One Year. Two Years.

This week marks one year since I moved to Salt Lake. And it's just past the two year anniversary of moving away from Colorado.

I sure miss my friends in Co.

And I don't like Salt Lake. I thought I would- but I really just don't care for it here. The only thing that I love is that the theater is so nearby and they usually do some pretty awesome stuff. In the year I've been here I've seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, and at least one or two more that seem to be slipping my mind. Wicked is coming but I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to make it. (sad face)

All these things I go to alone. It's fine. At least I don't have to make awkward conversation. I did go to a movie once with a girl from work, and last month I finally got invited to a party- but it's been so long since I've been in a group of strangers (or at least not family) that I'm totally socially awkward and don't know how to talk to people any more. But I rock at croquet so that makes up for it I guess. :)

Not very often, but sometimes I just go wander downtown or go hang out around temple square. That's my favorite thing to do when friend/family come to town. I LOVE playing Mormon tour guide. When Desiree and Tina came to town that's what we did (along with getting locked in the cemetery after dark on Halloween). And that is probably the highlight of my visit when my nieces Shayla and Macy came. The rest of their family went back to their hotel for a nap. I took the girls to the city cemetery and had a church history lesson. We visited the graves of W.W. Phelps and William Clayton and sang some of their more famous hymns right there at their graves.

I think I embarrassed them a little (Shayla and Macy that is, I'm pretty sure Bros Phelps and Clayton didn't mind so much... I *can* carry a tune after all... most of the time). But it was so awesome. We had all missed church that day. It was the day I got back from California, and they were on vacation- but I felt the Spirit more in the cemetery that day than I have in a long time. It was awesome.

It's been a pretty interesting year that's for sure. I don't know if it's been a great year- but I have learned a lot about myself, not all of it I like and some of it I'm trying to change. We'll see how it goes I guess. Who knows where I'll be this time next year???

So... whatcha thinkin?

At any given time I can be thinking many different things. Right now my mind is a jumble of everything.

I'm thinking:

• What kind of bozo cries at Lilo and Stitch 2? (the same kind that cried during Lilo and Stitch 1)
• Why did my visiting teaching companion hound me to go visiting with her, only to flake on me two weeks in a row?
• Just how bad are butter mints for me? I have a tub of them next to me and it's slowly emptying.
• Walmart knows their crappy reputation. Why don't they try to fix it? Why do they *insist* on being a ghetto store no matter what neighborhood they're in?
• How many more days do I have to work before I get to see my cute babies?
• Why hasn't the laundry fairy ever visited me?
• Should I go to bed "early" tonight or watch a movie and stay up late because I'm off tomorrow and I can if I want to!
• I miss my friends that live in states far far away. I miss the friends who live in states nearby too. I also miss my friends who live in other countries.
• Should I go get my hair did tomorrow?
• Who is texting me at this time of night???
• When will I ever make it back to the UK? I dreamt of London last night and woke up so sad that I was not there. I was giving people a tour of the lesser known parts of London and then we were going to go to Westminster. I woke up before we could get there. It seems as if I'll NEVER make it there! I have to! I just *have* to!
• Next time I go home I need to dig out my England pictures and blog about them as if they are currently happening.
• I want to play the piano. I haven't touched a piano in two years. It does wonders for my soul but I just haven't been around one to play.
• I want a kitten.

I'm pretty sure my brain is about to explode.

My Hero

This is going to be a sentimental, sappy post. Just so your forewarned.

My mom is amazing. She's amazing for several reasons. Not all of which can be explained away in one measly blog post. I could probably start a whole blog and name it  My Awesome Mom and post something new everyday and still never run out of things to say.

But the thing that has me the most impressed these days- is my mom is the most amazing visiting teacher. Seriously. She's the kind of visiting teacher you read about in the Ensign.

Usually visiting teachers do the occasional visit (unless you get the stellar kind that actually visit you) or phone call. Maybe a plate of cookies now and again. And all visits end with "If there is anything we can do you for you, let us know."

My mom never misses a month to visit her ladies in person. And it's not just once a month. Some of them she looks in on quite a lot more often than once a month.

Her resilience as a visiting teacher has been sorely tried these last three weeks.  She visits four ladies. In the last three weeks:

• She took time out to go help one of her little old ladies set up her yard for a community yard sale. There was no one else to help her and my mom graciously volunteered to do it for her (dad helped, good on ya, dad).
• Another of her ladies very suddenly and very tragically lost her son-in-law, Tyler; a child that has been a part of her family for nigh onto 20 years. My mom was there to give support and comfort and do whatever she could do for the family.
• Less than two weeks following that, another horrific tragedy struck when another one of her ladies lost a son, Brent. He was killed by a drunk driver. Again, my mom was there, comforting, reminiscing and giving love to the family.
• During all of this, the fourth lady she visits was in the hospital. The day after Brent's funeral, lady number four (I'm so sorry I don't remember her name!) died.  She doesn't have much in the way of nearby family so my mom is taking charge of the funeral and helping with arrangements as well as she can.

And her amazingness doesn't stop there. My special niece, Jenna, had a therapy worker named Monique. Monique joined the church and got married and today was sealed in the temple. Well, she doesn't have family who could go with her, so my mom and sister-in-law drove all the way to Utah to be there for her. All while these other things are going on- and she had two wedding cake orders on top of it all this weekend.

When (read IF) I grow up, I hope I'm even a fraction as awesome as my Mommy.

Run! Don't Walk!

I've blog stalked a lot of people in my spare time. And posts are funny. Some are sad. Some make me question the sanity of the author. And others are just plain boring.

Tonight, I stalked a blog that I don't hit very often- only when I'm thinking of the author. I read down the last few posts I haven't read in a while... and came across this little beauty.

Best. Blog Post. Ever.

Stop what you're doing and go read this post. Right. Now.

You're Welcome.

An Olympic Occasion

It's the Olympics!!! and they're in London!!!

[Scuttle beating] DO YOU HEAR WHAT I'M TELLING YOU?? THEY. ARE. IN. LONDON!!!!!

ahem... I just happened to LOVE London. I don't know if I've ever mentioned that before. I wasn't planning on being in Idaho for the opening ceremonies, but due to unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances, I was there. Two of my sisters and I were going to watch it together. I suggested having an international dinner- just because we like to theme things in our family (it's a sickness, really).

My other sister happened to be in town with her kids going to the dentist, so I invited them- they wanted to stay. That doubled our party so we had to move to a bigger venue: mom's house. So that added the rents. My brother and his girls made a cameo appearance as well. So our party of 3 went to a party of about 11.

The ceremonies themselves had high points and low points- but it was LONDON so I just sat in my chair and cried as Kenneth Branagh quoted Shakespeare. I think the dream sequence with the Child Catcher, Captain Hook, Cruella De Vil and Voldemort was my favorite. When Mary Poppins saves the day? Honestly??? Awesome.

Anyway... The dinner we had was fantastic. I invested in international flags and a table cloth to set the mood.

We (I) threw it together quickly so some of the countries that were represented... well... it was a bit of  a stretch.

Represented were:

China- Take out from Mandarin house (Mandarin Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Rice and Chow Mein)

Italy- Mozzarella Sticks and Marinara Sauce. Probably not totally authentic- but I *had* to have Italy represented and this was the fastest thing.

Mexico- Hard and Soft shell Tacos from Taco Bell (not authentic at all, I know- but still funny, eh?)

Greece- Baklava (it would have been a crime not to include the country from whence the Olympics originated, no?)

France- French Bread and Allouette Garlic Cheese Spread (if Escargot tasted that good I'd eat them everyday!)

Switzerland- Toblerone Swiss Chocolate

USA- American Easy Cheese and Wheat Thins. (hahahahahahah!!!!) My mom also contributed a shrimp veggie dip. I included that in USA because sometimes American's act a little Dippy (bu dum ksh).

Ireland- (here's where I really had to stretch) Lucky Charms and good Irish Stout! (which tasted remarkably like root beer)

And finally...

England.- I made my very first trifle! Strawberry Lemon. It was actually quite amazing!  It's not as pretty as I planned in my head- but it sure tasted divine!

Next time I think I'll make assignments out to people. It would sure make it a lot easier on me (and my bank account!) And oh yes, we *will* be doing this every opening ceremony of the Olympics- Summer and Winter- for the rest of my life. Wherever I am, it will happen.