Spoiled.

Did you know it's Administrative Professionals Day? I didn't. Until I found this on my desk. 

 What's inside? Lots of evil chocolate chip cookies.

 Then these were delivered. 

 The pictures do not do it justice. 

You could say I'm a little spoiled. I love my job!

Lately

I've been a little busy. So I've had to cut out a few things:

• My social life. Sure I didn't have one before, but I at least had the time for one.
• Blogging. Obviously.
• Staying in touch with family and friends - sorry.
• Reading the book for the family book club that I tried to get my whole family to join. That will still happen though. I'll catch up.
• Doing my hair. Wait I didn't do that before. Let's just say that lately I've been donning the frizzy side braid. No I'm not imitating Katniss.
• Exercising. And cooking. And eating good meals. Let's just say Tax Season has made Christmas Season look like a diet.
• Doing my laundry. Once I finally did it, I placed it on a clean blanket on my floor where it stayed for some time. Yes my clothes are really boring colors:

There are lots of other things but I'm boring myself with my lame list, so let's talk about the things I made time for. This 1,000 piece puzzle. (It's all about the priorities.) I had help from my cousin Lisa, but go ahead and be impressed.

You better believe I made time for this:
And I wouldn't miss out on this:
Lately life has been crazy busy, but it's been good. I am so blessed!

Tag. I'm it.

My cousin Barbara tagged me with the following questions and I'm really glad because I'm running low on blog ideas:

1. Where is your dream vacation? Any vacation done by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen in their movies. But seriously? Greece. It looks so beautiful and I would love to go there and ride a donkey up a ton of stairs while overlooking the gorgeous ocean, meet a handsome man named Kostas, and jump into the perfectly blue water from a cliff.
2. What is your favorite movie that has Hugh Jackman in it? I love Hugh Jackman and I just realized I've only seen one movie with him. I saw Australia (edited) and loved him in that, but I'm ready to give that movie second place once Les Mis comes out! Wait! Just remembered I've seen Kate and Leapold, but that too can take a back seat to Les Miserables in December!!!
3. What book could you read over and over and never be sick of it? Well I don't get sick of books easily, so I would say most of them. Favorites? Pride & Prejudice. To Kill a Mockingbird. Ella Enchanted. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. And the scriptures of course.
4. What's the last movie you saw in the theater? Hunger Games and maybe I waited this long to respond to my tagging so I didn't have to say New Year's Eve.
5. Why did you start blogging? My cousin Barbara told me to so I said, "okay."
6. What store would be your favorite for a shopping spree? Can I cheat and say an online store? (I'm not much of a shopper.) I would pick Amazon.com, but if online stores don't count then I'd say Target. I really like that store.
7. If you were 'Queen for a Day' what rules would you impose? Dumb celebrities aren't famous. No pinky rings. Pet monkeys are normal. All cats dead. Boys must dress like Gene Kelly, that means sweater vests! I get a date with James Marsden (and that's a rule.) Commercials are illegal. Disney Channel goes back in time 10 years and airs Even Stevens, Lizzie McGuire, Sister Sister, and the old good Disney Channel movies. I get to wear roller blades to work. Harsher punishment for parole violators. And world peace.
8. Heels or flats? Flats are obviously more comfortable, but I have WAY better posture in heels and they are slimming. So I don't know...
9. Do you have a traditional Sunday dinner? Well in my mind it means meat, mashed potatoes with good gravy and corn on top, and homemade (or Shirleys) rolls. Of course some kind of tasty brown dessert is there. Anything else is a bonus.
10. What's your favorite song right now? Maybe this. Or this. Or this. Or this. But my favorite for a long time has been this. Wow. I'm really not good at picking A favorite.
11. What's your dream job? I really like my job, but my dream job would be a hotel critic. I could travel the world and visit the nicest hotels. I'd need to critique everything from the spa to the best restaurants. Doesn't that sound awesome? Yes it does.

She ends up with HIM?!

Have you ever noticed that the author sometimes picks the wrong guy? I have. As a matter of fact it happens quite frequently. I feel badly for these authors, it must be embarrassing for them to one day realize they picked the wrong boy. In case they haven't realized yet, I'm here to call them out on it. Here are my top 5 "She ends up with him??!!"'s:

5. Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins?

Really? He is a grumpy old man. (Did you notice his pinky ring? I did.) Why George Bernard Shaw, why? He's not very nice to her. Ever. Also, what about Freddy? Yes his name is Freddy, but that's better than Henry Higgins. He adores Eliza. He writes her twice a day sometimes sheets and sheets. Sure he's poor, but he's king enough for her. Also, he sings out on her street. He can sing on my street anytime.

So I guess I can almost understand why Eliza doesn't pick Freddy, but couldn't the movie have a better ending? Like maybe Higgins could say something sweet to Eliza instead of "Where the devil are my slippers?" Some cute line might make me change my mind.

4. Christine and Raoul?

Okay I know some people are going to hate me for this, but every time I watch this movie or play I'm a little sad that Christine doesn't end up with the Phantom.

Sure he's kind of evil and creepy. He may be a murderer and a bit possessive, but I still cheer him on. Why? I blame Raoul's wig and Andrew Lloyd Weber for giving the Phantom better songs.

3. Mr. Collins & Charlotte Lucas?

Oh Jane Austen, you have made this world a better place. I really like most of your matches. I mean, is there anything cuter than Bingley and Jane or Emma and Mr Knightley? No there is not. Your matches are usually so perfect for each other, but there is one you really screwed up. Mr Collins and Charlotte Lucas? Really?! I don't care if she says she's quite content in her situation. Not buying it. You know who would have been really content in that situation? Mary Bennett, or Mary Collins. (Skip to 4:30 on this clip) I like the sound of that. This way Charlotte Lucas' character could stay reasonable, Mary Bennett wouldn't live her life out as an old maid, and Mr Collins would have a wife who actually respects, maybe even adores him. Plus, look at that picture - don't they make a lovely pair?

Oh did I fail to mention that Mrs. Bennett can live her life in comfort knowing that she won't be turned out of her house by Charlotte Lucas? Win. Win. Win.

2. Katniss and Peeta?

I am a huge Hunger Games fan. I can't wait for the movie to come out, but I'm going to be honest - I'm Team Gale. I fell in love with him in the first chapter and I'm still cheering him on. I'm hoping Suzanne Collins writes a fourth book where there's another Hunger Games. Peeta will enter and die and then Katniss and Gale can live happily ever after. Just kidding, but not really. At least she could re-write the last one and not completely change Gale's character!

Maybe I didn't give Peeta a fair chance because every time he had a cute scene I wanted it to be Gale instead. I was about to re-read the books and try and open my heart to Peeta when these movie posters came out. That's when I knew I would always be Team Gale.

1. Jo and Fox, or Bear?

The worst offender for messing up a good couple and making a rotten one goes to Louisa May Alcott. Congratulations Louisa, your couple makes me the angriest. Let's talk for a second about Jo and Laurie. They are perfect for each other. They quarrel all the time, but they are best friends. They get into all sorts of mischief together, but they help each other.They fit perfectly into one another's families and they are just perfect. Let's talk about Bear and Jo. Um, he's her grandpa. Not really, but he could be.

He's super old and boring. Jo is a fascinating character full of life and adventures, she doesn't want someone who is old, wrinkled, lined and flabby. Sure Laurie will get old, wrinkled, lined, and flabby, but not by next week. Also, Laurie and Amy?! How awkward would you feel if a boy who proposed to you and was way in love with you became your brother in law? Or you knew your husband used to be way in love with your sister? Awkward.

I've included pictures from both the old and "new" Little Women. I grew up with both of these movies and I thought the Bear was just as bothersome in both and Laurie was just as cute.

I've been bugged about this ending since I was eight. Go ahead and try to reason with me, but it won't do. Jo and Laurie were supposed to be together and for some bizarre reason

Louisa tore them apart and put them with incompatible people. Not okay. One time I had a dream Laurie and Jo ended up together, I think I'm going to pretend that's real life.

So what about you? Which book, or movie, made you think, "She ends up with HIM?!"

P.S. Click on the bold words for videos.

Which flag football battle wound is the most painful?

AB
C
D
The correct answer is B. You can't really tell this from the picture, but there is a large chunk of skin missing right above the knuckle on my fourth finger. I don't bruise very easily, so I had document the bruises I got from my short lived time as a flag football player. Also the scratches on my leg came from diving to catch a girl's flag. The "field" was almost all dirt and rocks.

So a few weeks a go I went to a football tournament in Vegas. I actually played in the tournament. Talk about going out of your comfort zone. The football tournament was actually really fun. There were 8 YSA teams from California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. My team was from the singles ward in Glendale.

We placed 2nd and lost the Championship by 1 point. I think we lost motivation to win when we found out the trophy was pink. Also, we had played the team that was seated 1st right before the championship game. So when we played the championship game we were so dead because we had already beat the best team. So we lost to a not-as-good- team. It was sad, but that's okay because overall it was quite the adventure. I was a rusher and after a while I really got the hang of it. The highlight? Telling my family I was playing flag football and hearing their reactions. They do not have a lot of faith in my athletic skills - understandably so.

California Part II

After we left San Francisco we drove along the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). It was such a beautiful drive.

My mom was so nice to drive the whole time so I could enjoy the view since I hadn't been before and she had.

Hearst Castle. Who's Hearst you might ask? Well let me give you a hint, "Pulitzer and Hearst they think they got us. Do they got us? NO." Yep I knew who Hearst was from a Newsies song. You'd be amazed/horrified at how much of my knowledge comes from movies.

Hearst's house was ugly, but I do want Hearst's Pool. The outdoor or the indoor pool. But mostly the outdoor pool.

Mom had work at night and I had homework so we partied all day and did work at night.

Whale watching! We saw a lot of whales and they came pretty close.

This was the view from our last hotel, Cottage by the Sea. Mom loved sleeping with the window open to the sound of the ocean. I loved the view, but I also loved the fireplace in the room.

We loved walking along the beach. One night we walked 6 miles and the next day 3.

I don't think I'll ever grow too old for swings.

Solvang was a fun little Danish town we went to. Unfortunately I can't rotate the picture.

We stopped by in Santa Barbara because I'm kind of obsessed with the TV show Psych and a lot of it supposedly happens in the Santa Barbara Police Department.

The trip ended in Stevenson Ranch, my new home. Almost everyone in my family was there for my aunt and uncle's 65th Birthday party! We enjoyed staying at Sara's house, and just being together.

So, that's my trip to California! Now my vacation spot has become my home. But hey it can become your vacation spot! So come visit! :)

Open your Golden Gate

I have got so much to blog about: my adorable new apartment, my great new job, my incredible Christmas (although I think it's too late for that one...oh well), and my angst towards spoiled celebrities. BUT first, I must blog about my AWESOME trip with my mom last week in California. It was so much fun. Rather than write dozens of paragraphs about it, I'll show you a few of the hundreds of pictures.

Tonight's pictures will feature the first part of the trip:

We had a rough start. We had stayed up so late Saturday night and the 8 hour drive to Reno was anything but scenic.

This is a horrid picture of me, but I think my mom looks beautiful in it and I had to redeem myself after posting the first picture. This is in front of our first hotel - The Nugget Casino.

Monday morning we woke up and drove from Reno to San Francisco. The first stop was The Redwoods. I had never been and it was so beautiful.

A perfect 5 mile hike was just what we needed after sitting in a car for a while.

My first view of The Golden Gate Bridge. Monday night we went to Chinatown and had a delicious meal.

Tuesday we started the day on the pier. We got some delicious Salt Water Taffy which lasted us the whole week! (That's an accomplishment.)

In San Francisco I had my first helicopter ride. It was incredible! I took hundreds of pictures, but I'll just show a few.

My mom was nice enough to let me take the front seat. What a view!

Flying over Alcatraz.

Golden Gate Bridge

Clam Chowder in Sourdough roll! New favorite meal.

Hilarious Seals? Sea Lions? Otters? Well whatever they are, they are funny.

Fisherman's Wharf

Taking the Trolley. Loved it, especially because I had Judy Garland in my head the whole time.

Lombard Street.

Um, we did walk a lot. So eating a lot was justified. Plus, we had to get an Ice Cream Sundae from the Ghiradelli Factory in San Francisco.

"Postcard Row" This view is also in the opening credits of Full House.

Okay, I'm really not a huge Full House fan, but I had to get my picture in front of the full house.

As we left San Francisco I drove my car down Lombard Street. It took me so long.

So that was my first trip to San Francisco. It's such an exciting city with so many different dynamics. The only bad part about being there was having this in my head all day: San Francisco.

Coming soon... Pictures for the rest of the trip.