make a show about how badly I dress and having to throw all my old clothes away. :)
7. My very own house elf. Preferably one who loves me, loves to clean my room, do my dishes, clean my bathroom, do my laundry, and pay my bills. Clearly things I already do, but...hello! House elf!
   
8. Speak, read, and write another language. :)
   

8 tagged fools: :)

1. Ero
2. Aubs
3. Alicia
4. Manda-panda
5. Gina
6. Larry
7. Curly
8. Moe
9. And whoever else wants to. Thanks for the break at work, Jamie! :)