Sunday, November 21, 2010

PIE...the way to a man's heart?

Are you ready for a story?

I LOVE to tell a good story...and I think I have the makings of a good one. So, grab a snack and take a seat 'cause here we go!

I have a few um lets call them quirks that I am trying to work out or my system, kinks if you will. One of them is my inability to talk to guys. Well I can talk to guys, just not ones who are attractive or single. My therapist pointed out that it is the guys who have "potential" ie they could be available for ahem marriage. Now, let me just clarify that I haven't always been SO "special" when it comes to boys. Well I was definitely as a child but then I kind of grew out of it in my later teens and such and then I had a traumatic experience. All joking aside it really was hard and 'caused me to doubt much of what I believed about relationships, men and women, marriage, men and everything to do with them. So, I stopped being able to converse with or even look at men in the eye. I didn't want to be around them. I didn't trust them. My world had turned upside down. Don't worry this is where we cue my therapist and he tells me little gems like, "Okay, this week we are going to focus on just talking to boys you don't think are attractive...". I loved my therapist, he is great. I have come along way since his words of wisdom but I am still not totally normal, well I guess I am hovering around about where I have always been, and that is semi awkward in some situations, all of which involve guys. For instance, about a year ago I was running a show at BYU. I saw a guy in the audience that I knew from a class. I could tell he kind of liked me and he waited around after the show to talk to me but I PANICKED and ran into the girls bathroom before he could get to me. Who does stuff like that? It was pretty hilarious though. I am sure if we could video montage the awkward boy moments in my life it would be AWE inspiring and the hilarity factor would be through the roof! hahaha

So! Onward with this story. You had to hear that last part to truly appreciate this next part.

I had just moved back from St. George and needed some new contact lenses. So I went on down to my local Walmart and walked into the vision center. I saw 2 male workers. One was young and tall and rather gorgeous looking, you know just my type of guy. 6'3", great smile, friendly, open face, broad shoulders, FP, and he had strawberry blond hair. He was new. I had never seen him before. The other guy is one I have interacted with alot, he is married, middle-aged, looks like this guy. Only minus the smile. He looks like he is the most unhappy man alive. He was also on the phone at the time I walked in. Okay, so who do you think I picked to approach? You've got it! NEWMAN. I started walking towards him. But wait! GASP! All of a sudden, I was being intercepted by the good lookin' red head. PANICK! He was smooth. He didn't even give me the option of being helped by Newman. He wanted to help me out. He did his salesman approach and asked me what I needed today. I needed contacts. He wasn't awkward at all. He just sat down, looked up my file and sold me $120 worth of contacts. Don't worry. I got a $20 dollar rebate out of the deal. Anyway, he just jumped right into a conversation with me. Asking me all kinds of questions. Where I was from, where I went to school, what I was studying, you know normal questions that somehow make me sweat and talk slightly different when responding to a man, an attractive man. I didn't totally fail. I asked him the same questions in return. I learned that he was from the Mid West, he is in his last semester at UVU, he already took the DAT a few years ago and did ok, a 16, and now he is taking it again so that he can become a dentist, his name was Brett. He made me laugh too. So I went along on my merry way with my $120 worth of contacts, how do salesmen do that?

Anyway, I made the ahem, mistake, of telling my sister and brother-in-law about this encounter and how I wish I could get to know the contact guy, not newman but Brett, you know outside of the contact store. Amber got excited and passed the phone to Jim so that he can give me some advice on how I might possibly go out with this guy...

Ladies and Gentlemen. Here are his words of wisdom.

Bake him a Pie.

Yes. That is how he told me to catch a man. Bake. Him. A. Pie. A homemade pie. Not a store bought pie. One made with love in my kitchen and brought to the vision center in the Walmart. I burst out laughing! A pie?! Seriously? Not brownies, or cupcakes or cookies. A pie. hahahaha. Bless his heart he was serious too. "What man would turn down a pie?" he says. I don't know. Maybe one whose mother told him not to take anything, especially food, from strangers? Hahaha.

But seriously, what do you think? Would you bake this guy a pie? and deliver it to him at the Walmart with your phone number? I am sincerely asking, I want to know what you think.

So a few weeks passed and I had moved on from the vision guy. I mean, it just wasn't realistic...I moved into a new ward and met someone new. I can't say his name but his last name might be a fruit. Anyway, I called my sister to tell her about this new guy I was crushing on and to get some advice. She used to be quite the little foxy vixen in her day, she still is in my opinion. So I asked her what I should do to talk to him/meet him etc. and guess what her answer was? Yup thats right. BAKE HIM A PIE. hahaha. A pie? Seriously? Can you see it now? "oh hi, (insert name), i um wanted to meet you so i uh brought you a homemade pie". The only thing that would accomplish would be him thinking I am crazy and I guess it would make good daytime TV! So I laughed and she handed the phone over to my brother in law. He stuck with his answer from before. Bake him a Pie. Ugh. haha thanks for the advice guys!


A couple weeks later I was reading some blogs, Green Wedding Shoes to be exact and this was posted. Pie In a Jar. Isn't that the cutest thing ever? Perfect little pie jars.

If Pie really is the way to a man's heart then this Blog may just be my GOLDEN TICKET to happiness.

At churchg today the announced FHE is the whole ward, and guess what the theme is? PIE! Do you think this is a sign? I'm thinking about going...we shall see. ha

Maybe I could take a poll amongst the men and see what they say about the powers of Pie and the man's heart.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Brittany

My closest cousin's Birthday is today. Brittany Smithee. We are 3 months and 5 days apart.

7 years ago last Saturday, she passed away. I didn't get to say goodbye. I didn't get to tell her how much I loved her and how she inspired me constantly. She was wonderful and a so much fun to be around. I have so many great memories of Brit. I miss her. Here is a link to her favorite song. I Can Only Imagine. We played it at her funeral too. I can't listen to it without crying, but enough time has passed that when I hear it my tears are happy ones, not sad. I am so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know that my family is eternal and that I will see Brittany again. Here are the lyrics to this song.
I Can Only Imagine
MercyMe

"I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side...
I can only imagine, what my eyes will see, when Your Face is before me!
I can only imagine. I can only imagine.

Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine! I can only imagine!

I can only imagine, when that day comes, when I find myself standing in the Son!
I can only imagine, when all I will do, is forever, forever worship You!
I can only imagine! I can only imagine!

Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!

Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?

Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?
Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing 'Hallelujah!'? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!

I can only imagine! Yeah! I can only imagine!! Only imagine!!!
I can only imagine.

I can only imagine, when all I do is forever, forever worship You!
I can only imagine."

Monday, November 15, 2010

Blessings

I experienced a little miracle today. This might not sound like a miracle to you but to me it was. I found parking close to campus where I work. I just said a prayer that I could find parking quickly 'cause I was in a real big hurry and I just didn't have the energy to drive around forever, walk forever and then call in late. The Lord knew this and I drove right to an open space where there is normally no spaces at all. I parked, walked normally and clocked into work at 9:59am! WHOO!

That was such a blessing. It reminded me of all the little blessings that we receive throughout our days that I hardly recognize as a blessing. This experience brought to mind this scripture in The Book of Mormon
, 1 Nephi 1:20 "But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."

When I stop and acknowledge the Lord's hand in my life it makes the blessing even sweeter to know that someone is on my side. That someone is looking out for me and actively participating in my life. I am not alone in the world. I don't have the means or the power to do everything that I accomplish during the day. I just can't do it on my own. It reminds me of a quote from one of the General Authorities. Forgive me I don't remember the exact quote or who said it but the essence of it says that; If we let the Lord take part in our lives, if we let him help us, by turning to him etc. He can make much more of our lives than we ever could alone. This really touched my heart and rang true to me.

It made me think about a lesson I learned on my mission. When I was going on my mission I gave a farewell talk. In it I said something along the lines of, "I know that I have been called to serve the Lord, and I know that I can do it with the Lord's help"
. When I came home from my mission after many experiences and some lessons on humility were learned, I discovered a flaw in my statement. Unintentionally I made the Lord an afterthought. I discovered that my statement needed to be tweaked. In my homecoming talk I shared this discovery. "I was called on a mission to serve the Lord and with the Lord, I can do it." I loved this lesson. It has made me realize that I really can't do things solely by myself and that when I rely on the Lord and let him shape and mold my life it can become much better than when I attempt alone.

I guess, I am just feeling very Grateful today. Life is good. Especially when you take the time to notice.


Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Happy Birthday Boppie!

My baby brother turned 19 today! Can you believe it?! I remember the day he was born. My Grandma Smithee came out to spend some time with us and she took us to a movie that night. All I Want For Christmas. Its a pretty good movie. I especially like how the boy gets into his dad's diner at night and makes the girl he likes and his little sister amazing burgers. ha, its funny what you remember, and then at the end of the movie a lady has a baby. It all wraps up nicely. Shortly after the movie my dad came home and told us that my mom had had the baby and the it was a BOY! I immediately ran into my room and cried. I don't really know why exactly but I was happy. The next day we went and met Adam Joshua and we got to take blue bubble gum cigars to school with stickers that said, "Its a BOY!" on them. It was pretty exciting. I sure loved that little stinker and I still do. Im so grateful that I get to spend a semester at BYU with him and take a class with him AND work with him. Its really been a slice of heaven.

So, Here are a few pictures of Adam and I doing what we do.

I stole these car pictures from my parents camera. Adam went to some museum or something with his Priest's Quarom.

The next few pictures are of Adam and I on our camping trip. I blogged about it a while back but here are some of the pictures. It was so fun. He randomly asked me if I wanted to go camping with him. I told him uh sure if you plan it all and take care of it, we can go right after I come home from work. He did too. He had the suburban packed and our gear all loaded and even made up tinfoil dinners and brought smores stuff. We couldn't find a camping spot so we just picked a little meadow off the side of the road. That night we read Calvin and Hobbes comics and I showed him the star constellations I knew. It is one of my favorite memories with my brother.







This Sunday,Adam let me do his hair, and I put some palm aid in it and swirled the end like a Cupie Doll. He even wore it to church like that! It was awesome!

PROM. or maybe Homecoming with Becca. I like Becca. What a little stud!
I can't remember what he was doing to my mom but it was hilarious.
We both had braces....it was my second time.
1st Day of School. Senior year of High School.
A close up of the Cupie Doll hair!
Adam in our puppet class we are taking together. We are making marionettes!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPS!
I sure love you! More than words can wield the matter, dearer than eyesight, space, liberty, beyond all things rich or rare!

Sometimes you just have to go for it.

When I was little I would walk to school with my sisters. Most of the way there were sidewalks and I would always jump over the cracks so I wouldn't break my mother's back, and then I would make a wish! I would wish for all kinds of things, but more often than not I would wish that I could have black hair like my dad. I didn't not like my head of tow hair but I just wanted to be like my dad. I forgot that wish for a while and kept my hair naturally blonde and highlighted it lighter throughout the years then for my whole adult life I have wondered what I would look like with darker hair.
Sometimes you just gotta get things out of your system. I finally dyed my hair! BROWN, yup my childhood wish came true! Well a shade or two lighter. What do you think?


Add a little Zest to your Life!

When I hear the word Zest, I think 2 things.

First I think of the zest or peel of a citrus fruit, and how I don’t have a zester but that I really want one, because I really like lemons in the things that I cook, like REALLY I LIKE LEMONS and come to think of it I may like LIMES even better!

Second I think about the old commercial Jingle from my childhood.

♪ You’re not fully clean, unless you’re Zestfully clean! ♪

I still sing that to myself occasionally while I’m in the shower. Not that I use Zest soap, I actually use Lever 2000, their new aloe kind, but that jingle is just so dang catchy!

I google imaged Zest and this is what it came up with.

http://eziserv.com/imgs/ASDA_Zest_ISDS.jpg

Isn’t that crazy?! I guess it is pretty green though. Maybe we should get on board with the UK.

Next I went to dictionary.com and looked up Zest. Here is the result:

zest

–noun
1. keen relish; hearty enjoyment; gusto.
2. an agreeable or piquant flavor imparted to something.
3. anything added to impart flavor, enhance one's appreciation, etc.
4. piquancy; interest; charm.
5. liveliness or energy; animating spirit.
6. the peel, esp. the thin outer peel, of a citrus fruit used for flavoring: lemon zest.
–verb (used with object)
7. to give zest, relish, or piquancy to.

The last random note about me is that one of my Favorite drinks is
Rootbeer with a lemon
wedge
in it. LOVE it.
It's my signature drink. Try it! You will love it!

Now go out and find what gives YOU a ZEST for LIFE!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Decisions Decisions Decisions

SOOOO..................

For Halloween, I dyed my hair black. Don't worry. It was only temporary spray in black hair dye. Here are a few pictures for you to see! So, I may have fallen asleep for a bit and that hair dye is all over my face. I look like Mary Poppins when she chimney sweeps with Burt.






Speaking of dark hair...I am getting my hair dyed tomorrow and I am thinking about going dark brown with some red undertones....


What do you think? BLONDE or BROWN? Please give me your opinions!