May 28, 2008

100 things about....

... myself. This actually didn't take as long as I thought it would... sad.
1. I heart my familia- los dos
2. On regular people standards- I have a pretty big family
3. All my brothers and sisters are cute
4. I live in Tempe, AZ
5. I really like it here, for now
6. I'll be ready to move tho- in about a year, maybe a year and a half
7. I have a hard time staying in any one spot
8. My co-workers mock my "valley girl" accent
9. Don't know how I have one, when I didn't grow up in the Valley
10. My co-worker timed me, and I can only go 20 seconds without using the work "like"
11. That makes me fell pretty dumb! ha!
12. I'm new to the blogging world
13. I'm a pro at facebook
14. Sometimes at night I freak myself out about the sounds I hear from outside
15. I love asking other people questions about themselves to see how long they'll talk
16. I love meeting foreigners
17. I've kissed more foreigner boys than American boys- even in America. I always seem to find them?
18. Living over seas wouldn't bother me, in fact I would love it
19. I might miss my family- but then again, that's what the phone is for...and blogs!
20. I have a new niece, Olivia!
21. I haven't met her yet, but I already love her heaps
22. I plan on spoiling her and being the "cool aunt"
23. I'll even take her for the summer when she's a teen, but I won't let her dye her hair crazy colors or get tattoos, I promise. My brother would kill me, only after his wife!
24. I get to meet Olivia in 2 days
25. I also get to see the rest of my family! horray!
26. I'm at work right now
27. Not digging my job anymore
28. I’ve never been late for my job (the one I have now)
29. I start at 4am, tues-sat
30. I'm looking for a new job
31. I'm waiting to hear back about a new job I applied for last week, fingers crossed!
32. Sometimes I think work is so over rated- I just got an email about the importance of work in one’s life from my step mom- hahaha!
33. I can't wait to not have to work at an entry level job- blah
34. I've been working full time since I graduated high school, mission was def. full time
35. I've been going to school on and off, mostly off
36. Last semester was my first semester back at college in almost 4 years!
37. I did really well... all A's and B's
38. I can't wait to be done with school
39. I'm majoring in Tourism Management and Development
40. I would like to work as a tour guide in Africa or south America, taking rich people on tours, I would also like to use my spanish
41. After doing that, I would like to "settle down"... maybe
42. I CAN wait to get married- I'm in no rush, it's a HUGE commitment.
43. I'm not dating anyone at the moment, that's also a HUGE commitment! haha
44. I ran into the guy I was dating when I got home from the mission last week, and wondered WHY I ever dated him?
45. I enjoy reading late into the night (which happens to be about 10pm these days)
46. I'm a RS teacher and I love it
47. My favorite church calling ever was being a missionary
48. I would like to serve another mission with my husband
49. I'm very opinionated- but like to hear other peoples opinions or ideas, especially when they’re passionate about something-even if I don’t agree
50. I like to listen to peoples stories and or ideas on life, if they have something interesting to say, or listen to them if they need a sounding board
(in Buffalo, NY waiting to catch the overnight bus to NYC)

51. I love talking to my older brother; he's by far the funniest of the lot
52. I'm usually in a pretty good mood when I wake up; I'm a morning person these days
53. I love candy, but try not to eat it
54. I don't like fast food or soda
55. I want to work out, but I haven't been "feeling it" lately. I am fat
56. When I'm mad or upset, I get quiet
57. I don't like being bossed around
58. I love nice people, so I try really hard to be as nice and friendly to others as I can
59. I don’t have a TV- but I watch a lot of youtube- haha
60. I try to compliment people
61. I love to travel, really love to travel
62. I ALWAYS have a trip in mind
63. I want to have visited as many countries as how many years I am old. I'm 24
64. I've been to 15 countries, so I'm 10 behind
65. I plan on visiting at least 15 countries in the next year and a half, on two different continents
66. I'm a great goal maker, but a terrible day to day list maker
67. I don't save money unless I have a goal
68. I live in a studio apartment
69. I don't have a kitchen- weird, I know
70. I've only killed one cockroach since living there, well, I found him dean in my bathroom
71. I hate hate hate bugs
72. Once in Laos, bff Amber and I were sharing a bed and I woke up with a centipede crawling on me, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. It was like, 8 inches long. I screamed and almost gave Amber a heart attack
73. I didn't sleep the rest of the night, or the following night in that bungalow
74. I secretly love speaking Spanish
75. I’m planning on learning Italian next, I bought the books!
76. My favorite feature is my green eyes
77. I just chopped off all my hair and am going blonde again
78. I can say “Hello” and “Thank you” in all the languages spoken in the countries I’ve been to
79. I think I’m pretty funny, or at least tell myself I am. Lol
80. I don’t plan on finding out the sex and or sharing the name of the baby before they’re born
81. When it comes to some things, I don’t care for others opinions
82. I want a lot of kids, but don't want to have to give birth to all of them
83. I would like to adopt a child or two
84. I love old people, especially Spaniard women
85. I secretly can’t wait to be really old
86. I’m not a picky eater, I’ll try anything once. I'm still fat
87. The strangest thing I’ve eaten has been fried soy grasshoppers in Thailand, or dog in Vietnam
88. I hate not straight-from-the-refrigerator-freezing cold milk
89. If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be ice cream or canas-a Spanish dessert- sooooo yummy!
90. Summer is my favorite time of year, but not in Arizona
91. I have a ghetto booty, thanks to J-Lo, who's made them popular again, well, not with the LDS guys
92. I don’t like snow, period
93. I could retire to a small island somewhere in Indonesia
94. Sydney is my favorite city
95. I know I would get sick of ice cream and canas
96. I don’t know how to cook
97. I feel bad for my future husband
98. I’ll be a quarter of a century old this year
99. I will see all my siblings on my Dad’s side, except for Jordan this weekend! Horray!
100. I think confidence is uber sexy and cockiness is so so so unattractive

Family Ties

My family’s some of the most bomb-diggity-bomb people around. Fo sho. Yeah, I dig ‘em all…. Here’s some pictures of them, also some of the reasons why they’re at the top of the Coolest People Ever List. Who needs People mag to tell us who's cool or not! When they're all within our families!
10.They're all very kind hearted people
9. They're all very cute/attractive people (every last one!)
8. They're all hilarious in their own way
7. They're all smart
6. We all get along, that's pretty good considering how big our family is
5. I can easily talk to any member of my family
4. We're there for each other when one's in need
3. They give great sound advice
2. I can vacation with them and not get annoyed
1. I have the best 2 families ever, I adore them all!
The Hammons

Krystal/Jordan/Brian

The Browns

(some of) The Boys

My G Bob (Gentry)

Cameron & Julie

And the latest addition- Baby O....otherwise known as Olivia! Horray!

Bay to Breakers Run


So I just had to post this picture of my friend from high school. His name is Stewart-I'll leave it at that! He lives and works in the Bay area and did the Bay to Breakers Run 2008. It's a traditional run in San Francisco- it originally started in 1912 as a way to lift the city's spirits after the disastrous 1906 San Francisco earthquake, it is the longest consecutively running footrace in the world... way cool!
So here's what he dressed up as! An Aborigine! He's on the right. Here's another picture of some crazy runners... picnic tables and runners in the background… pretty creative!

A Walk Down Memory Lane #1

Just a quick recap of what I’ve been up to the last few years…
I was called to serve in the Spain Las Palmas Mission starting July 2005, but technically started in the CLAM (otherwise known as the California Los Angeles Mission). And had I known then what I know now, I might have actually asked to stay all 18 months there! Hind sight is always 20/20. JOKE.
So after waiting for my VISA there for a few weeks, I was sent to the Canaries, which are off the north/western coast of Africa. I grew to love the Canaries. In time.
After almost a year there in the islands, the Las Palmas Mission and the Spain Malaga Missions were combined. YAY! I was then transferred up to Fuengirola, el costa del Sol- on the peninsula where I finished. I completed the mission in late Dec 2006, taking almost 3 days to get home, with a night in London, NYC and a whole day in Dallas, TX. Ah the excitement! I have pictures to prove it!
Our investigators with their kiddos at a branch activity. Fuengirola.

YAY! Found my brothers name on a trash can! Lol.

A service project in my first area with some of my favorite missionaries! Lang, Seminario and Curtis!

Our lovely Moroccan friends, giving us a leaving party. We worked at Cruz Roja with them.

Working with Cruz Roja on Fuerteventura-to help the Africans that came over on boats.

My last Sunday on the mission, with one of my favorite ladies ever, Gloria, at her baptism. Her (ADD) son and my (ADD) companion, Hermana Boisserie.

May 27, 2008

joining the MASSES


So my sister-in-law, Julie, mentioned on her blog that no one in her immediate family has a blog site.... WELL! Do I have news for you all!! I've actually had a blog site forever- but I've never posted anything on here. I'll admit, I've been too lazy and or busy to post anything. Between working full time and going to school full time- I've never found much time for anything else. BUT now that it's summer and I'm done with school for the time being, I'm going to take the time to join the MASSES and create a blog site!
Oh, and I believe that every blog entry needs a picture or two, for entertainment purposes.
So I've posted a picture of me between the roots of an ancient tree in the Angor Wat grounds, in Siem Reap, Cambodia- that my friend Amber and I got to see last summer on our Epic Asia Trip 2007. Enjoy!