Week in Review

Although my life is pretty mundane I am going to write about my week since this is really like my journal and someday I'll look back and reminisce on my mundane life.  This week I worked about 35 hours and finally hung out at night instead of just sitting at home.

• Monday- I went over to Misha's house to finish making cookies for FHE and then we walked down the street to the Garden Park building for FHE where we played getting to know you games.  Usually kids who are home for the summer are hesitant to attend singles wards but I actually quite enjoy mine, even if I am only going to be there for a couple months.
• Tuesday- Some girls and I hung out at Annie's and watched Nacho Libre (one of my favorite movies to quote)
• Wednesday- I spent a cozy night at home and had a mommy-daughter movie night.  We watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.  She had never seen it before so it was a real treat to listen to her commentary.  The only thing that was a downer was we had to watch it on a laptop in the family room.  After coming home from BYU I was really excited to be able to watch movies on an actual television, but no, of course both of our DVD players break within a week of me moving home.  And no I am not the cause of it but I'll be happy when they get fixed.
• Thursday- After work Erin and I went up to the outlet mall in Park City and did some much needed shopping.  I bought a really cute pair of jeans at Downeast Outfitters.  Yes, C.R.A.T., my all-time favorite jeans ripped two days after finals.
• Friday- We made tinfoil dinners in the oven at Stwarts house.  Props to her and Jane for putting it all together!  The best part was that we didn't have to smell like campfire but we still got to enjoy a delicious meal.  After dinner a couple of us went to the Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakery for a cupcake....I've been craving one all week and finally gave in.  After consuming a couple hundred calories I went with Erin and a couple of her friends to the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie.  It was actually better than I thought it would be but I had low expectations for it to begin with.
• Saturday-  yesterday I went to the gym with Erin and then came home to clean the house.  I showered around 4 P.M. and didn't really feel like putting any effort into getting ready so I just stayed home and hung out by myself.

In other news, Brooke gets home from her mission to Puerto Rico on Thursday.  Only 4 days left til our family will all be in the same country.  Our family won't be totally complete until August when Rachel gets home from Washington D.C. but it'll be nice to have Brookie home.  I never thought I would say this but I'm actually looking forward to sharing a bedroom with her for two weeks before she moves down to Provo for summer term.

Since I don't have any children, nieces, or nephews to talk about I am going to boast about the cutest little kid in the world.  Johnny, the boy I nanny, is my all-time favorite boy right now.  Every week he does something new that just cracks me up.  This week I learned he likes to taunt me.  This is how the story pans out:  I gave him some Trix cereal to eat because he won't eat anything these days.  He'll hold one over the edge of his high-chair just waiting for you to say something and then he'll lower his hand as if to drop it but then he'll giggle and bring it back up.  Plus if you say "don't smile" or "I bet you can't smile" he just puts on the biggest grin or he'll start laughing.  This works very well if you want to cheer him up after telling him he can't have any more ba-ba.  I was going to show you a demonstration but the video is taking literally 3 hours to upload so I'll leave it to your imagination.

Here are my two favorite pictures of the week:

The first one is him in my sunglasses.  He thought they looked so cool on me that he wanted to try them for himself.

The second picture was taken in the East High School seminary building.  We took his sister Madi to seminary after school on Tuesday and waited inside for her.  I don't think I need to say this since the picture suggests it but he had a pretty good time making faces at me through the glass doors.

*****

Since I didn't blog on Friday I will give a shout out to one of my best friends and roommate, Rachel, whose birthday is on the 20th.  Happy 19th Birthday Rachel!!!

Create

At the start of every summer I tell myself that I won't just sit in front of the television and waste away the sunny days, but by the start of school I look back and can't boast any achievement.  That is why my goal this summer is to CREATE something, anything.

You can hardly call this a job...

I absolutely love my job this summer.  Yes, it is sometimes hard to think of things to do all day with a 22-month old but this little tike makes it difficult to become bored.

Dining like a King with his two blankies behind his head

This week has gone by fast compared to last week though.  I think it's because I kind of have a hang on things and my schedule etc...  Plus he's warmed up to me.  I know this because I got my first slap on the face by him yesterday.  His brothers say he only hits, scratches, and pinches people he is comfortable with, which means I guess I'm in that category now.  I've gotten his lingo down too.  At first I was confused but now I know what his little dictionary contains.
For example...

Di-doo: Thank you

example of Johnny saying "no"

oh: no

ee: yes

ba-ba: bottle

da-n-me: that wasn't me

shoos: juice

way-go: where'd it go?

babby: either baby or Abby but I can't tell

Although I yearn for real adult conversation during the day I love it when he talks.  He says thank you for everything and says it more than any other phrase.  One of my favorite conversations with him though is when I ask if he's stinky and he says "no" with his face scrunched up, then after I check and find that he really is stinky he gets this little smirk on his face as if saying "haha I fooled you."  But then he smiles the cutest little smile with slight puppy dog eyes and you can't help but laugh, which makes him laugh....although it doesn't take much to make him laugh. 
The other conversation is when he burps or makes a little sound from the other end.  I'll looked surprised and he responds by looking around and shaking his head while saying "da-n-me," meaning "that's not me."  haha man you've got to love this little rascal.  He'll definitely be breaking a lot of girls hearts when he's older.

puppy dog eye smile

the boy with many hairstyles

I'm glad to have the weekend off and to sleep in tomorrow but am excited to get back to "working" on Monday.

*****

And shout out to Cara whose birthday is today.  I can't wait to see you in August and be official roommates in Provo.  Miss and love you!

Happy Birthday from California, Utah, and Alaska

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to my beautiful, amazing, talented mom.

 I love you!



1st Summer Update

I've been done with school for two weeks now and it still doesn't really feel like summer.  Maybe that's because my job requires me to keep school hours.  I work from 8-4 everyday, nannying for a lady in my ward while she trains at Carden Memorial to be a 4th grade teacher next year.  Although I have to get up earlier now than I did this whole year, I love my job!  I get to hang out with a beautiful blonde haired blue eyed (almost) two year old.  Most people think that babysitting all day long would be a nightmare but Johnny is so sweet tempered, hardly ever cries, and is a little energizer bunny.  He keeps me on my feet but also is a great little helper.  There was a dried piece of chocolate or something on the floor that he noticed, so he opened up a drawer, got out a rag, and started to try and wipe it up himself.  He first tried wiping it with his hand, when that didn't work he set the rag down and began to do it with his feet, but to no avail.  This, and other things, tired him out and when I turned my back he zonked out on the floor.

Not only is he a great helper around the house; he is not your typical two year old boy.  He doesn't run amok and cause mischief like most toddler boys do.  He is actually quite sensitive, as is evident by him dragging around and caring for a baby doll we found in a hall closet yesterday.

If you can tell a kids future by how he acts when he is little, well, then this kid has a great future ahead of him.

Before this week I was fortunate to have a little break between school and work.  My friend Elizabeth stayed with me for a night before her plane left on Tuesday.  We some of the touristy things since she had never really been to Salt Lake before.  After I picked her up on Monday we went to Gateway with Rachel and then to East High with Kim.  I felt like a total tourist in my own high school, but seeing that we had never taken pictures while we actually went to the school, Kim and I had decided to go back and take pictures on the High School Musical set.  While there we got to catch up with our favorite teacher, Ms. Lake.

On our way to the airport the next morning, Rachel, Elizabeth, and I went and did baptisms.  It was Elizabeth's first time in the Salt Lake temple, and I'm privileged to be the one to take her.

Later that day my family drove down to the Grand Canyon last week for a quick trip before Rachel jetted of to Washington D.C. for the summer.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous.  We spent Tuesday night in Spring City and arrived in Arizona Wednesday afternoon.  On Thursday my dad, Erin, Rachel, and I traversed down a ways into the canyon and emerged back up on the rim 5 hours later.  All I can say is "thank goodness for camelbaks." On Friday we left the hotel at 6:33 A.M. and arrived home in Salt Lake at 5:30 P.M. thanks to the congested traffic and road construction in Utah County.

Anyway, here are my favorite pictures from the trip:

It's just a shame that I had to leave this lovely weather for this.... (and remember it was the end of April)

Gotta love Utah weather

Some other thoughts of today:

• Congratulations to Rachel on being Orrin Hatch's press intern for the summer!  
• Brooke gets home in 22 days!
• Should I be concerned that in the past week I have watched a whole television series?!  I don't care if I spent 36 hours to watch 4 seasons, I absolutely love this show! (thank you mom for buying this series)

• I miss Provo and my friends terribly (good thing we have skype)
• The U of U is just finishing finals. Ha!
• I loved driving in my car today with Johnny, and rolling my windows down so we could feel the wind on our faces....oh and singing with the windows down

End of a long EFY

I finished my last final yesterday morning, took a load of stuff home, and am spending my last night in Provo tonight.  It's bittersweet.  I'm relieved that school and homework is over for a couple of months but I am sad to leave Provo and my friends.

Rachel F. and I procrastinated packing our room as long as possible.  Yesterday morning we gave into the inevitable and started to pack up our home.  I got really depressed when I had to start taking things down from my walls.

Now I am sitting in my desolate, white room wishing it was last September.

2 days ago: my beautifully decorated room

Today: my white washed walls

See how happy I was two days ago?  Now, well not so happy (despite how the picture makes me look)

Even if it's just for the summer, I'm going to miss this place more than I thought.  I've grown to love Provo, BYU, and every single girl on my floor.  I'm going to miss:

• Being able to talk to Rachel F. whenever I walk into my bedroom 
• Running down the hall to Tess and Cara's room to tell them some embarrassing or funny story
• Having all my meals prepared for me by the Cannon Center staff
• Late night study dates with HBLL
• Random runs to the hospital for shakes or to Yogurtland for frozen yogurt
• Pow wows until midnight with Tess and Chris about the "ay oh's"
• Movie nights with our beds pushed together
• Christmas lights in my room
• Getting Vitamin Water from the vending machines
• Tyler's laugh after I make a joke even if it isn't funny
• Not having to knock when walking into my friends rooms
• Watching Tess' perplexed look on her face when I say something super sarcastic
• MY ROOM

But the thing that I can't stand most? In two weeks there will probably be some snot nosed 14 year old boy who thinks he is the coolest thing since slice bread staying in my room for EFY. I guess I just can't let such depressing thoughts enter into my mind.

Now I will indulge myself by publishing my favorite pictures from this past week.

Breakfast with the hall

Cara, Craig, Tess, Me, Rachel, and Josh

C.R.A.T. and Chris

Cara, Tess, Chris, and Me

Skousen Sandwich

Goodbye Stover Hall

Saying goodbye to Freshman life

Today I finished my classes for winter semester.  It is starting to sink in that I am leaving the dorms.  Only 7 more days until I officially finish my first year of college.  It feels like I just started.  I can't believe how fast time flies.  A week or so before I started college a friend told me to take advantage of freshman year because it was the best year for him and it went by really fast.  He told me to live every moment to the fullest and have all the fun that I want because you're only a freshman once. When he said that I just thought "ya, ya....it feels like such a long year ahead of me."  Now that I am looking back on the last 8 months I realize what he meant.  It went by extremely fast and I know that I will never be able to have these experiences again.

I never thought I would say this but I have loved living in the dorms.  I'm going to miss having 30 sisters and our mother figure (our R.A.) just down the hall.  I realized that I might never see many of these kids again, but at the same time I'm looking forward to living in an apartment and meeting new people.

In remembrance of my freshman year here are some of my favorite photos/memories:

visiting the Sweet Toothfairy Bakery

that night we slept 5 people on two beds pushed together 

going up Provo canyon for a bonfire

taking future roommate photos

unintentionally matching outfits

Spring City/ATVING 

BYU basketball! 

Festival of Colors

General Conference at the Conference Center

Late night studying with HBLL

Surprising Rachel by picking out her outfit for her date

Mitt for President

Mitt Romney is DA BOMB

Recently

I'm sorry I have taken forever since updating my blog but for the two of you who actually read it, well, you already know what's going on in my life.

Anyway last week was General Conference.  I was able to come home with Rachel and Tess and go to the conference center for the Saturday afternoon session.  It was fun to show my BYU friends around my home town..... er.... uh, city.  We went to the Sweet Toothfairy Bakery, drove around Salt Lake, and then returned home and watched a movie.  It made me miss Salt Lake but also made me sad that in two weeks I'll be leaving Provo and my friends for the summer.  I'm excited though to come home to my family and old friends.

A lot of fun things have happened since the last update:

1.  Going to Spring City with my friends, eating aebleskivers, getting the ATV stuck in the snow (don't worry mom I was the one driving, not one of the other girls), seeing the breathtaking Manti temple lit up,  and enjoying each others company

2.  Going to Spring City with Rachel and her friends.

3.  Going to the Festival of Colors at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple in Spanish Fork

Cara, Me, Chris, Tricia, Kristal, Tess, and Rachel

after with Mary Katherine

Tess, Rachel, Cara, Kristal, Me, and Tricia

4. General Conference with Tess and Rachel

Well ENJOY this beautiful week!

Tiiiiiiiii(yawn)iired

2 hours in the testing center + 8 hours in the library = 10 hours on campus today.  Surprisingly this day has been long but fast....probably because I've been cooped up all day and I'm not even done with my homework yet.  Ugh, joy.  Aren't Saturdays suppose to be a day off from school?!
p.s. on the bright side, the late night study dates with the library paid off.  2 tests down 1 to go.

TGoodnessIF

There are few things better in [college] life than getting a "WAY TO GO" next to my test score in the Grant Building this morning.  It was like the testing center was saying, "hello Abby, we hope you have a great rest of the day this lovely Friday!"  Well, good morning Friday.  I am glad you are finally here, even though you are starting off a weekend that is jammed packed of study dates with the library, preparing for two tests and loads of homework due next week.

Which is where I am right now as I right this: the library.  In addition to getting a test taking confidence boost, and as if getting a "WAY TO GO" next to my test score wasn't enough, I also received a compliment from my cubicle. (p.s. thank you whoever wrote it for making my day a little better)

sorry for the bad quality and glare.
In case you can't see what it says it says "URpretty"

I must say my weekend is off to a pretty good start, but I hope it stays that way.  Hopefully the multiple late nights this week in the library until 11 P.M. (sometimes later) will pay off.

Late night study break with Ana and Rachel,
"pigging out" at the HFAC vending machines

Now I am back to the books feeling pretty good about today, and it's not even 10 A.M.

I hope you have a GREAT Friday, and take advantage of your free time this weekend because I am envious of you (unless, of course, you're stuck in the library like me, then I empathize with you)!
Maybe I'll be able to get out in this glorious weather and throw a little frisbee to de-stress myself.

The Real Thing: Coca-Cola

For my geography class I have to write an essay on an innovation or idea that started in the United States and has diffused domestically or internationally.  I chose to write about the Coca-Cola Company.  Since researching the company I have been nostalgic for the old (at least to me) commercials with the jingle that ends with "whenever there is fun, there's always Coca-Cola."  Man I miss hearing that jingle on television.  Well anyway I have been reminiscing by watching Coke commercials and am including my two favorite.

Enjoy the videos while I get back to writing my essay.

Todays mood: summer-sick

Is there such a thing as being summer-sick?  If there is then that is what I'm feeling today.  Todays weather is perfect.  All I want to do right now is drive along Foothill Drive and the belt-route with the windows down while belting to some summer jams with my sisters.  Maybe I'm just being nostalgic but that is the epitome of my summer : driving Chug (my trusty toyota) to Target on a hot summers day with the sunroof open and all the windows rolled down.

My ultimate summer playlist includes:

1.  Summertime - Kenny Chesney
2.  Summer girls - LFO
3.  I Go Back - Kenny Chesney
4.  Swing Swing - The All-American Rejects
5.  Move Along - The All-American Rejects
and last but not least
6.  ANY Jesse McCartney song...because what is summer without Jesse?!  It just wouldn't be the same.

This picture does not to it justice but imagine this scene with sun, marshmallow clouds and without the inversion