Day: The Fourteenth...

Day 14 - put your ipod on shuffle and write ten songs that pop up...

 

YAY!  Today is the day that I've been waiting for!  I have over 7000 songs and books and scripture and videos and happy things on my iPod...it should be interesting to see what surfaces...  ;)
 
10 Totally Random Bits of iPod Bliss:

1. Magical Mystery Tour - Cheap Trick, Greatest Hits
2. All That's Yet To Come - Glen Burtnik, Welcome to Hollywood
3. Suite From The Polar Express - Alan Silvestri, The Polar Express
4. Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down, The Better Life
5. X-Ray Eyes - Kiss, Dynasty
6. Ch. 03 Acts (New Testament).  Yep.  The Bible.
7. Mother Dear - Styx, Equinox
8. Ch. 24 Matthew (New Testament)
9. Simple Man - Lynyrd Skynyrd, (Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd)
10. Here Comes Santa Claus - .38 Special, A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night

I LOVE that two Christmas songs and two New Testament chapters pulled up! 

Here's some fun info: I absolutely ADORE song #2 (and was chosen to add a blurb of ME on Glen's opening song when this happy CD is plugged into a computer!). I can play a bit of song #4 on my guitar, and song #9 is on my top 10 list of all time favorite songs. And of course, band #7 is my fave of faves...always and forever.  I heart Styx.  SO much...

Much Love,

j

Day: The Thirteenth...

Day 13 - a picture of someone/something that has had the biggest impact on you...

Easy.

My Mom: for showing me what being a good mom, teacher, friend, wife, teacher, and awesome, creative person really looks and acts like.

My Dad: for my absolute love for music, teaching me about tools-and letting me know it's okay to use them, and for helping me figure out just what I'm looking for in a hubby.

B, seriously, the best brother anyone could ask for: for teaching me something new daily, for his love of the Gospel, for opening a new world for me, and for being the one who says, "Here's what I think you should do."

Andrea: for loving my B, loving me, her creative spirit, listening ear and hugs...and for the important job she's doing right now...

I love you all SO much.  Thank you...

Much Love,

j

Day: The Twelfth...

Day 12 - someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted...

 

This boy.
(Sorry about the sad, small, blurry pic...it's a crop of a scan of a REALLY old original...)

This is his First grade picture.  Back then, I thought we'd ALWAYS be friends-or maybe...more? (Giggle!!) He was my first crush.  He was the name I carved in hearts on trees and doodled on paper.  He was the one I wanted to wear dresses for.  He was the one that I got into fights over (and got in trouble for).

This boy is still my friend...and even though "more" didn't happen, I'm sure I'd still blush if we were in the same room... 

...And I'm sure I always will...  :)


Much Love,

j

Day: The Eleventh...

Day 11 - a favorite book...

I LOVE to read.  I'm always reading...and usually I'm reading three or four books and a couple of magazines at the same time.  Right now, I'm reading:

A Single Voice by Kristen Oaks
Outliers by Malcom Gladwell
Once Upon a Crime by Michael Buckley
Craft Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco
The Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin
and Blogging For Bliss by Tara Frey (which is full of brilliantly fab ideas, that I plan to use to make this place that much more magical!)
...and Martha Stewart Living, and Women's Health, and Lucky...  :)

I've read hard classics for my AP English classes, the books EVERYONE MUST READ, the books that EVERYONE currently is reading (yep, count the Twilight Saga, The Hunger Game Trilogy and The Maze Runner books on that list.), religious books, dirty books, mystery books (hello, Mr. Bond...), and countless children's books...
But nothing I've read will ever be held as high as
The Catcher In The Rye...

To be honest, I'm not too sure exactly why I love this book as much as I do.  It's just one of those things in my life that is part of me, one that I love because deep down I feel it has somehow flipped a switch and created the person I am today.  This book, this harsh, difficult book that has been linked to many odd, sad and scary events and seems to be on every one's Conspiracy Theory list, has somehow become so much more for me.

I read it for the first time in tenth grade for my AP English class.  I fought a lot of the books I had to read that year, but this one felt easy and relatable...which is funny, because Holden Caulfield and myself are NOTHING alike.  It was the words of J.D. Salinger and the way he wove them into the story of Holden that I loved the most, I think.  My personal copy of Catcher is falling apart and faded and dog-eared and underlined, and loved, and it smells just like an old, loved book should. 

Much Love,

j

Some of the reasons I adore Catcher:


'What I was really hanging around for, I was trying to feel some kind of a good-by. I mean I've left schools and places I didn't even know I was leaving them. I hate that. I don't care if it's a sad good-by or a bad good-by, but when I leave a place I like to know I'm leaving it. If you don't, you feel even worse.'
-Holden Caulfield


'What really knocks me out is a book, when you're all done reading it, you wished the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.'
-Holden Caulfield


'Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score, you'll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You'll learn from them - if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn't education. It's history. It's poetry.'

-Mr. Antolini



Day: The Tenth...

A gorgeous image...of one of my least favorite things...

Click for more amazing pics!

Day 10 - top ten pet peeves...

1. Wet Socks
2. Having to wear socks.  Period.
3. Wet pant legs
4. Mayo
5. Tattling
6. Drivers that DON'T use their turn signals
7. Fingernail biting...Gah...
8. Squeaky snow boots
9. "Teacher!" Poke, poke.  "TEACHER!" Poke, poke, poke...
10. Bogie licking.  (Yes, I see this about 40 times a day!)

...Much Love,

j


Day: The Ninth...

Day 9 - something you have to forgive yourself for...

Ugh...this is hard...

While preparing to graduate HS, I thought a lot about what I wanted to do and be when I..."grew up".  I didn't really WANT to grow up, but the funny thing was that I never actually acted my age to begin with.  I was the one doing homework and reading the hard books and studying all hours of the night.  Mom and dad were the ones telling me to get out of the house, call a friend and to get into some trouble.  I took AP classes, hard classes, art classes, science classes and a Japanese language class that I couldn't quite get the hang of...I also took an internship at the ECEC: Murray School District's preschool. 

I LOVED IT.

Every single second of it. 

I got to be everything I wanted to be-and was in the eyes of the kids I was with.  I had an awesome trainer, and learned then why my mom was so different than all my friends.  She actually knew what she was doing and was insanely good at it.  She knew how to talk to kids, how to treat kids and how to get them to do what she needed them to do...all while they thought it was their idea.  I wanted to be just like her. 

So I studied and learned and threw myself into that work. 

And it stuck. 

I was lucky enough to be hired on as a sub my Senior year of High School and had a job in the Special Ed. classroom before I graduated.  I fell in love with this, too.

One year turned into two.  Then three.  Then four...

Then amazing Kaydee and I were asked to start up a new three year old room...  With Kaydee's natural, amazing ability, and my SPED background (I was pretty amazing, too, actually!) we kicked it.  It was amazing. Our 3's were the happiest, brightest, well-rounded three-year-olds in the state.  Guaranteed.  :)

During this time, I met and fell in love with some of the most amazing kids...with some pretty hard challenges.  Kaydee and I learned how to care for and support lots of difficult special needs...and we both felt very much like...we were needed. 

I didn't feel that I could leave that work...for anything else.

EVEN the U.  Even if it would make me a better teacher.

I wanted to go to the U.  BAD.  I thought about it.  I prayed about it.  I read about it... 
And always, I got the same answer:  The kids at the ECEC NEEDED me. 

So I never went.

I forgot the U.

Fast forward almost 11 years.  I am now counting down to my 30th birthday (which is incredibly scary!) and am working at Liberty Elementary as the aide for the all day kindergarten class (we were just approved for ANOTHER year!!! YAY!!)

I LOVE my job.

But I want to be better.

So...the thing that I get to forgive myself for???


The fact that I'm almost 30...and don't have my degree.


But...


I also know that what I was doing in the meantime was VERY important.

I just get to remember that...and move on... 



Much Love,

j

Day: The Eighth...(sort of...)

Sorry friends.  I've been a slacker.  But really, who's surprised? ;) Between The Bachelor and food poisoning and movie dates...I've been SO swamped! HA!!!

Now, ON with the show...

Day 8 - A picture of you and your friends...

Brienne and I at the Jet concert. 

I.  Look.  MANIC...

Courtney, Colette and I at...

WICKED!!! :)

At the Orpheum in San Francisco.

My Loves...



Much Love,

j

Day: The Seventh...

Day 7 - have you ever thought about giving up on life? when and why?

Here's what I know:

Life is hard.  Sometimes.  

But...everything happens for a reason...and ends up being an awesome life lesson...if you take the time to look for it.

So...no.  I've not had that thought...nor do I believe I ever will...

Besides, it's not up to me when I leave.  That is in the hands of my Heavenly Father.

Much Love,

j

Day: The Sixth...

Day 6 - a funny (and true) story...

Last Monday (President's Day), Brienne and I decided we needed an adventure.  The only thing on the plan was a trip to The Wood Connection...but that would come later.  First we needed lunch...

We ended up at Ichiro Buffet, just for giggles.  It was awkward at first, but we decided to give it a go.  There was a nice looking salad bar and a few veggie rolls...and a WHOLE bunch of random mochi.  I drank my tea, Brie her Pepsi while eating everything with chopsticks.  It only got better when... 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' came blaring on the radio.  I snotted wasabi!  Not to be stereotypical or anything, but 1) It WAS an English song and 2) we WERE in a Japanese place...so...

I did a bit of looking and found some FUNNY reviews about Ichiro at Urban Spoon.  PLEASE check them out!

After lunch and a very intimidating bill paying experience, Brie suggested a trip to VINH Long, our local Asian market.  I've been told repeatedly that I shouldn't go alone-or without a man-but we were feeling brave...and I was out of Sriracha (a kick booty, amazing, hot, chili-garlic sauce that I put on EVERYTHING!) and I was feeling adventurous (and brave) so we decided to go for it...

The first thing that hit me was a very scary smell...a big time sensory overload that was full of spices, pickled somethings, and fish.  To keep from gagging (I *was* being a tad over-sensitive...) I kept repeating, "It smells like the Dutch store...it smells like the Dutch store...it smells like the Dutch store..." (Which, incidentally smells funky to me too, but I tough it out, you know, because of the chocolate, gouda and cassis...)  Anyway, I grabbed a basket and headed down the spice isle.  We found curry spice, soy sauce, my sriracha, other stuff I couldn't make out, and lots and LOTS of this:

Was IS that? You're wondering?  Why, it's just your typical bag of DRIED TUNA FLAKES.  Yep.  Dried tuna flakes.  It was sitting there along with this:

(Yes, that says "Prepared Rolled Squid" up there...) and some random bags of dehydrated mini shrimp with their tiny eyes attached still...

Further down the isle, we found lots of odd, pasty, muted (and some hot pink) colored jars.  Most of the labels were in Chinese and Japanese but a few were in English.  Enjoy and don't gag:

Yeah...

That seriously was enough to do me in.  Gagging happened.  Dry heaving happened.  And yes.  I threw up in my mouth.

We hurried a bit faster after that...and kept finding surprises around every corner...

Preserved turnips.  Yep...

Vegetarian Chop-Suey in a can...

(They also had "Fried Gluten-Mock Pork" in a can.  I bought that...)

Random Mochi Balls...

And SOOOOO Scary Kewpie Mayonnaise.  It jiggled when I poked the bag...

We found some good stuff too, though.  I picked up some soy bean pudding, some dried yam snacks, awesome rice bowls, and we made a friend with the lady at the cash register.  She had drawn-on eyebrows that looked very...quizzical.  She told me the fried gluten was good with rice...and left us with a sage caution:

"No text and driving.  You  go to jail TWO day!"

(Yes.  "2 day!")

 

 

Much Love,

 

j

Day: The Fifth...

Yeah...yesterday was Day 5.  Day 5 didn't happen, because as it turns out, I actually had plans...
So, today gets to be Day 5 AND 6...  Hang on... ;)

Day 5 - what you have learned in the past month...

• That portion sizes matter...and that 29 is a magic number.
• How to figure out a minor pentatonic chord.
• The beginning of 'Free as a Bird'.
• How to read The Circle of Fifths.
• I drink a lot more water while sucking on a Camelbak
• Spending $35 every two weeks on nails is worth it.
• To say what you feel...regardless of the outcome.
• (Don't hurt anyone's feelings when you say what you feel.)
• What you eat does matter...and that you can reverse the bad with a few weeks of the good.
• Most doctors know what they're talking about.
• Friends are the cheapest form of therapy.
• My hair looks much better when it's ALL black.
• Putting stroganoff in your ears results in a trip to the doctors...(NOT me...a kid at school...)
• Trusting others? EASY.
• Trusting MYSELF? So, so hard. (Especially when it turns out not the way you knew it would.)
• Doing yoga and pilates before bed relaxes my back and helps me sleep.
• So does melatonin...
• I miss Postum.
• And...I REALLY need a vacation.

:) Much Love,

j

Day: The Fourth...

Day 4 - The reason you believe you are still alive today...

Today is a tough one.  Not fun and clever and quick.  I actually tried to make it that way...and it just felt wrong.

* 
As a member of the LDS faith, I believe that we are all sent to this earth for a purpose.  Each one of us has an individual job to do while here.  I know that I chose my path: good and bad along with the challenges.  I also know that I have "spiritual contracts" to fulfill.  I am part of God's plan-and God has a plan for me...

It's my job to figure out what that is...
(With the help of daily prayer, scripture reading, and church attendance...I get to step it up...)

I believe that the events leading up to this point in my life have been for a specific purpose and have & are preparing me for what's to come.  I feel like I was asked to forgo certain things in my life to serve and be there for other little souls. 

I don't know when, but I know that I am meant to be a wife and mother...and that together we have a great, important, life changing work to do.  I don't know what this is or how I am to be a part of it...but I know something big is going to happen...

 
THAT is why I am where I am.  Doing what I'm doing.  Getting ready...



Much Love,

j

Day: The Third...

Today is Day 3.  3 is my most favorite of all the numbers.  Happy and special and magical and mine...and today's post fits it perfectly:

Day 3 - something that makes you feel better...

How about a few somethings?

These boys

These boys,

This album...and movie,

EVERYTHING that's on this,

Playing this,

And making stuff with this.

Much Love,

 

j

Day: The Second...

Day2 - What would be found in your purse...

I loved this one.  My purse seriously is a bottomless pit.  Right now you'd find:

• 3 kinds of gum
• 1 tin of cinnamon Altoids
• 6 different kinds of lip gloss or balm-mostly Stilla and Burts Bees
• 1 yellow wallet I got at Urban Outfitters...but not the one in Gateway...the one in San Francisco...
• 1 pair of Ray Bans
• 1 bag of 15 gemstones
• 1 ZZ Top key chain
• 1 pick holder and about 8 guitar picks
• 1 bag of pillies and makeup and hand sanitizer
• 3 flashlights
• 1 camera
• 3 printed coupons: some for Wood Connection-others for soy milk...
• 1 tag that reads: "To Grandma; Love Santa" that I found in a parking lot

This really is pretty tame...once I found a slotted spoon and a gelato cup in there... 

;) Much Love,

j

**PS...that amazing Fossil bag up there is NOT mine.  Yes.  Very sad.  I have a white Calvin Klein one that I really like...but that up there is the one that I REEEEEAAAALLLLY want... 

Day: The First...

{Like this as much as I do? Click!}

Today is Day 1 of the 30 Day Blog Challenge and the day that I get to share...

Day 1 - Your hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365...

How lovely and happy is this?! 

To figure out what I need for an ARL and...actually get it.

To reach 130!

To play guitar like this man:

To figure out if I'm really on the right path...and to correct it if I'm not

Read, read, read!

Make something wonderful every month

Take more mini vacations

Have more Alone Days...

To road trip with Brie

...and plan our June '12 trip with Court and Colette

To spend some time really exploring SLC

And a few others I should probably keep to myself... ;)

See you tomorrow...

Much Love,

j

30 Days...

30 day blog challenge:

One of my happy, gorgeous, tall, fabulous, creative, fun, amazing friends had this posted on her blog awhile back.  I, being so awesome, just found it.  (SORRY KELS!!!) I absolutely LOVE this idea!  You know, my dear? THIS just may be the ticket...a nice self-exploration journey will totally fix it.  RIGHT?!?!  :)

Anyway, it's been so fun to read through her answers...and it really got me thinking.  SO...I've decided to make the commitment here and now to update

EVERY

DAY

FOR

30

DAYS!



Yeah, it's going to be a tough challenge...but, let's stick it through together...  ;)

Here's what's on the list:


Day 1 - your hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days



Day2 - What would be found in your purse



Day3 - something that makes you feel better



Day4 - The reason you believe you are still alive today



Day5 - what you have learned in the past month



Day6 - a funny (and true) story



Day7 - have you ever thought about giving up on life? when and why?



Day8 - A picture of you and your friends



Day9 - Something you have to forgive yourself for



Day10 - top ten pet peeves



Day11 - a favorite book



Day12 - someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted



Day13 - a picture of someone/something that has had the biggest impact on you



Day14 - put your ipod on shuffle and write ten songs that pop up



Day15 - a travel story



Day16 - Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why



Day17 - a hobby



Day18 - someone or something you definitely could live without



Day19 - A picture of something that makes you happy



Day20 - a favorite recipe



Day21 - a book you've read that changed your views on something



Day22 - what makes you different from everyone else



Day23 - a child I love



Day24 - what's the best thing going for you right now



Day25 - something you bought recently



Day26 - something you have to forgive someone else for



Day27 - a favorite quote



Day28 - what did you do today



Day29 - your dream house



Day30 - 5 things about you no one really knows




Bet you can't wait for tomorrow... ;)

Much Love,

j