Right back where I started from

A couple weeks ago Alex found some AMAZING jetblue tickets! So one week from today I will be in sunny CA! I am only there from Tuesday morning to Friday morning, so it'll be short, but so fun. I anticipate a lot of hang time with the mom...reunited at last. We haven't really made any plans, but that's how I prefer it. Oh and Joel wants me to take him to lunch.

Old photo, but one of my favorites.

You know, when I am away long enough I start to think, "ok, maybe I could eventually cope with living somewhere other than California...." But then I go home, and I am reminded
"There's no place like home."

Home Sweet Home

Things I'm looking forward to:
Hanging out with my family
Beach
In-n-out
Quality girl time with my mom
Playing my piano
Maybe Confessions of a Shopaholic
Maybe some shopping myself
Ditching school
Getting out of Utah
Driving the Jetta
Seeing how Joel and Rae have changed

Wearing shorts and rainbows
My mom's cooking
Get out of the dry-ness
BerrySwirl/Golden Spoon

Things I will miss:
Alex
Maybe Sophie the cat

Thanks for sending me home Alex! I love you!!!!!

Writing

I am taking a Language Development class this semester. I don't really enjoy it, but it was one of the few major classes offered at the Salt Lake extension. Today while I was reading my text book, I found an explanation for my hatred of English and writing. It says, "Writing offers a different challenge [than reading]. The writer begins with ideas, morsels of meaning, and must decide which symbols in which combination will best represent those ideas." A-Ha! THAT is my problem. Not only with writing, but with speaking. It feels like I have ideas and images in my head, but have a hard time trying to decide and construct a way that clearly depicts what I am actually thinking. Sometimes I wish I was an artist and could just draw what I "see" mentally instead of trying to find the right words.

Isn't it crazy how much is involved in writing? Forming your ideas and message, considering different word choices, deciding what words to use, constructing sentences with these words, etc... It's crazy how many different ways there are to say one thing, by using different words and combination of words. What's even crazier is that we can do this automatically in a conversation, without effortful thinking or analyzing! Amazing. It is because of this that I am amazed I get myself to blog!

I salute you English majors.

Value

In my psychology class tonight, my old and quirky professor was talking about finding a companion and getting married. He said that choosing a spouse is like saying, "I value my association with you." Haha. So simple! So for the record, Alex, I value my association with you!

Where am I?

These last couple of days, it has been hard to believe I am living in Utah. For example, right now weather.com says


Partly Cloudy

58°F

Yes ladies and gentlemen, 58 degrees. So it has been sunny, warmish (no heavy jackets) and even windy! I'm talking like Santa Ana winds! It feels like a true California winter, hand delivered to Bountiful Utah just for me.

Lamp project

This semester, all my classes are at the BYU Salt Lake Extension center which is conveniently across the street from Gateway Shopping Center. So in between classes when I have some free time, I go over and window shop, mostly at Urban Outfitters and ZGallerie. While in ZGallerie I have become obsessed with anything glass or mirrored. I have seen the glassey thing in Domino magazine too. Then a couple of weeks ago, I was in TJMaxx and found these very very pretty glass lamps for at least half the price of a normal glass lamp. So I talked Alex into letting me buy one. It sits on our nightstand and I love it!!!!

But, like all good outfits, the nightstand needed an accessory, so I went to DI to find a glass dish to put Alex's eyedrops and chapstick that he keeps by the bed. Mission accomplished. After I found one, I walked around the furniture and looked for fun. There was a metal cart with random electronics and stuff, and sitting on the top was this sad lonely lamp. It had a glass figure like an upside-down vase, a shiny gold base and a gold rod up through the center of the glass. It looked dirty and broken down like most things at DI, but I couldn't help but ignore it. SOO I took it home, hoping it would work or that I could make it work. I took it apart, painted all the gold white, bought a new cord and socket at Lowe's and fixed it up like new. It is beautiful!!!! Other than Alex, it might be one of my favorite things in the apartment!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a before picture. But if you ask Alex, he'll say he was scared when he saw the before lamp on the table when he got home. Here are the during and after pictures! Enjoy! Hopefully more projects to come!!!!

Little Lamp: TJMaxx

Lovely or what?!

My work in progress...

My masterpiece

January

This month went by fast! Alex and I started our new semesters and got settled into the routine. Alex started MCAT prep classes and has also been studying for it with his friend Matt. Alex probably devotes in 12-20 hours a week to MCAT, on top of his normal school workload. It's hard and tiring, but he's staying strong. He also took a certification test to be a Medical Lab technition and passed! He'll hopefully get a job in the lab this summer!

We've also started hanging out with friends more often! We have one group: Cory, Chelsea, Duncan, and Kallee. Alex grew up with those guys. Then we have other friends Alex grew up with Matt and Kristen, and Jeff and Julie. Matt, again is studying for the MCAT with Alex. Jeff and Julie live in the same apartments as we do. It's been really fun! We also went over to Lo and Mckay's the other night for dinner and games! I've missed them!

I have just been working and going to school. I have also gotten to hang out with my own friends. Nicole came up and hung out with me on my birthday while Alex worked at the hospital. Also... Kelsey is back in Utah!!!! If we're not too busy, we try to do something at least once a week.

Oh and the sun has been out and there isn't snow in our parking lot. Life is good.

December Week 5: Lo's Wedding

The Sunday after Christmas I headed to DC for the wedding of one of my best friends, Lo Mallon. I have known her since our Freshman year, and it was love at first sight. She met her boy Mckay freshman year, dated, then wrote him every single week of his mission. They were married in the DC temple Tuesday December 30th, 2008.

Alex had to work holiday shifts at the hospital, so it was unlikely that he would be able to go out to Virginia with me. So my mom, who has known Lo as long as I have, was more than happy to make the trip with me. Here is a recap of our trip we refer to as our "Lucy and Ethel" trip.

Sunday night we both arrived and got lost on the way to the hotel. Monday we spent the day touring "The Mall" in DC. We didn't have time to wander and learn things, so we saw important sights, took pictures, and kept moving. Monday night we had dinner at the Mallons with all the friends and family. Tuesday we went to the DC temple for the wedding, got lost again on the way to the reception. For those familiar with the area, we were at the temple in Maryland, couldn't find the 495, and accidentally went down THROUGH DC back to Virginia. We were in DC during rush hour, and when we were passing the Washington Monument there was a strike and picket going on. The people kept walking in front of cars and traffic was so slow! We had to call my dad in California who had a map of DC on the computer and was guiding us back to where we needed to be. Thank you technology. We got there an hour late, but hey, we got there! Everything was beautiful and fun. Wednesday my mom and I headed to our homes to give our husbands their New Years kiss.

Here are pictures of our adventures!

First time on the Metro. Riding in style.

Which of these tourists is not like the others?

Memorial for women who served in Vietnam War

Reflection of us in Veitnam War soldier memorial

California Girls

Mallon Family

DC Temple

When we finally gave up and asked for directions on the way to the reception...