New Baby

There is something really happy about a new baby.

They are so fresh and so dependent on you for help.
And I have this thing where I like to know that I am needed
or at least wanted.

But the absolute sweetest thing ever is a daddy with their
baby girl. I LOVE dads with their daughters.
I can't explain how happy it makes me, especially when the
daddy is my own brother. My brothers are exceptionally good
men. Just look how awesome my youngest brother is:
You can tell he is one heck of a man. And single.
He gives great massages and carries your luggage in airports.
But I didn't tell you that. I promised I would ease up about the
whole dating thing.

Anyho, I'm in Alaska, crazy the places I find myself; getting
to hang out with my new niece, Hailey Suzanne. (I actually
have two new nieces born on the same day, but one
happens to be adventuring in Japan.) Who is perfectly adorable, no?

I did a Napoleon

I live in Idaho. Idaho is cool. The movie Napoleon Dynamite took place in
Idaho; so it's cool, right? (I'm a little ashamed to admit that I've watched that
movie more times than I can count.) Remember the part where Kip runs over
the tupperware when he is trying to sell it. I love it for some reason.

I dropped one of my rubbermaids last night while unloading my trunk and
couldn't find it. I figured I'd get it in the morning when I could see it.
I forgot. It didn't make it.
Although I'm impressed there isn't more damage from being run over.
I recommend the brand. Found at any local Wal-mart.
(They should pay me.)

I am probably the only one that thinks this is slightly humorous.

The man and I went out to my sister's place over the weekend. She is the
first of my siblings to return back to our roots. I think we are all slightly envious.
There are goats, chickens, a pony, a pit bull, and a
few cows all running around getting along quite well. I just took a few pictures
of my niece that is so stinkin' cute its ridiculous.

Indulge me please.



She's pretty much in love with him, too.
It honestly can't be helped.









She is kind of a little rascal. Extremely hard to take pictures of because
she moves around so much. Zip, zoom. I am loving my new lens though.
If you didn't know, my new toy is the Canon 24-105mm and there is love all
around with this baby. My mister says that all I said in New York was:
"My feet hurt."
and...
"I love this lens!"

Hey sis, I'll be getting you the pictures somehow. Soon.

Old News

I had good intentions when my brother came home.

Really, promise.
I was going to do a whole post about it. It was going
to be wonderful. However,this will have to do because as
you well know from the last, previous post: I'm lame.

It is old news, but news all the same. (Like 3 wks old, but
that may give you an idea about how hectic my life is.)
And I really like my pictures and want to share them.

So, ahem... MY BROTHER IS HOME.
I was so excited to see him enter off that plane.
I had to restrain myself not to tackle him. He was so big
and manly. He grew up. We've both changed so much since
seeing each other last and hopefully we can make some new
memories. I love him.
{Picture stolen from my sister. Me and Setherloo hugging.}
He brought a hecka lot of ties home.
It was a crazy weekend full of family, noise, food,
homework (for me), and lots of fun. We went up to Meadow
Lake to do some fishing. (I can't fish. I cry.) And I took lots of pictures.
It was a beautiful day by the lake. We made a fire and burned our
fingers off trying to heat everything up.
My brother loves to fish and I think enjoyed getting back into it.
I just like eating fish.
I played with the nieces and nephews by the lake.
And just enjoyed the day.
I like having one of my best friend home. It means
we get to do things together. This is another old tidbit,
from Halloween old, but fun to look at.
You'll never see a Russian general and Cruella de Vil
together again.{Isn't he cute?! And single...}
And yes, that is my real hair.

Thanks for putting up with the old news everyone.
I feel better about life now that it is off my list. :)

My Best Friend Home with Honor

My best friend is coming home this week from Canada.

ON THURSDAY!!!
And my best friend happens to be my little brother.
And if you saw him, you would laugh at my calling him
little. We are about 14 months apart and I use to tell
everyone that we were twins, which we could have been
because we look alike:
Yes?
Don't you just want to pinch him?
See I haven't seen my best bud in about two years.
And ironically, I am not much of a writer. So, I feel kind
of like I am getting my long lost friend back that I don't know
anymore. But I can definitely think about all the good times
we had. See Seth (my little brother) he is really slow getting
ready in the mornings which just irks me to no end. We had
many a fight about being on time, he punched a hole in my bedroom
door, and I drove really fast out of rage.

But that was made up with all our many conversations. I
would tell him all about girls and who to date (it was my duty as
big sister.) My friends were his friends, and I liked how he use
to come to me for help. I'd tell him how to pass Mrs. Scott's
English class with an A and what to wear.
And I would get him to lift things for me and protect me.
I miss him a great deal.
Can't wait to hug him to death.
Maybe a kiss or two on the cheek.(doesn't he have massive hands?)

But the weird thing is that I feel that I don't know
him anymore. He is all adult now and why would he
needs his silly older-sister-by-only-14 months help him
or give advice? I hope he still likes me.
He is a man now.

My little Setherloo has been what we call a missionary
for the last two years. Elder Setherloo. Cute.
He is all wise now. He was called by a prophet for a special
purpose to spread the gospel.
I never did that.

Guess it is time he taught me.

I can kiss him though. He never liked doing that.

The COW Story (involving poop)

The sun was setting behind me. The colors blending in with the cloud

of dust from my tires as I speed along the dirt road. I stuck my hand out

of the window making an airplane and letting the wind blow it up and down.
It's harvest time!

All day long there is the sound of machines going in the fields. A fleet of trucks

run along the roads taking wheat, barley, and oats to their rightful places. The

sticky hotness and the itchy cloud of grain dust penetrate the air. It is

definitely miserable. But I love it. I didn't always.

Living on a farm sounds romantic and appeasing. Let me tell you it isn't.

When I was younger I hated the farm with a PASSION. I wanted to live

in a big city full of culture and art. I loved art. However, I was stuck in a town

where the nearest thing that could be called artistic was a cattle brand.

When I applied for college I was required to write an essay addressing

the question of why the college should choose me over other applicants.

I told them a story:

It was a stormy day. Actually, it had been raining for about three days.

Dad hauled my little brother and me out of the house to sort out

some cows that needed to go to auction.

We chased them down the alleyway into the sorting corral.

I grabbed the gate and was using it to push the cows in. All of a sudden I

was on my back as one of the mothering heifers kicked the gate right into my

forehead and sent me flying onto the ground. Let me remind you it

had been raining all week and so, yes, I was covered head (including hair) to

foot in slimy, oozy COW POOP!!!

{image via}

I just laid there stunned; cows running all around me

taking advantage of the open gate. I got slowly up. Waddled over to dad,

holding back my tears asked if I could please go home. "Nope," he said.

" We have to finish the job." So I stayed. Miserable to the bone. Hair

matted to my head with poop. Crusty. Stinky. Wet. And we finished the job.

I told those big college people that I would be that way the rest of my life.

I would stay until the job was done.

And so... in two days I move.

I move to a new town, a new job, and a new life.

I'm starting my student teaching. Starting the beginning of "being cultured."

And you know what I think I'm going to miss the most: home.

I'll be packing now.

Where I Come From It's Cornbread and Chicken

{me with the pigs}

If someone were to ask me what experience has shaped my life and personality the most, I would say, without the slightest pause, growing up on a farm. There is a certain sense of pride that comes from having your dad work with his hands and your mom take care of her family. As far back as I can recall, we've always had cattle and enough land to keep us more than busy.

Lessons learned on the farm were countless. Such things as

• I was born knowing how to drive a truck and a tractor.
• It is important to know how deep and thick something is before you cross it.
• The better you treat an animal the more they are willing to give you.
  
• Everyone feels hot and sticky and miserable in a 2pm sun --you’re problems are not unique.
• There is always going to be another solution. You can't do it one way you can do it another.
• A piece of twine will do some amazing things. (It is similar to duct tape.)
• You can't start it-- push it. You can't push it--pull it. You can't move it--ask your brother.
• The best time to sing at the top of your lungs to Dixie Chicks and Tim McGraw is while driving a tractor. Country music doesn't belong anywhere else.
• It isn't always easy to find "this size bolt" from 6 five-gallon buckets of rusty pieces of metal.
• And it important to always have a lot of duct tape and WD-40 on hand.
• You don't get to take a hour lunch.
• Machines talk. They tell you when they are feeling normal and when something is amiss. STOP if anything sounds bad.
• Go to bed when you have the chance.
• Run everything to the dirt and then some.
• An most importantly, the harder you work at something the better you feel about yourself.
  
  Family and your stories are part of who you are and what you stand for. Dad can fix anything and mom knows how to make everything good. The habits you keep for years are as strong as life itself. We are part of the land we work. Pray a lot because it all depends on Him. However, work like it doesn't.
  
  No other experience in this world can offer the satisfaction I feel when I watch the sunset after a day of sweat and hard work and the realization I've "done some good in the world today."

Who Doesn't Love Ann?

Oh my mother. Such a hoot.

She has always been my best friend. The first person I told

about my school girl crushes and my awful first kiss. The person I

ran to with my messes And the person I needed when I couldn't handle

life anymore and I didn't know what direction to point my compass.

She'd listened as I cried and somehow she'd always make me laugh.

She's an awesome listener.

My mom is wise. She taught me some pretty essential things:

~Cops don't mind too much if you go 5 miles over the speed limit

~Sing "Happy Birthday" as bad as you can, it makes the best memories

~"Stop picking" (the zits of course)

~A package of yeast is about 2.5 tsp

~ There is an art to dressing down around the house

~Putting on a pair of earrings completes an outfit

~Use the nice dishes on Sunday and Holidays

~There will always be someone who loves you

Just warning you, this one is a little crude:

~ A virgin is someone who hasn't kissed

(Remember when I asked you what the word meant after hearing it

on the bus. You told me that's what it was. I told people for a long

time they were wrong, Ma.)

My mom is just the right mix of a classy lady with a sense of humor.

My mom is a babe. She is a little bit crazy and a whole lot of fun.

She is my biggest example. And I love her a whole lot.

Happy Birthday Ma!

Mom doesn't like the word random

~ When I finally have a house of my own to decorate, I am

going to put thousands of glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceilings.

I have them in my bedroom now and I love trying to find constellations

as I am going to sleep. I make up my own with their own stories.

(I did this with a past boyfriend for a date. We went and checked out
children's books at the library, made a fort out of the couch cushions, and

tried to find constellations on the ceilings as we ate smores made from the

stovetop. I don't think he liked it as much as I did. Cued me in that he wasn't

right for me. :) {Image found at weheartit.com}

~ My mom's name is Ann. My grandma's name is Shirley. I've always

wanted to name one of my daughters: Anne Shirley.

"Anne with an e."

It honors three great people.

{Mom cutting Grandma's hair. This is one of my favorite pictures.}

Anne of Green Gables= fantastic book, fantastic movie

Probably going to watch it today and eat my cupcakes.

~ I Love Lucy is the best show in the whole world. I have never laughed so hard.

I own 6 seasons on DVD and I watch them every year. I've dyed my hair
red in honor of her several times.

{image found at weheartit.com}

~I don't really have celebrity crushes. Although for a while I really liked Orlando Bloom. I liked watching him in Lord of the Rings. Running. Hmm. He made a pretty great pirate as well.

~Getting notes is one of my most favorite things. I love making cards to give

to people. I think notes should be as long as the space available.

There is always more to say to a person, fill'er up!

~Summer is coming to an end. Did I get rid of my pasty-white chicken legs? No.

Did I read any of the books I planned to? No.
Did I do some art projects that I could use for my student teaching? No.

My excuse: for the last four years I have done nothing but study my

brains out. Read and read. I use to love reading. It feels now like

something I have to do (a chore) and I don't want to. I'm done studying for a while.

All I want to do is watch T.V. and eat cupcakes. It makes me

feel sluggish and gross, but I deserve it. I have worked hard to finish college

and this my break. Next week I'll be moving into a new apartment, in a

new town, and starting a new "grown-up" job; I'm scared! I'm having all sorts

of doubts. What if I really don't like teaching? What if I'm not a good teacher?

Crap.

Mom says I worry too much. I know I do.

~These chairs are making me so happy. I painted them yesterday.

The frames were plain wood I had sitting around that I sprayed

with a light coat of white and scruffed up a bit with sandpaper.

Watercolor.

~I really want to know how to make a heart on the computer.

Anyone know?

The Week

This blog is kinda of my excuse for a journal. I've always wanted to be a great journal writer but I hate actually writing freehand. My hands cramp very easily and I know that I am going to have arthritis when I'm older.

This has been the craziest/funniest weeks in a long, long time. I'm living with my parents for the time being until I move into my apartment which means I don't get to see my friends, who live an hour away, very often. I have discovered how important my social life is to me. When we get together it is major party time. This week is short review:

Wednesday: We went tubing down a river to a golf course. I love swimming. I didn't get the tan I was hoping for because we started about 5:00 p.m. So, I still have my famous white chicken legs. We went bowling, ate pizza, watch a movie, and talked into the wee hours of the night.

Thursday: Early mornings after late nights are the worst. You want to be active but the constant groggy feeling will not go away. My sinful remedy: Mountain Dew. My friend came over and with his mad cooking skills made us the best omelets I've ever eaten. An added bonus is that it was so healthy too. I might have to get the recipe because I'm craving one. A group of us then headed up the mountain to rock climb. It is my new favorite sport. One of the best workouts I've ever had and really challenging. I am a competitive person and I love the chance to challenge myself to greater heights. (PUN!)

Friday: What a sad, sad day. My community is very close knit (since there isn't that many of us) and when deaths happen they shake everyone up. There were two funerals and the difference between a life lived until 15 and one until 90 became clear. The 15 year old boy was one that I use to babysit in high school. He was such an awesome kid and really outgoing. My heart is breaking for the family. I cried a few times during the funeral. He died so young and with so much promise. It was such a different atmosphere than the older man. Funerals are happier when the life has been a long and fulfilling one.
We headed to Utah after the funerals.

Saturday: We painted my grandparents' bedroom. My grandpa is starting to get Alzheimer's. I don't think he recognized me. It breaks my heart because he has always been such a fun man to talk to, very sharp and intelligent. He was different, quiet and confused about his surroundings. It is sad to see someone I love completely change. I am worried for my grandmother. They have been the prime example of the "perfect" couple and I can't imgaine her without him. Charles and Shirley. Isn't their names just cute?

This is the picture I have of them from my Grandmother's 80th Birthday party a few months ago. We spent some time on Saturday going through some old photos. My grandmother was a babe. I love the way old photos look. I like the way that they use to paint them and the vintage awesomeness. Sometimes I really hate how technology has progressed so much that old art forms die. There is something beautiful about old items.

Sunday: More family! My cousin is headed to Ghana for two years for our church.

I'm back in good ol' Idaho now and ready for a more relaxing week.

Sorry for the ridiculous length of this post, just happens sometimes.