Experimenting

I spent some time today experimenting with different templates for my blog (thanks for the inspiration Mel) which is why it looks a bit different. I'm trying this layout for now but I may change it next week. I also hope to have some more pictures to post next Monday or Tuesday (most of you have not seen my new hair cut) so stay tuned. In the mean time I am open to your feedback. Does this look like me or what?

Lava Hot Springs 2008

I have been meaning to post this for several weeks now but I needed to "borrow" some pictures from Trish. Yeah, I took my camera but I spent so much time around the water that I hardly took any. Plus, Trish takes much better pictures than I do. So, as the title says it all. I spent August 22-23 in Lava Hot Springs with my ward and had an awesome time! We spent our time camping, swimming, cooking in the hot pools, and making new friends. One of the things that I love about out of town ward activities is the opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and the chance to get to know people that you may otherwise not cross paths with. After the car ride up and back I feel a little more tightly bonded to Trish, Chris, and Travis (the ride up and back was an adventure). I am so thankful to be a part of my ward and for the amazing friends that I have there.

An Evening with Brian Regan

Karen, Me, Travis, and Becky

I have become a recent fan of Brian Regan thanks to my good friend Travis. He started quoting it to me in the spring and when I told him that I was only a little familiar with the comedian he promptly lent me one of his CD’s. Needless to say that it has been a long time since I have laughed so hard. So, when Travis found out that Brian Regan would be coming in “concert” in August he asked me if I was interested in going. Of course I was very interested. I decided that since the “concert” was a couple of weeks before Becky’s birthday that it might be a good birthday present for her. So, on August 15 I joined Travis, Becky, and Becky for a night of laughter at the Amphitheater at Thanksgiving Point. It was a beautiful night for the show and we had a great time together. If you are not familiar with Brian Regan you may want to check out some of his stuff- you know where to go for video clips.

Shopping 101

So, my friends and I were invited to a garden party last Saturday and as noted on the invitation, the dress was cocktail attire. I thought to myself, “what the heck is cocktail attire?” So, being the best friend that she is, Trish took me shopping. I had been shopping with Trish before but I have never been the one doing the shopping so I not prepared for the results. Needless to say Trish is my lucky charm! We went to Brickyard Plaza to start and ended up doing everything right there. We went in to a dress store that I would never had gone in to on my own “just to look” but since Trish suggested it I was game. She hit the discount racks and started looking for items in my size. She pull almost anything off and handing it to me to try on. She pulled two dresses off the rack that I was going to try on just to humor her but they ended up being the dresses that I bought. I left the store with two amazingly flattering dresses, one for the party and one for church.

As a side note, the dresses are not what I would have bought for myself or even looked at but thanks to Trish I had to come out of my clothing comfort zone. Then I found the perfect shoes at TJ Max. We then went in to Mervyn's where I found the perfect pair of red shoes ( I have been looking for them forever!). We left Brickyard having fulfilled our shopping agenda and in half the time.

Now, the party dress is super cute but the church dress is the one that seems to have the magic. I often get compliments on my appearance at church but Sunday I got a lot of compliments on my dress. Sorry, not pictures were taken on Sunday but the next time I wear the magical dress I’ll be sure to post them.

Yep, it’s time to change my image a little. Thanks for boosting my self-esteem Trish!

July Rundown

WOW! I know that it's been almost a month since I have posted so I beg everyone’s forgiveness; July was a very busy month both personally and at work. I spent the month of July playing with my friends. I think I have now seen all the movies that I wanted to see this summer. Yep, I’ve seen a lot of movies but I would have to say that the best one that I saw (twice) is Iron Man. I may see it a third time.

The pictures posted are from the Days of ‘47 Parade which was really fun. I remember as a kid I always wanted to go downtown for the parade on the 24th of July but because of the logistics of the event I was never able to go. Well, since I have lived in the Avenues I have gone to the parade several times (I am within walking distance of the parade route). I like to invite my friends to come along since it makes it more fun so this year Trish and some of our friends from our ward joined us. We didn’t camp out for a spot so we got lucky when we found a shady spot just in front of the Brigham Apartments. We had a great time; I have dome pretty great friends!

The month ended with Stampin’ Up!’s annual convention which I had the lucky pleasure of working. I opted to stay at the Hotel Monaco while I was working convention and I am so glad that I did. My days started at 6:30 or so and did not end until 7 pm or later so it was nice to go back to my room and not have any distractions. I just fell in to bed. But even though my days were long I really enjoyed having the opportunity to work with people that I would otherwise not get to know. I made some great new friends during that week. Convention really is a lot of fun if you can get past being exhausted all the time.

And, I know you are all dying for an update on my 4 x 10 schedule. It’s still really great. I have my body trained to get up at 4:30 am and for the most part I can make it though my day without any chemical assistance. I really like having my Wednesdays to rest and play. All in all, July was a great month and I can’t believe that we are halfway though August.

I’ll try to be better about posting this month. Peace out!

Trish and Travis

Me

Me and Trish

Me and Steve

Cute Karen!

Andy, Karen, and Fielding

Me and Andy testing our personal space. Yeah, he doesn't have any. :)

4 x 10’s

Yep, I have jumped on the “4 x 10 work week” bandwagon that has been in the news quite a lot lately. I was offered the 4 x 10 shift almost a year and a half ago but I really had no desire to change my beloved schedule. I mean, in order to be to work by 7 I need to be up and going by 4:45 and that is only if I have packed my lunch the night before. Who in their right mind would want to get up that early? Plus, it also means that I need to be in bed no later than 9 so it kind of hinders my social life during the week. But, with the continual rise of gas prices combined with my desire for some down time in the middle of the week I took the leap (last week was my first 4 x 10 week). I now work 7-5:30 with Wednesdays off so I never work more than two days in a row. And to be honest, I have not really noticed much of a difference which makes me wonder why I didn’t jump on this ages ago when it was first offered? Oh I know, it was my need for sleep.

So far so good but I’ll keep you posted!

Pickin’ Peas with Grandma Homer

Most of you know that I live next door to my roommates grandma but what you may not know is that Grandma Homer is 92 years old but you may not know it to look at her. She is still really active. Anyway, for as long as I have known her she has planted something of a garden in our backyard(we share the driveway and the backyard) and she always shares the spoils. Well, last night when I got home from work Grandma Homer was standing in the middle if her pea patch eating peas she had just picked. She looked so cute just standing there smiling that I could not help but laugh. I went in to the house and quickly wolfed down a bowl of cereal and then went out to visit with grandma. She gets really lonely these days and I felt impressed to go out and visit with her. As I approached her she said “Do you want to pick peas with me Melissa?” to which I replied “I sure do”. We spent the next twenty minutes or so picking and eating peas out of the garden while I asked her questions about the other plants in the garden and how well she thinks her tomatoes are going to do this year.

She then invited me in to see her freshly washed windows in the basement and I got my yearly tour of the basement. She has given me the history of the finished basement many times but she never remembers so I just pretend like I had never heard her stories before. I actually do that with most of our conversations. I have heard almost all of her stories at least a dozen times but she never remembers that she has told them to me before so I always humor her and act like I have never heard them before. Good thing I have had years of practice with my own grandma. I would have to say; however, that the highlight of my visit with grandma (other than the fresh peas) was when she got on the HealthRider that she has in her basement and demonstrated how it worked. I will never forget the image of that 92 year old grandma riding the HealthRider. So funny!

Maybe Grandma Homer will be out pickin’ peas again tonight. She’s so cute!