Dear Soldier,

This came attached to an email from my friend Matt who is currently in Iraq. 99.9% of the things that come from him make me laugh, but this was something extra special. Yes, I stole it from his email, and no I did not ask him. (sorry, Matt.) But I don't think he reads this anyway, so...whatevs. Anyway, probably it's from some darling little 1st grader who was putting together a package for the soldiers, but kids can be so dang funny sometimes!! If I were this child's teacher, I might have laughed 'til I cried (privately, of course, so he/she didn't take it the wrong way.) before I packed it away. What a little cutie. :) (oh. and by that, I mean the child. the child who wrote this letter.) Just to clarify. :)Remember the days of periods as the only form of punctuation? And when skies were only drawn at the top of the page? Or when drawing a person meant a giant head with legs and arms sticking out of it? No necks, and smiles took up the whole face? HAHAHAH. This picture alone made my day.

So enjoy. :)

HAVE A SAFE WAR.

Arizona

Story time. Get comfortable. I would like to title this moment in my life:

 "The Bookmarks"

*Ahem.*

All winter long, I've been waiting for the sun to come back out, and I'm glad to say, my friends, it has.  :)  Summertime is approaching, and if it's anything like last summer, that means I am about to say goodbye to all free time.  So when Jess asked if I wanted to road trip it to Arizona last weekend, my answer?  A thousand times, YES.  

After leaving Provo at the very early hour of midnight, we drove all night long (stopping only once for about half an hour to sleep at the side of the road) we finally made it to the sunny beautiful sights of Scottsdale, Arizona.  As a side note, I would have to say the most hilarious time of night is about 2:30-3:00 a.m.  Anyway.  :)  As soon as we pulled in, it was time for swimming.  Not sleeping.  Who drives that long just to sleep when there's sunshine, water, and palm trees??  That's what I thought.  And it was glorious!  After I don't even know how many hours of swimming and reading and falling asleep in the sun, we managed to make it back inside.  Now is when I insert the ridiculous.  

You will need to keep in mind that at one point of this glorious combination of sun and water, I was particularly engrossed in my book. (It's very good.)  That's what happens to me when I have access to a lounge chair.  Must. Read. Book.  This could be viewed as somewhat of a problem...but I choose to view it as a highly sought-after quality.  :)  The only down-fall is my inability to put the book down until I finish it.  

Results came when we went back inside to get cleaned up and ready for the rest of the day.  I looked down at my legs, and what do you think I saw?  Oh, a very defined outlook of my book.  YUP.  The way I'd been sitting while reading, if I sat or stood with my knees together, there was a book-sized shape surrounded by my fresh tan/sunburn.  

Ugh.  Why can't I just be COOL?!?!?!?  :)  

A lifelong quest, yet to be achieved.  :) Unfortunately, I didn't think to take a picture until it had faded somewhat so it wasn't as dramatic.  I'm so very sorry to make you miss out on that sight.  

It would take a post longer than anyone would ever want to read to tell all the downright hilarious things that happened on this Arizona trip.  Plus, they're better in person with facial expressions anyway.  :)  The only thing I haven't said that really SHOULD be said is that Megan Rowe is an incredible host.  WOW!  We should all take lessons.  Also, she makes a mean PB & J.  Oh, and cafe rio salad.  Except hers is better.  

Also, I choose to not be in a car for that many hours straight for a while.  Like at least another month or so.  However, I could be tempted if the trip involved anything else Arizona-related.

The end.

Oh, man. Do you REALLY not want to see that face ever again???

American Idol. Yes, we're back to my obsession. But it's an obsession I will quit cold turkey if this face isn't there after tonight:

Dear Kris,

Uh, first of all, I realize you're married, but can I just say how good-looking you are?? Thank you. I just desperately needed to get that out there. One more time. I just want you to win. Because I like your performances every week. So what if you're different from the other 3?? I like you. At the very least, please do not get voted off before stupid Danny Goake-chokie-croaky-soaky. I think you're artistic, easy to listen to, easy to watch, and I appreciate all these things in my PG-rated entertainment world. So sue me. (If I could insert a sassy "I don't care what anyone else thinks" face here, I would. Do me a favor and just picture it.) I want to see you week after week, and there aren't many more weeks left. Don't let screamy Adam Lambert run off with the title. I mean it, mister!!! If the day comes that you and Allison are both gone, and the show is still going, I'm out. Seriously, I'm out. No more American Idol for me.

Thank you OH, so very much.


I promise I have other things to blog about. Arizona last weekend, for one. SO. MUCH. FUN. And so funny. I should charge to tell about things this funny. :) Coming soon...

I'm in love.

Someday, I'm going to shock all ya'll's socks off when you actually read that statement and it's not about someone else's baby or a new pair of shoes... :) Really, I can't be blamed. Who wouldn't be in love with that face??? He finally came! James Ross Olsen arrived on Thursday, April 23, 2009 around 9:30 p.m. 7 lbs, 5 oz., 19.5 inches long. Baby, oh, baby. :)

I'd only been camping out by my phone all week long...and it wasn't until I went to the temple Thursday after work that she decided to go into labor. Haha. This happened last time, too. Recipe for Jen going into labor: DeeAura goes to the temple. Interesting..... (I'll tell you about my magical powers later. When you're older.)

That night, after my mom and I had just returned from taking a walk around the hospital floor Jen was on, we came back to curtains still closed, and nurses/doctors strolling in and out of her room. We didn't think anything of it, so we leaned against the wall and just waited; just talking about everyday stuff. We were finally clued into the fact she might be closer than we thought when a dude with a scrub cap walked in the room and said "Well, he looks ready!" My mom and I looked at each other, Woah! Yessssss. Everyone else that had been there was out in the lobby, etc. But my mom and I stayed there for a few more minutes, just to make sure everything was going to be okay. All of a sudden, it got very quiet in the delivery room. My mom leaned over to me and whispered, "Are they having church in there?" For real. I think you could've heard a pin drop! Is that labor?? I don't think so. But a few minutes later, my mom and I jumped when a baby started crying!!! What the...???!?!??! That's the easiest delivery I've ever...not...seen! :) Seriously. I think my sister is an angel. That's Jen for ya, though. I know her last delivery was not that easy. So I guess that's fair. :)

And 15 minutes later is when I fell in love all over again. For the next three days, wild horses couldn't drag me from that little guy! I forgot how little they are! And I know everyone thinks their children/nieces/nephews are the cutest, and that's okay. I mean...it only seems fair. But really...check that little dude out! I think my favorites are when he makes the little old man face. Hahah.

To top off the practically perfect weekend, it all happened in Logan. Could it get any better? I think not. I forget how much I really love that place. And how much I miss the people there. Nicole, Jess, Gentri, Amanda, Cory, Josh, Steve, Tim, Dan, Michelle...I could go on, but you get the picture.

Nicole, I will never get tired of talking to you. Everrrr. Jess, thanks for letting me come in the back door. Always. :) Gentri, I am seriously counting down the days until I see your newly-married face at your reception! I'm so happy for you! Dear Boys: How. I. Miss. You!!!!!! (Keane, Keane, Keane, Keane, Keane!) Michelle, I can't wait to see you again. Tonight. As we relive our AI party days. :) I'll wear my Blake Lewis pants just for you. Mehehhe....

And now I'm back to my real life. In Provo. Awesome. :)

Congrats, Jen & Mike! I sure love you guys!

The things of Thursday...

1. Monday when I walked into work, I wanted more than anything to instead be a BYU grounds employee. Just for one day. Because they were cutting grass, and the sun was shining, and you could smell the grass, and....augh! It took all my self control to walk in to my office and sit down. At my cold, unfeeling computer. With no sunshine and no smell of grass. *sigh* I feel the same way today. I should so be outside. My life is so HARD. 2. Dear S&D camps boy:

Stop singing. Seriously. Right now. No one wants to hear you sing. Everyone has something they're good at. I would suggest, nay, INSIST that this is not your thing. Considering where you work, I guess you might be good at sports...although I have no idea what it is you actually do because all I ever hear is your loud mouth. However. Just like no one wants to see me play basketball, no one wants to hear your vocal chords in sustained audible exercises. And I really mean NO ONE. Especially during work hours. When the rest of us are trapped inside with no escape from you. I don't care what you do on your own time. This is not your personal shower singing time. M'kay??

Seriously.

3. I want these shoes:















Thanks for passing that particular day obsession on to me, Jess. :) It's super news for my debit card. :)


4. I want my sister to have her baby already! Augh! Come on, little boy! Move it!! :) Please? Pretty please? I want to see you. See how nice she was the first time around? Don't you want to see that mommy face???


5. And I look really good today. Do you even know? Some boy is missing out BIG TIME on me today. I'm. Just. Saying. If I had a camera, I'd document it. You're just gonna have to trust me on this one.

6. I only have to work until 2:30 today because of BYU graduation! Thank you, cougars. :) But because of that, I think the clock is moving even slower than normal. *sigh* In other news, that brings to mind that I graduated from Utah State two years ago. Woah. Gosh, I'm growing up fast...(I could be more mature, I know.)

Ahem. The #1 most important thing to teach your child:

I love Easter. I actually don't care about the candy. (shocker, I know) Any reason to escape the sometimes mundane of my every-day life to hang with the fam is good enough for me! I know there are those of you who would find the idea that my single life is not one party to the next somewhat akin to a lie (it is. I am always partying. it's so sad that your life is not like mine...) but suffice it to say, I enjoy the change. :)

I love how crazy my family is, how everything is always done last minute, that there's a million of us, I love our sarcastic humor, our pity on anyone who is not us (haha) and I loved watching little Brandon pick up Easter eggs and put them in his little miniature blue bag. News flash: Easter baskets are for sissies. We've moved on to bigger and better things. Also, you should know my Dad is the most hilarious hider of Easter eggs ever.

Brandon also discovered the joy of my camera that day, and it's a safe bet if you're guessing most pictures he's not actually in were taken by him. I know. He's so talented. :) And yes, I taught him everything he knows. Except for what sound a booger makes. That would be my mom's fault. His very sophisticated grandma. :) You may wonder why he knows that. You may also wonder exactly what sound a booger makes. I'm about to reveal the secret:

Thompson family member: "Hey, Brandon, what sound does a booger make?"
Brandon: usually ignores this request the first time or two...on purpose.
Thompson family member: "Hey, Brandon, what sound does a booger make?"
Brandon: suddenly looks up, grins, and sniffs once or twice...very audibly.

This causes my entire family to laugh/clap and tell him what a good job he's doing. Which also causes him to repeat the "sound." My sister was horrified the day she found out what exactly our mother taught her grandson on an innocent babysitting hour.
We're terrible to children... :)

Did I mention how much I love my family? Oh, okay. Just checking.

Of course, it was that night that I discovered I was on the verge of becoming deathly ill. Good thing I worked 72+ hours the week before and could easily stay "home" sick. Just what I wanted to do with potential vacation hours...

But the good part was when I saw my Dad when he was here from California. (You might be confused if you don't know me too well.) Quickie Answer: I have a Utah Dad and a California Dad. :) Got it? Good. :) Anyway, it was so great to see him! I had hoped to see him more, but due to my crappy immune system that week, and with the help of drugs, I slept right through the next three days. Ugh. Maybe after this summer, I'll be able to roadtrip it out there to see him. By then, I'll probably get sick if I don't get out of Utah! :)

Okay, now go teach your child important things. Either that, or log it away to teach other people's children. Because that's what I'll be doing. :)

Things you would already know if you were me...

I've probably mentioned before that I work with amazing people. But just in case you forgot, there it is. Don't feel bad, though. I also work with crazy people. Luckily, the amazing ones and the crazy ones are different. :) Also, there are 5 pregnant women in my office right now. Baby showers, baby showers, baby showers. There's definitely something in this Provo water. Also, something very important about the shower pictured above is Jessica Rodebush. Seriously. Someday, when this woman opens a cafe, I'm eating there every single day, and won't shed one tear over how happy and fat I will become. I want to find a way to be adopted as her child so she's forced to feed me for the rest of my life. I'm not even kind of kidding.
Lindsay Wilson is another one of my favorite EFY office happenings. You might think she's throwing those cans away, but you'd be wrong. She's fishing them out of the garbage can. 9 months pregnant, and she's still got recycling on her mind. This makes about the 4829384th thing I love about Lindsay. If I could recount all the fantastic memories I have of working with her over the BYU sessions last year, I would. But I would have to pull a Will Smith/Men in Black on you and erase your memory afterward. That kind of information should not be shared with the general public. But seriously. The most organized, efficient, hilarious woman I have ever known.
Session Director/Coordinator Training. Whew. I'd like to not explain the amount of work, and the hours of work we all put into that event. So I won't. But suffice it to say, we really wish we could have put these "time" signs to better use. Next year, my friends. 5 minutes, 1 minute, and the "you're seriously still talking???" signs will be implemented. Mark my words. :) (Also, it went really really well. This is just coming from someone on the logistical side who could see the things that went...otherwise...) And in the end, those things only matter when you try to improve for the next year, right? * shiver * next year....ack.
But one of the best parts of this training was - uh - do you see who's in that picture with me? Okay, now take a second to recall my obsession with his voice from this earlier post. Okay. Remember now? Now please be informed that I got to sing a duet with him. That's right! You should also know I had to repeatedly remind myself (silently, of course) that it would be inappropriate to stare at the 17-year-old wonder boy with my mouth open. I know there's a video clip out there somehwere, and as soon as I get it, I'll put it on here. I'm not bragging about myself here. You've got to hear him sing! He'll be on the new EFY cd this year, so come September (or sooner, should you be so lucky) you can hear him sing the song "While We're Young." Please remember he's 17 when you hear his voice. I promise your mind will be blown. Seriously, my favorite singing moment possibly of all time. (Okay, minus the mission times...but dang!)

The end. More DeeAura adventures to come soon. Since I know you hang on my every word, and I've been a terrible blogger as of late. But I think this is the least of things I should probably be worried about... :)