Christams

For Christmas this year we were able to go down to Salt Lake to visit and spend Christmas Eve and day with my mom and brother. It was such a fun time because we got to play a lot of games together. I realize I will always give up on Monopoly when people start buying hotels, I love Scattegories, and Chris will always complain if we play Scrabble. On Christmas day we were able to sleep in : ) and have a great breakfast together. We were planning on driving back up to Logan that night but the snow kept us in Salt Lake a little longer. The drive up on the 26th was an adventure to say the least, but we made it up okay and were able to make it in time to help the neighbors shovel a car out of the snow the plows buried it in.

Now we are able to spend a little more Christmas cheer with the Merkets who drove to Logan to drop of Larry for school and spend some time with old friends and family. Sadly they will be headed back up on Wednesday and our time together is dwindling by. School starts soon and that is very, very, very sad news because the break did nothing to build my academic morale... I'm going to have to somehow find the courage to go on. I'd never just quit but a very long break sounds appealling. But the day I great a break will be the day I die (wahahahaha--> evil laugh).

Anyways, I am finally finishing a book that I have been reading sporadically for the past year and a half. I included it in a blog earlier this year. Its Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged. I love her style of writing because she describes everything in a manner that strikes the reader and makes the most ordinary scene profound in some way. This novel is about the ability of man's mind to produce. In the society setting America is starting to believe that man deserves things based on his needs. This however, creates unproductive citizens who simply wish to take advantage of all the systems in place to get more than his or her neighbors. In the end the productivity of a nation is screwed because no one wants to show their real ability and get targeted to work harder for the needs of others. Every single sentence that I read brings a new spiritual insight to my opinions and I see her messages in everyday life. I am glad that I have been able to finish this novel during the Christmas break because it makes even the most tedious jobs bearable. I can't wait for my 15 minute break to read more of her powerful words. She is also the founder of a philosophy known as objectivism. If you are ever in need of a few powerful words look it up and you will be motivated to read her work.

The picture above is from our traditional activity of visiting the Temple Square lights for Christmas. The reflection pool was beautiful this year and we couldn't really take a good picture : )

The Happy Ending of This Semester

Now that school is over for the semester I am ecstatic! This semester has been long and tedious and due to my own stupidity I took all of the education courses in one go. I'd recommend it to those who want to be done but it was a real trial for me as a student. I met some professors that I have really enjoyed this semester, but I have also met some professors who I really don't care for. In the end, I am better for it but I'll enjoy my Christmas break. I am busy with two jobs still, but I am going to enjoy the possible future snow, time with my hottie, and family during the holidays. I'll be sad to see a lot of my friends continue the education program while I head to ESL classes but it needs to be done.

Its currently 2:20 AM on my first day off and I sadly cannot sleep. Chris will blame the endless cycle of napping that is a main part of my life; but, I will remain faithful to the benefits of napping to my dying breath. So if ever we ask your opinion on the subject side with me (God will reward you I'm sure). For the break I hope to finally finish Brisingr and start a new novel, be on my way with Chris in learning Spanish (thanks to our wonderful gift to ourselves- Rosetta Stone), mentally prepare myself for the next semester, and create a routine for hitting the gym. I sadly don't know if I'll be enjoying Rugby next semester because of conflicts with a night course and the never ending need to work. Not only do I need the money but I feel a lot more productive with at least two jobs : ). I hope we will be able to move someday because the DOUCHE BAGS who live above us are ever so annoying. Anyways I'll stop my rantings and let you continue with your blog updates.

Random

So while wasting time in the computer lab with Miriam... slacker... I discovered a really interesting site. Its by the author of a rather interesting book called Post Secret. From what I understand people mail in their secrets to the author by post card. Here are some that made me laugh, although not all of them are funny.


The link to the site is http://postsecret.blogspot.com/ I was struggling to make it work for me. Hopefully it works for you.

Merry Christmas everyone! Now that Thanksgiving is over I can finally choose a Christmas layout and show everyone how we decorated our small.. no tiny.. maybe microscopic would be better word, apartment. Cheap was our theme but it came out great! This lovely dollar ornament hangs above our stove and adds a nice touch to our stain white walls.

Our two dollar wreath was decorated with dollar ornaments and old ornaments that we had. This is a horrible picture but because of the lack of a plug outside we cant hang lights outside. Our neighbors upstairs (whom we love with all of our hearts, read the sarcasm) are too lazy to decorate the front of the house so we tried to bring a little bit of Christmas cheer to our door. In the daytime it shimmers with all of the glitter that I put on it but at night its sad in our back porch light.

This is the beginning of the Christmas tree pictures. I don't know why but I just can't get any good pictures of the ornaments and decorations that we used. We went with the cheap theme again, reusing our fake and small Christmas tree from last year and a lot of our ornaments. Chris was nice and let me choose a lot of blue ornaments that I didn't take pictures of. I love our modern, icy Christmas decorations we have this year.

And this is our little corner of Christmas cheer. If anyone knows me they are aware of my deep love for the wreath on the wall. Its actually my mothers and I gave it to her two years ago for her birthday (which is in December) but she was gracious enough to let me take it up to Logan. Its even hung on our wall year round.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Chris' First Draft

So Chris brewed his own beer at home and it is finally finished. Although our Californian visit interrupted the schedule we were able to open the first bottle and taste it. He chose to make a honey hefeweizen for his first try.I like this picture the most becasue it captured the last droplet from the bottle. If you look close enough you can see it stand out from his green shirt.This is his face right after the first taste. Not completely satisfied, but not disgusted. I'm proud of his first attempt, but I realize that it will take a couple of tries to get the right recipe.

And this is us... ya I know... a little disappointing right.

Family Visit

So we were able to go to California recently to visit family, see Larry, and celebrate Thanksgiving. When we were there we were able to take some great pictures. This is the Lee family: Steve, Laura, Corinn, and Cary.
This is the Heil family: Katrina, Jennifer, Jack, Sam, Micheal, and Lucas. And the Merket family: Ami, Larry, Cathy, Dan, Liz, Chris, and me!

It was a great visit because we got a lot of really good food. There is one more picture of everyone together but I haven't gotten a copy of that yet. We were able to go to Knotts Berry Farm while we were in California and we got in at a pretty great price thanks to Larry. We were also going to go to The Price is Right but unfortunately the fire, a lack of cars, and a big desire on my end to sleep canceled our plans. We had some good food and I met a really interesting drink re filler at The Chicken House. Below is the picture that I felt best compared to by drink re filler. He was handsome in his own way, especially when those big lips parted into a smile.

Thanksgiving!

Hey,

So I really wanted get a Christmas theme background, but Chris wouldn't let me because Thanksgiving hasn't even passed yet. However, he had Halloween hair for about a week and a half after Halloween... So.... whatever : )

I saw this... and felt compelled

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Pretty Awkward Situation

Well as many of you know, I am attending USU to become an English Teacher. It has been a pretty fun experience and I am glad to almost be done and have a classroom of my own (well hopefully). I have struggled a little bit with my classes this semester because of the shift from literature courses to educational courses. The education program at USU is a great establishment that has had years to perfect their course requirements. However, the education program is also a very monotonous experience for students. I can't speak for everyone but I surely can speak for myself. A lot of my classes are very similar in themes, texts, activities, and material we discuss, which is not a negative quality. It is ideal to be able to relate the things you discuss in one class to the things you discuss in another; however, the discussions that occur in my class or EXACTLY the same... If I attend one class I attend all of my classes in theory. So today I went to my Reading, Writing, and Technology course to listen to a presentation about multiple learning strategies which resembles my Cognition and Assessment course that discusses accessing different modalities in the classroom... I rebelled (I'll be the first to admit it) and decided to slip out of class during the presentation and finish some homework for another class. I'd like to consider this move as a positive example of my ability as a student to prioritize. Look at what college has taught me : )

I slipped out successfully and went to the computer lab that is located in the same building as my class is. No big deal right.... WRONG! About ten minutes after starting my assignment my entire class comes walking into the computer lab. And I strategically placed myself facing the door and in front of a classroom computer lab. Each one of my fellow classmates saw the shame and embarrassment on my face as they filed past. And my professor also saw my absence from the class activity. It was pretty freaking funny. But thankfully my professor does not know my name and today I had my hair straight (the first time for me in this particular class) There is no way my professor could pick me out from among the other students in the lab. And I think the many, many, many years of smoking has ruined her ability to filter student's faces. I should write a thank you letter to the company that produces the cigarettes my professor enjoys :)

Chris' Birthday

This was right before we went to a wonderful Italian restaurant, La Nonne for his birthday dinner. I'd recommend it to anyone.

I tricked him by taking him to Borders and seeing what book he wanted. He basically picked out his own present : )




And I had to try a cupcake to the face to see if 22 had slowed him down at all... I think it might have.

He blew out all of the candles, but I don't know what he wished for.

Chris' birthday was on Monday the 27th and I make a birthday cupcake cake. It turned out pretty well and tasted delicious. I also got a couple of present to surprise him with.

Chris' Halloween Hair

Here are some pictures of Chris' festive hair... it turned out pretty well.

Halloween!

Although I love trick or treating, dressing up, and enjoying the fall I haven't carved a pumpkin in a very long time. So this year Chris and I decided it was time! We bought a pattern book at Sm
iths, which included some great tools to get the tiny intricate patterns perfectly carved. I chose an ambitious design of a haunted house on a hill.

I think it turned out pretty well... although the middle building lost the door and window due to a poorly planned move by my thumb.

Chris on the otherhand, decided to go for a more traditional but modern pattern. I like the strategically placed eye patch over the eye. I also love the little teeth. It was a lot of fun to carve these pumpkins, but I think I'll be happy to wait another year before I carve another pumpkin.

In other news, we even tried to bake sugar cookies and to decorate them with frosting. It was the most frustrating thing in the world and I wont be baking anytime in the near future. I had help from my lovely sister in law Ami and our creativity went beyond the mere cookies and we made the spirit of Halloween dance with frosting. Alright enough with the douchey language.... here are some pictures of the cookies and some decorations.

This is abstract cookie decorating.

And here is my cookie.....

And this is Ami's pumpkin of death.

What I've read

Brisingr is part of the Inheritance series that follows the life of Eragon. Although I usually do not read a lot of fantasy stories, as of late I have been fascinated by them. The character's are so complex that you find traits that are so similar to your friends, and yourself. I have started the education courses which are enlightening and extremely important to a teacher's education but very boring. Reading about hypothetical classrooms and then talking about them bring up valid points but don't leave much room for entertainment. Therefore books have again become a vital part of my life outside of school. I'd recommend this series to anyone interested.

This novel is a sad, gripping, and horrifying story of the sexual slave trade that happens on a daily basis and affects thousands if not millions of children. Lakshmi is a 13 year old girl who lived in a mountain village with her mother, baby brother, and gambling step father. Throughout the rainy, dry, and every other season Laskmi's family stayed together through disease, hunger, and despair in hops to gain financial stability through their small farming. However, the gambling of Laskmi's step father puts the family in a new level of poverty previously unknown to them. Thinking that she will be going to the big city and be a maid for a rich family, Lakshmi is sold into a brothel. The story's reality hits home for the reader in a profound way. You read the words about an innocence that is ripped away and you wonder what can I do?

So with the release of the last book in the series, Breaking Dawn, I was on a pursuit to read all three again and finish the last book. I was very happy with my decision because I was able to get wrapped up in the love story before the ending came. Although I am sad that the story is finished I enjoyed Meyer's writing style throughout the series and wish, just like Harry Potter, there would be 50 more novels. The books are super, super trendy these days which makes reading them kind of douchey. But, let the books speak for themselves and you can decide when you finish the series.

The Bait and Switch

So if you talk to us on a frequent basis you are probably aware of our newest and largest by far dilemma. We got married in June and got dental and health insurance starting on the day of our marriage. Some might argue that this is marital bliss... however, we have reached the end of ignorance with the screwy world we live in. We both went to our new dentist with our new dental insurance to get our six month cleaning (something that is covered 100% by our insurance) and while we were there we set up three different appointments. One was for a simple filling for me, the second was for a simple filling for Chris, and the third was for a simple moulding of Chris' teeth to get crowns made. Prior to this dentist Chris had two root canals and crowns made for his farthest back molars. But because the last dentist he felt comfortable with drilled into his nasal cavity he has not returned to get any dental work finished. I don't blame him, its sounds pretty freaking painful and the worse experience I have ever had with a dentist is getting my wisdom teeth out and feeling them crumble underneath the dentist's giant metal stick. Anyways, when we made the appointment we talked to the receptionist/insurance lady to get an estimate. With all of our insurance information in front of her she quoted us $500 for the crowns and that the insurance would cover it. So we went ahead. However, after baiting us to make the appointment they have screwed us over completely. Chris went in without being told that they were performing more prep work (we understood the appointment was for mould to be made) and stayed there for an hour while the dentist did "extensive" prep work to his teeth. At the end of this "simple" appointment the receptionist informed Chrish that our insurance didn't cover major work for 12 months! And then they gave the bill $1480!!!!!! He had to take a loan our through their credit services before he could even leave.

Now I come into the story. I came home from school and found out what exactly they had done and was pissed. After crying for awhile I was a woman on a mission who was determined to let the f*cking receptionist now just how pissed off I was. We "chatted" to put it in lighter terms for about 20 minutes. I have replayed the conversation many times in my head and wont repeat it all because of censoring issues : ). However, all the work is stopped and the receptionist informed me that giving an estimate was a simple courtesy that they perform for their patients and it wasn't in their job description to inform us that our insurance wouldn't cover major work. Wouldn't you agree that it was in their job description to inform us that they were going to perform major work before he got the bill. They told us nothing! And they are a horrible example of a business. After many phone calls I found out that the only way for us to have known that we weren't covered for 12 months was by contacting Cafe Rio's human resource department and asking that very specific question. The insurance company didn't provide that information in our booklet or send out a letter stating that we weren't covered for a year. I was shocked out how horrible and twisted insurance and medical offices can be.

Thankfully we aren't going to pay the full amount and will of course NEVER go back to that dentist. Thanks for reading!

Work

So while I have lived up in Logan for school I have transformed my work ethic to be almost obsessive. I think the beginnings of my change came from Cafe Rio. I went from working on the line making food to working up front and being in charge of the front end. I dedicated a lot of time to my position and found little satisfaction in my work. However, I was determined to stay at Cafe Rio and see this job to the end of my college career. After my position was consolidated in the front end I remained as a cashier excited for the break in responsibility. The break was great until a douchey area coach targeted me as a slacker who needed to work more and to devout my entire life to Cafe Rio. Even though the area coach had it in for me I stayed as a cashier for Cafe Rio and endured countless idiotic employees and people who quit when they wanted to go to the rodeo and couldn't find someone to cover for them. But in the end I will be leaving Cafe Rio to pursue my other two jobs and to hopefully add another crappy job during the Christmas season.

Although I am leaving Cafe Rio I would like whoever reads this blog (highly doubting there is anyone out there who reads this) to know that Claudio is not the one who got rid of me... but he's still a douche.

I would also like to dedicate the picture to Claudio who (with his name) should be on the cover of a romance novel.

What I've Read This Summer

Right now I'm read Eldest which is a great fantasy novel. It is a complex story with characters that everyone can connect with. The story is consistent and dramatic and I think any age group or gender would love this series. I can't wait to finish this novel and read the third when it comes out in September.

This novel A Clockwork Novel is a great but horrific novel. Its interesting if you read the introduction before the novel. You get a good idea of the author's state of mind while writing the book and your learn about the differences between the American publishers and the British publishers. I would also recommend watching the American movie version of the novel. It follows the American publisher's ending and is said to leave a bit of content out of the ending. Its a in depth example of unbiased violence that is scary to think about.

Atlas Shrugged is written by Ayn Rand who is the best character developing author that I have ever run into. Although I haven't read an enormous amount of novels I really feel that Ayn Rand has the ability to create a character that is loved, hated, and adored by any kind of reader. I recommend this novel to anyone who has the persistence to finish.

Next on my list to read before school starts is Sold and A Thousand Splendid Suns. I will keep you up to date about how those novels turn out.

The Dark Night

So we just got back from seeing the highly acclaimed movie, the Dark Night. It was entertaining and true to the batman form but I would like to discuss the role Heath Ledger's death played in the movie's publicity. At the time of Ledger's death, suicide, or overdose many discussed the character of Joker and its psychological affects on the actor himself. He was so depressed from the dark thoughts and actions of the Joker he was driven to commit suicide. I however think that perhaps Ledger was mixed up with the usual Hollywood scene of alcohol and drugs for his own personal reasons and the death was probably accidental. I am not an educated psychiatrist who can put any real research behind my opinion but I do not think his career choice drove him to suicide. I believe that his death is a sad occurrence that the producers and publicists of the Dark Night took to spread the rumor that the Joker character was so "dark" that Ledger was forced to suicide. Now everyone who was mildly interested in the batman story will be compelled to go spend their money to see the new movie and find out if the Joker character truly was that intensely dark of a man. Ledger was a professional who could separate his work life from his personal. Therefore I do not believe that the Joker drove him to suicide but rather his own personal struggles played a role in his death, suicide, or overdose. But again I am not an educated individual to claim such things I just wanted to voice my opinion.

The Crimson Trail

This is Chris' new hair as of 2 weeks ago. He's got swirls of different sizes all over his head and I added a star for good measure.And trust me I asked if I could put "hottie" on there and he didn't object. It beats Blake who put cafe rio in his hair.

This is the view from the Crimson Trail. It was such a beautiful day and a long way up.

Hawaii Pictures

This picture is of us at the Honolulu zoo in front of the monkeys.This is a hilarious Japanese man who literally stole the show at the Polynesian Cultural center.
This picture is of the two of us on our dinner cruise. That is Diamond Head in the background.
This is on our Hawaiian food tour. It was a great way to try some authentic Hawaiian food and local favorites. Including spam.
It was the first time I had ever shot a gun, and I was really proud.
Chris was so lethal they had to chain his down.

So I made this great slideshow of our Hawaii pictures, but it didn't work so well trying to upload it. After several frustrating tries I have decided to simply add in pictures to this post. There are so many other pictures, but my motivation ended here.