Pondering

Why do people push the elevator button multiple times? It doesn't make it come any faster.

Happy Birthday Cruz!

Today is my nephew's 1st Birthday! Enjoy these pictures and video of the cutest nephew on the planet! Also disregard my voice on the video, I know I sound dumb.

Just a few pics from 2008

Here is a small sample in pictoral form of what I did in 2008.

2008-A Year of Vacations and New Experiences

So 2008 brought a bounty of vacations and new experiences for me. Here’s a run-down of what I did this year.

January- Kat and I took our annual “get out of Provo and go somewhere warm” trip to Arizona. We got to hang out with Ritz and Leah and had a fabulous time! On our way to Mesa we slept in a wigwam on Route 66! That was awesome!!
I became an aunt on January 13th when my first nephew Cruz was born!
I began grad school at San Jose State University.

February- My co-workers and I went to San Antonio Texas for 4 days. We enjoyed the warm weather and eating outside on the Riverwalk.

March- Shelly, Eric, and I drove to Seattle for Cruz's baby blessing. My parents flew out for the blessing as well. It was fun to see Seattle and visit Brendan and Tatem.

April- Caroline and I took a "vacation" to Salt Lake. We went to the temple with Jenny and hung out at the zoo. It was a really fun hometown vacation.

May- I relaxed after finishing my first semester of grad school, then 2 weeks later began my 2nd semester.
I went to Goblin Valley and Natural Bridges National Monument on Memorial day with my co-workers.

June- Sariah and I went to a concert at UVU. It was a lot of fun!

July- My entire family (except for Gary and Eric) went to Seattle for a week. It was so fun to see Brendan and Tatem's new place and of course play with Cruz. We got to see more of Seattle and just have a fun time together.
I also went to an Opera (my 2nd one) in Logan with my co-workers.

August- I went to Cedar City twice. Once for a work conference and the second time for the Shakespeare Festival with my co-workers.
I went to the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival something I like to do yearly.
I began my 3rd semester of grad school.

September- I went to the Sheepdog Festival for the 2nd time. Last year it was blistering hot, this year it was freezing cold! But we still had a good time!
My mom came to town and we spent time going dress shopping with Shelly and working on wedding plans.

October- A bunch of us old 2nd Warders got together and had a great time reuniting!
I had my wisdom teeth removed, it wasn't super fun, but it's over!
I went to "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in American Fork with my co-workers.

November- I had Thanksgiving at my grandma's house in Payson.
Shelly had a family bridal shower and I continued helping her with wedding plans and getting her bridals taken.

December- I helped at the Festival of Trees in SLC. It was a really neat experience.
I went home to Missouri for Christmas.
Shelly and Jershon got married in Nauvoo on the 20th.
Gary and Carla got married in St. Louis on the 27th.
I got to play with Cruz for a whole week!

"How to Talk to Girls" by Alec Greven

I just saw the cutest clip from the Today Show...check it out here:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/28050331#28050331

You can also read the accompanying article here:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28038281/?GT1=43001

He's got some pretty solid advice!

Homework

WEEK #11 THOUGHT BUBBLE: You are on a mission…
Go to the mall and visit a teen-centric retail store (and can someone please tell me why at Hot Topic are all the t-shirts from all the bands I listened to way back when...?). Look at the place with your librarian eyes.... What, if anything, is going on there that isn't typically found in a library's teen area but would work in the library setting?

This is verbatim my homework assignment for today. I literally spent 1.5 hours doing "homework" at the mall this morning.

Best. assignment. ever!

Selectively Sleepy

Lately whenever I try to study, I keep drifting off. This morning I was reading through some PDF articles on my computer and I just couldn't stay focused and alert.

However, when I decided to give myself a break and look at blogs, suddenly I was awake and ready to read blog after blog.

However how can you not stay awake when you get to see cute Cruz army crawling? You can check it out for yourself here!

Learn Something New!

Although I'm currently in school and swamped...that doesn't mean the rest of you can get off so easy! I've recently found some cool websites that I wanted to share.

This is a list of 100 Useful, Free Web Tools for Lifelong Learners. If I wasn't in school right now, I would love the explore some of the awesome FREE courses that you can take through schools like MIT, Harvard Medical School, and Notre Dame just to name a few!

In reading one of my textbooks for my Programming and Services for Young Adults class, the Louvre Museum website was mentioned a few times as being spectacular. Check it out.

Tag Galaxy is a site that combines tags on Flickr pictures with a sort of visual dictionary. It's pretty cool!

So while I'm doing loads of homework this week, I expect you guys to learn something new and tell me about it, because I won't get a chance to really look at these sites until, oh, about 2010.

Mini 2nd Ward Reunion

So last night a bunch of us got together at TGIFridays and just had a blast catching up with each other. It's amazing how many of us are still around in Provo/SLC. I had such a great time just seeing everyone. It made me miss old friends and cherish the times we spent together!

This is maybe 1/3 of the group! I think we had over 30 people come.

Apt. 63 (minus Ashley) and 41 together again!

Jake and I. So fun to hang out with Jake again!

Seriously? Do you have to do that here?

I like to study on campus because it gives me a break from studying at home and I tend to be less distracted.

However, sometimes I wonder if I really want to submit myself to being on campus. Like today, I'm at the library reading and minding my own business. When a couple (they were either engaged or married) sat at the table with me. That's fine. I can share the table. But then they proceeded to whisper sweet nothings, and kiss, and cuddle and just basically annoy me for over an hour!

Seriously? Did they have to do that here? Couldn't they go find some spot of grass to cuddle on?
Blech!

Things that make you go hummm....

I was looking at a library blog today and ran across a posting on anniversaries and gifts to give for anniversaries (like the first year is paper and the blog was saying that books would be the perfect gift) anyway, apparently the couple pictured below does this every 5 years.



They call them "tunnel" pictures. They actually get a portrait taken of themselves holding the portrait from the previous 5 years. I'm not sure how I feel about it...but I thought I would share!

Busy, Busy

I'm reading YA books like they are going out of print! I feel like all I do is eat, sleep, work and read. So here are some cute pictures of my nephew for you to look at while I continue to read.

Wanna spend less $$ on Gas?

My family is testing a gasoline additive that increases mileage, reduces pollution, cuts maintenance costs, and saves money. The gasoline additive is Syntek Engine Boost 2.0 and information about this product can be viewed at YouCanSaveFuel.com

My family is driving across the country next week and I'm anxious to see how this additive effects how much money is spent on gas. My dad's going to bring some of the additive for me to try as well, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Check out the site for more info!

Dr. Mario

So....


My neighbors have Dr. Mario on their Wii.


Let the addiction resume!

Sometimes my life feels like this...

I definitely wanted to squish some patrons in shelves this week!

Teen Brain

Today for class I had several articles and book chapters to read about teen brain development. I really enjoyed this comment from the author of "Primal Teen":

Can we look in a teenage brain and find, hidden in its folds, some answers to even the most fundamental questions, such as why an otherwise tame and timid teenager goes out one morning and puts a big silver ring in her nose?

As it turns out, yes. As it turns out, teenagers may, indeed, be a bit crazy. But they are crazy according to a primal blueprint; they are crazy by design.

The chapter I read was really interesting and funny! It took me back to the days at BYU when I took my adolescent development class.

I'm really enjoying this young adult literature class!

For the Love of Reading!

This is the love canopy!

These are my co-workers in the love canopy.
Sorry it's such a dark picture, the lighting wasn't very good when i took this.

The Summer Reading Program has begun! Our theme this year is "For the Love of Reading"
Come sign up for the program (the adult grand prize is a Wii) and visit me at the desk!

Memorial Day Weekend

What did I do this Memorial Day Weekend? See for yourself!

My boys! Lincoln and Jared loved playing with me this weekend!

Goblin Valley was really cool!

I've never used a ladder before when hiking!

Natural Bridges National Monument was awesome! We saw 3 natural bridges.

I loved this sign! Especially the "Parents Control Your Children" part...we need this sign at the library!

A cute video of Lincoln. He's just recently begun saying my name! I've been coaching him on it for a while!

Adorable

This is my nephew at 4 months, isn't he cute! He's getting so fat! I love it!!

I can't wait to go visit him again in July!

Finished!

I just turned in my final and am now free from school for 17 days!

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!