Babies and Taco Bell

No...time...to...blog...

Ugh, children. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but I love being single more. I am so exhausted at the end of each day that I fall into bed at nine. But while my body is tired, my mind has no clue what an early bedtime is. So I lie there. And then the alarm rings at six ("alarm" is code name for "baby" and "ring" is code for "hollering"). Let it be known: I am suddenly happy to be single. Men, stay away! You only get girls pregnant and that is unacceptable. I am happy to be able to lay in bed till 9:00 am if I want. I am happy going to bed at 2:00 am, watching X-Files till late and making midnight Taco Bell runs (because that is what next semester is going to be full of. Woot!) I am happy spending an hour on my hair and makeup each morning. Yes, I know. It will be different when the children are mine. True, but these things won't be differnt: naptimes, bedtimes, mealtimes. These things don't change. Neither do dirty diapers and baths and boo boos and complaining about me not letting them watch TV. So, I am single, and proud. At nineteen, I should be.

Day Two

Today brought many surprises. A few of them were runny noses, millions of baby ducks, paint. Lots and lots of washable paint.

Baby woke up grumpy and sick. He wouldn't eat, but he would yell at me. I can cope with that.

Macy painted every piece of paper in the house, I swear. And the counter. And her clothes. And the floor. Thank goodness it was washable.

We went to the duck pond by campus and there we MILLIONS of baby ducks. There were some ducks that wouldn't move till you got too close and then the babies would just flow out. It was like clowns out of a car. One mama duck had 13 under her, but you couldn't tell when she was sitting. It was great. I forgot my camera (of course) but we are going back Tuesday. I promise pictures.

Quote of the Week

"Sup, Fool! Check out this madness!"

~Joel

(on what Heather would say if she ripped a phone book in half like the rest of us were doing)

Day One

I feel like a child who is pretending to play house. Only this is for reals. I am staying with the children I nanny while mom and dad are in Hawaii. Fun?Yes. Intimidating? Yes. I am not sure how I am going to last a week. But I'll keep you informed. Promise.


Here's what went on around here today.

Baby decided to eat crayons. Not one, not two, but more than 5. He has a stash somewhere and I can't find it.

Baby learned how to climb onto the counter. At one years old, I am not impressed. I am trying to train him out of it by picking him up, saying no, and putting him in his room. I don't shut the door or anything, he can some right out, but he still hates it and hollers like none other. Does this sort of thing work? I have no previous experience.

We started the circle chart to get through the week. It goes like this: 10 circles, 5 empty and 5 with privileges written in them. Example: TV, computer time, desserts, etc. Every time someone misbehaves, one gets crossed off. Once you get through the first 5, you start losing privileges for the whole family. These kids are paranoid. We haven't lost one circle yet.

I am so tired from this past week (moving out and stuff, details to come) that I haven't sat down all day. I was nodded off when I sat down to read stories earlier, and that is just unacceptable when you are doing what I'm doing.

I will take some pictures tomorrow and hopefully have some good stories to tell.

Happy Stuff

Due to popular request, I am posting something happy. So today, it is about my brother. He is on his mission in Seattle, and he is coming home in a little over a month. Excited? Very!

Beauty and True Love

"Katie Kirkpatrick, 21, held off cancer to celebrate the happiest day of her life. Breathing was difficult now; she had to use oxygen. The pain in her back was so intense it broke through the morphine. Her organs were shutting down but it would not stop her from marrying Nick Godwin, 23, who had been in love with Katie since 11th grade. Five days later, Katie died." -- Photographer Romain Blanquart.


Thank you so much for sharing Jo

Of the Week

Quote:
"No one wears miniskirts except for trashy girls. And Reyna."
~Heather
(Great, I've been put in the same category as trashy girls. P.S. I don't wear miniskirts.)

Song:
There's Your Trouble by The Dixie Chicks

Activity:
Packing up and moving out

Food:
Bagels. With peanut butter and banana or swiss, turkey, and tomato.

Game:
Phase 10! Thanks for teaching me, Todd! Now I make everyone play it with me.

Book:
Pilate's Wife by Annette May

Fragrance:
I think it's Soul by Curve. My brother sent it to me for Christmas and I just really discovered it. I love the slightly sweet scent that begins to trail behind you after a couple hours.

Obsession:
Motorcycles. I want one.



The picture has nothing to do with anything besides that I love Peter Pan and I want the little boy in the middle. Isn't that the best idea for a birthday party?


via Jo

Thoughts on Change

In less than a month, this shall be me. I am very happy about that. I am not so happy about moving out of my beloved Roman Ruins. We had a ward luncheon (thanks, Bishop!) to take a break from finals, and I was getting very depressed at the thought of leaving my fantabulous ward. My room is also looking empty, for I packed away all my books and most of my clothes. The Christmas lights are still up around my bed, so that helps a little. But I am mostly just sad.

(No Elfie, not because I am leaving you. I don't love you. I loathe you. Remember? Ok, that's a lie. Please don't leave me!)


I decided that I don't like change. I like the idea of change, I don't actually like the thing itself.

Red Carpet

Okay, so I am finally getting around to looking at the red carpet from the Oscars and the ACM's. Here are my thoughts.

The Oscars

Best:

Miley Cyrus

I think that hers was the only dress I actually liked. I mean, I would wear this one. The rest were just blah.

via Disney Dreaming

Worst:

Amy Adams

I hate that necklace. And for such a beautiful girl, she doesn't look amazing. I think it's the color.

via Zimbio


The ACM Awards

Best:

For starters, there's Nicole and Keith. Can you get any better than these two?

Dierks Bentley was a hottie. I love him.

And I thought Martina looked stunning. That is something I would wear for reals.

Worst:
I can't help it. I just look at Kelly and hate it. I know that H-face likes it, but I can't. I just can't.

Kelly, you're cutie patootie, but I wasn't feeling it. Sorry.

via CMT

Great Expectations

"We rest here while we can, but we hear the ocean calling in our dreams,

And we know by the morning, the wind will fill our sails to test the seams,

The calm is on the water and part of us would linger by the shore,

For ships are safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for."

Tom Kimmel & Michael Lille

via Peonies

Hippie Stuff

I am all about reusing, recycling, cloth diapers, and breastfeeding your kids till they're five. But please leave the lights on for me, and ladies, remember to shave your legs. Remember to shave your legs.

via ehow

Reyna and theTerrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

!. I woke up and it looked like this out. Is someone seriously trying to kill springtime?
@. I woke up a little late in desperate need of a shower, but the water was turned off.

#. I didn't realize the water was turned off until I already had cold cream all over my eyes, trying to get yesterday's makeup off.(See? You need water.)

$. I have spent the last 24 hours thinking that today was Friday, which made me think I had a test at 3:00 (false) and freaking out because I wasn't prepared. I just realized, like ten minutes ago, that today is only Thursday.

%. Have you ever tried to live your life without running water?! Let's just say that I would have made a rotten pioneer.

But it is only noon, so the day has the promise of improvement. For example, Jess and I are going rockclimbing tonight. There is a cute boy at The Quarry. Bwahahaha!



via Captured by Mikki, BeautyHobby, and allaroundphilly

Rockstar and Sweet Tea

Am I too old for Hannah Montana? Yes.
Is it trendy to hate Hannah Montana? Yes.
Did I still see the movie anyways? Yes.
Because do I care? Nope.

And I am proud to say that I loved it. Mostly, it just reaffirmed my dream to raise my family in Tennessee. Southern ground, sweet accents, pecan pie, cowboys...I could go on and on. Yup, I'm there. And if the view from your grandparents' back porch looked like this, would you go too?



via Disney Dreaming

A Few Reasons Why I Love My Halloween Socks

1. They are striped, which reminds me of French things
2. They are never hard to find because of the red blinking lights (located in the witch)
3. They are always clean, even when they are dirty
4. They keep a good portion of my leg very warm
5. They remind me of my trip to Boise with Jessica

Heather finds them ubiquitous, always on my feet or on the floor, I find them simply wonderful.

(Me! Getting ready for a cold day at school. Don't worry, I wear pants and boots over them before going out in public. Mostly. There's that one time I went bowling...)

Old School Glamor

I love it. I love the red lipstick, the birdcage veils, the femininity, the hair. I could go on and on. It is excellent.

I love Katy Perry's Thinking of You. I am not a huge fan of hers, but I LOVE this music video. It embodies the glamor that I wish we could get back.



via Rodney Smith

Taxi Love

I want someone to like me this much. Any suggestions on where to find such a man?


via Rodney Smith

Pleated Pants and Greek Gods

All semester long, I have looked at one of my professors and hated his pleated pants. They are not flattering. Today he did not wear pleated pants, but flat front. Today, I thought my professor was quite cute, without realizing why. Then it hit me. I hate pleated pants more than I thought I did. You know, if he had skipped out on the pleats, I might have had a better reason to go to class. Just a thought.

One of my other professors (a German, sixty-something Classics professor) used the phrase "sexy flanks" in reference to the rape of Europa. Not once, not twice, but three times. I am still dying of laughter inside that he actually said that. Oh Zeus old boy, did you ever imagine that all fear and awe associated with you would be replaced by "sexy flanks"? Probably not, or you wouldn't have turned yourself into that white bull.
P.S. The flowers upon your head are emasculating.


by Guido Reni

Dialogue of My Daily Life

Heather: I wanted to be the quote of the week!!!

Me: What have you said that is quote worthy this week?

Heather: Everything that comes out of my mouth is quote worthy! Just listen. You will hear something.

J.W. Waterhouse

I love Pre-Raphaelite art most of all. Which means that Waterhouse is my favorite. Let me share how awesome he is.


Ophelia of Hamlet fame
Miranda of the Tempest

The Lady of Shalott (who I am currently writing a paper about...Not this painting, but one of his other ones on her and the Tennyson poem).

Incredible, huh? I had the opportunity to see Miriamne Leaving the Judgment Seat of Herod (hooray for the BYU art museum and Victorian exhibits!) and it was breathtaking. I didn't realize how big these pictures were in real life. Ahhh...art.



(I don't remember where I picked these ones up)

Delightful Things

I wouldn't even begin to know where to look for one of these, but I want one! It reminds me of the aleitheometer in Northern Lights. Yes? Time to go to Morocco, where they apparently have such magical things lying about in shops. Must. Travel. Soon.

What's that you say? I have no need for such things? Stop being practical and pretend life is a faery tale for a moment. Alright? It will make both of us a lot happier. Trust me.




via My Marrakesh

Quote of the Week

"Thank [goodness] for books as an alternative to conversation."

W. H. Auden

Girl Crushes

Have I told you of my love for Idina Menzel yet? Not only does she get to sing amazing and get painted green, but she got to marry Taye Diggs. I want to be her. She is right next to Jennifer Nettles on my list of women that I am in love with. She might even be above Jennifer.


P.S. It is Saturday night and I am writing papers and watching Hannah Montana reruns. How pathetic am I?



via Facebook and Askmen

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

Easter is this weekend. My mom just sent me a lovely package filled with candies and goodies. Hurrah! I celebrated by chewing a huge piece of gum, blowing a big bubble, and popping it all over my face. I forgot how hard it is to get gum off.


By the way, have I ever told you how much I love 30 Rock? Oh my, it is too good. Here is my favorite clip that made me fall in love with it. Hahaha... Enjoy!



via Peonies

Hunter, can we trade in our gazebo for this backyard?

Found. One day this will be my back yard. You can visit if you like.

P.S. This is my 200th post!


via City Sage

I Want What I Want. (And I know that it's Mekinita's now. I don't care.)

This is what I was craving today. Mariposa, how I miss you. What I would give for some mole negro and some strawberry juice right now. Sigh. 3 more weeks.




via Metromix and Creative Loafing

Curiosity

I want to find out where these stairs lead. Don't you?


via Etsy

Finals

A few reasons why you may not hear from me for the next few weeks:

1. Humanities 201
A paper due on Petrarch, Machiavelli, or Castiglione, and a final that covers the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (music, art, and literature).

2. Humanities 250
A ten page paper due on Monday that compares two mediums of a similar subject. I chose The Lady of Shalott by Tennyson and the painting I'm Half Sick of Shadows by J.W. Waterhouse, based off of the poem. There is also a final that covers dance, film, opera, theater, and music. Did I mention that all my finals are comprehensive? So in reality, this one is covering poetry and art also.

3. Classical Civilization 110: Greek and Roman Literature
A paper due on Aristotilian ideas in Medea and final that covers Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus Colonus, Antigone, Medea, and Hippolytus. Joy.

4. Spanish 101
An oral exam and a written grammar final.

5. Student Development 2something: Finances
This is my happy class. I just have to turn in a budget and a written explanation of stocks and bonds and such.

BYU Testing Center (Heber J. Grant Building) via Flickr

Very Good Line, Very Bad Ending

"I shall be better for having known you."

I forgot how Daniel Deronda ends. I know that Gwendolen is bratty at the beginning, but she learns, and she belongs with Daniel. I could have chucked Mira off that boat at the end. You know how some people are too good, so good that they annoy you? I always like people a bit better when I know they have at least one flaw. No, you cannot count Mira's ridiculous self-sacrificing goodness as a flaw. At least, not a likable one.

So once again, I am left feeling a bit shorted and a bit lonely. Darn you Daniel.

via Enchanted Serenity of Period Films

Book/Movie of the Week

I read Daniel Deronda by George Eliot not too long ago, and then I noticed the BBC miniseries at the library this past week. And can I tell you that I just love them both? All the actors are perfect for all the characters (especially for Daniel and Gwendolen), and because the whole thing is 210 minutes, it captures everything that I love about the book. Hooray for fabulous British television! They sure know how to do it over there. All my favorite authors come from Britain: Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, Daphne du Maurier, Philip Pullman, Susan Cooper, and George Eliot, of course. Just to name a few.

Oh, and to top it all off, I can just see the girl who plays Gwendolen as Felicity from A Great and Terrible Beauty, can't you?
via guardian.co.uk

Forgive me as I try out new backgrounds. I might just like simplicity, but at the moment, I am playing around with lovelies.

Guess what?

I like rock climbing! That is all.


via some website

All the World Over

Most of me is ready to pack up and head to Amsterdam this week. Good idea, no? What's that you say? I can't miss finals? Hmmmm...Okay, how about May? I have no responsibilities in May. And I would so love a travel companion. Are you coming?


via English Muse

News Items

1. My roommate hits people with her car. Remember when Michael hit Meredith on The Office? That is Heather. I still feel okay riding with her, after all, no one in the car was hurt. Just fingerprinted. (Full story here)

2. Did you know that it has kind of been snowing/cold? April and I are getting off on the wrong foot.

3. The X-Files are over. We just watched the last episode of season 9. I can't handle how sad I am about this. Why? Because I want to believe. At least there is one more movie.

4. General Conference is this weekend! Check it out, I guarantee it will be good. (Here)

5. Aliens are coming to invade the earth on December 22, 2012. Be ready.

Loves you!


via me, allposters, and some fan club

Secrets

Here are 5 about you might not have known about me:



5. I am the one that opens your medicine cabinet when I use your bathroom. Make sure it looks nice and is well-stocked with all sorts of surprises for me to discover.

4. I almost bought a lighthouse. This is for real. I saved up money for most of 2007, and I had enough to get a lighthouse. You see, the government was selling them from $30,000 dollars, because the coastguard has no need for them anymore. This means that I could have gotten a decent loan and set up a lovely Bed & Breakfast in Connecticut or Maine, where I would have met my lobsterman. Instead, I went to college. Was this a good plan? I am still not sure.

3.Even if I don't do laundry for a month, I still have a completely full closet and bureau. The only reason I ever do laundry is because I run out of decent underwear.

2. I ate rabbit food once because Matthew dared me. It tasted of apples.

1. What do you want to know about me? I am taking questions.

1. Pottery Barn
2. Destinations360
3. Dr. Katie
4. Peonies
5. Just me. Ben and Joel took it at the laundromat with Heather and Chase as my passe.