Confessions of a Busy Woman

One of my favorite things about fall weather is that I can wear my tall boots again. I've got black ones and brown ones, pointy-toed with high heels, important essentials to my cold-weather wardrobe. I can wear them with all of my cute skirts, and I've enjoyed doing that at least once a week since it started to cool down. See, I love skirts, but I LOATHE nylons, and to be perfectly honest....*sometimes I'm too busy to shave my legs.* With my tall boots and calf-length skirts, I don't have to worry about either! Not usually, anyhow.

Today I had a bit of a mishap. After hitting my snooze button for an hour, I finally got up to get ready for work. In the shower, I contemplated shaving at least my calves and knees, knowing that the skirt/boots combo was in the forecast. Unfortunately, with my lazy morning I hadn't left myself much time for anything beyond the essentials. I hurriedly finished glamourizing, then ran out the door, counting on my stylish ensemble to cover my shamefully hairy legs. As I ran, I realized how swishy my skirt was, and that it was shorter than I'd remembered, so when I sat down I had to kind of slump forward in my chair and twist my legs funny so no one would notice my prickly knees! I spent the whole day hiding behind my desk, or smoothing my skirt down and standing in strange, contorted positions so that other people wouldn't see...

I am shaving my legs in the morning.

Whew!

Well, it was a long weekend...in one respect, anyway. I had to wait until yesterday to find out whether I'd passed my loan officer test. Once I'd taken it and it was out of my hands, you'd think that I would just let it be, but no. I was so worried about it, that I found myself (all weekend) asking Heavenly Father to, "please let Camille understand why I made the decisions I did on those loans, and please help her to agree with my logic so she will give me a passing grade on my test." Silly, I know. But I guess it worked, because I passed!! Yep, that's right...at this moment you are witnessing the joy and immense relief of America First's newest loan officer. Sweet.

Having learned of my success yesterday morning, I spent most of the day in a pretty good mood. That was topped off by a surprise visitor at closing time -- my dearest Vanessa came to congratulate me, flowers in hand! Vanessa's are awesome...everyone should have one. :)

Thanks, everyone, for being so excited for me -- I'm excited, too!

BAH!

Anyone else had a mad week? I mean, like crazy, strange, exhausting...?

First there was clinic; now, I know that all of us are SO done with clinic. I think I was half-asleep during my appointment yesterday -- I flat-out forgot to clean the "away-from-me" surfaces on my patient's lower anterior teeth and consequently lost a good chunk of my grade. What about the Periodontology test? We'll just say that I've spent a lot of time on Facebook this week when I should have been studying -- I just can't concentrate!!! Needless to say, not my best work in that class. I'm sure Mrs. Knight got a good laugh out of my essays...I had no idea what I was talking about.

The craziness culminated today with the arrival of my loan officer test (dun, dun, dun...). I've been preparing for this for months, all the while dreading its coming. Wanting to feel my best for the big day, I woke up early this morning and got all "dolled up." I wish I'd taken a picture, because I looked and felt pretty cute! That feeling only lasted about an hour, though. After staff meeting I realized that my time had come, and almost hyperventilated all the way to Sandy.

The test was every bit as nerve-racking as I'd expected, and took almost the entire day. I began at 10 a.m.......seven hours later I emerged -- test completed, brains fried, hair totally flat and experiencing an unfortunate case of static cling.

I will probably be bruised from the hundreds of times I banged my head on the table in frustration, and thinking about loans now makes me a little queasy. But the worst part? I still had to go back to my branch and finish the day there...I almost fell asleep the minute I sat at my desk!

I will find out on Monday if I passed, so I only have to suffer for a couple more days. Oh well, at least it's over. Can't wait until I can say the same about hygiene school...

If I Had a Million Dollars...

I realized today that it's been weeks since I've looked at Anthropologie's website....how could I let that happen? So, tonight, with my Periodontology book & notes on my lap and every intention of studying (in just a few minutes), I reacquainted myself with the random cuteness and amazing detail that is always to be found there. As I did so, I thought to myself, "Man, if I had lots of money I would buy all my clothes from Anthropologie!" Then I realized that I'd really rather just have lots of time to create a whole wardrobe of my own home-sewn knock-offs.

Yeah, man.

Here are a few of tonight's finds that made it into my extensive gallery of "someday" projects:

So, What Else is New?

I'm sick of school.

The End.

Santa's Workshop

It's officially 59 days, 11 hours, and 2 minutes until Christmas...but who's counting? Besides me...I am so excited for the holidays that I went to Robert's the other night and bought my Christmas trees (a couple of little artificial alpines). They are still sitting in my trunk, but since I can't decorate them until December I will probably try to work them into my regular decor until then.

Most of my Sunday afternoons this month have consisted of me barricading myself inside my sewing room so I can work on my Christmas projects undisturbed. I've completed a couple, but I've always got at least a dozen extra ideas that I never get around to...it's hard being so busy! Still, I am quite pleased with my finished products thus far. I can't post all of them, because I don't know who all reads my blog, but here's one. This is the jacket I made for Steph:





It's a Rachelpologie, of course...someday I will learn how to design my own stuff, instead of just copying everyone else. I did make some of my own adaptations (Stephanie doesn't like 3/4 length sleeves), and used a slightly different pattern. St
ill, if you compare it to the original, I think I did a pretty good job:


Yay for Christmas!

Ghouls Night Out

So, I am sitting up late tonight, wondering where the last hour went...I was going to go to bed with Colby a while ago, and then I got sucked into the infinite vortex that is on-line Christmas shopping (I think I may single-handedly solve the economic crisis with my holiday purchases; you can all thank me later). But before I "hit the hay," I wanted to share just a smidge about my Fall Break...

I went to Boise!!

It was so wonderful to see my family, especially since I only make it up there a couple of times a year. Holly was so wonderful to let me have the weekend off (seriously, I owe you big!), and I got to ride up with Dave, which was awesome. Friday night, my dad and brothers went to the BSU/Hawaii game, so I stayed home with Mom, Andi, and Steph for a "girls' night." We watched "Hairspray," swooning over James Marsden and Elijah Kelley and gave each other pedicures. I also copied Sarah's fantastic fingernails and gave my sisters Halloween manicures:





I wish I'd gotten some better pictures; I was trying to get the details in while showing all of my little paintings in just one or two photos. I wish you could see the little witch on Steph's thumb...she was really cute! But, since I still don't have a digital camera, my crappy cell phone pics will just have to suffice.

Winter Weather

I really like Christine's Halloween background on her blog, so I decided to follow suit and decorate mine for the season, as well.

Speaking of the season....even though Saturday night's snowfall shouldn't have caught me off-guard (because it was in the forecast all week), I was still a bit shocked as I looked out the window Sunday morning, torn between disappointment and excitement. While part of me screamed, "No, NO!! It's only October!!" the so-excited-for-Christmas-cuz-it's-just-around-the-corner side of me could barely be contained. (Consequently, that side of me was in charge today...I didn't study at all. Instead, I vacuumed my apartment and finished two Christmas presents.)

When I walked to church Sunday afternoon I was still in awe of the snow. I think I kind of forget how cold it is, the way the sky looks, and how it smells when it snows. It's so pretty, even when it's gray and cloudy outside.

I Guess It Serves Me Right

Let me apologize for the perfectly crummy mood I was in this week. I mean, I still feel that I was completely justified in being a "grumpy giant," but sometimes I wonder if I complain too much. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable; I just needed to vent (and yes, Angie, it was..."the mean one" -- if, indeed you are referring to the one who seems to have a special place in her pit of meanness reserved especially for Rachel)...

Aside from that, I had kind of a funny/ironic/creeeepy experience this week. Brooke was in the darkroom a few days ago when I heard her scream. She had discovered a spider on the counter, right next to her. Well, I hate spiders just as much as the next girly-girl, but I decided to be heroic and save Brooke from the venomous monster. Okay, so it turns out that it was an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny spider (no yellow polka-dots, even). I smooshed it with a pair of scissors and threw it in the trash. I kind of laughed to myself, because seriously -- it was a nothing of a spider. Maybe I shouldn't have thought her so silly, because you know...what goes around, comes around. Thursday night, I got home late from visiting with my family. It was really dark outside, but when I opened my front door I could see that there was a spider on the ground, just outside my apartment. And not just any spider...a huge black widow! EEEEEEEEWWWWWWW!!!!! I was wearing flip-flops, so I practically jumped over the threshold to avoid it. I knew I had to kill it, though, so I ran and put on some tennis shoes, then jumped around my living room shrieking for a couple of minutes or two (I think the shrieking helped me summon my courage). I finally managed to send that big ugly bugger to its cobwebby grave, but I had the creepy-crawlies all night long. I was jumping and jerking around in bed all night because I SWEAR I could feel things crawling on me...

This week I am spraying down my whole apartment building. I already have all the stuff to do it, and I'm not taking any more chances. I've learned my lesson, too: I promise not to laugh at any of you ever again if you freak out over a little, tiny spider.

Some Chain Maille Might Have Come in Handy...

If you all will indulge me for just a moment...

Today I encountered a beast of epic proportions. She appeared as one of my clinical instructors and reared her ugly head at me over and over again. I nearly melted from the heat of her fiery breath (or maybe just from embarrassment) as she publicly harangued me; I had not made any serious errors, at least not the ones she was accusng me of, nor did I deserve such a severe tongue-lashing in front of my patient and my peers. I was so upset I contemplated walking home, just to blow off steam. I decided, though, that since it was nearly four miles, I would likely be more agitated by the time I got here for having used up my whole afternoon. So instead, I rented a Rug Doctor and shampooed my living room carpet. Perhaps a strange way to deal with my indignation, but it was pleasantly cathartic. In fact, although a couple of "mystery stains" still haunt the floor in front of my couch, it looks almost a million times better. Plus I found some sick, secret enjoyment pretending I was dumping her down the drain along with the ten gallons of thick, grey water that came out of the Rug Doctor...

And now, I'm a bit exhausted from my venture into the grimy depths of ancient apartment floor coverings, so I'm all nestled up in bed with my lappy. Colby is down at the hospital tonight doing a sleep study, so I think I shall sleep quite soundly -- providing I don't have nightmares about monsters in lavender scrubs.

Holiday Fever

I don't know what's come over me, but I am suddenly obsessively excited for the holidays! A couple of days ago I went into Roberts to get some stuff for a school project. They had all of their fall & Halloween decorations out and I just about lost it! I'm like a little kid all over again, or maybe like Martha Stewart -- or maybe Martha Stewart as a little kid, because all I want to do now is hang things and wrap things and make costumes and buy a huge, cute bowl for our Halloween candy. Yikes! I've become a monster! A monster who can't wait to put up her Christmas tree...I even started my Christmas shopping. Yep -- last week at Swiss Days I purchased a present for...well, for someone...I can't say who, even though she doesn't read my blog. But, let's just say it's something that needs a mat and a frame. Unfortunately, I didn't realize how expensive mats and frames are, especially when you have to have the mat custom-cut because the gift in question is a funny size. I decided after checking prices at Roberts and Michael's that I will probably have to sell my soul to the devil to afford the rest of this Christmas present. Oops! Well, at least I won't have to worry so much about my Halloween costume...just don't be scared if you notice my eyes are glowing red or my voice is a little bit raspier. I will be a happy little Christmas demon, and that is all that matters!

Another "Sunday" Project

I finished this shirt a week or two ago. It's another of my "Rachelpologies" (Anthropology knock-offs made by moi). I'm wishing I had a picture of the Anthropology original, just for comparison. It looks kind of big, I know...it's not very form-fitting, but it is very flattering. I still haven't decided whether my favorite part is the fluttery sleeves or the big ribbon bow, but I love it so much I've worn it like three times. It's super comfy!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our fourth anniversary! Since it is so fun to reminisce about the beginnings of our relationship, I've copied Katie's idea and written down some of those memories for all of you to enjoy.



1. Where did you and your husband meet? We met at BYU-Idaho. He and Lauryl were in the same ward, and they were pretty good friends. In fact, I didn't really pay attention to Colby until after our first date, because I thought he and Lauryl liked each other and I liked someone else.

2. First thing said: Probably, "hi." Actually, I first met Colby in passing the semester before we really met. I'd gone over to some guys' apartments with my barbershop quartet to show off some of our new tunes. Colby was just getting home as we were leaving his building, and Lauryl introduced him to the rest of us. The thing I remember most about him is thinking he had a funny last name and poufy hair, but that he was really friendly.

3. First date: Our first date was to the BYU-Idaho Sweetheart's Dance in February 2004. I'd actually liked another guy that semester (and thought that Colby and Lauryl liked each other), but I was too scared to ask him. So, with Lauryl's encouragement I asked Colby. The afternoon of the dance, we went to the park with all of our friends to play in the snow. We played "Three-Legged Lava Monster" on the playground toys, and he gave me a piggy-back ride on the way home so I wouldn't get my new tennis shoes dirty in the giant puddles. He was just so comfortable to be around -- just like a big teddy bear! On the way to dinner, we held hands, and I guess that was it. We were together every day from then on.

4. First kiss: We kissed about five days after our first date. The debate still stands as to who kissed whom, but either way it was really nice...even though we didn't kiss again for almost two weeks.

5. When "I love you's" were first said: Colby told me he loved me after we'd dated for just a couple of weeks. It totally caught me off guard! Even though I really liked him and knew I was more comfortable with him than I'd been with any other guy, I wasn't sure I loved him yet. So I simply said, "Thanks!.....and, um, is it okay if I don't say it back?" Poor Colby thought he'd ruined everything...I think I finally told him I loved him around the time that we got engaged.

6. Long or short courtship/engagement? I guess it was fairly short, even though we were in Rexburg. We started dating in February, and got engaged in April. That was a rough summer -- Colby's cell phone bills were really high for the first couple of months until Whitney gave me her phone so we could use mobile-to-mobile minutes. We probably talked five times a day, and Colby came to Boise almost every other weekend. We were relieved when August finally rolled around and we could just be together all the time!

7. Where did you get engaged? We got engaged at my in-laws' house. Holidays and traditions are a huge deal for Colby's family, so they invited me down for Easter to share some of those traditions with me. Colby and I had already been ring shopping, but I wasn't expecting a proposal for at least another month or two. In reality, my ring was already waiting for me in Kaysville. He'd had it custom-made, and Ilona and Whitney had hand-picked the stone...a bigger one than I'd expected. It was neat to have his family in on the secret, and fun that it was a surprise...such a surprise, in fact, that I couldn't even say, "yes." I just nodded my head.

8. Where were you married? We got married in the Logan temple. Even though it was a little out of the way, it's been a bit of a family tradition to get married there. Colby was the third generation in his family, and I was the fifth in mine, to get married in the Logan temple. Plus, it's huge and beautiful like a castle!

9. Where did you go on your honeymoon? Lake Tahoe

10. Where did you make your first home? Our first apartment was in Rexburg, about four blocks from the BYU-Idaho campus. The apartment was all right, and I tried to decorate it as nicely as I could, though the ugly blue carpet in the kitchen was hard to overlook. It was in a large apartment complex, inhabited mostly by young marrieds like ourselves, so our ward was really awesome. We made lots of good friends there, and were sad to leave when we moved to Utah almost two years later.

It's funny how quickly time goes...I can't believe it's already been four years! Colby still has a funny last name and poufy hair, but he's still just like a big teddy bear...and I love him as much as ever!

I Must Be Crazy...

This past week I spent a lot of time working on scholarship applications, hoping to earn some last-minute financial aid before returning to hygiene school. One such application involved writing a series of silly short essays, and induced an epiphany that I just might be certifiable.

About two days ago, I put some chicken on the stove to boil, and sat down to write a scholarship essay. What I came up with was a blurb about vegetable rights activism ("Love vegetables -- don't eat them"). Andrea laughed out loud when I read it to her; she also suggested that I add a link to a fake website "in case people want to make a donation" to my imaginary vegetable rights group. I took it one step further, and found myself actually creating a website called "The Virtues of Veggies." I got so sucked into it, that all of the water boiled out of my pot on the stove, and the chicken on the bottom of the pot burned to blackness...

Now I suppose I must redeem myself by reminding you that this website is not to be taken seriously. I did not found the ASPCV. I do not believe that harvesting green beans means we're "kidnapping the plants' children." I really do eat vegetables...all the time. In fact, I love them. I just occasionally get caught up in fantastic, crazy whims and don't know when to put them down.

Dawn Is Breaking In...

Get this widget!

Aaaahhhhh!! My heart is fluttering!

A Week In Boise

I have to apologize to the three of you who read my blog...I have had a busy but fairly uninteresting summer, and my blogging (or lack thereof) shows it. The highlight of my summer was probably this last week, which I spent with my family in Idaho. I'd been looking forward to it for weeks, and I believe that the anticipation made the first half of my summer creep by; now that I am home, I fear that school will come altogether too quickly.

It was so wonderful to see my family. Although my mom and sisters were just here last month, I had not been home since Christmas. That is WAY too long! The week started with two late nights of "Sister Movie Night," which consisted of Steph and me cuddled up in Matt's big bed with my laptop, watching "The Wedding Planner" and "Spider Man 3." Unfortunately, about halfway into "Spider Man," my laptop exploded (and I think I may have lost everything on it)...that kind of put a damper on our movie nights for the rest of the week.

I got to spend some time on Saturday and Sunday playing Pinochle with Grandma Brookhart before her open heart surgery, which she had Tuesday morning. I hear she is doing well, though I think the whole family has been holding their breaths with nervousness. My time with Grandma was precious. Even for an 87-year-old woman, she is exceptionally sharp -- especially when she sits down for a hand of cards.

On Monday, Andrea and I went to Anthropologie!! They have a new store in downtown Boise, and both of us were just in heaven! Boy, if I had money, I would definitely be tempted to shop there regularly (at least for the stuff that I am too lazy to copy). While we were there, we each made our first Anthropologie purchase ever (and actually picked the same item): a cute, cute, green sweater that only cost $20. I think my favorite part, aside from the price, are the big wooden buttons that have butterflies and flowers painted on them. I later looked at anthropologie.com later on, and the same sweater costs $40 on-line. What a bargain we got!



Also on Monday, I got roped into doing Jared's hair. He asked me to put highlights in it, which my parents (and Colby) were less than thrilled about; however, he agreed to my mom's stipulation that he also have his hair cut, so I think my parents felt like they got the better end of the deal. His hair was getting very long. I did the highlights before cutting his hair, and snapped a picture with my cell phone. I guess I've never seen a guy getting a weave before. I thought it was kind of funny.



All in all, I had a wonderful week with my family. My dad and I had some time alone to visit, which was very nice, and my mom and I hit an excellent sale at Mervyn's. We made out like bandits, while saving over $200. It was so hard for me to leave on Wednesday, as it always is. But, hopefully I will get back up there again before school starts next month. I think that will make the semester bearable!

Arts and Crafts With Ilona

I am finally home from my mortgage training, and it's kind of nice to not be living out of a suitcase anymore. I had a lot of fun staying with Marty and Ilona. I am really grateful to have in-laws that I get along with so well. Ilona and I discovered that "Ticket to Ride" is really fun with just two people. In fact, you can play more rounds of it because it goes a lot faster. We got a little carried away, playing about 20 times. :)

We also had a lot of fun raiding all of the bead and craft stores in Layton. For Ilona's birthday, I had made her a really cute bracelet. She liked it so much that she wanted another one. I wanted one, too, so we went to town! This is what we came up with:

Alone Time

This week and last I have been in Ogden for a mortgage training. Since I didn't want to spend three hours in the car everyday, driving between Ogden and Orem, I'm staying with Colby's parents in Kaysville. I've missed Colby (and he is bored to death in Orem), but it's been fun to visit with Marty and Ilona. Admittedly, I find myself enjoying a little "alone time," as well. Ilona serves in the Bountiful temple every Tuesday night, so Marty usually works late. That leaves me with the house all to myself this evening. The minute I got home from work, I was at the piano, singing Eva Cassidy at the top of my lungs -- a luxury I rarely get to enjoy since I don't have a piano at home, and my neighbors would hate me if I did. I also fumbled through George Gershwin's three "Preludes for Piano." Man, oh, man -- it's been a long time since I've played those, and I hadn't realized how much my piano skills have deteriorated! I guess I will have to find a way to practice a little more. Next, I am going to finish "Eclipse" for the second time (dare I start the series again?), and I'll probably do some sewing, too. I'd better be careful -- I think I am enjoying this too much!

On a side note, I decided last week that I had shin splints, which put a bit of a damper on my 5K training...after a couple of days of rest, ice, and ibuprofen, my legs feel a lot better, but I'm worried that they will return. Does anyone have suggestions for me?

Couldn't Help Myself

Dearest friends, I realize you already think I'm a little crazy, but I just had to do it: I've compiled my favorite "Twilight" cast pics and made them into a slide show for everyone's (or at least my own) viewing pleasure. I tried to keep the pictures relevant to the "Twilight" movie, rather than random photos of the actors themselves; however, most of the pictures I found were of Edward (Robert Pattinson), with only a few including Bella or other cast members...but who's complaining, really?

The Loan Side...

...is not the same as "the Dark Side," though sometimes I am just as scared of it. I recently became a loan interviewer for America First Credit Union; though I am really excited, it is definitely out of my comfort zone. I've been a teller for almost two years, and though I may still sometimes get to do that, I think I will miss it. Friday was my first day off the teller line -- I spent the whole day in the loan office! It was a slow day, but both of the members I helped seemed confident that I knew what I was talking about. :)

After we closed for the night, I put Vanessa to work with my cell phone and her exceptional photography skills to help me commemorate this exciting day...

"You'd like to apply for a loan? I can help you!"


"Would you prefer the fixed or variable rate?"


"I'll need to see verification of income..."


Don't I look official? I'll be even more official after I finish my two-week mortgage training, which starts tomorrow (*gulp*). If my brain doesn't explode, I'll be a lot more knowledgeable -- look at me go!

Bad Weather Blues

Last week I started running again. I am training to run a 5K -- not a specific one, necessarily, but I am following this awesome training program called the "Couch to 5K Program." It takes 9 weeks, and you can basically go from not running at all, to running about 3 miles a day. I've been really excited to start training, but it's really challenging and so I've struggled to stay motivated. So, seeing as I was all geared up to get out and run this morning, I was naturally frustrated when Colby didn't want me to go. Not a huge, deal, though -- he had to leave for a doctor’s appointment. As soon as he was gone, I put on my shoes and headed out the door, only to find that it was hailing. DANG it! The hail continued for probably 30 minutes then turned into rain. I’m still hoping it’ll let up soon so I can slip Colby some Benadryl and sneak out to run while he is fast asleep. In the meantime, I’m feeling a little bit bored. My apartment is basically spotless because I scrubbed it down last week. Our water might get turned off temporarily due to construction on our street, so I can’t shower, do laundry, or load the dishwasher. My mother-in-law called me, but only to get a phone number. So, I guess you could say I’ve got the “Bad Weather blues.” I would sing them, but I don’t have a piano…

To occupy myself, I’ve decided to work on some quilt blocks. My Relief Society has these focus groups, and Sister Goodman has been begging me to come to her quilting group ever since she learned I made my mom a quilt for Christmas. I was finally able to go last week, and am excited to participate. But, since they do a new block each month, I’m already several blocks behind. And of course, being me, I decided that 12 blocks won’t make a big enough quilt to be useful. Since I don’t have enough projects already, why don’t I make two of each and turn it into a queen-size quilt for my bedroom? I am actually really excited to do this. I found some fabrics that I really love, and I’ll be stretching the project out over the year. Of course, I still wonder why I do this to myself. Still, the quilt blocks they’ve chosen for the focus group are WAY easier than the Double Wedding Ring I made Mom, so it shouldn’t be too hard. I finished four blocks this morning already, so I just have four more to get caught up. Here are the ones I’ve done. The two on the left are called "Album," and the two on the right are called, "Balkan Puzzle."



My favorite "Album" block....


...and my favorite "Balkan Puzzle."


I am a little scared to get too "into" the whole quilting thing -- I already have too many irons in the proverbial fire. However, I think I will have fun with this. I'll finally have exactly what I want to finish my bedroom (I've been on a real decorating kick lately), and I'll get to know some of the other ladies in my ward. Hopefully it'll keep me from going crazy while I'm stuck inside on rainy days like today, too...

D.I. Deals

I ordinarily don't post twice in one day...or one month, for that matter. In fact, I was explaining to Vanessa earlier today that I seem to get too busy for my blog and let things pass without writing about them. But, I decided that since I'd written a novel today about my mad obsession with Twilight, I should post some pictures of what I did actually accomplish this past week to compensate.

Last Thursday I had the day off, so while I was out running errands I stopped by the D.I. in Provo. I go there occasionally to look for night stands, kitchen chairs, etc. -- things that I might be able to paint or re-finish to make my apartment a little cuter. In the past month I have happened to get lucky twice in the "picture frames" aisle; Thursday in particular, I was really excited to find a small picture frame that matched a larger one I already had displayed in my living room. For a long time I had been wanting to rearrange this particular wall grouping, and having hit the D.I. "jackpot" I did just that. Here is my old grouping.....




And a couple pictures of my new one...





Ahh...doesn't that feel better? I may have done nothing else all week, but I still feel like I've got a brand new living room!

A Girl, A Vampire, and A Zombie

Those of you who know me well and have spoken with me in the last week and a half know EXACTLY who the zombie is....last week, I started reading the Twilight series, thinking it would be a fun diversion in between work and homemaking. WRONG!! (well, I mean, it was fun, but it kind of took over everything....) It had been SO long since I've read for pleasure, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I started Twilight on Monday night, and was instantly sucked in. I don't think I went to bed earlier than midnight any night last week -- most nights I was up until 1:30 or 2:00. Colby noticed my erratic behavior and became concerned, but I think he could tell he was better off not getting involved. By Wednesday night, I'd finished book one; I promptly flipped back to the beginning and started over. On Thursday I remembered my Barnes and Noble gift card Aunt Susan gave me for Christmas, and I rushed over to buy New Moon and Eclipse. Of course, I was once again so enveloped in Twilight that I had to finish it before moving on. I began New Moon on Friday. Although it's much different (and not quite as romantic) as the first, this book managed to keep me occupied (and frustrated,and crying) all night long...literally. I finally went to sleep around 4:30 a.m., but that didn’t stop me from starting Eclipse on Saturday afternoon. By Sunday night, just before midnight, I’d finished all three books. I finally emerged from my alternate universe and realized that, for an entire week, I had truly become one of the “undead.” My apartment was a disaster – I hadn’t bothered to cook, clean, or do laundry for days. My poor husband was feeling lonely and neglected, and was very worried about my sleep deprivation (even though I didn’t feel its effects until Monday night).

Things are mostly back to normal now. I spent the first part of this week playing “catch-up” on all of the things I neglected last week. I even managed to decorate a little, and finally finished organizing the office. I still don’t feel quite “settled,” though – even though I know there is a fourth Twilight book coming soon, and most of the existing conflicts have been resolved, I found myself beginning the series again last night. Hopefully I’ll be able to pace myself a little better this time. :)

Before starting Twilight again, I visited Stephenie Meyer’s website. My sister had told me about a project of Stephenie’s related to the Twilight series. On her site is a rough-draft manuscript of Midnight Sun, Chapter 1, “First Sight.” It details Bella’s first day in Forks, but this time from Edward’s perspective. It is FASCINATING! (Click here to read it.) After I had read this and began Twilight again, I felt like I understood Edward perfectly – the strange, frustrated looks, the hate in his eyes during Mr. Banner’s biology class, etc. I only wish there was more; as I moved on to Chapters 2 and 3 I suddenly felt blind because I could no longer hear what was in Edward’s mind. Even still, I am giddy with anticipation of what I already know will come again in these first three books, and even more excited for the fourth book to come out in August. I will be the first in line at Wal-Mart!! I kind of feel like I am in junior high again…

Now, moving on to something EXTREMELY important – Twilight the movie. It is currently filming in Portland, I think, and will be released on December 12. Yikes!! I am so excited (again with the silly junior high-ness)!! I hope they keep it fairly true to the story, and don’t change anything too much – I hate it when that happens! In my eager anticipation of the film I’ve spent some time on-line googling cast pics, video clips, anything I could find. At first, swayed slightly by some of my friends’ opinions, I was disappointed in some of the casting decisions (namely, Edward). However, I’ve now changed my mind. So, Sarah, I am going to go out on a limb and say that I think Robert Pattinson will make a very good Edward.

Consider display #1:

















And if that doesn’t do it for you, here’s #2:
















Now, truly – that screams “hunky vampire!”

Finally, the Twilight movie trailer. Check it out here. And thanks for not thinking I’m crazy – I must’ve just been bitten or something….

Sunday Project and Summer Vacation

Ahhhh....it's finally summer vacation! Well, kind of. Aside from the Class III patient I have to finish in the morning (SATURDAY morning; I guess I'll have to wait 'til Sunday to sleep in), and the light dusting of snow we had yesterday, I'd say I'm off to a cushy start. I only worked three days this week, and without five days of class, I spent the whole week thinking it was Friday -- mahvelous!

One of my favorite things about summer is working on a "Sunday Project" every week. Whether it be a birthday gift or an Anthropologie knock-off ("Rachelpology," Andrea calls it), I love to wind down with some homemade project. Last week I finished this skirt. The colors don't show up the best because I took the picture with my cell phone (REALLY gotta get a digital camera!) -- it's kind of a turquoise color with dark brown grosgrain ribbon. I'm really excited, because I used to have a skirt just like it...but, you know how marriage can cause spontaneous waistband expansion, and I gave that skirt to my best friend, Lacey. Fortunately, I had enough fabric left over to make another. This time I made it easily adjustable...hopefully I'll be adjusting it down, though, and not up!

Tagged!

Three names you go by:
1. Rach
2. Cocoa or Cocoa-bear (only by my mom)
3. Bambi (only by friends from high school)
Three things you are wearing right now:
1. Polka-dot pajama bottoms with my name on the bum
2. My old, faded Harvard t-shirt
3. Pearl earrings
Three of your favorite things to do:
1. Sing
2. Sew
3. Step Aerobics
Three things you want very badly at the moment:
1. A piano
2. No more school
3. Time to go running
Three favorite pets you have had/have
1. Ginger (Colby's dog)
2. Perky the Werky (my cat...named by my little sister)
3. Seng-Chi ("mouse," but she's really a cat)
Three things you did last night:
1. Loaded my new dishwasher!
2. Studied for my Psychology class
3. Stayed up too late watching old episodes of "Gilmore Girls"
Three things you ate today
1. Dried pineapple
2. String Cheese
3. Chinese coleslaw
Three people you last talked to:
1. Colette
2. Dave
3. Andrea
Three longest car rides:
1. Rexburg to Las Vegas
2. Oregon to Kaysville
3. Bus ride from Boise to San Francisco (high school choir tour)
Three favorite holidays:
1. Christmas
2. Thanksgiving
3. 4th of July
Three favorite beverages:
1. Diet Dr. Pepper
2. Water
3. Home-bottled grape juice

Now I tag... Vanessa, Christine, and Kara

Hooray for Spring Break!

Ahhhh....well, I guess it wasn't much of a "break," but hey -- I'll take what I can get!! I had Saturday off from work, which was sooooo wonderful. Colby and I took full advantage of my one day of freedom and went to Kaysville for a few hours to visit his parents. I was sad we couldn't stay longer, but we had time to play one game of "Pollyanna" (in which I creamed Colby's dad after the Hunsaker family tradition), and "Settlers of Catan" (in which I lost miserably to Colby's brother, Bryce). Ilona and I had tons of fun playing with our blogs. I scanned a ton of scrapbook paper and uploaded it to my Photobucket account and we both updated our blog designs. It was really easy, so for those of you who are wondering, it is possible to make your own "digital" scrapbook paper...and, after a little R&R I think I can now make it through a couple more weeks of my crazy schedule.

My Cutest Patient

This is Keelie, my patient from last Tuesday. She has to be one of the cutest little girls I've ever seen! She is four years old, and nad never been to the dentist, so I felt like it was up to me to make it a pleasant experience for her. She really liked my chair, I showed her how it could go all the way up ("Does it go up to the ceiling?"), and my suction (or "Mr. Thirsty," as many of us know him). I also made up names for my instruments -- Spike, Curly, and Chuck -- and spoke in funny voices for each of them. She especially liked Spike and would ask me to make him say, "Mmmm, Sugar Bugs! Gimme some more!" as he scraped the plaque off her teeth. She was so cute and giggly, that I got permission from her dad to take a picture with her. Working with her makes me wonder if I'd like working for a pedodontist. She was so much fun!!

Okay, so I found this website where you upload a picture of yourself and it shows you which celebrity you look like. I had fun playing around with my dental hygiene friends' photos, and here's what I found:

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities

Sarah's and Erin's might be kind of a stretch, but fun, huh?

Schizo-Blog!

So, Angie, wonderful friend that she is, showed me how to upload digital scrapbook paper and edit the html on my blog to create my own backgrounds and stuff! I am having so much fun playing around with it, but I will have to warn you all: you will probably see my blog change like a million times while I am playing around with all of these cute patterns!!

I LOOOOOOOOOVE the BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice." I love it so much, in fact, that I put it on tonight for the fourth time in a month! It started out as my "background noise," something to listen to while cutting out my "Sunday Project". Before too long, though, I found myself parked in front of the couch, squealing like a little girl at every longing look exchanged between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. What a sexy man, that Mr. Darcy! (Sorry, Colby)

About two hours into the film, Colby wandered into the living room and sat behind me on the couch. As is sometimes the case in the Hunsaker home, he began to complain about my entertainment selection: "What is this garbage you're watching?!" "This is stupid!" "I think I am losing brain cells!" "Doesn't anybody die?" Even with all of his whining, I am still convinced he found the show somewhat interesting -- he watched it for almost an hour!

Only at Harmon's...

I am discovering the true excitement of working for a credit union inside a grocery store. Not only do I have the antics of the comedic "Officer Tight-Pants" to amuse me (more to come on that one), but I never cease to be entertained by the goings-on of the Harmon's universe. Today, for example, I was sitting at my teller window gazing off into the jungle of cheesy Valentine's Day decor that currently entangles the store. All of a sudden, a giant hippo wearing a hot pink tutu waltzed by in front of me!! I thought it was so funny, I snapped a picture with my cell phone so everyone else could enjoy it, too.

This is one of my favorite clips!