Thanksgiving Recap!

Thanksgiving weekend….Oh how I loved it!!!
{I can’t believe it’s over}
My recap is kind of long…so sit back. and enjoy!

 

{Walters Girls}

{Walters Girls...being silly!}

I had Wednesday off work…one word. Wonderful.
Randon and Callie came in town on Wednesday. Mom, Callie, and I went with Amanda to go dress shopping…and that was so fun. {in case you have forgotten she will be marrying my brother} She is absolutely beautiful and I was honored to be able to go with her. She had luck because she fell in love {we all did} with the first dress she tried on. Absolutely gorgeous. But your dress shopping…so we made her try on several more….why not feel like a princess and try one gorgeous dress after dress. After dress shopping Callie and I went and saw New Moon. {yup, third time for me, not even tired of it yet}. 

Thursday was THANKSGIVING! And oh how fun that was. We reserved a room in the stake center since we had so many people there. It was so great to see family. We had some family come from Utah that I have not seen in years.  I loved catching up and seeing everyone. After I {well we} stuffed our faces…we played some volleyball. So fun…I absolutely love to play volleyball. That night the girls crafted some cards. Christmas cards to be specific. 

{our table}

Friday...oh the fun…so I found out that the nearby mall was doing this midnight madness… yeah…midnight…{mind you I had to be to work at 5 AM} The big sale was spend a total of $100 and you got a $50 gift card for the mall. So…my Mom, Dad, and I hit the mall….and we had a plan {took awhile to come up with}…but it really helped. My mom waited by guest services while my Dad and I scrambled to spend $100 at Down East Basics. We did. Easily. As soon as he got the receipt I ran it to my mom…and we were able to get our $50 gift card…{after waiting forever}…but we did get it. My parents braved Bath & Body Works while I was in line…and then we went to Victoria’s Secret…I’ll admit I walked in and walked right back out. That line was crazy. But my mom talked me into waiting in line…a free bag with a bow was the goal…super cute. So I waited in line. We finally made it out of there….It was sure fun though. I loved our Black Friday shopping this year…I would much rather stay up late then get up early…After grabbing a bite to eat I got in 1.5 hours of sleep before getting up for work. Surprisingly work was not too bad…only working 4 hours. I came right home and slept. Friday night we had a bonfire at my Uncle’s. {you know how I love that bonfire smell, and I left my purse at home this time}.

Saturday we had a family BBQ at the park. More Fun! I will say it was FREEZING!!! So cold. And then some of us went to my grandparents to visit some more. 

It was such a great weekend! And I can’t believe its December {tomorrow}….

{Um…When can I start my Birthday radius??? HaHa!}

I am Thankful

I truly have so much to be thankful for.

• 
  
  The Gospel, I am grateful for the foundation I have because of it. For my testimony. For the knowledge I have of eternal families, of the plan of happiness, and so much more.
  
  
  
• 
  
  My Family. They are amazing. I have great parents who are such pillars of strength in my life. For my siblings {this of course includes the in-laws too}. I love the relationships we have and how close we are.  My family is the best. I love them so much!
  
  
  
• 
  
  My Friends. This year I understood how it felt to have true friends. And I am so thankful for them in my life. They are such strengths. I love them dearly!
  
  
  
• 
  
  For a Job. I may not {enjoy} work 100% all the time. But I do like what I do.
  
  
  
• 
  
  A Car. Fiona. Its one less thing to worry about when you car runs smoothly.
  
• My Health. This year has been a year of change for sure. I am so grateful for the oppurtunity I had to have surgery. It has become a great tool in assisting me in losing weight. And I am so thankful for that.
  

There is so much more.

So much to be thankful for each and every day.

•   And I of course am thankful for this here blog. And the many bloggy friends I have made. I am grateful for the sweet comments! They can brighten a day!!!!
  
  THANK YOU!!!

Weekend Update

This weekend was super great!

I had Friday off. So it was a long(er) weekend.
So the weekend started off great with Thursday seeing New Moon. {you all know I Loved it!}

Friday I got up and went to Hobby Lobby where they were having 80% off their Fall decor. Found some super cute stuff for super cheap. I then vacuumed out my car {for the first time, since I got her} and treated Fiona to a car wash. {maybe for good behavior for not hitting anything recently}. I hit the gym with my mom, went to the Scrapbook Store (dangerous place, and Target. We watched My Sister’s Keeper. Seriously, I don’t think I have ever cried so much in a movie {besides the first time I saw it in theaters}.

Saturday, we had a girls day to get things ready for an upcoming baby shower for a great friend. Can’t wait to share the decor and stuff. So fun. I loved spending time and chatting with those girls though. And of course I got in my time to hold baby Ethan, {sorry everyone else, I was totally hogging him}. Saturday night we had a Primary Appreciation Dinner with some delicious food. {my purse now smells like a bonfire. Disgusting!!!} And then I went and saw New Moon {again}. Yes. I. Did. And it was great.

Sunday was fantastic. I love being in primary. I think the kid in my class are great! I love them! My mom and I spent the evening making Christmas cards….I might post some soon that I made…maybe possibly do a bit of a giveaway with them {what do you think?}

{sorry the picture is not the best quality, took it with my phone}

And the exciting news happening in our family....Jadon….is engaged to Amanda. And I absolutely love her. {Probably because we were good friends before they started dating, you may recognize her from some pictures in past posts, and now she will be a sister!} I am so super excited for them!!! An April wedding is in the works…YAY!!!!

How was your weekend? You happy for a short week?

New Moon

{Mom and I, with our Burger King crowns}

{Tylon and I...being crazy!}

We just got back from seeing New Moon.
I LOVED it!
Seriously, SO GOOD!
Parts of that movie really pulled at my heart strings.
Truly gut-wrenching.
Reminded me why I have such a hard time reading it.
I was really surprised at how much I felt for Jacob.
{oh, I loved it.}
Loved the casting.
Loved the color/warmth of it.
Loved the better acting.

I can't wait to see it again.

I am so grateful we got to see it at 7.
On our way out the midnight crowd was just beginning to move inside.
So worth the extra money.

Movie Quote Friday!

The Proposal

Margaret Tate: Why didn't you tell me you're some kind of Alaskan Kennedy?
Andrew Paxton: We were in the middle of talking about you... for the last 3 years.
_________________________________________________________
Grandma Annie: [upon being introduced to Margaret] Do you prefer Margaret or "Satan's Mistress"?

Margaret Tate: What am I allergic to?
Andrew Paxton: Pine nuts, and the full spectrum of human emotion.
________________________________________________________
Margaret Tate: I am not getting in that boat!
Andrew Paxton: Fine, see you in three days.
Margaret Tate: You know I can't swim!
Andrew Paxton: Hence... the *boat*. Andrew Paxton: [referring to the story about how he proposed to Margaret] You know what? Actually, Margaret loves telling this story, so I'm just gonna let her go ahead and do that. We should just sit and rapture.
Margaret Tate: Wow, okay... wow, where to begin... the story... Well, um, wow... Okay, well, um, Andrew and I... Andrew and I were about to celebrate our first anniversary together and I knew that he'd been itching to ask me to marry him and he was scared, like a little tiny bird. So, I started leaving him little hints here and there because I knew he wouldn't have the guts to ask...
Andrew Paxton: That's not exactly how it happened.
Margaret Tate: No?
Andrew Paxton: No, no, I mean I picked up on all of her little hints... this woman is about as subtle as a gun. Yeah, no what I was worried about was that she might find this little box...
Margaret Tate: Oh, the decoupage box that he made, where he'd taken the time to cut out twenty little pictures of himself, just pasted all over the box. So beautiful! I opened that beautiful little decoupage and out fluttered these tiny little hand cut heart confettis and once they cleared, I looked down and I saw the most beautiful, big...
Andrew Paxton: ...fat nothing! No ring.
Grandma Annie: No ring?
Grace Paxton: What?
Andrew Paxton: No, but inside that box, underneath all that crap, a handwritten note with the address to a hotel, date and time. Real Humphrey Bogart type stuff. Masculine. Naturally, Margaret, she thought...
Margaret Tate: I thought he was seeing someone else... so it was a terrible time for me, but I went to that hotel anyway, I went there and I pounded on the door. But the door was already unlocked. As I swung open that door, there he was...
Andrew Paxton: Standing.
Margaret Tate: Kneeling.
Andrew Paxton: Like a man.
Margaret Tate: On a bed of rosebuds, in a tuxedo. Your son. Your son... and he was choking back soft, soft sobs. And when he held back the tears and finally caught his breath, he said to me...
Andrew Paxton: 'Margaret, will you marry me?' and she said 'yep', the end!
Andrew Paxton: We'll tell my family about our engagement when I want and how I want. Now, ask me nicely.
Margaret Tate: Ask you nicely what?
Andrew Paxton: Ask me nicely to marry you... Margaret.
Margaret Tate: What does that mean?
Andrew Paxton: You heard me. On your knee.
Margaret Tate: [she kneels] Fine. Does this work for you?
Andrew Paxton: Oh, I like this. Yeah.
Margaret Tate: Here you go. Will you marry me?
Andrew Paxton: No. Say it like you mean it.
Margaret Tate: Andrew.
Andrew Paxton: Yes, Margaret.
Margaret Tate: Sweet Andrew.
Andrew Paxton: I'm listening.
Margaret Tate: Would you please, with cherries on top, marry me?
Andrew Paxton: Ok. I don't appreciate the sarcasm, but I'll do it. See you at the airport tomorrow. Andrew Paxton: Don't take this the wrong way.
Margaret Tate: OK.
Andrew Paxton: You are a very, *very* beautiful woman.
Andrew Paxton: Three days ago, I loathed you. I used to dream about you getting hit by a cab. Then we had our little adventure up in Alaska and things started to changed. Things changed when we kissed. And when you told me about your tattoo. Even when you checked me out when we were naked. But I didn't realize any of this, until I was standing alone... in a barn... wifeless. Now, you could imagine my disappointment when it suddenly dawned on me that the woman I love is about to be kicked out of the country. So Margaret, marry me, because I'd like to date you.

{I just saw this last weekend. Super cute! I love Sandra Bulloc. I am looking forward to seeing her in The Blind Side.}

Weekend Update

This weekend included:
---a vacation day Friday
---Jason's Deli
---So You Think You Can Dance tour with Mom, Jessica, and Natalie
---Up!
---Sleeping in
---House warming party
---Bonfire
---Pizza and Wings
---Old Family videos {Hilare!}
---The Proposal
---and a Fireside!

How was your weekend?

So You Think You Can Dance

Friday was the So You Think You Can Dance tour, It was AMAZING! I went with Natalie, Jessica {above} and my Mom {below}. We had so much fun!!!

So you remember that HORRIBLE dance that Phillip and Jeanine did. The Russian Folk dance? The kept trying to come out and dance it. They were asked to leave the stage.

Phillip's solo...AMAZING!!!!

Ahh...Jason...doing his Bollywood routine...awesome!

Jeanine and Jason...dancing my FAVORITE dance...Loved it!

The top 3 girls...Melissa, Kayla, and Jeanine
and they tried to come out again...were once again asked to leave the stage....
The group dance, choreographed by Mia Michaels

Jeanine and Phillip dancing their first routine...Mad

and they tried again...took my awhile to notice them this time....
and again....

and they finally snuck on and danced their routine...everyone else joined in as well...it was awesome!
and the final dance...it was so good. I was really not sure what to expect. I was so pleased with how it went. We had great seats too...Thanks Jessica!!!!

...Randomness...

* A year ago today I had the vertical sleeve done. I can't believe it has been a year. Sometime {in the near future} I will post pictures of me a year ago and me now. I still see myself as the person I was a year ago, and that needs to change. My mom introduced me to the term 'phantom fat' ,,,

Some specialists use the term “phantom fat” to refer to this phenomenon of feeling fat and unacceptable after weight loss.

“People who were formerly overweight often still carry that internal image, perception, with them,” says Elayne Daniels, a psychologist, who specializes in body-image issues. “They literally feel as if they’re in a large body still.”

Daniels and other experts suspect this may happen because the brain hasn’t “caught up” with the new, leaner body, particularly for people who were obese for many years and then experienced rapid weight loss.

“Body image is a lot harder to change than the actual physical body is,” Daniels says.

{Don't get me wrong I still have more weight to lose.}

* Right now, I am trying to talk myself into getting on the scale. I hate the scale. It has this power to put someone in a bad mood.

* Last night I ventured out to an activity alone. It was weird. But I think it was good practice. Getting out of my comfort zone.

* I should not go grocery shopping when I am hungry. Bad idea!

* I have work off today. And tonight I am going to see the So You Think You Can Dance tour...I am so excited!

* And if you are interested in being part of an ornament swap stop by Micaela's blog to find out how. This is the first swap I have ever been in, and I am super excited!

* I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

{photo from here, I love her work.}

Movie Quote Friday!

The Count of Monte Cristo

Edmond: Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you: as Albert Mondego, the man!
________________________________________________________
Edmond: There are 72,519 stones in my walls. I've counted them many times.
Abbe Faria: But have you named them yet?

Edmond: If you ever presume to interfere in my affairs again, I will, I promise you, finish the job I started the day we met! Do you understand?
Jacopo: I understand you are mad.
Edmond: Mad? My enemies are falling into my traps perfectly!
Jacopo: Mad, your grace, for not seeing this: you have a fortune, a beautiful woman who loves you. Take the gold, take the woman, and live your life! Stop this plan, take what you have won!
Edmond: I can't.
Jacopo: Why not?

Albert Mondego: Who are you, and why are you doing this?
Luigi: We are bad men, and for the money!
_________________________________________________________
Fernand: You pleased me some of the time.
Mercedes: You never pleased me. Mercedes: What's wrong?
Fernand: I'm bankrupt. All my debts have been called in. Also, I am to be arrested.
Mercedes: For what?
Fernand: Piracy, corruption, and murder.
Mercedes: Did you do all these things?
Fernand: Yes. But there's simply not the time to talk about it. The gendarmes are on their way, apparently, so hurry up and pack something.
Mercedes: I'm not going with you, Fernand.
[Fernand turns towards her and angrily breaks a mirror]
Fernand: [Panting] You are my wife. I have made arrangements for us. We shall be very well taken care of. Now go and find my son.
[Fernand walks briskly away from Mercedes]
Mercedes: He's not your son.
[Fernand stops dead in his tracks]
Fernand: I beg your pardon?
Mercedes: Albert Mondego is the son of Edmond Dantes.
[pause]
Mercedes: Why do you think I rushed off so quickly to marry you when Edmond was taken away?
Fernand: [staring blankly in full realization] Premature.
[Fernand steps towards Mercedes and stares piercingly down at her]
Fernand: Well, aren't you a piece of work? So he's the bastard son of a dead traitor?
[Mercedes smirks]
Fernand: He always was disappointing.
Luigi: We shall call him... Zatarra.
Edmond: Sounds fearsome.
Luigi: It means, "driftwood."
_______________________________________________________
Dorleac: Now you're thinking, just now "Why me, O God?". The answer is, God has nothing to do with it. In fact, God is never in France this time of year. Fernand: Monte Cristo!
Edmond: King's to you, Fernand.
Fernand: Edmond? How did you...
Edmond: How did I escape? With difficulty. How did I plan this moment? With pleasure!
Fernand: So you've taken Mercedes.
Edmond: And everything else. Except your life.
Fernand: Why are you doing this?
Edmond: [pauses, remembering what Fernand said when he asked why he betrayed him] It's complicated. Let's just say it's vengeance for the life that you stole from me.
_________________________________________________________
Napoleon: In life, we are kings or pawns. Mercedes: I don't know what dark plan lies within you. Nor do I know by what design we were asked to live without each other these 16 years. But God has offered us a new beginning...
Edmond: God?
Mercedes: Don't slap His hand away.
Edmond: Can I never escape Him?
Mercedes: No, He is in everything. Even in a kiss.

Confession Thursday

I have deleted all the games on my Facebook profile.
I realized (after talking with a friend) that I spent too much time on Facebook.
She had told me that she realized that after she set up a Facebook account,
that she just spent way to much time on the computer.
And its all because of those stupid addicting games {for me anyways.}
So I deleted them ALL.
And I LOVE it!

Weekend Update

Friday was Tylon's last football game {so sad} against Casa Grande. We did not win. But Ty sure did a great job. I am going to miss watching him play!

(Jadon and I in the backseat on our way)(Mom, Jadon, Me, Dad....Dad driving my car...since my eyes are going weird!)(Callie drove to meet us there from Tucson. So fun to see her for a bit.
We stopped to grab a bite after the game.)

Saturday I went to see Samantha and I got to hold, cuddle, and kiss baby Ethan. He sure is a cutie. I love hanging out with her. Saturday night was the adult session of our stake conference.

Monday is almost over and I am looking forward to having a shorter work week with Wednesday being a holiday. I hope you all had a lovely weekend!!!!

(and thank you to all who commented/emailed about my last post. much appreciated!)

Looking for a needle in a Haystack!

Sometimes finding a good guy is like finding a needle in a haystack.
That’s how it feels sometimes.

In group settings I am pretty shy/reserved. I have such a hard time just going up to someone I don’t know and talking to them. I just have a hard time doing that. So I am kind of convinced that unless a guy is determined and approaches me, the only way I think I am going to meet my future man is being set up with him. Either blind date, friend of a friend, or being introduced at some activity. (I am completely fine with this, so if you have any referrals, haha)
Anyways…. here are some of my thoughts and ideas about this whole dating/socializing thing:
*Is it just me or do guys just not really approach girls that they don’t know. Anyone know why that is?
Here are a few of my thoughts:

· Guys probably are not comfortable approaching a girl if she is huddled in a group of people. So what do you do…stand by yourself somewhere else in the room?

· Your body language. I try to be aware of how I am portraying myself. That I don’t have this angry look on my face (naturally my face when I am just relaxing it, I think I look mad.) I am also aware that my arms aren’t constantly folded in front of me (I am comfortable folding my arms, hides my fat, so I try to be really aware and not do this.) and I want to look happy (smile, slightly raised eyebrows). Is this really something that a guy looks at (body language)?

· I think because I am so shy people tend to take that as being stuck up or snotty. (Which I am not.) So how do you change that…other than the body language.

· I have also been told that they are intimidated by me. (which I don’t know that I agree with.) I do think guys get intimidated knowing how much schooling you have done, but they of course would not know that unless they approached you, right?

Okay so that’s just issues with why they aren’t approaching girls.
Now…what happens when you are interested in a guy. But nothing further happens. Is this simply because he is not interested? Because if they were interested they would make it happen right? (at least that is what I learned from the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You”)

Now I have had two (amazing) people (attempt) to set me up on a blind date. Meaning they passed along my number to the guy. Neither guy has called. (Hence, attempt.) Now I am thinking I may be cursed, and at the time my number is passed along they become interested in someone. Or they are just lazy, or too scared to call someone they don’t know. I am not sure. But I do know I am thankful I have some great people helping me out and keeping an eye out for me. Someday…my number will be given out and he WILL call. HaHa.

So I am asking for your thoughts on this…Do share!

(and please don’t say, “Don’t think about it,” because I hear that one all the time. To me that is like telling someone to just NOT think of a red door. What’s the first thing you think of? (duh duh duh…a red door) So…please don’t tell me to not think about it. I hear this one. I am trying)

THANKS!

Movie Quote Friday!

Hitch

Hitch: Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it's the moments that take your breath away.
______________________________________________________________
Hitch: Basic Principles - no woman wakes up saying "God, I hope I don't get swept off my feet today!" Now, she might say "This is a really bad time for me," or something like "I just need some space," or my personal favorite "I'm really into my career right now." You believe that? Neither does she. You know why? 'Cause she's lying to you, that's why. You understand me? Lying! It's not a bad time for her. She doesn't need any space. And she may be into her career, but what she's really saying is "Uh, get away from me now," or possibly "Try harder, stupid," but which one is it? 60% of all human communication is nonverbal, body language; 30% is your tone, so that means 90% of what you're saying ain't coming out of your mouth. Of course she's going to lie to you! She's a nice person! She doesn't want to hurt your feelings! What else she going to say? She doesn't even know you... yet. Luckily, the fact is that just like the rest of us, even a beautiful woman doesn't know what she wants until she sees it, and that's where I come in. My job is to open her eyes. Basic Principles - no matter what, no matter when, no matter who... any man has a chance to sweep any woman off her feet; he just needs the right broom.
Sara: What should we toast to?
Hitch: Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.
______________________________________________________________
Albert: I waited my whole life to feel this miserable. Hitch: [Hitch showed Sara where her great-great-grandfather Juan signed into Ellis Island, and she ran out the door crying] I'm really sorry. When I saw him on the computer, it said "The Butcher of Cadíz." I thought it was a profession, not a headline.
_____________________________________________________________
Sara: Relationships are for people who are waiting for something better to come along.
_____________________________________________________________
Hitch: When your wondering what to say, or how you look... just remember... she is already out with you. That means, she said yes, when she could've said no. That means she made a plan... when she could've just blown you off. So that means it is no longer you job to make her like you... It’s is your job NOT TO MESS IT UP.
Hitch: One dance, one look, one kiss, that's all we get, Albert. Just... one shot, to make the difference between happily ever after, and oh? he's just some guy I went to some thing with once.
____________________________________________________________
Albert: You know, honestly, I never knew I could feel like this. You know? I swear I'm, I'm going out of my mind. It's like I want to throw myself off of every building in New York. I, I see a cab and I just wanna dive in front of it because then I'll stop thinking about her.
Hitch: Look, you will. Just give it time.
Albert: That's just it. I don't want to. I mean, I've waited my whole life to feel this miserable. I mean, and if this is the only way I can stay connected with her, then... well, this is who I have to be. Max: Spoken like a true cynic.
Sara: I'm not a cynic, I'm a realist!
Max: Or a realist masquerading as a cynic who is secretly an optimist.
___________________________________________________________
Hitch: Lean in, place your hand on the small of her back, say it in her ear like a secret. But watch your hand placement, too high says, 'I just wanna be friends,' too low says, 'I just wanna grab some ass.'
Albert: [making holding gestures at different levels] Okay... Friends. Ass. Me.
[Albert is holding a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts]
Hitch: What you got there?
Albert: This? I figured maybe if my heart stops beating, it wouldn't hurt so much.
______________________________________________________________
Hitch: Because that's what people do. They leap, and hope to God they can fly, because otherwise you just drop like a rock, wondering the whole way down, why in the *hell* did I jump? But here I am, Sarah, falling, and the only one that makes me feel like I can fly... is you.
Hitch: So how does it happen, great love? Nobody knows... but what I can tell you is that it happens in the blink of an eye. One moment you're enjoying your life, and the next you're wondering how you ever lived without them.
__________________________________________________________
Sara: So, you kinda like me, huh?
Hitch: No. I love you.

{I seriously LOVE this movie. I love Kevin James. I love Will Smith...and I love the story.
I also think its full of some great advice and great quotes!}