For the Love of John Adams and more...

Let love and vanity be extinguished and the great passions of ambition, patriotism, break out and burn." John Adams

Ok so I love, loVE, LOVE that quote! Granted John Adams said it before he met Abigail, but still its AWESOME! I have been reading John Adams and its very interesting...like how he was the 14th to graduate from Harvard in his class of 25 because their order was all about their rank in society. Funny how we know nothing about the rest of his graduating class, huh?

Life would be a lot easier if I didn't have to worry about finding love...because it doesn't seem to be something that will come my way. There is a lack of gentlemen callers, lack of crushes---so basically no options. No one seems to be scoring high on the "crush factor." Ya I threw that in there for any of you who read my blog from the 98th ward. True one doesn't really play the game anymore, but sometimes I catch myself still using the same familiar rubric--if only in my head. :) Wouldn't it be great if all we had to think about were passions of ambitions and patriotism?

Secondly I have other issues...like carrying multiple suitcases of baggage that prevent me from really allowing myself to go forward with anything. I become a saboteur of all kids of relationships. Ya truth is I don't like anyone, but that is mostly because I don't allow myself to. Good thing I have my TV and movie star boyfriends..

December Craft Night

About a year ago, Teeno and I decided to start craft night...we have been off and on for a while and haven't done one for a long time actually. Well we finally did a craft. Added som new faces too. We made a Christmas Wreath. It was awesome. Emily, Jillyn, and Lisa came too. We made a huge mess with all the glitter and it is still permeating my life. Its all good. As always we had great food. I had a million ribbons and didn't use them all. Emily said I am a walking craft store...sometimes that is kinda true, not gonna lie. Anyway here are some pics:

Dorky pose


My wreath on Teeno's door


Lisa's Wreath


Teeno's Wreath


Yes I got blisters from burning myself with the hot glue gun


Glitter aftermath

Thrill the World 2011

Ok back in October we--Denise, Lisa, Ashley, and I--did Thrill the World in Park City. I love that dance! Bonus points to anyone who can pick us out!
:)

THANKSGIVING and mini recap

Ok followers, I know its been way to long but life gets busy. Here we go since June, ready set go:
June: JHAT--Loved the class, learned a lot about US history, did awesome on my quizzes--one of the best in the class recharged for the next school year.
July: Started cleaning out the classroom---ya I got moved to the portable, it was awesome to have to move everything and organize it all. Mostly got it, but not quite...Went to Zion National Park and Shakespearean Festival with Lisa. I do love his plays. Always fun. Saw Charlotte for the first time in years and went to the St. George Temple for the first time.
August:Went to California with Matthew. Visited the Long Beach Temple and Los Angeles Temple. Went to Disney, California Adventure and Universal Studios. Also went to San Juan Capistrano and the Beach. Great visit staying at Michael's place. Sad turn of events was that the guy at the wax musuem broke my camera--good thing ipods now come with a camera. Pictures will follow in the future. and of course started school.
September: Cousin Rick's funeral. I drove with aunt Lenora to Cali got stuck in the worst traffic of my life. The El Cajon pass was shut down and we were on i-15 forever. YUCK! It was a very uplifting funeral. It was great to see some cousins I don't see to often. Went to the Nixon Presidential Library--"what would Nixon do?". Started ESL endorsement.
October:Learned the Thriller Dance. And ya I am pretty much awesome now. We did a flash mob for the stake activity with the ward and then went to thrill the world activity in Park city. We dressed as Zombies and pretty much had a great Zombie Apocalypse. Who knew what a good zombie I could make?
November: Big items were Thanksgiving. Ate dinner with Mom, dad, Matthew and Stephen's family. Made some no added sugar pies for dad. The fruit pies could take the fake sugar...but dang the pumpkin pie's mom made were nasty. Kaye had Matthew and me go to Black Friday to get some stuff for Christmas. This year it was 10 pm open at Walmart. It was crazy but I had a job that wasn't nearly as bad.

So here are the pies:
Apple


Blackberry



And overall key words about this school year: Hard, busy, chatty, portable, stealing: Its been a hard school year thus far. Kids are good, but forget that they are good. We are working on it. Kids are getting a little less chatty. Have to remember to look at it day by day. It is great having Mar in class though. I do love that girl! She is pretty much the best5th grade niece ever. And to not leave anyone out I also have a great 4th great nephew, Kinder nephew and 7th grade niece. Ya they are the greatest and make me smile. :)

Calling, Shopping, and More

So the wait is over...I have been called to be the Relief Society President. It is a little overwhelming, as anyone could tell you, but also I think it will be good for me. It will teach me some much needed skills, ie taking control and being in charge. Yes I do have to do this for my job, but its different making decisions with a bunch of 11 year olds. I have found myself not sure what decisions to make regarding the different Relief Society committees, but ultimately I have to make a decision--so goodbye indecisiveness.

Shopping---I hate it! I went on a date yesterday with a new guy, another set up type. This guy was 40. Egads! I feel like that is a little too old for me. He is my older brothers age---I mean my oldest brother's age. You know the guy who helped change my diapers and stuff...With that said, he was ok, it wasn't the best date, but also wasn't the worst. (Much better than my last set up a few weeks ago where it was hard to carry a conversation.) He asked me if I liked shopping and the answer I told him was NO! He asked if I liked it in Jr. High and High School where girls go hang out in the mall and talk and have girl time, the answer is still no. I don't like shopping. I hate looking around for things and as for girl time, I would rather just hang out at someones house and chat, or do it on the phone or go to lunch or something. That being said, I do like new things, like every good consumer does. I like new clothes, I like new options of food to make and eat, I like new electronics. I just don't like going to the store to get it. I hate trying on clothes, I hate looking at all the options, I just hate it. Often clothes don't fit the way you want, or they don't have the product you want or any of that. It actually is worse if it is in a "Tupperwear party" format. Those are so much worse. I hate the scrap booking, pampered chef, Mary Kay, jewelry parties. ALL OF THEM! You get invited, you feel like you have to attend, and then you feel pressured to buy something. I am not saying these products are bad, I just hate the format. It is the same for me in shopping for a husband. I hate dating! Loathe it actually. I am not saying I will hate the end product, I just hate the process. So shopping for a husband, I hate trying on different guys for size. They often don't fit. I hate looking and the product or guy I want is out of stock. Even when you think you find something, it doesn't always pan out.

More...Well the more in this case is the cake fiasco of 2011. I was making my birthday cake and as we have already established in this blog, I like making cakes. I decided to be just a little different this year and make an "adult" cake. Not like my giraffe cake from a few years ago, or the pirate cake for my 28th, but a real adult round two layer cake with some flowers. Nothing too big, but something adultesque. I was going to even go for a new taste. So I made my chocolate cake. I baked it into two round pans and waited for it to cool. While this was happening, I made some marshmallow fondant to cover the cake with. I also made some new frosting--ie the new taste. I made strawberry buttercream, using real berries. When the time came to take the cake out, the bottom stuck a little. I did grease the pan and put flour on it, but alas it wasn't enough. I finally go it out with little problems. I started frosting the cake with the buttercream(FYI all fondant covered cakes need buttercream first before you cover it with fondant). Now here is where the monumental cake disaster happened. The top layer started falling off the bottom layer and broke in half. It was unrepairable. I put all of the cake into a bowl and had little options. I couldn't just serve a bowl full of crumbs, right? So I called my mom and she suggested a trifle. So I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and bought a trifle bowl and more strawberries and cream and whipped up something, that turned out looking ok, and tasted ok, but was still a little disappointing. Good thing fondant keeps for a little while.

So all in all my birthday was ok--good even--I just happened to be a little emotional starting with the cake. I had some good friends at dinner who ordered for me when I had a mini breakdown and couldn't decide what to get.

Strawberry Buttercream


Falling Cake


Crumbly Mess


Trifle From Top


Trifle From Side

30 Flirty and Thriving

Yes its official, I am 30! Happy Birthday To Me! In the past few weeks I have had many more changes than I have bargained for. But don't worry I can handle it, even if I did tear up yesterday for a few minutes (just feeling a little overwhelmed). 30 is going to be a great, if not busy year. No worries though.

So I am moving classrooms, again the second year in a row. This time to a portable. I have to have it done by Thursday. My mom helped me for a few hours yesterday and now all of the cupboards are done. Its just the other stuff that is left.

I also have a new calling, but since I haven't been sustained yet...you get to wait. And its pretty overwhelming don't you worry.

I got the ipod touch for my class this week! Love it!

And best news of all is I am going to get an Ipad 2 for my birthday. A present to myself by myself. All ipads are on back order...so sad news is I have to wait, nonetheless I am excited. I am going to get the plants vs. zombies app. In the words of my cute nephew Tanner "Why wouldn't I have that app.?"

I am going to Thai Siam for my birthday dinner with friends tonight. It will be great and last night I at at Cafe Rio. Yummy food for sure!

Candice, my cousin, was the designer of my birthday henna! I love it!


And btw---the date was just ok. It was really hard to keep up a conversation despite the fact that he is nice.

Famous people I share my birthday with: Gladys Knight, Colbie Caillat, Kylie Minogue, Ian Flemming, Jim Thorpe, Rudolph Giuliani, Glen Rice etc...I also share my birthday with my aunt Mariane.:)

Blind Dates and Relationship Blindness

Blind dates---everyone's favorite right? So over my dating life I have been on many of these so called dates. They aren't exactly my favorite, but hey they are something. For every 3 or so dates that one wants to set me up on, only about one actually ends up a real date. I figure I always say yes, what's the worst that can happen? A great story perhaps, or a mediocre date. No big deal, right? So recently I have had a lot of these offers... I don't really love them, but its something to help me think that I am doing something to try to get married instead of letting things happen to me. I feel like I have a more participatory role this way in my dating life.

Relationship blindness---how often are we blind to our feelings, thoughts about ourselves or about the one we are dating while dating them. We don't always see their true colors, or even our true feelings or true thoughts about them until it is too late or not at all...We are blind because of our chemical feelings, our hormones our emotional baggage or whatever. We all are prone to not seeing what is in front of us. We look past their little things that might be nothing, but in some cases may be something. I guess my fear with this post is that I have fallen into this before and don't care to repeat it. They say "Love is Blind" that may be good in someways, but you don't want to end up with some guy who is not worth your time. I don't mind the blind dates, ok so I don't love them, but its only a night, but relationship blindness can last for a long time.

In case you are wondering...Yes I do have a blind date on Saturday. (wish me luck!)