the best kind of test

You know what the best kinds of tests are? The kind where your professor gives them to you before you actually have to take them so that you can know all the answers when you go take it. Its kind of amazing. I have the same teacher for 2 classes and he is foreign which is very common at UVU... so I can't completely understand what he is talking about all the time. But I go to class and I write word for word all of his power points down just to stay awake, but mainly I go to class to sign the roll. This is the style for both of his classes that he teaches. It's realy hard to pay attention and I was even more scared thinking about what his tests were going to be like because I wasn't picking up one bit of anything he was throwing out. Until he emailed us the "review" which was actually a copy of the test. When I got to go through that I actually learned a lot about the topic and it turns out that he does actually know what he is talking about. I wish all my teachers had tests like this.

Changes

Why is it that the times that you have all the time in the world to do something and you have a million things that you should be doing, you don't want to do ANYTHING. I really don't get the way my mind works. I think I need to train it to want to do things all the time even if I am so bored all I want to do is sit here. I know, I know its been forever since my last post...really embarrassing. But the more I thought about how much need to do a post, the more I didn't want to and more things I found to do instead of it. Such as sleeping, watching the TV show that I had missed because I now work at night so I can never see them the night the air, thinking about doing my homework or just avoid the thought of it, you know the really productive things. But here I am on a Friday night - the first Friday night of my new working nights career. I have always been a 9-5er so this is going to take some getting used to. But the nice thing is that its usually pretty slow so I have time to do things like blog :) Lots of new things have happened these past few months such as starting school again, getting a new job, moving into a bedroom where I have a room-roommate, not being able to go to my gym classes at night and just getting used to the new schedule. I am one who usually really likes change, but I'm not sure how I feel about so many things happening all at once...

So in the past about 4 times a year I lose my voice. Its so weird and I usually don't feel too sick other than just not being able to talk. Since I got my tonsils out I was sure that I wouldn't get sick anymore, and I was positive I wouldn't lose my voice. I was wrong. Yesterday I woke up to a pretty scratchy throat and I had a very annoying voice, but as the day went on, it got better and better. This morning when I woke up, I couldn't even talk at all. Just a very quiet whisper. I don't get it. It doesn't help at all that for my job at Nuskin I am the technical support person so I talk on the phone the whole time. I wasn't sure how this was going to work out, but I had to go to work! I couldn't just not go to work because I felt fine and I have got to pay rent somehow! So I came in anyway and once people heard me talk they were like umm... you shouldn't be here. They were probably right, but I didn't care.. where there is a will there is a way. So here I am 5 hours into my shift and not one person has even mentioned the sound of my scratchy voice. I talk a little bit deeper but it seems to be working!

But now I want to go home...

Novemberish Things

I have been avoiding ever even looking at my blog since its been so long since I last wrote. This way I pretend its not a big deal, cause I never see it so it doesn't matter which maybe it doesn't.. I hate it when I put stuff off like this. You know like when you have to do your laundry and you really don't want to, so you just don't think about it cause that way it goes away. When really you could do it so easily and its not that big of a deal. If you can't tell, that is also what is on my mind. I should use my time wisely and while watching "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" and blogging, I would have a load going. That would be much to easy, I think I'll just sit here and think about it instead.
All the November birthdays in the family except Cory.

The month of November was such a good month! I am sad I haven't written in here every day to tell you all about it. Not only was it the birthday month of many people I love...it was MY birthday month. My birthday was on November 16th. A Sunday. I don't actually love Sunday birthdays as much as I probably should. You just don't get to do as much as any other birthday day. Although its nice and relaxing and you can take all the naps you want. But I didn't do any of that. On Saturday Megan planned a birthday dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Mi Ranchito. I loved every second of it. Although I wish I could say the same for the rest of the group who came. It was the talk of the night of how awful it was. So if any of you reading this know how great Mi Ranchito really is, please reconfirm this to me because I was starting to doubt it, I just don't know why they hated it so much! Sunday we went to church as usual and then I went to my sister Heather's house for dinner and cake and a combined birthday for Heather and me. We had one of my favorites broccoli soup and Jeremy made clam chowder...not so much my favorite, but since I haven't tried it, I can't say I hate it. Then we sang the song, opened presents, and ate cake and ice cream...all good things. Then I went home in time to make treats for friends who were coming over. It was so fun to see all my friends who I don't see as often as I like to. Well planned by Megan...Thanks megan!!

Bethany me and stephanie

I don't exactly know how this happened, but megan and I didn't get one picture together during my birthday activities. So sad.

So then came Thanksgiving. Sadly I don't have any pictures to document this day :( But it was such a great day. I was in charge of the potatoes beit mashed, baked or fried? I chose to do the mashed, standard for thanksgiving I thought. I followed this blog my friend Jenna showed me. It was just what I needed, directions with picture by picture of what was supposed to be happening ot the food along the way. I promise one day I will learn all the tricks of the trade but until that day comes, I will just have to cook at Heather and Jeremy's so that Jeremy can show me them. I think they turned out pretty good to be honest, as least I didn't hear any complaints about them so I will take that as a success. Dinner was at my sister Lisa's house this year. It was so so good. Stuffing is my favorite...too bad I didn't try it til 2 years ago, I have really missed out! But I know how, and if there was one thing that I would choose to have for thanksgiving dinner it would be stuffing. Later that night Lisa and I went and saw Australia. I had no idea what it was about, and thats the way movies need to be for me. That way I have no expectations and I won't be disappointed. It was a really good movie though. Long, but very good :)

On Friday morning I woke up early and flew to Vegas. I went ahead and bypassed the dreaded black Friday. Unless you know exactly what is on your list and know the deals that are out there its really not worth going anyway. I figured Vegas would be much more fun. A couple of my friends, Kelene and Jenna moved out there to dance in some of the amazing shows they have. Friday was filled with lots and lots of shopping, eating, and then going to Kelene's show. She dances in the Donnie and Marie Osmond Show. Luckily it was Jenna's night off so she got to come to it with me. Kelene was amazing in it. I wish I would have known more of Donnie and Maries songs..but they did a lot of covers so it was still entertaining. On Saturday we did more shopping, eating and then I went to Jenna's magic show. She is in Steve Wyrick's show at Planet Hollywood. This time I went by myself and the seat that I had was next to this old lady who would not stop looking over at me. I think she was more sad that I was alone, than I was. I just pretended I couldn't see her staring over at me for an obvious 5 seconds at a time. The magic show was cool and I kept trying to figure out if I could see how they did things, but I couldn't. I had my suspisions, but didn't know for sure. After the show I talked to Jenna and she told me a few of the tricks. Lets just say I knew that magic wasn't real, but somehow I believed a little in it but after the show it sort of ruined magic for me althought it was my fault and I should have never asked how things were done!On top of my Thanksgiving week, I got asked to give a talk on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The topic was the obvious one of the season, Gratitude. I hadn't spoken in church since I was about 13 and suddenly I have talked twice in the past three months?? When I was asked, I didn't know what I was actually going to be doing that weekend, so I told them I would. When I planned the trip to Vegas, I talked to Kelene and luckily she was going to drive home late Saturday night after her show. So I wrote it before I got to Vegas and decided I would practice in the car driving home. We didn't leave until about 10pm vegas time, which was 11pm Utah time. Probably not the smartest idea we came up with. But we made it home at about 4am which was just in time to get in a quick nap before my 9:30am church.

Wow I am really lacking in pictures here... I need to better. and I will. Overall November was a great time. This post has gotten pretty lengthy so I will end it here..but there are more stories to come...

everyone needs a heather..

Seeing as I am doing this new thing with birthday shout outs, this is one that couldn't be missed. Heather, my second oldest sister, had a birthday on the 10th. Here are a few of my favorite things about her...
**She always takes care of me. She was going to have me get a bike just in case there was some disaster and my car wouldn't work or I couldn't drive on the roads, I would still be able to make it to her house. and she would wait there til I got there.
**She is such a good friend. I can call her up any time and she will talk to me and listen to me vent.
**When I was 10 she bought me a pair of shorts and a blue t-shirt from old navy that I couldn't have been more proud of. We share the same fashion sense.
**She always gives very practical advice on things I should do.
**She would do anything for anyone especially if she knew it would make their load a little lighter.
**She cooks me dinner all the time and they are always great home cooked meals and I love them...so maybe its a lot Jeremy too...but she helps a lot!
**I have always looked up to her as an example. She has such a good attitude and perspective on things.
**She is so crafty.
**She always supports me in whatever I am doing. She used to always come to my dance competition solos and it would make me so happy.
**so as you can see, everyone needs a heather..there are so many more things I could list off about her that are so great. She is really so amazing and I am so so grateful that she is one of my sisters. I don't know what I would do without her....I don't even really want to think about it. I love love love her.

Lily, Cohen and Sean's birthdays!

So I'm pretty sure I have the cutest nieces and nephews ever. Lily was born on November 2nd, 2008, so she still not even a week old. She is adorable and it kills me that I can't be out there to be with Lori and see her! I can't wait to go meet her when she is blessed. Sean and Cohen were born on the same day, November 6th. Its crazy how fast they are growing up! I don't feel old, but when I think about how old they are, it makes me feel old. Sean turned 8 and he will be baptized next month and Cohen turned 2.

Yep they are adorable. I love them!

It's good to be back

Living with a personal trainer the past few years has really made an impact on me. I think I am lucky to have began living with her when I did because it has made me much more aware of my body and how I treat it. Anyone who knows me would tell you I am a junk food addict. I seriously love it. Most days I don't go without having at least one little piece of chocolate or a treat of some sort. Growing up I did a lot of the grocery shopping and it had the following staples: chips'a'hoy cookies (at my dad's request), grapes the only fruit, chips (a few different kinds), ElFudge cookies, fruit snacks, anything snacky, top romen, frozen pizzas, anything but vegetables...you get the idea. It was litterally a kids dream. But one thing I didn't learn to like was anything healthy. I have since aquired a taste for tomatoes and love them, and tried most fruits I think now, and I have been much better at trying something before I tell whoever is making me that I hate it. I have been pleasently surprised how good healthy things really are too! So I have been trying to be better and eat healthier and Megan always shows me little things to make treats better for you which is something that I really needed help with along with many other things to switch out to make things healty. I still have a long way to go and I really struggle with cooking so most times I still eat out...I just try and go to healthier places - its a start right??
Another personal trainer roommate inspired activity..going to the gym. I have really tried to make going to the gym part of a daily habit - at least for most days of the week. When I go it's mainly for a release of everything that is going on in my head. I think it helps me think so much more clear and lets me let go of the problems that I have had that day because when I get home really don't even think about what happened earlier. I hadn't been to the gym for two weeks until today. I seriously was so excited to go. I was driving home from running errands and decided I couldn't not go to kickboxing. So I went home and got my gym clothes on and off I went. I know this probably sounds so weird, but not being able to go for so long made me really miss it! I don't know if it was being away for the 2 weeks or still trying to recover from my surgery that killed me..but something did. I figured now that I gotten the nose surgery and I could close my mouth and still breathe, that I would be able to exercise and breathe with it closed too. I was wrong. I hope that it's just because it was too soon and I am still healing and that in a few more weeks I won't look like I'm so I don't know blank faced? bored? I don't even know how to describe it to be honest.... but its unattractive. Needless to say, it felt so good to be back! I'm going back again tomorrow with Megan - best personal trainer ever and I can't wait.

On the way to recovery!!

So today is day 8 post surgery and things have been going so well. Everyone I talked to said it would be the most painful thing I would go through so the whole time I have been waiting and waiting for it to get worse. The worst days were supposed to be days 3-5, but to be honest they really didn't feel any differently then the rest of the days. Don't get me wrong, it has has it moments, but for the most part I think I have been very lucky to not be in so much pain. I think My surgeon was Dr. Beus for anyone who is looking for a good one, I highly recommend him.

Heather has taken such good care of me and making sure I had all my medicines and food and ice and water by my side at all times. I have never been with her and the kids for a week straight without being on vacation so I got to see exactly what it took to be a mom and WOW it is work! Heather is an amazing mom and so patient, I don't think Cohen ever stops! But once you hear his cute little voice and see his big smile you can't help but love him. The kids are so cute and tried to be so helpful to me. Livvy continued to feed me ice any time I asked. She would come into my room (her room that she so nicely shared with me) and would ask, how much better are you feeling today B? I would show her with my fingers and say a little bit and she would say okay, but I think the main reason she was asking was because when I am feeling a lot better then Curtis, her puppy could come back. I felt so bad, they sent him to Blanding with Jeremy's mom so that I would be able to stay with them since I am allergic to him which was so so nice of them.

Nicole Oldroyd and Hilary Peterson came to visit me today with their cute little babies Kade and Camry. It was so so good to see them. I love hanging out with those girls. It's always so fun when we get together!