Here's a random update for everyone. Sorry I haven't been to keen on writing on here lately... life is CRAZY busy with full time work and full time school....

Here's a bit of an update:

-I went from 15 credits to 12, as with working full time, I didn't have the time I needed to devote to reading an extra 40 pages a week... on top of the 70-80 I'm already reading on a weekly basis for my other classes. *sigh* So yeah, indeed I have nothing to talk about or discuss, unless you'd like to know about sustainable communities, world tourism and accomadations or the nature of inclusiveness....*SIGH*

-Training for the half marathon is getting more and more intense! I'm working out several days a week - and running up South Mountain (a nice little "hill" here in Phoenix) on any extra time I have. From the VERY top you can see the whole Phoenix valley! Amazing! From where we run/hike up to, it's also a great view and one of my favorite runs. Here's a picture from the TOP of the mountain.


-I'm OBSESSESED with chips and salsa, again. Oh, and I've been on a hot chocolate kick too.

-I've lost all interest in blogging. Period.

-I spent my whole Spring Break working. No joke. I worked six days straight, sad face.

-I'm LOVING my new place of residence! My roommates are fabulous, loooove living in a house and love the location :) Trust me, this move has been such an upgrade from the last place I lived... which was sort of a dump and living with a Beast isn't a good situation anyways, now, is it?!

-OH! I'm sure most of you have heard, but Jordan and Stacey had their bebe... Lily Grace Brown, or as Stacey's Dad calls her Lily Bean (and I LOVE the nickname and plan of using it too!)She's SO CUTE! I love her so much already :) She's such a sweet baby. So little and feminie! I swear, all first babies HAVE to be sweet and easy going, otherwise parents would stop at numero UNO if the kid were crazy! Here's Lily on her blessing day.
P.S. Jordan was deployed to Iraq today. Please keep him in your prayers that he'll be protected and kept safe.

-So after my run today, I decided to take a little "nap" outside in our fancy backyard (Although it's no Italian Riviera!) for about 30 minutes... man oh man.... it's only March (BUT 78 degrees!), and let me tell you... I FRIED! No joke. Not that I like to burn, but I do like to be several shades darker than I've been all winter long... and I'm now well on my way:)

-Peri (Mom) and went and saw the Lion King about a month ago! AMAZING! Although it was no NYC Broadway location, it was a close 2nd at the Gammage Theatre in Tempe, AZ. Meh. But the show itself was AMAZING!


-And last but not least... I'm OBSESSED with this new website... it's HILARIOUS! But it's not for the easliy offended, FYI! Some of the stuff is SO true... Twilight, group dinners, etc. And some of it's completely ridiculously lame... but still sooooo funny :)

It's been a while since I've done any blogging lately... and I have some pretty BIG updates!

I'm MOVING!!! YAY!! Anyone who knows me, knows that I don't stay put for long. About 7 months top in one place at a time. That's the going time length for me these days. Lol. Since being home from the mission, (2 years this last December, geezzzz, time flies!) I've lived in Scottsdale, Tempe, Ahwatukee and now I'm moving to Chandler (with a small stint in Asia). OH! and check it... I'll be living with all LDS girls... WEIRD! I've never had LDS roommates before, so this should be fun :) Out of the 4 of us 2 have served missions, sooo that should be fun!

I got my first "instult" here on my BLOG!!! Crazy! Hahahaa! Here is it for your reading pleasure:
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I don't care if he's a Communist!" Remember that one? It was about {hot} Russian {sexy} tennis {puuuuuurrrrr} player, hottness Marat Safin:

'You're an idiot... just because someone is Russian doesn't make them a communist - that's just plain insulting. Learn about the different cultures of the world and the politics before you make comments like that, especially on the Internet where people who have a higher brain capacity than you can see it.'

Isn't that hilarious?! Seriously! Who goes around calling people idiots? Besides Tom Hanks trash talking Mormons... but seriously?!? Okay, I can catch myself trash talking certain things/people too, and I'm working on that... but I'd wouldn't be posting it on someones blog. Well, not as anonymous at least! So I thought you'd all get a kick outta that! I find it quite entertaining actually. Here's a little something to enjoy, again....
School starts! yay! One more semester down, two more to go after this one. 15 credits too. Phhhheeew! + working full time, yes - 40 hours. Pretty exciting. Well, basically I won't be having a social life for the next 4 months

I have to find a place to go for Spring Break!!! I'm thinking that I'll be meeting up with some buddy from Nor California in Southern California to hit up some amusement parks... but we'll see. I'd really like to go to Costa Rica or something?!?! Any Ideas?!? Somewhere CHEAP?!

I went to Park City, while the Sundance Fetival was going on this week, up here in Utah and DIDN'T see anyone famous.... BUT talked to some kid that seemed to have done too many drugs or was just putting on a really good act, on the bus that saw Will Smith buying some Nikes.... ooooh la la. So basically I'm ONE person away from Will Smith, or however that works?!? Funny experience tho :)

Gentry and I had a little dance party like old days. We danced to Out Kast- Hey Ya!!! Just like old times when I had moved home and shared a room with him.... sooo funny. I taught him to "Shake-a-Bumm" AND "Raise the Roof" - you've never seen anything as cute as a 3 year old shak'in his bumm!! Although his skills have digressed a bit, I'll have to come back up here more often to give him a few lessons!

I heart... RUNNING! No joke. I love it. Well, I guess I'm growing to love it. I guess right now I'm just liking it. But it feels great! I haven't gone in a few days due to sickness and then being on vaca in Utah (riiiiight, vaca in Utah?!?!?) But seriously, if you're looking to lose some of that holiday belly... running will do the trick! no joke!! You'll be "raising the roof" (hahahaaaa, hilarious!)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Amy Winehouse.... well, her music, not the cracked out version of herself. Unfortunate. She alone should be able to scare the CRAP outta anyone who might even be considering doing drugs... riiiight!

OH, and I've got two weeks to get caught up on The Bachelor... but I will... and that will be it's own blog. BUT I'm now obsessed with The Biggest Loser! LOVE LOVE LOVE that show! Soooo good... more on that later.... this is long enough!

Ciao for now!! More to come, after I get my homework done... I've got like 60 pages of STUFF to read... *sigh*

You'll Never Belive It...

But one of my 2009 Goals is to start running again... so some of my peps and I have decided that we're going to run a half marathon! I know, I don't look like I'm ready to run one, but I'm getting there. SL..OOO...WLY. YAY! Okay, sooo my peps are actually some family members and myself that have decided that we're going to run in the Charlottesville Marathon and Half Marathon at the end of April, in Virginia. And get this, it's call "Bad to the Bone" Marathon! SICK! It's actually considered to be one of the top 10 BEST half marathons for beginners and in America. YAY! It's also one of the most B-E-A-UTIFUL runs too. We'll be sure to take lots of pics! I'm SO SO excited to get back into running and I've been enjoying it the last few weeks I've had free from school. I hope to get better and make this a regular physical activity for 2009!!

I came across this video the other day and I thought that it portrays a GREAT message. As we're ALL surrounded by IMAGES everywhere of what we should look like, dress like, act like and be. This little message reminds us that we're all different, no one's the same and that goes for our clothes, looks and size. Yay for being HEALTHY and not trash talking ourselves :)

Even our Toes are feeling FESTIVE!

Hooow cute are our toes?!?! I Looove 'em! My friend Katie always has SUPER cute, crazy, fabulous looking painted toes. So after asking her a bazillion times were the nail place was (because I could never remember!) I finally went and got my toes done... They had SO many options, it was hard to chose! But I couldn't resist the plaid! Katie's toes are the presents!

Hooray!

I am happy to announce that.... FINALS ARE DONE! Por Fin! Just as of yesterday. I celebrated by attending FHE with the ASU ward, walking the Mesa Temple grounds that are FABULOUSLY decorated in lights! And then picking up my friend from the airport. {ooooh, how I wish I could leave!}

SO what does all this mean, you ask? It means 5 full weeks of FREEDOM from reading{for class}, writing, attending, listening to professors go on and on and ooooon, tedious homework assignments, late nights to complete projects, etc. You get the idea.

Sounds FAB right... not having to do any of that? YAY- I'm full of GLEE! Lol.

I'm EXCITED because this 5 week break is going to include, most of, if not all of the following activities:

-Learning how to COOK! no joke! I'm making chicken soup tonight! mmm,mm!
-Reading what I want to read! hooray! I have a MASSIVE stack of books that haven't been touched and are collecting dust, sigh {I just counted 13 books, sigh again}
-Getting more sleep, hmmmm, maaaaybe, I'll see if I can fit some more of that in?!
-Putting together Christmas gifts - I've got some GOOD ones this year- yea yea!
-Putting together my BFF's Christmas gift and last years birthday gift, and this years too! I'm sooo excited about these gifts
-FINALLY putting together the "Epic Asia Trip 2007" DVD... soooo cool! I'll make a link to it when I'm done :) I just finished China... and it's like 30 minutes long... hahaha, no one will care except for my BFF and I anyways :)
-Hang out with my buddy from South Africa, that I met in Asia- YAY SHANEY POOH!
-RUN! I'm SO excited to go RUNNING! I love running and now I have more than enough time to GO!

Oh and here's a little preview to the DVD... oooh, aaaaah...

I like things, like....

....using my VOTING power as my voice... NOT MY SHOES!

Good duck there, Mr. President! Look at the dude to the right of him! Duud duuud Duuuum! hahaha... pay better attention next time, sir. (didn't he listen to his mother, ever?!)
It just seems SO much better, right?! No violence. No blood. No DEATH. No shoe throwing. The FREEDOM to voice my opinion through voting ROCKS!

Listen Up!

Okay, if you haven't seen Australia... you NEED to! It's FABULOUS! All 3 hours of it. Those of you who know me, know I have a soft spot in my heart for Australia :) So it makes sense that I would absolutely love this movie, right?! Indeed I do! I can't wait to buy it when it comes out on DVD. Nicole did a fab job, Hugh was as HOT HOT HOT as ever (looooove the pouring water scene! haha!) BUT my absolute favorite little person EVER was this KIDDO, Brandon Walters:
I LOVED HIM! SO cute! I want kids that look JUST like this, or I'll take just one, I don't care!! Lol. I love his HUGE black/brown eyes! I love the messy, bleached out hair more (reminds me of little canarian kids!) and he's the about the cutest little kids EVER! Watch the movie, and you'll see for yourself.

Oh, and here's a cute picture of the main peps of the film! Okay, didn't Nicole JUST have a baby?!?!? WHAT THE CRAP! How does she look soo dang good already??

Man, oh Man!

I wish I were Matt!!!.... traveling the world, seeing all sorts of places, meeting all sorts of great people, having amazing experiences! Ah! I can't wait to leave again! I love ALL the fabulous colors you see in this video, it's SO bright and happy! This is the "Where the Hell is Matt 2008" video.... it's NEW, and improved!

Christmas Questionnaire Time!!!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I’m a hot chocolate connoisseur! I heart chocolate more than any other hot drink, more than mate! Anytime of the year (thank you Spain!) anytime of the day! I love this stuff! Keil brought me some of Costa Rica’s finest hot chocolate early this year and I drank it every night til it was gone! Delicious!
(and NO, I don't like big cinnamon sticks in my hot chocolate!)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
She definitely wraps them! I mean HE!!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
I like to mix it up… or the family likes to mix it up. I have yet to put up lights on my own place. I do like to hang white lights in my room tho

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No!!!...but I totally should! What have I been thinking all these years?!

5. When do you put up your decorations?
My mom usually puts them up after thanksgiving, she’s SOOOOO good! I’ll prob do the same, but not to the same extent as her.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
I love stuffing, I love turkey, I love desserts, (unfortunately) I just love food in general. Hmmmm, mmm.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Getting my first stereo and my first CD ever, The Cranberries.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
No idea?!! The year my parents covered our windows with cardboard so they could sleep in after being up all night setting up the Christmas gifts. Lol.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Ummm, yes! Of course! Tradition. Oh, and it’s always pajamas!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Oh, however my mom tells me too! Hahaaa!

11. What is another favorite Christmas tradition memory?
Probably just playing with my toys all day. Also, going to the movies with my Dad on Christmas day.

12. Can you ice skate?
No, but I can skate on hockey skates…. Does that count?!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Anything to do with Barbie’s back in the day! Now, I love getting things I wouldn’t buy myself… nothing practical tho… I’ll be buying that myself!

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Being with my family! My Dad’s side or my Mom’s… doesn’t matter who, but as long as it’s family!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Ummmm, all the treats my family makes… cookies, peanut brittle, the typical holiday treats!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Didn't I already answer this one? Another random fun tradition: Decorating the tree while watching Toy Story.

17. What tops your tree?
A ribbon or an angel tops my families tree.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
I like both! I love finding something or making something that I knooooow my family member or friend will love. I also love being thought of too, and when someone knows I’ll love something… it’s a full circle thing.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
I don’t think I have just one favorite song… I love instrumental Christmas music though.

20. Candy Canes?
When I’m in the mood, which just happens to be around Christmas time! I do love pepermint icecrem too!! mmmmm, mmmm!

21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized?
Not if it starts in November, perhaps if it starts in August! I love hearing and seeing all the festive décor that comes with Christmas!

I'm tagging Amy S., Erin H., McKenzie H., all my girl cousins and sister-in-laws!