Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Awkward..

I was thinking today as I drove to work trying to keep my numb fingers on the steering wheel that I have had some really awkward moments in my life.
Let's just get them out there while we are sitting here waiting for thanksgiving. Keep in mind that I am leaving the embarrassing, life scarring ones...OUT!

1. Spilled milk all over a guest when I was like 12. Then blamed it on a hole in the cup. The cup was glass. I STILL get made fun of for that one by siblings. Let it go? Please...

2. Slid my hand under the glass dining room double doors on accident and my middle finger nail was ripped off, and I screamed really loud and burst into tears and started freaking out by jumping up and down..which wouldn't have been that bad but I was 14 and our hometeachers were teaching a lesson. I still remember my dad getting mad at me for being too loud.

3.I wrecked my bike in the parking lot and that really hurt. And I ripped my pants. Im wearing those pants today.

4. I woke up and got completely ready for school only to find out it was 7PM, not Am. I knew it when I saw my whole family eating food that was far from breakfast food. Casserole.

5. When I got carried away and shaved one entire arm, but didn't want to shave the other one. Then somebody noticed and asked if I had a disorder. Yep.

6. I just thought of a really awesome one, but sorry it is not suitable for readers...but just know it involves a basketball game.

7. When Echo walked in on me naked in my room because I failed to close the doors to my bedroom AND closet.

8. When I told someone I think only nerds wear fanny packs. And he wore one, and he took it all wrong. After this I tried to dig myself out, but gave up.

9. When I wrote my teachers name on the board as Mrs. Turtle, when it was actually Mrs. Tuttle, and then she walked in. I'll never forget that one.

10. And the prize winner, when my friends Aaron, Wes, Lori and I were driving home from flaming gorge and Aaron got a ticket. I then asked the officer if we could snap a picture. He agreed, then he smiled. This my dearest friends was very awkward because he didn't know whether or not to say bye, have a nice trip, or hey I'm a policeman respect me. I think he fell out of character. It may have been more awkward if he would have told me NO you cannot photo me. Anyway...here's the lucky photo.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Be....

THANKFUL
As many of you know I support Proposition 8. I also am an operator for my college. Not sure I want to disclose that information as we try to keep it on the DL. But... hopefully this story can help us all realize how grateful we should be.

The other day I was working during the football game. You know that rival football game that the fans wait and watch for all year. The rival game where one ticket went for 500,000 dollars. You know that BYU vs. UTAH game.



Back to the point of this story. Calls on game days are all directed towards the game. What channel? What channel if I have comcast? What is the score? I even got, what is the weather like in Salt Lake right now? Is the weather affecting their game? How many players have gotten hurt? What did Max Hall eat for lunch? Okay.. I may be getting carried away, but every single question is repetitive and as I try to keep a good perspective about the callers it sometimes is daunting answering the same question 70 times. With that in mind I was put in my place. Extremely reprimanded by a certain caller. The conversation went as follows.

ME: BYU OPERATOR (prepping myself to say the following, Game is at 4, in Utah, on the mountain channel)
Caller: Hi, I am a resident of California and I am sure you don't get many calls from people calling and thanking you for what you have done in California.
Me: I don't believe I personally have received any calls if you are calling regarding Proposition 8.
Caller: Well you guys deserve immense respect, and I would like to express me and my family's gratitude for what you have done for Proposition 8.
(Throughout the call she referred to the church as 'me' specifically, which is not uncommon as BYU does represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and as an operator I do represent BYU)
Me: I cannot say that it was me alone, The Church has definitely taken a strong stand and with that we hopefully made a difference.
Caller: Well you did an amazing job, and I am calling to tell you that you made a significant difference, and thousands of non-LDS people in California have so much to thank you for, and I know you are receiving unnecessary and uncalled for persecution, but do not think the world is against you. Most of California is with you and supports and thanks you for all you have done.
Me: (I was speechless, and taken aback, that me being ungrateful for football calls, could not take the time to be thankful for My God, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman.)
ME: I then thanked her for calling, and expressed gratitude for her support towards the church, and then hung up in awe. Shock and awe.


How could I be so pathetic as to not notice such an important time and be so grateful for my values and my stand on marriage, and that our country was able to fight against the terrible sin in which impeaches upon what marriage is. I am not sure what is and isn't politically correct. But something tells me that having a family in the natural and sacred way and raising the family with values and principles that sustain our economy and society is politically correct.

The leaders encourage us to not be involved in the ongoing debate, because this battle cannot be won by logic alone. I provide a series of links to help better the understanding of the Church's stand on gay marriage, and proposition 8.

All in all, I am thankful for the stance The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has taken, I am thankful for California's stance on Prop 8. I am thankful that I belong to a church that will stand and protect marriage with all respect for those who do not believe it its between a man and a woman.

Click on these titles below to read:

First Presidency Urges Respect


Protect Marriage Website

Elder Bednar Quorum of the 12 Apostles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Importance of Marriage between a man and a woman.

Letter from First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

List of Helpful Websites on Proposition 8 and Same Sex Marriage

Friday, November 21, 2008

A position reached after consideration

Oh ps Brooke, I borrowed your shirt this day, don't be mad.

It all began when I enrolled in VA 326. This visual arts class in which consumed my 10am-1pm every Wednesday, became my favorite class immediately. For a few reasons.
1. Brittany Humber-good thing we both have unlimited texting and can talk to each other for free, or else we would be in trouble.
2. Dr. Gray- She is my art professor. She is classic for puns. All day long she gives us puns, sometimes even triple puns. We were making retablos one day, and using bread, she will say something about the day being crummy. We were looking at a picture of shoes and she said, this has some sole. The list goes on. There is an artist whom I can't really remember his first name and I will butcher his last name but it is something like Ceesawn (thats how it sounds but im sure thats not how it is spelled, but work with me) And she said, now we are going to be looking at so and so Ceesawn. Time passed, then she said, 'tis the ceesawn to be jolly'. So basically Dr. Gray is my number 2 reason for this position I have reached.
3. Art. I know I haven't always been this kickin artist but my desire is there and I know with work it can become something better.
4. My granny, I know she will be so happy with this position I have reached.
5. Who doesn't want to go to more school.
So I bet you want to know what this jolly decision is?
I have decided to minor in Art Education. Thanks VA 326 for extending my stay at BYU.

No in all honesty it is only 18 more credits in which I can go spring and summer and also go while I am teaching school if I am not done by then. So I will have my Early Childhood Certification for Teaching, and my Art Education Minor. So I can teach any art class, and teach in the classroom K-3. Problems all solved.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Phase Six of Peru. Phase SIx.

So if you think I am nearing the end of my phases, you are wrong. You are completely wrong. This is still from the first 2 GB memory card. I have 4 more 2 GB memory cards. So Peru may continue for awhile. Maybe I will condense it throughout Christmas break, but I highly doubt it. Highly doubt it. But at least I am to the orphans now.

my camera was such a distraction, im sure the teacher really hated me for it. . . But I was a distraction by myself, i spoke jibberish to them, and I was white, with blonde hair, something they had only saw in movies..probably. I spent some trying times in this room. Def. hard and not so much rewarding, but a learning experience for me regardless if it was for them or not.

Without me. We found them all sitting quietly like this, I was in shock and awe. Shock and awe.
With me!
This was taken on accidental...But its the only one of the lunchroom that I have. Something you need to know about the lunchroom...Dont work in the kitchen if you have a queasy stomach, and don't get sick from hairs in your food or you may have to eat your throw up. Gross.

This is not where I worked, but where Phil and Sam worked...we had the olympics one day.. My team was blue and it was chaos and everyone ended up just popping everyone else's balloons. You may have to search me out in these photos, but I am in the gray..usually my back is to the camera.
These little tots were helping each other tie on ribbons. Funny because they aren't pro tiers. Something I learned very fast from this orphanage is that the kids depend on each other for friendship, parenting, love, guidance, and even food :)
I feel like we couldn't keep up with them, they struggled with understanding rules and structure and organization..but for some odd reason it was super enjoyable in the chaos, and the volunteers would just look at each other, shrug, and keep on tying on balloons.
Can you imagine me speaking complete English, and every once in awhile throwing in some random spanish word? Ya it was terrific.
Phil was super energetic and these kids adored him. Every kid knew who he was, and knew he was the coolest ever, and good at soccer.
The majority of these photos come from Oscar (one of the boy older orphans) taking my camera and taking all these great photos.
I am pretty sure I have ten of these...he was in love with the control of the camera.
This little guy didn't know a word I was saying, but all the same, he made me melt to an ice cream puddle.

Looking back at these photos, so many memories, emotions, feelings and even tastes come rushing back. I loved it, and met so many great people, children who know no means for love, and love you upon sight. Welcome to Peru.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Sometimes I go home... (with pictures)

So in order to understand this post you need to place the phrase 'sometimes I go home' before every sentence. Unless you want me to type it. .. . . . you can do it.
(Place the phrase 'sometimes I go home..here)so I can give Ian my camera, to take these kinds of pictures.

So I can watch Ian and Lad box for hours. And have at least 4 or 5 crying breakdowns during these fights.

To witness dinner at its greatest. 2 pizzas from costco and 2 lasagnas from costco, and lots of salad.
So I can enjoy over eating and sit at this table with (left to right) Landon, Echo, Chandler, and Lad.
just so I can see Ian, Shad, and Ethan eat.
So I can make fun of my 4 year old brotha who has a mo-hawk. (Brooke cut it, don't blame my mama if you hate it, and if you love it..praise Brooke..I guess)
To watch Faith 'bear down' My dad always does this...its like clench your hands fists and grit your teeth to win! She is one....already has this fire in her...oh dear.
So I can celebrate Ammon's birthday with an A cake.

So I can celebrate Ammon turning nine and my Dad turning 34? mahaha Actually I switched those around, it used to say 43. He is actually 53.

So I can celebrate 3 of my family members birthdays in one day. Shad Happy Birthday, you're 16 go on a date for goodness sakes. Oh ya I forgot..you still think girls have cooties. Keep thinking that..
So I can eat German Chocolate Cake. Which by the way is the tastiest in the West (warning:may have saliva on it).
So I can see Echo. Who happens to be inches taller than me. And years younger than me. I may or may not have just woken up from my 3 hour Sunday nap here.
So I can wander around aimlessly for hours upon hours with not a care in the world.
So I can see my two favorite sisters..Faith and Summer. Actually I take that back...JK I like you guys. We will work on the favorite part though. Faith, you stop squaking at random times and you will bump up to the fav spot.
So I can witness this...by this I mean Echo. All day long she entertains me.
 
So I can see my Nana. She has white hair. She came to the party. The party for three.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Prom Then. Prom Now.

I was a bit slimmer then. Oh and we do have the un-copyrighted fotos, but..they are in Standrod..and I am in Provo.

I loved trying to breathe in this dress. My photographer was comforting by saying things like, "Im amazed that you still fit in it!" "Your body changes, you probably didn't gain weight, it is just what happens" "You look beautiful even though you can't breathe."
The riverwoods is a great place. Im sure they all thought I was getting my Senior pictures for high school. Little did they know Im a junior...in college..living the prom dream..
I wanted a Prom date, but he never came oddly enough.
Smiling wasn't hard, all I had to do was think about how crazy this was.
I think I look good in my prom dress. I think I'll wear it again sometime.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Dad Its Your Birthday

In honor of my dad's 53rd birthday I would like all of you to know where he has been influential in my life. Let's begin with the basics of what I remember him teaching me:

When I was little he taught me to put a hoodie or something cloth related under my head as I slept on the tractor floor in the middle of the night. I have recently looked inside the tractor to see if I would fit. I don't fit at all. I was crammed as a little one, so the likelihood of anyone over 50 pounds fitting there is slim chance.

With teaching me to put a coat or something under my head, it was just more than that, it was the desire I had to spend time with my dad who was a custom farmer working all night and most of the day. Although I can only remember looking up at him messing with all the knobs, and stepping out to go un-clog the baler, I remember that was quality one on one time with my dad.

Since I don't have any pictures of him and I in a tractor, the closet one I have is when he taught me how to preg-check a cow. For greater details read this post. CLICK here!

It began with a demonstration of about 14 cows. He was so great at it. He went to school for this!
He showed me how to lube up my hand.
He guided me nicely when I said, But dad she keeps pushing me out, and I just am scared she is going to kick me. He was patient and didn't give up on my inexperience.
And I was successful thanks to his encouraging words.

If this wasn't enough to know that my Dad is remarkably amazing. Let me tell you his knowledge bank is full, and I call him in relation to anything about politics, cars, farming, and other stuff that I personally do not know.

Something more than his knowledge is his willingness to help, guide, teach and love his children. And he has a few of them.


16 to be exact. (Thats his arm on the left.)

So with these siblings he so blessed me with I have unlimited access to several banks of knowledge and love. Which I have him to thank for.



He taught me how to work hard. Hard work is something I value in people now and its a matter of when all your work is done, do you keep working? And yes yes you do. So My dad maybe taught me endurance too..how? well just by making me tickle his feet with knives, like you see Echo doing here below.



Fingernails are not sharp enough apparently.

Another thing he passed on to me was his love for chocolate, here he is eating some melted almonds in which Brooke got him for F-day. (fathers day) (I dont know why I abbreviate when I just have to tell you what it is anyway.)
Appreciate chocolate Day should be made on Nov 8 in honor of my Dad.

So with all the previous things you know about my dad you probably don't know he has a sense of humor. Well I remember one story distinctly about him that scarred me. So it was rodent season in the Hansen Home and he decided to put some little dead rodents that he had captured into a ziploc baggie. So when I was eating my dinner in my pajamas at the kitchen bar, he decided to throw this little baggie of rodents at me. I screamed and still can feel the plastic deadness of those rodents hitting my arm. Sick Dad, sick.

I also can remember something else I dont think he knows I know. Hahshhahahsadfhasld. Dont tell him okay? So one time he was really mad at all of us. And one sibling came rushing down the stairs, "Dad is mad! Dad is mad!" "EVERYBODY HIDE!!!" So as I grabbed Ethan or somebody we ran and hide, but we still had the kitchen in view. He came storming down the stairs mad at us, as his large size 12 feet hit the floor at the bottom of the stairs, some part of him tumbled and he came crashing down. I remember him falling, and I remember us snickering, then I remember us coming out all humbled because he was mad at us. I hope he knows that was really funny for us. Probably hurt him a bit...and hope he doesn't feel embarrassed that I am writing this.


My Dad (and mom) helped me make it through. I feel like this medal they presented me with was because my Dad was always saying, What did you get on that test,Me- 92 dad, Dad-Get a 99 next time!!

So my dad wanted us to do our best at everything, regardless of the effort it took and if it was worth it or not. My grades in high school don't mean much to me now, but it wasn't the grades that mattered, it was the work hard for everything concept that is what matters.

And I think I owe more than I could ever repay to my Dad.

He used to have a Camaro. I want one. Dad? .... Next birthday please?

Happy Birthday Daddy-O! You are 53!!!

Friday, November 7, 2008

When I stepped out of the car in Standrod...

I was greeted with a number of surprises.
Sally tried to call us while we were coming home (we being Landon and I), but she called and all we could hear was..."You be a cow and I'll be the milker" what!! that does not sound pleasant, I was hoping for like a construction hat and I'll just stay in my normal clothes and call it good. I'll be a construction worker..thats fine. So we were unsure of what Sally was going to pull out of the closet for us. We were meeting them at gramma's so we could hussle with the trick or treating. I haven't been trick or treating since I was eleven. I remember my first non-trick or treating night where I thought I was too old. I went with the 'bigger kids' to Naf's General Store down the road, and played pool, ate hamburgers, and watched Gone with the Wind on the T.V. while all the fun was happening.

I remember sitting there going through a little bit of Trick or Treating withdrawls. I started thinking about that orange bucket of goodness that I would be missing out on for months to come.
I started thinking what would become of me if I wanted to go next year, would everyone ask where I had been?
I started thinking this was fun, but was I ready to become one of the 'bigger kids'?
Could I keep up with them on bike rides?
Could I maintain the social pressure from the younger kids begging to go everywhere?
Could I stand not knocking on people's doors in Yost for the years to come?
I finally decided..
I could never go again.

Well as you have probably already assumed. I jumped the hurdle of embarrassment and went trick or treating. Nine years after the previously discussed experience. Mainly because I haven't been home since July, and haven't seen my family all at once since then either. So, I dropped my pride and wore the costume. The little ones thought it pretty amusing. So did all the people opening their doors.

I first stepped out and saw Faith my little sister walking towards me, I quickly pulled out my camera, but she...being from a camera hungry family...sat quickly on the ground and started smiling...
 
I wanted to wrap her up in an indian blankie and sing owwahhahhahsfoooooo to her..NOt really..but we did teach her how to pat her mouth as she let some plosive sounds out. (plosive are sounds like b, p, and other stuff..so not really plosive sounds did we teach her.. but I just wanted to use my Language Development language)
 
Sal Pal had this cute bottom I couldn't resist.
 
I changed in the car. I was scared to stand up, as my torso was longer than the length of this cow's torso. Hence the hunching over in all pictures.
 
Laddie, was a horsey. Horse costume equaled heat. Heat equaled Lad taking his costume off in between houses. He would jump out of the 15-passenger van (known to fit 20 or 21) without his costume, and we would YELL LAD get on your horse!! Not get on your horse, like an actual horse, but get on your horse..costume..Duh.

 
I asked Chandler what he was, he shrugged his shoulders. Throughout the night when people asked me what everyone was for Halloween I would say, Sally is obviously the cutest bunny you have ever seen, Landon is a creepy clown, Ethan is at a party, Echo is at a different party, Shad has a football game (so he is a football player for halloween, hahahaha!), Faith is an indian, Lad is a horsey, Ian is Batman (Then a screech from Ian, "NO!!!!!!!! Im SPiderman!") Okay okay fine, Ian is spideyman, and Chandler is a ....sailor maybe? Then everyone would look at each other and just kinda say...uh he is whatever you want him to be..uh he just found that sailor looking shirt in the closet and wore it with his basketball shorts. Oh and he forgot shoes. So he went Trick or Treating barefoot. He didn't complain.
 
Hans Ian kept saying, Brit look over here. THen he would be striking all these Spidey man poses. He wore flip flops for the night, but rarely wore them (they are ironman flip flops). Then he was continually jumping off front porches, steps, people's couches, and he was continually falling down. He was pretending to be spiderman all night. He won the award of 'good job you played the part of your character the entire night, have a candy bar'. At one point he jumped off of a porch and landed on his stomach and rolled, and his pumpkin bucket rolled across the yard emptying the entire contents of snickers, lollypops, hard candies, gum, grosser than most candies..and I was sure there was going to be tears. Tears never came and he scrambled up as I helped him pick up the wet goods (as it rained). He said to me, "Man I gotta try to land on my feet." As if he hadn't been trying the previous spills. Oh great, glad you are going to try now. That's comforting.
 
Wow that last one was long. I'll keep this one boring and short. Hey look at us, we are trick or treating at Betty Jo's.
 
As I think the skimmers of my blog appreciate short ones, here is another short one. 'Betty Jo giving us candy'
 
The light was a bit bright for the clown. Indian took it well.
 
Seems like the goods were raided by the Indian. I hope you know she was in her character most of the night then she got tired.
Indian is tired, and wants more candy, here she is fighting sleep during trick or treating and sucking on the candy hoping that some chocolate would come out.
 
Can you imagine the house owners faces when we walked in? Well let me try to capture them. They would look at us closely, say, "Oh my Brit and Sally you guys are a little big for trick or treating, and your costumes!"
 
Do I need to put a caption on this picture? Do I need to explain why in the world we did this? I probably do..but I'll let you think about it
 
The trickers.
 
Please tell me we are beautiful.
 
This is one of a thousand photos. Spideyman. 'stay in your character all night award'
An award I lost when I stopped mooing after the fourth house.