Day 21 - A travel story

At the rate I'm going it's going to take me 90 days to finish this blasted challenge. I'm really good at things like this...

We are now getting settled in our new place. I'm not sure who doesn't know, but we're living in a family member's mother's home who passed away like 15 years ago. The family has no intention of selling the house, and they haven't removed practically anything from it. All of her furniture, kitchen utensils, and many of her clothes are still here. I need to take pictures of everything and show everyone what a time warp this house is. Think 1970's grandma house and you'll have a pretty good idea of what we're dealing with. It's a great house though.

Back to the challenge. On May 25, we packed up all of our belongings and put them in an ABF truck and prepared to drive halfway across the country to Utah. We slept on an air mattress that night in our apartment and left bright and early on the 26th. I had planned on taking two days for the trip, but Bryce was determined to do it in one. Austin to Ogden is 1380 miles. That's a long way to do in one day. But we did it. We each took turns driving and sleeping in my little bug so we both felt pretty good the whole day. Once we got to Moab, UT though, I was starting to fade. By that point we had been in the car for 17 hours and it was completely dark. My butt was exceedingly sore. We rolled into my parent's house at 1 am after 21 hours of constant driving.

We decided to stay at my parent's house for a few days until we got settled into Granny's house. My mom told me to go sleep in my brother's room in the basement instead of going up to my old room, which is right above hers. She said that she didn't want to get woken up. I thought that was kind of weird, but didn't really think much of it. The next morning, my mom woke us up at 9 am and plopped an adorable red puppy, the same breed as Penny, on me. I squealed with excitement and joy and maybe had a couple tears. Just maybe. I've been wanting a puppy for soooo long. Bryce and I had been saving our spare change in a jar on our dresser to save up for one. My mom told me that her name was Nicky (short for Nickel) and that we would have joint custody of her. She paid for her and I will take care of all the vet visits, food, and everything else. My mom has been really lonely without Penny around, so having a puppy has been so good for her and for me. Nicky stays with me most of the time, but my mom is always around to puppy-sit.

I can't believe that everyone was able to keep this a secret from me for so long! My mom had emailed the breeder at the end of April about getting her! I was totally surprised. Nicky has been so much fun to have. We just love her. She is the snuggliest and most loving little puppy. She loves being held and is constantly climbing in my lap to cuddle. As I type right now, she's chewing a bone in my lap. Everyone that meets her thinks she is just the cutest thing ever. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.Our puppy fund all rolled up. Grand total was $269.50
Nicky! Bryce is going to take some nice pictures of her, but I just had a couple on my camera. Don't you love our bedspread and matching headboard??? Sleeping on a king size bed after sleeping on a full size for 2 1/2 years has been a strange adjustment. Bryce seems so far away!

She loves to snuggle.

Graduation/Maren's visit

May ended up being such a great month for me. I really needed it after a pretty crappy April. After Bryce moved up to Utah for some weddings, Maren and Shaun came to visit me for graduation! Maren has all the pictures on her computer from graduation, but here is a really small pic of me that the photographer took there. It's pretty awesome. Gotta love super-imposed backdrops. It felt so good to get that hood!Shaun at dinner the first night of their visit. He loves to play with his feet when he eats and he stuck his foot out of the high chair! French fries and diet coke = a happy baby.

Classic Shaun face.

Whenever he's getting ornery, we take off his clothes. Aren't all boys happier when they're naked? Shaun loved playing with the blinds in my apartment and I caught him doing a sexy pose for me.

Ready for some outlet shopping!! Maren and I scored some great deals in San Marcos. Those stores are one of the few things I will miss about Texas.

Coming up... moving and a new puppy!

Russian Immigrant Rosie

I am a bad friend. On Friday, my dear friend Rosie turned 26. I knew it was her birthday and yet I forgot to call her. Then she called me on Sunday and I STILL forgot to tell her happy birthday. Dearest Rosie, I'm so sorry! Hopefully this post will make up a little for that.

Rosie was my very first roommate at UCSB. We shared a room in our apartment that was so small that it was affectionately named "The Dungeon Room". "The Palace Room" was probably three times the size of the dungeon room, yet Amber, Rosie and I always ended up hanging out in the little room. Rosie has become one of my closest friends. We shared so many things together in the two years we lived together. I wouldn't change those two years for anything. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect roommate. Rosie, I love you!

And now, a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.Our first bonding experience. Rosie took me surfing in the frigid water and then we went for ice cream.

Hike at the top of Lizard's Mouth before my first day of college.

Simply the best Cinderella I've ever seen. Our other roommate Kim made this costume with NO pattern.

What's over there Rosie??

This was a bridesmaid's dress that Amber had to wear. I think it was a size 16. We wanted to see if it could fit both of them and the answer is... yup. I think she should have worn it this way.


Showing off her many talents.

She always has the best Halloween costumes.


Rosie and her husband Jay. I think they had been dating a few months in this picture. Not sure though. They are the cutest married couple you've ever seen.

I had another picture that I really wanted to post that involved a coconut bra, but I don't think that Rosie would approve. Rosie, only because it's your birthday. It's a great picture though. Jay would like it.

Day 20 - Your favorite Christmas tradition

All right, I'm ready to jump back into this...

I know I've talked about it before, but reading A Christmas Carol every year is my absolute favorite thing we do every year.

I also love being in my parents' house every holiday season. My mom is always baking cinnamon rolls for someone, and I'm usually making batches of toffee to give away. I love to bake and make candy, especially at Christmas time.

This past Christmas, my sister Maren and I spent some time at my Grandma Hazen's house and learned how to make her famous caramel. She only makes it at Christmas time and it is sooooo good. It takes a couple hours of constant stirring, but it's definitely worth the time. It was fun to spend the time with my Grandma too.

I have a lot things that I love about Christmas time, but I think I just love spending time with my family.

Toms!

I love Toms. I got my first pair two years ago and have worn them to death. Literally. I think they're dead. My parents came into town last week for my recital and we did a little shopping and I got two new glorious pairs! Pomegranate Corduroy flats and Kenya Stripe wedges. I'm pretty stoked. I guess I need to throw out the old pair...

Survival

I realize I am behind in my 30 day challenge. I needed to take a hiatus for a little while. A lot has happened in the past week and a half, I needed some time to process it all.

Two and a half weeks ago, I found out a dear friend, Christine, who serves in the Young Womens with me was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was diagnosed around the beginning of April after doctors found a tumor the size of a cantaloupe on her ovary. She had to have a full hysterectomy in order to remove most of the cancer. They got all that they could, and only about 5 mm was left in her body. As a single woman with no children, this was devastating for her. She was in the hospital for two weeks recovering before she was allowed to go home and get strong enough to go through chemo and radiation. I was told all of this information on Wednesday April 20. She went home on April 22 and we told all the girls in young women what was going on on Sunday. On Monday the 25th, a nurse came to her home to check up on her. Her vitals were so bad, that she had to be transported back to the hospital where doctors found that the cancer had spread to her liver and lungs. On Tuesday I received an email saying that if anyone wanted to come see her, they should do so quickly, as the doctors didn't know how much time she had left. All the young women found out about this and wanted to go see her, but it would have been too overwhelming for her. Instead, all the girls sent me a text and asked me to meet them for some frozen yogurt and hugs. Of course they were all devastated with the news of Christine's rapidly deteriorating condition, but it's amazing what a comfort the plan of salvation is. Christine passed away peacefully in the hospital on Wednesday April 27th. I was heartbroken at the news, but honestly I felt a little bit of relief simply because I knew that she didn't have to suffer anymore. She had completed her mission here on Earth and the Lord needed her elsewhere. Christine was 37 years old. She was such a wonderful spirit and she lit up every room she went in. She was obsessed with all things University of Texas related, and she loved princesses. She had quite the impressive collection of tiaras and princess gear. She had recently lost quite a bit of weight (80 pounds!) and was really trying to look for her eternal companion. All the young women decided that her "hot firefighter husband" was waiting for her in heaven. I totally agree with them.

On top of dealing with all that, I had my last two weeks of school ever and all the stress that goes along with that. Projects, presentations, comprehensive exams, my master's recital, and opera performances all made my to-do list very long. I didn't know how I would be able to do it, but I did it! My last day of school was yesterday and it feels wonderful to be done. My recital went really well! My parents as well as my in-laws were able to come for it which was really great. I was really happy with how it turned out. All that's left for me now is one last lesson on Monday and graduation on the 21st! Less than three weeks and I will once again be a citizen of Utah!

Day 18 - Put your iPod on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that come up and Day 19 - A hobby of mine

1. Dreamcatcher- Andy McKee
2. I'm Yours- Jason Mraz
3. Quantz Flute Concert0- James Galway
4. Hey There Delilah- Plain White T's
5. Interlude- Muse
6. Always Be- Jimmy Eat World
7. The Lady is a Tramp- Frank Sinatra
8. Hello Alone- Anberlin
9. Your New Twin Size Bed- Deathcab for Cutie
10. The Great Disappointment- AFI

A hobby... I have several that I don't do enough. I love to crochet. I've made tons of stuff: blankets, stuffed animals, and I've been working on a tablecloth for years that I don't know if it will ever get done... I like to knit as well, but I'm not very good at it. I'd like to do it more though. I love tennis, but I haven't played much in my six years of college. I hope to play a lot this summer and try to regain some of my former "glory".