We Have a Winner!

The winner of my Pay It Forward giveaway is Yaya's Mom. Congratulations!! Make sure to post a picture of your package when you receive it! Thanks to everyone for participating! And if you can't remember all the blog contests you entered, check back over at Swistle's next week, she'll post a list of all the homeless prizes. She also has a list of FAQs for tricky situations such as "What if I won PIF but I'm already hosting a PIF?"

Incredible SYTYCD numbers!

Kherington & Twitch
An incredible Mia Michaels number. Very emotional and raw!



Jessica & Will
As usual, Will was incredible. I feel like Jessica did really well in this number and I teared up watching her! I was proud of her for getting to that next level!



Katee & Joshua
I'm super impressed with these two, and as always, I love a Mia Michaels piece!

Pay It Forward!!!

East Canyon Reservoir

Hello all! Since I'm in summer school (which is not fun), I am hosting a Summer Fun giveaway! I will pick a winner randomly from the comments and he/she will receive a package of all my favorite summer things! I haven't created my package yet (it will be customized based on who the winner is) but it will probably include some treats, a paperback to read at the pool/beach, and other summer necessities!

Enter the contest by answering this question: What is your favorite summer outing? The one that you must have to make summer complete? Mine is going camping- I have to go at least once every summer!

You have until Friday, July 4th at 11:59 p.m. to enter this contest. And don't forget to head over to Swistle's blog for the complete list of all the giveaways!!

Pay It Forward Giveaway Contest!!

Swistle, one of the coolest ladies I know on the internet, is hosting a huge Pay It Forward giveaway contest. She is asking for everyone interested in hosting a giveaway (big or small- you can determine the prize) to write a post about it on Monday or Tuesday and email her (swistle at gmail dot com) the link. Then she will have a giant list of giveaways that we can all enter! The fun doesn't stop there, though! Every person that wins a giveaway has to host one of their own! That's why it's called a "Pay It Forward" giveaway- because it keeps going and going!

Because I wasn't sure what a Pay It Forward Giveaway entailed, I asked Swistle. (Turns out it has very little to do with Haley Joel Osment). Here's Swistle's explanation.

So! Pay it Forward contests! They have kind of a dumb name, but it is what they are called and we are too late to vote on it. The way they work is that a blogger says he or she is having a Pay it Forward contest, and a bunch of people enter by commenting on that post (I like to give a lightweight optional question to answer; last time I asked if your skin was dry, oily, or combination). The blogger uses a random number generator (or scraps of paper in a hat) to select a random commenter, and sends that commenter a surprise box (contents completely up to the blogger) in the mail. The recipient of the surprise box must then post a Pay it Forward contest on his or her OWN blog, and choose a random commenter to win it, and send a surprise box to that commenter. Then THAT winner....and so on.

You can visit Swistle to learn more about the contest or head over to Melessa's blog, who won Swistle's last Pay It Forward package, to see a PIF example.

And be sure to check back here on Monday to enter my Pay It Forward Giveaway Contest!!

If you are a Red Utahn, you'd better vote tomorrow!!

I have been very involved in politics the past two years. So involved that I barely had a life outside of them. This year, I am not a professional campaigner. Rather, I am a concerned, civic-minded, active citizen.

In Utah, the Republican primary is tomorrow. It is also "closed", which means you must be a member of that registered party to participate. So this is for my readers that fit in that mold. (That's where I find myself for now, but I SERIOUSLY doubt I will be a registered Republican beyond tomorrow.)

So many races this year will come down to a few votes!! Your vote will really make a difference! The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you are unsure of your polling location, visit the Lt. Governor's website or for those of you in Salt Lake County the Salt Lake County Clerk's website.

The one race that I am passionate about it that for State Treasurer. The candidate I am supporting is Richard Ellis. He is honest, dependable, and has 22 years of experience- traits I value highly in an office that deals with my tax money!! He is currently the Chief Deputy Treasurer, so he understands the job well.

He is endorsed by Ed Alter, current State Treasurer, Governor Olene Walker, and Governor Norm Bangerter. He is also endorsed by Representative Gordon Snow, Majority Whip of the House of Representatives. When I was working for the Majority Caucus this past legislative session, I was very impressed by Representative Snow's integrity. He often was the voice of reason and his endorsement speaks very loudly to me of Ellis' qualifications for this office.


I hope you will all exercise your right to vote tomorrow! Please don't take this right for granted! There is nothing sadder than living in this wonderful country and NOT using every advantage we have available to us!! GO VOTE! The lines will be short tomorrow because the primary is (sadly) under attended. Even if you have little kids at home, and it is hell to pack everyone up and drag yourself there, I promise you will earn blessings in heaven or good karma or whatever you believe in if you make the effort!!

Reading, writing, 'rithmatic

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
~ Joseph Addison ~

Even though I'm back in school and it's KILLING me (I am out of school shape, apparently), I am enjoying reading A LOT again. I've found that when I read for school, it makes me want to read everything! I make time for extra curricular reading, too. So, here's some of the great books I've been enjoying already this summer.

-A Mighty Heart by Mariane Pearl
-Extras by Scott Westerfield
-Disgrace by JM Coetzee (this one was for school)
-Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda George


I have loved using Goodreads, as well. It's an online tool to keep track of the books you have read, are currently reading, and want to read. You can add me as a friend and we can share books and reviews with each other!

What are you reading this summer?

Accomplishing Something

I read a very moving post today over on Segullah called Accomplishing Something by Emily Watts. She writes of her mother-in-law who died thinking she never accomplished anything, despite raising 10 children, one of whom had special needs.

It got me thinking about how sometimes I get down on myself for things I haven't accomplished or that I haven't accomplished in a certain time frame. I have a terrible habit of comparing myself to others and it often makes me feel like I am not living up to my potential. And I often hear the same things from some of my friends. Whether it's school or kids or marriage or professional accomplishments, let's just give ourselves a break!

I love when Watts says, "... let’s not overlook the quiet work of the world just because some achievements seem to shine brighter."

The Underminer

Seen on Design Mom.

I'm excited!

The Dark Knight Trailer

Introducing...

... The Pink Pomegranate Floral and Design!




In my opinion, the one thing that always makes an event is the flowers. A baby shower is so much nicer with a simple bouquet. A wedding is more memorable and elegant with luscious and lovely flowers! I have been impressed with Chelsea's floral design work since before she became my sister-in-law. She has a new blog to showcase her floral business, The Pink Pomegranate, and you should all check it out! She specializes in weddings, but I have also seen her create refreshingly pretty arrangements for every occasion!

Here are a few examples of her beautiful work! Check out her blog to see more!

Loving...

...The new Coldplay single, Viva La Vida



...Mercy, by Duffy (like Amy Winehouse, but with a shower and not on crack)

I don't know how to feel about this

42 As a 1930s wife, I am Average Take the test!

Found over at K's blog

Hurray!

Found this article through FMH. Large internet providers, such as Time Warner Cable, Sprint, and Verizon, have agreed to block sites that have child pornography. This is a huge step in the war against internet pornography and sexual abuse against children!

Another one bites the dust! ;)

I'm pleased to announce that Liz has now joined the married ranks!! Congratulations, Liz and Eric!

Feeling fragile

John called me at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. I was a cabin, finishing up the last few activities for the 18 people attending Girls Camp. It was loud and chaotic and he said, "Just so you know..." then he stopped himself. "Never mind, I'll tell you when you get home."

Knowing that "Just so you know" is John-speak for, "Don't be alarmed, but I'm about to tell you something unpleasant," I made him tell me.

Early Saturday morning at 3:40 a.m., John received a phone call from his brother, Mark. Their dad, Rick, (who I just call, "Dad") was on his way to the hospital suffering from symptoms of a heart attack. My father-in-law, who knelt on one knee the night John proposed to ask me to be his daughter-in-law, had a heart attack.

He's doing really well, the doctors and nurses and EMTs have taken great care of him and he's going to be fine. I'm so grateful that he will recover, but seeing a man that I love and admire as my second father in a hospital bed has me feeling a little fragile.

I am full of gratitude that his wife, Sue, was able to recognize the symptoms and call 911. I am grateful that Sam (age 18) was home to help them both and call the siblings. I am beyond grateful that Mark and John as worthy priesthood holders could administer to their dad and give him a blessing of healing. I am amazed that these events unfolded the way they did. Rick and Sue were supposed to be on a plane to France tomorrow; I can only imagine the outcome would have been much worse if Rick's heart attack had happened on the plane or while they were traveling.

I am reminded again of how fragile and temporary this life is. I am so happy to know that our family is eternal and the ties that bind us now will bind us forever. I am thankful that Heavenly Father has spared Rick's life and allowed us to have him for a while longer.

So while I'm feeling fragile, I will cherish the tender feelings that fragility uncovers.

Food for Thought

Check out this great post over at Momocrats about when we will see another viable female presidential candidate? Definitely something to think about.

A human point of view

I came across this incredibly powerful post (via FMH) from Chandelle about the reality of living on welfare with no health insurance. I found her point of view unique because she cannot be summed up by a blanket stereotype of the "resident welfare queen" (her words, not mine.) Below is an excerpt but I encourage you to go read the whole post (it's not very long.)

Six months ago, it seemed really likely that our son had broken his leg. he fell off the play structure at school and didn't walk for three weeks. then he seemed to get better, and then he got worse. we didn't take him to a doctor. this wasn't a period when we had a tax refund laying around, which is the only time we ever have a surplus of cash. this was a period when we couldn't even say that we were living "paycheck to paycheck" because our paychecks didn't cover our needs; every month, we ran out of food, were threatened with eviction and sometimes had our utilities turned off. given a complete absence of up-front cash or credit cards, our only option was the ER. but i was well aware of what an ER visit, plus an x-ray, plus a bone scan, would have cost. it would have crippled us. we wouldn't have been able to touch such a fee for years, and in the meantime we probably would have been sued, had our wages garnished and lost our home. (we've been through this before; this wasn't just speculation.) so, we didn't take him to the doctor. does this compute? are you hearing this? our son may have broken a limb and we didn't take him to the doctor because it would have utterly crushed us financially. do you have any idea how disgusting it is to have to weigh such an issue in your mind? nothing should take priority over a child's health and yet, in this country, it's considered acceptable that we would have been evicted from our home by choosing to take our child's health as a higher priority.

TWSS - Star Wars style

Hello everyone -

I'm JohnnyT, and this is my first post here at Get Up And Play.

Quick background for this clip - I now work at a great company (hooorraayyy for the day job) and the TWSS (That's What She Said!) joke is used - ohhh - at least 30-40 times a day at the office. We (all the developers) just got back from RailsConf where there were plenty and plenty of TWSS lines. It's now to the point where half the time - nobody needs to even say it - we just look at each other and begin to chuckle.

Anyway - a link to the following video was posted in our chat room today. Most of us had our headphones on at the time, and then all proceeded to click on the link. Every one of us started laughing in bursts - like every 2 seconds - after each one of these great lines.

Hope you like it:

Be Still, My Heart

David Archuleta, one of my favorite human beings, let alone singers, volunteered his time to sing at a fireside for a group of troubled teens. He sang a beautiful arrangement of Be Still, My Soul (one of my most favorite hymns.)




Seen at David Archuleta Fan Blast.

Blogging drought

Forgive my absence from the blogosphere. A few things have kept me a little busy.

-Babies. Not my babies (fortunately? Unfortunately? Jury's still out) but those of my dear friends. Three new little ones were born in my ward this month (mommies are Jessica Brinton Alldredge, Allison Okland Varner, and Michelle Middleton Lowe), and my dear friend Al is having one next month. We threw a baby shower for her at my house and had a lot of fun. (Uncharacteristically, I took no photos.)

-Girls Camp. I am Girls Camp Leader for the 5th time and we have camp this weekend. This involves planning meals, certification requirements, crafts, service projects, packing lists, medical releases, games, spiritual themes, and so much more. I am tired just thinking about it. Luckily, Catherine and Kristy are the other camp leaders, so I'm not on my own.

-School. Blech. Summer school is the worst. It's a whole semester's worth of work squeezed into an 6-week mini semester. I have three more weeks left in this semester, then another 6-weeker after that. I'm barely keeping up with all the reading and writing. Luckily, Dana is in the class, too, and we try to keep each other going strong.

-Movies. Iron Man (A), Prince Caspian (A-), Indiana Jones (B-), and Sex and the City* (B-)

-Family. We had 4 birthdays to celebrate, Mother's Day, an Eagle court of honor, a family portrait, re-roofing a sibling's house, gardening for both moms, and some remodeling.

-So You Think You Can Dance. I love it. However, the 2 hour episodes twice a week have turned into quite a time-sucker.

I really think that May is the craziest month of the year, even crazier than December. What's been keeping you crazy busy?

*First R rated movie I have seen in 18 months. It wasn't worth it, WAY too much sex. It really ruined an otherwise great movie.

Best kiss ever

Watched the MTV movie awards tonight. Rachel McAdams + Ryan Gosling + Notebook hysteria = best kiss ever. Prepare to feel like a 13-year-old girl.

A Mighty Heart

I've been reading Mariane Pearl's memoir, A Mighty Heart, about her husband Daniel Pearl's abduction and murder by terrorists. I finished it last night around midnight. I found myself crying through the last chapters as I thought of her incredible strength. She was pregnant with their first child when her husband was kidnapped in early 2002 in Pakistan. She became the center of the investigation to find him, organizing CIA, FBI, local intelligence, law enforcement, and cyber-crime experts. John is out of town this weekend and as I read about her despair of losing her beloved spouse I wished he had been next to me in bed. I felt a tiny fraction of her loss for a moment, as I considered how it feels to have half of your heart missing.


(photo credit: Glamour.com)

In 2007, the movie version of A Mighty Heart was released starring Angelina Jolie and Dan Futterman. I haven't seen the film, but I highly recommend the book- it is well-written and still very timely, considering how much of a target our country still is for terrorist groups.

Not in a gay way, just in a hey way...

Love this little Flight of the Conchords gem that Richard showed me. So funny. And very pertinent to my life right now, considering I'm back in school and in a Theory of Gender and Sexuality class. Everywhere I look I'm seeing gender and sexuality subtext, which is not nearly as exciting as it sounds. :)

Happy Birthday, Steve!

Even though Steve's birthday was actually, um, yesterday, I hope he'll forgive this belated birthday post!!!

Steve is a great big brother to me and Catherine. He's 6 1/2 years older than me and 8 years older than Catherine. With an age gap like that, we weren't often much fun to play with or have hanging around, but Steve always took care of us and let us hang out with him. I remember making Cup'o'Noodles runs with him to Smith's, playing Myst, and always having help writing papers or with my math homework.



He's a great dad- hands-on, fun, yet a good disciplinarian. He loves having both a son and a daughter and they both love him very much.



I'm also grateful to him for providing me (along with Kerry) with the most adorable niece and nephew!




He's a great husband! He loves Kerry so much and is so proud of her! He's definitely her biggest fan and supports her in all she does!




And lastly, he's a hard worker and a hard player! He loves history, maps, and museums and he always researches any trip in advance- he's like a built-in tour guide on vacations! He's a skilled photographer and I've learned a lot from him. He took this picture last year in California.




Hope you had a great birthday, old man!

A masterpiece in mastering one's challenges

This is a ballet performed by two amputees and is one of the most incredible things I have ever seen! Thanks to Pilgrim Girl where I first saw this.

Self-deprecating paper goods

Hilarious greeting cards with just the right amount of LDS cheekiness from Line Upon Line.






First seen on Deseret Book's new blog Light Refreshments Served.

So You Think You Can Dance!!!

If you take all my excitement over American Idol and multiply it by 100 then you'll be close to how excited I am for the season premiere of SYTYCD!! It is such a great show!! AAahhh! I've posted some of my favorite dances (although I feel like I'm just scratching the surface here... I didn't even add in Neil and Sabra's 80's dance, or Benji and Travis' geek dance... there are just so many good ones to choose from!!)











And my ALL TIME FAVORITE dance! It moved me so much! Mia Michaels even won an Emmy for choreographing this beautiful piece! And I was so, so, so proud of Heidi and the breakthrough she had with this dance. I have a friend who has known Heidi since she was a young girl, and by all reports, she is sweet and sincere in addition to having a lot of talent!!

I'm a little sad...

... about tonight's American Idol results. David Archuleta didn't win. I do think that he'll go on to be very successful and I really like David Cook, too, so I'm not crushed about his victory.

American Idol finals!

Despite a massive blackout affecting 10,000 households in Salt Lake City last night (including mine), I still managed to vote for David Archuleta! I hope he wins because I think he's incredibly talented. This is the first year, however, where I really, really like the other finalist, too. David Cook is a great performer and I know he'll sell a lot of records (think Chris Daughtry!) I can't wait to find out who wins tonight!

Happy Birthday, Catherine!!

My little sister, Catherine, is beautiful, kind, loving, talented, smart, stylish and generous.



She has been my sidekick and example for 24 years and I am lucky to have her as my sister.



Anyone who knows her can appreciate how wonderful and special she is.



She has a creative and brilliant mind, an incredible work ethic, and a tender and giving heart.



She is so smart and works so hard- last semester she got a 4.0 while taking 23 credit hours! She is my example!!



I got to spend most of the day with her and I had a blast. We had lunch at Cafe Rio with her cute mother-in-law and sister-in-law, went shopping (most of the time looking for something specific that I needed, which was so nice of her!), and got Slurpees.



We laughed all the way home about the silliest things, nearly choking on our Slurpees and driving off the road. No one can make me laugh or cheer me up the way Cath can.



The highlight of my day with Cat came when she told me she wanted to spend her time on her birthday volunteering at an elementary school. That is Catherine- completely and utterly loving.



I love you!!! Happy Birthday!

1 + 1 = 4 ?

I'm pretty much over the moon in love!




After two years of marriage, John and I have decided to add to our little family of two.




The only problem is, we couldn't just stop at just one little addition, so we have two special somethings to announce!




We're having a hard time thinking of names that go well together but aren't too matchy.




Without further ado, I present the source of our giddiness and love, our new babies:




Nintendo Wii



Nikon D40 (pictured with my new vibration reduction telephoto lens)



You may remember this post, where I came into some Amazon.com money. Well, we decided to splurge his and hers style.


What, you thought it was something else???

Political profile

I took this quiz and the results, I have to admit, didn't surprise me that much. I'm often unsatisfied with both political parties. This was underscored when I attended the Republican State Convention last Saturday. Some of the speeches from the candidates I found myself nodding in agreement. But often, the very same statements that made me cringe got the biggest cheers from the (albeit ultra-conservative) crowd. I find myself year after year picking and choosing candidates from all across the political spectrum because I struggle to find the best possible choice from two parties that I am not happy with. I encourage you to take this quiz!

Your Political Profile:

Overall: 60% Conservative, 40% Liberal Social Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal Ethics: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Defense and Crime: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal

How Liberal Or Conservative Are You?

The cause of my partial deafness...

When David Archuleta came back to Utah last week, I swear I could hear teenage girls screaming from miles away.

Lip service

Not only have I always loved lip gloss (or "lippie" as we called it in high school), I seem to collect it! I have tons!! Metalia wrote a post about her addiction to lip gloss and it sparked a memory for me. I used to buy the same lip gloss as a girl who I knew had kissed a crush of mine (who shall remain nameless) in high school (*you know who you are). It was Lip Smackers Pear-a-dise. It was pretty, shiny, and smelled and tasted good. More importantly for me, however, was the possibility the lip gloss that had actually touched his lips would magically guarantee that he would gravitate my way and find MY lips irresistible. I probably don't need to tell you how that particular story ends (hint: my lips remained untouched until well until my senior year). Even though I wasn't able to lure that particular boy with my sparkly lips, my love of the gloss wasn't happily wasn't harmed.

Cinco de Mayo!

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo, Richard and Catherine invited me, John, Mom and Aunt Barbara to Su Casa. It's been their tradition to dress up and go to Su Casa (one of our favorite places!) for a fun dinner. Catherine and I donned matching bright red lipstick to be more festive and although it kind of burned when it went on, I felt so saucy afterward!!

In-church entertainment

Lily joined us today for church. She had already been to 3 hours of church earlier in the day, and then Grandma picked her up and brought her to our last hour, which for us is sacrament meeting. She was very well behaved, especially when I found a little card for her that had a picture of Jesus. "JESUS!" she kept exclaiming loudly. The real kicker came when the bishop (who happens to be her father) got up and began talking at the pulpit. Lily stood up on my lap, pointed at him and yelled, "Jesus!" Well, hmmm, not quite. Then, a sweet little old lady got up to speak and she, too, apparently reminded Lily of Jesus. She just really wanted to think about Jesus, I guess.

Later, Sam and Lily played for a while and after dinner, Steve (daddy) came to take them home. When I was helping get the kids buckled in, I saw a piece of ribbon that I swiped. I put it on my forehead and waved goodbye to them as they backed out of the driveway. Steve rolled down his window to let me know what Sam thought of my improvisation. He said, "Daddy, I think Barbara looks more like a non-ja." Four years old, people, and he's making up puns.

(A little photo evidence of my nerdiness that my nephew called me on.)

Lily's birthday party!

Sam chose the venue for Lily's birthday party and so we ventured forth to Chuck E. Cheese's (where a kid can be a kid, you know). Sam and Andy (Kerry's friend's little boy) were LOVING it. Lily was a little bit more unsure. She did love playing skee ball and the creepy, singing, animatronic animal band. Mom, Aunt Barbara and I made Lily a Tinkerbell costume (if you have ever met this child, she definitely has the "Tink" personality.)

It does not say "RSVP" on the Statue of Liberty

First of all, I will give a prize to whoever can name the movie quote from the title.

Second, this is a great article by the US News showcasing where the presidential candidates stand on immigration (via Momocrats.) I am proud that my church urged lawmakers in Utah to act with compassion when considering this subject during the past legislative session. Compassion is exactly what I am interested in and looking for in a candidate.

Third, this is what is actually inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

-Emma Lazarus

Real World Facebooking

HILARIOUS. A disturbing look at what Facebook has turned us into!



Via Mormon Mommy Wars.

Happy Day!

Today is my darling niece Lily's 2nd birthday!! I love this girl! While we were in Disneyland, this normally brave and assertive girl was a little fearful. She found the train that goes underground through dioramas of dinosaurs and volcanoes especially frightening. Now, every time she sees me (weeks later) or hears her parents talking to me on the phone, she has to tell me, "Shoo-shoo 'cary!" Indeed, little girl.

It's also graduation day for many of my friends, including my brother-in-law, Mark! Congrats!

The bright side

Instead of being depressed about the fact that it's snowing in May, I will instead focus on the beauty of watching snow flurries so delicate that they can float upwards on the slightest breeze.

What are you choosing to see the bright side of today?

Guilty Pleasures

Time to 'fess up, people! Andrea posted her embarrassing guilty pleasures then begged for some company in the hall of shame.

Here are my guilty pleasures that I indulge in:

-American Idol (um, hello, especially my verging-on-inappropriate adoration of 17-year-old David Archuleta)
-Peanut butter. Straight up from the jar with a spoon.
-US Weekly and People Magazine
-Buying obscene amounts of scrapbooking paper that I don't use, but instead hoard.
-Wearing the same outfit two days in a row.
-Sleeping in EVERY DAY just because I can.
-BLOGGING/Facebook/YouTube/Twitter/ the internet in general.
-Lip gloss (I have a hard time passing by without buying)
-Gossip Girl (I resisted the urge for so long, but now that it's on again after the writer's strike, Catherine got me hooked. It's trashy but I've been sucked in!)



Won't you share your dirty little secrets?

13 jobs is a lot, huh?

John and I were counting the other day and we have had a lot of job turnover in the last little while. Since we have been married (January 2006) we have had a total of 13 jobs between the two of us. Part of this can be attributed to the transitory nature of being in school (me) and beginning and defining a career (John). The rest can be attributed to having a lot of opportunities present themselves and having personalities that want to explore them! Let's recap (keep in mind, this is just the past two years...)

I have worked at :
-an after school program as a tutor (Murray Junior High)
(this is the day I invited Chris Grant, a friend from high school, and a player on the University of Utah basketball team, to come meet the kids)



-as a nanny for three different families



-on two different campaigns
(Thomas Wright, 2006 House of Representatives candidate)



(Dave Buhler, 2007 mayoral candidate)



-as Media Coordinator for the Utah House of Representatives
(with Governor Huntsman)



That's 7 for me.

John has worked at:

-a finance company as Director of Web Services (MIT Financial)



-a corporate benefits company as a Software Developer (Access Development)
(John on his last day)



-began a startup company called Comma Development



-worked freelance for an advertising agency creating websites (Kassing Andrews Advertising)



-worked for Code>Greene as a software developer which I wrote about a few weeks ago.



That's 5 for John.

The reason for this post is that John again has a new job, which brings our grand total to 13. Far from being an unlucky number for us, this 13th job is one we are really happy about. Alliance Health is a health care lead generation company and we feel like we can be there for a long time. It's a really great fit for him- he'll be working with the best of the best in his field of programming! There are great people working there, it's a great atmosphere, it's a good salary, has good benefits, and is close to home. I will be able to focus on finishing school (finally) and John will be my sugar daddy. I'm hopeful that there won't be another job update for at least a few years! ;)

Inside Twilight

This is an inside look at the new Twilight movie. This is authentic, not one of the fan creations from YouTube. I'm excited!

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

David Archuleta- Think of Me & When You Believe

Normally, I dislike it when artists take a classic song and try to turn it into a pop song, but I have to say this was really well done! I thought he sounded great- he makes such smart improvisation choices and whoever is arranging his songs is incredible!




Here he is during the Mariah Carey week. Not my favorite performance of his- still great, just not my fave.

Happy Earth Day!

Doing today:
1- Carpooling
2- Planning my herb garden
3- Buying Gorgeously Green
4- Using my reusable bags for grocery shopping today

Why not? A meme.

Robyn at the Ambling Rambler, tagged me awhile ago. I don't think I've done this one before. And if you've tagged me recently, let's just call this good.

What I was doing 10 years ago:
I was a freshman in high school. I had braces and bangs. I worked as nanny in the summer. I had a carpool to get me to and from school every day.

What I was doing 5 years ago:
I had been dating John for a few months and I was getting ready to move to Hawaii for the summer. I was (still) a nanny for two different families.

5 favorite snacks:
-Hot Tamales
-cashews
-popcorn
-cookies
-green olives

5 places I want to travel internationally:
-Scotland
-Italy
-China
-Canada
-Mexico

The next 5 places I want to travel nationally:
-Austin, Texas
-Chicago, Illinois
-Seattle, Washington
-Hawaii
-my Church's history sites like Kirtland and Nauvoo

Jobs I have had:
-Campaign manager
-Media Relations Coordinator
-Education Specialist at an after-school program
-Salesgirl at Banana Republic
-nanny

Three habits:
-I always have to brush my teeth right before bed and as soon as I wake up.
-I used to bite my nails, so now I always clip them really short.
-I'm a saver. It's hard for me to throw things away.

Three places I have lived (the tag was for five, but I've only lived in three):
-Ohio
-Hawaii
-Utah