Novel idea?

I always have a million things running through my mind that I want to write about. I lay in bed at night writing my posts in my head...and then I fall asleep. Then when I wake up the witty comments and good ideas are no longer there like they were the night before. And thus my blog gets forgotten until I actually sit down at a computer and type what I am thinking when I am thinking it. This is one of those times...
I finished City of Glass the third book in the Mortal Instruments series. It was good. Really good. I am a sucker for a good fantasy book I have found out. Why? I was thinking about that in one of my pre-bed thought sessions. I had just finished the book and was really happy and somewhat sad. I loved the ending but was thinking...'where will I now get my entertainment?' I love just getting lost in a book. It's like you are by yourself somewhere but all you can see are the pages of the book. Your surrounding are a little fuzzy. You might see a tree or a person but you aren't really paying attention. You know they are there but you don't really care.
When I am involved with a book I have a really hard time not finishing it as soon as I can. I just want to know what happens. I don't want the story to be mixed up with anything else. I am putting myself in the story. The characters are my friends for a few days and I am right along side them acting out their story.
That's how it is when I read a book I am really into. So sorry to my friends, family, husband, dog, kitchen, and work. Because when I have a book I like, everything else is on the back burner. (Ok so I obviously don't neglect my husband and completely ignore him, but you get what i mean right?) I sneak in a few minutes of reading whenever I can. And I mean whenever and wherever I can. I read all 3 450-500 page books in this series in a week. Thats how much I LOVE to read. I would say its my favorite past time. My love for reading is probably one of the major reasons I have such terrible eye sight. But I don't care. So where was i going with this.... oh yeah.
After saying all this, I will now say, I am realll really really jealous of novelists. I want to be able to do what they do. I want to have this fantastic idea and sit down and write a 500 page novel that completely sucks its readers in for days at a time and finally releases them when they have finished. I want to imprison people with a book I write. Is that crazy? I don't think so...but I don't know if that's my purpose in life. I love to write and I am good at it, but I don't know that I will ever call myself a novelist. But I can dream can't I?
Wow...I never know where I will go when I write. That was something way off topic than I was originally going to write. So thank you to Cassandra Clare for being a very imaginative person and having the ability and perseverance to write the Mortal Instruments series. I for one am grateful for my little vacation from life while reading them.

Oh now I remember the fantastic news I was going to post about....drum roll please... My sister Nichole and niece Brielle who I haven't seen in 6 months are coming to Modesto on Thursday for 11 days!!!!! Yay!!!!! I am so excited I can barely contain myself. I miss them so much! I am the lucky one that gets to pick them up from the airport. So next week will be great!

And i should mention why my sister gets to visit for that long. My awesome brother-in-law Chase left yesterday morning for Haiti. He was asked to go and help with the relief efforts. He is a EMT/firefighter so he has a good medical background that will allow him to help a lot in Haiti. So he will be there for 3 weeks so my sis decided to visit us to fill some of her time without him. We are so proud of Chase. He is an awesome guy and we couldn't be happier to have him in our family!

Polar opposites and Good Reads

While Chad and I are very compatible...obviously...we definitely are very different in some aspects of life. For example: I am the kind of person that likes my time. I don't like going somewhere super early because then I just have to wait. So maybe besides begin to work a few minutes early and to job interviews and things of that importance, I DON'T like being early. And I really never am. I will give myself just enough time to be somewhere on time... and sometimes I am even late. I will admit. I just don't like waiting...I am impatient. It's something I am working on.
Chad on the other hand....my better half in this instance...is an early kind of person. He HATES being late. And almost never is. He always is wanting to leave earlier than me to get somewhere early. He is really really good about this.
I want to be early, I just don't know if it is in me to wait... unless I have a good book to pass the time while I am waiting. That is the one exception I will make. Which brings me to my next topic: Books. I finished Breaking Dawn (4th book in the Twilight series) on Sunday. It Always makes me sad to finish that series. You get to know the characters so well during the four books and the fourth one is my favorite. It is so different from the other 3. More mature and defenitely so much new happening. So i was sad to finish like I always am...no more Edward and Bella to fill the time.
BUT... I started another book Sunday. It's a series I have been wanting to start for a while called The Moral Instruments. I started the first book City of Bones on Sunday and finished it yesterday. It was great! I hate saying I read fantasy but that is what it is. But I also would classify Harry Potter and Twilight as fantasy so they are along the same lines as both of those series. I don't know why, but those kind of books just suck me in. Maybe it's because they are so unlike our real world and let's face it: Sometimes we need a break from the real world.
So the books are about Shadowhunters, or demon hunters. It sounds weird but it really isn't that much weirder than Harry Potter. The writing is really good and so it the story line. Very entertaining. There really aren't very many slow moments at all. It's a 500 page book but it really didn't seem that long at all.
I would highly recommend the first book. It didn't have quite the ending I thought it would but I can't say that I didn't like the ending. So I am dying to go and buy the 2nd and 3rd books tonight so I can start on those!

Whats in my purse?

People always tell me how HUGE my purse always is...and it's true. I have large purse carring syndrome. I can't help it. It's in my blood. I have to have a big purse and I have to have it with me pretty much at all times. What else would I carry my book I am currently reading? Or my planner? Or my wallet? I think you get my drift...so....here is a blog for all of you who wonder why I carry such a big purse? Let me divulge some top secret info...what's in my purse?

Lately

I am finally getting over being sick. I was actually relieved that my Wisdom tooth appointment was cancelled because I would have been miserable with a head cold and a throbbing mouth. So my congestion is starting to go away but I still sound like a 60 year old man. Hopefully that will go away extra fast. I pretty much did absoltely nothing this weekend....it was nice. Not gonna lie. I watched a lot of movies...to be honest I can't really remember a lot of them...maybe that was from the cold medicine. Oh wait...just remembered one. We rented 17 again from Redbox. I am now a fan of Zach Efron after that movie. And I was already a fan of Chandler Bing... is that his name? Yes, that's the name I will always know him as. I miss friends... So that was a really good movie, funny, light. Took me to a happy place in the midst of all the tissues and snot.
Sunday was a good day. I teach the 5 year olds in our ward. They are really fun. I like being in the primary. This is the second time now I have been called as a teacher. The last time I taught sun beams and there were usually 3 on a good day, 1 on a bad day. That was hard. But now I have moved on up to the 5 year olds and there have been about 5 or the last couple of weeks. A couple are a handful *cough cough* the two boys. But I honestly love them already. They all have their own personalities and it's really fun being able to teach them about Christ and his church.
And yesterday Chad had his first night of his new EMT class. We are really hoping everything goes smoothly with financial aid so he can stay in the class. We're keeping our fingers crossed. I just puttered around the house last night and did some dishes and laundry. And I watched a little bit of Romeo and Juliet. Chad and I started watching it Sunday night and it just was too weird so we turned it off. All of the people who play the Capulets and Mantagues are weird! Not to mention the original dialogue of Romeo and Juliet mixed with the modern scenery, clothes and people. It was odd and annoying. So Chad and I were both looking at each other not sure if the other one liked it but we finally agreed to turn it off and laughted about it for a while. But then I got curious last night again. Because I really love Claire Danes. I love her not just because we share a name. I also like her because she is a really great actress. She has one of those alluring qualities, I just love watching her in movies. She is in Brokedown Palace. If you have not seen that movie you need to! So anywyas..back to Romeo and Juliet. Yes the movie is weird with the modern take but the parts with just Romeo (played by the wonderful Leonardo Dicaprio) and Juliet are wonderful. I actually like the old language in those parts. Shakespear really was a genious. I liked the balcony part with them so much it really made me want to go back and read the play. I think I just might.
And lastly I watched the Bachelor, and yes it is possible to have more drama than the first week. I will say this much, the Bachelor really knows how to entertain. One of the more skanky, fake blonde girls had an "innapropriate relationship" as Chris Harrison puts is, with one of the crew. Ha! How have they not thought of that before? It was sooooo funny! Don't get me wrong, i actually really like the Bachelor, Jake this season and want him to find his soul mate (slightly sarcastic emphasis on the last part of that sentence) but this was almost too much to handle. He looked like he was going to faint when he heard the girl was being sent home. The girl in question acted like it was ok and actually said to Chris when he confronted her that "her personal life was no one's business." Really? Really? And then all the other girls are all crying? I don't get it. Shouldn't they be happy because there is now one less girl and Jake is all vulnerable now and will make out with them? That's what I would think.
I was staring at the screen in awe, suprise and disgust the whole time. But lets be real...I will definitely be enjoying and watching every episode of the Bachelor this season. I am not ashamed.

That's all.

Calm, relaxed, happy

So this is what it feels like to NOT start a new semester tomorrow. It's nice. Really nice. My husband on the other hand, hopefully starts a new semester tomorrow. Hopefully he gets into his classes. *fingers crossed* But I am done. It still feels weird but more than anything it feels....calm, relaxed and happy. To those who do still have school. Good luck and remember, one day soon you too will be done. It can't last forever!

Thoughts of my mind

It's friday. I am supposed to be sitting in a dentist chair right now getting numbed. Instead I am at work. It sucks. A lot. Last night Bright Now Dental called and cancelled my appointment to get my wisdom teeth out. Why would they do that you ask? Because the doctor took another look at my charts at 5:30 PM the night before my appointment and decided he didn't feel comfortable taking my wisdom teeth out and wants to send me to an oral surgeon. I made the appointment 3 weeks ago. He couldn't have told me then? Obviously Bright Now Dental is very unorganized.
So now I have to deal with getting an oral surgeon approved through my insurance and setting up another appointment and getting the time off work again and possibly paying more because I am now going to an oral surgeon.
Needless to say I was VERY mad last night. For some odd reason I was so mad I almost started crying. I think it was just one of those nights where my tear ducts and my anger were REALLY attached. I am over it now but still a little cranky that I am at work right now instead of at home being lazy and watching moveis and reading New Moon. Oh well.

Something else that annoys me. Today is like January 8th and people are STILL wishing me a happy New Year. How far into January do we have to be for people to stop that?

Oh and don't you love when people grumble under their breath...but just loud enough so that you hear. They aren't just mumbling to themselves though....what they really want is for you to say whats wrong? Then they have free reign to complain to you about how horrible their life is.
My Co-workerd does that ALL the time! I hate it. I don't really care what's wrong. I am her co-worker, not her therapist.
She also will do this thing where she asks me a question. Then I answer. She barely listens or comments before she is giving me her answer to her own questoin. What she should so instead is say, 'Hey will you ask me this question? I really want to tell you what I think but I don't feel like hearing your answer. Thanks.' That would be much more honest of her and then I can just say no thanks. I hear your voice enough. Mean of me I know. I probably wouldn't actually do that. Hmmm.....

I was craving cereal for lunch yesterday. Which is weird because I grew up almost never drinking cows milk. My mom always had so or rice in the fridge, but never cows milk. And my dad would sometimes stock a gallon but it would usually expire before we drank it all. But since I married Chad milk is a constant in our fridge. I tried telling him that we should get soy or rice milk but who was i kidding? They really are not my favorite. And Chad Loves milk. His family are the drink-your-milk-with-everything kind of people. So when we got married I started having it more. And now it's just a normal part of life. And now I crave cereal for all 3 meals somtimes. Bet you wanted to know that long history of my life with milk. HA.

Birth control sucks. Ok the Pill sucks. I was just reading someone elses blog post about this subject and it is exaclty how i feel. The pill is known to slow down metabolisms and that is what happened in my case. And now my body just won't get back to the same it was prior to the pill. Can you slow then speed back up a metabolism? Don't even know if that's possible.
All I know is that I will NEVER go back on the pill. I think that our society relies to much on the pill to "Cure" everything. Acne? Go on the pill. Unregular cycle? Go on the pill. Some other health problem? Oh the pill could probably cure that. It seems like it is used more often for everything BUT preventing pregnancy. It is not good. Advice to those who are thinking of going on the pill (just in case you didn't already come to this conclusion from my rant). DON'T!

Ok that got a little too serious. Let's end these random thoughts of mine with something less important. Ok, something that really isn't important at all, but I'm thinking about it and that's what this post is about.
The Bachelor. It oremiered Monday and I hoped you watched it because boy was it entertaining. There seems to be more crazies than normal this season. Girls who start crying the first night? How much pressure can there really be the first night? Really?
Even though I got mad at Chad for making fun of it while I was watching I am sure I will make fun of it on this blog... A LOT. Shhh don't tell Chad. And despite being a stupid show...I will still watch it. I know it doesn't make sense...don't judge. That's what reality TV is for: to entertain. We all know it's not real and that 95% of it makes us want to puke from annoayance. But we still watch.

Thanks for reading... if you even got through all of that.

Holidays Galore

So I am FINALLY posting about the recent holidays (and it's going to be a looong one). I have had a really hard time getting back to the swing of things this year. Maybe it was becuase I had a week and a half off of work (not all consecutive days, but still really nice). The last few weeks have been great! Very relaxing. Some well deserved and very much needed R&R. I can't say that I did a lot, but I did check some things off of my to do list. Recap of the last two weeks.

Christmas

I only worked half a day on Christmas Eve. We went over to my mom's about 3 to help cook dinner. We ate the ham we forgot about on Thanksgiving (Ha!) and other good food.

My mom is always taking pictures and while we might get annoyed at the time I am always glad after the fact that I have so many wonderful pictures to chose from. Thanks mom!

Then we opened gifts and visited. Below is a picture frame collage that I made for my mom and Tracy.Ariana sporting the necklace I made for her and the sweater Cody bought her. I made one for my mom too (non-metal so she could wear it because she is alergic to metals) but I didn't get a picture.
Christmas Eve family photo. And of course Oliver always has to be in our family photos. We are a good looking family if I do say so myself.

After our visit to my mom's house we met up with Chad's family and looked at Christmas lights. That was short lived...everyone was tired...so we headed back to Chad's parents house. Everyone finished their last minute wrapping (in my husbands case...he wrapped all of his gifts that night...slacker). Then the kids went to bed and us adults put out all the "santa" gifts. Then we visited and took naps (Ok, maybe I just took a nap on the couch because I was tired) and went to bed. Even though I am married and an "adult" doesn't mean Christmas morning isn't still exciting. It was fun waking up early and opening gifts with the Bringhurst's. We always open a gift at a time (for the most part, by the end the order is somewhat lost) so we can see each gift and what everyone got. I love this tradition. It makes it last longer and its just fun.

Katie opening gifts:

Jills Family Christmas morning:

Isn't this an excited face? Even Oliver loved Christmas morning. He got a new Christmas colored rope to chew to his hearts content.

Chad and I also got some great gifts this year!
Chad got me the CD's on the left and becca (Chad's youngest sister) got me the brush set.

I love practical kitchen gifts. Those are usually the things that we don't buy during the year because they aren't a necessity. Chad's parents bought us the pictured Wok. Now I can stir fry without making an absolute mess! My mom got us the kitchen utensils which we were in desperate need of. Not only does your silverware tend to get lost over the years but it also gets damaged in the garbage disposal...people named Clair tend to do this a lot. And my sister Nichole got me the yummy scone mix pictured. Sadly I haven't yet tried it out, but I will!

I got Chad some new dress shirts. He loved them! Yay. I was worried because he is picky about dress shirts.

My mom also got me a new temple bag. Actually I have never had one...so my first temple bag.

And this was my favorite gift! Kudos go to my husband for the great Black Friday find. Isn't it beautiful? It still doesn't fit all of my necklaces, but I doubt I will ever find one that will.

Chad's mom made us some more awesome holiday decor for our home.

His mom also made us this sign for our home.

And Chad's sister Jill got us this framed picture of the Oakland Temple. We have been wanting to get one and now we don't have to!

Lastly Chad's 2nd favorite gift was this tool set his parents got for him. He has been wanting drill bits for a while.
His favorite gift(I am saying this, not him) sadly didn't make it under the tree because I ordered it late. He just got it yesterday. If you know Chad, you know he would love this!

Late Christmas night Chad, Ariana and I headed up to my dad's cabin. We got there late that night. The next day we went snowmobiling in the morning and then later a bunch of family came up to the cabin.

Ariana had fun in the snow...
And sucking on icicles...

My cousin Travis, Ariana, Kelsey (Cody's girlfriend), Cody and Emily (Travis' gf).

Me, Oliver and Mia (My Aunt Debbie's minature dachsund). Funny story...we forgot Oliver's bed and cage at home so he had nowhere to sleep. Well my Aunt Debbie brought up Mia's bed with her on Saturday. They all got there while we were out snowmobiling so I wasn't there. But aparantly Oliver's bed and Mia's are the exact same doggie bed. So Oliver kept laying down in Mia's bed because he thought it was his (that we left at home). Mia doesn't like this. So they are fighting over the bed. My Aunt Debbie had no idea they had the same bed. It was pretty funny. But the two dogs do really get along great.

All of our extended family left that same day but we stayed a second night. The next morning we woke up to fresh snow. We got about 6 inches as you can see in the picture below.

It felt like Utah. But it was nice to be able to play in it for a day and then leave!

Group picture. This was the first time we met Cody's gf Kelsey. She is very nice and her and Cody are great together. We are very happy they found each other.

During one of our snowmobiling breaks Ariana decided to make a snow angel.

Cody and Kelsey again on a break from our snowmobiling trip.

Chad and I posing.

We had so much fun at the cabin as usual! We were especially glad that Ariana came with us. She entertained Oliver on the ride there and back. As you can see they both fell asleep on the ride home. It was a long and tiring trip for human and pet alike.

New Years

We had a low key New Years Eve. We stopped by my mom's earlier in the day and I managed to remember to take pistures! Its a miracle. Doesn't Ariana look so cute with her curls? She is so grown up!

Then we went to dinner that night with Chad's family at Paper Moon- the only Chinese food restaurant I will eat at.

Then we went to a New Year's Eve party at our friends Paul & Elizabeth's house. No pictures though.

Lastly ( I'm almost done...I promise!) we saw Avatar on Saturday. We saw Alvin and the Chipmunks first and then Avatar. Both were good but Avatar definitely beat Alvin by multiple stars. I wasn't terribly interested in seeing it. I had hear it was good and so I figured why not? It far exeeded my expectations. The cast was awesome. I LOVE Sam Worthington who plays the main character. He is also recently in Terminator Salvation. He is really awesome in this movie but so is everyone else. It did have some swearing which annoyed me but you can't have everything can you? Go see it!