The Utah Bean

It's Been a While!

2009-04-18T13:19:00.001-07:00

I went to the conference center for the Saturday morning session of General conference! I LOVED it. While I was there I got this pic of the temple. I watched the rest of the sessions at home on my lap top and I knitted 2 dishcloths...one is a cat and the other is a shamrock :) and painted this picture of the penguins...the whole weekend.

Karisa and I went to Wicked the next weekend. Before we went to the Capitol Theatre we went to temple square and took pics of us and all the super pretty flowers. Wicked was so great! I absolutely LOVE that musical! It was hard to get up to SLC that day though...Karisa was gonna drive up but she locked her keys in her car in a McD's parking lot while we went and changed into nice clothes...I knew we should have just went home and changed...Thankfully my cousin Sara and her husband Dave were able to pick us up and bring us back home and we took my car. (Later that day she had to pay someone to unlock her car...bummer!)

Here's a picture of the stage before the curtains were opened...I LOVE dragon and the map is pretty darn cool!I loved this block that a little kid drew and wrote on on the side of the theatre...they had a bunch of blocked where kids were able to draw pictures and write things about what they saw at the Capitol...here's one of them... :) I think they spelt "singing" wrong. hehe

Visit to Arches

2008-12-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Taggart and I went to Arches National Park by Moab, Utah. It took forever to drive there. But we had fun listening to crappy radio. The one radio station that we could get was country...and neither of us are big fans...so we mostly just talked over it and ate cookies. LOL

Here's a strange sign I saw...twice...(I don't know why it was funny to me...it just was)...

Arches National Park was so neat! I had been dying to go since I moved here, I finally got to go, and I had a blast! We drove around and saw some really cool rock formations. This was my favorite...Here's me in front of the weird balancing rock...

Taggart with...rocks...

Oh...and then we saw a couple arches. The sun was setting so we didn't get to go around the park and see all of them. So we mostly just stayed in one area, and I took pictures while I still had the chance. Here are some more pics...

It was so much fun!!!

Anyway, today Sara and Dave's baby was blessed today. It was a very nice blessing and it was fast Sunday today so I got to hear some really nice testimonies from family. Baby Spencer is so cute. ;)

Oh...Karen got this really cute nativity from Seagull Book (not my store, but another location) that we've been selling for Sara, Dave, and Spencer. But she opened it and something was wrong...can you guess? LOL!!!

Happy International Civil Aviation Day, Letter Writing Day, Cotton Candy Day, and Pearl Harbor Day!

Counter!

2008-12-01T20:51:00.000-08:00

I have moved up to counter at Training Table and I answer phones and take people's orders. I love it. It is SO easy! Then when the Training Table hits a really slow period my coworkers and I just stand there and make fun of each other. I would have to say that this is one of the easiest jobs in the world. I basically just show up. I love it! The only thing I don't like about the job is that I come home smelling like burgers and fries.

Oh...I forgot. About 2 months ago I promised my mother I would put pictures up of my new cell phone on facebook, but I never got around to it. So here is a picture I just took of my new (not so new now) pink cell phone...

Happy Eat a Red Apple Day and World AIDS Awareness Day!

Also, December is...
Bingo Month and Write a Friend Month

They Might Be Elders

2008-11-28T22:23:00.001-08:00

So I went in to work today at Seagull Book...it was SOOOO busy, although, it IS "Black Friday, so I expected it. Busy, busy, busy...

Well, we had an artist come in for a CD signing today. The CD as well as the name of his "band" is "They Might be Elders." He said he knows John Flansburgh and John Linnell from They Might be Giants, so his name is kind of tribute to his friends John and John. Steve Nunez, the creator of They Might be Elders, does parodies of popular songs that everyone knows and "makes them Mormon." They are pretty funny. ;) He also knows another parody guy...Weird Al! He told me that him and Weird Al want to someday have a concert in Salt Lake City. Steve would open then Weird Al would finish, because they both do parodies...except They Might Be Elders is Mormon music. Anyway...I just thought that this guy was really interesting. Really neat to talk to.

Here's a picture of some of the Seagull Book staff and Steve with his CD...(Steve, me, Dallon, and Christina).

So we had a BLAST at work today! Super exciting stuff!

Another thought...I'm not a fan of the whole "Black Friday" idea. I went to the mall at midnight (the mall in Sandy actually reopened at midnight...technically this morning...) and it was JAM PACKED! I'm never do THAT again!

Well...I hope you had a fantasic Black Friday, Buy Nothing Day, Make Your Own Head Day, Red Planet Day, and You're Welcome Day!

My Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T18:49:00.001-08:00

Last night I went over to my friend Karisa's dad's house to watch movies all night. It was a blast. We ate hot dogs and ribs and we took silly pictures. I love hanging out with Karisa! But some kid across the street ruined my fun last night. It was dark, but he should have at least looked behind him before he backed his car out of his driveway. Well he didn't, and my car paid the price. The window shattered and there is a good size dent on the side of my driver's side door. Lovely...

Here are some of the pictures of the car that night. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture while the shattered window was still in place. There was shattered window all over the front seat of my car and on the street.
The cops came and did a police report and gave the kid a ticket for unsafe driving too. So that kept me up until almost midnight. So it was too late to tape up the window so we decided to deal with it in the morning. Well, it decided to rain all last night...so I got out to my car the next morning to patch up the window and there was a puddle of rain on the driver's seat. A great way to start off Thanksgiving...

Here's a better picture of my car in the daylight. One without the plastic over the non-existent window and one with the plastic...

I have to thank Karisa's dad for the wonderful plastic window job. It actually doesn't look as bad as I pictured a patched up window to look like. So I'm very grateful that he was able to do such a great job and to help me as much as he did last night and this morning. The only problem is that the plastic kinda flaps in the wind, so driving down the freeway was LOUD! But I survived.

Well, afterward I went to my bishop's house with my friend Jessica and had thanksgiving lunch/dinner there. The bishop was so nice to invite us over to eat with his family. I had a lot of fun. We ate and played games. We played Clue and Cranium (the kids beat the parents in Cranium...we were pretty proud of ourselves).

Then around 6 pm the Wright family came over to the house. So I got to visit with them for a little bit. They didn't stay for too long, but at least I got to see everyone.

Today I am grateful for...my cell phone (so I can talk to my family back home)...insurance (so I don't have to pay for my car or my hospital visit for my hand)...friends (who try and help me to always think on the bright side)...the temple (where I know I can go and find peace when I need it)...and the piano (I got to play it for the first time in a while today, it made me happy).

Happy Thanksgiving Day and Happy Pins and Needles Day!

Lots went on this past week...

2008-11-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

Ok, well last week on Thursday my friend Lauren and her husband Rodney came down to Utah for a day. They are currently living in Washington and I hardly get to see Lauren, but I got to make it to their wedding the beginning of October. That was a BLAST! Anyway...I hung out with Lauren, Rodney, and Rodney's cousin Chad. We went out to eat and saw a movie. Then we went to a Red Box and got the Spiderwick Chronicles movie.

Here is the happy couple...He already wants out of the relationship...hehe. They are so funny!

Here is my oldest friend and me, we took baths together and shared toys while we were in diapers! We're so close we swear we're sisters! Not the best picture...it was dark. I'm so glad they were able to come down to Utah and visit. When they move to Rexburg and go to BYUI I plan on visiting them every once in a while. I will have even more of a reason to go. Next semester I will have 4 friends up there that I've promised to come visit eventually. :)

Then on Friday night, I went the Stitt's house for dinner and games. Sister Stitt used to live in MN, and her family's basement is where I spent my time for 4 years from 6-6:45 in the morning for Seminary. Although...I was almost always late. But seminary was fun. ;) Anyway, they made potatoes, ribs, jello, brownies, and rice crispy stuff. It was AMAZING! A ton of people from MN where there. It was like a seminary reunion, plus some. After dinner, we took a tour of their house. It is huge!!!! Their front door looked like a castle door....and their neighbors looked like they had a moat. The Stitt's parents live in the basement which is like as big as my house. I wish I had gotten pictures of this house...but I will next time.
After dinner and the tour we played games. We played a game like Catch Phrase, but we made up names for it...so we played a homemade "Name Catch Phrase." I kept getting Sesame Street names and couldn't remember what the show was called...so it was hard for me to describe them. Then Ben, Taggart, Rhiannon, Brother Stitt, and I went and played a strategy game...Carcassonne. It was so confusing. Brother Stitt killed us in that game. It was a great night.

Saturday, I went to see Twilight. It wasn't my favorite movie, but I liked it! I am definitely a fan of Rob Pattinson. ;)
My Singles Ward it AWESOME! I'm making friends and getting into the activities too. We had FHE last night and after the lesson we had a pie eating contest. I got some pictures of the last round. It was so funny...Alan on the front left, Brother Martin with him mouth wide open, and Scott is the one in the back with wipped cream all over his mouth.

Scott won all the pie contests that he was in. I actually participated in the pudding pie eating contest. Me and Karisa Nielsen teamed up...but we didn't win. :( It was hard for me to swallow all that pudding. I'm not a fan of pudding...or pie.

And at that activity...I had an accident. I fell over and Scott fell over on me and my pinky finger got smashed. I went to the hospital to make sure it wasn't broken. It wasn't, THANK GOODNESS! But it was really swollen and hurt like crazy, so they splinted it up. It's hard to type with one less finger. :(

Happy National Parfait Day!!!

I can't come up with cool post titles...

2008-11-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

So, today is my mom and dad's 20th anniversary. So...Happy anniversary mom and dad! But more importantly (joking) it is "Have a Bad Day" Day. I'm not even kidding, that is the holiday today. (sorry mom and dad)

I went to my single's ward activity tonight and we made videos. It was SO MUCH FUN! It was like a bag skit but we recorded them. Unfortunatly when we went to watch them my group's video wasn't working. Oh well, we had fun making it. ;) Me and my friend Mellissa were evil. It starts with Parker and Shane when they were 8 and they were playing with a ninja turtle and were talking about how much they wanted to be like him when they grew up. Then me and Mellissa come in and get mad when they wont let us play so we killed Parker and beat up Shane. Then years later Shane is still sad about Parker being killed so he decided that he wanted to get revenge. He saw a commercial for "Dr. Awesome" who makes ordinary people become awesome. So he gets surgery to become awesome. Dr. Awesome was played by my friend Mike, he came up with most of the story. Then Shane finds us and kills us...LOL It was pretty clever. I just realized that sounds so stupid in writing...I guess you had to be there. It was cool when we watched the other group's videos and ate popcorn together.

Last weekend me and some of my friends decided to go stargazing at midnight. I decided that Utah can be REALLY cold at night. So much for me thinking I'm not gonna need a jacket in Utah...

That's it...have a wonderful "Have a Bad Day" day!

GAW! So busy!

2008-11-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

I have 15 minutes to type and I know I won't finish, so I'll write later tonight as well. (Just thought I would post something while I could because I haven't posted anything in a couple of days...)

Today at Seagull Book the author H.B. Moore came in to sign books. So came unannounced. It was kind of a nice surprise for me and my manager Becky (the only other person working at the time). Becky was like "ok...yeah, you can sign your books." I'm thinking maybe I can get more people to buy them if they knew that her name was signed in the book. ;) She wrote Abinadi. Its a historical fiction book about Abinadi as if he was a young man when he died. It is about his life 3 years prior to his death then ends after his death. I heard it is good...so I suppose I'll read it. She apparently just finished writing her next book about Alma the Younger.

Well, I'm working at Training Table tonight as well. More on my weekend next post!

The Training Table

2008-11-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I had my first day of work at Training Table. It wasn't too bad, but my feet are a little sore. They said I will start out busing tables and washing dishes. I don't mind doing that. It is so easy! I don't even have to think while I'm working. Just pick up crap off table, wash table, and clean dishes. Piece of cake. But in a couple weeks they said they want to train me to do counter and cashiering. As much as I LOVE cleaning ketchup off tables and rinsing food off plates, I can't wait to start at the counter. You have to start somewhere...

So today I was rinsing fry sauce (ketchup and mayonnaise) out of a cup and it sprayed back at me...it got ALL over. I was covered in ketchup and mayo! That was absolutely disgusting, but I survived. I will never turn the water on at full blast again.

Oh...I also picked up two more shifts this week (that means more money)! I have a two hour break (which I've used an hour of) then I go back to work. So I'm washing my disgusting clothes and will be returning there to work 6-10pm. Joy.....:/

Happy Operating Room Nurse day and Young Readers day!

I start tomorrow...

2008-11-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

I finally got my food handler's card, and a schedule from Training Table. I'm only working 9.5 hours this week...but that's OK. I'm not super excited to work there, but I need the money right now. I work from 11:30am to 4:00pm tomorrow. It should be interesting...I've never worked in a food place before. (Except the occasional shift at the Metrodome.) I'm not quite sure what work I will be doing there. They just kind of hired me on the spot and didn't really tell me what they were looking for, and well...I forgot to ask. It's a weird restaurant. You look at the menu and when you decide what you want you pick up the phone that is at the booth and place your order. When the food is ready the phone rings and you go pick it up and pay for it. It is simple, but strange. Their gaucamole bacon burger is delicious!!!! ;) I even get 50% off, but I don't even have the money for even that...so I'll just tough it out. Their food is pretty darn good though!

Happy National Indian Pudding Day, Sadie Hawkins Day, and World Kindness Day!

Nothing happened today....

2008-11-12T20:36:00.000-08:00

I'd like to wish everyone happy "chicken soup for the soul day!"

It is suggested that you take this day as a celebration of the value and healing of chicken soup, especially mom's chicken soul. Chicken soup has long been seen as remedial for colds, flus, and just about anything that ails you. You can't find that healing in a can. You can only find it in mom's homemade chicken soup.

I would also like to inform you all that this month it is...

Aviation History Month
Child Safety Protection Month
International Drum Month
National Adoption Awareness Month
National Epilepsy Month
National Model Railroad Month
Native American Heritage Month
Peanut Butter Lovers Month
Real Jewelry Month
National Sleep Comfort Month

So please take the time this month to celebrate/research/ponder each of these (you still have 18 more days this month).

Yep, it's fall here in Utah...

2008-11-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

I love the mountains. I wish I had a better picture of the mountains around here...maybe another day. But I love the snow on the mountains! It's so pretty! I've been deprived of the mountains because I have been lived almost all of my life in the flat state of Minnesota...we hardly even have hills. :( So, I absolutely love looking at the mountains here. I even hiked up Mount Timpanogos a couple weeks ago. That was a blast!

Well...here's fall in Utah...these are pictures of the yard. It's covered in leaves, and they are soaking wet leaves so we can't really rake them, otherwise I would offer to rake them for Sara and Dave. I guess the leaves will just have to sit there.

Well, today I went to work again. This time I only worked a 3 hour shift. That went by SO FAST! Time flies when you are kept busy. :/ I'm kinda ticked today, I was supposed to go to this "food handling class" so that I can work at Training Table. Well, I had the address and I knew where it was. (The addresses in Utah are numbers and they are SOOO easy!) Well, I went down one road (13th east) thinking I could get on to the road I needed to get onto (90th), but turns out you can't. So, I missed the class and I have to try to go to another one tomorrow night. That's just frustrating!

Halloween...yeah...long time ago...

2008-11-10T17:05:00.000-08:00

Ok...well I realize that Halloween was over a week ago, but I would like to just post a picture of me on Halloween anyway. (Kinda because I don't have much to talk about today)

Well, my friend Karisa and I hung out all that weekend. Karisa is a student at BYU-Idaho and I only see her every three weeks or four weeks, depending on when she has time to visit. She is from Minnesota as well, and we used to go to church together. Anyway...we went over to Art and Karen's house for a little while visited and ate food. Then we rented some movies and watched them until we fell asleep. It was pretty fun, but it didn't feel much like Halloween. So we did our make-up and I got dressed up into some of my old clothes (from back in 10th grade when I decided to try the "goth" scene...turns out it wasn't my thing...I didn't keep much of the clothes, but I found one outfit that I kept and brought with me to Utah). Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of my whole ensemble...but I wore a black "fairy" skirt, a black top, fish nets, lotsa rings and things, and dark make-up (too bad I didn't keep my black lipstick...). We had our own little party...with BROWNIES too!

Well, today I went to work at the bookstore, Seagull Book, and worked a 4 hour shift. I'm starting to get the hang of ringing people's purchases up and processing returns and so forth. It would be helpful if I knew a little bit about all the books and other items. I guess I should start reading! That could take me a while. I love the people that I work with, they are all so helpful!

I guess I should go buy groceries...I'm out of taquitoes and juice! ;) Then I'm off to FHE with my ward!

First Post...Gone shootin'

2008-11-09T13:48:00.000-08:00

I am very new to this blogging thing. I just one day decided...what the heck?...everybody who is anybody has one...so here goes...

Yesterday I went shooting with my uncle Art (well...my dad's uncle) and cousin Thomas. It was supposed to be a youth activity for their ward but only a couple people showed up. Well I wasn't sure how many people were gonna be there and got nervous (I'm not good at meeting new people) so I invited my friend Taggart to come along. (He is currently a student at BYU in Provo.) So we met at Art's house and drove up to around Farmington, UT to a shooting range. I got to shoot a couple different guns...it was my first time. Art tried to teach me all about each of the guns/rifles/whatever he had but I, unfortunately, do not remember what kind each gun was. So...I'll just tell you that I shot a handgun, and pretty black gun with a scope, and some sort of rifle type thing. He did say that one of them was about 100 years old, and some were used, or were the exact same kind of gun used, in the Vietnam War. I was really super nervous about the recoil, but it wasn't too bad on any of them. I'm not bruised or anything. ;) I spent about 3-4 hours shooting and watching other people shoot. I think I even hit a couple of the targets, it was a blast!

Here's a picture of Art and Taggart playing with bullets...

And Thomas aiming the "pretty black gun with a scope"...

Here's a video Art took of me using the handgun...and he just couldn't resist mentioning Sen. Obama...he's really into politics...

Now, I'm just chillin' at home. My goal this week was to clean my room and car...goal achieved! ;)

That's all for now!